WSSN Stories

Nick Cannon Red Nose Day

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA- Multifaceted entertainer Nick Cannon will kick off the festivities for NBC’s broadcast of “Red Nose Day” with “Red Nose Day Danceathon with Nick Cannon,” streaming live on NBC.com beginning Wednesday, May 20. “America’s Got Talent” host Nick Cannon will attempt to dance non-stop for 24 hours in honor of the inaugural Red Nose Day celebration in the United States, leading into the “Red Nose Day” telecast on Thursday, May 21 (8-11 p.m. ET) on NBC.

Streamed live from the NBC Experience Store at Rockefeller Center in New York City, the day of dance will be filled with guest DJs and musicians, celebrity drop-ins, and a variety of dance acts and troupes. Viewers can support Cannon’s endeavor through sponsorship and donation.

“Red Nose Day,” a live three-hour entertainment event, will feature sketch comedy, parodies, videos produced by Funny Or Die, live musical performances and short appeals films that shed light on those in need. With a focus on having fun, raising money and changing lives, the star-studded event will raise money for Red Nose Day to help lift children and young people out of poverty in the U.S. and in some of the poorest communities in the world.

People from all walks of life are encouraged to have fun and raise money through buying red noses (sold exclusively at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores nationwide), organizing fundraising events and watching and donating during the television special. See www.rednosedayusa.com for more info.

The money raised during Red Nose Day will fund programs that address the immediate needs of children and young people living in poverty in the U.S., Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Today Show Supports Red Nose Day

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

The rule is simple: “If you play with fire, you will get burned.” “If you court trouble, trouble you will find.” “Make your bed and you have to sleep in it.” “Whatever you sow, you shall reap.”  So do not lie to yourself.  God will not be mocked. If you compromise His rules you will suffer horribly for it… You better know that you know!

Yeah, it might feel real good while you are indulging, but the long-term consequences will crush and grind that little pleasure into oblivion. You will never remember the pleasure when the horrible consequences of your folly burst into flames because sin brings misery with and after it.  If you don’t believe me just ask Samson, Judges 16. Samson thought he could walk on sexual coals, but Delilah stole his strength and left him blinded and chained to grind for the Philistines. David did not think he would be burned either, but his short tryst with Bathsheba cost him dearly for the rest of his life. Profane Ammon craved his sister, but the event horribly disappointed him and cost him his life. Now Joseph, Joseph is a hero, for when he saw and felt the fire, he ran as far and as fast as he could, Genesis 39:12. He knew that even though Potiphar’s wife greatly desired him there would be hell to pay with God and men. He chose the certainty of a false accusation rather than the lying promise of stolen pleasure.  Proverbs 22:3 tells us that, “the prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.” You cannot walk with God and hold hands with the devil!

Samson and Delilah story… love lies and loss. A story, that should, be read, studied, and taken to heart. Their story does not teach us lessons about genuine love and romance, but about the dangers of getting too close to the enemy. Their story is a story of deception, greed, lust and destruction. Their story stands as a constant warning to those who would trifle with sin. Their story is a reminder to us all that sin is deceptive and that it is deadly. There may be “pleasure in sin for a season,” but the end of sin is never worth the pleasure it provides.

Most people, however, think that they can control their sin. In truth, but for the grace of God, sin controls us, and it will be our master if we allow it a foothold in our lives. Only God’s grace keeps us from the wolf’s fate. Instead of playing with sin you should be like Joseph and put as much distance as you can between your temptation and yourself, Genesis 39:7-12. I tell you, you might not face the same thing Samson did, but you will pay a price for indulging in sin. You will sacrifice your intimacy with God. You will sacrifice His power. You will endanger the relationships that matter most in your life. One thing is certain – sin always pays back both believers and unbelievers with boredom, guilt, shame, loneliness, confusion, emptiness, loss of purpose, and loss of rewards. The problem I earnestly believe is that we do not know how powerful sin in. We do not know – we have no idea – it’s a term we toss around – and talk about – in a gleeful tone. But let me say something to you, we have under estimated its power, its grip and its hold on us. I submit to you that we have been bamboozled, hoodwink, fooled, brain washed, and beguiled.

