Today, focus is on emotional, psychological and spiritual survival through Christian worship among all those of the African Diaspora (we say, Blacks). Where bitterness, fear, resentment and suicide will acknowledge and install an enemy as the supreme power over your life, reverence to the Creator, and oneness without sameness through Jesus Christ accomplish freedom, invincibility, and eternal life. Despite abuse, oppression and suffering, many continue to successfully struggle for life because they also receive healing, power, and relief as the offspring and heirs of the Creator. Through various divine gifts and provisions, awareness and self-will within the living are supplied with sacred direction, futurity, perseverance, possibility, and the vision required for continuous existence, presence, purpose, and sacred relationship. Those choosing to be enemies on the basis of ethnicity and race not only call forth damnation and hellfire, they also deprive themselves of an excellent friend (it is written: Proverbs 8: 36, King James Version (KJV): 36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.). The fighter at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Breakthrough” (Level 6 with 16,235 points, a member since June 29, 2013) posted the following:
Why are black Christians so joyful when they worship God?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah 61: 8-11, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: The Flesh, Then Beyond (05/23/2017); Fulfillment of His Dream? (04/05/2017); Hope That Is True (02/20/2017); The Joy of Christmas (01/05/2017); No Less GOD’s Creation (12/01/2016); Covetousness, Slavery and Sin (09/16/2016); Can Christians Be Racists? (07/25/2016); African American Christmas? (12/15/2015)
“Breakthrough”, the inner spirit must be kept alive for there to be “survival”. Many mature Christians will agree that “to worship” is to acknowledge and respond to divine revelation provided through such mechanisms as discovery, divine law, praise, prophecy, sacrifice, sacred promise, self-government, and suffering. All who are treated as despised, marginal, and misfits realize they are part of the “mainstream” when turning to GOD. Even so, oppressive economic, political, and social systems continue to exist around the world that foster bias, discrimination, hate, and prejudice. Public markets in Europe selling men, women and children from the continent of Africa were begun and firmly in place 50 years before Columbus in 1492 sought a new route (not a New World) to the wealth of spices and slaves from the East. Because of the mindset that says, It is just good business, it was made acceptable and “normal” to speak of Blacks as chattel, goods, and a disposable commodity.
The mechanisms for genuine survival of all Black peoples and many others enduring life as members of a minority group (e.g., native Americans, Orientals) have had to address a broad range of meanings, needs, life purposes, and values. The comprehensive frameworks for Christian belief have provided much of the necessary structure and flexibility to identify and isolate many of the most import features for a true commitment to life rather than death. Included are anticipation (we say, holding to the energy and excitement of expectation; hope); becoming reconciled to higher things yet giving the appearance of accepting or agreeing with base things that are totally disgusting and reprehensible; defiance; deliverance; disguise; escape; misdirection; and the violence of righteous judgment. Make-believe, fantasy and pretending are useless as mechanisms to bring about change. Devices promoting deceit and lies (e.g., betrayal, boasting, gossip, slander) only ensure the destruction of the intimate relationships critical to survival (e.g., friendships, family, marriage, parenting).
In the worship of Black Christians, sinners are to see the otherwise invisible victory of mankind over the many obstacles to existence and peace such as arrogance, death, depression, ignorance, malice, poverty, and sin. Believers are to receive inseparable aspects from the spirit makeup of divinity that are immutable, incorruptible, and unchanging. There should be faith, forbearance, gratitude, holiness, joy, longsuffering, lovingkindness, meekness, wisdom, and wrath against sin. In their homes, lifestyles, places for study, prayer, and reflection, rules and standards will be in effect that counterbalance anger, condemnation, self-destruction, despair, and self-pity. Consider again the following that uses language from the Bible:
(1.) Mark 8: 34-38, King James Version (KJV): 34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
(2.) Ephesians 4: 25-27, KJV: 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
(3.) Psalms 66: 1-4, KJV: 1 Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: 2 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. 3 Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. 4 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4.) Psalms 100: 1-5, KJV: 1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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