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How Can John Gray & Others Recover from Sin?

I think when a leader falls into sin; the church’s response is either of two extremes. One, to cancel the leader who fell into sin or to cover the leader’s sin in such a way as to not hold him responsible for his error due to his position. I think both extremes are wrong. It’s important that leaders are held accountable as the scripture says they receive the stricter judgment because they have an entry point to lead others astray. Their visibility gives them greater influence and with that a greater responsibility to properly carry the weight of leadership.

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. – James 3:1

There is a level of transparency and humility needed to recover from sin in general, but this transparency and humility required carries a greater weight as a public figure. Judgment from the mature and immature will be a given. I hesitate to judge others—meaning casting a punishment on them for their wrongs or even attempting to determine exactly where their heart is. I would not feel comfortable saying John Gray is simply evil due to his fault because I simply do not know his heart. I can only judge by what I’ve seen. This is in line with scripture that says:

“Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

Some genuinely have undealt with issues where they have formed unhealthy sinful habits that they rely on to bandage their real issues, yet they still genuinely want to obey God. While others have no regard for God. They do not seek to obey him or love him at all. The latter are those who take God’s grace for granted. They misunderstand God’s grace as a pass for sin rather than the patient enduring of the Lord with our weakness and empowerment for us to overcome sin.

God’s grace is not a pass for sin. It’s His empowerment to overcome sin. Becoming acquainted with our weaknesses, in this case, the prowess to sin, should cause us to humble ourselves before God seeking his power to overcome sin. A person with an evil heart who simply dishonors God; there is nothing that can be done for him/her unless the heart changes toward the Lord.

God’s word warns about those who consistently crucify the Lord with their deeds saying there is no more sacrifice left for their sin:
Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. – Hebrews 10:26

Again, the above is for someone who simply disregards God’s law who isn’t struggling to obey God but simply willfully giving in to sin. Only God can perceive the difference. It’s like David who was involved in sin but still had a heart after God. He was broken at the fact that he had broken God’s law once he came to himself. Sin has a way of blinding us to the truth when we are in it and sometimes God will send others or allow life circumstances to allow us to come back to who we are in Christ. This happened to King David. He humbled himself accepting the judgment that was allowed because of his actions.
John Gray and those currently involved in sin must humble themselves, confess their sin to God, and trust him for forgiveness and cleansing from unrighteousness:

God’s faithfulness to his word to forgive us is instant, but the purification from all unrighteousness is a process that we have to continually submit to for the rest of our lives. It starts with us taking responsibility.

Thankfully, John Gray confessed he was wrong in a message to his church. This is the beginning. He and others struggling with sin will have to continue to take responsibility. This means that he cannot deflect the responsibility for his adulterous indiscretion on the women or woman involved like so many church people do.

In the case of sexual infidelity or fornication, the church has had a history of vilifying and demonizing the woman as a Jezebel or Delilah; while giving the man a pass. This behavior deflects from the real issue and provides an opportunity for the same sin to re-occur over and over again.

Deflection is the opposite of taking responsibility. While the woman/women will have to take responsibility for themselves. John Gray will have to take full responsibility for his action as a man of God and a leader who carries the potential to lead others astray on a greater level.

John will have to deal with the root of why this was allowed to happen. The Bible says that a good tree cannot produce bad fruit. Somewhere there were bad seeds planted in him that produced bad fruit. This will have to be examined and resolved. This will be a process.

We’ve had other leaders in the body of Christ go through similar experiences. Da’truth and Tye Tribett had been involved in adultery in the past with other women while on tour. Da’truth humbled himself and went into a process of being restored and mentored by Cece Winans and her husband. Tye Tribett also went through a process.  It was not just chucked up in a confession, prayer of forgiveness, and vilification of the woman involved.

Instead, Da’truth took responsibility for his actions, and he and his wife were restored. He’d even preached on how he’d let his guard down allowing certain things in that opened him up to compromise. The sin of adultery is a thing of the past for him and the experience made him stronger. He continues to minister across the country and properly rep the name of Jesus. Those who are mature will need to walk with John Gray to help him to deconstruct the mindset that opened him up to sin. He will need to be built up and restored in the truth.

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. – Galatians 6:1

In short, John Gray and others struggling with sin will have to humble themselves, confess their sin, and ask for forgiveness from God. In the process, he will have to continue to take full responsibility for his actions not deflecting what happened on the other woman/women, and begin a process of repentance.

