Couple of Thoughts

Opinions and observations by Ini-Herit Skill Buy Beats from Ini-Herit Skill Tweet Ini Just Music

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A Powerless Gospel

9 “Then they will hand you over for persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of My name.  10 Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another.  11 Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold.  13 But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.14 This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will come. - Matthew 24:9-14

A gospel that is not walked out, produces no life. We render the writings of Paul, John, Peter, or any NT writer useless by only preaching it, but failing to believe it and live it out. In this new age of Christianity, we often dilute Scripture by defining it through experience, and very rarely as is. I’m not against preaching, as it is necessary. However, if our lives do not convict the non-believing world, what is the purpose? If we are too busy trying to make each other rich, instead of keeping each other sharp, what is the purpose? To be clear, if we aren’t saying what Jesus was saying 2000 years ago, we are preaching a powerless gospel. If we are not actively growing and walking as He walked (1 John 2:6), we are preaching a powerless gospel. A gospel that has power, is a life lived through Jesus Christ. Period. Where is the good news if your co-worker hears you complain about every little thing? Where is the good news if you verbally abuse your spouse, but post pictures of you two every time you do? Where is the good news if you gossip about your fellow brother and sister, but smile in their faces when you see them? The number one similarity behind all these things I listed is, we cannot even IMAGINE Jesus doing any of these things. I see Jesus thanking God for the job, and seeking to make the job better in EVERY aspect. I see Jesus correcting the church, and laying down His life for her. I see Jesus talking to us personally in private about what He doesn’t like, and if need be, telling us in public too. Walking and conducting ourselves as He would is what produces the power to convict change in others, not so much our words. People can argue over words, not so much over a life you’re truly living.  Jesus preached verbally, but the best message He preached was on that cross. We do not have the power to take away sins, but we do have the privilege to lay down our lives for the sake of the ones we love. Friends, don’t conform yourselves to ways of this world, or even new age church culture. Please, don’t make God into a genie who can grant you unlimited wishes if you follow principles. Lastly, don’t downgrade godly living to the limited capacity of the fallen man, but let the grace of God take you to place to represent Christ daily. Grace is available DAILY to walk like Him, we just need to spend time with Him. The seminars on YouTube, the audiotapes we buy, and even the books are all great. However, these things should not take the place of us spending time and getting to know Him more. There’s still time to show God lives in our lives, let’s not take it for granted.

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Relationship and Religion

On this cold winter day, many of us are indoors staying toasty, enjoying a dinner with a loved one, on the buffet line with the family, or even trying to catch a movie. Regardless of the activity, it is evident most people are going the extra mile for Valentine’s Day. In modern day Christianity, we are seeking to go back to our roots by having a relationship with God, while not being religious. We love to throw around the new cliche “relationship over religion” but many of us are polygamous in this department. Most of us try to serve God, and our selfish desires simultaneously. God is often a safety net for reckless ventures, instead of being a Guide to living a full righteous and holy life. It is common to hear people going into business, and their prayer is for the business to be successful, instead of asking God for His approval. We tend to do away from “rules” but in a relationship there are things you just don’t do. The apostle John says this:

3 This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands.  4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet doesn't keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  5 But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected.This is how we know we are in Him:  6 The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:3-6

Often times we determine our value based off the frailty and faults of the fallen man, thus many of us live as many did before Christ. We have trouble standing upright because we think we’re just like Adam, and don’t even bother to reach out for Jesus for grace to walk just like Him. So when we come in contact with unbelievers, and we try to relate to them by human weakness through the fall, and not human dominion through Christ. We further those who are still in darkness, thus showing we don’t know the God we passionately preach about. So when we talk about relationship, we have to be in the family, and practice what the family does. If that comes off as religious to some of you, then it is what it is. If it is religious to feed and give to the homeless, to God be the glory. If it religious to heal the sick of any infirmity, to God be the glory. If it is religious to restore hope to someone who thinks it’s hopeless, to God be the glory. But please, do not use that cliche as a means to live how you want thinking grace will cover you. Grace wasn’t given so we can continue in sin, it was given so we can do what the ancestors couldn’t, that is turn away from it. If you love the God you serve, you’ll seek to do EVERYTHING that’s pleasing to Him, not just some things. We cannot afford to be like Moses and exalt our own opinions about ourselves over what He is calling us to do. So if we want a true relationship with God, it starts with obedience. If we are not working first with obedience, we are just playing church, while the world points and laughs when we fall.

