Racism & Roots

Racism & Roots

Racism is not a problem that arises out of the justice system. It does not arise out of law enforcement or the courts. It does not arise out of political parties. It does not arise out of religious organizations. Racism arises out of the hearts and minds of humans. Human beings bring their own racist presuppositions into the civil institutions in which they work... and into the church, synagogue, and mosque. THEREFORE SYSTEMATIC RACISM IS A HUMAN PROBLEM REQUIRING A CHANGE OF HEART AND MIND. Changing the law will only require more arrests, indictments, prosecutions and imprisonment.

Those who presuppose themselves better or more deserving than persons whose skin color is different than their own are lost in a swamp of corruption known as sin. All have sinned. All are corrupted. All may not be racist, but all have been corrupted and are corrupt. Sadly most of us do cherish or have cherished some corruption or other. The evidence has been building that case for 6000 years.

We live for the moment with no thought that we might actually be corrupt OR THAT WE MIGHT EVEN CORRUPT OTHERS! But we are more or less corrupt WHEN we look down our noses at OTHER “RACES.” YES? NO? We do this and show that we are individually and tribally narcissistic. Sin, - personal corruption and tribal narcissism and arrogance are the root, trunk and branches of racism. What can we do to eliminate racism when we are so self-absorbed? When “the collective” is corrupt where will it be led?

Now we are still individuals in any tribe or people or nation or collective we identify with. Wherever we find our security (safe place) and place of belonging we yet remain individually responsible for our words and actions. And we are not without power to act against the peer pressures that would keep us in political correctness toeing the party line? If we are powerless where shall we find power? And if empowered, to what new place of safety will we go? To whom will we now belong? With whom will we now identify?

Genesis 1:26-31 And God said, Let us make man in our image, like us: and let him have rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every living thing which goes flat on the earth. (27) And God made man in his image, in the image of God he made him: male and female he made them. (28) And God gave them his blessing and said to them, Be fertile and have increase, and make the earth full and be masters of it; be rulers over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing moving on the earth. (29) And God said, See, I have given you every plant producing seed, on the face of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit producing seed: they will be for your food: (30) And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air and every living thing moving on the face of the earth I have given every green plant for food: and it was so. (31) And God saw everything which he had made and it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Acts 17:24-28 The God who made the earth and everything in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, is not housed in buildings made with hands; (25) And he is not dependent on the work of men's hands, as if he had need of anything, for he himself gives to all life and breath and all things; (26) And he has made of one blood all the nations of men living on all the face of the earth, ordering their times and the limits of their lands, (27) So that they might make search for God, in order, if possible, to get knowledge of him and make discovery of him, though he is not far from every one of us: (28) For in him we have life and motion and existence; For we are his offspring, as certain of your verse writers have said.

Luke 1:26-38 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee, named Nazareth, (27) To a virgin who was to be married to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. (28) And the angel came in to her and said, Peace be with you, to whom special grace has been given; the Lord is with you. (29) But she was greatly troubled at his words, and said to herself, What may be the purpose of these words? (30) And the angel said to her, Have no fear, Mary, for you have God's approval. (31) And see, you will give birth to a son, and his name will be Jesus. (32) He will be great, and will be named the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his father: (33) He will have rule over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. (34) And Mary said to the angel, How may this be, because I have had no knowledge of a man? (35) And the angel in answer said to her, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will come to rest on you, and so that which will come to birth will be named holy, Son of God. (36) Even now Elisabeth, who is of your family, is to be a mother, though she is old: and this is the sixth month with her who was without children. (37) For there is nothing which God is not able to do. (38) And Mary said: I am the servant of the Lord; may it be to me as you say. And the angel went away.

Isa 7:14 … the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [meaning God with us].

Luke 2:6-7 And while they were there [in Bethlehem], the time came for her to give birth. (7) And she had her first son; and folding him in linen, she put him to rest in the place where the cattle had their food, because there was no room for them in the house.

John 1:12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege](the power KJV) to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name— 13 who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth—they are born of God—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].

