Every now and again with this blog...I will try and take you to a place of reflection at the place you are in right now. I was listening to a song by Marvin Sapp called "Praise Him". The song starts simply by saying, "I've had my share of ups and downs, times when there was no one around, God came and spoke these words to me, 'Praise will confuse the enemy'." The song is talking about Praising God even before the storm is over...even before the storm begins and despite your situation, you will not allow what you see to hinder what you believe. WOW.

Have you ever been in a place where you can relate to this? Let me bring it closer to our hearts. The last time you had a situation in your life where you felt like giving up, a relationship that fell apart or struggled. The time you lost your job and finances were not there to support your life and family. The time you child ran astray and you had no answer or plan to guide them back and didn't know how to approach it. The time your family hurt you and sent you back wondering how family could do this to family. The time your efforts went un-noticed, un-appreciated, and your work was disrespected by others. The time your spouse wasn't there when you really needed them. The time they didn't make you feel like a man or feel secure as a wife. The time you needed someone and all your friends seemed way to busy. (am I there yet?) What ever your situation is or was, it broke you down and you questioned way more than you should have. We have all been in that place and if you have yet to get there...hold on...you will.

We get so caught up in our circumstances at times, we lose sight of the vision God and only God can give us. Even as a Christian, failure is a sure thing. "Praise Him in advance" What does that really mean? It seems so simple that it becomes a challenge we, more than not, lose. I can not begin to tell you all the things God has done for me, and all the times He has carried me and all the times I have still failed Him. What I can tell you is that in the midst of my failures, He restored me, redeemed me, and placed me back in His hand to comfort me in my storms. If you think about those situations I have mentioned before or your own personal circumstance and realize that through it, you are still here...reading this blog...then praise should flow from your lips for what He has already done and knowing that makes it that much easier to praise Him...in advance.

I know life is hard...we deal with so many things and we are a "right now" people. We want results and rewards "Right Now". Imagine that for a moment....if we got everything we wanted or felt we needed..."right now", where would we be? What would we do? Would we really appreciate all that God has, is, and can do? Would we even go to Him? Or would we feel we didn't need Him? When we receive things in a "right now" fashion...several things can happen. We either don't need it right then, can't use it, don't know how to use it, or stop using it because we don't see the benefit of having it and the joy the gift brings. When we want something...we want it for our own selfish needs, not because God has it for our purpose.

So how do we praise God in advance? Simple, you walk out your life according to His plan, you thank Him for the storms that water your life and the joy that comes in the morning of growth. You love Him because He loves you so much He provides all your needs and all you have to do is ask. You Praise Him by excepting the storms, excepting the hurt and struggles despite your own plans and remember that you gave your life to Him, for Him to take care of and provide the path you have failed to create on your own. You except His plan for you because you were created with a plan and for a purpose. Do not be discouraged by your set backs, be encouraged that you are not alone in them and God trusts you to handle them. If you look at the scenarios above or put your specific situation in there...each time is a time when you are...or feel alone, lost and with out an answer and that is the place God wants you so He can speak to you with out distractions. That is the place God will restore you and remind you that "Praise...will confuse the enemy."

