"The Road to Truth!"

The following is an excerpt from my book "The Road to Damascus: Unveiling the Heart of a Man"..

As far as I am concerned there is only one road to truth and that road is called the Damascus Road. In the Holy Bible, there is a story in the book of (Acts 9:1-22) about a man named Saul who had persecuted the Jews for believing that Jesus was the Messiah. On his way to Damascus to identify and kill even more Jews, he encountered the Lord through a light flashing from heaven on the road and subsequently was blinded by the Presence of God. Saul had a divine encounter with Jesus. Jesus represents the Truth. The truth exposes everything that is diametrically opposed to God. The truth exposed Saul’s wickedness and righteousness all at once! God removed his sight temporarily and immediately created a dependence on something or someone he could not see or touch.

This man who had terrorized the region for years had just been subjected to the same terror he had imposed on others. In the end, Saul was assisted by men who were as wicked as he was yet submitted to the power and authority of the Lord to lead him into Damascus. This action represents a type and shadow of the "blind leading the blind." Saul was later healed and delivered from his wickedness through the power of prayer and the gift of the Holy Spirit. God sent a man named Ananias to execute His divine plan to anoint Saul as chosen vessel to bear the name of the Lord throughout the land. God also indicated that He would tell Saul in no uncertain terms that he would endure unthinkable hardships and afflictions and suffer greatly for His namesake.

You are really going to need a lot of help to miss what I am saying here. This is the story of any man who has made a decision to accept Christ as Lord in his life. This is the story of any man who has been raised in any environment under any circumstances in any socio-economic class. This story will fit very nicely into the keyhole of any closet any man has locked and stored away all his dirt and shame and unspeakable violations against humanity. This story will lead us to the place where the true nature of man resides in spiritual squalor, self destruction, unbridled perversion, lust and violence. This is a place where God has strategically positioned Himself as the vanguard to filter all the nonsense in our lives. This place has been specifically designed to force any man to the end of himself. This destination is known as the Damascus Road.

Come join me on a journey through the eyes of several men who sought truth, found it and didn’t like what they had to do to keep it. This is the unadulterated, unfiltered version of how and where God finds us before He can purge us of ourselves. It is the tale of the violent resistance our flesh has to the truth and all the games we play to manipulate the truth to fit our desperately wicked hearts. Truth is a stranger; an unwelcome stranger. Truth can handle us but we can’t handle the truth. Truth is confrontational, and offensive and unpopular. Truth can be brutal and belligerent. But truth is love in its purest sense. Truth is the seal of God.  

 The Road to Damascus speaks to the heart of a man who, after having been exposed by the truth, is now accountable to God and man for accepting the mantle of suffering and tribulation promised to us as believers. No matter what you do, God will encounter you on that road and ask you the same question He asked Saul, “Why do you persecute me?” 

 This book and my other titles can be purchased at: http://nicholascarlmoore.us.

"The Sandy Hook Tragedy vs. the Diminishing Value of Black Life"

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I am sad to report there is no legislative defense to prevent the fallout from the maniacal actions of 20-30 psychopaths each year in the USA.  Seriously, how do you prepare for Sandy Hook, Columbine, Oklahoma City or Colorado?  What "safeguards" do you put in place to prepare for the unadulterated wickedness of the human heart?

"Jeremiah 17:9.."The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it (perceive, understand and be acquainted with his own heart and mind?) (Matt.13:15-17; Mark 7:21-23; Ephes 4:20-24). Amplified Bible

You really need help missing what the Prophet Jeremiah just laid out under the direction of the Spirit of God. The Word of God says that the heart is desperately wicked (it is incapable of regulating itself without total reliance on the Holy Spirit). In the Hebrew language, "desperately wicked" means...incurable, sick, frail, weak and woeful! It also refers to a "malignant disposition of the mind!" Wow! So the wicked have their hearts and minds working in tandem to create chaos and unfathomable pain on its perceived enemies.

I know this is going to sting, but I have to say it.  The Sandy Hook tragedy was a horrible moment in human history.  The deaths of those innocent children and teachers was unnecessary...or so it seems.  God has always allowed the advent of death into our lives. Death is the ultimate behavior modification tool.  Death has stemmed the tide of every major movement and paradigm of evil since the beginning of human history! Be it war, assassination, disease or flat out murder, our nation and other nations of the world sit idly by and do little or nothing until some human carnage transpires.  We go about our day with little or no regard for one another...and a total disregard for God Almighty until what?...Somebody DIES!

It is a sad commentary on the lack of value placed on human life where the President appeared on national TV and shed a tear for the folks murdered in Connecticut, yet the entire nation has been rendered silent in reaction to the more than 500 murders of black people (most young black men) in Chicago, IL.  More then 268 young black men murdered in the streets like dogs since June and not one tear from the White House...and strangely enough, President Obama has a home in the Windy City!  His former Chief of Staff is the Freakin' Mayor for God's sake!  Yet we hear no bells chiming, no flags at half mast and no national outcry for gun control until 26 white kids and teachers and 1 little black girl get slaughtered by a lunatic!

The declaration of the NRA Chief David Keene to the Sandy Hook incident says it all, "Don't overreact to the Newton shooting.."  The NRA and its cronies are digging in their heels to protect their profession.  The thousands of needless deaths each year can be reduced...but at what cost?  There is too much money, power and influence to be lost by countless politicians, lobbyists and local governments.  At the end of the day, we have lost our value for human life...especially those of our black brothers and sisters!

"SURVIVAL: Why Men's Ministry is INEFFECTIVE!"

Our nation's restaurants and coffee houses are overrun with Christian men on any given Saturday morning with fellowships, bible studies and "hugging sessions." We sit around and beat our chests and pontificate over the scriptures to each other week after week, month after month and totally ignore the dozens of men that sit in the booths right next to us who are crying out in silence for their voices to be heard! IHOP, Starbucks and Panera Bread are making a small fortune off of Christian men who are content to sit on their butts and do nothing but talk to each other! And they wonder why the church has no power!

The Institutional Church (IC) has taken a serious public relations "hit" primarily because Christian Men are AWOL when it comes to "serving" God's people in the marketplace! In short, the IC is "impotent" because its men have been spiritually castrated; they have lost their ability to reproduce glory for God in the earth by duplicating Him to "the least likely of these."

I know this is hard to hear, but this is not solely my opinion.  The Barna Group, Pew Forum and the Washington Area Men's Ministry Coalition all cite that:

1. Fewer than 10% of U.S. churches are able to establish or maintain a vibrant Men's Ministry;
2. Fewer then 1% of churchgoing men participate in any sort of ongoing Men's Ministry Program;
3. 90 million men are not involved in any kind of discipleship;
4. On any given Sunday, there are 13 million more women than men in America's churches;
5. Over 70% of boys being raised in the church will abandon the church by their 20th birthday;
6. Midweek church activities draw 70-80% female participants (bible study, rehearsals, etc);
7. This Sunday, almost 25% of married Christian women will worship without their husbands;
8. When a father receives Christ, his entire family joins him at church 93% of the time.

Wow! These statistics are staggering! So you might argue that there are hundreds of men who attend your church every week and totally disagree with these numbers. The overwhelming majority of these men are there in "body" only...if they go at all! Why are so many men AWOL?  I'm glad you asked.

1. Men are ineffective in the IC because the messages that are preached are not relevant to their lives;
2. Men report the "feminization" of the church and the catering to female members as a turnoff;
3. Men cite "spiritual maturity" as their number one goal as believers. This point is lacking significantly in many IC settings because the Pastor is not spiritually mature.  You can't teach what you don't know!
4. Men fail to "Accept their Humanity"; we put too much pressure on ourselves to be a "MAN" without fully understanding what it really means to be a "FATHER";
5. Men do not understand the 'Spirit of Condemnation" and how to manage it without guilt;
6. Men are not challenged in the IC; men need to have a purpose and a goal; in my opinion, a man can only find his gift and destiny in the Kingdom of God through "service" in the marketplace.  He has to put his hands to the plough. A man has to produce something!

No amount of preaching, men's conferences, flag football games or fish fry's can change the dynamic of men fleeing the church.  You cannot replace "ministry" with "activities"!  Men might come to the activity, but they will almost never come back for the ministry.  Men must engage one another.  Engagement leads to empowerment and empowerment leads to spiritual maturity.  Spiritual maturity leads to service and extending the love of Christ to ALL of God's people...not just Christians!

The simple answer to this dilemma within the IC is to identify opportunities in the marketplace to serve God's people...and JUST GO! Selah...

"The Dichotomy of Repentance and Remorse!"

I can honestly say that I have rarely witnessed true "repentance" among believers! Oh sure, we have all been very sorry about what we did and even had the audacity to ask God to forgive us without first giving up ourselves as a sacrifice.  I call this the "Ishmael -Isaac" syndrome. What this syndrome  says is that we must first give up the natural man (Ishmael) before we can experience the spiritual man (Isaac).

