Keep the Faith!

This weekend, I spoke to an old friend of mine that has been unemployed for months. I know other people who lost their jobs all of a sudden. There are others I know who will soon be unemployed. And all of this is happening in an unforgiving job market. Can you image going to work in the morning, and by noon, being unemployed? I spoke to a cousin of mine who just underwent back surgery and has to learn to walk again. The doctor has him on two different narcotic pain medications, and he is glad because before the surgery, he was on four. Can you image a doctor cutting your back open and scraping calcium deposits off of your spine? It seems that every year, more and more people fall through the cracks. Life gets more and more complex, and some people lose it, others just disappear. Others don’t merely fall into the cracks, but inscrutably, they seek out a crack and jump in head first! No one is inviolable to trouble; the atmosphere is perfect for testing Christians. But 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” Can you image Jesus Christ coming back to rescue us from all of this turmoil? I can, and I pray you can, too! Keep the faith!

Godchild Advocates “The Gospel of Realism”

Jason “Godchild” Henry, AKA Jás, begins his self-titled CD with a prayer: “Dear Lord, I have a few questions to see if some of the things I’m going through, maybe other children are going through. It’s not that I’m doubting you, but at times I doubt myself. Does that make any sense at all?” The track is “I Wonder (What Kinda Love).” “I wonder do you know how much I love you?” Godchild sings. “I wonder if you know I’m thinking of you? I wonder why I do some things I do when I want to live to please you?” All Christians can relate. Even the Apostle Paul says in Romans 7:21 –25, “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Godchild hails from Indianapolis, Indiana, and currently resides in Woodbridge, Virginia. He is an artist, songwriter and producer who has performed on many stage and television venues with prominent gospel artists like Yolanda Adams and Mary Mary. His is also a Marine with experience in Iraq. His musical influences range from the Winans, Fred Hammond, and Commissioned to Sade and Stevie Wonder. His project is available on CDBaby.com and on I-Tunes.

Just as abstract art does not represent reality as we see it, Godchild’s project does not represent gospel music as we usually hear it. His sound is avant garde yet holy, innovative yet righteous. The mass choir at your home church will not sing his songs, and his songs were not written particularly for their audience. Godchild’s gospel reaches those who like neo, urban, funk, or jazz. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:21 – 22 , “To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” Paul became real to those he sought, as does Godchild. He uses the colloquialisms of the streets to reach the street’s children – to acknowledge their struggles with Christianity and to bring them hope and comfort.

My favorite track on the CD is “Last Night.” Godchild sings, “Last night, night before, devil rode up tried to play me for sho, heard my testimony bringing up old sin - that I did when I did - what I would say back when.” Have you ever reminisced about some of the sins of your past? As a Christian, you know you are forgiven; yet you still feel guilty. Sin is like a nail hammered into a board. Jesus will remove the nail, but there is still a hole in the board that won’t be filled until we are one with the Lord again. Godchild sings, “I was that, way back, don’t deny that, that I did that, but He paid that price for me – shed His blood on the cross, now my soul’s been redeemed.” I asked Godchild what he wanted us to know about his ministry. “That it's real,” he said. “Real issues, real struggles, real victories. I ALWAYS want to ensure that I'm putting out what GOD wants me to put out.” “Last Night,” which may soon be released as a single, addresses real feelings we face, and Godchild expresses these feelings with his progressive praise.

I asked Godchild about his motivation for his self-titled project. “Basically, that same ‘Gospel of Realism’ that I believe God prompted me to focus on,” he said. “Often times Gospel music doesn't really address some REAL everyday issues that Christians are struggling with and are sometimes afraid to address. My motivation was that of seeing and hearing individuals feel as though they could not get as close to God as others because of their past or because of an occasional ‘missing of the mark.’” He goes on to say, “This Godchild CD was basically saying, ‘God is obtainable’... you don't have to walk on water and you certainly don't clean fish BEFORE you catch them.” Godchild told me to tell you that “YOU ARE NOT ALONE... YOU ARE FORGIVEN... and although this walk isn't easy, YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THRU CHRIST!!!!" I like the way he summed it up: “The devil is good with attempting to make Christians feel inadequate, and that feeling of inadequacy often times keeps them away from God.” Download your own copy of Godchild and let it encourage you. It will make sense to you and bring you closer to God.