Repentance means to have a change of mind and to change directions. He will have to work with other mature believers who will assist him in deconstructing the wrong mindsets that caused the wrong patterns of sin in his life. He will need to be restored to the right mindset that is in line with God’s word and way of doing things. His new mindset will cause new actions that lead to deliverance and freedom from sin.

I am genuinely praying for John Gray, his wife, and anyone involved. This can be a lesson to many both inside and outside of the church that if there is hope for John Gray; there is hope for others struggling with sin if we are willing to submit ourselves to God’s process. It’s not God’s will that any should be lost, but that all should come to repentance; that includes God’s leaders too, who are also recipients of God’s grace. 

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Remember to Practice Self-Care

Self-care is super important in general because it allows us to be healthy individuals when we take care of ourselves. This is why the Bible shares as the greatest commandment for us to love God with all of our hearts, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

It’s even harder to take care of and love ourselves when we are responsible for taking care of other people that we love such as our parents. Care-takers, in general, often find it hard to balance taking care of themselves and others.

Studies show that after a loved one passes; care-takers left behind should get checked out at the hospital because often they’ve neglected themselves and may need to ensure they are still healthy. With millennials coming into more maturity and responsibility as adults by taking care of others and their affairs below are some things to do to assist in practicing self-care.

Be Open to re-evaluating & Adjusting Your Schedule
Recently, I’ve readjusted my schedule so that I can work out regularly instead of the here and there that I’d been doing since my mom moved in with me and my dad passed. Time management sometimes needs to be readjusted when circumstances in life change. Start by praying to God that he would show you how to readjust your time.

Prioritize what is important to you. Set goals to accomplish what is important to you. For example, you may need to ask for help or utilize an assistance program such as an adult daycare to allow your senior parents to be around other adults during the day where they can make friends. Ask family members for help when you want to go hang out if your parent cannot be alone. Where there is a will there is a way. Consider readjusting your time and plan to implement your readjustments.

Re-Commit to Maintain Your Health
Don’t stop doing the things that keep you healthy and make you smile. Keep a healthy routine. Establishing a healthy routine creates the habit of practicing good health. Things that should be in a healthy routine should be maintaining an early bed-time, limiting digital devices, and social media, meal-prepping healthy meals, and consistent exercise—at least 3 days per week at 30 mins. Also, getting fresh air, going for walks, and intaking vitamin D are all a part of a healthy routine. Finally, maintaining a healthy social network with others who value us for who we are. These all contribute to our physical, mental, social, and emotional health.

They also contribute to the overall enjoyment of life. If you enjoy dancing, dance, cycling, cycle, cooking, cook, being hospitable making others feel at home, do that. Prioritize some things you like to do for your self-care and personal health. Don’t forget to have quiet time and your favorite hot coffee, tea, or cocoa. Don’t forget to get a facial, wax, or anything that makes you feel beautiful. I like to take at least one day per week to do full-face make-up on myself. I may just take pictures and experiment with new lighting. These are some clear examples of self-care.

Do not Become so Busy that You are a Stranger to Your Family/Friends, but also Set Boundaries at Times: We need that time with our family. It settles us and reminds us we belong somewhere. It does the same for them especially as our parents get older. If they have not established life outside of the hustle and bustle of taking care of family and home; they may be confused as to what to do next or how to enjoy where they are. The check-ins of their children help to minister to their needs and refresh them in their worth. It’s so important.

Consider your social life. Have you checked-in with anyone. Does someone know you’re still alive, safe, and not depressed? I understand we’ve got goals and we want to grind, and there is a time and place for that, but there is also a time and place for rest and the joys of fellowship. Someone misses you and deep down, I’m sure you miss someone else. Create an opportunity to enjoy your family and friends. Don’t pass up on every invitation, but say yes to some fun adventures with friends and family.

Self-care also includes things like having the right perspective of yourself, forgiveness, thankfulness and such. Read more about this in my book: “The Wholeness Action Plan.“

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It Cost God Something to Love You:

Loving us did not come cheap to God. Even though He is God. He paid a high price for us. It is an awesome thing to sit in quietness and remember the goodness of the Lord. Even though many of us have heard the gospel story, sitting in God’s presence thinking on his goodness; we can begin to see it in a new way.

We know love is real when it costs something to love. A friend or family member gives up a kidney for a relative because of love. A married person dials back their dreams to be present with their spouse and children because of love. A single person holds out on false love because he/she loves herself. We know love is real when it costs us something.

