Tanya Holmes
"If my people..."
The Black church must repent
By Tanya Holmes
The following excerpts were taken from my sermon preached on January 13, 2008 at a local church in Phoenix, Arizona.
"I greet you in the Name of Our Lord and Savior ...I just want to do the will of the Lord. I want to thank God this morning as you join me in the Book of Esther. It is an excellent story of triumph and love. "
"Please join me in the Book of Esther, Chapter 8:7, 8. Esther had become queen, but a decree (or executive order) had been written to get rid of the Jews. "Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.'"
"Write ye also for the Jews, as it liked you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse."
"Everywhere you look leaders today from almost every venue are falling from grace. They're being caught doing wrong. They are cheating. They are lying. " Everybody's lying. Well, I am here to tell you that God is tired with it, America. This goes for the Church too. We have allowed sin to invade our homes, community and government and yes, even our churches.
There has been no order, no discipline in our Church and governments. God is calling us back to righteousness. He is not playing...America has a national problem, a moral problem a spiritual problem which has escalated to the point that we have got to do something..."
"I hear there is same-sex legislation trying to become law now in California. It's a shame before God."
"Prayer in the schools of America has been limited.
The 1962 U. S. Supreme court decision ruled that the inclusion of state- sponsored prayer in public schools was unconstitutional. This ruling opened the door to other opponents of public prayer and the Christian faith. Atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair was one of them. She was also the founder of American Atheists.
It appears that since the Engel v. Vitale 1962 Supreme Court decision, the moral decline in our children, family, education and country has increased.
"Where were we, church, when all of this (the removal of prayer, the influx of same-sex legislation and the ongoing pro-abortion agenda) was taking place?" "Perhaps we, like Esther, were enjoying the blessings" of God's mercy and love. Like Esther, who was enjoying the royalties of being the Queen in a foreign land, we were not so concerned about the social and moral climate in which we live." Perhaps like Esther and her people, she realized that things were not so bad, but little did she know that the enemy was conjuring up a plan to annihilate her and the Jewish people. "
"I want to see righteousness back in the lives of my people," saith the Lord.
"It's time to get busy and do as Esther did." "When Esther realized the urgency of the matter, she repented. She fasted and she prayed." "She called on the people (Jewish nation) to join her." "And then she went to the King."
Jesus is Our King.
The Black church must repent today.
"Whatever the problem, God is the answer in 2008."
"If my people, who are called by Name, will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land. "
"I will heal your land. I will heal your body. I will heal your house." Whatever the problem, God is the remedy in 2008."
Parallel Today
I say to you today whatever the problem, Jesus is the answer in 2009. Did you hear that America?! Did you hear that Church?! This message was initially given to the Black Church, but any Christian should be able to relate. The church has a national sin problem. It's a sin epidemic.
No denomination or church leader is exempt from the temptation of sin. From Rev. Jesse Jackson to Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant, some of our church leaders are falling from grace. Then there's Prophetess Bynum and Paula White. I was thumbing through the website the other day and found the story on the pastor of Empowerment Temple in Maryland, Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant. According to IndependentConservative.com, the update is that Rev. Bryant and his wife, Gizelle are getting a divorce. You can find more about the initial story in the February 16, 2008 Baltimore Sun article by Sumethi Reddy. At the time of the February 16 article, both Bryant and his wife had closed their cases for divorce.
But it seems that Mrs. Bryant has filed again. This led me to another link. The Circuit Court for Baltimore records a filing date by Mrs. Gizelle Bryant as recent as 2/10/2009 and states the case is active. For more info, see www.baltimoresun.com.
I am very saddened and appalled by the increase in divorces among church leadership. I am concerned for the couples and for the churches. I am even more appalled by the seemingly light handling of most of these matters.
Perhaps these preachers and their wives are being consoled and instructed behind closed doors. However, the church needs to publicly admonish, correct and restore these persons for the sake of its members and the world who are watching how we live.