It’s Over for Them, “Almost Over” for Us

The week of June 22, 2009 has proven to be the most shocking week in recent entertainment history. On Tuesday, June 23, 2009, Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson’s long time Tonight Show sidekick, died at age 86 after suffering from multiple ailments. Farrah Fawcett, star of the 1970’s show “Charlie’s Angels” and national sex symbol, died on Thursday, June 25, 2009 at age 62 after a long battle with cancer. That same day, Michael Jackson, the undisputed “King of Pop” died mysteriously at age 50. “But wait! There’s more!” The trite saying “they go in threes” does not apply here. The “Informercial King,” Billy Mays, died suddenly on Sunday, June 28, 2009 at age 50, giving us more than we expected for the final time.



The world mourns over the deaths of these celebrities. We have become accustomed to them coming into our homes through our televisions and keeping us company. We follow celebrity gossip religiously, and some us know more about them than we know about our own family members. As baby boomers age, death seems to be more frequent, and many of us are experiencing deaths in our families. Yet many of us mourn more for the deaths of celebrities that don’t know us than we mourn for our own family members.

Of all of the deaths of the week of 6/22, Michael’s elicited the most universal grief. News of the King of Pop’s demise circled the globe quickly through the media and through social networks like Facebook and Twitter. In fact, per media reports, the traffic we generated nearly brought down the Internet. One major site, CNN.com, had a fivefold rise in visitors and over 20 million page views within an hour of posting the story.

Why all the fascination with Michael? Maybe it was his eccentric nature. Maybe it was his raw talent. Maybe it was the sympathy we feel for those who are abused as a child or for those who never had a childhood. My twin girls are six, and my son is eight. They did not know about Michael’s past and had never seen his videos or heard much of his music. But beginning on the Friday night after he died, and through Saturday, they heard his music, watched his videos, imitated his moves, and fell in love. They can’t stop talking about him. Michael was the King of Pop because he knew how to connect with people of all ages, races, and nationalities through his entertainment genius.

Michael planned to leverage his universal appeal in a 50 concert come-back tour in London, concerts that sold out within minutes of the tickets being made available. Many of us hoped to see the new show in person or on television. We anxiously anticipated the harvest of new music and videos from the tour, a harvest that will now go ungathered.

Psalm 146:1-6 (NIV) says, “Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them — the LORD, who remains faithful forever.” What plans do we have? Some of us waste away precious time with celebrity gossip, family drama, and petty squabbles. Some of us seek fortune and fame, while others just try to get through the day. Some of us have the purest intentions and spend our lives helping those in need. But no matter what our plans and intentions are, we will all someday go the way of Ed, Farrah, Michael, and Billy. We all need to consider what we believe and our plans for spending eternity.

Beckah Shae, a talented, formerly Jewish, Christian song bird, forewarns us to consider our own salvation in her track “It's Almost Over” from her CD Joy. The CD is an infectiously smooth R&B gospel journey that sounds like something Jill Scott or Lauren Hill would produce. In “Almost Over,” Beckah sings the chorus “Here’s a song to let everyone know - it’s almost over. Think again before you run your own show. It’s getting closer. How well do you know where you are gonna go, ‘cause it’s forever. The time is now to think about not now, but your future in Heaven.” You can sample and purchase her music at CDBaby.com (click on the CD cover below).




The King of Pop was raised a Jehovah’s Witness, and a New York Post article dated November 8, 2008 reported that he converted to Islam. However, like Beckah Shae, Michael found a new salvation. A very reliable source, the gospel duo Mary Mary, reported in their blog on Friday, June 26, 2009 that Michael Jackson had accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior three weeks prior to his death. The King of Pop is now with the King of Kings!

Yes, the time on Earth is over for Michael and the celebrities who left us the week of 6/22. As Beckah says, it’s almost over for us, too. No matter what our plans are for today, we need a plan for our salvation – we need Jesus Christ in our life so that we too will have a future in Heaven.

Kommunity Festival Supports Feed the Children with ‘Baby Day’

The Third Annual Kommunity Festival, which will be held on the National Mall at the Sylvan Theater on July 11 – 12, 2009, is an outdoor program for providing community support services for the homeless and hungry, the under-employed and unemployed, the sick, the illiterate, and the oppressed. The theme for 2009 is “Reaching Back to Yesterday to Save Tomorrow.”


