Safeguarding the Sanctity of Human Life

Human life is sacred. We must safeguard the sanctity of human life from unjust wars, modern-day lynchings in the form of police brutality, the arbitrary and discriminatory application of the death penalty, injustice,  oppression, trauma (including senseless gun violence), marginalization, and killings. 

In light of Roe v. Wade being overturned, many of us are discussing the question of "When does life begin for the unborn?" Many say life begins at conception. Others say life begins as the body of the fetus takes form allowing you to hear a heart beat. A few say life begins when the fetus is viable (can survive outside the uterus). This usually occurs around 24 weeks. This is when the fetus' lungs begin to produce surfactant, the substance that allows the air sacs in the lungs to inflate and deflate. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit en utero  at around this gestational age. 

Since a chief concern of pro-life advocates is safeguarding the sanctity of human life, perhaps a relevant question is "When did life begin for humanity?" Did it begin when God conceived the idea to create humanity (Genesis 1:26)? Did it begin as the body was being formed,  shaped and molded from the dust (Gen 1:27)? Or did it begin when God breathed into  the nostrils of God's creation the breath of life (Genesis 2:7)?

Pursuing the Heart of God Through True Repentance

"My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise." Psalm 51:17 AMPC

True repentance  attracts the favor of God and the blessings of heaven. Repentance is more than feeling guilty, being  convicted or being remorseful. It's more than saying you're sorry and asking for forgiveness. 

The Hebrew word for repentance is teshuva which is a derivative of a verb which means to return.  The Greek term for repentance is metanoia which means a change of mind, a reorientation,  a transformed worldview,  and a different perspective of self, God and others. 

You have no idea how much it pleases God and gives God  joy for you to REPENT. It "melts" God's heart. David pursued God's heart in this manner. God actively finds ways to reward, acknowledge and honor true repentance. 

When you change your heart, mind, and direction and are TRULY GRIEVED (not condemned) by past trangressions God not only rewards your obedience God CONSOLES your grief! God literally celebrates your coming to yourself and returning to God like the Father celebrated the prodigal son when he came back home.

Note: And for that religious one who says, oh wouldn't it have been better to not sin. The need for repentance isnt always about sin. Its about  beliefs and mindsets. The sinful behaviors are simply fruit of an ungodly root. And besides, all have sinned and fallen short of God's standards. Your heart sir/ma'am is like that of the prodigal son's brother.

When the Unthinkable Happens

"O ko ni mo saare omo e!" 

Friday, June 3, 2022, would've been our first born son Stephen's 28th birthday.  "O ko ni mo saare omo e" is a prayer, word of blessing, and declaration in the Yoruba language. It means you will not know the grave or burial site of your child. It is sometimes declared in faith and in other times presumption and superstition. This declaration can also make it "taboo"  for parents to publicly acknowledge the death of their child by attending wakes, funerals, burials, etc. 

This declaration is spoken in superstition when one who lacks revelation or authority believes it to be so just because he/she said so. It is spoken in presumption (and sometimes spiritual/religious pride) when you believe bad things won't happen to  you or your family just because of who you are in Christ and because God loves you. 

O ko ni mo saare omo e is declared in faith when you have a revelation of God and spiritual principles. It is declared in faith when you've addressed cycles of negative patterns that would allow such a thing to occur. It is declared in faith when you humbly acknowledge that you do not understand ALL the ways of God so you cry out for the mercy of God. It is declared in faith when you realize you and your ancestors were born in sin and shaped in iniquity so you kneel before the mercy seat of God and ask to be wrapped in the protective wings of the cherubim. It is declared in faith  when you know God is able and willing and like Meshach, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have decided to trust and obey God no matter what outcome God permits (Daniel 3:16-18).

My father is a Yoruba man by DNA and amazingly in some ways by tradition and culture. His great grandfather was stolen from Ogun State and taken to Jekyll Island on the Slave Ship the Wanderer in 1858. Daddy doesn't speak the language,  doesn't eat the food, and has never visited Yorubaland. Yet,  he did not attend Stephen's funeral and didn't "touch" the funeral arrangements. He doesn't know where the burial site is and rarely speaks of Stephen. This is what he has decided is needed for his healing process. We respect and honor that. 

What is needed for my healing is different from what daddy needs.  I was involved in planning. I saw the body. I attended the funeral. I talk, write, and journal about Stephen. And I talk about the loss because I understand that someone can be delivered from presumption and superstition through my transparently sharing my journey to healing. When EVIL men KILLED Emmitt Till and MUTILATED his body, his mom didn't allow the mortician to "touch up" his face.  She insisted on an OPEN casket funeral so that others would SEE and KNOW the TRUTH. Beloved, KNOW the TRUTH. The TRUTH shall be your Shield and Buckler Who keeps you. 

