DEATH FROM WITHIN: HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BLACK MALE

Lets be clear and acknowledge that there is nothing noble, brave, or bold about Jason Collins' public acknowledgement that he is a homosexual.  Collins' admission of his homosexuality is about as honorable as Jerry Sandusky's admitting to raping young black boys in the showers of Penn State University.  In fact, the two incidents have one common denominator: the continued demasculization of the black male.

The dark rulers of this world have made inroads into the hearts and minds of black people via black celebrities, professional black athletes, and hip-hop culture.  These Satanic forces are slowly convincing the confused masses of black people
that homosexuality is somehow Godly.  Their continued destruction of the black family via the dehumanization of the black male is evident everywhere as black males are becoming feminized globally.  Music, fashion, television and film, culture, and now professional sports are being used as propaganda tools to erase the last vestiges of manhood within the black community.

The denizens of darkness have even co-opted Pan-Africanists and other self-serving black activists, into pushing this spiritual filth into the gut of black America.  Pan-Africanists who have about as much backbone as black clergy men (in other words they are spineless) have laid down, or bent over and allowed themselves to be intellectually, spiritually, and morally sodomized by white liberals and their Satanic cohorts. 

Black clergy, Pan-Africanists, black leaders, politicians, black celebrities, entertainers, personalities, and now professional black athletes have all become complicit in the global destruction of the black family, the black man, and the black mind.  If it's true that Jason Collins is a homosexual then he is not only a faggot but a coward. Black people like Jason Collins, Frank Ocean, and Brandon Ayenbedajou would not dare open their mouths publicly in defense of the brutality and injustices suffered by black Americans but will readily, and enthusiastically publicly speak in defense of homosexuals.  Jay-Z, sellout Kanye West, and P. Diddy will do the same.

True leadership in the black community is needed now more than ever before to combat the onslaught of death and decadence creeping into the minds of black people.  Traitors like the aforementioned should be harshly and swiftly condemned.  True leadership cannot be found in the filthy hands of some slimy, two faced black public figure, lying black preacher, or whorish black woman but in the collective consciousness of hard working, everyday, God fearing black men and women who are ready and willing to repel Satan's wickedness.

THE SCUM OF STEUBENVILLE

So let me understand this: being a high school athlete on a high school football team gives an individual the right to rape someone?  If you didn't think that the supporters of the Steubenville football team were Neanderthals before this confirms it.  The young girl who was the victim in this crime was again victimized by the court that somehow thought that only a year in juvenile detention was enough time for two brutish thugs who perpetrated an adult crime.

Even more disturbing is that scum bag Steubenville Football Coach Reno Saccoccia knew about the crime and covered it up.  He to should be convicted and sentenced along with Steubenville Schools Superintendent Mike McVey who refuses to take action against Saccoccia.  Also guilty is the Ohio High School Athletic Association which apparently has no mechanism in place to sanction or punish schools and school officials who are complicit in the obstruction of felony investigations.  Saccoccia's behavior is reprehensible and reminiscent of slime ball Tom Osborne (a former United States Senator) who covered up the heinous crimes of one thug Lawrence Phillips back in the nineties. 

This type of criminal behavior has become acceptable in America society where many Americans value the playing time of athletes over the basic human rights of average every day citizens.  CNN in all its hypocrisy spends every broadcast championing the rights of Afghani and Iraqi women but seemingly care nothing about the rights of American women brutalized by mindless, sex-crazed, thug athletes.

I feel no sympathy for Mays and Richmond they should be doing hard time in an adult prison rather than vacation time in scenic juvenile hall.  The Steubenville High School Football team should be sanctioned for at least a decade and Saccoccia and McVey should be tried and convicted of obstruction of justice.