You know the word for Sin in the Greek language is “amartia” (ha-mar-tia). It means “to miss the mark.” Every time we sin we do miss the mark because every sin we commit is an offense to God, and God cannot be in the presence of sin. That is why if you choose to keep committing the same sins without repentance you will stop feeling His presence in your life. The Holy Spirit will stop speaking to you if you refuse to repent. I want you to know that sin has many consequences; more than I have mentioned, and it is always destructive, but repentance is always constructive. For great sin, there is great grace.

You know, I’ve always been intrigued by the point of no return above waterfalls. For example, if you’re in a canoe above Niagara Falls drifting downriver there’s a point that if you go by it, you can’t save yourself. It’s the point of no return. If you’re up river far enough, you’re able to paddle to shore. But if you go past the point of no return, the current will take you over the falls and there’s nothing you can do about it. No matter how hard you paddle, you can’t save yourself. The point of no return is an invisible line above the falls, on one side of it you can save yourself, on the other, you can’t. Repentance can be like that. A lot of people think that they have lots of time to repent. They think that they will have until the moment of their death to repent. And that is true of some people. Consider the criminal who was crucified with Jesus. It was not until his death was very imminent that he repented and turned to Jesus. But that is not true with all people. God gives only a certain time to repent, and after that point, it’s too late. Jezebel, God said, “I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling…”  Revelation 2:21-23… The Bible is full of examples of people given time to repent but they refused: Genesis 4; Jeremiah 5:3, Amos 4:6, Zephaniah 3:2, and Zechariah 7:1, to name just a few. 2Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord is patient towards us. He is not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” That’s God’s heart. He wants us to repent. That why He gives us time to repent. That’s why He pleads with us to repent. That’s why He sends people; ministers, preachers, friends, family members who beg us to repent. Jezebel was not ignorant of her sin. She knew what she was doing, and she refused to repent.  Therefore it became too late for her to repent – not because God wouldn’t pardon her, but because she had hardened her heart. Jezebel had been confronted, she’s resisted, and she refused to repent. Don’t be a Jezebel. The door of repentance is still open. There’s still hope, but not forever.… Hebrews 12:17… That Day is fast approaching.

I can hear the thundering cry of Jeremiah. Oh that the church will wake up and see that they are being warned by the Word of God that there are wicked men that lay wait hiding in the bushes and setting a snare for the unwary. Setting a snare for those who are not yielded to God, still living by unbridled lusts in the very depths of their soul, they are halting between two opinions. As in the Old Testament times, God’s willingness to spare and bless the nation and spare and bless individuals who repent still stands. But equally true, as Paul said, there will come a day when His righteous judgment will be revealed. I can’t imagine how it will be for those who have heard but who have consciously and willfully rejected Him. Don’t Wait Too Late…Repent!

Tee Babie

By Naomi K. Bonman

From the “You’re a b—h, you’re a ho, you’re a thot”, as ladies and respectful men, we can attest that there needs to be a change in the way our women are viewed within the lyrics of hip hop, and music in general. These mainstream male rappers are most likely accustomed to a certain type of female that they only “glorify” one type of women—the type that makes the rest look bad.

This where more women come in to give a voice to modern day women. Rising rapper and singer, Tee Babie, is that positive, powerful, and dynamitic force that is filling the void in a positive woman movement in music.

Hailing from St. Louis, MO, but born and raised out of West Covina, CA, Tee Babie has had music instilled and planted in her veins since the tender age of three. As her mother recalls, Tee would sing around the house to the late Whitney Houston. By the age of 18, as most young adults, Tee decided to spread her wings and experience life on the East Coast. While on the East Coast, the aspiring star took a keen to live music and also started developing her style. She stayed in Maryland, VA for 2 years before making the move to Las Vegas, NV.

Upon her move to Las Vegas, Tee met her mentor, King Al Hefner (founder of Beats How You Want Em), who would soon expand her horizon within the music industry. Shortly after, in 2012, King’s Brother RJ II came onto the scene and gave Tee vocal lessons to develop her ear for the music.  King and RJ are Grammy winning producers of the “Misunderstood” by Lil Wayne from the ‘Carter II’ album.

“From there I have just blossomed within these last three years,” Tee said.

In a recent interview with the rising star, she discussed her upcoming projects, her passion for becoming a more positive and strong voice for woman, and what she looks forward to accomplishing in the near future.

What makes you stand out from the rest?

