The Time Beyond Expectation

Luke 2:22-40

The humanity and feelings of Jesus are captured by the writer of the Gospel of Luke. There is joy in realizing that Jesus though divine understands the human condition. From the birth of Jesus, through his three years of ministry, his experience on the Cross, his bursting through the grave, and his heavenly ascension people of faith are led to know him beyond expectation.

The Anointed One was expected to come and liberate the people of God trough militant take over. The time beyond expectation reveals that his non-violent plan of action has defeated the betrayal and violent attack on his person. Strange as it remains the willingness of Jesus to go to the cross and suffer in the hands of sinner for whom he would die is the greatest act of bravery ever shown.

Bee lives beyond expectations. She had it all thought out in her mind. A husband and children with a home untouchable by the principalities of the world. She would dance and sing through life with ease. It was a wish fulfilled until that awful day, when Lawrence drove away and by cell phone called the attorney requesting divorce. Why? Did he not expect the everlasting to be forevermore, and their family of comfort to endure the trials of time?

When he came to my office to explain his actions before a tear driven Bee, he waded through the remorse to say: "Tell her love felt the need to leave her. Tell her love felt the need to free her." Words seemed honest enough. The pain within Bee gave a death ear to such unexpected communication, and she sought to know the who beyond the explanation of Love's why.

"Who is she or they? How long has this been going on?" Without the answers to her questions, she had no expectations of making it another day. What is there beyond the perfect home and the best love ever known?

Forgiveness. It is about forgiving, and seeing. We are post the Christ event and know that his words from the cross are of great significance. "Forgive them for they know not what they do." In human circumstances of separation and divorce, when odds bring life beyond what we expect living to be, we have to find the place of emotional forgiveness, which is often found after we make the conscious decision to forgive.

Without all the answers, one day Bee took the leap of faith. She decided to forgive and let go. In so doing, she let God take her to a place beyond it not being over now. A place of new beginnings. She no longer needed the sorrow of Lawrence because she had the assurance of God. The triumphant entry of Jesus into our homes, our lives bring us to The Time Beyond Expectation. We have the victory in Jesus through the sufferings and disappointments.

When the sufferings and disappointments come beyond our control, make the conscious decision to overcome them with the bravery of leaping into the unexpected future saved by grace through faith. Believe this: Emmanuel - God is with you.

The dance is no longer one of ease, but it is the best ever when you are dancing with the Lord of the dance. Come, Jesus has been waiting for you. Call on him!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, hear our call for an eternal partner in the dance of life. Take us into your mercy. Amen.

The Coming of the Lord

"... so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope." (1 Thessalonians 4:13c)

Subway preachers for money in New York City tend to have the same message. They urge everyone to repent and be saved, because Jesus is on His way back NOW. Consistency is not an issue in the preaching of our subway interrupters. Their messages are clear and concise, and they collect their own monies from one car to another, and one train to another. They provide us with an age old message in a new age time.

The message is as old as the time of Jesus. Jesus said He would be coming back. The Parousia is an expectation of the Christian faith. Though old in time, the truth is new in time. Truth never grows old, it is renewed with every generation. Truth is an ageless reality of God's revelation. It is respected until fulfilled. Even in fulfillment, truth is ageless throughout history. I truly believe, Jesus is coming back as Christ our Lord. I am not astute enough to calculate the second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year, etc. My walk is by faith, not insight of the actualities.

There is help and hope for those of us who dare to believe. The apostle Paul encourages us to wait on the Lord, and be of good courage. Believing in the resurrection of Jesus, believe also in the return of Jesus. The witnesses of the resurrection, also heard the promise of the teachings. The teachings of the Christian faith hold to be doctrine the facts of the coming of Jesus Christ. So, the subway intruders, who preach for the money on the daily are not far from the truth, just incomplete in telling the whole truth. I have yet to hear our subway preachers speak to those who have preceded us in crossing from this life into eternal rest.

What happens to my paternal and maternal grandparents, my parents, my uncles and aunts and other relatives and friend, who have gone from here to there? Wherever there may be, when I call their names they may hear me but I dare not to hear them. Granny Rouse is 97 years old. She has outlived my grandfather and all of her children, except one. She has witnessed the departure from this life of a grandchild and great-grandchild. A host of relatives and friends have gone where she and all reading this, including me are yet to travel. Through it all, and the impending departure from this life unto the next is her deep grounding in a faith that says at the coming of Jesus Christ, the dead in Christ will arise first. Then, those who have been left behind, and are yet alive will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and be with the Lord forever. What happens?

An eternal party is what happens? The coming of the Lord is ushering in an eternal party. The message of repent and believe is incomplete without the entire gospel. The good news has to do with our defeat of death. The good news is that we are Easter people, there is a resurrection. The good news is that party time is coming. The Lord is on His way. So that, at the coming of the Lord, we will leave this dress rehearsal to enjoy the real deal.

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Evangelism

As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully. (2 Timothy 4:5)

Luisa and I are prayerfully reaching out to United Methodists in the Metropolitan District of the New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Our desirable outcomes are:

1. Encouraging the leadership in the local churches within the district to work with pastors in carrying out the mission of Jesus Christ in New York City and beyond.
2. Equipping clergy and laity in the district with more tools for the work of evangelizing in urban ministry.
3. Evangelizing in the boroughs of the Metropolitan District as to grow the church membership numerically through strong leadership, dynamic worship, committed stewardship, faithful discipleship, and participatory fellowship.
4. Enlarging the target areas of the local churches in the district through partnerships in ministries, and cooperative witnessing for membership growth.

What is evangelism? George Morris, a leader in evangelism within the United Methodist denomination, was my professor of evangelism at Candler on the campus of Emory University in Georgia during the late 70s. He emphasis was on the fact that definitions for evangelism are born out of the nature of the Christian mission. In essence, everything done for Jesus Christ is evangelizing, when the desirable outcome is the "making of disciples for Christ."

