Breaking the Cycle: 3/09/16

Praise the Lord Saints.

I want to invite you out to one of my afternoon services starting Sundays at 3:00 pm.

Coming Soon! True Holiness Christian University offering bachelors, master’s and doctorate degrees in Systematic Theology!

It’s incredibly amazing to me how some folks want to get the illusion that they are for what’s right not even considering if it’s righteous!  No, there are not the same.

They are quick to throw their name in the proverbial hat and say they are ready to roll up their sleeves and get into the trenches to fight, fight the war on poverty, the war on crime, the war on, the war on , the war on, yeah like a broken record that keeps repeating itself.

But when to take a look at the history of those very same people you find that that is exactly what they do, say, talk, with no deeds or works that followed.

As long as it benefited that person or their circle it was the thing to do.  But beyond that, well…

These same people refuse to develop partnerships or alliances with others that appear to be like-minded, but in a New York minute side with those that cannot possibly have the same goals and objectives.

I have found myself repeatedly shaking my head from attending meeting after meeting after meeting and seeing the very same people essentially saying the very same things they have always said but the results remain the same.

We still “fighting” the same wars that have plagued South St. Pete for over 50 years.  I can only speak to that length of time but I’m sure these issues have been going on longer than that.

I’m wondering where these same folks were when I spoke on behalf of the Carter G. Woodson Museum in front of the Board and President Law of St. Petersburg College, for Advantage Village Academy, the ribbon cutting ceremony dedicating the building formerly known as the Mustard Seed being the home of 55 homeless veterans, the all day workshop when Dr. Karen Mapp, a graduate of Harvard School of Education, came down and gave a workshop on how to turn around failing schools, the Forum the followed at John Hopkins Middle School in which she came down again and gave a 45 minute capsule of the same workshop and we then did breakout sessions and gave the parents an opportunity to voice their concerns, the press  releases that spoke to the urgent need to reopen the Midtown Gym that would give our youth an alternative to the streets and mentor them on how to be responsible, productive citizens and the proper way to give back to the communities in which they live.  I could go on and on but I think I’m painting a clear enough picture to say this to these so-called warriors, where is the evidence?

We can sound so eloquent and speak so well in front of a crowd but the reality is the facts say otherwise.

I was accused of grand standing and I laugh because folks like my dear friends Toriano Parker and Pastor Martin Rainey, to name a few, can attest to the fact that I have been quietly active and the reason some don’t know is simply, you ain’t been  and I don’t look for attaboys or a paycheck.

Money don’t motivate me, seeing souls saved, lives changed for the better, empowering people to become engaging, these are the things that motivate me.

It’s sad that even those that appear to be like-minded won’t work together and then want to attempt to throw others under the bus and site that we all need to work together to solve the problems and issues facing us.

I say this.

The reason that can’t happen is simple, how can light and dark co-exist?  They can’t. One will eventually overcome the other.  Jesus warned us of this in several scriptures.

My former Pastor once told a short story and it was simply this, one day Jesse James and a preacher were seen riding off into the sunset.  The next time you see them again, one of two things will have occurred, you will either see Jesse James toting a Bible or the Preacher wearing a six shooter.

Some even say that Jesus never taught separation and well, I will let the Bible speak to that.

2 Corinthians 6:17   Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

Isaiah 52:11  Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.

Revelation 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.  5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.  6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.  7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.  8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

If you stop trying to undercut those in the trenches and once in a while hop in with us, you will see that much can be done if you do it God’s way, if only you just trust, believe and apply your faith.  You speaking against it won’t change the fact that it has already been done.

What’s the bridge or the run in the gospel song I Got a Mind to Live for Jesus, All of My Days; you can’t stop me, you might as well join me.

If you ain’t got the Holy Spirit, get it.  We tarry weekly and have prayer for those that desire to receive this free gift of Power from God.

Till next week,

God Bless.

Rev. Dr. Robert L. Harrison, PhD – pastorrobharrison@gmail.com, @drrobharrison, Robert Bob Harrison (Facebook)

Pastor – The Apostolic Open Door Church of God & True Holiness – 2800 41st Ave. N, St. Pete
First Vice President – NAACP St. Petersburg Branch
Chaplain – Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Pinellas
Parent Support for Education Council Member | Chaplain – Dept. Juvenile Justice for Circuit 6

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