Did you promise yourself to read more books this year? Here’s a little help with a few great titles authored by African American theologians, scholars and leaders. These books offer invaluable perspectives on issues of race, justice, and faith. Through rigorous analysis, personal narratives, and theological reflection, these authors challenge readers to confront systemic injustices, advocate for the marginalized, and live out the transformative message of the gospel in a diverse and complex world.

“Becoming Brave: Finding the Courage to Pursue Racial Justice Now” by Brenda Salter McNeil

– Brenda Salter McNeil offers a compelling vision for racial reconciliation and justice rooted in biblical principles and personal transformation. Drawing from her own experiences as a Christian leader and racial reconciliation advocate, McNeil provides practical insights and actionable steps for individuals and communities seeking to engage in the work of racial justice. This book empowers Christians to confront their fears, biases, and complacency, and become agents of change in their spheres of influence.

“The Cross and the Lynching Tree” by James H. Cone

 – In this provocative work, James H. Cone explores the intersection of Christianity, racism, and violence in America. Cone draws parallels between the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the brutal lynching of black Americans, arguing that the cross symbolizes both the suffering of the oppressed and the hope of liberation. This book challenges Christians to confront the legacy of white supremacy and embrace a theology of liberation that prioritizes justice and solidarity with the marginalized.

“The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism” by Jemar Tisby

– Jemar Tisby’s groundbreaking work explores the history of racism within the American church, tracing its roots from slavery to the present day. Through meticulous research and insightful analysis, Tisby sheds light on the complicity of the church in perpetuating racial injustice and calls for a reckoning with this troubling legacy. This book challenges Christians to confront systemic racism and work towards genuine reconciliation and justice.

“Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson

– Bryan Stevenson shares his experiences as a lawyer fighting for justice on behalf of marginalized communities, particularly those facing wrongful convictions and death sentences. Through compelling narratives and personal anecdotes, Stevenson highlights the injustices prevalent within the legal system and underscores the importance of mercy, compassion, and redemption. This book challenges Christians to advocate for the oppressed and work towards a more just and equitable society.

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration” by Isabel Wilkerson

– While not explicitly a Christian book, Isabel Wilkerson’s “The Warmth of Other Suns” offers profound insights into the African American experience and the role of faith in shaping identity and resilience. Through vivid storytelling and extensive research, Wilkerson chronicles the Great Migration and its impact on millions of African Americans, highlighting themes of faith, hope, and perseverance.

These books, written by African American authors and focusing on African American experiences, offer valuable perspectives on faith, justice, identity, and resilience. They resonate deeply with readers across racial and cultural backgrounds, challenging and inspiring individuals to live out their faith in transformative ways.

The main definition of “bail” (from the internet) is “the temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, sometimes on condition that a sum of money be lodged to guarantee their appearance in court.”

We all have a criminal record! Because Adam and Eve sinned against God and gave the spiritual authority to the enemy, every human is born with a sin nature, under the law, and unless that person dies before they are aware of their need for Christ Jesus to pay their sin debt, they must make the choice whether to believe in the blood of Christ Jesus shed at the cross to pay that sin debt and release them from the penalty of hell, or go there when their body dies.

Yes, it is that simple: choose life (Jesus Christ), or death (hell and eternal torment).

I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.–Deuteronomy 30:19, AMPC

God is not willing that any should die. He sent Jesus for every person to be free, and Jesus did all the work until we receive the official legal release by the Supreme Judge of all, through agreeing with what the blood of Jesus has done for us!

We could never pay for our sins against God, Who created us and is holy, and Who lives in unapproachable Light (I Tim. 6:14-16).

God made a way for us to be restored to Him, and be part of His Royal Family, which was His plan from the start (Genesis 1)!

¹⁶ For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. ¹⁷ For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.—John 3:16,17, AMPC

The LORD is so good! He makes it so easy–We don’t (we can’t!) “clean up” before we come to Him. He accepts us just as we are–and then Jesus, through the Holy Spirit Who lives in our hearts when we invite Him to forgive, cleanse, and save and restore us, starts teaching us His way through His Word and Spirit, and helps us change to be more and more like Him! (This is an ongoing process, as long as we live on earth!).

We can never be good enough to earn our way to Heaven, and unfortunately, there are many religions that wrongly teach this. True Christianity is a relationship with the Living God, the LORD Jesus Christ!