Evangelism has always been the FLAGSHIP of winning souls, when such is bringing persons into commitment to the Christian faith. United Methodists at the 2006 General Conference made a bold step in the right direction for evangelism by adding to the local church (denominational) membership vows. Persons joining local church are asked to vow to "uphold the local church by your presence, prayers, service, gifts, and witness." This was done as a result of the denomination having lost members over the last two decades in enormous numbers. Whatever brought it about, it is the right request for the people called Methodists. The primary call of Jesus is for his disciples to the disciple people throughout the world, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The church is not a playground for secular ideas, it is a place for spiritual grounding in sacred ideals. Secularism seeks relationships and memberships, because the very nature is to form social clubs. Spiritualism in the Christian faith has to do with worship, discipleship, fellowship, leadership, and stewardship, which has as its outcome reconciliation leading to sacred relationships and memberships by products of the mission not the primary purpose. Turning our mindset from secular thinking and to the spiritual disciplines, we will grow the local churches. Therefore, the denomination will witness an increase in members again for the right reason. The reason of speaking up for Jesus Christ convincingly, rebuking naysayers, encouraging the faithful, and teaching with patience the seekers.

FLAGSHIP EVANGELISM IN THE NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE

1. Worship
1. Praise
2. Prayer
   
2. Leadership
1. Convince
2. Concise
   
3. Stewardship
1. Time
2. Talents
3. Treasures
   
4. Discipleship
1. Missions
   
2. Ministries
   
5. Fellowship
1. Encourage
2. Enrich
   
6. Reconciliation
1. Relationship
1. Renew
   
2. Rebuke by speaking the truth in love
   
2. Membership
1. Evangelize
1. Witness
   
2. Endure
1. Working for Christ
   

Luisa and I are praying for you to join us. For more information on when you may dialogue with us, please contact Shirley Pinckney at 718.671.0955 and ask about our clergy/laity gatherings.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, be with our spirit. Amen.

Let There Be Peace!

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2)

What happened to the weekly singing of Let There Be Peace on Earth? The peace that was meant to be for the future good of the world. Where is it? It was to begin with the person in the mirror. What happened?

People come to church wanting a place of peace. A place where people may be fitted for the world. The church should be the place of shalom. The church is for ordinary people, but it is an extraordinary place. The Body of Christ is extraordinary, yet existing for the comfort of ordinary people. It is the place of worship.

In accord with the teachings of Paul, the spiritual place of worship is with each individual. The intentional giving of the yourself to God daily. Our church facilities and corporate worship becomes the place where we are fitted for the true worship in daily living. One commentator writes in wording that is so pronounced: "The entire existence of believers should be sacrificial worship of God, in response to the sacrifice of God's Son (3:24-26). This requires choosing to be transformed in the mind by the Spirit of God (8:14; 1 Corinthians 2:12) rather than conforming to 'what everyone else does.'" (pg. 1939, The Discipleship Study Bible)

Come dwell in a place of peace. Each day, when you awake, give thanks to God and clothe yourself in the study of the Bible. Wear righteousness as your garment of protection by living in holiness. Be an intentional maker of peace throughout each day, until it is unintentionally habitual. Memorize Scriptural verses every morning, so as to be equipped against the challenges of evil. Shield yourself from the temptations by standing firm in the faith. Know without doubt that you are saved by grace, which is efficiently sufficient. Pray in the spirit of asking God for all things good.

When we all carry the daily deportment of children of God, then will "peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 6:23)

We are body builders for Christ, so be strong in the Lord. Amen.

Comfort One Another

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 4:14)

We don't have to ask if Jesus is coming back, because He is coming. We are not sure of when, where, or how. The fact is that the Lord is coming and on His return those who are asleep with the belief in Jesus will see the Lord, before those yet alive when He comes. He is coming back.
Rebecca Gibson died on Sunday, August 31, 2008. When persons die in our community of faith, the minister turns to the Bible for words of comfort. Some times those words come easy. There are times when words of comfort are difficult to find. In the case of Ms. Gibson the Word jumped into my mind without opening the Bible. Easy, I would say! Not amazed? Well, check this out.
I did not know Ms. Gibson. I do not know her life at this moment. I cannot tell you the numbers of years, months, weeks, days, etc. of her life. Nothing has been presented to me to say the number of moons and sunrises or sunsets she saw. Yet, the Word of God for her service came easy.
Paul in his elderly state of life wrote to churches, which embodied people that he loved. He left with them through writings his theological believes and wishes for the children of God. In one of his messages to the church of the Thessalonians, Paul encourages them to love one another and those beyond their city. A city, very much, like New York City having major Jewish influence and people worshipping various gods in the midst of the existence of God. Boldly the champion for the cause of Christ asked that those yet alive believe in the second coming of Jesus. In by so believing, increase in the love of people, strive to live in peace as you mind your own business, and work and walk right toward others as you prosper in life. What a message!
The comfort to be found in the death of Rebecca or a love one is in the message they leave. The comfort may be found in the message from their experience of time on earth. A message that reflects love above hate, peace to replace war, self-reflections as oppose to false accusations, an attitude of do unto others as you would have them do unto you, so that you prosper without harm to another soul. What is the message of Rebecca? It is a simple one. How do I know? I have just told you. Her message jumped right into my mind as though her spirit placed it there. Ready? It is real simple, because she died as she lived - in comfort.

Her message is this: "Comfort one another!"

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, bring peace to our souls and love through our lives, one person to another. Amen.

An Abundant Life Center

"The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness." (John 10:10)

The body of Christ is to be strengthen, built, and made whole within an abundant life center (Howard Clinebell). Christians are body builders for Christ, who worship for the most part within walls of facilities called churches. A church is most effective when body builders for Christ are providing abundant life ministries within and without the walls of the facility.