Why am I sharing? Don't religiously declare anything out of superstition.  Ask God for REVELATION to TRULY live VICTORIOUSLY over sin, death and the grave. Know that NOTHING seperates you from God's love. God loves you even when God ALLOWS the unthinkable to happen. Bad things can and do happen to God's people (for example Job and the man born blind in John 9). When the unthinkable happens,  don't let tradition dictate your response.  

When the unthinkable happens,  do as led by the Holy Spirit. Those who are led by God's Spirit (not traditional, cultural, religious norms) are God's sons/children. Do what is needed for your deliverance, healing, and restoration. Get a specialized/individualized prescription from the Lord. Follow God's plan for your life. Ask God to show you how to glorify Him even in the midst of the unthinkable.

Pro-Choice, Pro-Birth or Pro-Life?

As a womanist theologian, my views on abortion, Roe v. Wade, and reproductive rights likely offend  those who are pro-choice as well as those who are so-called pro-life. My intersectional perspective doesn't fit neatly into a political,  ideological, social, or religious box. 

Womanist theology is a methodical approach to theology which is centered on  Black women's  experiences with and perspectives of God. It considers the intersectionality of religion, race, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, color, sex (including gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity) and class.

As a womanist theologian, I believe that most so-called pro-lifers are HYPOCRITES. They're not pro-life. They're pro-birth and simply want to control the reproductive rights of women. I'm pro-life in that I do not support the shedding of innocent blood. 

I believe examples of shedding of innocent blood include: 

1. Taking human lives in  unjust wars

 2. Abuse of power by police and those in authority which results in deaths of persons who have not been charged, tried,  convicted, and sentenced to the death penalty 

3. The disparate use of the death penalty based on classism, racism, sexism, colorism, and other forms of discrimination 

4.  Killing of the unborn who've reached the age of viability when its not medically necessary to preserve the life of the mother

I'm outraged by the supreme court leak. I feel its an attempt to sway the decision of the Court. I suppprt overturning Roe v. Wade (primarily because  it doesn't outlaw late term abortions). However, I believe women should have access to  early term abortions primarily because of my care and concern about the health,  safety and well-being of women in the margins of our society. We can't go back to the back alley butcher shops. 

And it is important to note abortion has been used as a form of eugenics in  the black  community (see Margaret Sanger and the foundations of Planned Parenthood). It is also notable that now that there's a relatively low birthrate among specific segments of the population, the court is considering overturning the 1974 Roe v. Wade decision (Roe v. Wade: My Thoughts, 2022). 

Bottom line: Abortion should be safe, legal at any stage in every state when medically necessary to preserve life, legal at 23 weeks or less in any case for whatever reason in as many states whose voters support it, free when medically necessary to preserve life, affordable when making choices to exercise reproductive rights, treated as murder at 24 weeks or later when not medically necessary to preserve life, and UNCOMMON!

Reference: Cheray James, May 5, 2022, "Roe v. Wade:My Thoughts ," retrieved May 6, 2021 from Facebook. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02LF6XajxA2LCbLV2yMPSo7zRij6hL57EKkQy1s45ThHoZYUzKpeYd8FhP3b1AEcf6l&id=506646197

The Spiritual Reality of Curses

Most western Believers will disagree with what I'm about to say due to their intellectual pride, secular humanism and lack of spirituality. We know biblical principles, promises and prophesies. But many of us do not understand how to apply these things to navigate in the realm of the spirit. Whereas in some cultures there's  hyper-spirituality which negates the efficacy of one's power, authority and the reality of the dimensions and degrees  of self-determination delegated to humanity. There must be a balance! Somewhere between irrational  superstition and intellectual humanism lies metaphysical reality. With this understanding may I say to you in love with all sincerity that Believers can be cursed! The teaching that a Believer cannot be cursed is a lie. It's erroneous. It's false. 

The classic indication of a curse is a pattern. These patterns seemingly veto one's prayer life. They seemingly veto spiritual activities. These patterns will continue until that which set the ripple effect into motion is addressed. That which set the ripple effect  in motion could've occurred many generations before one's birth. That which set the pattern in motion is an abomination which defiled time, land, community (bloodline and other familial-like relationships), birthright or offices (in career,  business and/or ministry).

Being cursed has nothing to do with salvation. One can be saved, indwelled with God's Spirit, infilled with God's Spirit, bear fruit of the Spirit,  operate in the gifts of the Spirit,  live Holy, be heaven bound AND see these negative patterns manifest.

