Is This What Passes For Music Nowadays?

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The above music video by Willow Smith; daughter of Will & Jada Pickett Smith, is just one of many music videos that in addition to be extremely inexplicable, speaks volumes about the direction the music industry is headed. The music industry continues to push the envelopes of indecency, morality and ethics, and will continue to do so; I believe, until Jesus Christ return. So, we can assume that it is going to continue to get worse before it gets better. But, it is disturbing to see the "No Holds Barred" type of mentality that has been embraced by today's so called artists and musicians in the Entertainment Industry. What passes for entertainment nowadays is entirely reprehensible and deplorable to say the least. And, if we think things are bad now; if the Lord so delays His coming, you can only imagine what it will look like 10 or 15yrs from now. It appears that nothing is off limits and everything is fair game when it comes to producing music to promote to the world.

And, to me the most disturbing part about all of this is that the farther the industry pushes the envelope the more willing and acceptable society is of how far the envelope has been pushed. This mentality gives credence to the saying, "The world loves its own."  It seems that the weirder the artist, the more accepted they are, the higher the charts they climb and the more records they are able to sell.  When you look at this diverse list of the music industry's so called "Hottest Artist" the one thing they all seem to have in common is they are extremely weird. In fact the weirder you are the more successful you are. Take a look

Willow Smith

Waka Flocka

Rick Ross

Lil Wayne

Beyone aka Sasha Fierce

Rhianna

Kate Perry

Lady Gaga

Weird seems to be the only stipulation for success in the entertainment industry, and weird is just another way of saying, "I'm willing to do anything to be famous."  I have no objections, no prohibitions, no limits to what I'm willing to do be famous.  Typically, a person like that would either be locked up or institutionalized because of their limit-less behavior which is criminal or at least border-line insane,  instead they're being signed to multi-million dollar contracts, fancy cars, clothes, homes & jewelry to propagate and promote the devil's agenda.  And, all who travel this walk of fame have done exactly that. Jesus asked a very important question in Mark 16:26  "For what is a man profitted, if he shall gain the whole world , and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" A very telling question that each of us must consider as we evaluate and prioritize the goals and objectives of our life.  And, yet we have seen the answers to these two questions reflected in the lives of the artists who sold their soul and sold out to be famous. Many have sacrificed family, loved ones, morality, decency, self worth and much more for 15mins of a fame.

And, I know I will probably get some comments along the lines of why are you even interested in this anyway, in what way is this suppose to spiritually edify your readers? I'm glad you asked, if nothing else this continues to illustrate the point that time is winding up, and Jesus Christ is soon to come. As we said in our post concerning  "Signs of the Times" that the devil is getting much bolder and bolder with everything that he does in the world. What was once done in secret is now being done openly, what was once done at night, is now being done in broad day light. So, my advice to those who do not know God, taken advantage of the time you have to get to know him. You can find out how in Acts 2:38. Read it once, twice and even three times until it becomes clear.

As you look at the sinister direction that the entire entertainment industry has taken, you cannot help but attribute it to its silent partner the "Devil." Whether you know or not, or whether you believe or not, he is the primarily culprit behind everything that is going on, from raunchy videos to the proliferation of secret societies. He is behind it ALL. And, it makes perfect sense, because it plays right into his character and nature as the Children of God's primary adversary. He is a cunning, shrewd and deceitful operator and manipulator. The devil has done everything in his power to keep his agenda hidden from the world, and yet they are strategically apart of the planning of implementation of it. In Isaiah 14 it talks about Lucifer; formerly known as, the chief musician in heaven. He was in charge of the heavenly host, and it speaks of how he got beside himself and wanted to take over and how he thought he could do a better job than God-himself. And, so God kicked him out of heaven. But, as G. Craig Lewis put it, "even though he changed locations, he never changed occupations." He is still making music; and he is still leading the movement against God here on earth. I heard someone put it very poignantly, the secular artists that you see nowadays are apart of "The Devil's Praise Team." And, to me that summarizes this post very beautifully, especially when you see and hear some of songs that come over the airwaves into our radios and through the television screens of our homes.  Songs that continue to objectify and sexualize women like "Bottom's Up" by T.I, and the sadomasochistic song by Rhianna & Eminem called "Love The Way You Lie."  Here are some of the lyrics to that song.

Rhianna Chorus
"Just going to stand there and watch me burn, 
but that's alright because I like the way it hurts. 
Just going to stand there and hear me cry, but that's alright 
because I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie"

Eminem verse (Excerpt)
Can't tell you what it really is
I can only tell you what it feels like
And right now there's a steel knife
In my windpipe
I can't breathe
But I still fight
While I can fight
As long as the wrong feels right
It's like I'm in flight
High of a love
Drunk from the hate
It's like I'm huffing paint
And I love it the more that I suffer
I suffocate
And right before im about to drown
She resuscitates me
She f*** hates me
And I love it...