One such ministry is pastoral care. Pastoral care as a means of grace may be effective in healing and equipping body builders for life in all its fullness. At Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church in Harlem, New York, we are implementing various ministries through various aspect of pastoral care, one of which is pastoral counseling.

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, I acknowledge the reality of being a "wounded healer." (Henri Nouwen) My brokenness in human relationships has been as great as any human could face, even greater. In the same life, my connectedness with God is solid, and unsurpassed in human life. It is my unbroken faith and love in God that assures me daily of the future good for which I hope. Through therapeutic sessions the factors of healing and support are shared with others for their mental health and spiritual development.

Therefore, the leadership team in Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church has hope in the development of an abundant life center for our congregation and community. Psychic, mental, spiritual, and emotional factors in human well being guides our theological ethos. How do we obtain, sustain and maintain goodness in human relations? Pastoral care and counseling is a means of grace by which the will of God for human relations may be sought. Persons may call the church to become clients in pastoral counseling or trainees in lay care-giving. There are nominal fees for both. Call 212.289.6157 and ask for Victoria, who will schedule your counseling appointments or enroll you in training sessions.

Desirable outcomes of an abundant life center (Clinebell):

1. To liberate, empower, and nurture wholeness centered in the Spirit;
2. To foster spiritual formation and ethical guidance in human lives;
3. To utilize and integrate both psychological and theological insights regarding the human situation, and the healing of persons;
4. To be holistic, seeking to enable healing and growth in all dimensions of human wholeness;
5. To nurture wholeness at each stage of the life journey;
6. To effect a reparative ministry of pastoral counseling;
7. To develop a shared ministry of care-giving with the pastor and the whole congregation;
8. To develop short term crisis intervention methods;
9. To become trans-cultural in ministries of the local church;
10. To enable people to increase the constructiveness of their behavior as well as their feelings, attitudes, and values is crucial in the helping process;
11. To utilize the unique professional identity and role of ministers;
12. To use intuitive, metaphoric, imaging approaches integrated with analytical, rational, intentional, and problem solving approaches in whole person transformation;
13. To become more effective in liberating wholeness in both men and women;
14. To provide growth-oriented psychotherapies;
15. To provide pastoral care in all the diverse functions of ministries, including preaching, worship, and social action;
16. To be effective growth-nurturer. (Therefore, the congregation is encouraged to support the continuing education of the entire staff)

You may participate in the above development by attending our services, which are means of worship therapy, prayer therapy, music therapy, cognitive therapy, reality therapy, psychotherapy, medical therapy, marriage and family therapy, rational-emotive therapy, and much more.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, equip me so as to be an instrument in the equipping of others to be body builders for Christ. Amen.

Plan The Work, and Work The Plan

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Wealth created by lying is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap. Because the wicked refuse to do what is just, their violence boomerangs and destroys them. (Proverbs 21:5-7)

Rem is an outstanding school teacher. She places insights into the minds of young people. The retention rate of her children are high. Each improve in their skills above the next grade level of expectation, and excel in their required standardized texts. Ask the students why they learn from Ms. Rem, and they will tell you: "she is a good teacher" and they love her. "Because she loves us;" you will hear them say. Ask the same question of Rem and you come away knowing rules of faith.

Rem is a Christian, who begins each day in prayer. She knows to pray. She is aware of others who pray for her, so that she is never alone. She accepts and understands the love of God. She is loved by her Christian leader, family members, colleagues, students and their parents. She walks in the assurance of being loved with the hope of her students success. Each student receives what she teaches and gives back in the best of their knowledge.

Existence requires a walk of faith. A good walker understands that there are rules to follow on the journey. While learning to walk and jog in my youth, my parents encouraged me to pray, exercise and warm up my body eating healthy before taking off on the pathway to school. I continue the routine today on the pathway of life. Looking back over the years, 18 years beyond mid-life as promised, I note that good teachers such as Rem had what I term the rules of faith in common. In keeping the routines of their faith, they helped others and me gain success. What are these rules of faith?

One of my greatest teachers of ministry would say: "Luonne, plan the work, and work the plan." You may ask how is that taking a walk of faith? There is no "good plan" without God. Nothing in life is good without God. In fact, all of life would be good, if humanity would not turn away from God. You may argue the point, but pray and discover the reality. Within planning and working we find the rules of faith:

1. Trust your thoughts to be guided by God.
2. Trust your desirable outcomes to the will of God.
3. Trust your abilities to carry out what God has purposed you to do.
4. Trust the implementation of plans born from your thoughts and informed by your research.
5. Trust your methods of passing on the insights granted by grace unto you.
6. Trust your working each step of the plan of implementation with feasible actions.
7. Trust the results of your process to God.

In so living by the rules of faith, the wisdom writer affirms success and prosperity. Rem is an example of this truth. She soars. Let the wise follow suit by taking no shortcut toward the destination. Too many students of shortcuts are cut short on successful living.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, teach us to trust the process you have planned for us, so that we may gain the prosperity of eternity. Amen.

Freedom

"... Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desired." And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence. (Exodus 10:11)

There is freedom in obedience to God. Key to freedom is full compliance to the will of God. Charles Stanley, renowned preacher in Atlanta, Georgia, states: "Partial obedience is no obedience at all, if we are to walk with God, we must listen to what He says--all of what He says." Moses in response to the call of God led the children Israel out of Egyptian bondage. The Word reveals that God heard their desire to serve the Lord, and delivered them.

A newspaper in the South records: "Selling Slavery." Business people in the area are marketing the history of American slavery. Being as I am, it struck a cord of discord within me. I know why. My ancestors were victims of the inhumane system of American slavery. There were years of not being paid for labor on plantations. Today, ancestors of plantation owners appear interested in profiting from "selling slavery" in the market places where slaves were held in bondage to be sold at auctions.

