WEDNESDAY'S WORD - SYSTEMIC - Sadell Bradley - 2/1/2023

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD SYSTEMIC 2/1/2023 “I can't help but believe that at some time in the not too distant future, there is going to be another movement to change these systemic conditions of poverty, injustice, and violence in people's lives. That's where it's got to go, and it's going to be a struggle."- Coretta Scott King

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This past week, while the Country's eyes and attentions were fixed on the NFL playoffs— a tragic video was released of a group of Memphis police officers detaining, beating, and murdering a young black man named Tyre Nichols at a traffic stop. One would say Nichols had been beaten within an inch of his life...if he had survived the brutal encounter that occurred on January 7th. Tyre clung to life for three days and died on January 10th of "excessive bleeding due to severe beating." The now deactivated police team responsible for his death was called the SCORPION unit, which ironically stands for Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods. Some of us watched the news horrified as we saw officers and EMT personnel stand around Tyre as he cried out for his mom, who lived just down the road. Even more shocking was the fact that the officers in question were black men. Their official photos had the American flag as a backdrop. CNN political commentator Van Jones wrote in this OPED piece that though the police officers were black, they still could have been driven by racism. Jones writes, "One of the sad facts about anti-Black racism is that Black people ourselves are not immune to its pernicious effects. Society’s message that Black people are inferior, unworthy and dangerous is pervasive. Over many decades, numerous experiments have shown that these ideas can infiltrate Black minds as well as White. Self-hatred is a real thing." My heart sank as I thought of all of the losses that will result from this incident. Tyre's parents have lost their son. Tyre's son has lost his father. The Black police officers have lost their livelihoods and will likely lose their freedom. Their wives, children, and parents will lose husbands, fathers, and sons. Then there is the unspoken loss of peace and security for millions of African-American men and their families who wonder if anywhere is safe for them to be. It's a time of mourning that can't be relieved by football. Dr. Michael Emerson, professor of sociology and author of "Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America," says we live in what he calls "a racialized society." America is full of both individual and SYSTEMIC racism. SYSTEMIC means fundamental to a predominant social, economic, or political practice; an adverse effect of an exposure that affects the whole, rather than one part. Emerson writes that the Church is not immune to systemic racism. 86% of American churches are mono-ethnic—meaning that all the parishioners are of a single race. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. described 11 o'clock on Sunday as "The most segregated hour in America." Dr. Emerson reveals that churches are 10 times more segregated than the neighborhoods people live in and 20 times more segregated than the schools their children attend. Racism in the name of the Lord is like the leaven of false teaching that Paul wrote about in Galatians 5:9 AMP, "A little leaven [a slight inclination to error, or a few false teachers] leavens the whole batch [it perverts the concept of faith and misleads the church]." That's what a corrupt system does, perverts and misleads. It would be powerful if the Church that claims to represent Jesus Christ could stand up to the systemic racism that pervades our society.Sadly, though our creeds and mottos are about love of God and people—our witness in the arena of race is not credible. We are divided and not united. The church is oriented toward the same power politics which allows for this destructive system to continue to ravage our families, cities, nation, and world. Our salt has lost its savor, (Matt 5;13) and we have forfeited our ability to be the worlds preservation on race. I pray that the Church will come to repentance over its part in perpetuating racism's ills. I pray that we as African-Americans will find enough healing and self-love to not inflict the wounds we have received on one another. I pray for Christ's intervention by Word and Spirit so we, our children, and grandchildren can live in peace.