[Therefore beware] brethren, take care, lest there be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to cleave to, trust in, and rely on Him], leading you to turn away and  desert or stand aloof from the living God.–Hebrews 3:12, AMPC

We do the good things because the Spirit of God Who is Love (I John 4:8) inspires us to do things out of love to help others. So, if a person is not born again by believing in what Jesus’ blood did for him or her on the cross, and asking for God to forgive him or her of their sins (which is what “repentance” is), then it doesn’t matter how many good things they do in their lives; they will not go to Heaven.

Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.–John 3:3, AMPC

You may say, “Oh, I’m not going to think about that now. I may get born again when I’m a few years older,” or something like that. 

You are not guaranteed tomorrow.

If you knew you were going to die tonight, would you simply recognize that you have messed up (All of us have, except Jesus–and that is why He alone could pay the sin debt for us on the cross!), and tell the LORD Who is God that you know you have messed up; that you could never meet His standards of holiness by yourself (No human can, without the blood of Christ covering them!); and that you need Jesus to forgive you and cleanse you with His blood? He will!

For the life (the animal soul) is in the blood, and I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement, by reason of the life [which it represents].–Leviticus 17:11, AMPC

And from Jesus Christ the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead [first to be brought back to life] and the Prince (Ruler) of the kings of the earth. To Him Who ever loves us and has once [for all] loosed and freed us from our sins by His own blood,–Revelation 1:5, AMPC

Once you receive Christ Jesus as your Savior by believing in the power of His blood shed on the cross for you (over 2,000 years ago–and still as pure and powerful as it ever was, to release condemned sinners from their chains!), you (your spirit–the real you!) is transported to Heaven, while still animating your body on earth. You become a dual citizen–first of Heaven, then of earth. You are part of the Royal Family of the God of Heaven and earth! You receive extraordinary benefits, through the Covenant cut when Jesus’ blood flowed on the cross! You receive the constant Companionship of the LORD Himself, through the Holy Spirit–and more! 

When you receive Jesus, you learn to walk as He walked–in the Spirit. 

8 Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death. –Romans 8:1-2, AMPC

Receiving Christ Jesus is the best decision you will ever make. Even if you think you have a great life, it will only get better, for the Life of Jesus Himself will enter you and help you experience Zoe life;  life as God has it (John 10:10)!

King Jesus the Christ is returning soon, to gather all of us who truly believe in Him, and take us back to Heaven to live with Him forever in Paradise! We will escape this cruel, crazy world. It’s bad now, but it’s going to be much, much worse when He returns and takes all true Believers out of here! We are the Light! 

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.–Matthew 5:14, AMPC

Go for it. Why wait another moment? The blood of Jesus Christ has released you from eternal prison–if you will just agree with him, and let His blood wash your life!

Will you receive it, and walk out of your prison, and be forever free?

Let Christ Jesus transform your life right now–forever! 

~Tonja K. Taylor

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” ~Romans 1:16

Paul declared that he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. How could he be? The gospel was indeed good news to Paul. This former persecutor and murderer now had eternal life through Jesus Christ. All his sins were washed away by the blood of Jesus.

Rather than keep this good news to himself, Paul shared it at every opportunity. He wanted others to share in the blessings he had received. Not even imprisonment stopped Paul from preaching eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Being ashamed of good news seems such a strange notion. We have in our possession the very truth that can revolutionize a person’s life. So why would we not share it? Being ashamed of the gospel is like discovering the cure to cancer and keeping it a secret.

It seems absurd, doesn’t it? But if we look at how we live our lives, do we discover that we are indeed ashamed of the gospel?

Do the people around us know us as Christians? Have we asked our neighbors how we can pray for them or invited them to church? Do our co-workers see us reading a Bible or praying before a meal? Have we taken the time to share the gospel with our extended family? Do our children more often see us reading the newspaper or the Bible? Are we ashamed of the gospel? Or are we proclaiming it?

God isn’t asking us to be the next John the Baptist or even the next John Wesley. He doesn’t expect all of us to preach to multitudes. What he does require is that we not hide our light. We need to share it with others.

It is a form of love and humility to pray, especially for other people. When we pray, we are asking the LORD to get involved in specific ways in our lives and others’, and He hears and answers our earnest prayers! 

The LORD prompts me very often to pray for my pastors, and early this morning, He gave me specific Scriptures to pray for them. I will share them below with you. 

Speaking the Word over others and ourselves always causes a positive reaction–although it may be unseen for a while–for the Word of God is always at work (Isaiah 55:10-11), accomplishing His perfect will in the earth!

The LORD has chosen to limit Himself, overall, to His actions being a response to our faith-filled prayers. What an honor and privilege and responsibility we have–to affect the course of things and people in the earth, with our words! 

I’m so glad the LORD taught me to “personalize” the Scriptures, for most of the verses in the Bible can be applied to one’s own life, and the lives of those we cover.