A few blacks are on board with the projects. They are even getting some cash from the show. There are many ancestors of slaves, who are still waiting for cash from the historical reality of the profiting of Americans off the free labor of African slaves. The election of a Black male or female to the White House will be political progress, but changes little in freedom. Still it will not grant the economic freedom promised in "forty acres and a mule."

American freedom will never be freedom, until freedom is holistic. Partial freedom is not freedom at all, if we are to be free in America, we need to obey the Word of God, beyond the laws of the land. In the Word of God truth is to be found. A truth of justice and doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. True freedom would bring about reparations, so that America is guilt free and forgiven.

I am asking that we end the business of "selling slavery," and finish the business of "ending slavery." Peace without justice is no peace at all. Deliverence is not complete until America delivers on the promise of reparation. "Give us us free." Deliver the land and the means to cultivate it.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, intervene and bring justice to all. Amen.

Experience of Life

And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?" (John 11:37)

Sitting listening to music on a rainy day. A text message comes through. It announces the accidental death of a young man. I have never met him, but we connect. Jeremy, a member of my church, was ushered into scouting by his now deceased friend. Dead at the age of 22 years, his brother once spoke at our church for Boy Scouts Sunday. He experienced life. Now he has the experience of death.

Earlier this month, my friend died in an automobile accident. Millon Plyler at the age of 65 years was hit while driving his car when someone illegally crossed the opposite median. When it happened, I had no questions. My experience of life had taught me that questions change nothing. I had to accept the hurt and pain of lost, then look for the gain of heaven and reality of his life beyond death.

Jesus Christ, who I believe, is the source of eternal life. I do not know much about Jeremy's friend. I know more about Millon. My knowledge or lack of knowledge would not change the experience of life. It would not keep them from living or dying. There is only one source that changes our experience of life and death. Jesus Christ!

Could not Jesus, who performs miracles, have kept these men from dying? He did, not because of what we know about them beyond the fact of faith. By your faith are you made whole. By faith we worship, and our works through the experience of life expose the reality of our eternity.

When I come to die, give me Jesus, then my experience of life begins in the end.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, grant life unto the souls of faith. Amen

Bringing Jesus Christ Beyond The Walls

Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

United Methodists of the Metropolitan District in the New York Annual Conference are returning to street evangelism on August 2, 2008. The people call Methodists believe they have riches to offer people of New York City that has forever been available in the city, but too many people remain poor in spiritual matters.

The move from spiritual depravity into spiritual formation is as simple as believing in Jesus Christ, and as challenging as believing in Jesus Christ. Faith is the way of salvation. Only believe. Believing in Jesus Christ, however, is more than word of mouth. Believing in Jesus Christ is living by the Word of God as revealed in the Holy Scripture and daily lived by believers.

People called Methodists are energized and motivated to offer unto all the Word, which can transform the life of anyone with ears to hear. What is the message coming forth to change lives in New York City, and prayerfully bring in over 3000 new converts?

1. Communion with God is the blessing of living in peace with God.
2. We stand tall, when we bow unto the will of God.
3. Beyond the walls of the church, Jesus may be heard louder than within the walls.
4. God has blessed the method of evangelism among Methodists, so that we may bless others.
5. We are winners, because we pray.
6. Come to Jesus, He has been waiting for you to call on His name, so come. Come as you are!

We are going beyond the walls of our local churches, because new converts are not coming within the walls until we do. We believe that God has called us into the streets of New York City with the message of Scriptual salvation. Join us in "bringing Jesus Christ beyond the walls." We begin on August 2, 2008 in front of Grace UMC on 104th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues, and we shall not end until victory is won.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, bless us beyond the walls in our discipleship. Amen

The Darkness of A Human Heart

They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am He." And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. (John 18:5)

In July of 2008, I preached a series on "Go to Hell Judas!" I know there can only be one Judas, because there is only one Jesus. We do not have another master of the "darkest human heart," in that we need not another Master of our souls to save us. What we have in the world today has to do with the Judas mindsets over against those of us who are by faith to be like Jesus. In my heart, in my mind, in my loving, and my entire being - I want to be like Jesus. What about those who are like minded to Judas?

I could not imagine ever finding a friend, who would turn on me as Judas turned on Jesus. Sorry, I could not. Those of you who encountered such early in life, it had to be horrible living so many years in suspect of other friends doing the same. Really. When at the age of 50 I was betrayed by a friend among friends, in the instant I became suspect of all. Miserable living.

Then, I studied again the story of Jesus. Believing in Jesus humbles me. I am no where near the worth of Christ, yet am worth so much that Christ died even for me. In so dying for me, He died for all believing in Him. I quickly let go of the feelings and suspicious behavior toward all. Not everyone has a Judas mindset. Even so, my prayer is for the poison in the heart of my so-call friend and others in the mindset of Judas to be removed. May our betraying and backstabbing would be friends be transformed within their hearts and come to live in the mind of Jesus Christ.

Judas should never be considered godly. Persons in the likeness of Judas are like dirty and deceased dogs. They are liars. Smiling in your face, while awaiting moments to back stab you. Cunning and tricky. Pray for them. Jesus did. They are not always persons you know to be unchristian. They may be so-called Christians, who are insincere and prying on your turf. Watch them dogs! However, in the end, it is not about you or me. No, no, no, it is never a sin against us. The sin is always against God.

What we are challenged to do each day has to do with looking in the mirror and asking: What kiss do I have for the God today?

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, I kiss you today from within a clean heart. Cleanse me for tomorrow and beyond that I may kiss you over and over with a heart of love. Amen.

The Reasons for Prayer

I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (John 17:20)

Jesus prayed for me. Why? And, if you believe in him through the Word of his disciples, He prayed for you. Why?

The Gospel of John reveals that Jesus prayed for Himself, for His disciples, and for all believers. In the 17th Chapter of the revealing Word, Jesus is praying. I love that Jesus prayed for us. What touches me most is not that the Savior would pray for us, but the reasons for His praying.