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WEDNESDAY'S WORD - HURRY - Sadell Bradley- 01/25/2023

WEDNESDAY'S WORD HURRY 1/25/2023 “Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset."- Saint Francis de Sales TONIGHT 7 PM WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY ONLINE  THE ANOINTING CONSECRATION   @warehouseOTR  Facebook, Youtube     On Sunday, we had a snow storm in Cincinnati. Six inches of snow fell in just a few hours. It caught the department of transportation off guard, so the roads were treacherous. I'm no stranger to snow being from the East Coast. I've shoveled enough snow for the rest of my life, and I've been driving in it since I was sixteen. Everybody can't drive in snow. Some don't take necessary precautions like ensuring their tires aren't bald. Others don't observe driving rules like maintaining a few car lengths distance. This seems especially true for trucks and SUV's. Perhaps it is their size or their 4WD/AWD options, but the drivers of these vehicles were on my tail attempting to make me go faster while cars were slip sliding and 360'ing in front of us. I hate tailgating, even in good weather. I think...what's your rush? Where are you going in this snow with its low visibility and slick conditions? Generally, the answer is to the next light or stop sign. Really?! the plow people haven't even made it out here, yet you're in a HURRY - moving or acting with great haste; doing or finishing quickly or too quickly. "Nature does not hurry , yet everything is accomplished." — Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher Why are you in such a hurry? Is some external person or force attempting to make you move or decide faster than you should? Yes, there are times when we experience the urgency of now and must act immediately, but I would venture to say on more occasions haste and hurry do not suit us because they are born of anxiety, impatience, poor planning, pride, or folly. Proverbs 19:2 AMP tells us,"Also, it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, And he who hurries with his feet [acting impulsively and proceeding without caution or analyzing the consequences] sins (misses the mark). Sometimes moving more deliberately provides us safety and allows us to arrive at our destination unimpaired. So, what's your rush?

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - CHAMPION - Sadell Bradley - 1/18/2023

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD CHAMPION 1/18/2023 “A champion is someone who gets up when he can't."- Jack Dempsey- American Boxer TONIGHT 7 PM WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY ONLINE  THE ANOINTING TEACHING  @warehouseOTR  Facebook, Youtube     Growing up as a track athlete, I admired Wilma Rudolph, the world-record holding sprinter. Rudolph was the fastest woman in the world in the 1960's, the first woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic games. Her story was one of triumph—overcoming pneumonia and scarlet fever as a child. She also contracted polio, which caused an infantile paralysis where she lost strength in her left leg at the age of five. Wilma was disabled for much of her childhood. She had to wear a leg brace to walk until age twelve. She and her mother traveled hundreds of miles weekly to specialists for treatment. She wore orthopedic shoes until she was fourteen, and fell behind academically due to illness. All the odds were against Wilma Rudolph excelling, but God had granted her the physicality and athletic gift to play basketball and run track. Rudolph's height and speed were not her only gifts; she was also given the heart of a CHAMPION, one that would have the grit to overcome obstacles to win, not just in athletics but in life. Despite a pregnancy during her senior year in high school, Wilma went on to college to be trained by noted track coach Ed Temple and run with Tennessee State University's infamous 'Tigerbelles.' The rest, as they say, is history. Wilma Rudolph became a CHAMPION - a person who has defeated or surpassed all rivals in a competition, especially in sports; a person who fights or argues for a cause or on behalf of someone else. Wilma Rudolph was a champion in all respects. Her mere presence as one of the most prominent African-American women of her time challenged the status quo. She held her fame and her platform as an educator and child advocate with dignity and grace. Here's what she said about being a champion. "Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday." - Wilma Rudolph Wilma Rudolph was an overcomer and a victorious champion. Perhaps you have had to conquer severe challenges in order to win at life. Maybe you're facing difficulties today. True Christ-followers are called to believe and persevere through the trials of this world. They become spiritual champions through identifying with Christ. 1 John 5:4 AMP says, For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God]. THIS SATURDAY! REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - INFERIORITY- Sadell Bradley- 01/11/2023

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD INFERIORITY 1/11/2023 “I don't have a feeling of inferiority. Never had. I'm as good as anybody, never better."- Katherine Johnson, Mathematician

