life lessons

RACISM STAND DOWN!

May 25, 2020, was a day that I will never forget as I watched hatred, immoral behavior, racism, and demonic activity rise to a level that I thought would never rise again, but then I saw the murder of George Floyd.  I will NEVER forget the look on the police officer’s face with his hand in his pocket adding even more pressure to this handcuffed man on the ground while Mr. Floyd begged for life!

I say that, but it is really not true!  The evil of racism has been around a long time!

As a little girl growing up in Ensley Alabama during the height of the Civil Rights movement, I witnessed the schools emptied as the young people walked downtown to be bitten by German Shepherds and hosed down with water with the pressure so strong that harmed their skin and knocked them down. People we beat with Billy clubs, shot and killed. Houses were bombed all over Birmingham, even in Ensley, Dr King’s brother house was bombed. One Sunday while the City of Birmingham, was in Sunday school the 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed and four little girls lost their life. They were innocent little girls like me. I witnessed the boycott, that year. I was taught that we were sacrificing for a better day! Meaning no trip to my favorite store for my Easter Dress.

Things began to open up and yes, we didn’t have to ride in the back of the bus nor go to the back of a restaurant to get food from a side window that we paid more for…  Finally, I got to go to the State Fair on a day other than Wednesday. For you see, Wednesday was Colored Day.

But while we were busy enjoying meniscal privileges, no rights that were ours because we were American Citizens, the enemy that we thought was muted, racism simply shifted.

He diversified. He expanded his horizons, and entered the Seven Mountains of Influence/culture. The 7 Mountains are: Arts and Entertainment, Business, Education, Family, Government, Media and Religion in a very subtle and calculated way.

The experiences that I shared earlier were rooted in the spirit of racism.

Fighting the spirit of racism is a dual war, it must be fought in the natural and in the supernatural.  Now I am sure that you are wondering why I am saying this. I will share with you why. A spirit needs a body to host it. When people allow evil to enter their mindset, they participate in immoral activities. Their participation is a choice. We are in spiritual warfare, moral vs. immoral. Racism is spiritual, but it is acted out in the natural!  We must fight the spirit of racism in prayer, it is there in prayer, we obtain a supernatural strategy to fight against racism and implement the spiritual downloaded strategy in the natural. One strategy to fight against racism is love.  Love always wins! Love does not negate justice and fairness, it stands for it! But love always wins!

As believers we have been given authority to legislate and decree.

Job 22:28 NKJV reads” You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.”

Isaiah 45:11
 Thus says the Lord, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker:
“Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons;
And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.

So today, by the AUTHORITY GIVEN ME BY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, I command:

RACISM to: CEASE AND DESIST!

 

STAND DOWN RACISM!

 

Going In Circles

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Years ago, The Friends of Distinction wrote a song entitled “Going in Circles”. A portion of those lyrics say “I’m an ever rolling wheel, without a destination real. I’m an ever spinning top, whirling around until I drop. What am I to do my mind is in a whirlpool.”

As I pondered those lyrics, I thought about the millions of people that make New Year’s Resolutions and set goals, have unsuccessful relationships over and over again, but never are successful in their endeavors…  Could it be that you are doing the same thing over and over again and expecting something different?

What is the anatomy of your thinking?  Everything that manifests in your life comes from your thoughts.

Proverbs 23:7a (NKJV) “As a man thinks in his heart so is he. So it seems that in order to get different results, one has to change his thinking.

When your thinking is jammed, your life is stuck in a cycle and like the song says, “you’re like a spinning top whirling around until you drop right back in the same place.

So I challenge you today, reboot your mind!  If you are wondering how to do that, you may begin by focusing on these things. Philippians 4:8 KJV says  “8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—think on these things. “

Believe it or not, you are in control of your thoughts. The subtle reason you have not been able to reach your goals is because your thinking has been skewed. You keep meeting the same people with different names but the same character because your thoughts have magnetic power.

So make this adjustment, and think on the true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and things of good report.

Align your mind with where you want to be and your body will follow.

 

Be Yourself

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It was about 8:05 am or so one summer morning in the early 1960s.  Our radio was tuned to the local radio station; the radio personality was Dr. Erskine Faush with the very popular radio show that began with James Cleveland’s song “The Love of God.”

My great-grandmother was sitting on the front porch and I in the living room.  The song “Never Grow Old” by Aretha Franklin came blaring on our Grundic Majestic Hi-Fi Radio combination.  

Aretha was about nine years old when this song was recorded. As I listened, something rose up in me and I wanted to sing along with her. Intently, I listened to the various nuances and tone of her voice.

I began to sing or, shall I say, imitate her. I must say I did a great job! Head thrown back in the locks of my shoulders, I belted out that song with excellence, sounding just like Aretha!

After my rendition of that song, my great-grandmother called me to the front porch.  She said, “Pat I heard you singing and you sounded great!” I beamed with pride! “However,” she continued, “you were imitating a great singer and it was a powerful song. But you did not use your voice, the one God gave you! You have a great voice, use it. Sing like yourself be proud of what God gave you. Remember to always do your best.”

It is great to admire others and even learn from them. Always remember, be yourself.

What my great-mother was saying to me was that I was fearfully and wonderfully made. She wanted me to set my own trend. She wanted me to do me! She encouraged me to be what God called me to be and use that to bring him glory just as Aretha was doing. 

She said, “If you just do that all will be well with you.”

So from me to you, BE YOURSELF!

Keeping an Open Hand

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One summer day I was sitting on the front porch with my favorite aunt and she asked me to open my hand. I thought, “What in the world this is about?” But my love and respect for her prompted me to comply with her request. She reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a bright new quarter. Then she asked, “Pat, what is this?” In my mind I am thinking “Really?” In my time of growing up children were not allowed to “sass” adults and especially not family members! I said very slowly and carefully so as not to sound disrespectful, “A quarter.” She replied, “Yes!”

She put the quarter inside of my hand, with these instructions: “Close your hand tightly and no matter how hard I try, don’t let me get that piece of money out of your hand!”

The games began. She tried. I resisted. This tug of war went on for a while. Finally she said “Open your hand.” Whew! This had gotten quite tiring, I said to myself. I opened my hand and guess what she did?

Aunt Rena took her quarter back!

Now she asked me to open my hand and keep it opened. By now I am thinking “What?” Again, I played along. She put the quarter in and out of my open hand several times. Then she repeated the open and close spiel again! By now, I am really sick of this dumb game! But because Aunt Rena was my favorite aunt, I smiled and continued to play along.

This time after taking the quarter, she asked me to close my hand and when I did she tried to put the quarter into my closed hand, but because my hand was closed she could not get that quarter into my hand! Then she said something simple yet profound. “The key to having more than you need and something to give away is keeping an open hand!” Aunt Rena said when you keep your hands open, something can come in and something can go out.

I really thought that that was a silly game. In retrospect I realize that the concept of sowing and reaping, seed time and harvest was taught to me as a child in a very simple, but yet profound way! This concept has become an intricate part of my life.

Luke 6:38 reads: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

Travel with me as we explore life lessons.