A Child-Like Mind

I was speaking to a group of youth a few weeks ago at my church and the topic was prayer. I asked the group of young elementary students a question and the answer stunned me for a long time. I asked them, "when you pray for something, whatever that may be, if its to get something, or for something to happen, what do you do if God does not get you that something or do what it is you asked Him for?". Two answers were given. 1. You keep praying. 2. Wait for God to give it to you later.
This was a group of kids 5Th grade and under. The answer did not shock me because that's what they feel, it shocked me because we as adults don't even understand that concept. "Keep Praying" and/or Wait for it. Psalms 69:13 says "but I keep praying to you Lord, hoping THIS time you will show me favor. This passage indicates that a prayer was submitted for something and it was not granted so they kept praying for it. Isaiah 64:4 says, "for since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who WAIT on Him." This shows that God works for those who wait and are patient. He blesses according to His time and a great reward is there for us who wait on Him.
Young children gave this answer....so why can we not, as adults, grasp this concept? We say we will wait, but let's be honest, have you? Or did you take the task in to your own hands and try to accomplish what it is you asked God to take care of? Relationships, jobs, money, homes, cars, all other material needs, children, family, and friends. All basic things we all submit in prayers to God. We have wants we call needs that we ask for from Him and when it doesn't happen when we want it to, we take back control and try to accomplish what we have already given to God. When it doesn't go the way we thought it should, we get mad, upset at God and discouraged. We even get so caught up, we leave church's and walk away from God. We stop praying and fasting and start questioning ours faith and the faith others have. We are suppose to know better but we don't. Children seem to have a better grasp of this understanding and the question is How? or Why? I can also ask the question of when or where do we lose it? The faith and our belief in what we know to be true.
I believe on one end it is as simple as a young child's understanding of this concept with out knowing the scripture. As a parent, there are a million things my children ask me for on a daily basis. Daddy this....daddy that. Can I get this..can I get that. I hear this and sometimes I get or do what it is they are asking at the time and other times I don't. I may get it later or not at all. A child understands this of their parents. Sometimes they ask and they get...sometimes they ask and don't get it...sometimes they ask and get it later. The enlightening part about it is they don't know why we do it, they just learn to except it. WE KNOW WHY!! We do it for various reasons. They don't need it, we don't have it at that time, not what we want to do right now, or it was something you were going to get for a special occasion and if they do get it now, it is because they deserve it. All the reasons indicate your love and desire for them. Is this not the exact words God gives to us? We do it with a Godly method and way and yet we don't want to allow God to do us that way. Further more, if our child is 16 and ask for a new car, if we don't get it right then for whatever reason you choose, does your child run out and get it on their own? or do they wait until they are able to or we provide it? Now I know there are some that would go out and get a job, save the money and eventually try and buy it cash. Here is the beautiful, Godly notion behind that process. Through their efforts, they are learning so much with being employed, discipline, appreciation for the efforts, and a sense of worth and growth. Add to that this...as parents, we see the efforts of our children through this, we admire and enjoy what they are learning and how they are growing so what do we do? We match them or just bless them with the car since they have shown the work ethic to accomplish what it is they want and we appreciate the commitment. Isn't this how God is? Taking care of those who take care of themselves? Providing a way for us when we have proven ourselves to Him? As adults we read scripture and hear preachers preach this type of Godly methods and we are old enough and wise enough to discipline ourselves to follow....but it is the children that exercise the faith and belief that their parents will provide and will take care of them. They trust their parents to love them and take away the burdens and pains. This profile of parenting comes from God. He has laid the foundation and the older we get, the more we try to take off on our own. Don't we get upset when our children grow up and act like they don't need us any more?
So you see, we are following the example that God has provided and have messed it up. When we pray, and God has told us to pray, what ever we ask for or whatever we feel we need, we have to trust God to provide what we really need. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He has provided for you before, He has answered your prayers before and shown you why you didn't get something you have asked for. We say we trust God, but do we really? Do we trust Him the way our children trust us? If we don't, is it because we are not acting in a way that our children could or should trust us and we feel guilty? The bible says that "as a child, we do child like things but when we get older, all childish things are put away" (paraphrased) however God wants us to love him in a child like manner. This is why we refer to Him as "Father" and we are the children of God. He wants us to go after Him in a child like behavior, so even as we grow up, just like with our earthly parents, we still love them as their children, we are to love God as His children and submit to Him that way. Go after God like a child, trust Him like you want to and know that when you submit a prayer to Him, remember like those elementary students at my church know, if God doesn't answer you or grant you what it is you pray for, either 1. Keep Praying or 2. Wait on the Lord. He has reasons for what He does and it is not for us to understand...just for us to trust His love for us.

Old School

The term "Old School" (sometimes spelled differently to claim street credit) has been used to describe an array of things. Some of these things are: people, ways of life, methods, and style. I myself tend to refer to my tactics and beliefs in some areas as "Old School" mainly do to the time in which I molded those things in to my life. Old School has also been associated with Church and athletics as well. In regards to Church, we have your "Old School Pastors" or Old School Church folk...yes folk, referring to the plural even. Old School Pastors may vary in areas but the majority of those references refer to ones Preaching and what is called "hooping". Old School preachers tend to follow the Bible more than New School Preachers. New School Preachers may find themselves a little more "relaxed" when it comes to certain things and that would really mess with an Old School Preacher. In Athletics, you have Old School Ballers and Old School Game. The best example I can give to this is Old School NBA....Lakers, Celtics, Rockets, Bulls during the 1980's and 1990's. Compared to the New School, the game is vastly different. New School is more selfish and self-centered. Old School was about the team.
New School is the term used for the new comers and up and coming. Those who try different approaches to the "circumstance" to gain more results. As I looked at these two terminologies, I am reminded by the recent events of Jesse Jackson. Old Schooler...Rev. Jackson along with others alike have dismissed the "N" word and have spoken out against the use of it in today's society. He and others have been out spoken at the use of that word in music and everyday life. Yet, Rev. Jackson was caught, on camera, using that same word he felt tears down African Americans, and using it towards and in reference to Sen. Barack Obama. (OH...did the New Schoolers attack that.) He has since been interviewed by Essence Magazine and addressed that comment. He did so by not really addressing it. This brings up a question....why do we speak against things we do ourselves and have no justification for it?
Along with this situation, about a month ago, CNN did a special called Black in America. It was a good "Town Hall" type setting with several distinguished guests present to discuss topics that address the Black Community and the needs that have been present for years. During one of the sessions, there was a discussion about education and how we go about dealing with it. A young man was on there who was a College Professor and he was debating with a young lady who was the President of an HBC. The young man started a program that pays students in the inner city to go to school. She opposed that and argued that it confused the drive and purpose. She made a comment about continuing with the current methods. He argued that those "Old School" methods have not worked and it is time for a New School way. He opened it up that if she could come with some other New School way since the Old School process was not working...he was open for suggestions...aka...solutions.