Praying for any spiritual leader in the earth is good, but praying for one’s own pastor(s) is even more targeted. 

First, start off by thanking the LORD for your pastors. They are gifts to the church body!  (I have personalized these and the following in this writing.) I Thessalonians 5:12-13 is a good place to start: 

1. Thank You, Father, as You say in I Thessaloniana 5:12 and 13, 12 we know and thank You for our pastors, who labor among us [We recognize them for what they are, acknowledge and appreciate and respect them all]—our leaders who are over us in the Lord and those who warn and kindly reprove and  exhort us. 13 And we hold them in very high and most affectionate esteem in [intelligent and sympathetic] appreciation of their work. We are at peace among ourselves.
2. To personalize the Scriptures, you can put your pastors’ names there, and put it in the present tense. For instance, you can take Colossians 4:12 and do that: [I am] always striving for Pastor (name(s)) earnestly in my prayers, [pleading] that he/they may [as persons of ripe character and clear conviction] stand firm and mature [in spiritual growth], convinced and  fully assured in everything willed by God.
3. Thank You, Father, as You say in Ephesians 1:15-19 (MSG), we praise You that we 15-19  hear of the solid trust our pastors have in the Master Jesus and their outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, so we can’t  stop thanking You for them—every time we pray, we think of them and give thanks. But we do more than that. We ask—ask You, God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make them intelligent and discerning in knowing You personally, their eyes focused and clear, so that they can see exactly what it is You are calling them to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life You have for Your followers, and oh, the utter extravagance of Your work in those who trust You—endless energy, boundless strength!

So we thank You that You are giving them endless energy and boundless strength in doing Your will! 

1. Thank You, Father, as Ephesians 1:17 (AMPC) states, [For we always pray to] You, God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that You may grant our pastors a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of You,
2. Father, all of Psalm 119 is excellent, for every one of us Your people. For our pastors, we pray Psalm 119, especially these: verse 1: ¹ Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are our pastor(s) the undefiled (the upright, truly sincere, and blameless) in the way [of the revealed will of God], who walk (order their conduct and conversation) in the law of the Lord (the whole of God’s revealed will); verse 18, that You would ¹⁸ Open his/their eyes, that he/they may behold wondrous things out of Your law; verse 38: ³⁸ that You would establish Your word and confirm Your promise to them Your servant(s), which is for those who reverently fear and devotedly worship You. Thank You, Father, that, also as verse 47 says,he/they delight himself/themselves in Your commandments, which he/they love.
3. As Romans 15:29 (KJV) says, Let him/them be sure that, when he/they come(s) to us, he/they come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
4. As Ephesians 3:18 says, That he/they may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of Your love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];

We ask all of these things for our pastor(s), in the glorious, victorious, all-powerful Name of Jesus Christ, the King!

Hallelujah! What an honor and privilege to come before the God of Heaven and earth and have a personal audience with Him; to be heard and answered by Him! He is such a personal, amazing, darling Father God!

The best way, in my opinion, to pray Scriptures for your pastor(s) is to pray them for yourself and your spouse and family at the same time! The Word of God is for everyone, praise Him!

After all, we are–as true Believers in what the LORD Jesus Christ did for us on the cross by shedding His blood to pay for our sins and give us eternal life, Hallelujah!–all in the same Royal Family of God! 

Even if you only use the pastor(s)’ name(s) when you declare these Scriptures, you will still be sowing the living, eternal, unchanging, all-powerful Word of God into your own heart and mind, and expanding and strengthening your arsenal–and your knowledge and delight in the LORD!

There are so many more I could list, but let it be a treasure hunt for you to ask the LORD to lead you to more to pray for your pastor(s), others, and yourself!

If you don’t have a current pastor, pray for pastors and other spiritual leaders around the world. They need it!

Also ask the LORD where your Bible-believing church is, for you need to be part of a body, tthat can cover and help encourage and strengthen you, and help you otherwise in time of need. King Jesus is coming soon! Hallelujah!

Meanwhile, the world is not getting any better, and you need a covering!

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.—Hebrews 10:25, KJV

Go for it, and spread the Word! Help others do the same, for it’s a win-win!

by Tonja Taylor

Tonja K. Taylor lives to exalt God, and she and her husband are licensed ministers with Harvest Int'l. Ministries. Get her book VISIONS OF THE KING: JESUS REVEALED (Amazon), and visit her "RiverRainCreative" channel (with 300+ videos). Also, Book IV of the P.O.W.E.R.* GIRL, series is in the works!

