President Obama made headlines last week when he endorsed and supported homosexual marriages. Aside from the obvious, this is wrong on more levels than I have time or space to discuss.

Before I begin, I would like to reclaim the use of the word, “gay.” Homosexuality is unhappy because it is completely opposed to the Word and the will of God. “Gay” is a word that means “happy,” as in the verse  ”don we now our gay apparel…” from the holiday standard ”Deck the Halls.”

First and foremost, the President has effectively told Black voters that they have nowhere else to turn. No Black person could, in good conscience, vote for a man that says he identifies with Black people because “his ancestors owned slaves.” Now I understand the president cannot “kowtow” to Black voters but a patent snub cannot be dismissed.

Second, while the President has professed to be a Christian, taking the stance he did runs completely contrary to Biblical teaching. While Mr. Obama is, ostensibly, a liberal, his decision to support homosexual marriage has destroyed any possibility of his carrying the evangelical vote which, incidentally, is numerically greater than the homosexual vote.

Now, I could go deep scripturally but the Biblical argument has been clearly framed and proffered; I don’t need to elaborate that case any further.

The issue is not whether it is an abomination or not – sin is sin, and folks want to make homosexuality a sin of greater magnitude. The point, here, is that homosexuals are part of a small cadre of sinners who want their sin to be made legal in the sight of men (along with abortionists and corporate thieves) and now they want it to be accepted by the church.

If homosexuals want civil unions, well, okay…I don’t have to have anything to do with that. When you speak of the institution of marriage – an institution, I might add, ordained by God – it’s a slippery slope approaching the inevitable end of the state forcing the church to sanction and perform nuptials for homosexual couples. Those of you whose ministries receive faith-based-initiative money had better consider this carefully! As for me, I refuse to accept, sanction, or perform homosexual marriages. Period.

Another point to consider: if you make homosexual marriage legal, the public schools will have to teach that it is “right.” Then, other taboos such as pedophilia, bestiality, and polygamy will have to be taken into consideration. After all, they represent “behavioral choice,” as well. As a parent, I am aghast at this possibility; I will be forced to either homeschool or put them in private Christian schools.

Finally, the well-meaning but misguided minority says “live-and-let-live” and “homosexuals have the right to be unhappy in marriage as heterosexual couples.”

To that I have just two words to add: bovine effluvia! And, for the record, godly marriage is blissful, thank you very much!

Paying taxes to a man-sanctioned nation does not grant the right to pollute a God-ordained institution. I’m willing to live-and-let-live if the institution of marriage is left unsullied.

Homosexuals, as a demographic group, earn more, have more entrepreneurs, and greater net worth than much of the nation. And they are free to socialize, cohabitant, and enter into business partnerships without inhibition. The notion of homosexual marriage is an affront to Christian sensibilities and just another milestone on the route to societal decline.

Let me be clear, I love everyone and I pray that all people experience the love of Jesus and the power of His Kingdom. But, as an Ambassador of the Kingdom of God, it is illegal for me to speak anything that contradicts the Word of my King. God wants none to perish, rather that they have everlasting, abundant life in Christ. I pray that homosexuals cease to be conformed to the ways of the world but, instead, are transformed by the renewing of their minds.

 © 2012 – Derrick Day (www.derrickday.com)

As a Christian, we are promised tribulation but we are also promised overcoming. Because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in every believer, we are assured victory. I take umbrage with those who emphasize the suffering, as this leads to Christians leading defeated lives in the earth realm. Jesus gave us authority over all the ability of the enemy; when we exercise that authority, we do not eliminate tribulation and suffering but we certainly mitigate them.

© 2012 – Derrick Day (www.derrickday.com)

God framed the heavens and the earth with His Words. With His Word, He created the spirit of man. By His Word, God made His Word flesh. In His Word is salvation, deliverance, healing, protection, and prosperity. We must conclude, therefore, that God’s Word is powerful. And yet, there is something so nullifying, so negating that even Jesus said renders this Word of no effect.

The traditions of men.

