I Shall Live and Not Die

Wonderful Worship Wednesday

Worship Leader. Songwriter. Radio Personality. Darlene McCoy releases a song in which one can encourage themselves on her new single entitled I Shall Live and Not Die. Enjoy!!!

 

Darlene McCoy hails from Atlanta, GA. Darlene is a worship leader at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, and has worked with recording artist including Darwin Hobbs and William Murphy. Darlene host a radio show on Atlanta's Inspiration Station Praise 102.5. Her debut album, self-titled Darlene McCoy, includes her hit single Fallen In Love which was featured on the soundtrack of Dairy of a Mad Black Woman.

The Benefits of Walking in Sexual Purity

Teachable Moment Tuesday

This started as a personal reflection. I began thinking about the benefits and/or freedoms one has due to walking in sexual purity. Sexual purity is living a life free of sexual sin; this includes the full shebang of intercourse all the way to one’s thought life. Remember Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman [man] lustfully has already committed adultery with her [him] in his heart.”

Nevertheless, I was able to identify physical, emotional, mental, and financial benefits for walking in sexual purity.

• Physical: An individual’s physical health is free of sickness and disease related to the contraction of sexually transmitted infections (AIDS, HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Herpes, HPV, this list could go on and on).
• Emotional: An individual is free from unhealthy emotional soul ties. Soul ties develop due to the nature of the emotional bond developed during the sexual act. Emotional soul ties can develop in relationships free of sex due to unhealthy boundaries. However, the knitted/glue-like bond of sexual soul ties, developed outside of the covenant of marriage, can be damaging. An individual can be left feeling shame, guilt, anger, anxiety, depression, and loneliness after the encounter and/or the relationship dissolving.
• Mental: Related to the emotional impact, many experience mental anguish and confusion. An individual’s judgment can become clouded which can impact one’s decision making and lead to confusion. Additionally, many develop mental disgust for their former sexual partner due to the tearing apart/ripping of the soul ties that can lead to various wounds to the soul.
• Financial: There are the costs of physical exams, treatments, and vaccinations to determine, treat/cure, and/or “ward off” one’s STI status due to the repercussion of one’s deed. Additionally, there are the costs to support the children conceived in these situations. For the payer and/or the recipient it is either a financial sacrifice or an ill-sufficient financial mean to meet the cost of raising children.

These factors appear more so as things an individual will avoid by walking in sexual purity. However, avoiding these factors can be a benefit. As well, this is in noway a judgment to make one feel condemned. According to Romans 8:1 NKJV “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit". So, GET UP, dust yourself off, and keep it moving. More so, confess your sins, repent, and receive God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Also, prayerfully seek out godly counsel for accountability (James 5:16).

These concepts of sexual purity are foreign to this culture. It's difficult for many to understand because we live in a sex-saturated world. Yet, Romans 12:2 suggest:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. NKJV

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. MSG

In all, this is the will of God that we walk in sexual purity.

For this is the will of God, that you should be consecrated (separated and set apart for pure and holy living): that you should abstain and shrink from all sexual vice, that each one of you should know how to possess (control, manage) his own body in consecration (purity, separated from things profane) and honor, not [to be used] in the passion of lust like the heathen, who are ignorant of the true God and have no knowledge of His will.

I Thessalonians 4:3-5 AMP

Being a Titus 2 Woman

I do not take lightly the calling and purpose of my life. Last night I had the opportunity to fellowship with some of the tween and teen girls from church. For the past few weeks myself and my fellow youth leaders planned and prepared a lock-in specifically for our girls ages 12 to 15 entitled, Girls' Night In. The agenda included practical knowledge and teaching on purity from our Senior Pastor's Wife, an additional guest teacher, and a musical guest. The event allowed the girls to speak candidly about their experiences, receive healing and restoration, voice their desire to walk in purity and see the same manifestation in the lives of their sisters, friends, and generation. It brought to mind one of my favorite scriptures, Titus 2:3-5.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Titus 2:3-5 NIV

This scriptural reference teaches women the following:

1. To live a reverent lifestyle. 

Our lives should bring reverence to the Lord at all times. This is related to our godly conduct, dress, and conversation. We are called to live our lives in holy fear and reverence to God. Proverbs 31:30 reads "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing: but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."

2. Not to be slanderers.

As stated above, we must be mindful of our conversation. As women we must be vigilant not to be engaged in activities of gossip, fault finding, and false accusation. 

3. Not to live addicted lifestyles.

We are called to lives of sobriety. We should be watchful and receive any healing related to addictive lifestyles. This can include alcoholism, abuse and dependency on illicit drugs, abuse of food, and/or shopping. 

4. To be teachers of what is good.

We are teachers. This does not require formalized training, nor an ordered, structured, and/or arranged event. It is taking the time moment by moment and day by day to teach and to train those whom you mentor in what is good and pleasing to God.

The scripture directs the older women to teach the younger women to "to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands." Since the younger girls in which I mentor are not married I find that my role as a young and spiritually mature woman is to teach them the following: 

• To love God and their parents
• Be self-controlled and pure
• Be disciplined at home (comply with house rules, do chores, homework, etc).
• Be kind to others
• To honor and obey they parents

As I stated previously, I do not take this role lightly. I want to reverence God with my life and teach what is right and true to those who are younger so that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach (blasphemed or discredited)" as indicated in verse 6, Amplified Version.

