On February 27, 2020, I attended a White House Roundtable discussion that included other black influencers and leaders.  The meeting concluded in prayer, which I was honored to lead.

Following this rare opportunity came the black leftists’ ad hominem attacks to bully or dictate black thought in America and dampen support for the president.  This is a hard task on both scores and they now know it.  This president has demonstrably changed the lives of all Americans with record low unemployment created by 6.7 million new jobs so far. President Trump resuscitated our HBCUs by approving multi-year funding of $250 million per year.  Prior presidents made our black college presidents grovel for funding each year. Under the First Step Act’s prison reform, more than 3,000 prisoners were released; 91% were black. The act reduces recidivism and gives judges more discretion in mandatory minimum sentencing, among other things.

President Trump also established Opportunity Zones “designed to spur economic development and job creation in distressed communities throughout the country.” Black communities are being revitalized. He deserves our thanks and our prayers.

Our prayers seemed to have an effect on black leftists who, with the sycophantic media, used a photo of the faithful attendees praying for President Trump along with such words and phrases as “White House negroes“ (Chris Redd), “Uncle Toms” (Keith Boykin), “Massa, We Gonna Pray Fo’ You Massa” (Spike Lee), and unqualified (Leo Terrell).  These attacks will no longer go unanswered. This racist and bigoted ridicule has no place in the mainstream media.  Moreover, this episode is a direct attack on Christians who would dare pray for the president. Why else would the media pair the photo of the faithful in prayer with such terms as “White House Negro”? Are there no decency standards anymore?

Seventy-nine percent of blacks in America are Christians. Black Christians understand the importance of prayer. The Bible exhorts [that] supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made…for all who are in authority. (1 Tim. 2:1-4). Prayer is a key element in black life.

SNL’s Chris Redd in his attempt at humor said, “Look at these White House negroes.  Who are you all praying to?  The ghost of blackface past?”  This is a mockery and attacks all Christians.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Marc T. Little

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Question: Should our elected political leaders pray, and call for the nation to pray, or is that a violation of “separation of church and state?”

This seemingly endless debate in modern America has erupted once again as Vice President Mike Pence, in his capacity as leader of the federal government’s Coronavirus Task Force, called the nation to pray for wisdom for the task force and for the task force to be enabled to protect the U.S. from grievous harm from a potential pandemic.

At first I had decided to just ignore the snickering and mockery with which he was immediately bombarded, and instead to pray for his critics.

However, I was moved to respond as I continued to read eruptions of ignorance and bias scattered across the “twitter-sphere.” The final straw was when I read a tweet attached to a picture of Vice President Pence and the assembled task force’s scientists with their heads bowed in prayer. The tweet dripped with sarcasm, mockery, and anti-religious prejudice. The general twitter theme seemed to be that scientists praying mean they really weren’t being “scientific” and that the Vice President, a devoutly religious man, was somehow therefore disqualified to lead the task force. Sadly, “scientism” is still flourishing in America.

America’s political leaders have a long tradition of praying and calling the nation to pray in times of crisis and national peril. Our Puritan forefathers did both with eloquence and regularity throughout the colonial era.

When our forefathers led the American Revolution in the 18th century, they sought divine guidance and called upon the people to ask God to provide wisdom and deliverance from British oppression.  Most Americans have historically believed that God answered their prayers and gave them the incomparable United States Constitution, the greatest self-governing document yet produced on this planet, protecting both the divinely endowed right to “life” and “liberty” (as the Declaration put it).

Furthermore, American history since the founding of the Republic has been replete with stirring and inspiring examples of American political leaders calling for divine guidance and the blessings of Providence on our nation.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Richard Land

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After the U.S. Supreme Court sent his case back to a lower court last year, a federal judge ruled this week that a school district in Washington state was within its right to prohibit high school football coach Joe Kennedy from kneeling in prayer on the 50-yard-line after games.

Federal Judge Ronald Leighton granted Bremerton School District’s motion for summary judgment in Kennedy’s case on Thursday.

Kennedy was suspended from his role as head coach of the Bremerton High School football team in 2015 after he refused to stop praying on the field after games, something he had done since 2008.