I try to give a more uplifting voice for females. Right now we two types of music when it comes to females, either the “down and out, sad, cheated on, looking for love” or “she’s a ‘ho’, she’s a thot, she’s a ratchet, shake it for a real n—a”.

I’m bringing in a more powerful voice that says, “Hey I am all woman, I am powerful not only that, I am not a thot”. I want to bring out the absurd, confident, but successful and today’s woman. The modern women of today are not miserable, we’re not super sad because we don’t have a dude because most of time we’re juggling multiple or we’re working just as hard if not harder than men.

In my R&B music as well as my rap music, I want to make sure that it’s not only smooth, but relevant.

Being that voice for women, what advice do you have for others that may want to pursue a career in entertainment?

If you want to do it, especially if you have the support, get it, learn it, and study it. To be the best you have to study your craft. It took me a little while to train my ear on what quality sounds like. We think we know, but we don’t until we really study what the difference between what is and is not quality. It’s great if you’re good at something, but to be great at it you really have to emerge your feet in it. It takes time, so perfect your craft, stud it, and be patient. It takes at least 2 to 4 years, just as it does with school to perfect a particular craft, and you just have to be aware of the time frame.

What projects are you currently working on?

This month (May 2015) I will be dropping an EP with Paper Boy Beatz from Detroit called “He Say, She Say”. If you love blues, R&B, Pop, Hip Hop, and rap, then you’ll love this EP. There’s something for all on it. We will be distributing it worldwide and it will be available on iTunes and Amazon. We also hope to shop it around to different TV shows and movies for the future.

Do you have any shows coming up?

Yes I do. I’ll be in San Pedro, Hollywood, Ontario, and Vegas. Then from May 24 to May 31 I will have about five shows lined up in Atlanta.

You’re constantly back and forth between Las Vegas and California and you work a full-t

It has been insane! I am blessed and fortunate to be at a secular position that gives me a little bit of freedom. If you’re in a place that can give you a little bit of freedom or an avenue into your craft that will be the best way to go. It is very hard balancing a secular job and doing music as a side gig because it is very time consuming, but you find the balance and have to pace yourself. You also have to make sure that you’re not slipping on your day job and putting in at least above average to a minimum. You just learn to take it day by day.

What are your goals that you would like to accomplish within the next 1 to 2 years?

I’m hoping to work with a lot of mainstream artists as a songwriter, hook specialist, or as a featured artist [on a track]. My ultimate goal is to utilize and share my songwriting abilities with the likes of Beyonce, Kanye West, Jay-Z, T-Pain, Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill [and others], so that I can get my voice out there.

Who do you want to work with on a regional level?

AV Compton, he’s my next target! California is huge though and there is a lot of great talent out there that I would love to work with. I am also into the Indie, Rock, Pop, and AC/DC scene a well.

Who would you like to work with on the mainstream level?

Shawna, of course, she is one of my favorites. I get a lot of my swag from her. If I can work with Beyonce, I would know that I made it. Others are Future; Nicki Minaj, I love how influential she is in and how she represents the female movement; Ne-yo; Esther Dean; and so many others.

What do you like to do in your free time? What are your hobbies?

Besides being in the studio, I love the beach, traveling, shopping, I love fashion, and kicking it with my best friends and family.

Where have you traveled to so far?

Belize, Mexico, and Mahogany Bay

Where do you want to travel to next?

Dhabi, Panama, Rio, Africa, and Europe

Any last remarks that you want to leave the readers with?

I’m very genuine when it comes to my music. Everything that I sing about is something that I’ve experienced. I work hard to get to reach my goals and I have real and genuine people surrounded around me that I do not want to take for granted.

Life is amazing and very short, so we must use our time productively as possible. Follow your dreams and study your craft, and don’t stop; keep going and pushing through every up and down in life.  

Follow Tee Babie:

Soundcloud

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Snapchat: TeeCheriBabie

Reverbnation

NEW YORK, NY– In ESSENCE’s groundbreaking February 2015 ‘Black Lives Matter’ issue, ESSENCE editors and a myriad of esteemed contributors focused attention on the daring modern-day civil rights movement unfolding across the nation and set the agenda for ‘What We Must Do Now’ with a bold dialogue in the pages of the magazine. ESSENCE recently announced a slate of empowerment programming and a ‘Peace, Prayer & Purpose Rally’ to bring that conversation to life during the daytime Empowerment Experience at the 2015 ESSENCE Festival, July 2-5 in New Orleans.