What we, as Believers, most often experience when we get caught in sin is "remorse." We believe (and trust me, I am definitely including myself in this unilateral indictment) if we hang our heads, cry out a little and retreat from our sinful behavior for a few days or weeks, we think that we have somehow done God a favor!

When we finally "get it", the spirit of conviction moves us quickly into the presence of the Holy Spirit. Then the Holy Spirit, after rattling our proverbial cages for a while and smashing against all of our pretentious holiness, drags our battered and broken bodies into the presence of God!  The Spirit of God says to us, "...it is only the forgiven man that is the holy man."

You can ONLY be truly forgiven if you are OPPOSITE of what you were; in other words, REPENTANT.  What the voice of repentance says to a man is simply this, "You have sinned. What are you going to do next?" The believer must execute himself immediately. He must have a funeral and burial. He cannot attempt to raise that body from the grave! Anything less than this is "REMORSE" for having been exposed. This is the result of having an undisciplined spiritual life. Deep and painful regret is not repentance...it is remorse.

Don't get it twisted, it is NOT the devil who produces these agonies and turmoil in your life; it is the handiwork of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is ruthless in His pursuit of righteousness in the heart, mind and soul of the believer. Strictly speaking, a man cannot repent when he chooses; repentance is a gift from God! 

Examine yourself and learn how to "forget to be sorry!"

"The Paradox of Captivity!"

In the Word of God, the Book of Ephesians Chapter 4, Paul is addressing the believers in Ephesus regarding his status in the Kingdom.  He emphatically states that I am a "..prisoner of the Lord" in verse 1 and goes on urge that other believers should do the same. He declares that they should embrace unity, humility, longsuffering and peace.

Specifically, Paul uses the word "beseech" which, in the Greek, means to "come along side me" and do as I am doing!  Paul is preaching the paradox of "captivity in the Lord"; which essentially means that you are "free!"

How can a man who is in captivity be taken captive? Let's say you are incarcerated for committing a crime.  You are now in captivity.  Further, let's say you committed another crime while in prison against another inmate.  The guards would now take you to "solitary confinement" or place you in "the hole." You have now experienced what it is like to be taken "captive in captivity."

In the KOG, "captivity" is not a place, it is a mindset or a paradigm.  The Lord Jesus has come to set the captives free (Luke 4:18).  In other words, those individuals with low thinking, who are in constant fear and have no faith. In Christ, captivity represents a safety, peace, love, faith and dunamis power. In Christ, His directive from God to set the captives free (through "demonstration" or "by walking it out") is the preamble to His kerygmatic declaration of who He is and what He was sent to do in the earth.

In the end, Paul was urging those of us in bondage to do what he did...die to ourselves and walk along side of Jesus and allow Him to take us captive within Himself!

"Christian Thought Life & Spiritual Captivity!"

Herein lies the "peril" of our "thought life" as believers; when we calculate, figure out, surmise, reason, quantify, qualify, predict, manage, reconcile, tally and conclude a situation to death! Boy oh boy, do we know how to get in God's way or what?

The inherent danger is that our thought life influences our actions; it is the last vestige of "spiritual warfare." (2 Cor 10:3-5). Simply stated, this is where "fear" replaces "faith". Our calculations are equivalent to "strongholds" which provide spiritual barriers to the heart and mind of God.  The mind is therefore held captive by the enemy and can only be freed by the Spirit of God through obedience to His Word. In this case, the enemy is NOT the "devil", but any disobedient behavior contrary to the will or Word of God.

Many rebellious thoughts are housed in these spiritual "CITADELS" (a city on a hill surrounded by an impenetrable wall). The carnal mind (that is, the mind that does not consider God in any way) is innately weak, child-like and impressionable and with little or no effort can be derailed off of the path of righteousness. A believer must ask himself/herself, "Who is really running the show?" (2 Cor 4:4).

The mind that is set on the "flesh" is hostile to God (2 Cor 3:14; Ephes 2:3; Rom 8:7)! The genesis of the mind is the stronghold of the enemy from the beginning. This "infiltration" is innate and germinates out of control in the life of a sinner, eventually overtaking the will, emotion and mind thus completing the axis of evil. The following is the process of how the thought life becomes captive to the lusts of the flesh:

• Temptation is always presented to the heart of a man first; then the mind.
• The flesh is used to secure the "transaction" (The "flesh" NEVER forgets unless crucified daily!)
• The "consent of man" allows temptation and thought to have intercourse.
• Our intellect thereby obstructs our ability to be apprehended by God.
• Repentance creates a significant breech in the mind's stronghold.
• When you receive a new mind; you will receive a new heart.
• The "mind" is the weakest point of entry into the body of mankind.

The Believer must exercise his/her spiritual authority over the powers of darkness in order to live a victorious life in the Kingdom of God.

"DENOMINATIONS: The Great Divide in the Body of Christ!"

When I began to research this subject at the prodding of one of my friends, I was astonished at what I uncovered.  I knew it was bad, but I didn't know it was THIS BAD!  Did you you know that there are more than 41,000 Christian denominations globally?  That's right, 41,000!  Every Christian I asked last week never came close to the correct answer. Even the closest answer I received to the truth was obscene;  a paltry 2,000!

So what does all this mean?  How did we get to this place?  It is the epitome of "selfishness"...pure and simple! I always say, "There is no limit to the depths of human selfishness!"

The Apostle Paul said it best, "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and same judgment." (1 Corinth 1:10)

After reading this scripture, I can see where one might be confused about what Paul was writing to the church at Corinth; of course, I am being facetious! The word "denomination" does not exist in the Bible, however, its root word means "division" or "to divide." Now, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out.  The more you divide anything, it's overall effectiveness becomes diluted!  I like the word "impotent" meaning "without any power!" The church has become impotent.

Our modern theology reeks of "institutionalism" and "exploitation." Millions of Christians are being sacrificed everyday on the altar of manipulation, greed and perversion. In short, it's all about money.  The almighty dollar, greenbacks, sawbucks, moolah, benjamins, duckets...whatever you want to call it, it doesn't matter. The affections of Christians have been turned away from the Lord God toward their beloved church buildings, bishops, pastors and denominations. 

I overheard some Christians correcting one another a few weeks ago when one called the other a "baptist."  The one seemed to take offense that this man would "accuse" him of being a baptist. Then the brother stuck out his chest and declared, "I am a card carrying member of the COGIC!" What? A card carrying member of the COGIC!  Are you serious? What the hell does that mean?  What about Jesus?  Where does He fit into this denomination equation? This is so sad. The sacrifice of Christ has been reduced to this.

Our priorities are all screwed up.  Every denomination has created its own version of the Bible that fits their respective comfort level with individual and collective sin.  Any behavior can be rationalized and/or justified. From Tertullian to Aristotle to John Calvin to Martin Luther to Richard Allen to John Smith to TD Jakes, John Blake, Jim Jones and even Reverend Ike; it all the same theme. After all, if I faithfully follow Jesus, I can't indulge in the sin I most enjoy.

All this mess started around 320 AD when a selfish ruler named Constantine made a decision that following Christ would not be financially beneficial to him or his kingdom. He asserted that in order to achieve maximum effect, the Word of God needed to be "modified" to satisfy his personal goal of immortality.  At the end of the day, he knew that if the people worshipped God, they would NEVER worship him! So he set himself up as a god, creating a statue of himself that would memorialize him forever. He mixed in his "pagan" rituals with the principles of God and thus diluted and perverted the perfect law of liberty.

As a look around today, all I see are 41,000 copies of the original "blueprint of deception" crafted by Constantine.  The sad truth is that I believe we have finally "perfected" it!

"FAITH is the currency of the Kingdom of God!"

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him.." (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)  That's generally where people stop with this incredible declaration. But I exhort you to keep on reading, 'cause the best is just ahead. The scripture continues, "..for he who comes to God must believe that He is (God), and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Wow, you have to be dead to miss that!  Can you see the importance of reading the "entire text" and not just taking an excerpt and running with it?  Look how much a Christian ministering to someone would miss by not sharing the entire text.  Think about the person they are ministering to and what they would have missed?  It's frightening isn't it?  You have to have faith to come to God (approach Him) and have faith to "believe" that He is who He says He is and have faith that He will do what He says He has already done, is doing or will do in the future! (Hint:  Whatever it is, is already done. Genesis 2:2)

The Holy Spirit is stating clearly that there are certain "contingencies" to faith. You don't just "roll up" on faith.  You gotta have some "skin in the game."  You have to have been roasted, stewed and barbecued!  Faith is the DNA of the Kingdom of God (KOG); it is the litmus test for those seeking entrance into the presence of the King! Without it, you have no place in the Kingdom.