Besides my Dad and Dr. M. L. King, Jr., Rev. Jesse Jackson was another leader I admired as a youth. I believe I was in junior high when he came to our community. "I am somebody!", Mr. Jackson proclaimed in an auditorium filled with junior high students. Well, for a young Black woman this was great. Of course, I did not need to hear this as much as some of my classmates who lived in broken homes. I was blessed to have a righteous man as a father and a loving mother who loved me. But, it was still empowering to hear this Black leader. Then years later he ran for President. Not bad.
What happened though to the integrity of some of these Black leaders? Is there no true repentance anymore?
I am not just pointing out these folk. We all have stories that reveal our past sins.
But the point is repent when you do sin. Don't keep sinning and never turn away. Acknowledge you're wrong and repent.
King David exposed by Nathan the Prophet
Do you remember the story of King David and Bathsheba? Now, King David was gravely sorrow for his sin and called it as such. "For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me..." Psalm 51:3. Well, King David committed adultery with beautiful Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah.
When Bathsheba informed King David that as a result of their sin, she was pregnant, David tried to cover up his adultery. In his arrogance, David tried to get Uriah to come home away from the battlefield and spend some time with his wife, hoping that the couple would sleep together thereby concealing his affair and the conception of his child with Bathsheba. David's plan, however, backfired when Uriah did not go to his wife, but slept at the King's door instead. So David devised another plan. This plan was to get Uriah killed on the battlefield, and it worked. After the death of Uriah, David married Bathsheba, but David's actions displeased the Lord. You can read Psalm 51 and II Samuel 12 for the entire story.
I imagine David thought nothing more of his sin and nobody in his kingdom probably knew or thought nothing of his marriage to Bathsheba, since her husband was killed in battle. Not only was David an adulterer, but he was also a murderer.
David forgot that God knew what he had done, and so God sent the prophet Nathan to expose David's transgressions.
In a February 2008 Youtube video entitled, "This is what Jamal Bryant will continue to do," Rev. Bryant addressed his congregation aligning himself with King David and his adultery. Bryant focused on verses 10-13 in Psalm 51 to make his case. He does call his sin a "mistake," but was this enough? Why did he not reference the entire Psalm 51? After all, it would have been a more accurate depiction of David's cry for repentance and forgiveness.
Like David, church leaders who have found themselves exposed need also repent. Church leaders who have not yet been exposed should repent now.
Esther's dilemma is a Black church dilemma
Let's get back to Esther. It seems that like the Jewish people in the kingdom of Ahasuerus, the Black nation has an enemy that is seeking its demise. From abortion to the rise of sexual immorality among the church to fatherless homes in our communities, the Black nation is facing a major dilemma.
While many in the Black church have turned their backs on God, the enemy has cleverly devised plans to wipe out the Black family and the church. Some of this is the Black family's own doing. Most, if not all, Blacks look to the church for its guidance.
It is time for the Black church to repent. It's time to humble ourselves before God, fast and pray. I believe if the Black church will go before King Jesus, he will hear and deliver.
For allowing our children to go undisciplined and be subject to so-called "sex" education, we must repent. For child neglect and child abuse, the Black church must repent.
When the homosexual society cried "discrimination" and piggybacked on the struggles of Black people by aligning their agenda to the Civil Rights Movement, we should have yelled, "no."
For failing to hold our men accountable as husbands and heads of households, we must repent. For leaving single women and children unprotected and vulnerable in a ruthless society, the Black church must repent. 70% of households in the Black family are run by single women.
For abortion, the Black church must repent.
For allowing others to define our social and economic status, we must repent.
For choosing race and color over righteousness, the Black church must repent.
A call for a corporate fast and prayer
Americans everywhere have asked, "What do we pray for when we pray?" during these trying times. The response from most pastors have been varied. Some say pray for your leaders in government. Some say pray for America. Some say pray for the peace of Israel.
Yet, since the November 4, 2008 election , Americans have been challenged with not only what to pray but who to pray for. Although all the above areas are indeed concerns for prayer, there remains one thing that we must consider when we pray.
When we pray, pray that righteousness is restored where there is none. Pray that righteousness is restored in our hearts, our nation and in particularly, our legislative, judicial and executive branches.
For now, let us begin with this prayer:
Has the church lost its way?
