Pastor’s Blog for Friday, July 19, 2024

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."- 1 Corinthians 13-6-7

Peace and Blessings from our loving truth, Jehovah El Emet, is truthful and faithful towards us. The truth eventually comes out about all things.  In this Pentecost Season prayers will be answered in truth. Truth will persevere, no matter what is penned, Gossiped, or believed about anyone, pass, present or future. This Sunday, July 21, 2024, We will transfer the Feast Day of Mary Magdalene one day earlier then what is on our saints calendar of July 22. She is worthy of truth when we speak of her. Hope to see you there.

 Because of systems of oppression towards women, and pure misogynistic and chauvinistic behaviors, women within history, Biblical History and even today, especially in religious institutions, have suffered. I too was deeply conditioned, via decades of past affiliation with a religious Pentecostal institution, that women were subservient to men in all things.  This of course is pure baloney. Since I don't cuss, this word will suffice and take place of others I can think of. Even today, most clergy who are abused by the church or religious institutions are women. This is also truth and really Fudge Sickle, (you can figure this phrase out). What is more frustrating is when women are still getting these negative behaviors from other women, who feel empowered to continue the oppression of other females, but certainly not on their daily jobs. The because is not as important as the point here in this blog or in the following  true accounts of my beloved mom. My mother was more educated than most pastors, elders and bishops of her time. When she preached at or in their place of worship they instantly became threaten.  She was so much bothered by them because she knew what was going on culturally. Although some were very nice to our family and came to my mother's  Bible Institute, it was discovered that some of them, that were so threaten, could barely read or write. interestingly, they could quote KJV, better than King James himself. They didn't have a clue what any of it meant. Relying on just what they were told or learned by others, who were also less educated and heard the same from those before them. All of this  allowed me to see that this Pentecostal Church body  was not where I belonged or could grow spiritually.

Now as a youth, I would challenge what I heard that I knew was false, saw that it was untrue and or felt it was unrealistic, in the privacy of my parents car or around our family's dinner table. I would quote Matthew 6:7, "Do not give that which is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, for they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."  I saw how sometimes after preaching she would humbly sit down, while being 'scorned' for preaching the truth which my dad would defend her and I  tell you, my mom hated when dad defended her in public because it made  this worse and the women whose husband never defended them, disliked her even more.

My mom suffer from it all by the 'general public', but not by our Bishop Samuel Crouch. He like my dad were at best, private Liberal Pentecostal. This is truth. She was often told that women had no place in the pulpit and had to deliver the Word of God from the offering or communion table.  I found the latter to be amusing on so many levels because the communion table was the holiest place, or at least should have been in the church. She and others like her who could out preach most men with the truth and the fire of the Holy Spirit. Sadly they were demonized by a church and leaders they so loved and or admired with all of her heart and soul.  This wasn't the first nor unfortunately not the last that this happened. 

Mary Magdalene was placed in this category of being demonized in 591 by Pope Gregory 1 in a sermon, he elected to label her as a prostitute.  This started the untruth madness.  Have you heard of the Gospel of Mary Magdalene?  You can purchase this Gospel on Amazon.  This Gospel and many others were not included in the 66 Books of the Bible. Are they real? Yes and radiocarbon using accelerator mass spectrometry. The Gospel of Mary Magdalene reveals a radical love. A love that can give you insight on many truths that are often omitted. Within her Gospel she says that we should not be ashamed or fill unworthy for being human.  It is mentioned that are purpose is to be truthfully and completely human.  Even after the Catholic Church stated that they are fully sorry and repented for demonizing Mary Magdalene, a few didn't get the memo.  Let's give credit where credit is due.  Mary Magdalene was the first Apostle and one of the many wealthy women who supported the ministry of Christ. She was a Disciple of Christ who witnessed first hand the Crucifixion and Resurrection of our Savior. She and many other women was present at the Last Supper.  One should never look at art and think for a moment that it is always correct. If it were corrected, Jesus would not have blond hair and blue eyes.  May the truth be revealed in the name of Jesus.    

So for all the women who were and are still demonized, Jehovah El Emet knows your story and your name and calls you to know who you are and who you belong to.  Often times, jealousy is the root of that evil. "Do not give that which is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs". Do what you do for Christ. and if others do not understand why you put your heart and soul into serving others and become verbally abusive, let it be. They are showing who they are and what teachings they are around. Just do not allow yourself to be subjective to their childish behavior. Rumors are spread to make the deliverer feel important to others as if the know something. The reality is they do not.  They thrive on chaos.  This is not of God.  My mother often stated that people want attention and telling untruths is a platform that can be destroyed with prayer.  Do not be around the chatty Cathys’, hypocrites and false what nots.  When someone is ungrateful because you do what you do for the love of Christ,  even when you place them at a place of honor, and because they believe what is mentioned without knowing the facts, call them on it and just walk on by and shake the dust off of your feet and keep it moving and do not look back, remove yourself from being around them, and pray about it.

Keep praying and remember like Mary Magdalene, you are loved and our deemed worthy by the Precious Lamb of God and this truth sets you free and gives your spiritual liberty and identity as a beloved child of God.