Fear replaces faith.  Fear is of the enemy. The spirit of fear does NOT come from God. The enemy seeks to kill, steal and destroy your "faith"...not your BODY!  Your "body" is of no consequence to God;  God is NOT enamored with our physical bodies; hence the main requirement for entrance into the KOG: "suffering!"  Wait a minute Brother Nick, you mean to tell me I have to suffer before I enter the KOG?  Yes you do..in ten different languages!  Suffering is the thing "believers" have most in common with Christ, but they never hear that from the pulpit...it ain't popular preachin'!

Our sin nature can only be eradicated by faith in God through the impartation of the Holy Spirit!  We can "only believe" because of the Grace of God through the sacrifice of Christ on Golgotha!  Only by faith can you obtain a good report from the Lord God. Only by faith can we even understand the Word of God; since by faith everything that was made has been made by the "unseen thing" or the invisible word that proceeded from the heart, mind and mouth of God.

By faith, we move with reverence and love to the unctions of the Holy Spirit; we delve quickly and fearlessly into the moral abyss of mankind to destroy the prevailing spirit of darkness in the earth. By faith, we condemn the world (those operating in systems diametrically opposed to the KOG); by faith, we become heirs to God's kingdom in the earth, right NOW; by faith, we become heirs to righteousness and goodness and holiness; by faith, we hear the voice of God beckoning us to unfathomable greatness in serving our brothers and sisters in the marketplace; by faith, we remain steadfast in the wisdom and guidance of His Way, His Truth and His Life!

By faith, we receive strength to conceive the unimaginable and to produce "seed", which is NOT "money" but more "faith"...which is the currency of the KOG!

"Unnatural Headship in the Body of Christ!"

One of the most devastating "side effects" of slavery has been the implosion and systemic dismantling of "natural leadership" within the Institutional Church (IC). No matter what species, entity, ideology or movement you are confronted with, the most expedient way to diffuse it is to "cut off the head."

Modern day slaveholders (IC pastors) who are not "servants of Christ" have adopted this age old mentality of suppressing any viable threat to their reign of terror by any means necessary. You see a "natural head" is a leader whose primary goal is the survival of the "entire body"...in contrast, an "unnatural head" is one who is handpicked by the "slave master" and is used to derail any attempts of the natural leader to mobilize the slaves (congregation) against the defilement of the slave master. He will advance the cause of the slave master at any cost!

The "natural head" is isolated, ridiculed, ostracized and then eliminated from contention by the pastor.  This natural leader is one who has the audacity to question the authority of the pastor as it relates to his actions that are in direct conflict with the Word of God; including but not limited to to his/her moral and ethical conduct. In belligerent defiance to "protect their profession", the slave master will go to any lengths to defend their man-made "kingdom."  In the end, the slaves (congregation) lose every time.

So what have we created? We have created a master's head on a slave body. These individuals are called "snitches".  These snitches have demonstrated loyalty to the slave master (pastor) and having done so, elicit great autonomy and privilege within the IC. These strategic "plants" report any and all activity back to the pastor to feed his/her paranoia that has spiralled out of control.  These master-trained 'unnatural heads" are now ready to assume leadership roles in the IC that they are not qualified for, but are "rewards" for being great "spies."

Let's think about a body that has an arm where a leg should be; or an ear where an eye should be. It's kind of grotesque isn't it? Some might call it a monster. The thing that fuels the fire of fear is "survival." The slave master must survive!  Isn't that perverted? These are the things that an individual must do when they are out of position. Lie, cheat and steal. Manipulate and bastardize. These "grafted" leaders are esteemed by the slaves and reviled by the "natural heads." The "natural heads" are the remnant appointed by God to upset systems and paradigms that are diametrically opposed to the Kingdom of Righteousness! The natural leader is the last bastion of hope for the survival of the IC.

As a people, the IC must mobilize behind the spirits of "faith and truth." The so-called "celebrity preachers" are only celebrities inside the confines of their respective church walls.  The IC has lost credibility among mainstream citizens because they have witnessed the merchandising of the Lord God; the proliferation of the Prosperity Gospel and the mass production of False Prophets and Fake Healers! More importantly, the slave masters have failed God.

In conclusion, the sky has darkened. It's thunder and lightning.  The lab is alive with anticipation.  The body has been strapped to the gurney and is being raised toward the opening of the observatory roof. The enemy of "natural headship" has his hand on the lever ready to thrust it down to initiate the "transfer" of power to the "unnatural head"...but just like in the movie, we have once again created "Frankenstein!"

"The Ministry of PERSECUTION!"

It is amazing to me that the thing "believers" have most in common with Christ is "persecution"; yet it is the thing we seldom hear preached from the pulpit!  Sure, Christians love to carry the banner of Jesus when things are going well but, in many instances, when things get tight, we abandon ship like "rats scurrying from a burning building!"

Why is this the case?  Why are Christians so fragile, weak and wishy-washy? The spirit of fear does not come from God; the spirit of fear is of the adversary. Fear is a spirit. Fear is a disembodied entity looking for a body to "occupy."  It can ONLY occupy a body that "allows" it to enter in.  So if you resist the devil (and his spirit of fear), the Bible says, "He will flee!"(James 4:7).

I am here to tell you that as a believer, you must embrace the "ministry of persecution" wholeheartedly.  That's right, I called it a "ministry." Persecution is "personal execution" or dying to oneself.  In short, it is the acceptance of death.  It is the cutting away or "circumcision" of strongholds that keep you captive to the things of this world. Persecution exemplifies a "covenant" with Christ and, therefore, God.

When you are persecuted, it is not important to "defend yourself"; it is more important to defend the God in you by resisting the evil that comes upon you. The goal of the believer is "spiritual integrity" with regard to sacrificing self as Jesus did for us.  The destruction of His "flesh" allowed us access to His mortality (His ability AND willingness to die) void of His works which did not save Him. But what did save Him (and us) was His obedience to death (persecution); thus is the true source of His power...His obedience to persecution unto death!

Christ as the Messiah gives us a vivid picture of the ministry of persecution.  It is not how many times you suffer or how long you suffer.  The details are irrelevant.  The character of your enemy is not a factor.  Your life and present economic status is not an issue. All that matters is your "spiritual compass" (where you are in right relationship to God).

Persecution produces perseverance and is a badge of honor in the kingdom of God. The believer is therefore a joint-heir with Christ, fully participating in every level of manifestation in heaven and earth.

"The Spirit of Tolerance and Entitlement in the Institutional Church!"

Man oh man, we can sure put on a good show for anybody who wants to take the time to act like they are paying attention to us. Our game playing and charades are too numerous to mention in this diatribe, but in short, many Christians are suffering at the hands of an age old nemesis called "compromise."

Our church leaders will "bend over backwards" not to offend the "tithers" or "giving units."  We will conjure up all kinds of gimmicks, ploys and "magic tricks" to entertain the masses, while keeping them passive and so as to avoid any attempt of a "spiritual coup." But these same "hirelings" have no problem whatsoever offending GOD; yet we have the audacity to wonder why we are in the mess we are in.

The Body of Christ has strategically acquired the extremely destruction spirit of "tolerance" with regard to the things of the world and have systematically abandoned the things of God.  Oh sure, we haven't done it all at once; but bit by bit the moral fabric of the church has unraveled. Our moral compass reflects that of the misguided, wayfaring sea captain Christopher Columbus because, just like him, the church is going in the wrong direction and there is mutiny among the "remnant" in Christ Jesus.

This spirit of tolerance is very dangerous because it generally takes a while before the damage can be seen. Financial exploitation of the congregations, the manipulation of power and sex over vulnerable women and a rampant increase in pedophilia has crippled our ability to effectively minister in the marketplace.  In short, the credibility of the church is shot!  The church only has influence over those who have been duped into believing that their ministries are really making a difference in a community where no one even knows the name of the Pastor! He AND the congregation have insulated themselves within the comfort and confines of their "building" tending to their tidy little programs, nebulous sermons and Easter plays.

This sense of "entitlement" has corrupted both the leaders and the laity into believing that although we have the "right" to do something; it doesn't mean that it's "right" to do it. Just because we "can" do a thing doesn't necessarily mean that we "should" do it.  This bravado associated with entitlement reeks of arrogance and the stench of self righteousness.  It has contaminated the Body of Christ and opened the portals to perversion, witchcraft and wickedness in high places.

The end result of this pervasive spirit of tolerance and the self righteousness connected with a sense of entitlement has precipitated the widening of the gap between those who love God and serve him faithfully and those who just need a place to go for two hours on Sunday and Wednesday just to keep up appearances! You have been exposed by the Holy Spirit and you will be dealt with according to His Word.....

"The Halloween Deception and the Body of Christ!"

People ask the same question year after year regarding Christian participation in "pagan holidays;" I know this is going to sting a little, but this includes your beloved Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving too!  But right now, let's deal with Halloween...the pinnacle of paganism!

I can hear your back teeth grinding right now; Why do Christians take it so seriously?  Why even ask the question because Christians "fully participate AND promote" Halloween...especially in CHURCHES!"  So what are we taking about here? Pure and simply..selfishness!