So, what did it cost God to love us? It first cost God, the Father, his son. God the Father had to watch his son suffer on earth to bring us to himself. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh gave up his comfort. He had it made as God, the son. Jesus did not have to deal with any of the things we see him dealing with from man.

Jesus humbled himself as a man. He did not flash the clout of being God, but genuinely humbled himself. This humility allowed him to be scrutinized by the men he gave up his life to save. His humble entrance into the world as the son of a carpenter, Joseph, and a teen mom, Mary, who lived in a small town where everyone knew everyone garnered him the sin of familiarity. He gave up respect in his home-town to love us.

HHe gave up the comfort of avoiding confrontation from those who scrutinized him for teaching uncommon themes such as forgiveness, and the idea that a man could be God’s son—and making himself equal with God. He had to share these tenants so that we would be able to believe in him. He made it plain who he was.

He gave up comfort for being accepted among the most religious elite of his day by not condemning the outcasts of society—the divorced, lepers, tax collectors, and prostitutes. Finally, he embraced the grief of dying on the cross and leaving a grieving mother behind and siblings for the greater good of all humanity who would trust and believe in him.

All of this and more Christ endured due to the joy that was set before him. What was this joy? What was this motivation? The Bible says plainly in John 3:16 it was because he loved us. You are very loveable. Loving you does not come cheap. It cost God something to love you and me. Let’s not forget this. Let’s remember this when God protects us from those who do not likewise hold the very best interest for us. God loves us so much and if it costs him something to love us; that should remind us that we are worthy of love.

Following in Christ’s example, what can we give up to genuinely love our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as others in the world? Can we give up the need to be right? Can we give up the need for an apology? Can we trust the Holy Spirit to convict those in our lives who have done us wrong choosing to love them instead? What areas of your life is the Holy Spirit convicting you, stretching you, and calling you to a higher display of his love?

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Single Versus Married

I’ve been single for a while now. I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it. It’s just my life and I am happy with it. Recently I discovered some people weren’t as happy with my singleness as I am. I had no idea my single status had such an effect on others. Apparently, quite a few opinions are floating around about me being single that I was unaware of.

As singles, we have to be careful about allowing opinions & stereotypes to be projected onto us. It can cause us to become frustrated with the journey if we’re not careful. Here are some of the things I’ve heard lately regarding my singleness:

1) Abstinent? Poor thing!
2) She doesn’t know how to submit to a man that’s why she’s still single.
3) She’s not getting any younger she should take whoever she can get.
4) A smart, pretty girl like her not married? Something must be wrong with her.

Do any of the above sound familiar? I could go on. To say I was surprised to find out that so many had been thinking about why I’m still single is an understatement. It’s weird. Why is there such a negative view of singleness? Singles, your unmarried status is not a problem or something to hurry & get over. There is nothing wrong with you. You are not to be pitied because you’re not having sex, too picky, or your standards are too high. As a matter of fact, Apostle Paul said, in comparison to marriage, our single status is advantageous.

In 1 Corinthians 7th chapter you can read the married vs single discussion. While our culture practically insists you have to have a boyfriend or girlfriend and has made marriage some type of status symbol―scripture has the total opposite view:

1 Corinthians 7:25-28 states:

Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

Singles you are in an amazing position. Please don’t see this as me bashing marriage. Many couples I know say they love being married but also express how weighty the new responsibilities are. What I am speaking to is the attitude that being single is something miserable, something to hurry through to get to the real prize―marriage.

Shake off the gloom of being alone & look around you. You can freely come & go, dream & build, serve & grow with no reservation or interruptions. You can minister in whatever capacity God calls you to without having to first secure the agreement of your spouse. Don’t let the opinions of others steal your joy. Don’t let what you see in others highlight reel on social media cause you to miss out on one of the greatest gifts ever given―singleness.

Live your best life now. Work on improving yourself now, develop a plan for your finances now instead of presumptuously waiting until marriage to ‘figure it out. Become the best you that you can be to the glory of God in your single season so that your married season will be that much more impactful & enjoyable.