Kennedy sued in 2016 on grounds that his right to religious expression as a school employee had been violated by the school district.

However, his request for an injunction was denied by Leighton in 2016. Kennedy also suffered defeat when his case was heard by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2017.

Last January, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case. Even though conservative justices led by Samuel Alito thought there could be serious constitutional issues in Kennedy’s free speech claim, they concurred with the refusal because there were unanswered factual questions surrounding the school district’s reasoning for banning the prayer.

According to the Kitsap Sun, Leighton argued this week that the school district has a right to restrict religious expression if it feels the expression creates an illusion of government endorsing religion.

Under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, governments are prohibited from establishing an official religion.

“Although the court is sympathetic to Kennedy’s desire to follow his beliefs, the former right must give way to the latter in this case,” Leighton wrote.

The nonprofit legal group representing Kennedy, the First Liberty Institute, vowed to again appeal to Leighton’s ruling to the Ninth Circuit.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Samuel Smith

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The Palestinian Authority announced Thursday that the Church of the Nativity, a site revered by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus Christ, as well as all other tourism and archaeological sites in the West Bank, have been closed after at least seven hotel workers in Bethlehem were infected with the coronavirus by a group of Greek tourists.

Hours after the announcement, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also declared a 30-day state of emergency.

“We have decided to declare a state of emergency in all Palestinian areas to confront the danger of the coronavirus and prevent it from spreading,” Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said, reading from a decree from the president, Reuters reported.

Shtayyeh said he was given full authority to oversee implementation of the PA’s coronavirus response and that a decision was also made to close all schools, colleges, and kindergartens as well as cancel foreign tourist reservations.

According to The Times of Israel, the tourists who are from Greece were diagnosed with the virus on their return home. Israel’s Health Ministry said the tourists visited Israel and the West Bank between Feb. 19 and Feb. 27.

At least 40 people, including 14 American citizens, as well as about 25 Palestinian guests and employees, are currently quarantined at The Angel Hotel, in mostly Christian Beit Jala, The Jerusalem Post reported. The seven infected people are the first known cases of coronavirus in the Palestinian Authority.

“The Americans left the hotel this morning, but the Palestinian Tourism Police brought them back because they could not secure [another lodging] place” in the Bethlehem area, Maryana al-Arja, the manager of the hotel, noted in the report. “The seven people who are infected or suspected of being infected are inside the hotel.”

SOURCE: Christian Post, Leonardo Blair

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Welcome to the Ordained Chaplains podcast. My name is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society University, and this is “The Work of the Chaplain” Lesson 69. The simple purpose of this podcast is to help those who are interested in serving others through chaplaincy, pastoring, coaching, and counseling to learn the basics of this profession.

Our Work of the Chaplain Passage for this episode is Galatians 6:2 which says, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

Our Work of the Chaplain quote for this episode is from C.J. Mahaney. He said, “Sports are a gift from God. But as soon as you introduce the human heart, things get complicated.”

In this podcast, we are going through the fine book: “The Work of the Chaplain” by Naomi K. Paget and Janet R. McCormack.

Our topic today is: Chapter 9 – Other Chaplain Specialties (Part 4)

— Sports & Recreation Chaplains

The very nature of chaplaincy itself, which takes ministry to the people of a target population, lends itself to a creative and entrepreneurial approach to ministry. Some of these creative chaplains provide spiritual care in resort and leisure settings, to amateur and professional sports teams, and in all types of recreational and sports venues. Chaplains minister to professional and amateur athletes, spectators, and those involved in the sporting industry. Many become chaplains because they love a particular sport, they have “insider status” as an athlete, or they are workers in a sport or recreational arena.

Education & Training

The majority of these chaplains are volunteers who raise their own support in the pattern of sponsored missionaries, and most are willing to pay for their personal uniforms, licenses, et cetera, for the privilege of ministering within a particular sport or leisure setting. Depending on the requirements of the sporting organization, chaplains may be professional endorsed chaplains, ordained clergy, or laity. They may report to a professional sporting organization, a chaplaincy organization specializing in a particular sport, the administrators of a sporting or leisure venue, or a denominational body.