These two examples bring to mind the status of where we are. We have old schoolers and new schoolers. In Rev. Jackson's interview, the question was raised of his relevance now in today's society. Is he still relevant along with his peers. Some New Schoolers stated he was not, he said he is. I say he is but here is the problem. Old School folk tend to have an issue with releasing power to New School folk. This is the heart of the problem in our community. Old Schoolers tend to hold on to the issues, complaining, pointing out everything wrong with the community and the help that is needed. Even pointing at Obama, saying he has not addressed the Black Community while running for President. New Schoolers approach it with a "lets just press forward and move on" which upsets the Old School. They say that New School folk have no regard for the past or the sacrifice. This is simply not true. New School folk are extremely aware of the sacrifices made in the past. Those sacrifices have enabled the New School to be able to fight the battle from a different platform. That has allowed them to use the resources and make success happen. Sen. Obama understands, I believe, that addressing the Black Community throughout his campaign would hinder his chances. He has addressed it, however, the Community will not change unless we change the minds of those in the community. We have waited for a hand out, the old school way, and it has not happened and never will. New School is not waiting for that handout, they are ready to move forward, changing the mind set of the community which will change the community as a whole. With the same mind set, you get the same results. If the old school has some new ideas to make changes, the new school will listen. We have to try new school ways to break an old school drought. This is why we have to work together. The one thing New School lacks..patience. Old School and New School folk can and have to work together to solve the ongoing issues and we have to do it together. Old School has to trust and know the New School is more educated and ready then before and Old School is the back bone that is needed. Old Schoolers have been there, failed and got up and pushed forward and succeeded. It is your shoulders that the New School stands on, and your encouragement to push forward and be the foundation that started even before before you. Together we can and will accomplish much more and realize that we are all relevant to this journey. Whether Old School or New School....the old phrase said..."The Players may change, but the game stays the same." We must push forward in the game.....are you ready?

The Elephant in the Political Room

I have spent, as I am sure many others, many months now reading and hearing about the race for President and all the ins and outs of the process. I have studied the candidates and followed them closely to make sure that when I vote, I make a sound choice on who I believe is the best candidate for our country. This blog is not going to be a politically based blog all the time, but I feel a need, an obligation to address some of the concerns that I have as it relates to this process. I am voting for Obama and have no doubts about it and him as a President and find it extremely odd that the comments and remarks being submitted are addressing his lack of experience and knowledge. Even after 8 years, can we truly say Bush is any more knowledgeable or experienced in doing a "good" job as President? McCain is following the same path. And please, let me address something as it relates to McCain that has not been addressed. He claims to be and is running with the idea that he is a "War Hero" from his service in the past. He was a P.O.W, not a Hero. Since when does getting caught in a war make you a hero? He is also tied to big business as it is extremely obvious by his relationships and past. Obama is a candidate with the mentality of "why not?" and I follow that. Why can't we sit down with enemies and try to resolve the hate and issues that have continued for reasons of the past. Let's make the change to elect someone who is not like the others, who does not follow the same paths. Do not vote for him because he is Black or vote against him for that same reason. A poll, which I am not a fan of polls, but one stood out and that is that over 60% of whites said that America is ready for a Black President and about 40% of Blacks said we were. Race is always going to be an issue until we can stop attaching race to every thing we do and say and stop looking at every thing from a racial perspective. As for Obama addressing the Black Community or lack of addressing it with specific intentions, let me say this. There are obvious concerns towards the black community that have to be addressed and fixed. There is obvious variances that exist between black and whites as seen in the Shooting of a potential threat in New York v-s the shooting in Texas. In New York, a black home owner shot and injured an individual who posed a threat and was sentenced to prison. In Texas, a white man shot and killed 2 men leaving the shooters neighbors house...in the back after telling them, while on the phone with 911 he was going to kill them, he did. No charges. Obvious issues exist, but if America's issues are not on the front of the agenda, then the big picture gets distorted and nothing ever gets done. What Obama is doing and is being missed is even in the midst of the obvious issues and disparities in America between the races, despite the odds, he is moving in the direction we, at one point thought was never possible. He is running up the ladder to get to a place where he can make real changes to our country as a whole and in turn change the way the Black community is addressed and treated. We have to get beyond the selfishness and the "give me" mentality and look at the big picture. You can't change the issues if you don't change the behavior. Obama's example is huge, that with the same opportunities as every one in this country and the lack of in the Black community, he still has succeeded and may become the President of the United States. What a statement. The Elephant in the Political Room is this. Stop complaining and submitting issues, become a part of the results and answers. No one wants to talk about how radio shows are dismissing him, TV shows put him down and drag him through mud, not because of experience, but because he is black and they are not sure they are ready. If you are, great...it is long past time. If you are not....why? He has shown as many many many many others that there is no one greater then the one who achieves. The bible says also that no one is greater than the one who sends you in the Book of Matthew. Why are you not ready?