V.I.R.G.I.N. walks you through a 7 day discovery journey of self-worth and reveals God’s vested interest in your future by using scripture and life lessons from the author’s life. She shares candidly about her commitment to remain abstinent until marriage and how that decision unexpectedly led her into her purpose. Purchase the author’s book, “Virgin The Book” at this link: Click here

LaWanna R. Wilson is a speaker, author and abstinence advocate. She possesses a Bachelors of Arts degree in Speech and Dramatic Arts from Fisk University.  LaWanna’s love for writing began in third grade with journaling. It was also then that she began to dream of writing books. Her first book V.I.R.G.I.N. was birthed from a desire to start a conversation that she felt was rarely happening between her generation, Millennials and Gen Z regarding their worth & embracing their individual uniqueness. Her focus is to give them insight into the “real world” by using her personal experiences as an example, to help them identify their strengths and utilize those strengths to benefit their communities and their world. She interacts with them via workshops, small group studies and her weekly online live broadcast. LaWanna has a heart for international outreach as well. She has served as a full time missionary and her travels have taken her as far as Namibia. She has found in her travels that no matter where you go young people need someone to look them in the eye and remind them that they are seen, they have worth and they can make a difference.

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Ladies: Your Voice is Important!

Last year I had a conversation with my therapist about the difference in being assertive and aggressive. We as Black women often get the bill for the latter. We’re often looked at as aggressive due to the color of our skin rather than how we present ourselves. We’re often looked at as rough, rugged, loud, or abrasive instead of soft women, who desire vulnerability and are worthy of love.
When fighting against stereotypes placed on us; it can become difficult to simply be yourself.

You may be afraid to speak up when appropriate due to how you may appear. If perceived incorrectly by the wrong person; you may fear being alone or being misunderstood further, but we have to get past that. We have to grow past the point of how we are perceived by others to be our genuine selves.

Knowing the difference in being aggressive and being assertive can help with that. Otherwise, if we simply ignore developing in who we are and how we express ourselves to appease others; we may become passive. A person, who is not developed in her personality operates out of passivity hiding the beauty of the gift of all God has made her to be. I want to encourage all of my readers no matter the color that your voice is important and it must be shared.

Below are some tips my therapist pointed out about being assertive versus aggressive. An assertion is simply the ability to communicate a position or statement respectfully. An assertion comes from a place of genuine confidence. Whereas, aggression comes from a place of insecurity and fear. It leads to forcefully seeking to control an argument, person, or circumstance. Aggressive people are self-seeking, loud, and manipulative. This is unnecessary to get a point across.

An assertion is the opposite. A person who asserts themselves will not do so at the expense of others but will consider others in the process. An assertive person is one who operates according to the scripture of first loving themselves and out of that others. They consider others as they would themselves, while not drawing back in fear. They say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done.

I think a lot of us learned in the church and maybe even our homes that the appropriate place for a woman and her voice is passivity. However, a passive lifestyle is not a fulfilling lifestyle nor is it God-honoring. A passive person will not stand up for one’s self nor step out in faith. Instead of developing into herself; she makes her decisions around appeasing others at her own expense. It’s not God’s will for us as women to be passive or aggressive. It’s God’s will for us to assert the full beauty of the women He’s made us into. We have the gift of being soft and yet bold, ambitious, and yet powerful enough to assert the right tone. We have God-given wisdom to share. We are feminine. We are women and our voices as well as our feelings matter.

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Why Walking in Purpose Feels Like a Hike (Guest Post):

By: Joy Osahon (Author, Empowerment Speaker, Faith Blogger)

Walking in your purpose is an exciting journey that positions you in spaces and grants you the opportunities that you probably would not have imagined. It is a refreshing journey that can produce invaluable fruits in your life but oftentimes the journey itself can feel more like a hike. Typically, when you go on a hike, you are excited and pumped up at the beginning but that changes once you find yourself tripping over the rocks, losing your balance, here and there, and your body becoming overly tired after putting in several miles. Similar to an actual hike, walking in your purpose can feel the same way. It does feel the same way and what many people do not discuss is that similar feelings experienced are not always a sign for you to throw in the towel. In reality, the reason why walking in your purpose can often feel like a hike is because it is meant to produce the following 3 things:

Character / Resiliency/Greater Impact
Walking in purpose feels like a hike. It is not meant to destroy you but to build you up despite how cliché’ that may sound. Character building is essential when it comes to your purpose. So, when your character is filled with arrogance, pride, and hate, your purpose will not
operate to its fullest potential. It is important to add that character building is not always caused by doing something wrong. God may need you to become wiser in certain areas and sometimes the best way for that to happen is to put you under pressure. No matter how tough things may be or feel, God’s promise found in Jeremiah 29:11 is a strong reminder of that:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)