© Tanya Holmes
March 30, 2009
The following excerpts were taken from my sermon preached on January 13, 2008 at a local church in Phoenix, Arizona.
"I greet you in the Name of Our Lord and Savior ...I just want to do the will of the Lord. I want to thank God this morning as you join me in the Book of Esther. It is an excellent story of triumph and love. "
"Please join me in the Book of Esther, Chapter 8:7, 8. Esther had become queen, but a decree (or executive order) had been written to get rid of the Jews. "Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.'""Write ye also for the Jews, as it liked you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse."
"Everywhere you look leaders today from almost every venue are falling from grace. They're being caught doing wrong. They are cheating. They are lying. " Everybody's lying. Well, I am here to tell you that God is tired with it, America. This goes for the Church too. We have allowed sin to invade our homes, community and government and yes, even our churches.
There has been no order, no discipline in our Church and governments. God is calling us back to righteousness. He is not playing...America has a national problem, a moral problem a spiritual problem which has escalated to the point that we have got to do something..."
"I hear there is same-sex legislation trying to become law now in California. It's a shame before God."
"Prayer in the schools of America has been limited.
The 1962 U. S. Supreme court decision ruled that the inclusion of state- sponsored prayer in public schools was unconstitutional. This ruling opened the door to other opponents of public prayer and the Christian faith. Atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair was one of them. She was also the founder of American Atheists.
It appears that since the Engel v. Vitale 1962 Supreme Court decision, the moral decline in our children, family, education and country has increased.
"Where were we, church, when all of this (the removal of prayer, the influx of same-sex legislation and the ongoing pro-abortion agenda) was taking place?" "Perhaps we, like Esther, were enjoying the blessings" of God's mercy and love. Like Esther, who was enjoying the royalties of being the Queen in a foreign land, we were not so concerned about the social and moral climate in which we live." Perhaps like Esther and her people, she realized that things were not so bad, but little did she know that the enemy was conjuring up a plan to annihilate her and the Jewish people. "
"I want to see righteousness back in the lives of my people," saith the Lord.
"It's time to get busy and do as Esther did." "When Esther realized the urgency of the matter, she repented. She fasted and she prayed." "She called on the people (Jewish nation) to join her." "And then she went to the King."
Jesus is Our King.
The Black church must repent today.
"Whatever the problem, God is the answer in 2008."
"If my people, who are called by Name, will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land. "
"I will heal your land. I will heal your body. I will heal your house." Whatever the problem, God is the remedy in 2008."
Parallel Today
I say to you today whatever the problem, Jesus is the answer in 2009. Did you hear that America?! Did you hear that Church?! This message was initially given to the Black Church, but any Christian should be able to relate. The church has a national sin problem. It's a sin epidemic.
No denomination or church leader is exempt from the temptation of sin. From Rev. Jesse Jackson to Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant, some of our church leaders are falling from grace. Then there's Prophetess Bynum and Paula White. I was thumbing through the website the other day and found the story on the pastor of Empowerment Temple in Maryland, Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant. According to IndependentConservative.com, the update is that Rev. Bryant and his wife, Gizelle are getting a divorce. You can find more about the initial story in the February 16, 2008 Baltimore Sun article by Sumethi Reddy. At the time of the February 16 article, both Bryant and his wife had closed their cases for divorce.
But it seems that Mrs. Bryant has filed again. This led me to another link. The Circuit Court for Baltimore records a filing date by Mrs. Gizelle Bryant as recent as 2/10/2009 and states the case is active. For more info, see www.baltimoresun.com.
I am very saddened and appalled by the increase in divorces among church leadership. I am concerned for the couples and for the churches. I am even more appalled by the seemingly light handling of most of these matters.
Perhaps these preachers and their wives are being consoled and instructed behind closed doors. However, the church needs to publicly admonish, correct and restore these persons for the sake of its members and the world who are watching how we live.
Besides my Dad and Dr. M. L. King, Jr., Rev. Jesse Jackson was another leader I admired as a youth. I believe I was in junior high when he came to our community. "I am somebody!", Mr. Jackson proclaimed in an auditorium filled with junior high students. Well, for a young Black woman this was great. Of course, I did not need to hear this as much as some of my classmates who lived in broken homes. I was blessed to have a righteous man as a father and a loving mother who loved me. But, it was still empowering to hear this Black leader. Then years later he ran for President. Not bad.