1. He prayed for our unity - oneness. That we might come together in spiritual unity with God and our Savior. Believing that God sent Jesus for our salvation. Jesus prayed for us!
2. He prayed that we may know the love of God. To be loved by God, and know it. Jesus prayed for us!
3. He prayed that we may share in the glory of being children of God. Here and now on earth we are to be in the glory of God. Jesus prayed for us!

Let us cherish the love given to us by God. We have this love because we are worth it. We are worthy of being loved, in that we are good creations of God. With all that is within we know know Whose we are, and we love the One who has given life to us.

Because God loves us, we want to follow the Word of God. We want to be like Jesus and abide in the Word as the Word abides in us. We want to share in the mission of Jesus Christ and soak in the glory of God. We are not ashamed of God. We are not ashamed to live in the Prince of peace or embodiment of the King of kings. We want to be like Jesus.

This, I pray: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, bless us to be as You are that we may live in You as You live in God, so that God lives in us. God, we are drawn into You, be embedded withing us. Amen.

Standing For or Against Jesus

"Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.'" (Matthew 28:16-20)

Three groups of persons are reflected in Matthew's Gospel as having opportunity to stand for or against Jesus. Jesus disciples, the crowds, and the Jewish leaders. We know that the disciples, with the exception of Judas Iscariot, stood with Jesus, especially post His resurrection. We also know that the Jewish leaders stood against Him, and ultimately turn a once admiring crowd into a people asking for the death of Jesus. Wow! How soon people can change.

Faith seldom views movies. Love, however, led her into the theatre when asked to view Hancock. Hancock, a superhero, while helping the crowd was ripping the City of Angeles apart. The crowd disliked him. An image maker took interest in changing the image of his hero. He convinced Hancock to serve a term in prison for the havoc he had placed on the city, until the people called for him. Surely, when they needed him most he came through outfitted to save good people and punish the bad guys. His image was given new birth, when he rescued the city from criminals. Wow! How soon people can change.

Some people never change soon enough. In fact, some may never change. In a manual on discipleship, "Matthew exalts Jesus as the supreme Lord and teacher of the historical disciples and the post resurrection community." (M.J. Wilkins) If the Gospel of Matthew can be the manual, then Jesus must be the model for discipleship. Jesus called, trained, and commissioned the disciples to carry out the great mandate to "make disciples." If Faith could be influenced to view a movie, most people may respond to the authority given believers to bring individuals to seeing Jesus. Wow! People can quickly change.

Members of Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church in Harlem, NY are being asked to usher 200 new members into the congregation this year. The Metropolitan District of the New York Annual Conference has been issued a call to bring in 3000 new Christians into the United Methodist Church. The plan of evangelism is real simple and plain - give people Jesus. Jesus' calls us to a life of obedience, accountability in discipleship groups, costly allegiance to the ministry, and fellowship with diversity of people. We are to follow Jesus faithfully attached, continuing to count the cost, becoming like Jesus preaching the same message, teaching the same ministry, and showing the same compassion. So that commissioned by Jesus, we make disciples throughout the communities, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are to teach people to be obedient, because know Jesus is with us always and forever.

Now is the time to hear the Savior calling and invite five people weekly to come follow Jesus, and be baptized in the Name. We will teach you, and faith will save you. Yes, we are people, and we can quickly change. Have you brought five people to Christ this year? Change now and bring in five times five: twenty-five church members. Wow! People can change, will you?

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, change us, so that we may be agents of change for you. Amen.
LAR1

Go To Hell Judas

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.

Did Judas go to heaven or hell? Some have attempted to answer the question based on logic. Others on the nature of a forgiving God, who foreordained Judas to do as he chose. One thing for sure, Judas had every opportunity to change his mind. God has so designed the world that we have free will. Our free will does not change the ultimate of God's plan. However, it may alter how the plan is carryout.

God created the world for a right relationship with humankind. Human sin altered the means of the relationship, but the act of Jesus Christ as a means of grace brought back the ultimate of the will of God. Through Christ we are brought into right relationship with God. "God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not parish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

James Farmer, Sr. is reflected on in a recent movie as having asked his son: "Junior, what is the greatest weakness of man?" Junior answered: "Doubt. Disbelief." Failure to believe in Jesus as the true Christ/Messiah was the greatest weakness of Judas. Judas had, like every other human, many flaws but none greater than his doubt in Jesus as the Messiah.

His doubt led him to turn Jesus over, not his sinful lust, greed, or even love for money. It was his lack of assurance that Jesus was actually who he claimed to be. So, when he was fed up with the leadership of the one he came to believe was the great pretender, Judas betrayed Jesus. It is not enough to confess Christ and join the church. We need to give Christ our hearts, and give our minds Christ. The love of Jesus Christ will bring us to open our hearts and let faith in Jesus abide. If we let Jesus in, we will come to know He is our Savior, Lord of lords, King of kings, the Son of God. Judas never came to believe.

Jesus announced to God that he had kept all who the Father had given Him, except the one who God knew would be faking good until the day of betrayal. Peter acknowledged that Judas having betrayed Jesus was lost and fell to his death with his internal parts bursting out of his body. Peter also "said to them, 'Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" Acts 2:38

Judas never came to believe in Jesus as Messiah, and fail to repent once he witnessed the sentencing of an innocent man, who he betrayed. Did Judas go to heaven or hell? You choose. Better yet, another choice is yours: Will you go to heaven or hell? As for me, "go to hell Judas," I believe! If heaven was not promised to believers, I still would choose Jesus. Do you?

