If we only try to find God in religion we are missing out on so much. God transcends religion. As Professor Nuako would say, “Leave your Jesus at the door.” So needless to say four weeks ago I left Jesus at the door and he has been standing there ever since.

N.

• Fannie Lou Hamer, sharecropper turned voting rights activist who loved Jesus. Fannie Lou Hammer had endured the burdens of white racism for forty-four years as a sharecropper living in the Delta of Mississippi. After listening to an inspirational speech on civil rights delivered by James Bevel, Hamer answered the “call of Jesus” which demanded sacrifice but promised freedom and empowerment. This spiritual awakening would ultimately thrust Hamer into the national spotlight at the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City.

• Sam Bowers, Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, anti-civil rights. During the mid-1960’s, Bowers was suspected of engineering at least nine murders, seventy-five bombings of black churches, and over three hundred assaults. Yet, like with Hamer, faith in God played a major role in Bower’s life. Bower’s believed that he had been called by God to eliminate the “heretics” or civil rights activists. An educated Klansman, committed Southern Baptist Sunday School teacher and defender of racial orthodoxy, Bowers militant language was filled with religious images ranging from the resurrected Christ to the image of Elijah resisting the prophets of Baal.

Douglas Hudgins, Influential Southern Baptist Pastor who refused to take a stand against white terrorism. A prominent Southern Baptist and pastor of First Baptist Church of Jackson, Hudgins instead preached that the Gospel of Jesus Christ “has nothing to do with social movements or realities beyond the church; it’s a matter of individual salvation.

Ed King, white Methodist minister who campaigned to integrate local white congregations. The results of a devastating tornado in Ed King’s hometown during his senior year of high school opened his eyes to the racial injustice endured by blacks. King’s newly found social conscious had profound religious sources. While a theology student at Boston University, King discovered a wide range of organizations exploring the intersections between faith and social justice. Committed to civil rights, King returned to Mississippi in hope of reforming the church. King sought to translate the idea of a beloved community into social reality.

Cleveland Sellers, young black college student who transdormed into a militant black nationalist. Raised in a middle-class black family in South Carolina, Cleveland Sellers faith in Christ caused him to enter the fight for racial justice. Influenced by Stokley Carmichael, Sellers eventually gave up on his commitment to nonviolence and the beloved community and embraced a form of Black Power which purged the movement of white participation. After serving time in prison, Sellers returned to his childhood faith in the Episcopal Church and once again began to dream of the beloved community.

After reviewing this book and engaging in thought provoking conversations with my classmates I had to make this situation more current and think about how people in general in today’s society interpret the Bible…well, not just the Bible, but information in general. People process information at different levels. Two people can look at the same picture and see two different things…the same thing with a book of information, i.e. the Bible. Two people can read the same information and come up with two different views.

I desire to learn more broadly about religion and spirituality. I’m not a religious person, but am interested in learning about culture, religion, and society. As I get older I’m more liberal in my views and not so closed minded about life. What changed? I started to get to know God for myself and traveling around the world has allowed me to take the limits off in my thinking. After being exposed to various cultures I’m learning that we limit ourselves when we contain our thinking and have become one sided on our views about life, religion, and spirituality.

I’m excited about this journey and can’t wait to see what I’ll discover.

After meeting with my spiritual father yesterday he helped me to put some things into perspective. I had been disobedient in some areas of my life, but with guidance and direction from my spiritual father I now have the Godly counsel and support to move forward. When God gives you a dream, vision, and an assignment there are several things that I knew to do, but I was distracted by other things going on in my life that I overlooked these simple yet important details.

Obedience ::I learned that Obedience really is better than sacrifice. Enough said. I was led to read the story of Jonah. Jonah ran when he received his assignment because he felt that surely this was not the assignment that He was given. He was comfortable doing what he was currently doing, so why would he be given a more difficult assignment to do. When he ran it affected the lives of those around him. When he finally submitted to his assignment he was able to fulfill his God given purpose. We can’t worry about the outcome of what we are told to do as long as we do what he said because he will take care of the rest {Jonah 1-4}. I realized that at the end of the day I no longer need to seek approval from man..I don’t care what others think about something God told me to do. If He already said yes why am I listening to someone telling me what I shouldn’t do it? If He wanted that person to do it He would have given the dream, vision, and assignment to them, but He didn’t, He gave it to {me} you. So in the words of the infamous Nike commercial, JUST DO IT! For He knows the plans He has for your life {Jeremiah 29:11}.

Humility::I learned that I had to humble myself before the Lord, Officials, and Leaders of the Church because I did not do what I was told to do. I had to sit face to face with my pride and admit that I was disobedient. Hey, we all make mistakes, but we learn and grow from them. This is an important character to have in our journey. Let’s face it we will stumble in our walk, but we must pick ourselves up, shake it off and keep it moving. I learned that it is ok to be vulnerable, being being prideful is another story. We all need help at some point in our walk, but if let pride get the best of you…you’ll never receive that cup of water, cheers along the way, or reach the finish line.

Seek wise and Godly counsel::I learned that no matter how exciting the current or next season of your life is you can’t tell everybody what God is doing because they can delay the process by giving you advice that is not in line with what God has already confirmed in your spirit. However, what God has for you is for you and there is nothing no one can do to stop you from moving forward in the promise. It may be delayed, but it’s not denied. I was led to read about Elijah who was running for nothing. Elijah was a person who made mistakes, was afraid, but yet he trusted God. With God’s help Elijah did great things and God did great things for him. After all that God brought him through Elijah ran when God did not tell him to run because he heard that Jezebel was threatened by him {1 Kings 16-18}.