What happened though to the integrity of some of these Black leaders? Is there no true repentance anymore?
I am not just pointing out these folk. We all have stories that reveal our past sins.
But the point is repent when you do sin. Don't keep sinning and never turn away. Acknowledge you're wrong and repent.
King David exposed by Nathan the Prophet
Do you remember the story of King David and Bathsheba? Now, King David was gravely sorrow for his sin and called it as such. "For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me..." Psalm 51:3. Well, King David committed adultery with beautiful Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah.
When Bathsheba informed King David that as a result of their sin, she was pregnant, David tried to cover up his adultery. In his arrogance, David tried to get Uriah to come home away from the battlefield and spend some time with his wife, hoping that the couple would sleep together thereby concealing his affair and the conception of his child with Bathsheba. David's plan, however, backfired when Uriah did not go to his wife, but slept at the King's door instead. So David devised another plan. This plan was to get Uriah killed on the battlefield, and it worked. After the death of Uriah, David married Bathsheba, but David's actions displeased the Lord. You can read Psalm 51 and II Samuel 12 for the entire story.
I imagine David thought nothing more of his sin and nobody in his kingdom probably knew or thought nothing of his marriage to Bathsheba, since her husband was killed in battle. Not only was David an adulterer, but he was also a murderer.
David forgot that God knew what he had done, and so God sent the prophet Nathan to expose David's transgressions.
In a February 2008 Youtube video entitled, "This is what Jamal Bryant will continue to do," Rev. Bryant addressed his congregation aligning himself with King David and his adultery. Bryant focused on verses 10-13 in Psalm 51 to make his case. He does call his sin a "mistake," but was this enough? Why did he not reference the entire Psalm 51? After all, it would have been a more accurate depiction of David's cry for repentance and forgiveness.
Like David, church leaders who have found themselves exposed need also repent. Church leaders who have not yet been exposed should repent now.
Esther's dilemma is a Black church dilemma
Let's get back to Esther. It seems that like the Jewish people in the kingdom of Ahasuerus, the Black nation has an enemy that is seeking its demise. From abortion to the rise of sexual immorality among the church to fatherless homes in our communities, the Black nation is facing a major dilemma.
While many in the Black church have turned their backs on God, the enemy has cleverly devised plans to wipe out the Black family and the church. Some of this is the Black family's own doing. Most, if not all, Blacks look to the church for its guidance.
It is time for the Black church to repent. It's time to humble ourselves before God, fast and pray. I believe if the Black church will go before King Jesus, he will hear and deliver.
For allowing our children to go undisciplined and be subject to so-called "sex" education, we must repent. For child neglect and child abuse, the Black church must repent.
When the homosexual society cried "discrimination" and piggybacked on the struggles of Black people by aligning their agenda to the Civil Rights Movement, we should have yelled, "no."
For failing to hold our men accountable as husbands and heads of households, we must repent. For leaving single women and children unprotected and vulnerable in a ruthless society, the Black church must repent. 70% of households in the Black family are run by single women.
For abortion, the Black church must repent.
For allowing others to define our social and economic status, we must repent.
For choosing race and color over righteousness, the Black church must repent.
A call for a corporate fast and prayer
Americans everywhere have asked, "What do we pray for when we pray?" during these trying times. The response from most pastors have been varied. Some say pray for your leaders in government. Some say pray for America. Some say pray for the peace of Israel.
Yet, since the November 4, 2008 election , Americans have been challenged with not only what to pray but who to pray for. Although all the above areas are indeed concerns for prayer, there remains one thing that we must consider when we pray.
When we pray, pray that righteousness is restored where there is none. Pray that righteousness is restored in our hearts, our nation and in particularly, our legislative, judicial and executive branches.
For now, let us begin with this prayer:
-
Our Father which art in heaven
Hallowed be thy Name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
(For Thine is the kingdom and the glory and the power forever.)
Amen.
Has the church lost its way?
© Tanya Holmes
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(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
