Welcome Home Berniece

On January 15 Berniece Holley, a friend of Katie said her final goodbyes and went home. I never met Berniece but she left behind a legacy that can't be ignored. She introduced everyone she met to the Jesus that she loved.

The following words are her own words, her testimony so to speak. Berniece was a member of the Church of God in Christ and served her community until her death.

"The Lord had to bring me a mighty long way to get me out of the clutches of the devil for he had me wrapped, tied and bound. But one day the Lord came all the way from heaven down to save an undone wretch like me. I was lost one day but thank God for his goodness and mercy.

My family said there was no hope for me. I was into the things the world had to offer which was nothing but death, hell and desctruction. The devil thought he had me but Jesus rewrote my life. He gave me the ming to seek Him right after my birthday of 1958. I began to pray for the Holy Ghost. I didn't grow up in the church so I didn't know exactly what I was asking for. I had a neighbor who belonged to the church but was doing everything I was doing in my sin. I knew I didn't want that, I wanted the "real thing". I knew God was real. I put everything out of my mind but Jesus and I started to pray. I continued to pray day and night.

I made up my mind to attend church. At church I received my blessings from God and I felt good, but I knew something was missing. One night at home on my knees, I felt another presence; someone touched me. I heard a noice as if a big ball was rolling across the floor. The devil didn't want me to give my life totally to God, but praise God, mercy was in action. As I continued to pray I heard a sound coming down from above. I began to speak in another tongue as the spirit gave me utterance. I thought I knew love because I loved my children, but that night-Praise the Lord-I had a different kind of love. I knew Agape love. God's love. Glory be to God. Jesus rewrote my life."



Regardless of theological context, agree or disagree this beautiful lady is now in the presence of God. The beautiful thing about her life is that from 1958 until the day she left this earth she was always in the presence of God. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could all learn the presence of Christ here and now, rather than waiting for a divine appointment in the sky.

Run the streets Berniece, Jesus rewrote your life. May he rewrite mine today!!

The Kingdom is Now

I'm tired, my body is sore, it's been a long week to say the least. But is has also been a week of discipline and growth. The Spirit of God is truly moving within me and I am excited as He teaches.

So often I am consumed by future things, but I am learning that God is as much in the now as He is in my dreams and visions, even more so. The last 7 months have been about learning to be still and allow the Kingdom of God to expand within me, and yet I have learned to live life on purpose and with intent. The dreams of tomorrow are just that, for tomorrow. The Kingdom is here now, and it is to be lived now and tomorrow, not just tomorrow.

Call it what you want, Present Kingdom Theology, Heresy, Whatever, I am convinced that the example of Jesus was also the purpose of Jesus, and that was to usher in His Kingdom to the here and now. I am also convinced that true salvation is not simply eternal life, rather, that is the least of definitions in comparison to the salvation of present life and creation. Jesus came to redeem every aspect of life, not just to provide a ticket out of hell. To accept only eternal life is missing the point of Jesus' life. He was not merely born to die, His example of life is also part of His redeeming plan.

To follow Christ is simply that, to follow the way of Jesus.

The Kingdom of God is here, I suggest that we place our allegiance where it belongs and that is to our king and live our lives in abundance because we are His children and this kingdom is our inheritance.

The pain of discipline is always better than the pain of regret.

Ode to a dictator

Over the last few days a lot has been said about the death of Saddam Hussein. My friend Beanie posted a great note on his Facebook that really made me step back and think. Why are we celebrating the death and certain eternity of torture for this man? Sure he was responsible for the death of thousands of innocent people, and by all standards he deserved to die. But for all rights and purposes you and I are equally as capable of carrying out the same atrocities. Why would we celebrate the certain judgment he felt the moment life passed from this realm to the next?

I know that the neo conservative, good American, Republican thing to do is to lift a glass toward Mecca, I mean Washington DC and hail our king, I mean president for being such a mighty leader, and Christian to boot. But I personally don't have time for that garbage. As Beanie stated so eloquently and I have stated many times before not so eloquently, my allegiance is to a king and a kingdom who can love an evil man til his death, not to a man impersonating a Christian who takes his country into an unconstitutional war and uses his "faith" to justify it. Nor is my allegiance to a republic that elects in its great uninformed intelligence the worst acting congress in the history of our nation, nor is it toward the religious leaders who deify said leaders all because they agree on issues like abortion and gay marriage.

When did the church become an issues based institution? When did abortion supersede the gospel? When did the spread of democracy become the goal of the church? When did marriage become an issue of the state? I have very strong personal opinions about any issue you want to throw at me, but it will not, nor should it ever, become a topic in the pulpit. Jesus loves the gay married abortion doctor imperialistic murdering dictator just as much as he loves you, deal with it.

What if we don't celebrate, rather we mourn? What would that tell the world? Would we show that Jesus is real in us if we are truly compassionate towards the eternal fate of even the most evil of men?

Celebrate if you must, I suggest we pull out the sackcloth and ashes.