Saturday, July 11, 2009 will feature a health fair, including HIV/AIDS and other medical screenings, along with activities such as youth boxing, clowns, face painting, a live music concert, dance, and motivational speakers. These activities will include a tribute to the late O.D. Dickerson, founder of the Faces Project, which promotes health fairs for African, African American, and Latino men.

Sunday, July 12, 2009 is devoted to an all-day Gospel Explosion consisting of youth praise, liturgical dance, and gospel music styles ranging from traditional to Go-Go, all culminating in a good ole fashion Gospel Revival in the evening. The gospel performers such as The Unseen Movement, Resurrection, The Kings of Harmony, and Isaiah Thomas have been invited to perform.

Infants and babies will be celebrated all weekend. The organizers will be working with Feed the Children to celebrate Baby Day by collecting food, milk, bottles, pacifiers, diapers, and other baby supplies.

For additional information, or to make a donation, please contact Pastor Yolanda Bynum at 443-621-6342 or email kommunityfestival@gmail.com. Visit www.kommunityfestival.com for more information.

Brian Spriggs and NuWorship Deliver a Pure Praise

Brian Spriggs and NuWorship have been praising God through gospel music and while serving the community for 16 years. They have been blessed to perform on programs with many of today’s dynamic gospel acts such as Pastor Timothy Wright, Pastor Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Crusade Choir, The Love Fellowship Tabernacle Choir, Professor Wilbur Belton and The LADWEC Choir, and Tye Tribbett and GA. They have backed-up prominent performers such as Rev. James Moore and Earnest Pugh.


If you listen to their third CD, Pure Praise, you will find that NuWorship saturates your mind and spirit with praise. You will feel like you do on those special Sunday mornings at church when the choir is on fire. “He Did It All”, the second track on he CD, puts you in the Easter frame of worship. “He thought of me as he was carrying the cross,” NuWorship sings. Imagine that? Jesus actually thinking of you as He endured such tremendous suffering?

In “No Other Power,” NuWorship slows down the praise and sings, “He’s able to do what no other power can do.” The lead singer hits a note so high, it surely reaches Heaven. This song is all praise, or should I say, Pure Praise. “He is able to do the impossible,” the ensemble professes. Close your eyes when you listen to this, and focus on Him. You will know that He can do the impossible, and you will feel His peace.

Don’t you want to see Jesus face to face? The one who saved you by grace? “When We See Jesus” takes you to that moment. “We shall be just like him,” NuWorship sings. The praise, the anticipation, the victory, and the glory – all when we see Him face to face. “I want to see Him!” they sing. Me too, Brian! “We Shall!” NuWorship repeats, again reaching the condition of Pure Praise.

This wonderful ensemble not only produces a powerful praise, they are also servants of the community. Through the years, the NuWorship non-profit ministry has been involved in community service events such as the Foster Care Benefit Program, performing at nursing homes, Martha’s table Feed the Hungry, Angel Tree Border Baby Christmas Foundation, the Laplata 911 Victim Outreach Service, and Katrina Storm Outreach Services. NuWorship puts the words they sing into action for the glory of God!

Join Brian Spriggs and NuWorship in concert on June 20, 2009 at 5:00 PM at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, located at 6477 Lincolnia Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. They will be celebrating their 16th anniversary. You will surely have a blessed time in the Lord as Brian Spriggs and NuWorship lead you in Pure Praise! Get your copy of Pure Praise at CDBaby.com!

Need a DC area gospel artist at your event or church service? E-mail me at BrotherLove@gospelimpressions.com!

Still Cleaning

History is shaped by man’s response to temptation. Just as Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, and just as he tempted Eve and them Adam, so does he tempt us everyday. Sometimes it’s not Satan at all, but our own fleshly and worldly desires that get us caught up in wickedness and debauchery. For example, it was not Satan that tempted King David to sleep with Bathsheba, another man’s wife, in 2 Samuel 11:4; it was his own choice. The results of man’s inadequate responses to temptation are slavery, The Crusades, The Holocaust, 9/11, Columbine, and so on. The result is all nature of sin. Our individual response to temptation explains our individual circumstances, and humanity’s response to temptation explains our current world condition.