Authentic Being Before God With Others

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because of they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.... (2 Timothy 4:3)

My Mother-in-law, Annie Lee Gardner Davis, recently died. She was not the laptop theologian as was my Mother. No, she was my "theologian of the practical." She taught her children the example of doing for others not for personal gain, but "for the sake of goodness." In other words, she did the right things. She loved the theology of the Apostle Paul, and no doubt her faith was grounded in Jesus Christ. While she learned the teachings of Paul to Timothy, she lived as though receiving her instructions directly from Jesus Christ. Her goodness brought great joy. She truly related authentically.

When she died, Lanecia, our first born daughter, stated: "Grandma loved you Dad! There are pictures of you in practically every room." On the surface it is easy to consider it was about me. I knew it not to be me. It was all about her love for Jesus Christ, and the call to discipleship on the life of her son-in-law. It was her love for God. I represented the part of her being that answered the call to preach the faith that she lived. She knew our bond in the end to be through the leap of faith. We did not have great laptop conversations about God. However, during coffee hour in her home, I could enjoy her godliness and listen to her experiences in caring for people. Yes, she loved me, and I loved her because we both love God. Though she died, yet does she live. And, the pictures of a dear mother-in-law continue to abide on the walls of my heart.

Writings of Soren Kierkegaard "upholds the idea that every human being exists in one of three spheres (or on planes) of existence, the aesthetic, ethical, and religious. Most people, he observed, live an aesthetic life in which nothing matters but appearances, pleasures, and happiness. It is in accordance with the desires in this sphere that people follow social conventions. Kierkegaard also considered the violation of social conventions for personal reasons (e.g., in the pursuit of fame, reputation for rebelliousness) to be a personal aesthetic choice. A much smaller group are those people who live in the ethical sphere, who do their best to do the right thing and see past the shallow pleasantries and ideas of society. The third and highest sphere is the faith sphere. To be in the faith sphere, Kierkegaard says that one must give the entirety of oneself to God." (unknown author)

The challenge to "authentic being" on the plane of faith has to do with total surrender to God. Annie Lee Davis lived a practical example of a life in surrender to God. Persons witnessing to her live acknowledged that at her resurrection service. While listening to their witness to her life, I thought of my own. Have you ever done that at a memorial or funeral service? I did. I thought of times when I have, in the likeness of John Wesley, wondered if I have been truly authentic in my Christian faith. Am I Christian? Have I ever been? Being there is no"almost Christian," you are either Christian or you are not Christian. Am I a Christian?

Today assuredly, I am a child of God. I live into the purpose of my birth, and I was born into the purpose I live. I live to love in the spirit of Agape-the highest form of godly love known to human beings. Like my practical theologian, who has crossed over into eternal life beyond death, I am taking the leap of faith. My life belongs to God, because I am a disciple of Jesus Christ by faith. Right or wrong, its my choice and I am staying with it. I came to this not by "intelligent design," but by faith in my experience of Jesus as Christ. Yes, I am a Christian! Annie Lee Gardner Davis is among my great cloud of witnesses. Praise God!

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, grant us assurance in taking the leap of faith. Amen.

Help In The Time of Trouble

...I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me." (Psalm 3:5)

The Word of God teaches us that Jesus once slept deeply on a boat that tossed and whirled on troubled waters of a stormy sea. We may not be sure of His level of exhaustion, but we are assured of His confidence and faith in God. He knew God would sustain Him in safety.

Some times I just want to sleep soundly. I average four hours of sleep daily. Some nights I work through without moments of closed eyes. Why? I do not have to live the pattern I choose. It is not mandated that I so work or sleep as I do. I decided that I want to live as I love, and love as I live. I love being awake and doing whatever it is that I do. I depend on God to see me through in my choices. What I know for sure is that God sustains me in all matters. Sleeping or waking, the Lord guides my life. I minister to people called United Methodists and all who will hear the Word of God as spoken in my life. And, I love it!

I am not alone it this ministry. In fact, when I do sleep beyond four hours any given day, I know that am supported by a team of potential ordained ministers. In our local church, there are seven known candidates for ordained ministry. I invite you to pray for them. They are: John Wood, Jay Williams, Victoria Gray Lewis, Maxxwell Magee, Richard Edme, Mryna Moore, Comfortbliss Ezeji, Ronald Topping, and the ordained Rev. Dr. Hae Young Park. Daily I pray for them to be sustained as they assist me in ministry.

Resting is a gift from God. Living in the state of awareness is a gift from God. Both, waking and sleeping, carries blessings from God that are for our enjoyment and sustaining. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we trust and hold fast in hope of God providing for our needs. In response to God, we refresh ourselves and work in harmony to care for the needs of people of God in accord with the will of our Lord.

Prayer: Dear God, ministers of the United Methodist Church are meeting with laity in annual conferences throughout the denomination. Bless us, so that we are indeed blessed; sustain us, so that we are sustained indeed. For we humbly depend on you for the means necessary to our being instruments of your means of grace in the world. In the likeness of Jesus, we are confident in you, and on you alone we depend. Amen.

Relaxing With God

Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. (Psalm 116:7)


Relaxing with God is different from resting in bed. Sleeping is certainly not the same as spending "alert time" with God. Relaxing with God is the act of bringing your whole being to the attention of the Divine. Relaxing with God centers the mind and heart on spiritual realities. Too often our minds are so busy we fail to listen to God.

There is no real relaxing with God, when our minds race past the place of holiness. Every Sunday in Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church worshippers sing "Come let us worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." Have you been too busy to come? Come, now, where you are, to the place of worship where you may set your mind ease.

What is meant by worshipping and living in the beauty of holiness? Being in holiness is living the Christian life after being converted into the faith. We come to accept our salvation, when we acknowledge that we are saved by grace. Sin no longer has influence in our living, for our sins are forgiven. God removes sin's guilty stain. In order to live into holiness, we step from the conversion experience into daily living, as Jesus would live, making the choice to "go and sin no more".

