FROM THE BIBLE by Jerry Kingery

The Missing Cup

And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.  And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.  And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.
And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:  Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold?
With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.
And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.
And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.

from Genesis 44

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Gospel music’s legendary storyteller Dorothy Norwood has notched the highest album debut of her six-decade career with her 52nd project “An Incredible Journey” (DNMG/Echo Park JDI) that comes in at #2 on Billboard Magazine’s Gospel Albums chart this week and #57 on the Top 200 – her first ever placement on that listing. The soul-stirring project tops Norwood’s previous best-seller “Live featuring California G.M.W.A. Mass Choir” that peaked at #3 on the Gospel Albums chart in January 1992 on the heels of Norwood’s radio smashes “Victory is Mine” and “Somebody Prayed for Me.” Norwood is currently on an intense, cross-country radio promotion and concert tour to promote the new CD.
The new 11-track set is fueled by the chorale-styled radio smash “Oh Jesus” that is zooming up gospel playlists everywhere and the initial Top 30 radio single “When the Church begins to Pray” that features Melvin Williams of The Williams Brothers. There are guest appearances from a who’s who in gospel such as Vashawn Mitchell (“Great Jehovah God”), Dorinda Clark Cole (“It Could Have Been Me”), Lejuene Thompson (“Blessing in the Room”) and Roxanne Broadnax (“Who Touched Me?”). The rousing collection was produced and recorded live by Grammy Award winner Cedric Thompson and Dorothy Norwood at Reid Temple A.M.E. Church in Glendale, Md.
Ms. Norwood has been singing professionally since 1956 when she kicked her career off backing up gospel great Mahalia Jackson in Chicago. She went on to join The Caravans, which was one of the Top gospel groups of the 1950s. She launched her solo career in 1964 with the gold-selling LP “Johnny and Jesus.” In the early 1970s, Norwood toured with The Rolling Stones and also crossed over to the R&B charts with her hit songs “There’s Got to Be Rain in Your Life (To Appreciate the Sunshine)” and “Let Your Feet Down Easy.” She recorded for Savoy Records through the 1980s but made a huge comeback in the 1990s when she joined Malaco Records and has since churned out a string of radio hits such as “Shake the Devil Off” and “Praise in the Temple.”

The Soul Train Award nominated urban inspirational music ensemble J.J. Hairston  & Youthful Praise is prepped for the world to hear its most ambitious CD To date. The 17-track collection I See Victory (Light Records) was recorded at The First Cathedral in Bloomfield, Conn. and boasts performances by gospel greats such as Donnie McClurkin, Karen Clark Sheard, Vashawn Mitchell, Jason Nelson and Deon Kipping among others. The album released to online portals and retail stores everywhere on October 28. The iTunes deluxe version of the project includes a bonus song and is now available for pre-order with three instant gratis tracks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-see-victory-deluxe-version/id919206665?ls=1 .
“This is the first record where I had a theme before I had a song,” Hairston explains. “Usually I start writing songs and I find out what the common theme is but this time I came up with the theme of  I See Victory long before I wrote any songs. Years ago, I heard a message Bishop Joby Brady (Potter’s House North of Dallas, TX) preached and it was just saying you have to see what you want before you can go after it. I see myself with the victory over everything so I’m going after it and I believe I can have it because I can see it and all of the songs revolve around that theme. That made the writing easier and the songs have a little more depth because they come around a theme.”
Leading the spirited choir is also easier than it ever has been for Hairston. “I never set out to be a leader,” says the man who took over Youthful Praise circa 2003 when its founder Shawn Maurice Brown retired from the group to become a pastor. “I joined just to sing tenor. Looking back, Youthful Praise taught me to be a leader. I didn’t form the group. It was already there when I got there but they made me a leader and that’s why I appreciate the group as a whole. People always ask me if I’m going to go out on my own and do my own thing. I think Youthful Praise is a part of what I do so I’d never make a J.J. Hairston record. It will always be J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise.”
The dynamic CD highlights the motivating track “It Pushed Me” that recently rose to #13 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart and “Bless Me” (boasting a cameo by Donnie McClurkin) is #27 on this week’s Gospel Airplay chart. For over a dozen years, Youthful Praise has been one of the most popular contemporary gospel choirs in the USA. Their hit songs “After This,” “Lord of All,” “Resting on His Promise” and “Incredible God, Incredible Praise” have served as the soundtrack to the lives of scores of Millennial-age churchgoers. The group has appeared on national TV programs such as “Good Morning America,” BET’s “Celebration of Gospel,” “Conan O’Brien,” BET’s “Lift Every Voice,” “Lady Gaga & The Muppets Holliday Spectacular” and BET’s “Sunday Best.”