John 1:1-18 In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was with God in the beginning. (3) All things were made through Him, and apart from Him nothing was made that has come into being. (4) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (5) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it. (6) There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. (7) He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that through him everyone might believe. (8) He was not the light, but he came to bear witness concerning the light. (9) The true light, coming into the world, gives light to every man. (10) He was in the world, and the world was made through Him; but the world did not know Him. (11) He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him. (12) But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God. (13) They were born not of a bloodline, nor of human desire, nor of man’s will, but of God. (14) And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. We looked upon His glory, the glory of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth. (15) John testifies about Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘The One who comes after me is above me, because He existed before me.’” (16) Out of His fullness, we have all received grace on top of grace. (17) Torah was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Yeshua the Messiah [Jesus the Christ]. (18) No one has ever seen God; but the one and only God, in the Father’s embrace, has made Him known.

Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child has come, to us a son is given; and the government has been placed in his hands; and he has been named Wise Guide, Strong God, Father for ever, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of his rule and of peace there will be no end, on the seat of David, and in his kingdom; to make it strong, supporting it with wise decision and righteousness, now and for ever. By the fixed purpose of the Lord of armies this will be done.

(ASV) For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus,

(BBE) For there is one God and one peacemaker between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

(CEV) There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us.

(ESV) For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

(ISV) There is one God. There is also one mediator between God and human beings—a human, the Messiah Jesus.

(KJV) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

(TLV) For there is one God and there is one Mediator between God and men—a human, Messiah Yeshua,

Acts 17:16-31 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was troubled, for he saw all the town full of images of the gods. (17) So he had discussions in the Synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and every day in the market-place with those who were there. (18) And some of those who were supporters of the theories of the Epicureans and the Stoics, had a meeting with him. And some said, What is this talker of foolish words saying? And others, He seems to be a preacher of strange gods: because he was preaching of Jesus and his coming back from the dead. (19) And they took him to Mars' Hill, saying, Will you make clear to us what is this new teaching of yours? (20) For you seem to us to say strange things, and we have a desire to get the sense of them. (21) Now all the Athenians and the men from other lands who come there were giving all their time to talking or hearing of anything new. (22) And Paul got to his feet on Mars' Hill and said, O men of Athens, I see that you are overmuch given to fear of the gods. (23) For when I came by, I was looking at the things to which you give worship, and I saw an altar with this writing on it, TO THE GOD OF WHOM THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE. Now, what you, without knowledge, give worship to, I make clear to you. (24) The God who made the earth and everything in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, is not housed in buildings made with hands; (25) And he is not dependent on the work of men's hands, as if he had need of anything, for he himself gives to all life and breath and all things; (26) And he has made of one blood all the nations of men living on all the face of the earth, ordering their times and the limits of their lands, (27) So that they might make search for God, in order, if possible, to get knowledge of him and make discovery of him, though he is not far from every one of us: (28) For in him we have life and motion and existence; as certain of your verse writers have said, For we are his offspring. (29) If then we are the offspring of God, it is not right for us to have the idea that God is like gold or silver or stone, formed by the art or design of man. (30) Those times when men had no knowledge were overlooked by God; but now he gives orders to all men in every place to undergo a change of heart: (31) Because a day has been fixed in which all the world will be judged in righteousness by the man who has been marked out by him for this work; of which he has given a sign to all men by giving him back from the dead. 

How Did We Miss The Notice Given ???

How Did We Miss The Notice Given 

Over 60 Years Ago

?????

HOW DID WE MISS THIS ???? 

https://www.returnofkings.com/123828/a-1958-list-of-communist-objectives-for-america-is-now-nearly-complete

Items 1-14 concerned enhancing the position of the USSR and other Communist nations.
Here’s the domestic agenda:

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers’ associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policy-making positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to “eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms.”

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. “Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art.”

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them “censorship” and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as “normal, natural, healthy.”

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with “social” religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a “religious crutch.”

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of “separation of church and state.”

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the “common man.”

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the “big picture.” Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture–education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand [or treat].

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use “united force” to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction [over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction] over nations and individuals alike.

Does any of this sound familiar?

HOW DID WE MISS THIS???

