Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Hymn

I heard this song on Monday at the seminary and I can't stop singing it; it is so beautiful. The lyrics are below.
 
When in our music God is glorified,
and adoration leaves no room for pride,
it is as though the whole creation cried
Alleluia!

How often, making music, we have found
a new dimension in the world of sound,
as worship moved us to a more profound
Alleluia!

So has the Church, in liturgy and song,
in faith and love, through centuries of wrong,
borne witness to the truth in every tongue,
Alleluia!

And did not Jesus sing a psalm that night
when utmost evil strove against the Light?
Then let us sing, for whom he won the fight,
Alleluia!

Let every instrument be tuned for praise!
Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise!
And may God give us faith to sing always
Alleluia! Amen.
 
 

A thought for the day

"O Most High, when I am afraid, I put my trust in you." Psalm 56:2b-3a

 

"Let truth, the light of my heart, speak to me, and not my own darkness!"
Augustine, Confessons, Book XII, Chapter 11

"Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart."
Psalm 119:33-34


Pastor Kenneth Q. James


Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Next steps

Sunday's sermon (9/26) was from Daniel 5:1-5, 24-28), titled, "Living in the Light of Eternity." What are the "next steps" God will have us take in response to the Word we heard?
 
"May we receive the word we hear each in an honest heart
And keep the precious treasure there, and never with it part."
 
1. What do you think God has to say about the state of our world today? Is anyone listening or does anyone care?
2. Do you find it easy to be judgmental about others faults?
3. Belshazzar is disrespectful of holy things (Daniel 5:2-4). How are we guilty of failing to respect holy things?
4. Daniel's admonition to Belshazzar is sobering (Daniel 5:18-23). What life lessons from parents, elders, teachers, etc., have you failed to heed?
5. "Living in the light of eternity" means that we take our lives seriously, that we refuse to live "sometimes recklessly, sometimes carelessly, often thoughtlessly because we don't think about the consequences of our behavior, and certainly don't expect eternity to begin any time soon." How can we make decisions to live "on purpose" in light of eternity?
6. What questions/thoughts/convictions were raised in your mind after hearing this sermon or reading this passage? How is God speaking to you now?
 

"Let truth, the light of my heart, speak to me, and not my own darkness!"
Augustine, Confessons, Book XII, Chapter 11

"Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart."
Psalm 119:33-34


Pastor Kenneth Q. James


Monday, September 27, 2010

Check out YouTube - Aretha Franklin - Beams of Heaven - Audio from Gospel Fes

Hello, all,
I wanted to share with you this experience from June 3, 2005 (I will never forget the experience, but I had to look in my journal to get the correct date). The Pastor's Aid of Duryee Memorial AME Zion Church in Schenectady gave me as a gift a trip to New York to go to the "Gospel Fest" concert at Madison Square Garden in NYC. That night in concert, I heard Donnie McClurkin, Vickie Winans and the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. I will never forget hearing this song that night, already one of my favorites, but so beautifully done here that as I thought of it, I wanted to share it with you. I hope you will enjoy this very meaningful song as much as I do.
 
Click here: YouTube - Aretha Franklin - Beams of Heaven - Audio from Gospel Fest
 
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart."
Psalm 119:33-34


Pastor Kenneth Q. James


Sunday, September 26, 2010

Check out YouTube - ELDER JAMES LENOX SINGS A MUST SEE!!!

At 1:59 this morning, I woke up singing this song, from out of nowhere, it seemed. It blessed me, and so when I found it on YouTube, I thought I should share it with you.
 
 
(p.s., there is another link for this song with a young lady singing this song, but for me, this one does it. Maybe you need a few gray hairs to sing this and understand it)

Friday, September 24, 2010

Just a thought...

I have never seen anyone in as much of a hurry as when they are rushing to judgment. "Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry" (James 1:19). If your words are seasoned with grace and prudence (Colossians 4:6) they won't taste so bad if you have to eat them later.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Words

Someone shared this with me this morning, and I thought it would be good to pass it on. Let's use our words well today.

The writer of Proverbs describes an unwise person as "one who speaks like the piercings of a sword" (12:18). Our tongues can be like a multi-bladed Swiss Army knife when it comes to the variety of ways that we cut and destroy each other.

Unhealthy attitudes of anger, irritation, frustration, and impatience—even disappointment, stress, guilt, and insecurity—all contribute to our damaging speech. And as we cut with our words, we wound and divide friendships and relationships. It's no wonder that the infamous list of seven things that are an abomination to the Lord includes anyone who "sows discord among brethren" (Prov. 6:16-19).

How do we stay off that list? For starters, we need to watch what we say. Gossip and slander are out, and words that hurt instead of heal are not welcome. Boasting, lying, and all the rest of the ways we use words to hurt and divide need to be gone as well. In their place, words that extend love and the healing power of forgiveness, mercy, and truth should rule our words and relationships. After all, where would we be if Jesus hadn't spoken words of forgiving love and grace to us?

So, put the "knife" away and use your words to help and heal.


Lord, put a seal upon my lips,
Help me to guard with care
The things I say and swift repeat;
O tongue of mine, beware! —Bosch

Our words have the power to build up or tear down.

"Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart."
Psalm 119:33-34


Pastor Kenneth Q. James

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Prayer

Good morning/afternoon/evening.
 