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NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson is one of the subjects of the movie Hidden Figures which highlights the achievements of the African-American female scientists who contributed to successful US space flights. Though Johnson and her cohorts were initially deemed inferior and assigned lesser roles than their accomplishments deserved because of their race and gender; she states above she did not internally hold feelings of INFERIORITY— the condition of being lower in status or quality than another or others. Katherine Johnson was the exception, not the rule in many ways, including maintaining confidence despite the incredible odds stacked against her. Her mathematical prowess did not bring feelings of superiority. Her grace and humility held that we all have good to offer others. Psychologist Dr. Alfred Adler coined the term "Inferiority Complex" to mean an intense personal feeling of inadequacy often resulting in the belief that one is in some way deficient, or inferior, to others. He suggested feelings of inferiority may be brought about by childhood upbringing (e.g. being consistently compared unfavorably to a sibling), by physical and mental limitations, or experiences of lower social status. These can cause one to behave in ways that attempt to compensate for feelings of inadequacy. Have you ever suffered from an inferiority complex? Do you compare yourself to others and find yourself lacking? Does this cause you to hide your giftedness and miss out on opportunities? The Apostle Paul dealt with this problem. He states in 1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. Paul did not walk with Jesus as a disciple, nor experience His teaching and miracles. He did not witness His crucifixion, resurrection, appearances, or ascension. We can only imagine the shame and regret he must have felt after it was revealed in Acts 9 that he had not only been persecuting Christ followers, but Jesus Himself. Though he authored much of the canonized New Testament, Paul was criticized because his presence and speaking were not as powerful as even the "false apostles" that arose and were commanding audiences in his day. In 2 Cor 5:11a he writes, "But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these “super apostles”... I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge." In 2 Cor 12:11b he says, You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these “super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all." Paul, like Katherine Johnson, soberly and accurately retained his personal worth despite the obstacles placed before him. Negative comparisons and demeaning judgments did not make him inferior. Paul humbly recognized Christ had chosen and promoted Him, and He was leading and serving only by God's grace.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - EXPLORE - Sadell Bradley - 1/4/2022

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD EXPLORE 1/4/2022 “A season of suffering is a small assignment when compared to the reward. Rather than begrudge your problem, explore it. Ponder it. And most of all use it. Use it to the glory of God ."- Max Lucado TONIGHT 7 PM WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY ONLINE  THE ANOINTING OIL  @warehouseOTR  Facebook, Youtube         One of the things I enjoy most is travel. It offers the opportunity to get a break from the mundanity of everyday life. I can experience new places and see how people around the world live. Do you like to EXPLORE? to travel in or through an unfamiliar country or area in order to learn about or familiarize yourself with it? I've met a number of people who have never flown in a plane nor visited a state outside of their own. Others don't read books nor watch the news. The scope of their awareness and experience is very limited. That's certainly ok, but there is a lot in this world to EXPLORE—to inquire into, discuss in detail, examine with your five senses, evaluate or search out. Exploration brings value and breadth to our perspectives on life, people, and on the God who created them and this vast universe. Will you decide to explore a new place, endeavor, hobby or even God's Word more in 2023? Exploration requires planning. Whether you're embarking on a trip overseas, investigating a new course of study, or delving as Max Lucado suggests into your own mental, emotional, or spiritual state after experiencing a problem—exploration involves forethought and execution. I appreciated his idea that instead of begrudging or complaining about our situations, we could step outside of ourselves and explore them. What was your motivation for expressing yourself the way you chose to? If you had it to do over again, what might you have done or said differently? How did the other person's response reflect their own perspectives or issues? Why did their reaction matter so much to you? There are many things we can learn from exploring the experiences of others. We can also grow as we consider not only our failures or problems, but our successes and achievements. What practices have proven beneficial to you that you want to continue? How do you want to feel after finishing a new project or exploring a new place? Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 1:13a, "I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens." Exploration helped him understand the futility of what humans experience on this earth. He realized to "fear God and keep His commands is the whole duty of man." (Ecc. 12:13) Moses sent 12 spies to explore Canaan not only to see the blessing that was to be had there, but what it would take to dispossess their enemies and possess God's promise. Exploration comes before possession. What might you need to explore today?