The beauty of holiness is living the transformed life. The way we used to live, we live no more. We die to sin, and live the righteous life, so that people see Christ in us just as we see God in the life of Jesus Christ. We come to worship confessing our sins, and leave to sin no more. We worship in praise of being forgiven of sin. We live beyond worship as victorious saints. The beauty of holiness is that we worship and live to bare the fruit of love, joy, and peace, which yields kindness, goodness, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Our victory is in living into the promises of God. God has promised unto all believers the opportunity to walk into the newness of life. Are you saved? Are you assured of being delivered from the enemies of life? If you have not yielded your life to Christ, do it now. Pray: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me and save my soul. I confess my sins, and accept your grace unto forgiveness. Bless me now, dear Savior, I come to live the victorious Christian life. Amen"

Agape!

LAR

Mothers

She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. (Proverbs 31:27-28)

Good mothers are not always married. Some are single or widowed or divorced or living with significant others or the "baby's daddy". Marriage is not a requirement for motherhood, but a good and virtuous woman makes a better mother, married or unwed.

Beautiful young women you find to be our daughters, Lanecia and Ciona. Both are single and without children. Into their late twenties, they have left the gift of grandchildren to my son, Patrick, and his wife, Paula. As women, they are still able to wear red roses or carnations on Mother's Day. Since the death of my own Mother in 2002, I wear the color white on the outside however, on the inside, I still wear red. Red is the symbolic color for true love - the fruit of the spirit.

******

Missy came to my office in tears. She had given a child away when she was drugging and taking sexual liberties. Clean and living a life with no thought of "the unknown child", Missy did not expect the call to a different form of Motherhood. It is called Motherhood by earnings deduction. Her teenage biological child now had guardians wanting her monies to care for her daughter. Her daughter was not asking to see her. Her caregivers only needed Missy to be a monetary provider. Missy cried, not for the unknown child, but for the money garnished from her check that would become as unknown to her as the child it is to support. Payments or not, she would remain dead to a child she has never known. Mothers may be dead to their children while yet alive.

Good Mothers, though they die, still live in the hearts of their children. For the Almighty designed it to be so. In so keeping, I pose the question: "What color rose are you wearing on Mother's Day?" And another is this: "What color flower will your child wear on their heart while you are yet alive?"

Creator of Motherhood, we are living in your hands. Make for us a living of caring. Every time we share in conception of a child, let us have the mindset to share in the rearing of our children. When there is no means for our responsible parenthood, grant blessings of people, who will represent the love that brought forth life, not from biological productivity, but from Divine Mothering. Bless our Mothers! Amen

The Ending of Life

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

My Mother died on April 15, 2002. The experience of the loss was beyond anything I had ever felt. She was my Mother. It was different having her die, than it was having witnessing the ending of life of some other person. She was the first female known to me. She taught me the stories of Jesus, while I sat on her lap. She was my friend, teacher, true "laptop theologian". And, in the end, she was still teaching me.

Ten months later on February 19, 2003, my father died. Experiencing the death Mother had taught me to accept the dying of my Father.

Death is the ending of life as we know it on earth. Accepting the reality of death and dying sent me to the Scriptures and into the human questioning of God. "Why? Why now? Why MY parents? Why will the same come to me, my spouse, our children, and of course all existing life known to us? My God, why?"

Thoughts of eternal life quickly came, and quickly lost influence on my weakened human emotions. My mind held the words of faith and my soul grasped the promised assurance of God's deliverance, but my heart ached and my eyes poured tears. I did not want to hear about faith or hope in eternity. I knew it all. I had heard it before. All of my life, Mother taught it and Daddy preached it. I need not need another sermon. I needed and wanted my parents. My Mother and Father had died. Period. I would never see them again. And, then, I asked myself: "What do I do now?" My parents who had met my needs and wants in life, at the ending of life could not meet my heart's strongest desire - eternal life now. They tried not, because they knew Jesus Christ paid the price for our glorious eternity.

The Church at its best seeks to meet the needs of people, not as objects of service, but as children of God. Why? Because the Church is the body of Christ - Easter people - created for the care of humanity. As Easter people, we celebrate the atoning act of God in Jesus of Nazareth. The doctrine of the atonement expresses the belief in the work of Christ as the act of reconciling God with humanity.

The ending of life is the beginning of life, and dying in Christ makes it right.

Agape!
LAR

Body Builders In Holy Obedience

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Ephesians 5:1-2

Our mission in building the body of Christ is to live in holy obedience. During our 2008 observance of a holy Lent, we shared 46 days on one accord praying and studying through our devotional guide. No one monitored each other. No one forced another to observe or even pick up the devotionals. We trusted the devotionals to be given to every member, and that each member would follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as an active participant. We trusted each other to God.

Beyond the norm of fasting, studying Scripture, and praying without ceasing, it has been a journey of hope. The hope of the senior minister remains deeply grounded in the faith that members will love one another with the Agape of God. Disciples of Jesus are to love as Jesus has loved. It is a sacrificial love, in that we give beyond our tithe in time, space, energy, and finance in order to build the body of Christ in ministries and people.

As a result of the 2008 journey, may we walk in the light of love, which remained in the heart of God during the crucifixion. Love was shown on the cross for the enemies of God, sinners against God, and saints desiring the love of God. Our call is to build the Body of Christ in holy obedience, loving one another, so as to have the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. The ideal is to have a community of faith unspoiled by sin, death, pain, and sorrow. A place of peace, where God is seen in the face of the people of God. How can we do it? Good question!

Such love requires in most cases a new attitude. By faith may we renew our minds, hearts, and souls as to believe that we are able to respect, care, listen, and empathize with persons joining us in the community of faith. It is an intentionality of love. It is being alert to treating persons as we want to be treated, not as they are necessarily treating us. Being in holy obedience is following the commandments of our covenant with God. Jesus taught that the covenant can be upheld by loving God with all our whole being, and our neighbors as ourselves.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on our souls and help us to love each other. Amen.