HOAXED ~ Everything They Told You Is A Lie

HOAXED ~ Everything They Told You Is A Lie
^^^^^^^
CLICK^

Think. Don't let others think for you. Better to make your own mistakes than suffer the consequences of other people's mistakes. Learn to blame yourself for your own stupidity and not blame others for deceiving you.

"Rediscovered" and edited:

Courage

I must have courage to face this,

now the Day has dawned ,

and everything has changed.

The days gone by have left their mark

upon my outer man. Yet inside,

deep within is that which has been,

still it is, and still may be freed.

Freed to see reality, to know Truth,

to see clearly, to be without confusion,

to see with an uncompromised eye:

what is what and why.

The limits are taken away.

All my capacity is available

because life with courage permits

effort without vanity.

Let obstacles come,

for testing nurtures inner strength,

the strength of the inner man must grow.
Courage is for strength,

and strong I need to grow.

Let interest accrue to that Deposit in my soul

which is made for a present possession

and destined for full maturity, my

possession in the future.

I am a deposit in an account.

I am a portion of an inheritance.

I am a coin of another Realm.

I am the expectation of His Will.

I am beloved of God, His, and the joy of the Lord is my Strength.

by David Severy

2005

What if… D. B. S. June 2009

One day Father God seemed agitated and even a bit unnerved… or so it seemed to the angels. Some thought God looked different than He ever had before. They were themselves very concerned and they let the Holy Spirit know. He went to Father.

“Hallowed Father,” said Holy Spirit, “the angels are concerned. They say You don’t seem well.”

“What? I? Not well? I AM just fine. Never better!” He said. (And it truly is impossible for God to be better than He IS!)

“Yes, I knew as much,” said Holy Spirit. And so with a very Holy chuckle He went to reassure the angels that Father was as tip top as ever.

“The angels are concerned for me,” thought Father, “imagine that!”

As Jesus upheld all the universe by His Word’s great power Father looked on. “It would be nice to do something good for the angels,” Father mused and He began to deliberate. “Let me see… what I might make or even change for their entertainment. And where can I find the needed things?”

And so He began to examine the things of Their universe for Ideas. There was so very much to examine! He started searching in the galaxies, the stars and the heavenly bodies. They were all wonderful and well. The novas and super novas were all noving along superbly! The spiral galaxies just whirled round like tops! All the solar systems were orbiting in order. Their suns were illuminating at very acceptable levels. He checked out all His Laws of nature; all was well! Gravity was pulling its weight. Thermodynamics were operating very steadily; they always were a temperate bunch. There was just the right hotness, coolness, coldness and freezing off of your buns everywhere. One by one the legal systems and operations ledgers of all that was made were found to be in good, yea even in perfect order. And earth, ah yes! Earth was Covered.

“Well, I’m not surprised,” thought Father, “My Son has forever and always been the Epitome, the Veritable Zenith of Competence.”

“Jesus!” Father called out, “You are so dependable and stalwart. You don’t seem to mind exerting Your great power at all! Day by day, day in and day out You really ‘carry the ball’ so very well.”

Jesus replied “I love to do so just exactly as You have desired it to be done. It gives me my greatest joy to please You.”

“Everything is working together perfectly and You are certainly to be credited with this success,” said Father as He enjoyed the fruits of His faithful One. “Son, what is there that I might do for the angels? They have been worried about me; can you believe it? Can you suggest anything I might do, or something I might give them? I love them each and all so very much.”

Jesus noticed a quite lively twinkle in Father’s eye as He replied, “Everything We have is theirs too, and as We want for nothing, so it is that they also want for nothing.”

“Yes, it is true,” Father agreed. “But there is one thing…” He paused.

“Yes,” said the Lord.

Suddenly Father looked on His Son with an Enormous, Deep Love and Tremendously Intense Affection-- it was truly Profound. It seemed that Holy Spirit left every corner of the universe to be Entirely Present with Them. Both Jesus and Holy Spirit were stirred to Their Core. So Powerful in the Beauty of His Holiness was Father in this moment that it called Them to respond in just the same Way. Their Awesomeness began to unfold; it was Dreadful… but in a Good Way!

The Power, the Glory, the Majesty of God Most High, of God the Son and Savior, and of God the Eternal Spirit was being manifold magnified. Love was there, The Word Alive, God by all His Name, and something new was truly on Father’s Mind.