Here’s what Jesus had to say about this:

Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. (Mark 7:13)

This is a key reason so many Christians are longing for the power of God to be manifest in their lives and churches long to see this power expressed in their services and congregations – the power of God will not overrun the traditions of men.

Notice here I said, “will not,” not “cannot.” You see, God is omnipotent; He can do anything but lie or fail. But God never forces His will on man. He could easily force us to bow down and worship Him; force us to choose Him. Yet, He never does, as that would be contrary to His character. God is the archetypal gentleman!

Back to my point, there are so many churches that are steeped in denominationalism and rooted in tradition that they end up ignoring Scripture. I know that there are many churches that will not permit me to preach in their pulpits because of my long, dreadlocked hair. I know of others that will not permit women to preach to their congregations.  Still more would exclude many a potential guest preacher because of race or culture. These traditions, based upon errant interpretation of Scripture that I have neither time nor space to correct.

(By the way, this exclusion based on tradition cheats many from hearing from anointed preachers and teachers…)

Tradition often paints an inaccurate portrait of the Church and Kingdom Citizens. Mahatma Gandhi once said he’d have become a Christian had he never met one.

What an indictment against the Church!

Today, folks stay away from church by the thousands, citing hypocrisy, mean-spiritedness, and other factors – most stemming from tradition. Because tradition renders powerless the Word of God, there are no signs and wonders displayed for the purpose of winning the lost. Traditions of men are what largely keep folks from experiencing the beauty of relationship with the Father through Jesus.

Many churches are so yoked to liturgy that a move of the Holy Spirit is nigh impossible. The stated program must be followed. Proper protocol must be observed. Many believers have been thoroughly convinced that their style of worship, their hymns, their atmosphere is the only way to approach God. Others insist that proper dress is important – men must wear suits to worship and women cannot wear pants, and so forth. Let any of these elements be out of place and congregations that have become reliant, indeed, dependent upon tradition will become non-functional, complementing their dysfunction.

Now, the Bible teaches us that God esteems His Word above His Name (Psalm 138:2). The Pharisees evoked Jesus’ anger by esteeming tradition over the Word and folks today have the audacity to follow in their footsteps. By continuing this folly, the very power, yes, the nature of God is not expressed fully to His children.

Instead of obsessing over meaningless traditions that are devoid of power, we need to focus on the Word of God to the end of manifesting the Greater Works Jesus spoke of in John 14:12. Instead of practicing hollow worship smacking of man’s tradition, we need to go forth and fulfill the Great Commission.

It’s time to put away denominational dogma that hinder winning of the lost and properly discipling the saints. It will be a glorious day in the Kingdom when the yokes of tradition and the bondage of defiled religion are destroyed once and for all.

© 2012 – Derrick Day (www.derrickday.com)

I have frequently taken the position that God hates religion. I studied this in great detail. I concluded that since there was no religion (or, at least, the conventionally accepted manifestation of it) in the Garden of Eden, it had to be something devised by man and, therefore, rejected by God.

I was totally right. And totally wrong.

The Word  of God says, “let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). For the sake of this discussion, I’d like to modify this to say, “let God be true and ME be a liar!”

I’ve searched multiple translations of scripture and every translation renders the word, “religion,” the same. Now, I know that James was written to Hebrew Christians and that the term “religion” was used as a frame of reference, thus making the passage contextual. However, that word, “religion,” persists.

Therefore, there must be something God is trying to communicate to us here. Whenever you read a “therefore” in scripture – or use “therefore” when rendering a conclusion, you need to find out what the “therefore” is there, for!

Now I can go real deep on this but I will keep it simple as this is material for an upcoming book (shameless plug). Suffice it to say, religion is not your system of belief – rather, correctly applied, it comprises the steps by which individuals or groups express their belief. The problem is that man has permitted the steps by which faith is expressed to become a belief system in and of itself.

True Christianity, then, is not a religion, it is a lifestyle or state of being. It is the overarching principles by which we experience relationship with our Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus.