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Black Savior

“JESUS IS BLACK!” has been not only a belief, but the cornerstone of many arguments in the body of Christ for the past century. What many do not understand is, Jesus’s skin tone holds very little relevancy towards what He did for all of us. So whether He was White, Black, Asian, Saiyan, or Kryptonian, it does not matter what race He was. Moreover, when these bodies pass away, these colors will not present in the life after this. So in real scheme of things, why does it matter?  The same Jesus that lives inside of me lives inside of another believer in Scotland. What love are we showing if we bicker over something so trivial? Why is Jesus in a picture more important than Jesus inside of us? We think we’re defending His integrity, but are truly doing the very opposite by not conducting ourselves the way He would. Truly, I want us to stop the frivolous arguments, especially those that cause more division between each other. There’s people out dying, and we are more concerned about a skin tone? We need to do better, because we’re only playing a hand Satan gave us by proceeding this way. Most of all, we’re not leading anyone to Him this way either. I hope this blesses you all, and may you all continue to conform to His image.

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Oscars: The Reality

The reality here is, you don’t care about the Oscars. The reality here is, you bootleg and pirate more than you do spending money on the theaters, DVDs, and blu-rays. The reality here is, you’ll forget about this whole fiasco by next month. Most of you who riot are only speaking because it’s trendy to do so. That’s the truth. However, you get a pass if you are aspiring to be in movie business. You get a pass if you invested  time and money starting up your own production company, or even taking ample time to direct and write small indie movies. Your anger at the Oscars is validated, and genuine. So I can understand the lack of nominations because this is your industry too.

Now I know some of y’all reading are already mad, and think I don’t understand the frustration of this. If you feel that way, kindly X-Screen this window and move on with your life, because the Academy will. Trust, they’re not going to lose sleep over you crying and screaming injustice. I seriously missed the memo. I thought we were grown and not kids in elementary school complaining we can’t play with the other kids. Since when did the validation of a highly biased demographic become so important? We acknowledge they are racist, but still want acceptance from them? That’s highly ironic. It’s ironic because Denzel Washington has MANY amazing movies, but the only lead role Oscar he gets is for “Training Day”, A movie where he plays a grimy dirty cop. Halle Berry wins best actress for “Monster Ball”, and we celebrate her being the first and only black woman to receive an Oscar in history, but ignore the fact it wasn’t the acting that won the award. So two well known black actors won for being the antagonist and the whore. That’s the worth they choose to acknowledge, and that’s why I refuse to pay them any mind. So pardon me if I truly don’t see the big fuss over a nomination, when the real issue is the types of roles that are nominated. Until that is addressed, all of the complaining is meaningless, and a waste of time. I know it, you know it, and so do they. They’re not threatened by the “boycotts” because most get tired, go home, and turn on one of their movies for “Netflix and Chill.” So whose really winning at the end of the day? Unless we stop investing money into them, they’ll keep doing what they’re doing.

I was told I should say “not to sound condescending” in my posts by a good friend...and trust me that was not my tone. But if you felt I was, I guess it’s a lil late to say I wasn’t huh? lol

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Authentic Christianity

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those [believers] at Laodicea, and for all who [like yourselves] have never seen me face to face. 2 [For my hope is] that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in [unselfish] love, so that they may have all the riches that come from the full assurance of understanding [the joy of salvation], resulting in a true [and more intimate] knowledge of the mystery of God, that is, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge [regarding the word and purposes of God]. 4 I say this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive [but thoroughly deceptive] arguments. 5 For even though I am absent [from you] in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, delighted to see your good discipline [as you stand shoulder to shoulder and form a solid front] and to see the stability of your faith in Christ [your steadfast reliance on Him and your unwavering confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting His character in the things you do and say—living lives that lead others away from sin], 7 having been deeply rooted [in Him] and now being continually built up in Him and [becoming increasingly more] established in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing in it with gratitude.8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception [pseudo-intellectual babble], according to the tradition [and musings] of mere men, following the elementary principles of this world, rather than following [the truth—the teachings of] Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity (the Godhead) dwells in bodily form [completely expressing the divine essence of God]. 10 And in Him you have been made complete [achieving spiritual stature through Christ], and He is the head over all rule and authority [of every angelic and earthly power].- Col 2:1-10

“If God wasn’t real, then”...STOP! Stop right there. That pretense has been used by Christians across the board, and 100% of the time it births more contention in the hearts of unbelievers. That pretense also shows how much we don’t believe in God for ourselves, how much we don’t read our bibles, and how much our flesh wants to just prove a point that is impossible on a physical plain. Many of us (myself included) caused more arguments by trying to convince unbelievers God is real by word....but very rarely by deed. It’s sad because our lives are what unbelievers use to define Christianity, and sadly so do other Christians (people who ought to strengthen each other, and not tear each other down). We need to stop getting mad at people bashing the Bible verbally, as if our lives didn’t blaspheme the Bible prior to being saved. Who are we to get mad at anyone in darkness? How arrogant is it to get frustrated (which shows it’s mostly about you, and little about Christ) at someone who refuses to believe. Especially when the most we offer them is an invitation to our Sunday Worship Service? If we simply LIVED the Gospel, our lives would speak more than our lips. We are called to be light, and our lives should convict those living in darkness. If they do not, we should self-audit ourselves, and ask Holy Spirit for grace to walk FURTHER in the light. Jesus is always walking in the light, and if we are following Him, we should always be in the light. That’s not my doctrine, that’s Bible. The same Paul many will use to quote and say “none is righteous” is the same Paul that said:

“ Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting His character in the things you do and say—living lives that lead others away from sin]“

Keep in mind there is no contradiction in Paul’s letter to Rome, and his letter to Colossi. The difference is a 5 year growth period, and he wrote this letter at a time when he had no hindrances preaching. If we can grasp Paul was a Christian who was growing consistently, and openly expressed HE wasn’t the standard, we would do great to observe Jesus. We would do great to learn from Jesus’s conduct and walk (1 John 2:6). Our savior gave hope to the unbelievers, what are we giving? If it’s only our doctrine, church invitations, or worse, our opinions, we are robbing the world of the very thing Christ came to give, and that’s life.

To the Unbeliever: We have no animosity towards you, nor do we desire to put a set of rules for you to follow. How you choose to live your life is up to you, and your personal right. However, we will not sugar-coat the truth if you ask us direct questions regarding our God. We will not water Him down to make you feel comfortable. If we don’t hang out as much (or at all), it’s nothing personal, it’s only our desires for activities may have changed. We apologize if you experienced anything less than Christ from a Christian, and we pray it doesn’t happen again.

To the Believer: “We’re only human” is NOT an acceptable excuse for the sins we may commit. It’s not acceptable to God, so you should never expect it to be acceptable to unbeliever if they check you on something. There are souls in the balance, and we cannot afford to play church any longer. The times of peril are approaching more and more, the writing is already on the wall. Let’s stop arguing about what bible version is correct. Let’s stop arguing about interpretation and get a better relationship with Holy Spirit and run from there. This is not hard, and the devil convincing you it is needs to be casted out, and the mind needs to be renewed.Lastly, read this for yourself. Don’t think of anyone else who may need to read this other than yourself. I wrote this as a reminder to myself, so I can glorify Him in all my ways. I only ask for you as a believer to do the same for yourself.

Peace

[iniheritskill]

MLK Day, Just A Holiday

For many, today is just a day off, a day to quote a man we do not truly respect out of context, a day to air out his dirty laundry, or my favorite, make club promos with pictures. Today your local TV stations will play the movies you saw growing up as a child. The other day I saw people sharing one of my personal favorites “Our Friend, Martin.” However, what happens after today? What happens when you go back to work tomorrow? What happens when someone openly disrespects you? Are you still going to quote “I have decided to stick with love because hate is too much of a burden to bear”? Dr. King lived a life for the betterment of others, and saw to invest his own life into something much bigger than himself, and even his generation. He could have invested his life into other endeavors as others were originally doing in his time. Many know King was a Christian, who was inspired by Mohandas Gandhi, in which he learned non-violent civil disobedience. Yes, King was an advocate for peaceful protesting, but he was firm in his demands. Marching and protesting wasn’t treated like a public service done out of obligation. Remember, dogs and fire hoses were a NORM during these times. Today, we march for YouTube views, and Facebook/IG likes, just to get home in time for “Scandal” or “Power.” So I ask, how serious are we about protesting injustice, and how serious are we when we celebrate this man’s life? I’ll leave that answer up to you.

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New Year, “Who Dis”?

If you have spent a decent amount of time on social media this past weekend, you surely saw phrases like “new year, who dis” or “new phone, who dis.” You probably also seen many Facebook statuses, Twitter trends, and chuckle worthy memes illustrating the point of weeding people out this year. Much of this focus on the central point of “I’m doing me, and forget anybody that tries to get in my way.” It’s one thing for the world to practice such, but when the body of Christ feels it is okay to exhibit this same behavior, that is not okay. We are called to deny ourselves, not focus on ourselves. Ask yourself, for the people you are cutting off, have you thought about how you could benefit them, instead of being annoyed you cannot leech from them?  Better yet, imagine you praying to God and He responds with this

Yes, it is a new year, and a new opportunity to get a lot of things done. But if those “things” pervert your heart into rejecting those around you because you feel they have no use to you, you are worthless to the Kingdom. The Gospel was never, and never will be about how much you can receive from God, but rather how much of God you can give to an unbelieving generation. So whatever your goals are this year saints, don’t forget your FIRST mission is to preach the Gospel either by speech, or through example. Don’t let “Keep God first” only be a confession, and not a reality others can see in your life. Happy new year to you all!

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Hoody season!!!

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