February 2013 Pisagh Post

Edition III, Volume 3, Issue 1 Saturday, February 2, 2013EEEddddiiiitttiionnn IIIIIIIIIII, VVVVVooooolllluuummmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeee 33333333333,,,,,, IIIIsssssssssuuuueeee 1111 SSSSaaaattttuuuurddaaaayyyy, Febbbrrrruuuuuaaaaarryy 22222, 2222001113333Pisgah PostEEEEEEEdddddddiiiiiittttttiiionnnnn IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII VVVVVVVVVoooolllllluuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeee 33333333 IIIIIssssssssuuueee 111111 SSSSSSaaattttttuuuurrddddaaaaayyyy FFebbbbbbrrrrruuuuaaaaaarrryyy 22222222 2222222200001111113333333EEEEEEddddiiitttttii IIIIIIIII VVVVVV lll 333333 III 111 SSSS tt dddd FF bbbbbbb 2222 222222000111113333

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Pastor Kevin Bryan

Can Anything Good Come Out Of Africa?

Why is blackness so ominous? Who affi xed negati vity to blackness and goodness to whiteness? Why is the Devil portrayed as black and Jesus white? Black Market,

Black Sheep, Blackout and Blackmail all convey negati vity. Black music is labeled as inferior, black expressions of worship sacrilegious, and instruments associated with the black

experience tagged demonic, satanic, evil and unacceptable in the Christi an church. These are representati ve

of historic chains that have blinded humanity, poisoned society, and raped mankind of the

African identi ty, historicity and desti ny.

In many churches, well intenti oned Christi ans frown upon the drums yet welcoming of the organ. On what Biblical grounds are these careless

and irresponsible judgments made? There is no Biblical basis. It

was the slave master, not God who sti gmati zed everything African. The slaves used “Talking Drums” in and out of church to ascribe praise to God and also communicati ng amongst themselves their

strategy for escape and/or warfare. Their masters realized that whenever the drums were sounded many slaves went missing, so they banned its use and affi xed the sti gma of demonic, satanic and evil. Many blacks today believe and perpetuate this toxic lie. There is nothing inherently demonic, satanic or evil in any instrument, rather, the evil is within the individual playing the instrument. Of themselves instruments are not good or evil...they are neutral.

Jesus was not ignorant of His ancestry or background. He said, “I know where I came from and where I am going” (John 8:14). In like manner, those from the African Diaspora must also be

rooted in the knowledge of his true beginnings. This truth must be revealed and understood in order that all may behold one another from a divine perspecti ve. Listen to God’s desire for His church, “...mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people” (Isaiah 56:7).

With so many things seeking to divide us, worship is designed by God to bind us together with chords of love that can never be broken. Worship is the human response to

God’s initi ati ve. In worship God is the primary audience. He desires an authenti c worship that emanates from a heart desperate for a love relati onship. The authenti city and dynamics of the African religious faith have produced an amalgam of religious experiences that can be instructi ve to the larger Christi an community. Worship in its essence unites humanity from, “...every nati on, kindred, tongue, and people..” (Revelati on 14:6).

Worship is the gateway to communion with God. The call to worship is the most basic command in scripture. An expert in religious law asked Jesus,

“What is the greatest commandment in the law?” Jesus gave a clear answer, fi rst, “love God with all your heart, soul, and, mind”. Then second, “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt hew 22:34-40). What does it mean to love God? Worship.

The God of the cosmos embraces diversity. Our worship should be of such that it draws and embrace all regardless of the nati onality, educati on, socioeconomic stature, disability or

pigmentati on. God loves us all with the same measure, the innocent life of His Son Jesus Christ.

We from the African Diaspora are called by the God of the cosmos at such a ti me as this to stretch ourselves beyond the strengths and handicaps of yesteryear and move forward to embrace

and fulfi ll our divine calling which is to, “...worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness..” (Psalm 96:6).

It was the slave master, not God who sti gmati zed

everything African.

Jesus was not ignorant of

His ancestry or background. He

said, “I know where I came from

and where I am going” (John 8:14).

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Can anything good come out of Africa? Yes!!!


Confl ict to Cooperati onBy Hans Azemard

“Let us therefore make every eff ort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edifi cati on”

Romans 14:19.

You deal with people everyday at work, school, on the streets, and at church. Every person is unique and has their own set of values and beliefs. Typically defi ned as culture, our values and beliefs shape how each and every one of us views the world. Think about it. Your background, your personality and your frame of mind all infl uence how you communicate and interact with your fellow man, which naturally impacts how we solve problem and manage confl ict.

With so diverse a background its not easy to demonstrates true discipleship and stewardship. We need to understand that confl ict happens. Confl icts can be healthy, if handled the right way.

Oft en ti mes, when faced with confl ict, we have an immediate emoti onal reacti on. That s normal; its part of being human. The key to maintaining strong working relati onship with each other is your ability to take charge of your emoti ons when faced with confl ict. If someone has done something that has made you upset, or if you don’t understand their view point or acti ons, simply asking about it can make a world of diff erence. Someti mes there’s a good reason why that person does what he or she does. If you

have done something that has made someone visibly upset, do not assume that they know your intent. And remember, make your questi on just that - a questi on, not accusati on!