I included the lyrics because I don't think people realize what they are singing, and more importantly what they are saying. So the lyrics are here for people to plainly see what it is that Rhianna and Eminem are actually talking about. Rhianna & Eminem are both talking about loving being abused and manipulated by their "handler(s)" And, if you ever read the VigilantCitizen.com you would understand what the term "handler" means.  This is the dark and sinister side of the industry that only the artist sees and is privy too. But, it is believed that through a process called "Monarch Programming" that these artist are being brainwashed and sexually abused, and they create alternate personalities like "Slim Shady" & "Sasha Fierce" to escape the reality of their abuse. And, this alternate personality becomes the primary persona in the music industry where they are now doing the bidding of their handlers; those people who are behind the scenes controlling the multi-million dollar puppets for the industry.  In the song their both talking about loving being hated, and loving being hurt and lied to. Now, what reasonable person would this actually makes sense to? I would definitely like to meet them so we can talk about this further, or maybe I'm missing the entire meaning of the song. I encourage anyone with an alternate meaning to feel free to leave their comment to offer clarity to both myself and those who read this weekly blog, because I'm sure they are just as confused as I am.

Professor Griff, former member of "Public Enemy" said in a radio interview discussing some of the more popular songs in the music industry and why they are popular,

he said, "...entertainment is kept below the 6th grade level. When you start hearing songs like "Laffy Taffy" and these kinds of songs;  they would hit your lower sacrum and vibrate that negative energy activating your pituitary gland releasing those hormones. Now you have grown men making songs for 13yr olds..."  

In essence what I believe he was saying is this is in fact the "dumbing down of society." And, those that continue to listen to these artist and their music are willing participants. You find yourself listening to the song, the beat is catchy, and before you know it you've learned the lyrics and because of the over-saturation of this music in the marketplace  (i.e. radio, t.v., Internet, etc) you find yourself singing, and quoting lyrics completely oblivious to its real meaning.  You're singing about domestic violence, and sadomasochism and wondering why you're either a victim of domestic violence or perpetrator of it yourself. What we fail to realize, which is something the devil has known for sometime now, is that words are extremely powerful. That's why we have to be careful what we profess and declare in our lives, because many people have spoken doom upon their own lives by simply quoting the lyrics of a song they heard on the radio. That is just how powerfully shrewd and sadistic the devil really is.

As I conclude this week's post, I'd like to know from you if you share our thoughts and beliefs on the music industry. Do you believe that is has gone out of control and will continually get progressively worse the closer we get to the rapture? If you don't share our views, I'd like to hear your thoughts as well. Why do you listen to this music, what benefit do you get from it? What purpose does it serve in your life? Recently, rapper,& actor Bow Wow posted some very disturbing messages on his twitter page that might be a window into the reality of a Hip Hop artist.  He said, "I sacrificed my life for this Hip Hop ****  I put my REAL life on hold. If I could do it over...I wudda went back to school. Got me a reg job...I swear I be wishing I was dead sometimes. Because I feel like thats the only way i'll get peace."  These few lines speaks volumes about a life that is suppose to be the "Good Life" as Kanye West describes it, but according to Bow Wow it's really not all that is cracked up to be. I find it interesting that if Bow Wow's life and artist like him were all that "Good" then why would they be constantly plagued with so much unhappiness to the point of not wanting to live anymore.

It really begs the question, is fame really worth it?  You tell me!

Pastor Nimmons
www.michaelnimmons.com

A Woman's Worth

Niki Minja's alter ego "Barbie"

I'm writing this post after much frustration and confusion over the present day images of womanhood that are being projected and portrayed to this generation of young people. Frustration and confusion about the over-"sexual-ization" and over-saturation of this "sexual-ization" in the marketplace and the effects it is having on the minds of today's youth. If we were to start at the most obvious and move to the more sinister, I believe you will see a direct correlation between how women are being portrayed and how they are treated in music, movies, media and even in everyday life.

Beginning with the obvious, which is the over-sexual-ization of  today's female celebrities. We as consumers are constantly inundated with every aspect of the the female physique in commercials, videos, movies, and the like as a method of advertisement. Many times the products and goods are being sold solely based upon the sex-iness of the spokes model advertising the product. Everything from music to malt liquor, from cars to Couvisseur, woman are consistently used as tools to sell other goods and it seems that this practice is increasing in this day and time.  And, unfortunately the message that is consistently being sent to the youth of today is that "Sex Sales," and this is a misnomer that I believe is a driving force behind the rising criminal behavior in our young men. "If all women have to offer is their bodies, then if I can take that then I've taken everything that they have to offer." And, I know some would say this is weird coming from a man, you should be happy to see the female body on display everywhere you go? As a man, you should welcome this new form of advertisement. Not so! Why, because I believe this marketing practice is undervaluing  and undermining today's women by objectifying and sexual-izing them. And, this certainly is not what God had originally intended for the woman to be marketed and packaged for, objects to be lusted after and fought over. 