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com

How the Old Testament Deepens Faith

A beloved hymn has given us words to cling to in the hardest seasons of life:

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

These words are perennially sung, and with such resonance, because in dry and weary lands like ours, hope can often be hard to come by. Have you consistently felt bright hope for tomorrow over the last year?

The pandemic seemed to knock hope out of many, not because there wasn’t an expectation that a vaccine would come and the virus would pass, but because of the way Christians acted toward one another, even within the same local body. Deepening tensions seem to have dashed our hopes of multiethnic gospel communities against the rocks of debates over race and justice. Political idolatry with the smell of both a donkey and an elephant seemed to have overpowered the fragrance of hope that should characterize Christ’s people. Poisonous bogs from the jungles of social media appeared to have suffocated the refreshing air of hope we once shared. We could go on and on — impossible marriages, wayward children, lingering sickness, chronic pain, unexpected loss, disappointments and failures, pain and suffering, and so many more shadows in our stories. Can hope be found here?

As Job said of wisdom, so we might say of hope: “God understands the way to it, and he knows its place” (Job 28:23) — because he is its place. He is the God of hope (Romans 15:13), and as Paul tells us, his word is the wellspring of our encouragement. And the particular word Paul had in mind, at least here, was the Old Testament.

Surprising Source of Hope

The book of Romans drips with hope. We are told to rejoice in hope (Romans 12:12). More specifically, we are to rejoice and boast in the hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2). Enduring suffering well, we are told, builds godly character, and that character produces hope (Romans 5:3–5). We are saved in the hope of being adopted as sons, and receiving redeemed bodies like our risen and ascended Lord (Romans 8:24). Even creation itself was subjected to futility in hope (Romans 8:20).

“The entire Old Testament shows and instructs us that God will do what he says he will do.”

God, through the apostle Paul, treats the reader to a flurry of hope as the letter nears the end in Romans 15. In the context of difficult relationships, where hope can be especially hard to find, he instructs those who are strong in the faith to humble themselves and love the weak, imitating Christ, who sought the good of his neighbor and did not seek to please himself.

The apostle grounds this love by going back to the Old Testament, saying, “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). He says this of the Old Testament. When trials have risen and hope has dwindled, how often have you turned to Genesis or Leviticus, Psalms or Proverbs, Isaiah or Ezekiel?

Notice how Paul, in Romans 15, draws on various parts of the Old Testament to encourage hope. There is no place in the Old Testament where hope cannot be found. Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32 (Romans 15:10) and 2 Samuel 22 (Romans 15:9) and Psalms 18 and 117 (Romans 15:9, 11) and Isaiah 11 (Romans 15:12). The entire Old Testament, from creation to curse to promise, through the founding and fall of Israel, to the rebuilding of the temple — all of it shows and instructs us that God will do what he says he will do. All of it sings over us, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19).

Story after story, prophecy after prophecy, promise after promise, deliverance after deliverance, psalm after psalm, prayer after prayer attests to the God whose faithfulness will never fail. It is only fitting that Paul would end the first half of Romans 15 with these hope-filled words:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13)

Hope from Yesterday for Tomorrow

Last fall, I walked college freshmen through the Old Testament at Bethlehem College & Seminary. While all of them had read portions of the Old Testament before, there were some who had never read it straight through from Genesis to Malachi. By the end of the class, the students were asked to summarize the message of each of the 39 books.

Halfway through the semester, some of the students, almost in exasperation, observed that their summaries were starting to sound the same. “How so?” I asked. “Well,” they replied, “the Lord keeps showing himself faithful in the midst of Israel’s faithlessness book after book!” A wonderful moment for any teacher. They were discovering what Paul had tasted — that what was written in former days was written so that we might remember the relentless faithfulness of God. In other words, so that we might have hope.

“The Old Testament points us to the Lord’s faithful yesterdays in order to brighten our hope for tomorrow.”

The faithfulness of God to do what he said he would do, and be who he said he would be, is the great source of deep and durable hope. “I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised,” Romans 15:8–9 says, “to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.”

The encouragement of the Old Testament points us backward to the Lord’s faithful yesterdays in order to brighten our hope for whatever tomorrow might bring. To neglect the Old Testament is to forsake a well of refreshing and life-giving water while we walk in dry and weary lands. Book after book sings, “Great is thy faithfulness!”

There is no need to look for hope where it will not be found, especially in the days we need it most. Hope is in a Person. The Old Testament tells us so.

Lewis Guest IV (@satisphid) is an associate pastor at Jubilee Community Church. He is a graduate and instructor of Bible and theology at Bethlehem College & Seminary. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have two children. Original article.