Everywhere the angels sat upright, ceasing from their joyful duties. Was something different? Yes. And the effect was energizing. Except for the Unity of God, the Perfection of His Will and the Soundness of His Mind, the Power of God in this new thing could have just flattened and obliterated the entire physical universe.

Jesus looked upon His Father. The Holy Spirit looked upon Them Both. The angels held their peace; almost as one they fell on their faces toward the Throne of the Almighty. Heaven was silent (for how long this writer dares not say).

If they were able to see Them, the angels would have seen a Joy unspeakable and full of Glory which may never have been revealed in such a way till that moment. God was doing a new thing! The Father seemed near to speaking. The Son looked all ears. Holy Spirit beamed out, just plastering the Throne Room with a depth of Peace very rarely seen, or rather felt, for the angels, from the nearest to those in the furthest reaches of heaven and earth, all felt His Love and Peace wash over them, lavishing them with Waves of Joyous Power.

It is just not possible to describe well the advent of this new thing. Had a man seen God in that moment he would have been so overcome by the blessing, it is difficult to imagine the effect on him. I dare say such a man might not remain in his flesh and blood.

Both Jesus and Holy Spirit could have made a confident guess as to what this new thing was, if They were the kind who guessed at things (as this writer does here).

If ever our Father had reason to be agitated or unnerved, or rather if it were ever even possible for Him to be so, it might only be by this singular new thing, this very thing of which He would soon, even now, speak.

“Go, My Son, go!”

Father’s utterance was more than a shout, better than a lion’s roar, it was full of all His Joy and Goodness. It was also grounded with a Soberness and a Graveness that caused all heaven to tremble. It had the sound of myriads of thunders.

It was clear to all what this new thing was and what it meant. Every corner of heaven heard the Decree. How the angels wanted to stand, to cheer and to dance, but not just yet!

“Go again to the earth We have fashioned, go amongst the people We have made in Our Image. Go to the People called by Our Name, who are waiting for You, and crying out to Us, for this their Day and all our great Joy. Go and bring the church Your Bride , bring her up to Us! It is time!”

Every pillar was shaking as Father now spoke once more.

“Go, begin and bring in the End of all things! Go again My Beloved Son!”

And then a shofar sounded out the like of which had never ever been heard before. Jesus smiled a Smile that could have in one instant cheered forever all that have ever lived on earth; it was certainly the Smile of a King. And He went again.

one blood

Human blood is red! But there are different blood types! A, B, AB & O. Unless I'm wrong each of these types is found in people of all different ethnicities and colors. If a white man is type A and needs a transfusion, a black man can donate his type A blood and save that white man's life. Vice versa a white man can save a black man's life. If we are type B and favor conservative politics are blood could save a type B liberal's life. Muslim blood can save a Christian's life! And atheists blood can save a Muslim's life! How foolish we are to think of ourselves as anything but human. ( please consider sharing ) 🅰🅱🆎🅾💟

Acts 17:26-28  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;  (27)  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:  (28)  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

HHHNN

Everything secular is man-centered. Pagan religion is man-centered. Christendom is infected with man centeredness. But Christians don't die of the infection! That is to say they don't die and go to hell. It's VERY IMPORTANT for us in these very tumultuous times to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and on things above. Hebrews 12, Colossians 3. Don't be man centered. John 15:5.

If we have accepted the Lord's invitation to be his disciples should we not also accept his pleading that we enter into the Harvest as his labors? Mark 9:38. In John 4:38 Jesus reveals to the disciples that it has been his plan AND that they actually ALREADY are laboring in the Harvest!

Jesus was not man centered. He was Father centered. He was a laborer in his Father's field. The book of Hebrews (3:1) shows has Jesus as the Apostle and High Priest (but he is not of the levitical priesthood; Jesus is of the priesthood of Melchizedek). We know that he is the prophet prophesied in the Torah. Deuteronomy 18:15 through 18. His people called him Rabbi or teacher. He declares himself to be the Good Shepherd, and we unwittingly call our Shepherd's "Pastor."  But try as I might I cannot find Jesus called an evangelist. The word evangelist only occurs 3 times in the Bible and all three are in the New Testament. The Greek word for evangelists is defined as a preacher of the Gospel.