NO WEAPON FORMED SHALL PROSPER

When your enemies conspire against you and threaten to converge on you it is important to keep God first.  It is easy to get caught up in the idea of revenge but God has always proven to be the best defense against the evil and wicked.   We live in a world and society where "doing the right thing" makes one a target for Satan and his followers.  God's followers are often persecuted and being Godly is cause for being mocked and humiliated by a society that embraces and promotes evil and wickedness.

I have learned the hard way that "friends" are fleeting and only God is continuous and everlasting.   In my darkest hour my so-called "friends" have either disappeared or betrayed me or in some instances attempted to destroy me to protect their own interests.  Often times I have fallen victim to character assasination by Satan's minions.  These are the times I have had to call on God for protection not only for myself but for my enemies. 

I have noticed over the years that wicked people attempt to acquire God's blessings by wicked and means.   To these individuals it matters not to them how they obtain God's blessings only that they obtain them.   My mindset has always been that if I cannot obtain God's blessings by Godly means then I do not deserve God's blessings.   But others fool themselves into thinking that they DESERVE God's blessings not because they have behaved in a Godly manner but because they simply WANT his blessings.  This is foolishness and childlike thinking that only leads to utter spiritual and physical destruction.  This thought process is reflective of the type of society we live in.  We live in the get-what-i-want-by-any-means-necessary society where the media and pop culture have inundated people with the Luciferiann belief that they can have anything and everything they want because each person is a "God".  

How often do we hear average people mimick the mouthings of entertainers and celebrities who say they can do whatever they want or do their own thing?  In this age of reality television average men and women attempt to imitate their favorite reality television entertainers.   These people feel that they can obtain the wealth and fame of a celebrity lifestyle by "doing their own thing" only to find nothing but failure and destruction.  Pop culture and the media are the avenues by which Satan recruits his minions.  

Inevitably Gods' love and mercy are supreme and repel Satan's wicked advances.  The dark forces of this world have convinced some of us that wealth, fame and fortune are more valuable than the grace of God.  Therefore it is important that we not only educate our families about the wicked designs of an evil world, but that we teach them about the one true God who loves us all.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GOD IN RELATIONSHIPS AND FAMILY

I've realized that the longer I live and experience the more I come to understand what life is really about.   Life isn't about the quest to accumulate wealth and material things but to maintain a strong,  functioning family and to secure the grace of God.   Turn on a television and you will see hundreds of "preachers" and self-proclaimed holy men indoctrinating their congregations and followers with the notion that God preaches "prosperity' of material wealth.   As a society we have become so fascinated with the trappings of wealth that we forget that TRUE wealth is found not in the type of car we drive or clothes we wear but the health and comfort of ourselves and our families and our relationship with God.

Over the years I've witnessed people turn down God and family because they were too busy enjoying the trappings of life: the nightclubs,  parties,  money,  sex,  fast cars,  etc.   Once the parties died down and the exuberance of youth fizzled these people were left wanting to secure family only to find out they had missed the opportunity.   In all fairness there is nothing wrong with enjoying youth and partying and having a good time but it seems as though most people in contemporary society cannot keep things in perspective.  It is possible to balance the two by understanding that God is first and foremost and that having a being part of a healthy, strong,  and vibrant family is not a given.   The old saying goes that "there is someone for everyone",  I'm not necessarily sure that is true.   God is not going to bring a strong person or worthy companion into our lives just because we want him to but he will do it for HIS reasons.   The statistics prove bear this out as the divorce rate is well over %70 and more and more children everyday are born to single parents and grow up the product of single family homes.   Surely if the old saying that "there is someone for everyone" was true then these numbers would be much lower.

What we as a society fail to understand is that God doesn't necessarily have to waste a good person on a bad person.  In other words,  what logical sense does it make for God to waste a good person on a bad person.   Why should God give a good woman to a man who is a deadbeat father that has multiple children by multiple women,  doesn't pay child support,  is an ex-con, drug addict, and is willfully unemployed.  Now God always has a reason for doing something as he may bring a good woman into this person's life in order to open their eyes.  Only God knows those reasons but the fact is that if God never brought a good woman into the life of a person such as this we would all understand.  There are countless examples of which that is only one but the fact remains that as a society we have all,  some of us knowingly but most of us unknowingly,  conspired to dissolve the family unit through our desires and actions.