Sailing in Rough Seas
Rev. J.R. Reid

A pastor noticed that one of the church’s elderly women hadn’t been to church for a week. This woman was real faithful, and wouldn’t miss a service for anything, so he got concerned. He visited her house one evening, and knocked on the door. He heard the pitter patter of feet in the house, but no one answered. He left his business card on the door, but had written on the back of it “Rev. 3:20” which read, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” The following Sunday he was pleased to see this woman back in church. He told her that he had been concerned because no one answered the door the other night when he was there. She didn’t say a word, but handed him back his card. He noticed that “Rev. 3:20” was crossed out. But she had left a message for him on the back. It read “Genesis 3:10,” “He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I did not have any clothes on; so I hid.”
I understand this pastor’s concern. It has been often said if women left the church, the doors would close. But the role of women in God’s plan is much bigger than church attendances. To think of women on the same level as men in the old days meant sailing in rough seas. Throughout the early history of the church women were given lesser roles. Starting with Simon Peter, the rock of the Christian church, women were not considered worthy of full discipleship. Throughout history, men dominated the Christian church. Not just the Christian church, but almost all religions. Even in the Presbyterian Church, women had trouble getting ordained and being called to pastor. In many denominations or religions, women were not even considered capable of being messengers of God.
Well, here are two things I want you to think about in considering the role of women in the life of the church today.
One, to enter the Kingdom of Heaven we must transcend male and female consideration. What do I mean? Like almost everything else in history, women have had to fight their way out of secondary roles. Woman fought for and obtained the right to vote, followed by the liberation movement that freed them from the kitchen and home and put them in the workforce, clawing their way up the social, economic and business ladder. Women now do legally everything a man does, although they are still waiting for equal pay. They fight in combat and crawl on their bellies in the mud and die in foxholes, at sea and in the air, just like men. But, spiritual equality is not about fairness in pay, home, work and play! Spiritual impartiality is about the elimination of the distinction between male and female and seeing each of us as children of God. God knows where we came from and where we are going.  We should consider this when fights break out about male or female leadership and discipleship in the church.
Second, transcendence of male and female designations, allows us to come genderless before God. Spirit knows no gender! But on a practical level, women should identify more of the male in them as a way of following the head and men should identify more of the female in them as a way of following the heart. In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus responded to Simon Peter who said, “Let Mary (the mother of Jesus) go out from among us, because women are not worthy of the life.” We can argue whether Peter said this or not but it is clear over many centuries of Christian church history, that this is what happened. Women were given subordinate roles, first in the Catholic Church, the largest Christian church in the world and later the Protestant Church. But the point is still the same, God is no respecter of persons. In the eyes of God, color or gender does not matter, love is the key that unlocks all doors leading to God and eternal life. This is an understanding that will take us all over the rough seas of life now and in the world to come.

CITIZENSHIP
How does one acquire citizenship? In order to become a citizen of our country, which is the United States of America, one has to meet all requirements, and whether those requirements across the board, I am not sure. One thing for certain, in order to meet the requirement to be a citizen of God’s Kingdom, one way applies the same for all, and there is no deviation.  What a great consolation to know you are assured to enter in, if you accept the condition, which is accepting Jesus – God’s only Beloved Son, who gave His life for you to become acceptable into His Father’s Kingdom. Has God confirmed your citizenship?
You may be thinking why should I become a citizen of the Kingdom of God, what do I have to do, and what is required of me, if I do accept? Well, if you are thinking that way, and no doubt your enemy is filling your mind with all kind of discouraging thoughts – I believe he is. I would like to assure you that all you have to do is ask Jesus to come into your life, and forgive all your sins, which are wrong-doings. If you are sincere, He will come into your life, when you ask Him to and fill your heart with His Holy Spirit, and you will know He has come to live in you, and He is with you and in you, because His Word says so in John 14:16-18.
There is no greater life to live on this earth than to become a citizen of the Kingdom of God, and live according to His Kingdom’s rules, and you will find them throughout the Holy Scriptures: Kingdom – citizen – people – key. Scriptures are all about loving one another, for God is love, I John 4:8.
IF YOU LOVE, YOU WILL NOT HARM YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

www.thealmightyeyes

Well, we are in that day spoken of in Matthew 24:6, Mark 13:7-8, and Revelation 6:1-4. I thought that, perhaps, since everywhere we turn, there is a battle going on, maybe, just maybe the Saints, the Christians, the people of God, the Body of Christ, the Church, or Somebody  should come to the front line and declare some things? Someone asked, “Aren’t all of these groups the same? My answer is, “Technically, they are, but there is even war among us. There are some who will not identify as either.” Understand, there is an axe at the root of what separates us. Doctrine is one of these; our belief systems and our theology…as is seen in Mark 13:10…And this gospel must first be published among all nations!
I heard a dear colleague say that America has heard the Gospel but we have not wholly seen the Gospel demonstrated. We should all be declaring the same truths; instead, we declare our opinions and own beliefs. As  a people who are called by His name, we all should declare the same thing, but we have created a modern scripture, which states, “We agree to disagree.” I do not know where that chapter is or how it fits or is validated by pre-existing Word, the doctrine of Jesus Christ. This plan has weakened the gatherings of God. Many say that we should contend for the weightier matters; I didn’t know that the Word of God housed unnecessary “words”, seeing that every word will be accounted for, even as we have heard.
Satan came quickly at the formative years of the church to bring division: Jude 3…Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the ‘common’ salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and to exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Most gatherings (churches) are far removed from the faith that was once delivered. Even in most of our culture today, one hundred forty-nine years later, we are yet being delivered from the incarceration of the pulpit. Hurting people, hurt people. Children live what they have learned and they have learned what they live. Enslaved people who are unreformed will enslave people. Humans have this thing about dictatorship, even in the “gathering”! The Church was never designed to become a type of hell for God’s people. But it did! The thrones of kings and queens are quite obvious; two small chairs and one large chair in the center, metaphorically speaking.
Let’s talk about it: Conference call…1-857-232-0300 # 906- 2206, every Thursday 7 p. m.
Until next week. Scatter hate, share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.