Specific Duties

Chaplains in sports and recreation venues believe that God created humans with the capacity and desire for pleasure and the ability to get pleasure from the use of our bodies in physical activity. Athletic abilities, like all abilities, are a gift from God (Psalm 139:13-16) to be used wisely. Athletes gain fame and wealth, often at a very young age when they may not have the experience or wisdom to handle such notoriety. Chaplains have often found that athletes need and welcome spiritual care, support, and intervention—especially since a large public is in awe of them. Chaplains who have gained credibility by their actions are often invited into the lives of their constituents in a way that others would never be welcome.

It was the day after the big game, and he was angry at the world. Those closest to him were on the receiving end of feelings he couldn’t express. When you are responsible for the play that cost your team the championship, what’s left for a fired, 28-year-old, washed-up athlete? Where were the fans now? When the chaplain came over, he just sat in silence until the athlete began to talk about his embarrassment, anger, depression, and fears for his future. There was no resolution or future plan that day, but a door was cracked open, a suicide was averted, and a young man knew he wouldn’t have to be alone in his pain.

————

— PRAYER —

***

Now, if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, here’s how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

God bless.

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I am Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, and this is the “Strategic Christian Leadership” Podcast, Episode 63. The simple purpose of this podcast is to help Christian leaders understand how planning and strategizing is important to carrying out the Great Commission.

Our Bible verse for this episode is John 10:11 which says, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

Our quote for this episode is from Rosa Parks. She said, “Knowing what must be done does away with fear.””

In this podcast, we are going through the fine books: “Advanced Strategic Planning: A New Model for Church and Ministry Leaders” by Aubrey Malphurs, “Deliberate Simplicity: How the Church Does More by Doing Less” by Dave Browning, and “Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership” by John Dickson. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to purchase a copy of these books from our website podcastpulpit.com.

Our topic today is part 4 of “The Textbook on Persuasion” from “Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership” by John Dickson. He continues as follows:

I was interested to note the title of the first chapter in the classic book Harvard Business Review on Effective Communication. It is called “Listening to People”, written by Ralph Nichols of the University of Minnesota and former president of the National Society for the Study of Communication.

The chapter opens this way: “Business is tied together by its systems of communication. This communication … depends more on the spoken word than it does on the written word; and the effectiveness of the spoken word hinges not so much on how people talk as on how they listen.” A similar theme continues in the second chapter, “How to Run a Meeting”. There Antony Jay, former BBC executive, offers this sage advice about the effective chairperson:

It is the chairman’s self-indulgence that is the greatest single barrier to the success of a meeting. His first duty, then, is to be aware of the temptation and of the dangers of yielding to it. The clearest of the danger signals is hearing himself talking a lot during a discussion … If the chairman is to make sure that the meeting achieves valuable objectives, he will be more effective seeing himself as the servant of the group rather than as its master … His true source of authority with the members is the strength of his perceived commitment to their combined objective.

————

— PRAYER —

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, here’s how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

God bless.

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Cheryl Bridges Johns holds the Robert E. Fisher Chair of Spiritual Renewal at Pentecostal Theological Seminary. Her book, “Seven Transforming Gifts of Menopause: An Unexpected Spiritual Journey” (Brazos Press), will be released on March 17. The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of BCNN1.

The ancient Greeks believed the female body was particularly tainted and inferior. Women were seen as less rational than men and driven by instincts, and as such, they were closer to animals than to men. A woman’s uterus (Gk.: Hysterika) was a troublesome creature that roamed throughout her body, driving her mad with urges to have sex. Quipped Hippocrates, “What is woman? Disease.” We can thank him for the term “hysteria,” which later became a catchall phrase for “women’s disease.”

The ancient church father Tertullian, in his treatise “On the Apparel of Women,” broke into a tirade against women: “And do you not know that you are (each) an Eve? You are the devil’s gateway. … You destroyed so easily God’s image: Man.”

