Thursday, December 31, 2020
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Sunday, December 27, 2020
Friday, December 25, 2020
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Another subtle attach on our Religious Freedom
This morning as I was reading my daily emails, this email from the Christian Headlines, written by John Paluska, and the article's title was "School District to Pay $187,000 to the Atheist Group over Praying, Singing Hymns during Graduation Ceremony." The American Humanist Association brought the lawsuit against the Greenville School District to allow prayer and singing of hymns during the graduation ceremony.
These questions came to
mind, is this another attack on our religious freedom? What happened to our
First Amendment rights that give us the freedom of expression and worship? Who
is this group, and what right do they have to say when, where, and how we
worship God? There is a God regardless of what this or any other group
believes, and all who believe in Him have a right to worship Him whenever,
wherever, and however we please.
The church must step
forward and tell this group, any other atheists, and the courts that freedom of
worship will stand, and all non-believers have no right to say otherwise. The
church must not make the same mistake it did when it sat quietly and allowed
one atheist to take prayer out of our schools. When God and prayer left in
walked the Devil.
In all fairness to the
judge who presided over the case left some central parts of our freedom of
speech in his ruling. However, in my humble opinion, this group won by the mere
fact that there is a monetary settlement in the case and with this part of the
judge's ruling on the case; "The district also shall not include an
obviously religious piece of music as part of the official program for a
graduation ceremony," wrote District Court Judge Bruce Hendricks.
"The district and/or school officials shall not encourage, promote,
advance, endorse, or participate in causing prayers during any graduation
ceremony."
I am not asking anyone
to agree with me; I express my opinion and observe as I remember how prayer was
taken out of the schools. Since then, we have had nothing but troubles in our
schools and society overall. There have been mass shootings in our schools and
communities, families against one another, and evilness of all kinds. There was
a time when the church, school, and home were on the same teaching Christ in
one format. There was devotion in my school every morning, and it didn't
infringe upon my First Amendment right to participate or not to participate.
When are we going to
put Christ back at the forefront of our lives?
Sunday, December 20, 2020
Friday, December 18, 2020
My love for Jesus: 1 John 4:19; Ephesians 2:8
We love him, because he first loved us. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Today’s message is written in the first-person encouraging
readers to make this personal between them and God.
If the question was
raised, why do I love Jesus? The answer is because He first loved me when I
didn’t love Him. Accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I am saved and
have received salvation, which is the gift of God the Father. The gift of
salvation makes me an adopted child of God, a member of His holy family nation
who sees and does things according to His laws and statues (1 Peter 2:9).
I love Jesus because He
left His home in heaven disrobed of His glory became humanity for the sole
purpose of atoning my sins, which is paying a sin-debt that He did not owe.
Jesus paying my sin-debt is reason enough for me to sing praises to His holy
name with shouts of joy to a Savior who loved me enough that He sacrificed His
life to save mine.
Lastly, Jesus is my high
priest making continuous intercessions for me. Yes, I love Jesus because He
first loved me.
Comments are welcome.
Author’s contacts:
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©All Rights Reserved December 18, 2020
Rev. Dr. Willie B. White
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Remembering Christmas
This being the Christmas season, I began to reflect on my childhood Christmas; what came to mind was my mother would start her baking at least one week before Christmas. There would be cakes of all kinds; chocolate, pineapple, jelly, and Carmel cakes. The pies were sweet potato, lemon meringue, and sometimes coconut pie.
Mother
always had to make two extra sweet potato pies for daddy to eat before
Christmas, and he would tell me, "come eat some pie with me." I would
tell him, I will eat the crust, and you can eat the pie. He once told me,
"you must not be my child." My response was, "I don't know about
that, but I don't want the pie."
I
remember very vividly daddy going into the woods to get the tree because we
lived on the farm in the country. Sometimes he would take me with him, and at
other times he didn't, but he would always come back with a beautiful tree for
Christmas. Sometimes he would help my mother decorate the tree. When the
decorating was complete, it would be the most beautiful tree there was, to me.