Sorry brothers and sisters you can't "plead the fifth" on this one.  You know all too well that Halloween is a sacred holiday for Satan and witches, warlocks, Wicca and other purveyors of perversion, darkness and wickedness! Sure, you can blame it on your kids and say that they would be disappointed, but according to the National Retail Federation:

1. American ADULTS (not kids) will spend $8 billion USD (that's billion with a "b") on Halloween costumes, candy and decorations in 2012;
2. that 7 out of 10 (71.5%) adults will celebrate Halloween this year (a total of 170 million Americans) and,
3. more than 36.2% of adults will attend a Halloween-themed party! Adults will spend almost $3 billion on costumes and more than $2 billion on candy! Whhhhaaaattttttt? Are you kidding me?

When you hear the word "halloween" what images appear? What "spirit" is evoked at the whisper of that name?  Are they of good and light or are they of evil and darkness? Halloween openly promises the visitation of evil and wickedness and does NOT celebrate the Creator of Light, namely God Almighty!

For more than 2,000 years, beginning with the Druids (the unadulterated kings of the occult) up until now with the modern day practitioners of evil, we have seen a marked increase in financial expenditures and excitement with the holiday.  Let's be real people, we only spend our TIME and MONEY on the things we LOVE, not the things we LIKE!

So my Christian brothers and sisters, while you are preparing your front yard with decorations of grave stones, skeletons, bats and jack-o-lanterns; and dressing your kids up as witches, ghouls and the "walking dead" maybe you should ask yourself, would I put this much energy into helping someone in need? Would I give the $150 I just spent on "vanity" to my neighbor (not the person who lives next door to you but the person whom you do not know)? If Jesus was standing in front of me, how would I justify my church 'Trunk or Treat" party?

Don't be offended if I say that you are a follower of Satan if you support, promote AND celebrate his holiday? I'm just sayin'........

"The Passionate Devotion of Service!"

In (John 21:16), Jesus proclaims conversion to the faith comes through passionate service to the sheep (God's people in the marketplace).

"Service" is not what we do in the way of Christian work. Christ calls service what we do "TO" Him not what we do "FOR" Him!  Discipleship (D) is based on service to Christ, not on adherence to a belief or creed.

Your service or devotion is directly correlated to your ability to say, "Now I see who Jesus is!", when touched by the Holy Spirit! There are three (3) steps in this process:

1. The Spirit of Recognition (I see Him or recognize His Way)
2. The Spirit of Conviction (I repent, forgive and love again) 
3. The Spirit of Correction (I'm ready for service in the Kingdom)

Why are so many people committed to personal beliefs and "causes" versus spiritual beliefs and Jesus Christ?  Here is the answer: "People want to be devoted to Jesus, but NOT to the "cause" He started. The Body of Christ (BOC) does not want Jesus Christ in any other way than that as a "comrade" or "friend". 

The "cause"of Christ is complete obedience to the will of God the Father; NOT the needs, desires and selfish motives of man.  Serving the cause of humanity will lead to exhaustion, frustration and carnality for the "believer"...subsequently (my) love will falter. However, if I an devoted to Christ, I can serve humanity tirelessly, though I am unappreciated, used, lied to, cheated on, etc.

A seed must go into the ground and die (John 12:24), then spring up and alter the entire landscape of the marketplace through the radical faith of the believer. In this way, we mirror the Passionate Devotion of Service Christ "publicly displayed" for us on Golgotha!

"How I Hear the Voice of God!"

This brief discourse is by "no means" the ONLY way to hear the Voice of God; but it is a random sample of how I hear His voice.

• I make a "conscience decision" to draw closer to Him (James 4:8) thus developing a deeper and more intimate relationship.
• I have a "repentant heart" for my transgressions against Him and His word.  I am transparent in my SIN.
• I make my mind "still" (by quieting my thoughts until they become His thoughts) (Habakkuk 2:1).
• I "pray" in the Spirit (a deep communion with the Holy Spirit in "silence" so I can hear the voice of God...not senseless rambling and vain repetition).  If I am speaking, I cannot hear God! (Ephesians 1:8) (1 Cor 14:14)
• I renew and refresh my mind (Ephes 4:23) (Col 3:16) (Rom 12:1-2) (Jam 1:22)
• You must find your "secret place"..that is where God will visit you.  That place is different for everyone. I am attentive and focused on the "still, small voice" of God being careful not to allow the cares of this world to distract me or disrupt the fellowship.  In this, I am careful to remove myself from my family to my "secret place."

This is how God speaks to me:

• Through dreams, visions, spontaneous impressions, conversations with others (usually confirmation of what the Spirit has already said to me privately); through the Holy Spirit and His Word.

This is how I know that God has spoken to me:

• I have an incredible "peace" that settles my spirit man.
• I have a "witness" in my spirit (you might be familiar with the term "blessed assurance").
• When the "sound" I hear is in perfect alignment and agreement with His Word.
• When there are no apparent "contradictions" to His word.

"Three Main Functions of the Human SPIRIT!"

When we are apprehended by God, our natural inclinations have nothing to do with how or what we are to preach (disciple those in and outside the faith). Your commitment to boldly engage and empower others in the gospel (in word and deed) are based upon the premise that you have not arrived..that you are a sinner saved by grace, not some special being made up in heaven.

So three main functions of the human spirit are as follows:

1. Conscience: Your conscience is a "discerning organ"; it distinguishes right and wrong, not through knowledge or influences stored in the mind but by a spontaneous direct judgement. "Reasoning" judges/justifies "conscience".  The conscience is an independent agent; it is direct and does not bend to outside opinions. Wrong doing or "foul living" will raise the voice of conscience accusation. The function of conscience in man's spirit can be found in: (Duet 2:30; Ps 34:18; Ps 51:10; John 13:21; Acts 17:16; Rom 8:16; 2 Cor 2:13; 2 Tim 1:7)
2. Intuition: is the "sensory organ" of the human spirit and is an independent agent of any outside influence. Intuition comes to us without any help of emotions, mind or volition. We only "know" through our intuition, our mind merely helps us to "understand." The revelations of God and the movements of the Holy Spirit are known to us by our intuition.  In order to function effectively in this realm, the believer must heed to these two elements: the "voice" of conscience and the "teaching" of intuition.
3. Communion: is "worshipping" and "fellowship" with God. The organs of the soul, conscience and intuition are incompetent to worship God. God is not apprehended by our thoughts, feelings or emotions or intentions.  He can only be known directly in our spirits.  In other words, worship and communication with God can only be conducted in the spirit realm.

In conclusion, conscience judges according to intuition; conscience condemns all conduct which does not follow the directions given by intuition. Intuition is related to communion or worship in that God is known by man "intuitively" and reveals his will to man in the intuition.  No measure of expectation or deduction gives us the knowledge, heart or mind of God!

"The Anatomy of Leadership..."

Excerpt from "The Road to Damascus: Unveiling the Heart of a Man" by Nicholas Carl Moore on "Leadership":

I've been thinking a lot about being a leader lately. What does leadership look like and how can I inject the concept into my life as a man, father, husband, brother and friend?

Leaders are secure within themselves and trust their chosen direction. They are not influenced by the number of people who are following them; whether ten or ten thousand.  That is called integrity. Leaders are consistent and fair and wise and patient.

Leaders are confident but not arrogant and in control of their emotions (for the most part).  They have a great balance between their emotional weaknesses and their intellectual strengths. A great leader is tenacious and results-oriented. A leader is burdensome and sometimes lonely. He is a risk taker and courageous.

He is incorruptible and strives for perfection and completion and views life as one incessant learning experience. A leader is restless without his daily dose of knowledge. He surrounds himself with brilliance and is not intimidated by such. He is the first in and the last out and delegates without micro-managing. He is ruthless in his pursuit of the truth. He is a spiritual man who is honest and ethical. Leaders understand that rock slides turn into avalanches where lies, deceit, manipulation and perversion are tolerated. Leaders do not take a detour off the road of adversity.  They are cautious but not fearful.  He is not suspicious or paranoid.

Leaders are better listeners than speakers and are disciplined to slow down rather than quit. They are innovative, intuitive, creative and assertive.  Leaders avoid self promotion and focus on the mountain versus where they are on the mountain. They are aware of style while recognizing sustaining success is more difficult than achieving success.

Great leaders have the gift of mobilization and critical thinking. They are kind and loving and strong and tireless. Leaders govern with grace and power and authority and dominion.  They are change agents and welcome a challenge. They are paradigm destroyers and nation builders. Leaders have peace and love and joy and are reconciled to their humanity as a gift from God that is forged into the mantle of truth....

"The Anatomy of UNFORGIVENESS: It's The Unseen Thing that Kills Us!"

I am writing about this topic today because I know this is the MOST DIFFICULT thing we have to do as Believers...and that is to FORGIVE (F) somebody that has jacked us up!!  I am going to be transparent (as usual).  I really have gotten better as I have gotten older, but I am not all the way there yet. 