Structure and Order:: Another thing I learned is there is structure and order in everything we do. I’m re-committed to align myself to the structure and order and seek wise and Godly counsel. I have to go through the process and be obedient to God’s voice. Not listening to and moving swiftly to God’s voice will cost you. So be sure to count the cost when listening to others and not the spirit of God. I was led to read the Story of Joseph and the consequence of him sharing his dream too soon to people who couldn’t envision the dream. They thought they were stopping the dream from manifesting, but what they did was prepare him for manifestation of the dream {Genesis 39}. Que the theme music to Nas’ “You can hate me now.” The scripture says he will use your enemy as your footstool {Acts 2:34-35} so all those people who were trying to discourage you only positioned you to receive the manifestation of the dream. Sit back and watch Him work.

Submission::Lastly, I learned that at the end of the day I really need to work on submitting myself to the process.
-Obedience
-Humility
-Seek wise counsel
-Structure and Order
-Submission
I was so busy running that I became disobedient and I ended up being the one blocking my own blessing(s). In my own words, God don’t need my help. So I simply say to those of you reading this, Get out of your own way you’d be surprised at what God can do if you just submit to the process.

Caution a work in progress…Shift when necessary

N.

- What stood out to you the most during this weeks reading?

October 3-October 8, Read Exodus 19-24, The Law

What have you got from weeks 1-3 so far? Noticed I haven’t been posting questions the last two weeks? Well, that’s because I want you to focus on reading and letting the scriptures permeate your mind, so you can hear what God is saying to you about the scriptures and allow you to reflect on how it applies to your life and what you need to do to start making steps toward your promised land.

With Love,

N.

Are We There Yet? is a study on the book of Exodus

September 12-October 22, 2011

Many of us are in the land of in-between. The in between of the promise given and the promise fulfilled. Moses was assigned to lead the children of Israel, out of bondage and guide them into the promise land. However, due to the Israelites disobedience and rebellion, it takes them a little longer than expected to reach “there.”

Where exactly is there? There is where you ultimately want to be-the promise that you received from God that you are waiting for Him to fulfill. Coincidentally, you probably had no idea that it was going to take so long to receive what God has promised you. You already know what the end is going to be, but you didn’t know that along the way you would encounter slavery, bondage, doubt, fear, disobedience, rebellion, and sin. Fear and doubt can make you dwell in a place longer than you’re supposed to.

Some scholars say 4 days, others say 11 days, either way, what was supposed to be a short journey turned into a 40 year long journey because the spies who were sent to see what was ahead of them said that they could not enter into the land. You know what they were operating out of? F.E.A.R. False Evidence Appearing Real Like kids on a road trip, I could hear the murmurings of the children of Israel saying Moses, “Are we there yet?”

Over the next 6-weeks I look forward to helping you get one step closer to your promised land.

Study Outline

September 12-17, Week 1: Exodus 1-7, Captive

September 19-24, Week 2: Exodus 8-13, Warning Signs

September 26-October 1, Week 3: Exodus 14-18, The Exodus

October 3-October 8, Week 4: Exodus 19-24, The Law

October 10-15, Week 5: Exodus 25-30 Fine Print (pt.1)

October 17-October 22, Week 6: Exodus 30-40 Fine Print (pt.2)

October 21-22, Week 6: The Wilderness Experience Retreat Session Wrap-up

- Week 2 Character Study Miriam. This week take a closer look at the characteristics of Miriam. Do you share some of the same   characteristics as Moses? How so? Do you view this as a good or bad quality? Why or why not?

- Week 2 Word Study This week dig deep into a word of your choice from chapters 8-13. Use www.blueletterbible.org to assist with your word study or another concordance of your choice. View week one to see an example of a word study.

Week 2: Warning Signs

1. Has God asked you to do something beyond your natural ability? Do you feel adequate? Why or Why not?

2. Where do you feel God is calling you to leave from? Read Proverbs 16:9.

3. What plagues are you facing? Do you feel like God is trying to get your attention to change or strengthen your character?

4. Can you identify with any of the following? Why or Why not?
-Moses: insecure in his abilities
-Aaron: covering for others insecurities
-Pharaoh: Hardened to the Truth
-Magicians: Up to tricks
-Israelites: Stuck

- Read and Study Exodus 1-7 and reflect on the following application questions throughout the week.

- Week 1 Character Study: Moses. This week take a closer look at the characteristics of Moses. Do you share some of the same   characteristics as Moses? How so? Do you view this as a good or bad quality? Why or why not?

- Week 1 Word Study: Oppressed (Exodus 1:12). This week dig deep into the word oppressed or any word of your choice for chapters 1-7. Use www.blueletterbible.org to assist with your word study or another concordance of your choice. And example of a word study is below:

Oppressed

Greek word: ratsats

Word Study: oppressed, broken, break, bruised, crush, discouraged, struggle together

NOW, pick the word that is best suited for the passage and replace and re-read the scripture for a richer understanding of the text for example, read the scripture before and after the selected text with the word you’d like to study (i.e., Exodus 1:12) and do the below:

^{Exodus 1:11} So they put slave masters over them to oppress –> [discourage] them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. ¹² But the more they were oppressed –> [struggled together], the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites ¹³ and worked them ruthlessly.

Week 1: Captive

1.  Why did the Egyptians feel threatened by the Israelites? (ex 1:6-10)

2.   Do you find yourself trying to “right” what you perceive to be “wrong

like Moses (exodus 2:11- 14)? If Moses did not do anything wrong why

did he flee? (v14)?

3.   Reflect on time(s) where God has shown up in unexpected ways to

get your attention. How did you respond? What is it going to take for

Him to get your attention?

4.    God promised the deliverance of the Israelites, but like Moses we

doubt what God has said (5:22-23). What are some characteristics of

Moses that you can identify with? Why or Why not?

5.    Why did God perform miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt? (7:3)