“Communities across the country are rallying for justice, as Black Americans face systemic inequalities and troubling disparities with respect to police brutality, employment, education, earning power, health and upward socio-economic mobility,” said ESSENCE President Michelle Ebanks.  “In an effort to shed light on the issues, address the pain, explore solutions and advance the movement in these critical times, Essence is unveiling a series of powerful keynotes and in-depth conversations that will culminate in the ‘Peace, Prayer & Purpose Rally’.”

The ESSENCE Empowerment Experience programming will extend the conversation on race relations; addressing where we are now and where we go from here with a wide range of the nation’s foremost leaders, activists and influencers—including Deepak Chopra, Rev. Al Sharpton, Steve Harvey, Iyanla Vanzant, Donna Brazile and many more.

In addition, prominent mayors, including Karen Freeman-Wilson (Gary, IN) and Mitch Landrieu (New Orleans, LA), will join a Mayor’s Panel for a deep-dive conversation on the critical issues and best-practices in communities around the country; Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, will deliver a keynote address entitled Moms on a Mission: Mothers Turning Tragedy Into Triumphant Change; and leading experts, including Senator Karen Carter Peterson, Dr. Steve Perry, Nicole Paultre Bell and more will weigh in on the educational, policy and social issues impacting our communities for a discussion on Where Do We Go From Here: Black Lives Matter.   The Empowerment Experience Sunday Prayer Vigil and All-Star Gospel Tribute round out the weekend programs with poignant moments of reflection, rededication and inspiration.

For more information about schedules, ticket sales, accommodations and the latest news about the ESSENCE Festival, visit ESSENCE Festival www.essencefestival.com, join the Festival community: follow us on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2015 ESSENCE Festival on Facebook.

T Bone

What it Do! What it Do! Well, this week rapper TBone is what it do folks. Have you ever met a person blessed with multiple talents? Tyronne a.k.a TBone has been doing music for a long time. Despite going through career changes and the ups and downs of life, Tyronne knew he had a special gift to share with the world. Performing all over Southern California, he is a jack of all trades. Stepping out into the entertainment game with no fear, this producer, rapper, engineer, and photographer made heads turn and ears open.

TBone is truly a passionate artist who’s serious about his craft. Developing his own label titled, “Knuckle Headz Recordz”, he takes time to work with other upcoming artists. He calls himself “The Number One IE Supporter”. Remembering what his mother and grandmother told him as child has kept him going.

TBone recalls, “I remember momma and grandma said that I will always be special, and I think I am. Not to be famous because in God eyes I am.”

Make sure you check this talented artist out and his music. All music links can be found under “TBone” on all social media sites. Until next time, L’s UP!

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

The Honorable Judge, God the Father, is presiding. All persons having business before the court, come to order. Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to God’s Ultimate Supreme Court. We will hear the case as scheduled. First case on the courts calendar is {insert your name}. Counselors, are you ready to proceed?

Man… Have you ever wondered what it will be like to stand in God’s courtroom? “Well today, you will have the privilege of actually going into God’s courtroom kinda like court TV and seeing how at least one sinner fared in his trial…“ Believe it or not, one of these days we will ALL stand in the Ultimate Supreme Court of God. No one will be left out! The preachers, deacons, church members, popes, priest, nuns, choir members, drunks, whoremongers, drug addicts, pimps, pushers, homosexuals, liars, thieves, murderers, idol worshipers, fornicators, adulterous, brothers, sisters, grandmothers, grandfathers, moms and dads. The king, the pauper, the general, the president, the foot soldier, the master, the slave, the borrower and the lender we will all stand before God. There will be no escape and there will be no exceptions! {Hebrew 9:27; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Acts 17:31}