The thing that I have come to know is that forgiveness is one of the most compelling and powerful "gifts" that we possess.  Forgiveness is "symbiotic" in nature; it heals both you and the person who wronged you.  It also heals and delivers you and the person whom you wronged. F has a wonderful, cleansing effect on the atmosphere.  It purges the spirit of anger, lust, bitterness, distrust, malice, pain and frustration.  It looses the bonds of wickedness and breaks the shackles of despair.  In a word, F precipitates "freedom."

You know what I'm talkin' about. So stop trippin'. I know you remember the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you see the person that wronged you coming down the aisle at your neighborhood grocery store, or little league game or, "Oh no!"..not at the "church house!"  Yeah, you got NO LOVE for Sister Jenkins when you see her comin' down to the altar, "Damn right, that's just where that heifer needs to be..at the freakin' altar!"  You have the audacity to be in the presence of God with "unholy" hands raised, and stagnant prayers and hold nothing but contempt in your heart.  This not good! This is not God!

All the while Sister Jenkins is flowin' and laughin' and enjoyin' herself and you are all messed up!  You are carrying the burden of contempt in your heart. F is ever present; we just have to make the decision to let it in our hearts. Unforgiveness destroys your "witness" and it cripples your spirit.  You become dysfunctional in your ability to conduct daily functions. The scream was once a whisper and the flickering flame is now a fire raging out of control. Only love and F can extinguish the fire of unforgiveness. Only you can set Sister Jenkins free from the prison of pride, envy, jealousy and hate. In the process, you will also be liberated!

As a child, I remember going to visit Niagara Falls, Canada and would often watch the flow of the Niagara River.  It was always so calm on the surface and it amazed me that the river would gain enough momentum in such a short distance to become one of the Seven Wonders of the World. My cousins and I would run along the Canadian side of the Falls (there is an American side as well) to "race" the river until it tumbled over the edge with unbelievable power and fury! The calmness of the surface was very deceptive.  To an unsuspecting observer, one might think you would be able to swim across to the other side with no problem.  Many people have lost their lives over the years because of this lapse in judgement.

You see, the thing that can kill you in the river as well as life is the "unseen thing."  In the case of the river and life the "unseen thing" is referred to as the "under current."  The undercurrent of unforgiveness is a lot like that of the river. Oh how we as humans have mastered "putting on the face", feigning calmness, peace and joy all the while we are about to spontaneously combust with anger and rage!  Once you get caught in the under current, you are its prisoner and it will take you every where you do not want to go. Some of the destinations in the "under current" are desperation, heartache and anger. It is a hidden opinion, feeling or tendency contrary to the one we display publicly. The under current is death, wrath and hopelessness.

In conclusion, the Hebrew word for F is "calach" (saw-lakh): it means to forgive or pardon; to be "ready" to forgive (recognizing that F is a process); to excuse someone who was wrongly accused; or someone who is guilty, but has suffered enough and it is time to move on." I can speak from personal experience how "unforgiveness" can debilitate you. For the hundreds of people who read my blog every week, please move quickly to forgive the people in your life that need to be forgiven and trust the Lord God that He will move on the hearts of the people that you have wronged so that they will forgive you as well.

"Choices: The Last Bastion of Hope for Humanity!"

"There is something very compelling about the "choices" we make in our lives that manifest a great deal of sorrow and regret or immeasurable pleasure and joy. The problem is, the majority of us spend most of our life somewhere in the middle until a "split second decision" usually determines our fate."

This statement has been resonating in my spirit over and over for the past three days since my visit to Central Prison in Raleigh, NC.  CP is a federal penitentiary housing the state of North Carolina's most complex and diverse inmate population. With over 1,300 prisoners and 1,000 guards, CP is a veritable city unto its self.
Inside the towering 65 foot high and 35 foot wide perimeter wall are the worst of the worse perpetrators against humanity.  There are murderers and rapists and pedophiles and thieves of every ilk, but at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself what is the goal of the institution? What choices do we make as reformers to change laws to make it so these men can re-enter society on a "level playing field" or do we maintain the status quo? How do we "rehabilitate" a man who has never been "habilitated" in the first place? What type of person does it take to objectively administer effective and unbiased treatment to a man who has terrorized his community or viciously raped and murdered a little boy or girl? I would define that person as a "professional!"

As we walked the ominous halls of the prison for what seemed like miles and miles; from prisoner intake to the mess halls to the mental health ward and even "death row," all I could think about was what would make a man do something that would allow him to end up in here? When you do crazy stuff; when you rob people and kill people..you have to know you are going to prison! The Warden of CP is Kenneth Lassiter.  He is unlike any stereotype of the hard ass, uncaring executioner popularized in modern media circles.  On the contrary, what you see is a man of compassion, conviction and unparalleled drive and determination to change the man in order to change the prison. Not his words..these are mine!

One man responds to a question of how much time he has with the nonchalance of flicking away a gnat, "I got 35." I walked away thinking, "35 months ain't so bad (relatively speaking).  He's only 23 years old; he's got plenty of time to make a change."  Then the Warden burst my bubble, "No Nick, 35 years!  The man has to be in here for 35 years!"  My knees buckled! I said, "What? He said "35" like it was nothing. He obviously made the choice to de-magnify his sentence in his mind as a coping mechanism. Choices. Wow!

Another inmate discusses how adulthood choices landed him on "death row."  He said, "I was at a party and smoked some crack. I didn't know what it was.  My friend gave it tome me in a pipe and I smoked it!"  Someone asked him, "You mean to tell me that you smoked something that someone gave you and you didn't ask what it was? And you were how old at the time?"  He responded, "29 years old!" We all looked at other in disbelief. This man has rationalized that the crack pipe caused him to commit murder and end up in prison, but refused to come to grips with the fact that it was a poor decision and NOT the "crack" that got him locked up! Choices. Wow!

The Warden is focused on behavior modification techniques and psychological profiles and models all aimed at getting the inmate to examine his choices; whether his destiny be the "needle" or the "psych ward" the goal is the same.. to try to make him a better man today than he was yesterday.  When you have a man who is sentenced to life or multiple life sentences or even death by execution, the chief administrator has to be a "Teflon Man" with regard to emotional immersion into each case.  Mr. Lassiter has mastered the art of "compartmentalizing" each individuals cause; his assessment and conclusion of his life and offers real talk and hard truth to the man in question. I asked him, "How do you take that much time listening to a mental patient who is rambling on and on about nothing?" He just smiled and kept on walking at a brisk pace.  The "answer" in his smile said to me, "I was just looking for that one moment of clarity in his mind where he might "hear" what I was saying to him and make a better choice today!"

This is my impression of a prison system that is not perfect but is striving for perfection in relational behavior modification techniques.  What does that mean? It just means that the Warden cares about the men in his prison.  And for those men that choose to do better, there is a system in place to help them do their time with dignity and have a chance to become contributors to society.  For others, who choose the darker path, their fate has already been sealed and the mantra that states, "you can't save everybody" comes to fruition!

"Man of God"...What Does It REALLY Mean?

For many Christians the phrase, "Man of God" (MOG) is a veritable "badge of honor" that is thrown around loosely with little or no consideration of what the phrase actually implies and, more importantly, what it denotes about the person the phrase is directed toward.

One usually hears the exchange upon first meeting or greeting another man we believe to be a Christian, one who might be a follower of Jesus Christ or whose life exemplifies God-like qualities. More often than not, the "Man of God" mantra is exchanged between two people who don't even know each other! Now this may not seem like a big deal; but just ride with me for a while.

The inherent danger is that of "perception" versus "reality." In other words, it's like receiving a reward for not having done anything to earn it and then trying to convince your teammates that you are the MVP! When you call someone by their given name they will respond in kind. Be it "Captain" or "Doctor" or "Pilot", there are certain prerequisites to wearing a title.  One has to complete a rigorous set of requirements, skills testing and preparation in order to progress to the next level.  He must be tested and he MUST pass with exceptional grades in order to be "certified." I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want a physician to operate on me who was a "C" student!

Likewise, when it comes to our "spirituality" we seem to get very lazy. Every man is NOT a "Man of God." Every Christian is NOT a "Believer." Every man has not earned the right to be certified as a MOG! There are several characteristics that allow you to recognize a MOG when you encounter him; they are:

1. A MOG is a man of "integrity." He is consistent in his application of the Word of Faith in his life.
2. A MOG is a "Man of Action" and is deliberate and intentional in his service to God's people in the marketplace.
3. A MOG has a profound relationship with God that manifests itself in his thoughts, words and deeds. He is equally adept at leading or following.
4. A MOG is a man who is establishing a financial and spiritual "legacy" for his family.
5. A MOG is a 'Father" to the fatherless (those inside and outside of his biological family).
6. A MOG is a "seeker of wisdom" and understands the power of "destiny."
7. A MOG is not fearful and does not walk in "condemnation" but in "light."
8. A MOG is a Man of FAITH!