Demands of the Christian Life

...give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if you do these things, you shall never fail. 2 Peter 1:10

Lord, is there a price I have to pay to live this way? The Christian life moving from the 20th century into the 21st century has been a challenge. Perhaps it has always been a challenge. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote of the Christian life: "Every true Christian is a citizen of two worlds, the world of time and the world of eternity."

With a faith and hope of eternal bliss, Christians live amidst the currencies of existence. 2008 is declared an election year in the United States of America. The highest office in the country will open for a new leader. The current President is well into his last term and the country's two major parties are really in battle with an independent threat. There have been threats of independent runners, which includes the mayor of New York City. He, too, has reached the term limit in the office as mayor. Jewish by birth and faith, Christian morality may not be in the consideration of the mayor. In this time of history, however, every Christian should take a serious look at justice and fairness when casting a vote in 2008.

For the first time in history, one of the two major political parties, the Democratic Party, will run a female candidate or a man of color as the candidate for the office of President. Christians participating in elections through the centuries have in majority been conformists. Now it is time to hear a call to nonconformity. The challenge now is to live out of conviction, not conformity. The noble moral action would be to vote for the best candidate, who happens to be female or a man labelled as a Black American. It has never happened before, arguably due to racism and sexism, even classism. The Republican Party would suggest by default that we conform once again to the leadership of a White male.

The laws of the land dares a minister to cross certain lines in endorsing candidates for political office. The laws of the land, therefore, may have us support conformity by being silent. I am among those who dare respond to a higher order than the laws of the land. I dare to hear the call to social responsibility coming from the Moral Authority. I dare to encourage all people of faith and moral integrity to vote for a qualified candidate other than a White male. Is it personal? Yes, it is personal and an issue of social justice. It is personal, because I was born of woman's womb. It is personal, because I was born a Negro is the United States of America. It is personal, because I have witnessed the abuse of women and people of color in American politics from the 1950s into the 21st century. It is personal, because I want to see a just act among United States Americans in electing a person President without bases such election on his being White. I want women and men of any race or color to have more than equal of opportunity to serve. I want then to have actual occupancy of the office of President and access to the White House as home.

I am a Christian. Our faith and hope is in eternity. Our love is here and now. Thus, in kindness with selfless love, I urge citizens of the United States in these times to cast a vote for justice and support the Presidential candidate and slate of the Democratic Party in this election year.

Emmanuel!

Moving From Epiphany Into Lent

Read Matthew 4:1-11

On Wednesday, February 6, 2008, things will change. The light of the world will become the sufferer of life. It seems too soon. On the first day of January, we were celebrating the birth of Mary's baby. Now look at us. Listen to us. Our songs have turned from praise of birth to the traditional hymns and music for a season of ministry. Not so bad? Well, lets listen. We just finish singing "We Three Kings", "Joy To The World", etc. We were all about the light of the world and the manifestation of the Anointed One. Now, we are "Moving from Epiphany into Lent." In the midst of songs of praise, we come out singing: "The Old Rugged Cross."

Understand me. The Old Rugged Cross is one of my favorite hymns. I will never put is down. Oh no! In fact, I will sing it as though it is mine. It is on the cross that my life is restored. On the cross is where salvation of my soul is to be found. On the cross, you see, Jesus dies for you and me. Oh, yes, "I love that old cross." Yet, it is in the movement from singing celebration birth songs that we move to celebration of death songs and I wonder.

I wonder how it is that it came to be that God would love us so that he would give his only Son for our souls. How could it be? Love! You see, at the birth of Mary's baby the gifts came to him. At the death of Jesus Christ, the gift of live came for me. And, not me alone. God so loved the world that he gave us Jesus, The Anointed One, Christ as savior for all who come by faith to believe. Do you believe? If you believe the gift is yours. If you believe, then join me and all Christian on Ash Wednesday for the 46 days of spiritual growth soaking in the experience of the gift of life.

The gift of life for you and me was brought by God with the cost of his Beloved Son - Jesus! When you come the pray and study and accept what God has done through Christ, you come to change. Things change. Everything changes. It may not happen on Wednesday, but it can. It may not happen of Thursday, but it could. However, I promise you that when you take the leap of faith on the adventurous journey to the Cross, change will come. Try it!

Read each day of Lent a Scripture leading us from the temptation to the triumphant entry, then on the day of Resurrection. Easter! When Jesus Christ comes once more to arise and give us a new song. Change! Things change. Because for every move from Epiphany into Lent, there is an assurance of the change into Easter. Come, Lord Jesus, change us.

Agape!
LAR1

Where Is Jesus?

"..., Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have come seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." Matthew 2:2



Epiphany is the day of our Lord's manifestation. Orginally celebrated by Christians even more than Christmas Day is celebrated today, celebration of the Epiphany recognizes the nativity, incarnation and baptism of Christ. Today, we acknowledge it as the recalling of the visit of three wise men (magi), which marks the end of the Christmas cycle. The King has come into the world by divine selection, not human election. Some people ignored him. King Herod desires to kill him. Wise men come to see him, bringing gifts signifying the Lordship of the Christ child to the world. Jesus, Mary's baby, is the King entering the world prepared to sacrifice for our entrance into the kingdom of God.



Christmas 2007 is behind us. Pause from play with the toys. Place the bikes and other wheels in storage. Come pray and worship him. Come as you are. Come with your concerns. Come with your joys. Come have your thrist for life quenched. Come that your aches may be healed. Jesus, the King of kings is waiting for you to follow his star, so come. Come as you are. Where is the Lord?



Jesus is no longer in the nativity scene. He is not wrapped in swaddling clothes. He is not laying next to the animals. No, you will not find him on the lap of Mother Mary. Where is Jesus? Jesus is in the heart, soul, and mind of all who believe that he is Christ, the Anointed One, Son of God. Do you believe?



If you believe, then "come, let us worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."