No one would deny that 2020 has been a year of challenges, surprises, shockwaves, and blessings! When we began the year, did we expect that it would be an unforgettable year? At the end of 2019, many preachers and pundits were looking forward to a 20/20 vision – a perfect 2020 vision. Yet, we may now confirm that “hindsight is 20/20.” You see, when we arrive at the end of a journey, we could clearly see the twists and turns along the way. We look back and see the challenges, both individual and collective. But despite this, and despite the unprecedented number of deaths, God kept us here today to tell the story and to be effective witnesses of His goodness and His blessings toward us! These are our “but God” moments.

Let us reflect on our “but God” moments of 2020. While we are reflecting, we will also reflect on the scriptures that confirm that our God is a “but God” God! He was then, centuries ago, and He still is now! So, if we ever get discouraged about current events, let us always look back to our “but God” God!

When we think of Christmas, we think of the birth of Jesus Christ, of course. Christ is included in this season. The very name Christ-mas denotes a celebration or worship (mas) of Christ! But somehow, we also focus on preparation – planning the gifts, the dinners, the parties, the visits with family and friends. On many occasions, Jesus may even get lost in the celebration. But this year we’ve been forced to pare down our plans. So, what’s left? Our focus is returning to the meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ!

So, while we have the opportunity for this unprecedented shift, let us reflect on why we are celebrating His birth. How could this image of this innocent baby translate into Him being Christ, the Savior of the world? Why do we want to recall the events of His birth in songs and plays, without giving thought to the enormity of God’s plans and preparation for His birth? In this episode, let us reflect on some biblical scenes that forced Jesus to come from Heaven to Earth. God made His plans for this birth. He knew the reason why this Earth needed a Christ, an Anointed one. And that was Jesus!

Have you noticed that our choices have far-reaching consequences? Even if we may not realize it, there is a ripple effect around our actions. Consider Adam and Eve. They made their choice to eat the forbidden fruit in the middle of the garden, even though they were told not to! Even today, we still carry the consequences of this act as their descendants. It is a reminder to us that we are “born in sin and shaped in iniquity”. A choice was made generations earlier and is still affecting us today. Thank God for His grace and mercy to have sent Jesus, our Savior, to redeem us from the stain of our sins, and our sinful nature! So, how do we regroup?

A few months ago, the Holy Spirit showed me a vision of a fork in the road. He said, “think fork reality”. Each decision represents a fork in the road. Just think of multiple forks along our journey. By the time we recognize that we made a wrong decision, we traveled so far off the right path that it would take a supernatural intervention to bring us back to the path of righteousness! This is what the Holy Spirit is highlighting for us today.

In our last broadcast, we considered anger as a habit that seems to be prevalent in our world today. Any incident could spark — as though there is a spirit of anger permeating our homes, cities, states, and nations. We searched the scriptures that would show us how to avoid this trait from becoming our new normal. In this panel discussion on anger, we will hear from three people of God who are ministers of the gospel and have been appointed by God to fields dedicated to helping us navigate the waters of our emotions.

We are joined by Reverend Jason M. Moseley, Senior Pastor of Aijalon Baptist Church, Detroit, and President of Divine Mind Consulting, LLC, Detroit; Pastor Michael Evans, Supply Pastor at New Bethel Baptist Church, Detroit and CEO and Founder of Divine Mind Consulting; and Evangelist Dr. De’Borah Donald, First Lady of God's Established Foundation COGIC and licensed mediator and counselor.

So, can we apply Paul's advice in Philippians 3:13-14 to the topic of Anger? Can we forget what's behind and press on? What can we do to release our anger and move forward on this Christian journey?

Sometimes in our lives, we do something that seems so out of character that others are left scratching their heads. What happened to her? She is usually so serious and to the point, but now, suddenly she is beginning to make off-center jokes, flippant remarks, and even losing her cool at the slightest issue? He’s usually polite, mild-mannered, then he turns into Dr. Jekyll at the drop of a hat! He got so angry that even his features changed, his voice changed. I felt I couldn’t recognize him! These incidents may take you by surprise — once or even twice. But, if these incidents become repeated actions, they are now becoming a habit.