On that day the Judge will make no mistakes. His verdict will be true and accurate. His decision will be final!  There will be no negotiating. There will be no second chances. There will be no appeals.  Before the judgment begins, the earth and sky will be destroyed by fire {Revelation 20:11-12} {2 Peter 3:10} after that destruction we will then be judged accordingly. (2 Corinthians 5:10} {Revelation 20:12-13}.  The Books will be opened. {Romans 2:6-7} {2 Corinthians 5:10} {Matthew. 25:31}. We will be reviewed and examined. After the judgment period, we will witness the greatest separation that the world has ever seen. {Matthew 25:31; Matthew. 5:22; Mark 9:43 2Kings 23:10; 2 Chronicles 28:3}.  Are you prepared for the Final Judgment Day?  If you are not a Christian, you ought to be, and you can be one right now. Your eternal destination depends on it. Maybe you are a Christian, and lately you have not been living a faithful and fruitful life for the Lord. Possibly, there may be someone who needs to confess their sins before God. You may have been living in secret sin, trying to hide it from God and your brethren. But God’s hand has been heavy upon you and you are ready to confess. I just want to remind you that we still live in the day of grace. During this time in history, a sinner can come before God and cry out for forgiveness and the Lord will receive them and save them by His grace. Today is the day of grace. Today is the day of forgiveness. Today is the day of repentance. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day of mercy. There will be none of those things given out on that Final Day. Only judgment, swift and sure, will be issued from the Great White Throne and from the Lord. Please don’t do a foolish thing and die without Jesus! Come to Him while the door is open.

Allow me to give you a glimpse of events that might take place on that day. In Zechariah chapter 3, it gives us a look at the guilt of the sinner. This drama is in the setting of a courtroom.  It is in the Ultimate Supreme Court.  God is the Judge; Joshua the High Priest the defendant and Satan is the Prosecuting Attorney. Satan, bringing his case against Joshua before the Lord.  He is standing at Joshua’s right hand opposing him. Satan’s says to the Lord, He is dirty. He says to the Almighty, He is guilty. He is a sinner whose righteousness is as filthy rags. The audacity of Satan: In the Ultimate Supreme Court of God standing around accusing God’s people of their sins. Image that! Talking about, “Drama in the Courtroom,” Ole Satan; the Accuser of the brethren… See how subtle and merciless Satan really is. Bringing up past sins, things that God has already forgiven us for. Bringing up things we did yesterday and even five seconds ago, accusing us, pointing a finger in our face. Bringing accusations to God that we deserve to die in Hell. Satan, the Accuser of the brethren! Accusing us before God; accusing us before men, and accusing us before ourselves… Truth be told though, Satan was right.  Joshua was dirty, sinful, and guilty.  Satan knew it, God knew it, and Joshua knew it.  But thank God that in the court of Heaven we have an Advocate – a Defense Attorney who has never lost a case. His name is Jesus. His plea on our behalf is always the same. Your Honour, the defendant is indeed guilty, but the penalty has been paid. I myself paid the ultimate penalty for his sin and died in his place. The DEBT is paid in full!  Thank God for Jesus! We are not only forgiven; we are justified. We are declared righteous.

Listen, you may be a guilty sinner or a backslidden saint.  Either way I want you to know that you have an Advocate in Heaven.  So no matter what you’ve done, if you will bring your guilt and your sin to God, He will take your case, plead your case, win your case, and commute your sentence from death to life.  I tell you the most indispensable requirement for knowing the Word of God is to understand our predicament – the fact of our sinfulness before God. I am guilty. You are guilty. Everybody in your family is guilty. We are all guilty before God.  Hold on to this truth. Let it make you wise. I don’t want you to perish. If God is opening your mind to understand His truth, now is the time to act! For there will be no second chances on that Day. I want you to know that on that Day, Witnesses will be called forth and they will testify either for you or against you. The first witness will be the Word of God itself- (John 12:48}. Jesus says, “Every word I have spoken to you will judge you on that day. My Word will be the witness!” Also, witnesses shall arise such as the men of Nineveh, the men of Sodom and the Queen of Sheba. {Matthew 12:41-42}. When you stand before the Judge and your book is opened, the vast multitudes of Ninevites will step forward. Those who died in the holocaust of Sodom and Gomorrah will come forth, as will those of Tyre and Sidon. These wicked ones will gather round, incredulous as they hear the list of all the opportunities you had to receive the Word of God: Bibles, radio, and TV, teachers, witnesses, and friends, family. They will cry out, “This man’s judgment ought to be worse than ours! How could he reject so many opportunities and deny such powerful light? We had no Bible, no constant reminders, and no second opportunity. But he had all this!” Jesus says Sodom would have repented if they had heard what you’ve heard – {Matthew 11:23; Matthew 24:14}. If you know in your heart you’re not ready to stand before Jesus –Act Now! If you don’t I want you to know that this one message is enough to damn you to eternal hell if you reject it. It will stand as a witness on Judgment Day… I want you to know that the Judge is keeping an account right now! Are you going to pass the test?