This is not an exhaustive list be any means, but if the MOG you think you are or the brother you are calling out as a MOG is lacking these fundamental traits, perhaps you should re-examine your intentions. For the unlearned or weaker in faith that might be in "earshot" of your declaration of MOG to another brother can and will be confused and or damaged when they witness behavior that is diametrically opposed to what they "perceive" to be the manner in which a "real" MOG is supposed to act. 

It is dangerous to sling these phrases around aimlessly.  The terms "saints", "prophet", "apostle", "elder", "pastor" and yes, even "bishop" fall precariously into this category as well. The fact of the matter is that some of these same folks should be called what they really are; that is "witches", "warlocks", "hirelings", "pimps", "snake oil salesmen", "jack-legged" and "devils."

"Poverty in America: The Belly of the Beast!"

One of the most compelling things I love about blogging is the ability to freely express my opinion.  I also welcome the opinions of others; whether we agree or not!  My hot button the past three years has been the veritable "invisibility" of the Black Agenda of which a major component is the "poverty" question. How is it that 46 Million Americans live in poverty and we have not heard one word form either the RNC or the DNC regarding the poverty agenda?

With all the platitudes, alliterations and glittering generalities; multiple orgasmic rallying cries from the delegates and near psychotic emotionalism form both sides, where is the sober voice and the compassionate answer to this overwhelming national crisis? How can we totally ignore 15% of the entire population? The answer: economics, politics and indifference. These "people" represent the lowest common denominator among the populous.  They are unemployed or underemployed; they are homeless; they are mentally ill; they are citizens returning to our society from prison; they are veteran's of foreign wars whose minds and bodies have been decimated by the unending carnage and unfathomable stress; they are victims of domestic violence and sex trafficking; they are poor people of all races who can't afford quality medical care or insurance.

They are our neighbors, brothers, sisters, fathers, uncles, aunts, sons and daughters.  They are our nephews and nieces; our cousins and our grandparents. I can't take any more commercials spewing out enough rhetoric to fill up my living room with horse do-do. These fake-ass politicians lying through their teeth, with a straight face no less, about what "real change" looks like are more than enough to make me vomit.  We are in the "belly of the beast"; and it stinks like hell down here!

So yesterday, Tavis Smiley and Cornel West announced they have schedule several "Town Hall Meetings" to address the poverty agenda. Isn't it interesting that this strategically placed Poverty Barnstorming is taking place after all the cameras have been turned off?  Like a childhood game of "hide-n-go-seek", it's "safe to come out now." What a minute!  Aren't they the "voice of conscience" for black folks?  Don't you think that they could have commanded "national" attention if they would have stopped by Tampa, FL (RNC) two weeks ago and Charlotte, NC (DNC) last week? I am sure everyone would have been watching.  When I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE...including their bosses! Did they "fan" on the pitch because they did not want to put their jobs at risk? Given the casualty rate of black anchors in the media I guess I can kinda see their point...LMBO! "No weez don wanna offend Missa Charlie" (in my best "Steppin' Fetchit" voice)! Wait a minute Brother Nick, are you saying that if they were REALLY SERIOUS about the POVERTY AGENDA, they would have established a "presence and platform" at both conventions and then there would be no need for their "dog and pony" show? My answer is, 'Hell yeah!"

So the question must be, what is their agenda? Is it the black agenda? Is it the poverty agenda?  Is it the Smiley-West agenda? I'm not mad either way.  It's really typical when you think about our current "black mis-leadership."  They try to present themselves as eagles when, in reality, they are more like buzzards ripping away what's left of our nation's flesh from the carcasses of our once vibrant and productive citizens....

"The Body of Christ and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder!"

The Modern Day Church (MDC) or the Body of Christ (BOC) as many call it is in a state of turmoil. Many leaders are scrambling for any vestige of sanity they can muster to deliver messages that are relevant and life-changing.  The numbers of people attending church weekly are drastically reduced from years past, giving or "tithing" is down, churches are going into foreclosure at an alarming rate (albeit in direct correlation to the apostasy of their wicked leadership), hundreds of cases of financial, sexual and other abuses are rampant and the nation has lost its faith in God.

The problem is that many Christians (and I must emphasize NOT ALL Christians) are resisting the call of the Holy Spirit into righteous and service in the Kingdom of God. Not ALL Pastors are leading the sheep to slaughter; but many of them are.  The Prosperity Preachers and the Word of Faith Movement are among the worst perpetrators against God and His people! They are pure and simply modern day "cults." The MDC is experiencing what I'd like to refer to as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or "PTSD" for short.  You might ask, "Where are you going with this?"  Don't touch that dial!

Let's examine some of the symptoms of PTSD and see the similarities between the disease and the MDC:

• Loss of Interest or Pleasure: Have you been noticing your church attendance or service in the community falling off lately? Do you return home dissatisfied with the message or your "experience"? Christians are too focused on having an "experience" versus an "encounter" with God!
• Feelings of Hopelessness: Has your worship been "dry" and dusty?  Have you placed too much pressure on your Pastor to "give you a word" that consistently falls short of your desire for relief from your situation? ONLY GOD can fill that void.  God is the purveyor of HOPE.  Only He can give you hope; not your Bishop, Pastor or Apostle!
• Stress and Anxiety: Have you been experiencing abnormal levels of pressure from your daily life? Do you try to self-medicate with alcohol, drugs or pornography to relieve the pain? Much of the stress we experience is "self-induced."  A close relationship with God can give your "perfect peace." Spend time with God in the "secret place" (that place He has reserved specifically and especially for you) and read His word daily and read it slowly!
• Confusion: Are you checking your Christian ID to verify your membership in the Kingdom?  Do you find yourself questioning the blatant violations of both Christians and non-Christians on matters of faith, family and community? God is not the Author of Confusion.  He is the Prince of Peace.  If you are confused, you can be assured it is not God leading you down that path of darkness.
• Guilt: Are you feeling guilty about something you have done or something you might be thinking? Are you persecuting yourself or a love one over some transgression past or present?  Get free!  There is now therefore no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! God has already forgiven you for everything in order that you might set someone else free from your wrath, guilt, and shame.
• Reckless Behavior: It is very difficult to tell the difference between "believers" and "sinners" in our modern culture.  So much of what Christians do has mimicked the world system of corruption, delusion, manipulation and treachery to the point where we are rationalizing our behavior as the "new normal."  Christians have compromised Christ and abandoned Him for the vanity of  "popularity, acceptance and job security (protecting my profession)!" Are you one of these pseudo-Christians managing your symptoms with your "meds"?

At the end of the day, when we truthfully hold up the mirror to the face of the BOC we have to see the "reflection" of PSTD. They are profound but not insurmountable. They are powerful but not all-powerful.  They are present, but not omnipresent. What many Christians fail to realize is that God and His Spirit are the prevailing powers in this realm; not the Spirit of perdition.

The remedy for the MDC is pretty is simple; allow the Spirit of God to rule and reign and tear down the idols of the priesthood and inject the paradigm of love, grace and peace in the Person of Christ Jesus! In the world, the most effective treatment for PTSD is called "Cognitive Behavior Therapy" whereby the therapist helps the patient to understand and change their perspective on how they view their trauma or stress and the aftermath. It helps them to then inject "corrective" behavior techniques which improve how they view themselves in relation to the world around them. Sounds a lot like how God works doesn't it?

Get connected to the Master and you will find that it is His "good pleasure" to help you to trace the problem, face the problem, erase the problem and then have the audacity to replace the problem!

"Pastors Scammin' Folk In The Name of Jesus!"

When I think about the different schemes and tricks employed by many unscrupulous leaders in religious world it makes me cringe!  I often ask myself, "How is it possible that so many people can be so naive, no not naive, just plain STUPID?" Time after time, many congregations fall prey to the manipulation and witchcraft from their "so-called" Pastors, Bishops, Apostles, etc.

The financial toll on individuals and families is skyrocketing as the "material appetites" of their "spiritual fathers" increases.  Caddy's and Benz's are being shunned in lieu of Maybachs and Ferrari's; the parsonage in place of the sprawling mansion AND summer home in the Caribbean; not to mention the custom suits, jewelry and other gifts too many to mention here.

