Wonderful world. Beautiful people. How are you doing today? I pray you are holding fast to hope and keeping your focus on all that is positive and lively and good. Stay safe, be calm and remain prayerful. God is not surprised by events unfolding in the world today. God knew way way long ago how today is.
I recall, few years
ago a ghastly incident occurred in America. Allow me to take your mind back to
a day when hate and evil conjoined into racism in one person’s heart and the
wickedness that followed. The below article was penned in tribute to the tragedy and the beloved lives that were lost that day. Today is five years to the exact date when I wrote this, coming from a bleeding heart.
My friend. While we live let each, Black and White, end racism,
prejudice, hate, bigotry, violence, intolerance and be reasonably human. No one can be
forced to love another. You are forced to treat one another as you would like
to be treated. It is a civic obligation to be decent to another human being. May God touch the hearts of all people and reverse "bad" hearts
everywhere causing good to triumph over evil every day. Any day now Christ
could come back and end life as we know it. Be ready.
IN YOUR MEMORY
CHARLESTON 9
I read with
shock and horror the news of the Charleston massacre. My initial reaction was
despair, disgust, anger, pointing finger blame, frustration, helplessness, deep
sorrow for the families, questions, and a loss of words. Quickly, I remembered
to say something to Jesus in prayer. I needed to switch emotions. I wanted to
focus on this bigger picture: Someone walked into a consecrated space where believers
in Christ had gathered to worship the Most High Almighty God. Followers of
Christ had assembled to study the Word of God. A good Bible Study is dominated
by the presence of the Holy Spirit. That someone stayed long enough to pray
with those Christians. Christians pray in the name of Jesus Christ. That evil
presence had invaded the place where the Savior of the world was being glorified
and honored. In that confined space where evil invaded was the might and power
and indwelling of God Almighty. Yet, evil prevailed in the physical. Only in
the physical did such evil win. And God’s house was defiled in a split second. God’s
children whose bodies are temples wherein the Lord dwells had their breaths squelched
in a split second—silenced forever from this side of Heaven.
Hear this: In a
split second Christians were persecuted by Evil. Their lives snuffed out and their
voices silenced, by Evil itself impersonating racial hatred, intolerance and
bigotry. Evil always takes on different personas. Evil wear many faces. Evil is
evil. Spiritual wickedness in high places is Evil. Lucifer orchestrates
spiritual wickedness. Lucifer roams the realms of creation. The Devil’s fight
is with God. We, mortals, are not the target for Lucifer. Satan’s relentless battle
is to unseat the Most High God. Satan wants to defeat Jesus Christ. The
resurrected Christ is the only way to God Almighty. Scripture tells of the same
devil who offered to give the Creator of the world everything if he would but
bow down and worship him. God who created the universe, and made Lucifer, was
now being promised the world by Lucifer. That is Evil impersonating one of its
personas. The ultimate battle here is against God by Satan—it is between Good
and Evil. Let’s shine our eyes on the real war. This is not the time to lose
focus. Evil is on a crafty mission to dominate and dismantle good. God-fearing
people are on the side of good. The Church stands against evil. We, the body of
believers in Jesus Christ, are the Church. That puts us smacked down in the
path of evil. Yet we must continue, courageously, in Jesus name. We are
soldiers in the army of the Living God. We grieve our losses, we hurt and cry,
we get angry and frustrated, we blow our steam, we talk and talk and discuss
and debate the issues. BUT we keep our focus on the glorious picture. We are
followers of Jesus Christ. We handle our business the LORD’s way. We do not
become passive. We become more passionate about Christ. We look to Jesus the
author and finisher of our faith.
The world at
large is being persecuted by evil. Whatever your spiritual beliefs may be, if
you represent good you’ve become the target of evil. In today’s world, race and
ethnicity are the reasons for majority of the wars and conflicts which have
changed the face of our planet. Ethnic cleansing, religious bigotry, race
superiority, human prejudices, social tensions, deep seated hatred,
segregation, intolerance, are the cause of millions of lives being slaughtered commonly across the globe. Countries have disintegrated because its citizens
wake up one day and suddenly find that one person is more a human being than
the other person. That is evil. Human beings, good people, are treated like animals
because of the deeds of impersonations of evil. The bottom line is evil has reared
its ridiculous head and is determined to overthrow good. Let us shine our eyes
on the real war of evil against good. How much good would it take to overturn
the trend? The task is how do we get more good out of our world? I say, it
starts when each of us is determined to tap into the good more than you allow
evil, and its impersonations, to tap into you.