Derron Smith

By Naomi K. Bonman

The NFL Draft took place this past weekend from Thursday, April 30 to Saturday, May 2. Young men from all across the Nation seen their dreams of playing for the NFL unfold before their eyes, including Banning resident and Fresno State alumni, Derron Smith, 23. Smith was included in the third day of draft picks where he was picked to join the Cincinnati Bengals as Starting Safety.

Smith finished his college football career with 297 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 33 passes defensed—15 of which he intercepted. He was also the 11^th player in school history at Fresno State to be named to the all-conference team three times. Smith is the cousin to the editor of the Westside Story Newspaper, Naomi K. Bonman.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Listen; if you want to get off to a good start, you need to begin in the right place.  And it begins with a very frank admission. “Not that I have already obtained all this…” You see, the Word of God in Proverbs 16:18 tell us that, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” That tells me that in and of ourselves we have absolutely nothing to brag or be prideful about. Now if there was anyone who had reason to brag about his accomplishments, I would think it would have been the Apostle Paul. But he doesn’t do that. Despite having met the Lord on the Damascus Road, despite having preached across the eastern Mediterranean region, despite being an apostle called by God, despite writing letters inspired by the Holy Spirit, despite all that he had endured, he did not brag about anything he said or did. None of that mattered to him. He knew that he was a sinner saved by grace. In fact in 1Timothy 1:15, he even called himself the “Chief of sinners.” He made no claim of being perfect or having arrived in his own spiritual journey. Now Simon Peter, that’s a whole different story. Simon Peter had made an assumption, and it’s the same assumption that we all make from time to time. He assumed that he had reached a place in his relationship with Jesus where he would never forsake Jesus and would never fail in his faithfulness to God again. I tell you, we must never assume that we can’t miss the mark, for the moment we do, we are headed for a fall. Paul said, although we are perfect through sanctification, through our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, many of us – in fact all of us – still have a long way to go.

I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing that bothers me more than someone trying to claim to be all that when the Bible says that, “There is none good, no not one!” But some folks believe that they are the exception. My message to all of us today is this: Like it or not, whether we want to believe it or not, we’re not as good as we think we are. We’re not as smart as we think we are. We’re not as clever as we think we are. We’re not as wise as we think we are; and we are not as strong as we think we are. The only thing that keeps us going is Jesus our wonderful Savior, and He is everything we are not. Don’t get it twisted! It has never been about us and it is not about us! It is about Him; the Alpha and Omega; the Beginning and End; the First and Last; the Wonderful Counselor. We have absolutely nothing to boast about, other than Jesus Christ… Throwing ourselves a party! Self-congratulations! Boasting! This is human temptation and human tendency; and a dangerous one at that. Careful! You are threading on dangerous grounds! Boasting is a growing cancer, an infectious disease, an intoxicating behavior.

Sadly, we live in a very proud and egotistical generation where it is now considered acceptable and even normal for people to promote themselves, to praise themselves, and to put themselves first. Pride is considered a virtue by many. Humility, on the other hand, is considered a weakness. Everyone, it seems, is screaming for his or her own rights and seeking to be recognized as someone important. The preoccupation with self-esteem, self-love, and self-glory is destroying the very foundations upon which our society was built. What’s worst of all, the preoccupation with self has found its way into the Church.  Jesus repeatedly taught against pride, and with His life and teaching He constantly exalted the virtue of humility. Nowhere is that more clear than in John 13. I tell you, there is no better garment to clothe yourself with than to be clothed with humility. A humble person is a child of God; but a proud and haughty person is a child of Satan. Who’s your daddy? Pride should not be a problem to us; for according to God’s Word even our own righteousness is as filthy rags (Is 64:6). Get off your High Horse!

Don’t misunderstand me. It’s not wrong to brag. It’s wrong to brag about trivial things. When you brag and you should brag, brag on the Lord, that’s all I’m saying. Besides, if it had not been for the Lord… Hello somebody! The message is simply: Pride is the sin that made the devil the devil, pride makes us like the devil, and pride can prevent us from entering heaven and lead us to hell. Clothe yourself with humility –Boast only in the Cross!