In this broadcast, I would like to tackle the habit of anger. It is so prevalent in our world today. We have become angry at the effects of the pandemic, at the political climate, at the loss of the job and the stimulus check, at having to wait in the food line, at someone invading our 6-foot distance, at our changes in routine, at governors’ orders, at losing our rights, at the social justice issues, at our brothers and sisters, at our family members — at anything! A spirit of anger seems to be permeating our families, friends, fellowship, nation, and globally. So has this become a dangerous trend? Can we regroup and recover from this slippery slope?

This pandemic has shown us it’s ‘time out’ for going through the motions. We open our eyes each day and are so thankful that we are still breathing. We go to work, whether virtually or physically, and understand that the world has not stopped. It is still spinning, people are still carrying on, but at a different pace, in a different mode with a different reality. We go through trials, perhaps a sneeze here (is it COVID?) or an ache there. Or perhaps we are in bed right now, praying for relief from the effects of this deadly virus.

So, what am I leading up to? God is still in the midst of all we do! We may not always want to admit it when we are in the midst of our agony and pain and suffering, but deep down inside, we know it. So, my brothers and sisters, we’d better give Him thanks for taking us through the hard trials. We’d better not, let a day go by without thanking God and praising Him for all He has done for us! This is serious business! Where would we be if God were not in the midst? Let us, as His witnesses, thank Him for everything — the good, the bad, and the ugly, because we know that He is working everything out for our good!

In this final episode in our series, Let the Nations Know I am God, we are reminded that when the enemy is on the right and left hand when he is vigorously pursuing, or even when we have to face him head-on — GOD still delivers us from ALL evil.

In Matthew 6:13, we pray to the Father to “deliver us from evil”. Many of us pray the Lord’s prayer every day. Have we got it into our spirit that each day we are asking for deliverance? Don’t we think that God hears by now? Do we think that God will leave His children out in the storm, forever? He is a good Father. We call to Him, “Our Father”!

We have established our relationship with Him in our prayer. Why would we not think that He will deliver? Is there anything too hard for God, our Father? Let’s examine His track record of being the Deliverer. As we walk through the Word of God, we will know without the shadow of a doubt, and attest and proclaim that HE STILL DELIVERS — physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually…

In this second episode of our series, Let the Nations Know I am God, God wants to remind us that He is still the Healer. He is not simply a healer, but THE Healer! During these days of turbulent times, we are so keenly aware that healing is needed. We speak of our land needing healing as we reference 2 Chronicles 7:14.

We hear of friends, family, strangers, and enemies who have had some illness, in need of healing. We note the current focus on the “underlying conditions, the preexisting conditions,” which resulted in many deaths. We continue to absorb this bad news of people and places in need of healing.

Yet through it all, THE HEALER is in the midst of us! Have we yet turned to Him for our healing? Do we even know His track record with respect to healing? Are we able to connect the dots between the miracles witnessed in the Word of God and the events of today? Do we know, and still attest and proclaim that HE IS STILL THE HEALER?

A couple of days ago, I heard the Lord say as I awoke “let the nations know I am God. I am still on the throne, I still heal, I still deliver. I still set free!” I knew there were several messages behind these words.

The first message was to remind us that He is still on the throne. He is still sovereign and will not share His glory with ANYONE. I also knew that these words were a reminder for us to begin to turn back to Him for our needs, for our relationship, for our counsel, particularly during these uncertain times.

So I would like to lay out for us all three accounts that would remind us that we still serve an awesome and mighty God, that He is still on the throne, and that He will not be outdone by anyone, or anything, then, and now! I know that it will serve as a reminder for us also as we turn our focus away from the issues of the day back to our true and living God.

In part 2 of this series, we will respond to follow-up questions and comments on grief and grieving, accept your prayer requests and praise reports, and offer any tools or publications that may be useful.

Questions addressed in this broadcast include: How do you mourn when you don't even know you are mourning? How do you mourn the gradual loss of friendships as a result of social distancing? What are some strategies for coping with losses when you are the only one left in your family because of catastrophes such as COVID-19? Is there a difference between the grieving of believers and of non-believers?

I pray that as we wrestle with these and other questions, we comfort one another knowing our Comforter is in the midst, even of our grief. I pray this, in Jesus' name. Amen!