Hatred for God and family is evident in every aspect of our society and culture: music,  film,  television, clothing, politics, academia, religious institutions, relationships, etc.  We have substituted the accumulation of material wealth and things for the accumulation of God's blessings through the pursuit of healthy families and God-fearing lifestyles and behaviors.   Life is a gift that God has given us and we ought to cherish it and show our appreciation for what God has given us by living our lives in a way that reflects our love for him.  This is not to say that we won't make mistakes and slip and regress as we our only human.   It is how we recover from those mistakes that defines not only character but our love and fear of God.

WHERE IS GOD IN AMERICA?

If a person ceases to have God in his/her conscious or soul then how can God be present in the community?   Quite simply,  we have pushed God out of America.   We live in a society that simultaneously embraces and promotes excess,  greed,  materialism,  sloth,  waste,  and death.   Rather than looking inward to correct our own personal faults and solve our problems we look to government for solutions.   In doing so we have found nothing but misery and will find nothing but death.  Our collective unwillingness to resist the temptations of this wicked world are leading us down a path to destruction.   Part of this coming destruction lies in the realization that as a people and society we hate truth; and in hating truth we hate God.  

Indeed, nothing has less value in America today than the truth.  Americans find the truth unattractive because to embrace and accept it would mean accepting the fact that we have become a God-hating people and society.  If we as Americans accept truth then we would have to admit our hypocrisy,  which is something we have no desire to do.  Zechariah 8:16  "These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates. "  The old saying goes that we should speak truth to power but as we all know that speaking truth to power in America means going to an early grave.   As a result we allow ourselves to be manipulated by dark forces and we will turn on one another and kill one another to suppress the truth.   Ephesians 6:12 says:  "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." 

The rulers of this world are not Godly people and in fact not only do they not fear God but they hate God.  Most of us do not realize this when we entrust our lives and the lives of our children to the decision-making of those in power.  We entrust the rulers of this world with with everything from the food we eat to when and how we can praise God.  We look to the rulers of this world for safety and protection whereas if we just trust God we could protect ourselves.  Benjamin Franklin said it best when he stated: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."  And in America we face daily threats to our safety not from foreign powers but from our neighbors, our own families, and in many instances our own children,  and the "principalities" and the "rulers of the darkness of this world", the "spiritual wickedness in high places"; all of whom are engaging in a daily all-out assault on our liberties.   

We have become conditioned to hate God and embrace filth.   This is evident in the film, music,  and lifestyles we consume and embrace.  As Americans we have developed an insatiable appetite for filth.  Hollywood is using technology to inundate us with filth through social media so much so that a recent study determined that fewer and fewer Americans than ever before actually believe in God.   Recently,  Greg Paul a columnist for the Washington Post authored an interesting series of articles on the worldwide rise in aethism and particularly the rise of American aethism.  I am of the belief that there are numerous contributing factors to the rise of aethism including but not limited to 1) the diffusion of Hollywood culture through the social media, 2) increased dependency on government to solve basic problems, and 3) the ever increasing corruption of religious institutions and their leaders.

FINDING THE KEYS TO HEALTHY LIVING

Finding inner peace can be difficult in a world of so much confusion.  The daily grind of life can be overwhelming.  We live in a fast paced world and for most of us the stresses of our daily lives can be too much to bear.   Whether we choose to admit it or not we all find our own ways to cope with life's difficulties.   Some choose alcohol and/or narcotics while still others bury themselves in sex or gambling.   Others engage in more constructive or positive activities from reading to exercising and meditation that can lead to spiritual growth and development.  The past few years of my life have been extremely difficult and I've experimented with many ways to relieve my stress; some good and some bad.   Below I've highlighted some of the more positive ways I've chosen to counteract the negative effects of stress in my life.   Hopefully,  as you read you can take some of these ideas and employ them in your own lives to cope with trials and tribulations.