Anyone and Everyone Carrying Deadly Weapons In The Name Of Public Safety Should Be Videoed While Working…

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

The general police response to Black Folk in America is and has been corrupt. The truth of that statement is based on the common “feelings” of parents and guardians of Black boys as we acknowledge the need to tell our boys “how to act” when confronted by the police. We instruct our sons to not just “be” cooperative but to “act” docile, childlike and very cooperative, to give the police no “additional” reasons to mistreat them.  Statistics prove the corrupted attitude which police generally express when dealing with Black folk and Black males in specific. The disproportionate number of Blacks in the penal system is any thinking person’s evidence.  However knowing that Blacks are a target does not get disturbing to some until they realize that the police were just “practicing” on Blacks… That their callous treatment of Blacks might be just a tune-up for how they will also treat Brown people and as demonstrated recently by San Bernardino County Sheriff Deputies, white people too.

It is a common theory among “thinking” people that Fire is ok in the Black Community, unless the smoke starts to disturb the White community…drugs symbolically represent that fire. For instance some have been heard to say, “Marijuana arrests are ok as long as the bulk of the people arrested are Black, but rather than arrest all of the whites that use it, they make it legal”!

So what happens when the first white man is recorded while receiving the “Black Beat-down” from San Bernardino County Sheriff Deputies? Two things of real importance subsequently occurred that allows white people to maintain confidence in their Sheriff Deputies’ service attitude. Only twelve days after the incident was broadcast across the nation, the County Board of Supervisors made an unsolicited award of $650,000 to the white victim. That settlement offer, if accepted by the victim will also protect the officers involved, because their corrupt conduct at the scene will not have to be dissected and explained in a very public trial. The Board Of Supervisors’ response can have the (intended?) effect of keeping the smoky threat from irritating the eyes of some white people, but the alarm has sounded.

I think that each day and with each police action more people agree that all peace officers should be recorded while they work. What do you think?

Hakim Hazim

By Hakim Hazim

The words of James 1:2-8 should hang in a prominent place in every man’s home today:

“Count it all Joy my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double- minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (English Standard Version)

I wonder how many Christian men really believe that God is truly at work in their lives in terms of trials and tribulations. We are quick to point out what the devil or what people are doing to us. We rarely seek God for any reason other than to remove the source of irritant or pain. We rarely identify the trials that God places us in as his designed training, and we seek out numerous instructors to help us make sense of what is taking place.

The truth is, deep down inside, we have a sense that there is a purpose within the trial, but we don’t want to believe it. We know that God instructs us to rejoice in trials, but we refuse to do it. He instructs us to hold fast and believe, but we are double minded. He instructs us to give our best in the midst of it, but we hoard or talents and possessions. He instructs us to let him lovingly prune us and remove everything that does not belong in our lives, but we fight tooth and nail. The very process that realigns our wills and accelerates our growth, we do everything we can to deny as an option in our lives.

We have been duped into waiting on the divine gravy train that will remove all of our struggles in life. Many have preached a message that struggles of health, resources, relationships and mental anguish indicate a lack of faith. Our honesty about these things arouses the instincts of predators, because they are drawn to struggling people by what they see as the scent of weakness. They promise that they can help you with these things—for a fee if they are a business or an offering if they are a ministry. If you pay close attention to the passage above, God is the author of the trial that befalls individuals and communities as well. He will also be the finisher. The key to overcoming any trial is focused endurance. You have to be anchored into the purpose of it, not simply the resolution. The passage I cited in James says trials—it’s plural. More trials will come. As long you have breath, they will come. Welcome and overcome them by faith. They are yours, designed for you! It does not matter the form in which they come.

Lastly, men: be careful of the wolves in sheep’s clothing—predatory peddlers of false hope and instruction designed to simply fleece you and channel your emotion to their cause. They are everywhere and too numerous to list. You are ultimately responsible for who and what you follow. Christ’s sheep know his voice. The problem is we stray often and find ourselves in places we simply should not be.

Our trials are designed by the Almighty to strengthen our resolve and to rid us of double mindedness. If you persevere, you may be one of the people God is calling to help lead this generation.

Hakim Hazim is the founder of Relevant Now and co-founder of Freedom Squared . He is a nationally recognized expert in decision analysis, criminality and security.