Expressed another way, you have a relationship with your spouse. The love you share is the overarching principle of your marriage. However, this relationship must be maintained. You have to have “date-nights,” purchase gifts, perform acts of service, be complementary, be kind, listen, etc. Another analogy would be ownership of a car. The car, itself, is the overarching principle. But in the glovebox, there is an owners manual, which contains a service schedule. If you don’t follow the service schedule, the car will not perform as designed and may fall apart well before its designed service-life. In both cases, the maintenance is critical to the survival of the relationship.

With that in mind, pure religion (James 1:27) is what we do to maintain relationship with the Father through Jesus. Mind you, God’s part was finished on the Cross at Calvary. However, we have to walk our part out. Let’s make it clear, though, this doesn’t render Christianity works-based; indeed, that would reduce it to mere religion and defile it.

Pure religion undefiled means operating and walking in love. When you walk in love, you will not allow your  brothers and sisters in Christ – especially the weakest ones – to be destitute or in lack. You will go out of your way not to offend them. You will stand up for and defend them. The will, culture, and intent of the Kingdom of God is grounded and rooted in love and when you operate according to Kingdom principles you demonstrate the kind of religion defined in James 1:27.

That’s love. That’s religion…that proves whom you are in relationship with.

© 2012 – Derrick Day (www.derrickday.com)

In this lesson, we learn that healing is not only a gift from God, but it is the will of God for His children.

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:8-11)

God is a Good God. Furthermore, He is a Great Father! His Word declares that He gives good things to them that ask Him! God is so good that he clothes His children in robes of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), gives us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), and even opens the door that we can ask anything in Jesus name and He will do it (John 15:7)!

That’s a shouting moment if you catch it!

Unfortunately, there seems to be only a handful of folks that understand this. Religion has so perverted the Word of God to the point where saints of God have erroneously concluded that God is a sadistic, cosmic killjoy that would just as soon smite you with boils and hemorrhoids as bless you. For many, God is a mean-spirited step-father who will use his unlimited power – or worse, the devil – to inflict pain on mankind.

Nothing could be farther from the truth!

Time and space do not permit the recall of every scripture to prove this. However, for the purposes of this discussion, I will hang my hat on just one here (and a couple later):

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

Now, in the context of this scripture, you must ask yourself: is sickness, poverty, or oppression part of abundant life? Absolutely not! Do they exist to steal from, kill, or destroy you? Absolutely! Then they must be of the devil.

Got it? Good. If not, keep reading…

I believe the sinful nature of man leads to either hiding from God or self-flagellation. Both are hallmarks of a religious mindset. I proffer that a renewed mind produces righteous-consciousness instead of sin-consciousness and leads us to run to God when we err instead of running from Him.

Jesus said He came to give us abundant life! Abundant life is whole, full, vibrant, and plentiful. Unfortunately many of the Body of Christ didn’t get the memo! Now, Jesus did tell us that we’d have tribulations in this world (John 16:33) but He also said to be of good cheer (be encouraged) because He overcame them.

So, if I’m in Christ, I, too, have overcome the world! That’s Good Gospel News!

But I’m not done, yet! Jesus said:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:4-7)

Notice how the Lord puts emphasis on abiding in Him. And now for the finishing touch:

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

One of the greatest deceptions of the devil is to get Christians to believe that when bad things happen to them that it’s God punishing them for some sin.

Newsflash: the reason for this is that to believe God will punish His children – or worse, that He will permit the devil to do it – is to deny the power of the Finished Work of the Cross.

Denying the power of the Cross is to deny the power of God. And, once you deny the power of God, you, yourself, become powerless.

Powerless saints cannot effectively fulfill the Great Commission! Powerless saints are incapable of performing Greater Works.

Tapping into the power of God and understanding your purpose in God are essential to victorious Christian living!

Now you know why there are so many powerless saints and churches…

© 2012 – Derrick Day (www.derrickday.com)

The case of Trayvon Martin is both curious and sad. The opinions on this matter fall into one of two camps: one sees Trayvon as a glaring milestone on the difficult road traveled by Black Americans; the other sees it as a man using the force at his disposal to avoid becoming a statistic of violent crime.