I would get great joy out of just watching the light flickering and the
different colored blubs adding to the tree's beauty. The garland gave the tree
an extra added glow with an angel atop the tree.
I
remember daddy bringing in the fruits, some of which made stocking stuffers
that consisted of oranges, apples, tangerines, nuts (walnuts, pecans, brazil
nuts) peppermint candy. The stockings would sometimes be underneath the tree
and at other times hanging across the fireplace.
I
remember writing a letter to Santa Claus and my mother telling me to put the
letter in daddy's pocket so when he went to downtown Montgomery, he would mail
it to Santa. Not knowing at that time, daddy played the part of Santa. For the
most part, whatever was on my list, I received at Christmas.
On
Christmas Eve, I can remember my mother telling me, "you better go to bed
early because Santa Claus would be here soon."
Most
of the traditions that I was raised with have been passed on to my children,
except maybe the different homemade cakes and the other pies. Still, the one
tradition that is carried on today is having a fruitcake for Christmas, the
beautifully decorated Christmas tree, the large Christmas dinner of turkey and
dressing, ham, greens, or some other green vegetables starchy sides.
Christmas
was and still is a joyous time of the year; Christmas carols being sung,
decorations all aglow, and gifts being exchanged.
There
is joy in celebrating Christmas; we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ.
Comments are welcome.
Author’s contacts:
https://willie-writing.blotspot.com
http://theshepherdministries.org
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUya5OrWPvzru4dpaTF80KQ
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Monday, December 14, 2020
Friday, December 11, 2020
Thursday, December 10, 2020
The Birth of Christ: Luke 2:7
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
During this Christmas
season, where shopping is taking place, decorations are all aglow; these
questions came to mind, what does Christmas mean to you, or what is your
understanding of Christ?
We are celebrating the
birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who was prophesied years before His
birth fulfilled the promise that God the Father made with His people. We are
celebrating Christmas in honor of Christ's birth because there would be no Christmas
to celebrate without Christ's birth. We celebrate Christ as a way of saying
thank You, God, the Father, for giving Your only begotten Son to redeem
humanity (me) from my sins and to provide me with a new life, one of
righteousness; I am no longer a slave to sin and Satan and his unrighteous
living (John 3:16).
In our gift-giving, we
emulate the gifts that the wise men brought to Jesus in their worship of Him.
Each of these gifts has a significant meaning, and they are: gold represents
His kingship, Frankincense was a valuable perfume and is a symbol of Jesus'
priestly role (His deity). He is God in the second person. Myrrh is a precious
ointment that was often used in the burial process (an embalming oil). Myrrh
was a prefiguration of Jesus' death. It is noteworthy to say that Jesus came to
earth in human form for the sole purpose of going to the cross, atoning the
sins of the world. The gifts brought were a form of honor for Jesus because He
is God's Son and was brought as a spiritual symbolism about Jesus Himself.
Let us ponder these
questions knowing that without Christ, there is no Christmas; what will you
give Jesus this Christmas; how will you honor Him? Let us take time out of our
busy schedules to tell God, thank You for sending Your Son to die for my sins,
and Thank You, Jesus, for Your willingness to die for my sins so that I can
live in eternity with us You. Let us take time to honor Jesus with our sincere
worship of Him, for He is worthy.
Without Christ's
birth, there would be no Christmas.
Comments are welcomed.
White3285@sbcglobal.net
http://theshepherdministries.org
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
https://willie-writing.blogspot.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUya5OrWPvzru4dpaTF80KQ
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Saturday, December 5, 2020
Friday, December 4, 2020
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Jesus is His Name: Isaiah 9:6
For to us, a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Approaching
the Christmas season, where we celebrate the birth of Christ, I felt led by the
Holy Spirit to provide some uplifting insights on our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ.
From our scripture text, several names are associated
with Jesus Christ; whether He is referred to as the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, our Prince of Peace, they all mean Jesus Christ our
Lord and Savior.
