Category Archives: God’s Economy

Posted on

Tithing Declines In Historical Black Churches in Harlem…

Hello World, 

First of all on this Memorial Day holiday weekend, I want to thank the veterans of the United States, many of whom paid the ultimate price for me to be able leisurely write this post this beautiful summer morning…God bless and keep you and your families…

With that being said, I’m a history buff…I love to see how various events, trends, belief systems have shaped the trajectory of history…After reading an article in The New York Times, I am reminded why I tithe…I tithe because I recognize that every cent I earn could not be earned without the gifts, talents and opportunities given to me by the Father(and all of the resources of the world belong to God anyway)…I tithe because I want to demonstrate to myself and others that even with less, I can do more (it’s amazing how this works!)…I tithe because I am supporting God’s ministry through my church and supporting my church…Unfortunately, in Harlem, which has been a national jewel for the black community from arts to worship down through the decades, is experiencing a shift as many black churchgoers in Harlem are moving away and the ones that have remained are not tithing as they once were…And I believe what is going on Harlem is affecting all inner-city churches…

To read the entire article, go here – As Tourists Come and Go, Harlem Churches Lose a 10% Lifeblood.

Why do you tithe, and how has it affected your life?

Any thoughts?

Posted on

Seven Scriptures To Ward Off Worry…

Hello World, 

Last week, I posted about revisiting the goals that we made at the beginning of 2012…As we all know, it is easy to drift away from our goals if we don’t pay attention. And now that we officially have six months left in 2012, we must get back on track!

HOWEVER, with all of our planning, it is impossible to predict what the results of our actions will be. In essence, we plant the seeds, but only God gives the increase…If you are anything like me, I love to plan and then I worry about the results….But God has told us over and over again that worrying is wrong and not characteristic of believers…So to minister to  me and you, let me share my favorite seven scriptures to ward off worry…

1. Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.   Psalm 55:22   In this scripture, God says turn over all of your troubles to me, and I will see you through. We are neglecting some of the benefits of being a believer if we don’t realize that He wants to bear our burdens!

 2. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.   2 Timothy 1:7   I don’t know about you, but sometimes, I will be thinking of a situation and all of a sudden, I feel overwhelmed by fear and worry…That’s not God! God does not give us fear! Instead, He gives us power, love and a sound mind! When I feel overwhelmed by fear and worry, I see this as a sign that I need to pray and connect with God because the devil is trying to get at me…

3. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?   Luke 12:25   Can this scripture be any more direct? I don’t think so! This reminds me of a saying I recently heard…Worrying is like rocking in a rocking chair…It will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere…

4. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.   Philippians 4:6-7   This verse has kept me from losing my mind for real! When I begin to worry, this verse reminds to talk to God about my present concerns AND thank Him for all that He has seen me through in the past…And supernaturally, my worrying is replaced by peace…Try it!

5. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid.   Luke 12:7   I LOVE this verse…We are so important to God that He has even counted the hairs on our head! Wow! That’s why we can pray about anything – no matter how big or small! I even pray about what to wear sometimes…

6. So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.   Matthew 6:31-33   In these times, it is tempting to worry about our finances and resources, but God says if we put Him first, then He will provide for our needs…Take Him at His word…

7. I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—He who watches over you will not slumber.   Psalm 121:1-3   I have claimed this whole Psalm for this year because I have embarked on a journey that I have never been on before….the journey of a published author…Although I am tempted to stay up nights planning marketing & promotion strategies, this verse reminds that I can sleep knowing my God in Heaven is always awake – and taking care of me on Earth below…

I hope these verses help you to realize that God simply does not want us to worry…We plan, but we must leave the results up to Him. Think about it. We cannot even control our next breath so why even worry about it…I know, it’s easier said than done 🙂 .

Below is a BEAUTIFUL song that I heard for the first time yesterday that reminded me not to worry and to turn over my concerns to God…Here is a sample of the lyrics…

WHEN WILL I EVER LEARN
ALL MY WORRY IS A WASTE OF TIME
WHEN WILL I EVER LEARN
LETTING GO BRINGS PEACE OF MIND

“When Will I” by Candi Staton…

Posted on

Loving My Neighbor as I Love Myself…

Hello World, 

As a single woman, it is sooo easy to get caught up in what happens to ME, MYSELF & I…But as a Christian, I know that I am charged to love my NEIGHBOR as much as I love MYSELF…(Luke 10:27)…And so from to time, I have to examine how I am actually helping those around me…

When I went to Blogalicious (a convention for bloggers) last year, I was introduced to the United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life Campaign in which Americans are encouraged to learn about, advocate for, and donate vaccines to children around the world…

Below are the facts:

 1. 1 in 5 children die of a vaccine-preventable disease. That’s one child every 20 seconds and approximately 1.5 million children each year.

2. In countries like the U.S., most children already receive life-saving vaccines. Because of this, American parents don’t typically worry about losing their children to deadly diseases like measles or pneumonia.

3. Seventy-five percent of unvaccinated children live in just 10 countries. For children in India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Indonesia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, China, Uganda, Chad and Kenya, access to vaccines mean the difference between life and death, a healthy life or a lifetime of struggle.  

 What we can do to give every child a Shot@Life:

1. Donate $5 – For the cost of a gourmet coffee drink, you can protect a child from polio and measles for his or her lifetime…

2. Donate $15 – For the cost of an inexpensive concert ticket, you can pay for vaccines to protect a child from the two most deadly diseases – pneumonia and diarrhea…

3. Donate $20 – For the cost of a pedicure, you can give a child a lifetime of immunity from pneumonia, diarrhea, polio and measles…

Of course, you can always give more :)….The point I’m trying to make is that I can easily fritter away cash on all kind of things like gourmet coffee drinks, concert tickets, pedicures and on and on…While I love these things, I am also commanded to love my neighbor…

To donate, please go to this secure website.

Also please take less than 2 minutes to watch this video:

Finally, as part of World Immunization Week (this week), help spread the word about Shot@Life! Did you know that some mothers throughout the world walk 15 miles to get life-saving vaccines for their children?! I waste more than 15 minutes probably an hour on Facebook…Why not join me this week in not only investing my disposable income to saving the lives of the world’s children but also donating my time to spreading the WORD and the word…Next to loving God, we are also called to love others as we love ourselves…Shot@Life gives me the opportunity to love my neighbors….

Any thoughts?