We had a wonderful Bible study yesterday and last night, where we discussed Daniel chapter 2 and 4. In our discussion, we engaged conversation about Daniel 2:17: "Then Daniel went to his home and informed his companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions with the rest of the wise men of Babylon might not perish." Our discussion was regarding how Daniel, in a time of decision and crisis, did not attempt to make a decision without consulting God, and without asking like-minded persons to join him in seeking an answer from God.
 
As you know, we are in the midst of transition, and it is best if we seek God for the direction God will lead us. I know that many (if not all of) you pray for the direction of the church IN GENERAL. However, now I am asking that you join us in prayer SPECIFICALLY in regard to what we should do about our times for service. We have heard from our members about their preferences and opinions. Let us now ask what God would have us do, and let us seek to be led by His guidance.
 
I am asking that everyone who is able join us for Prayer Meeting this evening and next Wednesday at 6 p.m., with the specific goal of seeking God's direction for this important decision for our church. We pray mindful that God answers prayer, and approaching this as did Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:12: "...We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."  
If you are unable to physically join us, please be in prayer with us wherever you are at 6 p.m. this week and next. Thanks.
 
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart."
Psalm 119:33-34


Pastor Kenneth Q. James


Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Next steps

Last Sunday (9/19/10) the sermon from Daniel 4:19-27 was titled, "The Danger of Pride." What are the "next steps" God will have us take in response to the Word we heard?
 
1. In what ways do you see pride as both a good and bad thing?
2. How does God show us grace when we are caught up in our pride?
3. We discussed in the sermon how Jonah Lehrer describes the effects of dopamine, how this molecule communicates with our brain cells to tell us when we feel happy or receive pleasure, how scientists discovered through their experiments on the brains of rodents that too much pleasure can be fatal. It was an accidental discovery, but by placing electrodes in several rodents' brains and making them continually excited, the rodents lost interest in everything else. They stopped eating and drinking, their courtship behavior ceased, and the rats just huddled in the corners of their cages, transfixed by pleasure. And Jonah Lehrer writes, "Within days, all of the animals had perished. They died of thirst" (How We Decide, p. 35). How can "too much pleasure" have a negative effect on our lives?
4. What questions/thoughts/convictions were raised in your mind after hearing this sermon or reading this passage? How is God speaking to you now? 
 
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart."
Psalm 119:33-34


Pastor Kenneth Q. James

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Next steps

Last Sunday's sermon from Daniel 3:16-18 was titled, "But If Not, What Then?" What are the "next steps" God will have us take in response to the Word we heard?
 
"May we receive the word we hear each in an honest heart
And keep the precious treasure there, and never with it part."
 
1. Does anyone in your life have the power of a "terrorist" - the power to change who and what you are? How can you take that power back? Keep asking the question, "How do I want to live so I can be who I want to be?"
2. We noted that the Chaldeans in the story in Daniel 3 could not have noticed the Hebrews who did not bow down if they were in fact obeying the orders of the king. What is distracting you from doing what you are supposed to be doing as you move toward maturity (in worship, in work, in ministry, in duty, etc.)?
3. What is the conviction that governs your life and ultimately decides for you in times of crisis (i.e., Deuteronomy 6:4-5 in the lives of these 3 Hebrews)?
4. Are you praying for God to get/take you out of the fire, or are you committed to trusting God in the fire? Can you trust that God will get in /be in the fire with you?
5. What questions/thoughts/convictions were raised in your mind after hearing this sermon or reading this passage? How is God speaking to you now?
 
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart."
Psalm 119:33-34


Pastor Kenneth Q. James


Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Next steps

Good morning,
Well, we are back! And once more, let's reflect on the Word of God from Sunday and see what are the "next steps" God will have us take in response to the Word we heard.
 
"May we receive the word we hear each in an honest heart
And keep the precious treasure there, and never with it part."
(from the hymn, "Once More We Come Before Our God")
 
1. What does it mean to have "a made up mind?" Is that true of you? In what way?
 
2. Because Daniel has his mind made up, he refuses to "sell out" by eating portions from the king's table. What convictions have led you to where you are today? Remember, as Jonah Lehrer says, "We always need to be thinking about how we think."
 
3. When Daniel "purposed" in his heart what he would do, the context of the word suggests that his decision was not dependent on the acceptance of anyone else and therefore required no long or further explanation. Taking such a principled stand raises this question for us: how do I want to live so I can be who I want to be?
 
4. In the sermon, we heard that "some people make progress; other people make excuses." What are you doing - making progress, or making excuses?
 
5. When you make a decision, you are taking a risk, and also affecting the lives of those around you. What is at risk for you to decide who you want to be, or how you want to live? Who will be affected (positively or negatively) by your decision?
 
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart."
Psalm 119:33-34


Pastor Kenneth Q. James


Thursday, September 2, 2010

Fast Day

Greetings, all,
Just a reminder that tomorrow, September 3, and each first Friday in the month is a FAST DAY for Memorial. All members who are physically able are asked to fast and be in prayer for our church, our leaders, ourselves and the ministry God has given us to accomplish.
As you pray, be mindful that you don't have to go away somewhere and get "deep." If a whispered prayer, such as the prayer that is found in Mark 10:47 - "Jesus...have mercy on me" is all that time allows for, that is sufficient. And then let's watch what happens when we pray!
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart."
Psalm 119:33-34


Pastor Kenneth Q. James