But...

The New Testament scriptures show and Jesus declares himself to be a PREACHER. Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:38. In Luke 4:43 Jesus says, "I must preach the kingdom ..." There the word is translated from a Greek word meaning evangelize. The three Greek words in view here are found in Strong's Concordance; they are H2097, H2098, and H2099. Respectively they mean:

*H2907- to announce good news (a verb)

*H2098- a good message, that is: the gospel (a noun)

*H2099- a preacher of the gospel (a noun)

Even though the English versions don't call Jesus and evangelist it is clear that he is the Evangelist of evangelists. He is the good news who brought the good news so that we could be good "newsed," that is to say so that we could be evangelized.

"Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" Isaiah 53:1

The word report is H8052 defined as something heard, an announcement,-- doctrine, news, report, rumor, tidings. 

The gospel. The good news. The good message. The good announcement. The good report. The good yes even the Glad Tidings! The good report from good reporters heard in the first from the Goodest reporter! 

I think we should all subscribe to HHHNN - THE HOLY HEAVENLY HERALD NEWS NETWORK❗❗❗

Better yet we should become good reporters for the HHHNN. ❤❗❤❗❤❗❤❗❤❗❤❗❤

It shouldn't hurt to be Heavenly minded. 1Corinthians 7:29-31

moral and religious

"If  anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." Written by James, the half brother of Jesus, his epistle, chapter 1 verses 26 and 27.

Many people I know have enjoyed American Freedom most all their lives. Rich or poor we are able to move about. But now a virus has caused such fear that we have allowed that freedom to be greatly restricted. Not only the simple freedom to move about but also the freedom to keep open businesses we have established for our livelihood. Additionally we are being challenged by politically motivated activists and community organizers who for a variety of reasons seek to overthrow local and state governments, and even our national government. That is what lies underneath the waves of black lives matter and antifa.

The United States has a unique government. It is not a democracy. It is a republic. The people are represented by those they choose and by those appointed by the ones they choose. Our sixth President John Adams is famously quoted saying, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." Was he right? If he was the implications are sobering, because we live at a time when many Americans have no real and guiding identity as moral or religious persons.

It used to be said frequently of Jesus that "He has the whole world in his hands." It's not just a sweet or trite saying. After being raised from the dead Jesus told the disciples/apostles: "All power in heaven and earth is given unto me." Christians need not fear whatever troubles come their way in their short earthbound lives. The destiny of all Christians is secure. If you are a Christian when you die you go to heaven. God did not make any other place for Christians to go. Thank you Lord God and Hallelujah, you are good and your mercy endures forever.

But what of our remaining life on earth? What are the options, what are the opportunities for those saved through faith by the grace of God in Christ? I think they are many and varied. But what is God after? Certainly God is after our hearts! And he is after our hearts that our hearts be after him! Though the sin nature of all men rebels against it, what God wants is that we please him by living in accordance with his will, his way and his word. Our lives before God will be truly very much less complicated if we simply seek the will, way, and word of his Kingdom. A kingdom is a government. God's Kingdom is his Government. It's not a complicated democratic Republic with 3 counterbalancing branches.

How is it then that our complicated democratic Republic is suited only for a moral and religious people? My understanding is this, only a moral and religious people are capable of sustaining that Republic. Without a moral and religious people that Republic will not last. Are we at the "tipping point?" It seems that we are closer than ever to losing our moral grip on both national and local government.

The end must come. The Apostle Peter wrote to the church "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober minded for the sake of your prayers." For the sake of your prayers...! It wouldn't be a stretch to say "be moral and religious..." Peter continued, "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." With no doubt I see these words (1st Peter 4:7 and 8) as a flawless strategy for the believers life on earth today... for "tomorrow never comes."

who would know better?

“There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances because they do not want to lose their jobs. There's a certain class of race problem solvers who don't want the patient o get well.”
~ Booker T. Washington (pictured below)
Born: April 5, 1856, Hale's Ford, Westlake Corner, VA Died: November 14, 1915, Tuskegee, AL