1.  Daily Exercise: I've been a gym rat all my life so exercise not only comes natural to me I don't feel right if I don't exercise.   I play basketball,  swim,  weight lift,  cross-train,  and practice jiu-jitsu and I engage in a variety of cardio and core workouts in between.   Now I'm not saying that you have to take it to the extreme as extreme physical activity can actually be hazardous to your health if you do NOT exercise regularly.   But even simple activities like a walk around the park or some light activity can be refreshing to the mind,  body,  and soul.   Of course you should probably consult your physician before engaging in any serious physical activity,  but regular exercise can be good for the body.

2.  Meditation: We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded by noise pollution.   Besides the day-to-day sounds of traffic are senses are attacked by music,  television and even the social media and electronics are forms of noise.   This constant noise pollution doesn't allow our minds to stop and think and meditation is exactly what is needed.   The mind,  much like the body,  not only needs a rest but it needs to be strengthened.   So at least once a week I turn off all electronics and either just enjoy nature or read to allow my mind to relax.   It is amazing what meditation can do for the body.

3.  Healthy Diet:  While our minds suffer sensory overload our bodies sustain serious damage through the eating of fast foods and processed foods out of bags,  boxes,  and cans.   In addition Americans consume ridiculous amounts of sugar and fatty foods that lead to all types of health problems.   Establishing and maintaining a healthy diet is not always easy as money is the number one obstacle to eating healthy.   Time is also a factor as most people simply do not take the time to ATTEMPT to eat right.   I realized that once I started consuming less sugar and drinking more water and eating fresh fruits and vegetables I began to feel more energized and more awake.   Even though I exercise and meditate regularly I found myself hitting the afternoon crash when I felt like I needed a nap.   Once I began to eat healthier I began to sleep less and had more energy for my workouts which improved them and allowed me to concentrate more during meditation.

In the next post I will focus on some spiritual aspects to achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF UNDEREMPLOYMENT

Do you feel unhappy with your current employment situation?   If you answered yes then chances are you are like most Americans who feel the same way.   It is a fact that many Americans who answered yes to this question are obviously unemployed; but a larger number of Americans are underemployed.   The effects of underemployment are just as devastating to the economy as underemployment.   But there's a larger more complex issue underlying the underemployment phenomenon; and that is that underemployed Americans share feelings of unfulfillment with their current employment situation.  

Many Americans realize that by now the "American dream" is purely myth not reality.   The idea that if a person just goes to a four-year institution obtains a degree and purchases a nice home with a picket fence a family and a dog is nonsense.   In fact,  it is just the opposite; most college graduates receive enormous debt along with their degrees.   Subsequently,  today's college graduate is more likely to become employed in a field unrelated to the degrees they spent thousands of dollars to obtain.   Furthermore,  most college graduates also assume enormous non-education related debt upon graduating.   As universities and businesses target young,  naive collegiates with clean credit slates.   Today's college graduate is likely to amass enormous credit card debt to go along with student loan debt and their costly college degrees.   America's colleges and universities do not provide real world financial training and education because they are for-profit institutions whose primary goal is to make money. 

In 2013, not only do the costs of obtaining a four-year degree far outweigh the benefits they are impractical.   Many Americans fall into a state of disillusion when they wind up toiling in some low-paying job unrelated to their field of study.   As a person who obtained both an undergraduate and graduate degree I know full well the disenchantment and disappointment that accompanies being underemployed.   It's one thing to be overworked and underpaid but it's another to be unhappy with your job altogether.   I've always felt that if I have to be underemployed that I'd rather be underemployed doing a job that I enjoy as opposed to sitting at a desk staring blankly into a computer monitor all day.  Many Americans who are underemployed either toil in the service or customer service industries.   I've been toiling in the latter and it is no fun.