In the name of Jesus, men are saved; in the name of
Jesus, we have peace that the world cannot give; neither can it understand. In
the name of Jesus, we have a Wonderful Counselor who will fight our battles and
plead our legal cases before God the Father. He is the mighty God who came to
earth in human form to set men free from their sin. Jesus is His name.
Comments
are welcome.
White3285@sbcglobal.net
http://theshepherdministries.org
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
https://willie-writing.blogspot.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUya5OrWPvzru4dpaTF80KQ
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Monday, November 30, 2020
Sunday, November 29, 2020
Saturday, November 28, 2020
A Reflective look at the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
In the joyful celebration of Christmas, there is a certain note of sadness that echoes
throughout the ages: Jesus was born to die. His birth brings hope and promise. Yet, it is his death that makes possible our salvation.
Most all of the great Renaissance paintings of Madonna and child reflect the reality of Jesus’ life. The loving eyes of Mary look down at the newborn child with happiness and sorrow. She is full of delight and wonder. But her tears of bliss are mingled with mourning, for she knows what he must do. She realizes what his birth means. He must also suffer death.
In the background of the manger scene is the cross, already waiting. All too soon it will hold the body of this tiny, innocent child. All too soon his life on earth will end. He will take the sins of the world with him to death and rise victorious.
We have much to be thankful for this Christmas as we remember our Savior’s birth 2,000 years ago. Not only did He come down to earth, but He also allowed Himself to be tortured and crucified – all for our sake. He now looks down on us from His heavenly throne, with his heart full of compassion, and says, “I did all this because I love you.”
There was nothing loud or flashy about His birth. Jesus was born in a lonely, dark stable among animals and nearby shepherds. The world barely knew about this event that would change all time and life. There were no colored lights, no Christmas carols, no Santa, no snow, and no presents, except the most important gift of all.
What God did that night was beyond comprehension. Through His Son, He came to earth to reveal what could not be seen by the naked eye, what could not be understood through the rational mind. He showed the world a hope that could be experienced only through the heart by the power of His love and grace.
Behind the tinsel and trees is a light that shines brighter than all of the others. Sadly, many will not see it because they are caught up in all of the decorations and displays. They will not truly realize what they are doing when they give presents to loved ones. Their simple act of love is re-presenting the greatest act of love the world has ever known.
The words of John 3:16 take on new meaning when put into the context of Christmas morning: "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son." Because of His overwhelming compassion for each one of us, God sacrificed His Son both in life and death. Today, we can celebrate with hope in our hearts and joy in our souls for Jesus' birth gave us new life now and forever.
Thursday, November 26, 2020
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Shepherd Ministries' Thanksgiving Worship Service
Topic: Shepherd Ministries Thanksgiving Worship Services
Message: The Joy of Thanksgiving.
Scripture Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Background Scripture: Psalm 100.
Time: Nov 26, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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Sunday, November 22, 2020
Friday, November 20, 2020
The Good Shepherd: Psalm 23:1-6; John 10:11
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
As a word of encouragement, allow me to
remind everyone that the Lord God is the good shepherd who
provides His
sheep-humanity. The Lord God, as the good shepherd, provides for our every
need. There is no part of our lives that the Lord is not active in; for
example, he is comforting when we need comforting. When we need a prayer
answered, He answers our prayers. When we need healing, He heals. He is water
in dry places. He is our bridge over troubled waters. In times of trouble, He
is our deliverer.
The Lord God is the good shepherd as He is
unchangeable, just as He was with the Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace and
Daniel in the Lion’s den, He is with us today during this pandemic, and He is
the One who will safely deliver us from this crisis.
Believe in God for His deliverance, His
protection; trust Him and never doubt His words when He says I am the good the shepherd who cares for His sheep, who gives His life for His sheep (John
10:11partial paraphrase).
Comments are welcome.
White3285@sbcglobal.net
http://theshepherdministries.org
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
https://willie-writing.blogspot.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUya5OrWPvzru4dpaTF80KQ
Make your tax-deductible
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Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Monday, November 16, 2020
Sunday, November 15, 2020
Friday, November 13, 2020
Thanksgiving: 1 Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
We are approaching
Thanksgiving set aside to give thanks unto the Lord for all of His blessings.