All of which is meant to build up your resiliency. Hence why walking in your purpose is not for the faint of heart. Becoming resilient is not an easy process and it can be very painful and draining. Thankfully, it is not an experience that lasts forever. In the end, you can become wiser, stronger, and more faithful with what God has called you to do; if you choose to stay the course. Even though hiking in your purpose can be difficult, there is still hope that can be found once you tap into God for the power and strength that you need to keep going. 2 Corinthians 12:9 is a great reminder of what it means to be weak in God’s eyes:

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me”. (NIV)

Not only is the “hike” in your purpose shaping your character and making you more resilient; it is positioning you to be of a greater impact to many. I have a personal philosophy that I came up with and live by and that is, “Everything you are going through is someone’s ‘How-To’ Book”. The only way to be a person’s “How-To” book is to get from point A to point Z or in other words, overcoming something. If walking in your purpose was just a smooth or problem-free walk, your journey will not benefit anyone else other than yourself.

Since purpose is not about you and more about how someone can positively benefit from your gift(s), it is essential that you understand that the hardships you have faced or currently are facing are not in vain. It is really in the hiking of your purpose that invaluable lessons are learned, books are being birthed, webinars are created, businesses are being launched, passions are being ignited, ideas are being curated, and individuals are genuinely being served and appropriately loved in a healthy manner. As you can see, having knowledge of your purpose and just casually walking in it is not enough. It is really in the “hiking” experience that a wiser, more knowledgeable, resilient, and influential you is being created. So, embrace the hike.

This Is Not Your “Typical Finding Your Purpose” Book mission is to challenge and shift the conversation and perspective around purpose and the reality of it. So, if you are ready to view purpose from a lense that will transform you into the person that God has called you to be, then take a plunge into this book. Book can be purchased on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3jIJ8fa

Joy Osahon, Author, Speaker, and Faith Blogger
 What makes Joy different from other bloggers and  speakers is that she believes that the best way for women to live their best life is from the inside-out. That is why Joy boldly speaks on topics such as faith, dating/relationships, self-esteem, career, and much more. Joy continuously strives to create a community filled with boldness, healing, growth, and authenticity with hopes that women will begin to live their best life no matter what season of life they are in. Visit her blog at https://www.speakwithjoy.net/ Also, follow her on Instagram @speakwithjoy

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Thoughts on Black is King

Recently, Beyonce dropped a video album, “Black is King.” Before it even came out videos were popping up on YouTube accusing her of comparing Black people being kings to Jesus Christ being the king due to Kanye West’s album. Other accusations went out as well. I watched the film this past Sunday and it did not appear that she was trying to take away from Jesus Christ being the King of Kings. She simply associated Black people with being kings and royal because we are children of God. I do not believe that it is sin for Black people to see themselves as something positive such as a king or a queen. We are made in the image of God and we do take on royalty as we’ve been adopted into the family of God.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. – 1 Peter 2:9

However, I will say there was a lyric where she said we are the living word. I’m not sure if she was saying that Jesus was Black because Jesus is the Word that was made flesh or perhaps, she was saying that we are a living representation of God’s word that was spoken in the Bible. Her meaning was unclear.

To be honest, I try to stay away from videos of people accusing other people of things whom they do not know and have not met. In our culture, there is a tendency to abuse celebrities as if they aren’t people. Just like I would not want someone to gossip about me; I try to practice the same thing regarding public figures and other people—because we all are just people.

Secondly, the accusations against celebrities on YouTube normally do not have any proof they are simply based on appearance and speculation.  The meaning of speculation is to form a theory or conjecture without firm evidence (Google Definition.) I was not trained to accept accusations about people without evidence. Being one who has been trained in media, we were trained to look up at least 2-3 reputable sources before reporting information.

Even the Bible says to not accept a charge against an elder except on the evidence of 2-3 witnesses. The Bible also cautions us of our tendency to judge by appearance; while God judges by the heart.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

God gets down to the meat and the heart of the person and the matter. This is the way that I desire to go. I am a person who values getting to the depth of things and not judging simply by the surface. In doing so, I have to rely on the Holy Spirit and the Word of God because it isn’t in my nature to judge according to the heart of a person or the matter. It’s simply easier to judge by appearance and that is what so much of us do.