The horrible thing about being underemployed and having to work in the customer service industry is that you have to deal with all the nonsense that accompanies corporate-water-cooler-office-politics without the pay.   Usually,  the middle-management in the customer service industry is comprised of uneducated,  unambitious,  middle-aged people whose personal lives are 100% intertwined with their professional lives.   These people haven't quite and probably never will make it to upper management but they enjoy they routinely abuse the power they assume as gatekeepers between upper management and entry-level employees.  The result is a hostile work environment that breeds resentment and anger on the part of the over-educated,  underemployed employees who routinely see themselves passed over for well-paying positions by their less-educated and less-experienced counterparts.  

I have experienced this situation and I've arrived at two conclusions: 1). I need to make more money,  and 2).  If I can't make more money I need to enjoy what I do.   There is nothing worse than being an underpaid employee at a job you hate.  I didn't mention having a career because that would be stating the obvious.   But clearly,  there are accompanying factors that worsen the conditions of underemployment such as scheduling and geographical location.  I've had other jobs that paid the same amount but I felt fulfilled in those positions because they involved some sense of purpose and responsibility.   I derive no sense of purpose from staring into a computer monitor all day answering meaningless calls.   Also geographical location makes a huge difference.   I'd much rather do a job I like in a community I love to be in rather than doing the same job in a bad geographical location.  To many of us who have families geographical location is of huge importance because it can affect everything from our daily commute to where our children attend school to resources and recreational activities.  

For me Northeast Ohio is a dying geographical region and because it fails to attract major businesses and young workers it lacks the resources to support families.   For decades Northeast Ohio has been a stagnant region marred by an aging workforce; high tax and tuition rates; limited access to quality health care; poor housing conditions; failing school systems; crumbling infrastructure; widespread unemployment; workplace racism; and population decline.   In addition,  the brutal weather conditions make it an unattractive destination for businesses and workers.   By comparison regions like the South tend to be much more vibrant with more diverse populations; greater economic growth; more affordable and higher quality housing and overall attractiveness.   Thus,  the South is experiencing more growth and is searching for new minds and workers to contribute to builiding the infrastructure to accompany the influx of families that accompany more economic growth.

For the underemployed person(s)  these factors can make all the difference.   Therefore,  it is up to the individual to formulate a blueprint or plan to counter the harsh economic affects of underemployment.   By taking these factors into consideration it is important to rank them in terms of importance to create favorable living and financial conditions that will benefit you and your family.   In a coming post I will discuss how relocating can limit the harsh effects of underemployment. 

LEADERS LEAD FOLLOWERS TALK

We have become a nation of followers where no one wants to be a leader.   Scour the social media sites and you will see nothing but followers; perhaps this would explain the pop culture fascination with zombies.   Zombies are Godless, mindless, half-dead beings wandering to and fro with no clear sense of direction.   Ironically,  many Americans resemble zombies; wandering to and fro with no real sense of purpose or direction in life.  The zombie crowd follows the first zombie that finds flesh or meat to devour; they are followers.  And like zombies many Americans are Godless as evidenced by a recent poll that determined that fewer Americans believe in God than ever before in American history.  Facebook has become a cultural phenomenon and perhaps the biggest anti-God,  anti-spiritual medium in the world much less American society.  It has helped to create a nation of zombie-like followers each attempting to one-up the next person in terms of how much alcohol he/she can consume or how many parties he/she can attend or how many club photo shots he/she can post.

I truly believe Americans shun God because they do not want to be held responsible for their actions.   Therefore we have a nation of zombie-like sheep who follow the next trend or fad that Hollywood or the entertainment industry puts out.   I also believe part of the reason for the ungodliness of many Americans is because Americans have developed a we-don't-have-to-answer-to-anyone attitude that we believe allows us to escape the consequences of our actions.   In other words,  we can idolize movie stars and musicians who promote drug use,  sex,  and violence then sit back and blame God when tragedies occur.   The Sandy Hook tragedy is a prime example of this.   Did anyone notice how no one has acknowledged the role of pop culture and music may have played in this tragedy?   Arnold Schwarzenegger,  Sylvester Stallone,  and others have become billionaires and household names by doing in film what Ryan Lanza did in real life; solving problems with guns.   The media idolises people like Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z whose music and lyrics are filled with gun violence and drug abuse but they escape criticism.