Our scripture text
encourages us to give thanks for everything; this includes the trials and
afflictions we may have encountered this year, and yes, there have been many,
but through it all, we have made it through. Thank God for His love,
grace, and mercy.
We are still suffering
from this pandemic-Covid19, and there appears to be no end in sight. Even
despite the lingering effects of the Covid19, we are always blessed because God
has blessed us with another day, and it is an opportunity to praise His holy
name. It is another opportunity to tell the Lord, I thank You because You
didn’t have to wake me this morning, but You did, and I thank You.
When we look back over
our lives, reflecting on our troubles, we will find that our blessings outweigh
our problems. That is praiseworthy; then we can say like the Psalmist in Psalm
150 God by saying:
Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his
sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise
him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the sound
of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with the
timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud
cymbals: praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that hath
breath praise the Lord. Praise
ye the Lord.
Comments are
welcome.
White3285@sbcglobal.net
http://theshepherdministries.org
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
https://willie-writing.blogspot.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUya5OrWPvzru4dpaTF80KQ
Make tax deduction
donations here:
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Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
The Brightness of God’s Glory: Isaiah 60:1-3
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
This message can be labeled as one of
prophecy looking forward to the coming of Christ that would usher in the dawn
of a new day and will appear as the bright light of God’s glory. Another
interpretation is that Christ would bring the presence of God’s glory and will
be among His people.
Who are God’s people? God’s people are all
believers who believed in God during Isaiah’s day and before Isaiah’ prophecy
was looking for the coming Messiah. Believers during and after Christ’s earthly
ministry are looking back on the cross and a future glory when we all are
gathered together in the New Jerusalem with Christ.
The brightness of God’s glory is drawing
unbelievers to Him and there will come a day when all nations, kings, and
princes will confess that yes, Jesus is Lord, and every knee will bow before
Him.
This prophecy is being fulfilled, and as
more of us believers shine bright the light of Christ and continue seasoning
the earth with the word of God, His presence will be felt with even greater
intensity.
The brightness of God’s glory will and is
dispelling the darkness of sin.
We
welcome your comments.
Author’s contacts:
https://willie-writing.blotspot.com
http://theshepherdministries.org
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUya5OrWPvzru4dpaTF80KQ
Sunday, November 8, 2020
Saturday, November 7, 2020
Shared messages from my friend.
Let God Lead You: Psalm 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Today's message is encouraging everyone to let God lead you because He knows the way and is the perfect leader. Without God's direction, we will be lost in this vast sea known as the world. God's Word: The Bible is our roadmap, the indwelling Holy Spirit as our heavenly compass as we travel heaven's highway.
God left His holy Word shows the love, care, and compassion He has for His children. He loves us too much to leave us wandering in the wilderness.
In the words of this song, "Let Jesus lead you all the way from earth to heaven. He is a mighty good leader. Let Jesus lead you.
Never Alone: 2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth, thou shalt have wars.
With the world in chaos and it appears as though everything and everyone is against you; remember you are never alone. Reflect on today's scripture and know that God sees, hears, and knows everything. God is true to His promise of never to leave nor forsake His own. God has proven Himself to be trustworthy because He is a God who never fails. He is there beside you when all is gone. Keep your eyes and heart focused on God who is a friend to the friendless, mother to the motherless, and a comforter to the comfortless.
God is all we need.
Thursday, November 5, 2020
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Prayer and Faith
Regardless of the final outcome, we know that God is in control because He is our shepherd (Psalm 23) and will see us through. My prayer is that Joe Biden wins and take some Democrats with him. We need to return to being a God-fearing country, one of civility and love for one another.
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Effective, Fervent Prayers of the Righteous: James 5:16b
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Monday was the Baptist Women's World Day of Prayer, where the
Metropolitan Baptist District Women's Auxiliary is part of the organization. It
was a beautiful event with women coming together praying for our sisters in
Christ around the world.
This is an event that I enjoy attending because there is power in
prayer, the need for prayer, and Christian women being unified in making
supplication for others the world over.