Another scripture reminding us not to judge by appearance:

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” – John 7:24

Art is subjective to the viewer. One person may see one thing and another may see something else. It’s okay to say this is my opinion. I perceive what the art is showing to be such and such. That creates a healthy dialogue, but it is totally different when we say this is what the artist meant without consulting or considering the artist who made it. It can be prideful to try to explain someone else’s work without consulting them. It can also be disrespectful.

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. – Proverbs 18:19

In our ignorance, we shut ourselves out of being in a position to share the gospel with the subjects of our gossip because we’ve already offended them through our disrespect. If God ever positioned us to be in relationship with the celebrities we’ve talked about; they would not have any respect for anything we have to share including the gospel because we’ve already messed up our creditability through gossip. It’s better to say I’m not comfortable with their art or I did not understand it or simply ask what was meant than to assume their meaning behind a particular thing.

I remember in the past watching a video about the Illuminati and how they would say if you see an album cover with one eye covered; that means that person has been initiated into the Illuminati. I ran into one of my favorite gospel rappers at a conference who had recently released an album with one eye covered. I went up to him and asked him if there was any particular meaning, he meant to imply with his last album cover. He said, “no, why do you ask?” I said because I’d seen a video sharing that when one eye is covered that means the artist has been initiated into the Illuminati. He was like aww Nah. I’m not affiliated with that.

It’s really simple to respect people in humility treating them like human beings rather famous or not, but as I shared earlier; we tend to abuse celebrities saying things about them we’d never say to their faces. We have to keep a clear conscious in dealing with all people including celebrities because Christ loves them too and died for them also. His will is for all men to be saved including celebrities. When we cast meaning on their art without proof putting them into hell, satanism, and blasphemy without proof; we’ve already condemned them in our minds.

Now, there is something called media semiotics where many artists and media creatives study other ancient cultures including the Bible and they borrow from those cultures making it their own for creative purposes. A good example of this is the film, “The Fog.”

In the fog, there is dialogue borrowed from the Bible. The purpose is to have an unfamiliar language said in a voice that appears scary to the audience. The film was somewhat of a scary film. They borrowed the below:

“This is the inscription that was written: mene, mene, tekel, parsin. – Daniel 5:25

The above scripture comes from a story in the Book of Daniel where a new king in Babylon had taken the holy instruments from God’s temple and used them as unholy. He had a party with the instruments that were to be used to minister to the Lord only. Defiling God’s instruments earned him a direct judgment from God. God sent a hand to write the above words on the wall. The king did not know how to interpret the words and he was scared. Daniel was summoned who interpreted them as saying that the king’s actions had been weighed in the balances of heaven and he has been found lacking. Thus, the judgment was to come.

That was the original scriptural meaning of the use of those words. However, they were used in the film, “The Fog.” To infer curiosity and fear. It appears foreign to those who do not know the Bible. Media semiotics is simply borrowing from various cultures and creating your own meaning for them.

Another example of this can be seen in the days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The names of the days of the week have come from various ancient gods that we do not worship in America. However, because the names of the days of the week were borrowed from various gods doesn’t mean that everyone who says, Happy Tuesday is referencing a god. This is why it is so important to judge righteously and not by appearance.

The scripture speaks about these things in Romans 14. He warns us to not judge one another based on our convictions. One person has a conviction not to eat meat that is also offered to idols; while another says that God made all meat and thus, he eats all meat. God accepts both of them. Similarly, some people may love Beyonce’s music; while another feels it is a sin to enjoy her music. I don’t think we should fight with one another and accuse one another of not being saved if one listens to her song or if another does not. I do believe it is wisdom to guard our spirits from any music that is contrary to the Word of God.

I believe the greater focus should be on building ourselves up in God’s Word so that we can think and be discerning for ourselves. Understanding what the Word of God says should be the greater emphasis. Many believers don’t know that God is opposed to divination in the form of psychics, tarot cards, horoscopes, and zodiac signs, astral-projection, witchcraft, contacting the dead through necromancy, mediums, spirit guides, and worship of our ancestors. Some of these themes were seen in the film, which is in total opposition to God’s Word.

The above are clear sins laid out in Deuteronomy 18 in the scripture. It’s a form of idolatry because access to other spirits called familiar spirits are the gateway rather than the Spirit of God. We have access to know the future and in some cases to receive messages from our loved ones who have passed on through Christ and the Spirit of God only. Anything else is idolatry and God is opposed to it.