Not to become political but the point here is that no one person has the guts to step up and say "We the people of America need to take control of our lives and make God,  not pop culture a priority".   America lacks sincere,  courageous leaders who want to tackle the responsibility of cleaning up the mess we made.   Leadership starts IN THE HOME not at school,  on the playing field,  or even in the halls of Congress.   Strong leadership starts at home with the men and women who take on the responsibility of being good mothers and fathers and husbands and wives that give their children a strong moral and ethical foundation to build character with the fear and love of God at its core.  Contrary to popular belief leadership doesn't accompany a title.  We have this conception,  which is really a misconception,  that if we endow an individual with a title that somehow he/she will become a great leader.   Nothing could be further from the truth.   The only thing that comes out of title-giving is corruption because a person has been given royal status without ever having done anything to prove that he/she is worthy of the title.  

Any great leader that doesn't fear God over man is not a leader at all and is thus,  susceptible to corruption and abuse of power.  True leaders are leaders because they fear failing God not because they fear failing those who choose to follow them.   A leader can only lead by example and has no control over who chooses to follow or not to follow them.  But the fear of God will always keep the leader aware of what his or her responsibilities are and keep them focused on their goals and allow them to lead by example.   A leader who chooses not to follow God is a follower himself.

WHY MARRIAGE WITHOUT GOD DOESN'T WORK

The divorce rate in the United States of America is near 60% and soaring.  Some studies have indicated that financial difficulty may be the number one cause of divorce,  and although that may be a contributing factor,  I would argue that the number one cause of divorce in America is the absence of God in the marriage.   Now some of you reading this may say to yourselves "What makes him an expert on marriage? " or "What credentials does he have?  Is he a psychologist,  or minister? ".   I am none of those things but what I do have is experience; at 37 years old I have been married twice and divorced twice and without question the absence of God in my marriages was the reason for the failure of both.  

Hindsight is always 20/20 but I can clearly look back and see all the mistakes I made that contributed to the destruction of both of my marriages.   Every mistake I made small or large was because I ignored God.   This is not to absolve my wives of any mistakes but the purpose of this post is not to criticize my ex-wives;  because as a man and a husband I assumed the role of leader therefore I was 100% responsible for the physical,  emotional,  financial,  and spiritual health and well-being of my family.   If I had put GOD FIRST and performed efficiently in my role as a God-fearing husband then if my wives had chosen to stray then they would assume the blame.   But,  since I ignored God and behaved often times in an ungodly manner I cannot point the finger at them no matter what they did.   It's almost like coming to court with "unclean hands" as Judge Judy often says.   You can't come to court seeking recompense as a victim of someone else's lawlessness when you yourself have been lawless.   What you get is what you deserve.   The same way in marriage.   You can't ask God to heal your marriage or bring you a godly man or woman if you routinely behave in an ungodly manner.

I think back and I remember about how I put material things and money before my family,  particularly my wives.  Even though I believe dwelling on past mistakes is unhealthy I do believe that reflection helps to provide the roadmap to help one avoid making the same mistakes and reaching God.   My problem is that after marriage #1 I went right back into the dating scene and less than a year and a half later I found myself in the process of preparing for marriage again; never acknowledging my ungodliness from my previous marriage.   After the failure of both marriages I found myself tumbling in and out of meaningless relationships with ungodly women.   I was forced to experience the same pain,  suffering,  and betrayal that I inflicted on my ex-wives.   I experienced emotions ranging from anger,  sadness,  hurt,  happiness,  loneliness,  uselessness,  etc.  