Just a few days before our event, by Christian brother from China
informed of their world Day of Pray and asked me if I would pray for the
countries in Asia, and wouldn't you know the prayer countries I was assigned to
pray for was Asia Baptist Women's Union, which included some of the countries
in his prayer request.
The commonalities from listening to different countries and their
prayer requests were that there is a need for prayer because sin and evildoers
are everywhere. The message to Satan is this: we are going to tear your kingdom
down. A line in this song is Satan, "we are going to pray your kingdom
down." Satan, you may be riding high now, but get ready; your fall is
near.
Our most effective weapon against evil is our fervent prayer to Almighty
God and, who is a God of justice and in His time, punishes all injustice.
Therefore, pray on, keep the faith, because God is on our side. He is
the warrior who is fighting our battles.
Comments are
welcome.
White3285@sbcglobal.net
http://theshepherdministries.org
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
https://willie-writing.blogspot.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUya5OrWPvzru4dpaTF80KQ
Sunday, November 1, 2020
Saturday, October 31, 2020
Pray For Peace: Psalm 27:1-14
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the
secret of His tabernacle shall He hide
My message from earlier this week asks us to Fear God; today, I am
asking us to pray Psalm 27 in its entirety because of the ugliness on display
daily. The spectacle that we see, especially the majority of Americans, is not
who we are. We are a nation of love, care, and compassion.
So, join me and pray for peace as many will be casting their votes in
person at the polls Tuesday. Let us also pray for our candidates' safety as
they travel around this country and various states making their pitch known to
represent us. It is pure evil to call for the assassination of some of our
leaders.
Join me in praying to ask God to stay the evildoers' hand and change
their wicked hearts. Prayer is our most effective weapon against Satan and his
minions.
Comments
are welcome.
White3285@sbcglobal.net
http://theshepherdministries.org
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
https://willie-writing.blogspot.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUya5OrWPvzru4dpaTF80KQ
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Fear God: Psalm 27:1-2
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat
Today, our society is filled with hate and fear-mongering;
therefore, I came to tell you only to fear God. Why fear only God is because He
has the power to destroy body and soul.
We fear God with reverence because He is sovereign, He is
Alpha and Omega; He is worthy of all praises, glory, and honor, and He is in
total control of all situations. He is the creator and sustainer of all
creations.
Therefore, whatever situation we are going through gives it
to the Lord in prayer and leaves it there. Hate and fear-mongering are no
exception. God, in His own time, will bring all evil to naught.
Isaiah 41:10 asks us to fear not because God is upholding us
with the righteousness of His right hand, but because Jesus tells us not to
worry because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). He did so on the cross at
Calvary.
Fear only God in reverence.
Comments
are welcome.
White3285@sbcglobal.net
http://theshepherdministries.org
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
https://willie-writing.blogspot.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUya5OrWPvzru4dpaTF80KQ
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Sunday, October 25, 2020
Thursday, October 22, 2020
Praise the Lord: Psalm 9:1
I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous work.
In our trials and tribulations, let me encourage all to praise the Lord
for all of His blessings because regardless of what we may be going through, we
are still blessed.
We are blessed to be alive with our limbs' activities, clothed in our
right minds, and He is meeting all of our basic needs. This is praiseworthy
within itself. Therefore, let us rejoice and be glad in another day of the
Lord's love, grace, and mercy.
Psalm 150 encourages all to praise the Lord; even if nature praises the
Lord, then why not you and I.
Consider this thought on praising the Lord; He loved us so much until He
made us in His image and likeness. Of all of God's creations, humanity is the
only one of His creations that God put part of Himself into us. Let us all come
together and praise God for loving us the way that He did and continues to do
so as He covers us with His all-encompassing love, grace, and mercy.
Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye
the Lord (Psalm 150:6).
Comments are welcomed.
Author’s contacts:
https://willie-writing.blotspot.com
http://theshepherdministries.org
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUya5OrWPvzru4dpaTF80KQ
©All Rights Reserved October 22, 2020
Dr. Willie White
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