Monday, January 29, 2007

Da Word... 176!


Goooooood Evening!

It's a little chilly outside.... and windy, ooooooo.  Heh heh, guess winter is finally hitting.  Supposedly it's not going to hit 30 this week up here in Boston.... hmmmmmmm....... HOT CHOCOLATE TIME!!!  Aight, on to... da Word! 

checkit:

Why not?  Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works...
- Paul (Romans 9:32)

Awwwww YEAH!   Paul is back!  In these chapters, Paul drops sooooo much knowledge... yo, you can spend WEEKS on it and STILL not get all the knowledge seeping from these words.  So, let's chew on the little bit in the verse above fo' a minute.  A lil' background, new testament badmamajamma Paul is lamenting the hardened hearts of his own people (the Jews) while teaching some serious lessons in the process.  In the verses previous, he hints that Gentiles (non-Jews) have obtained righteousness but the Jews have not, and this right here is the reason why.

Paul states that his peeps were pursuing a law of righteousness.... and so they missed it yo!  Paul is like, "potnas, it ain't by works!  it is by faith that righteousness can be attained by the likes of us!"  Yo, there ain't no way we can earn righteousness.  The minute we think we can earn it, a whole SLEW of evil can creep in:  jealousy, pride, arrogance, anger, conceit, deception...... endless list yo.  We start to rely upon ourselves rather than the infinite source of righteousness that is Pops above!   Naw bruthaz and sistaz, we can't attain righteousness by our own hands, by our own works.  It is only by faith that we can attain it.  Why?  Cuz we stop being absorbed by our own selves and we begin to attain the mind and manner of Pops above.

It's important to note, this idea of faith being the way and not works is repeated a ton throughout da word yo.  Usually repetition indicates something mad important.  That's not to say, "don't bother with works kid, it'll give ya no play."  No, quite the opposite brethren and sistren.  It IS to say that works will follow automatically when we pursue a righteousness that is by faith.  BAM!  Don't you see?  We are changed from within and it overflows out.

Aight, gotta bounce.  PeACE!

G-bless,

   - patrick

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Da Word... 175!

Gooooood EVENING!

What's up y'all!  How ya livin'!  Yo, yesterday it snowed so much that the snow actually stayed on the ground!  That said, it still wasn't that much snow... but still!  It's the principle!  My knee is doing very well by the way. The recovery process is moving along smoothly.  Thanks for the prayas!  Keep  'em comin ;)  Aight, on to... da Word!

checkit:

The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."  Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
- Luke 10:37

Tru!  This is from the parable of the Good Samaritan.  If you haven't heard that one, peep Luke 10:25-37.  That right there is a good parable.  Shoot what am I sayin', ALL these parables are da bomb son!  Read them bad boys, study them, and live the truth they teach.  Speakin' of truth... peep what my man J said to this expert in the law at the end there.   J said, "Go and do likewise."  Now the whole lesson about the Good Samaritan is to reveal a portion of what it means to love your neighbor as yourself.  But I wanted to focus on this "go and do" bit.

I don't know if you noticed but, J taught MAD lessons, heh heh ;)  But he didn't just drop da knowledge, homeboy urged peeps to go and apply that knowledge!  He didn't want these peeps to just sit and soak in the lap of truth.  Naw potnas!  If we merely sit and eat and eat, we'll become so gluttonously fat on this succulent truth that the stuff will be oozing from our pores.... naaaaaaaaasty.  A sad and sorry sight if you ask me.  No no no NO!  He wants us to act on this truth!  He wants us to go and do, that is to eat and to work out.  Put all that truth to work in a powerful and productive way in your life and in the lives of those around you.  For what purpose is it to simply amass truth and never utilize it, other than to waste the precious few moments of ones existence?

Potnas, when we learn truth, especially the oh so powerful truths from Pops above, let us not only make it a part of us, but let us also transform that truth into action.  For it is through action that commitments are made true change takes hold.

G-bless,

  - patrick

Monday, January 15, 2007

Da Word... 174!


Good Afternoon!

Wassup!  I hope things are going well for ya ;) tru!  Today is a day off for some peeps (peeps in those states that observe MLK day).  Freedom, many peeps die for it and continue to die for it.  Aight, on to... da Word!

checkit:

He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich-- both come to poverty.
- Proverbs 22:16

That's a bit of wisdom right there.  It makes a person question his or her motives, and his or her moral code.  There are MAAAAAAAAAAD peeps out there trying to get rich, or at least trying to make a little bit more money.  The question is at whose expense and in what manner?  We all know the simple economics that one gives up wealth and another gains wealth.  But there are soooo many ways in which this can happen.  And in a capitalistic society like ours..... boyyyyyyy!   Watch out there now! 

Society places a lot of worth in amassing great material and monetary wealth.  And so, many will stop short of nothing to gain it.  But check this proverb potnas.... he that oppresses the poor to amass wealth is headin' toward a world of pain.  See, the scripture says this person is headed to a state much worse than being poor.. this person is headed into a state of straight poverty son!  At least poor people can afford a thing or two.  But one in poverty... they are at the mercy of those around them.  Alas, do you think one who oppressed the poor is going to get mercy.......

The proverb also puts those who give gifts to the rich in the same camp.  In the context of this proverb, it seems to point to those who overlook the poor in order to please the rich in order to get a step ahead in amassing more wealth.  In other words, it is forsaking the needs of the poor to satisfy unnecessary selfish desires.  It's skipping over those in need and giving to those who do not need.  That is straight ruthless potnas.... and sick.  It's aight though, because we reap what we sow.  And these kinds of peeps have another thing coming.  The proverb says poverty.  But poverty in what sense?  Regardless of the sense, poverty is a sorry and sad state of affairs.   I don't wanna catch a whirlwind of poverty, do you?

Remember the needy and do not trample over them.

G-bless,

   - patrick