It was Tertullian I was thinking of as I read Rachel Jones’ recent article, “PMS: The Monthly Fight with the Flesh,” on The Gospel Coalition website. Jones, who suffers with premenstrual syndrome, commonly referred to as PMS, believes her struggle offers a window into the spiritual reality of the war of the flesh against the Spirit. Jones invokes the Apostle Paul’s words from his letter to the Galatians, “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”

Online reaction to Jones’ argument was swift. Many women expressed feeling shamed by the post, which seemed to equate PMS symptoms, which she called “a fight with the flesh,” with sin.

Many of the theologians in the ancient church, including Paul, were influenced by Hellenistic (Greek) philosophy, which promoted the idea that spirit was superior to the body. In the course of time, Paul’s usage of the flesh became synonymous with the body. In order to fight the flesh, Christians have denigrated the body and waged all war against it.

Jones is not ignorant of how Paul uses the phrase “the flesh.” His purpose, she wrote, is to refer to “the whole person as under the impulses of sin.” But in advising Christian women about how to deal with PMS, Jones jumps to the role of the body as the battleground on which the war against sin is fought and stays there.

A better reading of Paul’s use of the word “flesh” would be to include the dimensions of the mind, the affections and the will. To fight this fight is to have the mind of Christ, to love as God loves, and to live in obedience to God’s will.

But even if Jones were to restrict herself to emotions, she too readily identifies negative emotions as sinful. They are not. This is the real danger of Jones’ argument. In a conservative Christian world where pleasantness and niceness define a Christian woman, negative emotions are already too often considered shameful. Jones not only supports this view, she perpetuates images of women as ruled by their hormones, which in turn serves the ideology that women are designed by God to submit to the leadership of men.

Source: Religion News Service

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This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International with the Whyte House Family Devotional Reading of Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening podcast. This is Episode #49.

Charles Spurgeon was a prominent English Particular Baptist preacher. He was very influential among the Christians of various denominations during his age and even today, and is commonly called the “Prince of Preachers”. After some time of alternately searching for God and running from God, he had a powerful encounter which led him to give his life to Christ. Spurgeon was only 16 when he preached his first sermon and he began publishing books shortly afterward. At the time of his death, he had preached nearly 3,600 sermons and published 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, illustrations and devotions. Spurgeon said, “encouraging thoughts are like honey to the heart”, and wrote this devotional in hopes that its uplifting messages for each day of the year would bring comfort and refreshment to our walk with God. He was inspired by Isaiah 50:4 which reads, “He wakeneth morning by morning. He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned” and Psalm 63:5-6 which says, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; when I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.”

Isaiah 63:7 reads: “I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.”

And canst thou not do this? Are there no mercies which thou hast experienced? What, though thou art gloomy now, canst thou forget that blessed hour when Jesus met thee, and said, “Come unto me”? Canst thou not remember that rapturous moment when he snapped thy fetters, dashed thy chains to the earth, and said, “I came to break thy bonds and set thee free”? Or if the love of thine espousals be forgotten, there must surely be some precious milestone along the road of life not quite grown over with moss, on which thou canst read a happy memorial of his mercy towards thee? What, didst thou never have a sickness like that which thou art suffering now, and did he not restore thee? Wert thou never poor before, and did he not supply thy wants? Wast thou never in straits before, and did he not deliver thee? Arise, go to the river of thine experience, and pull up a few bulrushes, and plait them into an ark, wherein thine infant—faith—may float safely on the stream. Forget not what thy God has done for thee; turn over the book of thy remembrance, and consider the days of old. Canst thou not remember the hill Mizar? Did the Lord never meet with thee at Hermon? Hast thou never climbed the Delectable Mountains? Hast thou never been helped in time of need? Nay, I know thou hast. Go back, then, a little way to the choice mercies of yesterday, and though all may be dark now, light up the lamps of the past, they shall glitter through the darkness, and thou shalt trust in the Lord till the day break and the shadows flee away. “Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses, for they have been ever of old.”

PRAY.

Thank you for listening to the Morning and Evening podcast. If you do not know the Lord as your Savior, here is how you can be saved from Hell and walk with the Lord morning and evening until you go to that wonderful place called Heaven when you die:

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at [email protected] and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

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