Proverbs 20:3“It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool

is quick to quarrel”

Next ti me you fi nd yourself experiencing confl ict, use the following model:

C CLARIFY the issue (know the facts)

A ADDRESS the problem (avoiding does not resolve the issue)

L LISTEN to the other side (respect their point of view)

M MANAGE your emoti on (think it through; stay CALM)

Having diff erent opinions is one of the essenti al benefi ts of being part of a group. Understanding and appreciati ng one another’s viewpoint has always been the key to living in peace and harmony. Remember, we all come from diff erent backgrounds with diff erent viewpoints, so naturally confl icts will arise from ti me to ti me. How you choose to respond will make the diff erence between success and failure of resolving

any situati on. Confl ict resoluti on is the goal of a good steward in the body of Christ.

ly asking about it can make a world of ometi mes d reasonson e orou

diff erence between success and failure oany situConfl icthe gostewbod


Recognize Your Talent

So how can you recognize your talents?

Preaching and writi ng are obvious gift s. There are, how-ever, other kinds of gift s. There are gift s given by God that are backstage support gift s. This set of criteria may work for you as you determine what your gift s are and how you might fi t into God’s plans.

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, says very simply: Hey, look. We’re all in this together. God has assigned us to this earth for a short pro-ducti on play. The whole idea behind this producti on is to inspire others to want to be part of the stage crew. The more people we accumulate on the stage, the happier Jesus is.

Now there will be some that are actors. Some that are pit crew. Some will be ushers for the seats, and others greeters in the foyer. Some will work the lights; others will pull the curtain. They’re all equal gift s! Everyone does a diff erent job, but the goal is to seamlessly fl ow this play so the audience is awed at the power of the Playwright.

That is what we’re doing. We the crew are promoti ng the Playwright. Jesus is thrilled when the light guy that Jesus designed for the purpose of mastering the art of lighti ng makes the pro-ducti on sparkle. God will look upon that man or woman and say, “Well done; you’ve achieved everything I was hoping!”

Can you imagine what Jesus feels when the light guy thinks: Ah, all I know how to do is lighti ng. I haven’t got the personality of the actors, so I’m nothing great. I guess I’ll just go work some other job that is more acceptable to the world? God has to be frustrated by that.

No gift from God is insignifi cant. Even faith is a gift . Your strength of belief is a positi ve sign of encouragement to someone else! There are a lot of people who don’t have strong faith, and God sends someone like you who speaks faith, walks faith, lives faith, and exudes faith. The weaker believer needs you!

The Purpose of Your Gift

Your gift s will give someone else the courage and moti vati on to fi nally make the decision to live their lives in harmony with the Savior. That’s serious stuff ! It’s all about eternity with Jesus. That is what happens when the play is over and we the cast and crew are fi nished here on earth.

It’s the same spirit but diff ering gift s. God wants unity without uniformity. Jesus is looking for people who do things their own unique way, but sti ll keep the same goal in place. That goal is a beauti ful producti on that inspires others to join. Of course, I’m talking about the church: “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: fi rst apostles, second prophets, third teachers, aft er that miracles, then gift s of healings, helps, administrati ons, varieti es of tongues” (verses 27, 28).

Excerpt from “Spiritual Gift s: How Do You Fit Into God’s Plans” By Pat Grant. At the ti me Pat Grant was is the associate pastor of the North Cascade Seventh-day Adventi st Church and the Bible teacher for ninth and tenth graders at Skagit Adventi st School in Burlington, Washington.

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February is Heart Health Awareness Month Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States? That’s why the month of February is dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease. Educate yourself on the dangers and stay on track to bett er, healthier heart! The fi rst step to preventi ng heart disease is understanding the most common types and the warning signs.

Heart Att ack

• Pressure, a feeling of fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes

• Pain extending beyond your chest to your shoulder, arm, back, or even to your teeth and jaw

• Prolonged pain in the upper abdomen

• Shortness of breath

High Blood Pressure

• Severe headache

• Vision problems

• Chest pain

• Diffi culty breathing

• Irregular heartbeat

• Pounding in your chest, neck, or ears

What you can do

A healthy lifestyle is the key to preventi ng it. Strive for the following:

• Refrain from or stop smoking

• Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes a few days a week

• Eat a heart healthy diet

• Get regular health screenings


Praise @ Pisgah


Praise @ Pisgah


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3 Zucchini (about 7 inches long) 3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil 1 cup dry bread crumbs (Italian)

1 Bag of Morning Star Griller Crumbles ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese

(or your choice – ground turkey/beef/chicken/sausage) 1 Cup Mozarella Cheese

2 Teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (opti onal) 1 Tablespoon fresh basil

Salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 Jar Pasta Sauce

1 Onion, minced

Cut zucchini in two, length wise. Scope out the middle, leaving a shell intact all around - set aside (chop it up later)

Heat olive oil and saute meat with onion, garlic, red pepper fl akes, salt, black pepper

In a bowl, pour meat mixture and add the tomato sauce, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and basil unti l all is thoroughly combined.

(opti onal – add the chopped up fl esh of the zucchini to the mixture). It’s really delicious.

Stuff the zucchini boats, place them in a baking dish. Bake unti l thoroughly heated through and beginning to brown on top – about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle mozzarella on top, and let it melt. Then remove from oven.

stuff edzucchini

Submitt ed byToni’s Tastee Treats





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Documents

February 2013 Pisagh Post