Your Faithfulness by Jon Thurlow

While attending the International House of Prayer's onething 2010 conference in Kansas City, MO this past December, I encountered this song. A few teens from our youth group and I decided we would visit the Prayer Room. IHOP had been having 24/7 prayer for 10 years which has been the catalyst to revival, miracles, sign, and wonders. While in the Prayer Room, Jon Thurlow was leading Worship and the Word, and was singing this song Your Faithfulness. Here's a live performance of Jon and his team. Enjoy!!!

Jon Thurlow is a worship leader at the International House of Prayer and an artist on Forerunner Records. He can be seen a few mornings during the week leading worship in the Prayer Room at IHOP. To learn more about Jon visit www.ihop.org.

Teen Dating Violence: Date and Acquaintance Rape

Teachable Moment Tuesday

On several occasions I’ve come in contact with adolescent and young adult females who shared their stories that summed up to the definition of date rape. The variables were all similar, a young woman between the age of 13 and 19 years of age. This same young woman was attending a party with friends and/or acquaintances. This young woman was then coerced to engage in underage alcohol consumption to the point of inebriation, then encouraged to participate in sexual activity that could include everything from performing varying sexual acts to sexual intercourse. When confronted with the fact that they were in fact a victim of sexual assault and/or rape. They vehemently report that they were aware of what happened and they were in control. But, is that really true?

The Illinois State Police Department define date rape by the following:

Date rape is a form of acquaintance rape. It is the forced sexual contact by someone the victim is or has been dating. Regardless of the amount of time a couple has dated--in some cases, they may have just met and it may be the first "date," they may have been together for years, or even no longer a couple--when sex is forced on someone by the use of threats, intimidation, trickery, or in cases where consent cannot be given because of impaired judgment due to alcohol or drug intoxication, it is RAPE. And, it is against the law.

In most cases, the influence of alcohol or a chemical substance removes a person’s inhibitors, both physical and psychological. Being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is not an excuse for sexual violence.

Unfortunately, researchers have not been able to properly calculate statistics, because of many victims fail to report these incidents. However, the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) provide the following statistics for sexual assault among adolescent:

· More than 70% of rape victims knew their attackers, compared to about half of all violent crime victims.

· 90% of rape victims who knew their attacker did not report the attack to the police.

· 38% of acquaintance rape victims are 14-17 years old.

· 90% of rape victims under age 13 knew their attacker.

· 57% of the rapes happened on dates

· Only 27% of the women considered themselves to be victims of rape, although their assaults met the legal definition of rape, which is indicated above.

 

So, how do we prevent further incidents of date/acquaintance rape from occurring among adolescents?

1. Educate.

Give yourselves to disciplined instruction; open your ears to tested knowledge. Don't be afraid to correct your young ones . . . (you) might save them from something worse than death.

Proverbs 23:12-14 Message

2. Support.

The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 12:18 NIV

3. Guide them to the comfort of the Lord.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18 NIV

Trial by Jury: Decision Making

Ministry@Work Monday

It came in the mail. With dread I opened my call to serve Jury Duty. I'd received notices before. I had good excuses to avoid it in the past. My first notice came when I was an undergraduate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. At that time they excused my attendance due to my school schedule. The next time I was a stand-by Juror, and was not required to attend. But, this time I had to show up early on a Friday morning, and was selected to serve. With great protest within I went this morning only to take on a role that is a great benefit to serve someone else, their livelihood, and their future.

Jury is defined as a group of persons selected to make a decision, especially in the court of law.

Role of a Juror

• Responsible for gathering information.
• Accurately and objectively weighing details and facts.
• Determining the best and most suitable decision for the parties involved.

Initially, I was resistant to the idea of being involved in the decision making process of a law proceeding. However a consulted a few scriptures to support me and guide in prayer in relation to my role. I’m sure I not the only one whose faced with the responsibility of decision making. Daily in our work lives we must rationalize and reason information and facts that will impact our own selves and others.

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

Isaiah 11:2 KJV

Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Colossians 4:1 NIV

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1 NKJV

Secrets of the Vine for Women: Breakthrough to Abundance by Darlene Marie Wilkinson

Suggested Reading Sunday

Six years ago I received this great book for my 21^st birthday. This was an awesome addition to my growing personal library. The book is written by Darlene Marie Wilkinson, the wife and ministry partner to Bruce Wilkinson. This book was written as a counterpart for women to Bruce’s bestselling book, Secrets of the Vine.

The book in written based on Jesus’ teaching to the disciples in John 15. Darlene begins discussing the importance of a Spiritual Harvest indicating God’s desire to bring us to an abundant life. Darlene continued in discussing Jesus as the Vine, God as the Vinedresser, and we as branches as God’s desire for us to produce good fruit. According to Darlene, God’s desire and process to produce fruit was by His love. God’s discipline comes to root out sin and is confirmed that God chastisement is for those whom He loves, Hebrew 12:7-8, 11.

One of the key concepts discussed in Secrets of the Vine for Women was pruning. Pruning as related to gardening was defined as removing unwanted plant parts for a purpose. Darlene wrote “pruning is God’s way of making room in your life for more of what matters most,” in accords to John 15:2 that reads “Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” The abundant production of fruit is highlighted to be birthed from abiding in Christ, having an intimate relationship. Lastly, Darlene shared that commitment to the process and time was necessary to bring forth a prized glorious harvest of fruit.

This is certainly an awesome study companion to the teaching of Jesus as the True Vine in John 15. Hope you can grab you a copy of this great book. Enjoy!!!