I have come a long way.   I am not saying that I am perfect but what I am is an expert on ungodliness.  No one grows up as a child thinking he/she will be ungodly but that is what I became and I have suffered tremendously because of it and I have inflicted unnecessary hurt and pain on others.   So I may lack the worldy credentials,  certificates,  or degrees like psychologists,  so-called religious experts,  and so forth but I have experience and that makes me an expert.   Hopefully,  I can use my past experiences not only to bring myself closer to God but to help others avoid the pitfalls of being ungodly.

GOD'S ABSENCE FROM THE HOME IS AMERICA'S PROBLEM

Immediately following the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting FOX News personality and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee made the statement that the tragedy was directly attributable to the lack of "God in the home".   Huckabee's analysis was totally off base; the problem isn't the absence of God in the schools but God in the HOME.   It isn't the responsibility of schools to teach children about God; it is the responsibility of mothers and fathers and family to do that.   The prevailing mode of thought in American political discourse is to blame the schools whenever America's children endure a tragedy.   Conservatives are more guilty of this than their liberal counterparts.   Parents have totally conceded their responsibility to instill God in their homes and children; and as a result children are being raised by Facebook,  YouTube,  MTV,  degenerative music,  and Hollywood.  

Undoubtedly some of Huckabee's motive for making the statement was part of pushing the long held and false conservative notion that public schools are the downfall of America's children and American society in general.   The problem is that politicians and pundits care little about God and more about using religion to push their elitist political and economic agendas.   Liberals have no such problem as they just ignore God altogether.   I don't want to get bogged down in a political discussion because that is not the point.   The point is that more and more people are pushing God out of their homes and as a result the family structure is rapidly deteriorating leading to the moral and spiritual decline of American culture and society.   The numbers bear this out: 65% of all marriages in America end in divorce; 70% of black children are born out of wedlock; over 2 million Americans are in some stage of the correctional system; fewer American children are graduating high school; homosexuality is trending in American society and so on and so on.

If God is absent from our minds and our hearts he will be absent from our homes thus,  he will be absent from society.   It will take a collective effort on the part of all Americans regardless of their religious and spiritual backgrounds to bring God back into the forefront.   Our country is failing in all areas because we as a people have replaced God with reality television and Facebook.   Collectively we have made a conscious decision to ignore God and we should not use tragic events and political motives to profess our faith for him.

KEEPING THE FAITH IN DIFFICULT TIMES

It is very easy to become consumed with the world and it is also very easy to be consumed with faith.   I've discovered what is needed is balance.   I've often realized that anytime I've tried to lean one way or the other I often lose my way.  I've lost my way quite a bit in the past year but I'm not trying to make up for those transgressions rather I'm just trying to take things day by day.   The hardest thing for me to realize is that God DOES forgive.   I've spent so much time in my life wishing I could go back and change the past that I often become frustrated with my current situations.   I have entered difficult situations over the past year with clouded judgment never fully able to grasp the situation at hand and make sound decisions.   It is during these times that I have lost my faith not only in myself but in God. 

I've often wondered if God is punishing me and I find myself angry at God rather than looking objectively at the circumstances that led to my difficult situations.   I will be the first to admit that this world is so full of evil so full of hatred that it can break a person down.   This is something that not many will admit to.   Sure you can browse the Facebook pages of thousands of people and you will get the impression that everyone is living the glamorous life.   You will get the impression that life is nothing more than never-ending parties full of smiles and alcoholic beverages.   But I've always felt that if you read between the lines you can find the truth.   The alcohol and parties act as covers for the emptiness and the pain that people try to hide.   The very idea that a person feels it necessary to announce to the world every thing they do is a sign of insecurity and lack of trust in God.  When the good times die down,  as they eventually they do,  these same people inconspicuously go MIA from Facebook.  Often times silence is the best indicator of truth.  