Finally, from what I’ve seen in the media, it appears that Beyonce made her visual album to share positive images of Black people and Black culture. She mentioned she wants us to see us from a position of royalty rather than less than. That is noble. It is a good thing. However, I would add  while that is good; there is a greater importance to see ourselves from our identity in Christ

For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. – 1 Timothy 4:8

As Black people, we’ve dealt with the challenge for years of fully embracing ourselves due to racism in this country and even in the church. I think it is valuable and honorable what Beyonce is trying to do with her film. She encouraged Black women to embrace their beauty and not to believe the lie that we’d be alone because we are Black. However, we have to remember that it isn’t enough to simply build ourselves up naturally. We cannot afford to hide ourselves in pride or our own strength. We have to build ourselves up on God’s Word. That is what will keep us sound when the challenges of life come.

Building ourselves up simply after natural things alone is like a woman who becomes scorned by men, so she decides to only focus on building her career and becoming successful. When her career gets taken away; she has nothing left. However, the woman who builds her identity on what God has said about her in his Word will always have the strength to continue forward in life because she isn’t founded on natural and temporary things only, but she is founded on what is eternal the Word of God.

I completely believe in embracing our Blackness, but not without trusting in the Lord. We need more people who love being Black as God made us and being found as a true worshipper of Christ. We can have those who trust in the Lord, but who do not draw strength from the flesh, but we cannot have those who draw strength only from fleshy things—it’s simply dangerous and it will cause our hearts to turn from the Lord.

This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. – Jeremiah 17:5-7

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One Way to Stay Sane During Remote Work & Quarantine:

Many of us are working from home, taking care of kids or elders, running businesses among other things during quarantine and it seems like our responsibilities have increased. All of our responsibilities have meshed together and in that, we can easily forget to get our proper rest. We have to purpose to get the necessary rest our mind and bodies need.

Rest is so important and comes with so many benefits. When we rest, we allow our bodies to heal themselves. We protect our mental and emotional health and become more creative due to proper rest. The Center for Disease Control recommends 7 hours or more of sleep per night for adults 18 and up. However, in the culture, there is a glorification of no sleep or limited sleep. There’s almost an expected badge of honor for not properly taking care of ourselves due to being productive or busy.

Believe me, I’m all for working and productivity, but the truth be told, there is a time for it. There is a time for work and a time for rest. God modeled this by creating the world in 6 days and on the 7th day resting. This is part of the importance of obeying the Sabbath day, which is a day of rest. It allows us to rest from our work, have the necessary quiet time, and to remember the Lord.

Prioritizing rest consistently within our schedules allows us to be more creative, impactful, and purposeful when we do work. We don’t have to work so long when we are rested because we don’t make as many careless mistakes. Our bodies also become more resistant to diseases that thrive in restless bodies like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and more.

As a creative, I’ve experienced being overwhelmed by being over-committed to more than I could handle at one time. During those times, I can remember getting sick more. I remember one time I could not shake what I thought was a cold. I’d lost my voice and everything. When I visited the doctor, I found out I had an upper respiratory infection. I had to go on antibiotics to finally shake it. That was years ago. I’ve never become sick like that again since my schedule has been re-adjusted and I’ve prioritized rest.

I’ve personally seen members in my family who’ve struggled with mental illness become triggered in their mental illness when the proper rest was lacking, and I’ve also watched the same family heal when proper rest was restored with a safe and consistent routine that allows for stability and rest. Rest is just as important as work. Without the two, we will become sick, less sharp mentally, emotionally, and it will be harder to hear the Lord due to a lack of quietness in our spirits.

When we lack rest and constantly run, run, and run some more, we experience a lack of peace, quietness, reflection, and stillness that awakens us to creativity, ideas, and a unique passion to tackle life in the most committed, engaging, and joyful way. Commit to rest today. Commit to being the best you. Choose one day out of the week where you will not do any work except for a relaxing passion project.

Our phones can help us to prioritize rest. There are helpful apps that can remind us to go to bed at the same time each night and to turn off our electronics at a certain time. I use the Rally Health app. There are so many others out there. Once we develop a routine of rest, we will, in turn, develop a routine of success in every area of our lives.