First, let me state emphatically that I abhor the shooting of this innocent youth. Having experienced, firsthand, the business-end of a number of weapons, I can say – without batting an eye – that Skittles and iced tea do not comprise any weapon of which I am aware. I’d like to further state, that as a Black man who is the father of Black sons, I acutely feel the pain of Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton. I cannot fathom the pain of having to bury a child – especially one, that by all accounts was a good kid.

It is because of cases like these that I over-emphasize the importance of flying “the straight-and-narrow” to my sons in all their dealings, both public and private. I teach my kids that God created us all equal in His sight but they must be acutely aware that the world does not see them as God does.

The sad part of this saga is that a human life was depreciated to zero in a relative blink of an eye. Trayvon Martin was arraigned, tried, convicted, and executed by a “yahoo” with a gun and a bad attitude. The human lust for power is one of the basest emotions known to man. And it is because of a twisted understanding of power that Trayvon Martin, and many other young Black men like him, are dying daily.

Genesis, chapter 1, verses 26-28 are what can be called God’s “dominion mandate.” It is here that God gives the charge to His children to rule and reign in the earth as He does in heaven. Unfortunately, due to the introduction of sin, and the perversion of the Word of God by the devil, the misunderstanding of power has led to a burning lust in mankind to rule and reign over one another.

Slavery, racism, homicide, rape, and abortion are all crimes against humanity, perpetrated by those who are desirous of exercising absolute power over another human being. Mankind, blinded by religion and religious teaching, has not been properly introduced to their Creator/King/Father; that is, that they were created to control the environment God created for them.

Lack of understanding of a concept invariably leads to abuse of the concept.

Jesus came to earth not to give us a ticket to heaven, but to restore His earthly Kingdom and to return mankind to its original position of authority in the earth. Jesus said that he came “to seek and to save that which was lost,” not who, whom or they. It is the persistent, errant teaching of what salvation really is that is the source of most of man’s maladies.

Salvation is the “Ellis Island” to the Kingdom of God! It is the door – a means to an end – not the end itself.

Allow me to elaborate: if mankind came to the knowledge that, by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior and allowing the Holy Spirit to govern their hearts and minds, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11) abode within them, there would be no need to try to wield power over another human being. Period. Proper teaching of salvation will properly disciple God’s people and lead them into the abundant life promised by our Lord (John 10:10)

Now churches and ministries are out in force to cry out for justice. There are numerous events taking place to raise awareness of Trayvon’s murder and to bring his killer to trial. While this is a noble gesture, I think the Church can do far more every Sunday morning and every Wednesday evening.

Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Re-introduce mankind to their original purpose and design. Teach folks how to represent and re-present the King of Glory to the world. Dispense with religious traditions, doctrine, and dogmas that do not reflect the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the only teaching that will make a difference. Banging the drum of the Old Covenant and traditions of men will not minister healing to this sick and dying world.

Which brings me back to my original point. It shouldn’t have mattered that Trayvon was wearing a “hoodie” on that fateful night. It shouldn’t have mattered what was in his hands. It shouldn’t have mattered what was in his hands. And it shouldn’t have mattered that he was a Black man walking in a gated neighborhood. None of these should have mattered one whit…and, yet, they did.

Moreover, shooting a defenseless child, no matter how you slice, dice, or fry it is wrong. There is no justification for ending Trayvon Martin’s life. I don’t care what is said on the part of the defendant, any chance of justifying this heinous act must range from scarce to none.

That said, until mankind is quickened to the knowledge of God’s love and God’s government – that our desire for power can only be satisfied by operating within the will of He who is the source of all power, these things will continue to matter.

Sadly, none of these words, however powerful will bring Trayvon back. Hopefully, though, these words will raise consciousness to the point where these incidents will be few.

I pray that the peace that passes all understanding rest upon Trayvon’s family in this season of mourning.

© 2012 – Derrick Day (www.derrickday.com)