Category Archives: Church

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OMG is taking the name of the Lord in vain…Yeah, I said it!

Hello World,

the image from the ABC News' "Nightline" piece...

Back in September 2009, when I saw that ABC News’ “Nightline” did a feature on the popularity of the exclamation “OMG” and explored if such an exclamation is taking the name of the Lord in vain, I realized there must be a Christian or at least a Christ-friendly person in their ranks…

Reporter John Donovan interviewed high school students from the Washington Hebrew Congregation youth group in Bethseda, Md. who have surely been taught the Lord’s name is not to be used lightly…

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.  Exodus 20:7

As Donovan spoke with them about how they used this exclamation via text or in casual conversation, you could visibly see the students connecting what they had been taught versus their actual behavior. It was enlightening…Donovan also explored how the view of taking the name of the Lord in vain has softened over the years in this country (God help us)…In fact, in years past, words like golly or gosh, which dated back to the 1700s according to Donovan, were developed to avoid wrongly using the name of the Lord.  And if one did use the name of the Lord in vain back then, that person was severely criticized…

But that has all changed, the Parents Television Council reports that in 2007, 95.9 percent of the uses of the name God in primetime television were in vain…I mean, even my e-mail provider has a OMG emoticon…I confessed I used it too until this report reminded me of the seriousness of this oft-forgotten and ignored transgression…(Thanks John Donovan for this reminder!)

While I’m on my soapbox, people often the name of Jesus Christ as an exclamation as well – which is a sin…plain and simple…

Anyway, I had planned to write a post about this report, but I must have forgotten…but the report came back to memory when I heard one of Usher’s new songs on the radio a few weeks or so ago…The title of the song is “OMG.” In Googling this song, sometimes it sounds he is saying, “Oh My God” and sometimes it sounds like, “Oh My Gosh.” Well, even if it is the latter version, the title of the song suggests that he is wrongly calling on the name of the Father…

Now, I am a big fan of Usher’s music dating back to my college days at UGA…but I plan to turn the station whenever I hear this song…It makes me uncomfortable…The Lord is our Creator, Father and Savior – not our lil homie…we do not have the right to use His name casually…

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those Christians that believes that every singer should be singing Christian songs all of the time…but I do believe that every Christian whether they decide to be a gospel singer or a secular singer should respect the name of the Lord at all times…

That’s why in spite of what people say about Kanye West, I still like him…He always speaks from the heart – even if it’s controversial or ill-advised…And I think that his song “Jesus Walks” was groundbreaking…And he properly addressed Jesus Christ in this song in spite of its controversial language and themes…Ultimately, he displayed his desire to be in the presence and counsel of Jesus Christ…in spite of his propensity to sin…

The truth is we are all sinners, but that is no excuse to not try to do right, when we know something is wrong…

Any thoughts?

P.S. Thank God Jesus walks with me!!!

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A New Thing…It’s Easter Sunday Y’all!

Hello World!!!

As I listen to the birds chirping outside my window and see the dark of night fade to blue, my spirit feels lighter…One of the reasons that I love Easter is that it officially ushers the world into spring…Winter has finally packed his bags and gone away for a few months, and Spring, with her flirty self, is here…And everything is blooming too…I can tell because my throat is itchy and my eyes are watering…Even nature knows that new things are on the horizon…that is The Promise of Easter…

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.  Isaiah 43:19

Jesus is doing a “new thing!” He made a way out of no way!  He is making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland…Can’t you tell? I overheard my mother talking to my uncle yesterday as she was making something good to eat for today (Yep, I will be all up my momma’s house eating today after church…) I wanted to say something, but you know how it is sometimes – even though I’m grown now, sometimes you can’t interrupt grown folks’ conversation…and my momma and uncle are still more grown than me…My momma said to my uncle that sometimes we Christians give ourselves such a hard time sometimes and that we will never be perfect right here on earth…And that’s why Jesus died…Let’s face it, we will never be perfect, but Jesus is…and today, we can revel in His sacrifice for us and remember that absolutely nothing can “separate us from the love of God.” (Romans 8:38-39) Not that we should act a fool, do wrong on purpose and use our imperfections as an excuse – naw, that’s not what His sacrifice is about…It’s about trying to do our best while realizing that we can never be perfect…

Happy Easter!

Any thoughts?

P.S. Listen to Tramaine Hawkins tear up the song “Changed!”

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Holy, Holy, Holy…

Hello World, 

A week from today, we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ…and so today is the first day of Holy Week…And we are commanded in His Word to be holy…

1 Peter 1:15-19 (New International Version)

15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”[a]

 17Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

As I go throughout the week in the hustle and bustle of daily living, I pray that I will pause and take time to thank God for His sacrifice for me…Sometimes I am stunned that I even call myself a Christian…Not because I don’t feel love for the Lord in my heart, but because I am a person that is ever so prone to anxiety and fear…You would think with all of the verses in the Bible about not having fear and anxiety, I would not be this way…but it is what it is sometimes…And yet as I type these words, I know that the Lord loves me — an anxious and fearful sinner…

And I so as I revel in His love for me, I have to offer my praise….And we are commanded to praise the Lord in His Word…

Psalm 150 (New International Version)

Psalm 150

 1 Praise the LORD. [a]
       Praise God in his sanctuary;
       praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power;
       praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
       praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
       praise him with the strings and flute, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
       praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
       Praise the LORD.

In Jesus’ name, amen, amen and amen…