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Simplifying the Cares Act for Student Loans:

Many Millennials are facing student loan debt. As you may already know by now; the government has enacted a mandatory deferment on all Federal student loans from March 13th, 2020  – September 30th, 2020.
That means people holding Federal student loans do not have to make a principal or interest payment until October of 2020 unless the Cares Act becomes extended. The credit status of the loan will continue to report as it had been reported in March during the duration of the deferment.

If your income has been affected; this gives you time to look for employment. If not, this can be a time where you can add extra money toward your payment because you will not have to pay interest. That will allow you to knock down some of the principal. You can also call your loan servicer to ask for a re-calculation if you were on an income-based repayment plan and your income was affected.

If your student loan account was delinquent before the Cares Act; this can be an opportunity for you to add the extra interest that you would have been paying to the delinquency amount to bring it current. For those who were on a loan rehabilitation plan where you are required to make 9 payments in 9 consecutive months; the deferred payment months will continue to count towards eligibility for the program as if payments were made even though you are not required to pay until October.

This Cares Act does not affect Private Loans that aren’t owned by the government. You can contact your private loan servicer to see if they are offering any remedies if you’ve experienced hardship due to Covid-19. One method you can use to convince your private loan holder to offer you something helpful can be to share with them that you have a right to consolidate your private loans into one Federal loan and it seems that is your only option. In that case, they may be persuaded to work with you.

The Below are resource links to guide you to find out more information about the Cares Act:

Department of Education: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/caresact.html
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-student-loans-and-coronavirus-pandemic/
CFPB Credit Reporting Guidelines: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-issues-credit-reporting-guidance-during-covid-19-pandemic/
SLBA (Student Loan Borrower Assistance: https://www.studentloanborrowerassistance.org/help-for-private-student-loan-borrowers-during-covid-19-crisis/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+studentloanborrowerassistance%2FyPwH+%28Student+Loan+Borrower+Assistance%29
Forbes Article on Private Loans: https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2020/05/19/student-loan-servicers-are-dinging-credit-reports-for-the-cares-act-forbearance/#66a9da8d65fa

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Fellow Entrepreneurs: Keep Building

During this season, I’d been seeking the Lord about my business and ministry more often than usual. I’d been asking God what He wanted me to do. Does He want me to continue or do something else? I believe God’s response to me was to keep going.
Intercession for A Generation was started on a word from the Lord. God told me to put up the website in 2013. I discussed it with my friend, who is also one of my prayer partners. She encouraged me to obey the Lord and provided me with some practical steps to get started. Not long afterward, the site was up.

7 years later, I’ve had some progress, but doing this type of work doesn’t always allow us to see the fruit produced in the lives of others because of my obedience. I know God can move in seasons with things including ministry, so I wanted to make sure I was still in line with his will. Perhaps, it was a season for me to do something else instead, but God is saying otherwise, so I will keep going.
I think it is only normal at some point to question if we should continue in an endeavor after having done it for so long and still, everything seems almost the same. Where is the progress? Is God still with me? Maybe I missed it? This can be normal when we’re building as entrepreneurs who use our businesses as ministries to others.

During my devotion time with the Lord last week; I just so happened to be in the book of Haggai, which gave me the answer I needed. Haggai was a prophet in the old testament, who’s name means festive. That is just how the Israelites were living at the time. The Israelites had recently gotten from under the Babylonian bondage and lived under King Darius. Every Israelite minded their own business in their own homes. They became selfish dealing with only their individual needs while leaving the temple of God in ruins.

God had previously dealt with them about rebuilding the temple, but because the Israelites faced opposition from those around them; they stopped the work. They became lackadaisical only seeking what made them comfortable.

God sent the prophet Haggai to his people to get them out of that slump and to put fire to flame causing them to go back into completing the work of building the temple. The below scripture was clear in its message that the Israelites in this scenario needed to simply work:

But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. – Haggai 2:4

Not only did God command the Israelites to work, but He planted a seed within them of what to expect upon completion. He shared that once complete the glory that was previously experienced in the former temple would be nothing in comparison to what will be experienced in the new temple. I think we can have a tendency to get complacent and think to ourselves, “well God used me back then or I’ve had some good times with the Lord.” However, God is setting an expectation that our good times we’ve had with the Lord aren’t all there is. God is saying this isn’t all there is. There is more that He has for us and that is why we have to keep building. DON’T BE DISCOURAGED! CONTINUE THE WORK GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO NO MATTER WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW. GOD IS WITH YOU. KEEP GOING!

Watch video snippet below re-interating the encouraging word:

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