If we allow our faith to run out when the "good times" run out then that means we place more value in being accepted by the world then pleasing God.   It also means that we fear more being seen as unacceptable in the eyes of the world than the eyes of God.   When we reach that point that means that we have relegated God to a bottom rung position on lifes' ladder.   We would rather shun faith in God when things are going well but beg for God's mercy in private when life gets rough.   This world has made it "uncool" to believe and follow God.   This is why vice and filth are the order of the day and have become the priority in our lives and culture.  It is easier to drown our sorrows away in reality television and the make believe lives of celebrities and socialites rather than deal with the reality of our own situations and admit our disobedience to God.  

It is only through and with God that we as human beings can bring about positive change in our lives.   But we first have to acknowledge the fact that we ignore God.   We must acknowledge that we have allowed ourselves to become trapped and consumed with the pleasures and lures of a world that doesn't really care for us.   We must also realize that God is our rock not only in the difficult times but the good times as well.   If we can do these things I believe we can all bring about positive change and bring God back to a world that sorely needs him.

KEEPING GOD FIRST

As 2012 comes to a close it is time we bring God back into the forefront.  2012 opened my eyes to the reality of a world without God and how frightening it is that man is attempting to push God out of the world.   As a result of this realization I spent a lot of time focusing on the negative and I found myself doing the same thing I accused others of doing: moving away from God.   My struggle between remaining obedient to God and yielding to my temptations reached its tipping point in 2012.  This is not to say that I made no progress; I just had to learn the hard way that bad things happened when I didn't keep God first.  

Often in 2012 I found myself engaged in constant internal struggle between God and evil.   I was often times telling myself that "God doesn't care about me" or even pondering the very existence of God.   I wasted time focusing on what I didn't have as opposed to what I do have.   In a world where materialism is king it is often hard not to become consumed with the idea that the accumulation of material wealth determines the quality of life.   I often struggle with this idea.   After spending thousands of dollars and 8 years in college and graduate school only to have a low paying job I constantly found myself jealous and angry that people who didn't do things the "right way" were living better off and enjoy a higher quality of life.  Consequently, my frustration with my personal life situation manifest itself in an angry and spiteful tone in my blog posts and videos.  Whatever valid points I made were drowned out by my anger and profanity. 

There is nothing wrong with wanting to LIVE better it's how we go about attaining a higher quality of life that matters.  Do we follow God's plan or do we follow the World's plan?  Many times I've felt as though God despises and detests me; maybe for past transgressions or maybe for even daring to ponder his existence.  Whatever the reason I often feel alone and isolated; I feel the world is closing in on me and will crush me beneath its weight.  Some days I have awakened to feel God on my side while other days I have awakened feeling useless and meaningless.  It is during these dark moments that I lament my failed relationships both professional and personal; and contemplating how to turn back the hands of time to correct past wrongs.  It is in these moments that I have shunned not only reality but the reality of God. 

I also learned in 2012 that enemies accumulate when God is forsaken.  I have made enemies both intentionally as well as unintentionally.  Granted it is impossible to satisfy everyone but it is also important not to allow anger to control one's life.  There were many instances in 2012 where my inability to control my anger damaged and destroyed my personal relationships with others.  In 100% of these instances I allowed my anger with my personal life circumstances and situation to damage my relationships with others.  At times I have felt spirtually devoid and useless.  Somewhere back in 2009 I began to slowly lose my spirtuality.  Any spirtiual progress I made began to slowly fade away back into the old, dark world of temptation. 

Normally, in these types of blog posts the author would insert some Bible verse or scripture to illustrate his/her experience.  I will refrain from that and allow my own words to illustrate what I am attempting to convey.  We have all been in some dark hellish place of our own making.  It is how we choose to escape from that place that defines our character.  I've realized that I have got to let God assume control of my life if I ever want to be a better son, father, friend, and man.  If 2012 has taught me anything it is that I am nothing without God.  Hopefully I can change that in the coming year.