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9JULY 2015BODY OF CHRIST NEWS For I know the thoughts that I think toward you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 2911 NKJV In light of the recent tragedy in Charleston SC I felt compelled to respond. Regardless of the sentiments of a few you and I still have been predestined to accomplish great things in our lives. There is evil in the world and some people seem bent on disturbing our peace as they relentlessly cling to racism and hate. I want to encourage you to know your past does not have to prevent you from receiving a promised future. The mere fact that you are able to read this is proof that God is trying to tell you something. In Jeremiah 2911 God says that He knows the thoughts that He has for you and I. They are thoughts of peace and not evil to give you a future and a hope. This affirma- tion assures us that God has a brighter outcome for our lives amidst all the darkness and uncertainty. To expect means to look forward to the probable occurrence or appearance of something Websters II New Riverside University Dictionary 1984 1988. The key word here is probable meaning apt to occur or to be true. Since our heav- enly Father declares that our future has a great outcome as His children we can rightfully embrace this truth walk in victorious freedom and eagerly anticipate a promised future. We really do have a Right to Expect Great Things no mat- ter where our present circumstances may find us. The mistakes we have made and the set-backs we may have encountered all can be conquered. We overcome armed with the knowledge that God still has the divine ability to turn it all around for our good. So when life hands you and I a bad break hand it back Be deter- mined to break despair discouragement and defeat Dont let despon- dency deny you the power to declare a dominant destiny. Galatians 69 reminds us to not to get discouraged and give up for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time The Book New Living Translation 1996. Remember Champions while things may not have panned out the way we planned it to be and events in life seem difficult or dark let us be confident and know that our Divine Creator has better and brighter plans conceived for us. These plans include goodness and peace to bring us in to an expected end of hope and promise. Strengthened with this revelation I boldly proclaim and you can too You Have a Right to Expect Great Things By Pastor Tommy L. Mitchell III Whatever the Devil Does We Know We Win Body of Christ News spoke to two long-time pastors and friends con- cerning the Power Packed Revival held for two nights on June 18th and 19th at Friendship Baptist Church of Christ Jesus under the spiritual guidance of Pastor Paul and his wife Evangelist Dallas Burleson. Guest speaker was Bishop Herman Murray Sr. Pastor of Full Gospel Holy Temple in Dallas Texas. Body of Christ News asked them about thee recent church shooting. Bishop Murray stated that It was a tragedy to say the very leastI dont think anybody particularly in the reli- gious community was not affected by that on some level. This is an evil world we are living in and as long as there is evil in the world these things have a chance of happening. But our job as the people of God of course is to be the Light that God has called us to be. Our prayers and our thoughts go out to everybody thats been affected by this. It is NEVER an easy thing to hear he said sadly. Pastor Burleson supported these words and added but we know as Believers and being Gods creatures that whatever the devil does we know we win. We also want to pray for the trag- edy at Emmanuel AME Church and for the families and all of those who have been affected by it. Martin Luther King said Not only does one hungry man shame us all but where there is iniquity that abounds in one place it abounds everyplace. But we have to deal with it with the heart of Christ were praying for the perpetrator that God will save him and bring this tragedy to triumph. Bishop Murray also addressed the current group of pastors preachers and church members who say they are burned out from going to church. Thats religion and I know that being a pastor in these times we are living in can really frustrate you because for all your preaching and all your studying you know sometimes you just wonder Do they get it I think sometimes peo- ple feel like This is what the preacher does for fun. This is not what we do for fun this is what we do because God has called us to do it and the Bible says knowing the terror of the Lord we per- suade men. Both Bishop Murray and Pastor Burleson did not want to present this mes- sage to the community without encourag- ing the Body of Christ that concerning the church shooting in Charleston logi- cal and necessary security precautions must be taken. Security in the church is always a concern for anybody responsible for other people. You want to make sure other people are secure and able to wor- ship in a worry-free environment said Bishop Murray. We cannot simply wash the South Carolina shooting out of our minds but pastors and preachers must take every precaution necessary even as the people of God to ensure that the people who worship with us are safe. Pastor Burleson echoed this senti- ment adding that we need to be aware that these things are not just hap- pening and that during the 1900s after Reconstruction they burned down black churches. It has happened before reminded Pastor Burleson. Even Emmanuel AME burned down but we know our God is able to recon- struct and do what needs to be done. It also happened in the New Testament when Gods people were driven out and put in prison and those who did it thought they were doing Gods will So its germane to us but it doesnt mean it hasnt happened before. God is always bringing opportunities they said even through terrible situa- tions. Pastor Burleson said he is excit- ed about new possibilities even though the Bible says that times will wax worse and worse. Bishop Murray also said that these are exciting times and that He believes the Word of God no matter what. We are committed to the Great Commission to win souls for Christ and when you do Gods work Gods way you get Gods results every time In our church we have a thing we do called Knee-to-Knee Day. Church members do an acrostic of the word self. S is I surrender myself to God E is I empty myself to God L is I love God with my whole self and F is I fill myself with Yourself God that I can do your will this day. We begin our day with this prayer and we end our day with this prayer. I start on my knees and I end on my knees and God has given us the victory. God has already done it He has already worked it out. We Must Watch The shooting was a throwback to the 50s and 60s when the Black Church was under siege from the outside and even from the inside. I believe the Spirit of God is saying that we must watch in addition to praying. I dont believe that we should be carrying weapons to defend ourselves. I do believe that we are to be watchful and pray. I believe men need to come home and come back to the church because when men stand on the top of the fence top of the building and are watchmen then some things just wont happen and we need men to protect what God has given us. Not the Time for Fear The Lord laid on my spirit that it shooting is from the enemy because he wants to get the Body of Chirst fearfulfearful to worship fearful to have Bible study fearful to have choir rehearsal so the enemy can come into the Church and wreak havoc. But God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love and of power and of a sound mind and wherever there is the Spirit of the Lord there is liberty. We should not be afraid to wor- ship we need to be empowered and our hearts go out to the Church in South Carolina but God does not want us to stop inviting people to come and worship and embrace them and welcome them and trust Him for protection. An Attack from Satan Its the kind of attack that only comes from our one enemy Satan himself. Satan has always attacked the Church and his ultimate desire is to destroy mankind. What this young man meant for evil God turned it in for good and what he thought he was going to do in dividing the nation and divid- ing Blacks against Whites Jews against Gentiles and cause us to have an internal upsurge in our nation has drawn the nation together. When we become the Church militant and go into the enemys camp and take back what Satan has stolen from us then we become the Church triumphant. God is forcing us to do what Hes called us to do. What will we do now because of what he the shooter has done Bishop Acen Phillips Mt. Gilead Baptist Church Aurora This is Spiritual Warfare The enemy Satan is very busy and we know if we are paying attention that we are living in the last days. It is the remnants situation to see that the evil one would get into a young person 21 years of age and go into a sanctuary a place of worship and seek to destroy. These things show us and remind us of what Satan does. But the blessing is that God will always take care of His own and will take this opportunity in His own way and in His own time to turn it into good. The Church needs to stand up and recognizethis is spiritual warfare and that we as Christians know that we win in the end. Pastor John Tellis Sr. Pastor Solomon Temple Missionary Baptist Church CHURCH SHOOTING Pastor Battle A Right to Expect Great Things Pastor Frank Jones Gods Will Christian Fellowship CHAMPIONSHIP CORNER