Examples of these patterns that are seen in individuals,  families, nations, territories,  regions, etc. are barrenness (in any form), premature death (in any form), patterns of divorce in a family,  addictions, generational poverty, generation after generation born outside of wedlock, useless men while the women dominate and excel, extended periods of joblessness, chronic sicknesses and disease, etc. ANY pattern that is not  an indication of the blessings of God is an indication of a CURSE!

If you dont believe a Christian can be cursed consider this. It's foolishness to continue doing the same thing expecting different results- right? You accepted Jesus. You're fasting, praying, living holy, doing all you know to be the right thing. And yet you STILL see negative patterns in your life, family or community. Do you believe that God is wicked an unjust to allow these patterns without just cause?  God is Righteous. God is Just. God honors God's word even about God's name. Somehow,  somewhere someone connected to you in some way has violated the word, will and ways of God. 

Will it  hurt you or cost you anything to take this matter to the Lord in prayer and ask God to show you what is the root cause of that negative pattern? If I'm wrong you lose nothing- right? But if you're wrong the pattern will continue. And this could make the difference between life and death.

Honoring Mom

As we approach Mother's Day, May 8 let's give honor to the mothers who God used to shape and mold us.  Biologically speaking we only have one mother of course. Yet I  recognize that I am who I am because of the impartations and deposits of the graces from SEVERAL women. So I have SEVERAL "moms."  To name a few SIGNIFICANT women in my life,  there's my St. Philip AME Church mom who also earned a Doctor of Education. She's hilarious, a straight, sharp shooter and seer.  

There's my  AME mom who was my first pastor after I  rededicated my life to the Lord. Her name is listed in record books. She's been used mightily by God. She's accomplished professionally and academically. Yet she is so meek and humble. She has a heart of gold, a powerful evangelistic grace and glory-filled healing ministry. There's my Ghanaian mom who is hospitable, joyful, gracious, giving, and kind. My Yoruba (Southwest Nigeria) mom who has the grace to regularly fast (water only) for 40 days or more at a time (she refers to times of fasting and intense prayer as being on the Prayer Mountain) , is a powerful intercessor and worship leader. 

There's my Igbo (Southeast Nigeria) mom who is also my mother in the Lord. If I've prayed for you, if God added to your family through my prayers, ministry and/or intercession, if I've ministered deliverance to you,  ministered the prophetic word of the Lord to you, rebuked you, rolled up on you out of the blue when you were out of order 😂, counseled you- especially in relationships or ministered inner healing to you-  these are SOME of the MANY graces imparted to me through her beginning in 2008 that have been watered by others over the years. If led, you may sow into Ap. Dr. Joy Ibe's ministry. She and her ministry are EXCELLENT ground in which to sow. 🙏🏾 There's my Jewish mom who is wise, industrious, skillful and frugal.  

There's my grandma Pearl mom who was a prayerful Titus 2 mother in her family, church, and community. And of course there's my mom mom Pr. Mrs. Virginia Cheevers who never ceases to pray for me. Why am I sharing? Honoring ALL of these women of God as mothers does NOT dishonor any ONE of them. Give honor where honor is due. There's enough HONOR and LOVE to go around. What mothers can you intentionally extend honor to today?

The Resurrection

Indeed God is doing a new thing. God is raising up a company of firebrand preachers who like John the Baptist will be used to usher us into a new dispensation of an outpouring of God's Spirit. These ones will uncompromisingly declare what thus saith the Lord. 

As righteousness is being restored the realignment and reckoning will cause a shaking and shifting in world systems. Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. Don't fret. Have no fear during the dark, trying times. When there's a casting down, God will promote God's chosen ones. When there's scarcity, God will provide for God's elect. When there's death, disease and destruction, God will protect God's children. 

The circumstances around you will serve as a backdrop for the glory of God to be revealed in the earth. The stage is being set for you to shine brightly in the spaces and places into which you've been called. You will show up in the Power, Presence, and Personhood of the King of kings and Lord of lords. You will shine like the Son of Man into the darkness. 

A clarion call is being released into the atmosphere. Sons of God, arise!  Prepare! Pray! Praise! Preach! Prophesy! As you function as kings and priests in your assigned places of duty, honor is being restored to the offices which you occupy in the earth. Honor is being restored to the House of Prayer. The Body is being fitly jointed together to function as she should. The dry bones of the Church  are being revived and restored. She is being empowered and positioned for the days of the harvest. Yes, the fields are white for harvest.