We naturally have worldly and fleshly desires, and we are constantly tempted with opportunities to satisfy them. We sin by taking advantage of those opportunities, by yielding to temptation. As we mature, some of us learn from our sins and make better choices. Those who seek Christ learn that Jesus will protect them from Satan. They learn to use the power of the Holy Spirit to resist temptation and live a disciplined life. Others just learn to make better choices after experiencing the consequences of sin. Still others never learn – they become repeat offenders, and perhaps we see them as suspects on “Cops.”

Jesus taught about this when he spoke of sowing seed on the rocks, in the sand, and on fertile ground. Jesus taught in Matthew 13:3 – 9 (NIV), “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear." The Word of God is a seed available to all, but it will only flourish in those of us who are fertile soil.

None of us are top grade soil, for Psalm 14:2-3 (NIV) says, “The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” And at Romans 3:23 (NIV) says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Let us thank God for sending His Son to die for our sins! The Gospel artist Cam ministers about this in the track “Still Cleaning” from his The Platform CD (see below).




Cam is in rotation at ChristianHangSuite.com’s Internet radio station. “Still Cleaning” is a funky track with a strong bass percussion that makes my daughter go “BOOM, BOOM, CHI - BOOM, BOOM, CHI.” Cam sings, “Two thousand years have past and blood the Christ is still cleaning me, cleaning you!” The bridge goes, “I’ve been cleaned like a brand new pair of them all whites, I’m all right. Since I exchanged my sin for his righteousness, I’ve been redeemed by the blood, baby – Still cleaning!”



Hebrews 9:13-15 (NIV) says, “The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”

Under the Old Testament, or the first covenant, man could only be reconciled with God through the Law, which required the sacrifice of animals. Christ’s sacrifice brought about a second covenant, and New Testament, that allows Him to cleanse us from sin. And here we are, two-thousand years later, and Jesus is “Still Cleaning!”

You can sample The Platform at http://www.rhapsody.com/cam/the-platform

(Copyright 2009 B. Anthony Love and Associates, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)

Depression

I came across the following post on a forum. It was entitled "Depression."

"I am in a state of a deep dark depression right now. Slowly, I find myself trying to come out of it, but I easily slide right back to where I was. I've been praying, seeking help and prayer from pastors at church, friends and family try to cheer me up, but why do I still feel the same?

In all areas of my life it is very dark. I can't find work after being laid off twice, I'm 40, single and w/o an extended family of my own, I have bills piling up to the ceiling, I'm behind on my rent and I may lose my car. I am so tired of the disappointment, hurt, pain, stress and confusion that comes with this heavy weight that I cannot bear anymore. I am so weak. I am so tired. My tears have dried up from crying almost everyday. I pray and read my bible. I do not know what else to do. Please keep me in prayer saints."

"God works in mysterious ways." The Pastor at the church I attended yesterday preached from Psalm 66, and because of what I learned from his sermon, I was able to post the following response:

My prayer for you, my Christian sister, is a prayer of hope and healing, and prayer of reconciliation and victory. At church yesterday, the Pastor reminded us that sometimes God puts us through trials and tribulations in order to make us stronger. Just like a coach that pushes an athlete to lift heavier and heavier weights, God puts us in more and more difficult situations, knowing that when we get through them, we will be stronger. He does this to prepare us to help others when they go through similar trials. He does this to prepare you to be an example to other Christians and to lead non-believers to Christ. He does this so that when others see you overcome, they will give Him the glory.

Psalm 66:3-4 (NIV) says, “Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name.’" I know it’s hard, but ask God to help you remember that He is still awesome – that He has still done mighty miracles. Psalm 66 continues at verse 8, “Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. He is still worthy to be praised!” The fact that you are alive is a miracle! God is surely not through with you yet - He has given you the right to salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ, and no one can take that from you!

Psalm 66 continues at verse 10, “For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.” Yes Ma’am, you are being tested and refined. You feel trapped and overwhelmed with burden. After you get through the fire, you find that you have to go through the water, too. But just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, you are not going through this alone for there is one in there with you that looks like the Son of God. It’s Jesus! Continue to pray to Him, every day, every hour. Offer Him the sacrifice of praise, even in your suffering. I know in my heart that each new day will be better than the last. Each day you will get a little stronger, and soon you will be bought to your place of abundance!

May God Richly Bless You and Lead You to His Salvation!

Please pray for this sister and for all of those who are struggling in this life.


(Copyright 2009 B. Anthony Love and Associates, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)