Do I have a problem with people "giving" in church? No.  Do I have a problem with "tithing"? YES!  It's not biblical (please go back and read the O.T. SLOWLY). Unfortunately, the "fleecing" doesn't stop at tithing.  Let's examine the various ways church folk are being guilted into "Giving to God!"  Here are some of my favorites:

1. Tithes and Offerings (It's hard to hear, but this is the No. #1 Scam of ALL!); both "in-person" and "on-line" via Paypal and "automatic debits" from personal banking accounts! Are you kidding me? What kind of nonsense is that?
2. The Building Fund (never ending, guaranteed supply of CASH for the Pastor)
3. Pastor's Anniversary, Father's Day, Christmas, Pastor's Birthday, Church Anniversary
4. Special Offering for Pastor's Vacation and the First Lady's Events (see above)
5. Weekly Offerings (all cash that is laid at the altar to "Bless the Mant of Godt!")
6. Cards and letters that come in to the ministry during the week from radio and TV ministries flush with cash (untraceable to the IRS);
7. Complementary services from community residents (not to be outdone by his congregation): Free haircuts, meals, lawn services, dry cleaning, auto detailing, etc.
8. Other Offerings for the "BISHOP and First LADY" of the "MOTHER CHURCH" (which is the beginning of the Christian Network marketing Schemes.  You have heard it said,  "We are obligated to honor the Set Man and tithe up-line.")
9. Mandatory participation of Church Leaders (Elders, Deacons, Ministry Leaders and their families to "sow" into the vision of the house by investing $700-$1200 "extra" dollars in everything from Noni Juice, to vitamins to vacation packages and Legal Shield!"

Have you ever heard this? "Hold up your offering to the Lord (so I can see who is giving and who is NOT giving)!"  And the "sheep" comply without thinking and they raise their offerings or fill out the "empty" envelope with fakes names and amounts just to look good to their "neighbor." As a former Deacon at a Mega-church, I used to hate the assignment of counting the tithes and offerings...the people cannot keep up with the financial demands of the ministries they attend but they remain SILENT and SUFFER because they are in bondage!

It is not entirely the fault of the Pastors; the people play a MAJOR role in their exploitation because of sheer ignorance and a "profound WORD deficiency!" Do not get tangled in the web of deception out of religious rituals.  When the Pastor poses a new venture to the church, "filter" his request through the WORD.  Ask him/her questions about the project or event. Identify the "end game." What are we being asked to do and will this affect my ability to take care of and provide for MY FAMILY? If this thing that the Pastor is asking is out of the will of God, then simply don't do it!  You won't go to HELL for saying NO!

In conclusion, I always ask the "blindly dedicated"members of churches across America in my travels on stinging question, "Has your financial legacy for your children and your children's children been compromised because of your "blind allegiance" to your Pastor's vision for his life and his church? If you are not significantly better off financially today than you were when you joined the ministry six years ago, then you had better examine your ways...before it's too late!

Please join us for "MANdate Minsitries: Uncut" on Thursday nights at 7:00pm on www.blogtalkradio.com/mandate.  Our call-in # is: 1.347.843.4112.  Real talk. Hard truth!
This week's topics: "Pastor's and Network Marketing: Scammin' in Jesus' Name!"

"Black, Single and Christian: Love, Sex or Marriage?"

For many Christian's, the "Single's Ministry" (SM) at their local church is nothing more than a glorified social club.  I am sure there are very effective SM's at many churches, but for the most part, they can be ineffective.  Most SM's have a female administrator who coordinates the monthly singles bowling event, community outreach planning and prayer meetings.  That was fine for the 1960's, but today's singles are a whole new animal all together!

Here are some questions that SM's have to contend with in today's churches:
1) What does the Pastor say to a woman who says, "I love God, but I love sex too?"
2) What does the sister who is leading the group say to a man who admits he is struggling with masturbation only to have her dreams of "gettin' wit da brother" dashed by this revelation?
3) What do you say to the gay couple who want to get married in the church they attend, but are afraid to admit their sexuality for fear of rejection?
4) What do you say to the sexually active couple who want to promote the use of condoms among the congregation to prevent pregnancy, STD's and HIV/AIDS?
5) How does the "20 something" young woman or young man minister to the sister who has recently lost her husband to death about "single life" after 34 years of marriage?
6) What do the men in leadership say to the young man who is preying on the "vulnerable, single'' sisters in church to satisfy his own sexual lusts?

SM's have bogged down under the weight of politics, indifference and greed! Many Pastors don't give a "flying flip" about the emotional lives of the people as long as they bring the "tithe."  There is no room for poor people in church anymore!  Isn't that amazing?  It's a hard thing to hear, but its true! Singles have a tough time trying to regulate their own lives much less minister to the lives of others without the proper guidance and support mechanism, that being: the unadulterated truth and "real talk."

SM's have to differentiate love from sex and prepare single couples for "real marriage" and not just "weddings!"  Black women are five times as likely to be single at age 40 than white women.  More than 42% of black women in the US have never been married and more than 70% of black women in the US are single (including those divorced, separated or widowed)!  Add to that the virulent epidemic of HIV/AIDS among black men and women, the increase of gay men and same sex marriage, the mass incarceration of black men and the vigilante behavior of local police toward innocent black men, one can see that the "selection pool" of quality black men for motivated black women is damn near non-existent.

SM's, but more importantly Pastors, need to be more vigilant in preaching the truth to their congregants without "filtering the message" for fear of offending the masses.  In addition, they need to recruit the best professionals to create a solid support mechanism to effectively minister to the needs of the people. I must emphasize the need for "professional counselors."  Every Pastor need not be the Counselor just because they are the Pastor.  This act of arrogance has proven to do more harm than good!

SM's can be an effective tool to assist members with their successes, trials and tribulations regarding relationships, intimacy, celibacy and sexuality. 

Tune into "MANdate Ministries: Uncut" on Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 7:00pm on www.blogtalkradio.com/mandate for our show on "Singles' Ministry" for Real talk and Hard truth. Our call-in number is 1.347.843.4112.

"Domestic Violence: The New Voice!"

I have been struggling with this issue for many years as an advocate against Domestic Violence (DV) from a "distance."  This is a little incredible, considering that my mother was beaten by my father who was twice her size!  Thank God she left him on that cold Thanksgiving morning after he punched her in the face with his fist knocking her 5'0'' 102 pound frame on the couch!  I was pulling at his leg in vain trying to stop him as I was only 5 years old and he stood 6'4" and weighed about 220 pounds!

I can still hear the crack of her jaw as his fist smashed into her face; she took the punch and gathered me and my brother together and we left while the turkey was still in the oven.  My Uncle John came over later to collect our clothes and personal items. "Make sure you get my comic books," I said to him.  I did notice that he stuck his pistol in the back of his pants and he was extremely angry because my father had just beaten his sister!  "Please don't shoot him John; just get my stuff," she said.

Looking back, I see how this single incident has impacted my life.  It's been almost fifty years and I can still hear the sounds, feel the pain and the anger and see the rage in his eyes. Every time I see a turkey I think about that day.  Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday because I was able to turn the negative memory into a positive one.  I am thankful that my mother "survived" my father.  As for me, who knows how I would have turned out if she would have stayed.  Statistics state that I would have probably been an abuser or been abused myself.  I think about my mother's courage and strength and I rejoice in her resilience and loving, caring soul.

As  I write about DV and this compelling subject that is ever-present, I am imploring men everywhere to get involved in gaining awareness, educating other men in your communities, churches, fraternities and organizations about the perils of DV and how its cripples families. If you know of a man who is abusing his family, intervene personally or contact the local authorities.  Black woman have the highest incidence of murder among all ethnic groups by almost 4 to 1!  Every 9 seconds a woman is assaulted or beaten in the US and DV is the leading cause of injury to women; more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined!

There is a "new voice" of reason and restraint in the earth stemming from the leading perpetrators of DV; namely, men. Men from all walks of life and, in particular, clergy have to teach and raise awareness in the pulpits across America.  They have to minister to the men and women in their congregations.  The subject matter is tough but people's lives are at stake; not just the women affected by the abuse but the children and entire family as well.

Please tune into Mandate Ministries "Uncut" Radio Show on Thursday, August 16, 2012 at 7:00pm on www.blogtalkradio.com/mandate. The call-in number is 1.347.843.4112 and the topic will be, "Domestic Violence and the Role of the Black Church."  Our special in-studio guest will be, Donavan Grant, Program Coordinator of the NOVA Program in Charlotte, NC.  NOVA  (New Options for Violent Actions) is a Batterer Intervention Program designed to help program participants change their abusive behavior.

"Chick-fil-a Abandoned by the Modern Day Church!"

Chick-fil-a CEO Dan Cathy did what everybody does every second of the day; he expressed himself.  I examined his comments closely for one week before writing this blog because I wanted to make sure I was not writing an "emotional response" to the reaction of his comments by the homosexual community...needless to say, I am still emotional!

I am actually incensed that the homosexual community, local and federal governments and even other restaurateurs had the audacity to challenge his ability to speak his mind.  That would be okay if this classic case of "bullying" by the homosexual community was warranted. What they were really upset about was the fact the Brother Cathy does not "agree" with the "new " definition of marriage.  I don't either.  As a Christian, I too believe that marriage constitutes a union between one man and one woman.  That is my right and privilege and I'll add some more to it before I take it back!