A terrible,
ghastly thing happened in that church in Charleston, South Carolina, United
States of America. Such an ugly act in such a beautiful place. The land of the
free and the home of the brave is experiencing a subtle slow plunge into a
seeming war zone, seemingly being invaded from within. An attack was launched
against the army of God Almighty in that church in Charleston. A grievous
offence has happened to the body of believers in Jesus Christ at Emmanuel
Church. South Carolina, an area that forms part of the region labelled “the
Bible Belt of America,” is now in the spotlight for being the site of a church
massacre of Christian members at midweek Bible Study. Lord have mercy on us!
Many want to
ask, “Where was God.” God Almighty is right where he always is. SOVEREIGN.
Omnipotent. Omniscient. Omnipresent. Sovereign Ruler of Heaven and Earth. One
thing is certain and this one thing I do know. Almighty God was right where he
was when His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, died what seemed at the time to
his disciples and followers a senseless death. The world has never been the
same since. History has shown and proven that his death was anything but
senseless. Jesus Christ rose from that grave and that act has never occurred
before or since. Yes, my friend, God Almighty is right where he has always
been. Sitting high and looking low, fully aware of everything that happens in
the world. Why the Lord God allows such things to happen is his business for
him to know. God Almighty knew beforehand what was about to take place in that
church. Jesus Christ showed up and took each of his children home to glory. That
is our faith. That is our consolation. This is what we hold on to even as we
ask questions and demand earthly justice. God Almighty was right in that Church
watching everything go down. Just like God the Father watched God the Son, Jesus
Christ die to give us eternal life. My Bible tells me, “As for God, his way is
perfect.” (Psalm 18:30). Amen to God’s perfect way.
Sorrow overtakes
all our hearts, and our nation struggles to comprehend where all this violence
is coming from. The good portion, of the black race and the white race, fight
to understand why should any skin color matter anyways. May we hold our peace! We
are all in this together. Coming from an African background, I have seen
firsthand what happens when a nation allows overgrown weeds of malice,
bitterness, false propaganda, unsavory rhetoric, nasty politics, hatred,
confusion, and other ill behavior patterns to go untreated and unattended. No,
America, you are not too great to self-destruct. Mortal man was never intended
to substitute deity. We need help with our problems. The time to pay attention
is now. To those who believe in the power of prayer, let we all bow in prayer
and ask that God Almighty save our country. God bless the United States of
America. May we each do our little part to keep the USA a God-fearing nation.
AS MUCH AS
talking, discussions, and expressing various sentiments help at any time, most
especially during periods of mourning and grief, the WORD OF GOD is enough
comfort by itself. Read passages of Scripture to fill your hearts and minds
with peace, and restore some semblance of normalcy to your thoughts. I pray you
would feel less perplexed as you contemplate “Thus saith the Lord.”
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at
the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus
destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God whom I shall see for myself, and my
eyes shall behold, and not another. …” (Job 19:25 ESV)
“Behold, I cry out, ‘Violence!’ but I am not
answered; I call for help, but there is no justice.” (Job 19:7 ESV)
“Why doesn’t the Almighty bring the wicked
to judgment? Why must the godly wait for him in vain?” Job 24:1 NLT)
“Wicked people rebel against the light. They
refuse to acknowledge its ways or stay in its paths.” (Job 24:13 NLT)
“God is powerful and dreadful. He enforces
peace in the heavens. Who is able to count his heavenly army? Doesn’t his light
shine on all the earth? How can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone
born of a woman be pure? God is more glorious than the moon; he shines brighter
than the stars. In comparison, people are maggots; we mortals are mere worms.”
(Job 25 NLT)
“By his power the sea grew calm. By his
skill he crushed the great sea monster. His Spirit made the heavens beautiful,
and his power pierced the gliding serpent. These are just the beginning of all
that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the
thunder of his power?” (Job 26: 12-14 NLT)
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action,
and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought
to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be
conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is
holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be
holy, for I am holy.” (1st Peter 1:14-16 ESV)
“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and
what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall
be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in
him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1st John 3:2-3 ESV).
“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind,
sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil
for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you
were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” (1st Peter 3:8-9 ESV)
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the
righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the LORD is
against those who do evil. Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for
what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will
be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor
Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who
asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness
and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those
who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better
to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”
(1st Peter 3:12-17 NLT)
Friday, June 19, 2015
Blessings and Peace,
Blessings and Peace,
Servant Hortense D. Grimes
Founder, Do It For Christ Ministries
~HortenseInspiration
(DO IT FOR CHRIST)
Blessings and Peace,
Hortense Duarma
Grimes
Servant of the
Living God
Founder, Do It
For Christ Ministries
Creator,
HortenseInspiration Media
Dreambearer &
Dreamcarrier, Solace Africa
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