Once again, the homosexual community rolled up a proverbial newspaper and cracked the Church across the nose and the Church ran into the corner with its tail between its legs urinating on itself.  Only one Christian leader spoke up in defense of Mr. Cathy! Only ONE...Reverend Billy Graham (he even purchased a chicken sandwich, fries and a shake). All of the self-proclaimed spiritual giants, bishops, apostles and prophets have been completely SILENT.  All I can hear is "crickets!"  It is almost inconceivable that after almost two weeks, not one representative of the Jesus of the Bible has stepped to the plate.  No TD Jakes.  No Creflo Dollar, no Kenneth Copeland, no Joyce Meyers, no Rod Parsley and no Joel Osteen. None. Nein. Nunca. Nadie! Zilch! Bupkus!

If I were a member of the gay community, I would pick a fight with Christians too! They never fight back!Sure, you have a few tough guys here and there but for the most part..they are a bunch of chumps!  The leadership is selfish, greedy and weak. No Christian radio, TV or Internet companies have made a formal national letter or statement of support either.  Fear has paralyzed the body of Christ! Fear of loss of sponsors, jobs and church attendance have precipitated an exodus from the faith!  Who is the real CHICKEN here?

So hats off to Mr. Cathy for standing like "David" against the modern day "Goliath" (the homosexual community).  Thank you for having the gonads to stand flat-footed against your adversaries. Bravo for not asking for any concessions.  Being only 4% of the population has its advantages for gays over the 80% of Americans who call themselves Christians and who have, apparently, failed miserably at simple mathematics!
There have been many instances where the gay community has been justified for their outrage at hate crimes, discrimination, etc. perpetrated against them; this is NOT one of them.

Kudos Mr. Cathy also for breaking sales records on Wednesday so you could once again, as is your custom, close your doors on Sunday to worship and honor the God you serve. The families of the millions of Christian supporters should be embarrassed to go to churches across America and listen to the cowards preaching in the pulpits who abandoned you during the week! Shame on you....

"Chick-fil-a Abandoned by the Church_ Part 2!"

It is almost inconceivable that after nearly two weeks of controversy and raging debates nationally, church leaders have grown eerily SILENT.  All I can hear is "crickets!" CEO Dan Cathy. "Guilty as charged", stated Cathy when asked about his companies support of the traditional family unit as opposed to same sex marriage.  To my knowledge, Dan Cathy is not a preacher nor does he have a church.  But he is devout Christian, who owns more than 1,600 family restaurants. His personal beliefs are based on the principles of the Bible. There is no such thing as a "Christian business." Christ did NOT die for our "corporate" aspirations!

But wait, did you say not one Pastor has stepped up in defense of Mr. Cathy?  I'm sad to say the answer is no save a radical, 94 year-old fire and brimstone evangelist from the mountains of North Carolina named Billy Graham.  You may have heard of him. He never had a physical building but he had one helluva church!!
Preached all over the world for more than 50 years to tens of millions of people and had the same message each time...Jesus is LORD!!

Somehow the modern day church has abandoned the same Jesus and His message.  Everyone can believe what they want and according to the First Amendment of the US Constitution, they can say what they want to with certain limitations. After close examination, it appears to me that the homosexual community was more upset that Dan Cathy had the audacity to "disagree" with their definition of marriage.  I mean, how dare he open his mouth against them.  You know, the gay community has gotten spoiled because they have receive little or no resistance from the church across the board on almost every major political issue.  You see Christians are "political" where "believers" are "radical."

If you don't believe one person standing up for justice can make a difference, check out the resumes of Mandela, Caesar Chavez, Lech Walesa and the Mahatma.  Perhaps one day Dan Cathy's stance will be a model for all Americans. We must protect the right of "free speech" for all Americans.  He NEVER mentioned anti-gay rights or same sex marriage! Once again the national media has made a mountain out of a mole hill.  CNN, radio outlets, cable networks and blogs "took the bait." Dan Cathy never retaliated with a lawsuit against the gay community.  he understand they have a right to their opinion as well.  No fuss.  Just back to business as usual.  No lawyers or press conferences.  No need for defense.  He didn't do anything wrong.

You have to ask yourself who is behind the sea of false information, misinformation and flat out lies?  In reality, what do chicken sandwiches really have to do with same sex marriages? Are the major national media outlets that are heavily financed and thus, influenced by the gay community behind this "witch hunt?"
How does a man, whose company foundation (www.WinShape.com) that promotes strong values for marriage and has a national marriage ministry component, get "pigeon-holed" into an anti-gay position with his track record of support for "traditional" marriages.

The term "homophobia" has created a tinderbox of controversy globally.  Both in and out of context, the word has been both divisive and a "Hail Mary" for the gay community. The entire country can be in hibernation on an issue until they hear "that word" and then all of a sudden everyone is appalled.  Well. my question to the gay community is this, "Why not exercise integrity when it applies?" This is a simple case of apples and oranges.  I have not read one article or heard any report of a Chick-fil-a refusing to sell chicken to one member of the gay community.  Are there any class action lawsuits against the company for discrimination in hiring, firing or promotion? The answer is no.  If there had been, we would have certainly known about it by now.

Let's move on people.  This fight is not against Chick-fil-a, it's against what Dan Cathy believes...and the last time I checked; that is his inalienable right!

"HIV/AIDS and the Black Church: Paradigm Shifted"

HIV/AIDS has exceeded epidemic proportions in the African American community.  In cities like Atlanta, Boston, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC where hereto for known as icons for monuments and entertainment have now become "destination cities" for voracious homosexual activity among black men.
In our nation's capital, 75% of the HIV cases in the city are attributed to gay and "straight" black men (National Institute of Health, 2011-12).

Dispensing "condoms" as the panacea for HIV/AIDS has long since passed since many studies show that, although they help, they have not stemmed the tide of this virulent disease.  What is needed, in addition to abstinence and eliminating unprotected sex with multiple partners, is the erradication of the flat out deplorable behavior of those men who are homosexual having unprotected sex with heterosexual women. Even more ridiculous are the women who are allowing these men to have "casual sex" with them "UNPROTECTED!"  How is that even possible in the climate of the times that we live in? 

Black folks need our institutions, primarily the Black Church, to step to the plate and empower its people. Black pastors need to teach and preach the "truth" from the pulpit about how our collective selfishness and promiscuity has created a serious problem for the definition and stability of the family and, inevitably, the perpetuation of our race. Preachers need to speak boldly against the sin of homosexuality without demonizing the individuals that participate in the activity. Whether the Gay Community likes it or not, the numbers do not lie.  In fact, the National Institute of Health, Center for Disease Control and the Surgeon General all agree what have precipitated the rise in HIV/AIDS in black men and women and the root of it is centered on unbridled homosexual activity among men who, in turn, sleep with heterosexual women who, in turn, infect multiple heterosexual partners because of the lack of education, access to proper health screening, healthcare and med's and institutional support to hammer home the importance of the need for significant behavioral changes. It's hard to hear..but it is what it is!  What are your thoughts?

Please check out our radio show "MANdate Ministries: Uncut" on Thursday night, August 2 at 7:00pm at www.blogtalkradio.com/mandate.  Call-in: 1.347.843.4112 as we discuss "HIV/AIDS and the Black Church: We Gotta Talk!".  Real talk. Hard truth!

For more information, please go to: www.cdc.gov, www.nih.gov and www.surgeongeneral.gov.

"Falter at the Altar: The Laying on of Hands!"

In the New Testament (NT) the "laying on of hands" is associated with the receiving of the Holy Spirit or "holy ghost" depending on what part of the country you are from. Initially, this act was primarily a function of the apostles of Jesus Christ as well as Jesus Himself.  It was connected to three different concepts: 1) healing, 2) conveying of the "gifts" of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:4-11) and 3) endorsing a worker chosen by God to begin a great work.  Pretty simple, huh? Nothing too complicated to understand here, right? So can you please tell me how the modern-day church has come from the aforementioned to what we have created today?

The complete and total "bastardization" of this simple yet profound act of the Grace of God has become a circus! It is an abomination what occurs on Sunday morning and Tuesday evening with Christians who feel compelled to "touch ya neighbor" and "slap somebody and tell 'em..." every chance they get!  What is the message we are sending to those "young in the faith" who are already struggling with their spiritual identity? The focal point has become entertainment and not the transference of the person of Christ Jesus!

Many pastors and other church leaders have become too lazy to minister effectively (that which requires intensive study and prayer) in lieu of "shortcuts" that provide short-term remedies to the maladies of the Body of Christ.  Our leaders need to be more accountable to God than their "Q-scores" and popularity on "live stream", YouTube, Twitter and Face book.  The pervasiveness of "too much access" has precipitated an unprecedented rise in fraud, deceit and manipulation which has crippled the reputation of Christians and diluted the overall potency of the evangelistic thrust of believers.

The book of 1Timothy admonishes us not to be quick to lay hands on someone else so that we do not fall into the sin of others (1 Tim 5:22).  The reciprocal effect he is discussing is not evident at first without closer examination.  Timothy is also warning the believer not to be too quick to allow some of these "devils in the pulpits" to lay hands on them either!  In other words, "keep your filthy hands to yourself!"