Mariah Carey & Niki Minaj

Women today are seen as sex objects rather than the "help mates" and nurturers they were created to be. And, what is frustrating to me is there should be more outrage and outcry from the female community regarding their objectification by society. More women should be speaking out and against this sexual-ization, because it sends the wrong message to their children, daughters, nieces, siblings and the like that all you need is an nice set of assets and the world is your oyster. Its disturbing to hear and see women flaunt their sexuality and attempt to quantify it in terms of how much money they can earn and have earned in strip clubs, videos and even on the street simply because of how sexy they claim they are.  What kind of world are we leaving for babies my daughter's age and older? What kind of message are we sending them as they get older? What kind of message are we sending when breast augmentation has become as common as a visit to the dentist office? A woman's worth and value far exceed their physicality as well as their sexuality. It's unfortunate, when you peruse the profiles of both Facebook & Twitter and find that the women with the greatest number of followers are usually those who's profiles show off more than their beautiful smile.  What that says is that her popularity has been validated by her sexuality rather than her personality. And, she knows the more attractive she is the more influential she will be in society, which is extremely problematic.

Sarah Palin

Conversely, I continue to be baffled by the product the media continues to promote as a symbol of female intellect in former governor and possible presidential candidate for 2012 Sarah Palin. Intellectually she is an embarrassment, and the fact the Republicans tried to market her as a comparable vice-presidential candidate in then Sen. Joe Biden and formidable competitor to now President Barack Obama is laughable. I continue to refer to her joke of interview with Katie Couric; she looked ill-prepared and highly uninformed, especially when the summation of her foreign affairs experience was "being able to see Russia from her house," was an insult to the American public as this being someone who could potentially serve this nation as 2nd in command. 

But, as bad as this objectification and sexual-ization may be, this is only one small part of the problem and it is one that goes far deeper than what is seen on the surface. What we discovered through various outlets of research concerning the occult, freemasonry and the Illuminati, is a concept called "Mind Control." Which, according to the "VigilantCitizen.com" is a common practice in the music industry, and in Hollywood. According to Ellen P. Lacter, Ph.D., The Relationship Between Mind Control Programming and Ritual Abuse (source used by the VigilantCitizen.com) she states regarding mind control or "Monarch Programming," that it is...


          “Trauma-based mind control programming can be defined as systematic torture that blocks the victim’s capacity for conscious processing (through pain, terror, drugs, illusion, sensory deprivation, sensory over-stimulation, oxygen deprivation, cold, heat, spinning, brain stimulation, and often, near-death), and then employs suggestion and/or classical and operant

This disassociation that is produced as a result of this systematic trauma based torture is a separation from reality, creating an alter ego that the subject can now relate to and find comfort in being. It is not coincidental that we've seen the advent of these "alter-egos" in today's music industry; Beyonce- Sasha Fierce, Niki Minaj - Barbie, etc. This disassociated state is actually an escape from reality, where they are under the complete auspices of this alter ego, and thereby their original handler as well. It's important to note, the "handler" in all of this because each of these subjects has a "handler" who is ultimately responsible for their persona. And, their alter-ego is only acting in accordance to the instructions that have been administered via mind control by their handler. This handler, which is often times never seen and never heard from, you can see the examples of the handiwork as well as their rationale reflected in their chosen subjects.

Cover of Niki Minaj latest album

Niki Minaj

Beyonce & Sasha Fierce

 Lady Gaga

Looking at this assortment of images gives us some insight into the perceptions of the handlers of these subjects of mind control & Monarch Programming. What is true in all of these photos is that women are obviously viewed as nothing more than sex objects with nothing more to offer than what they have on the outside. The doll-like references are probably the most insulting inasmuch as they imply that women are "mind-less" robots that must be directed in order to be consider useful. Nicki Minaj pictured with no arms in the first picture, and blind-folded in the next photograph makes my point very clearly. Doll-like references, butter fly images, as well as animal; cheetah or leopard print clothing, are some of the exterior clues of "Monarch Programming," according to the VigilantCitizen.com. When you see artists and celebrities pictured this way; making devil hand signs gestures, or covering the left eye is the subject's indirect way of signaling to their handler submission to their control. And, what is most troubling about all of this is that these are projected images are being relayed to the vulnerable, & impressionable minds of today's youth. And, these celebrities pictured here along with many of their counterparts are women they emulate and want to be like. So, if this is true you can see the damage that is being done to our youth before they even have a chance to know what the world is all about. Very disturbing.

Looking at  God's original intention for mankind our value far exceeded anything we might have possessed on the surface. Everything in the word of God speaks to our infinite value to God; who is our Father and our Creator. And, this is a running theme throughout the entire Word of God. In fact, King Solomon when speaking of the  inevitable courtship between a man and a woman in Proverbs 31:10, he ask the question, "Who can find a virtuous woman?" This scripture first indicates the appropriate characterization of a woman according to the Word of God, which is a "virtuous woman," not a video vixen, a barbie doll, or even a sex object. This characterization explicitly suggests that this kind of woman has a wealth of value to offer her aspiring mate. So much so, that King Solomon interjects the word "find" in this verse, which means that this type of woman must be sought after. You can just find this type of woman anywhere. She can't be found on the "Jersey Shore" MTV Reality Show, or on the latest cycle of BET music videos. This scripture also speaks to the character of the seeker as well. Because in order to find someone virtuous, you would have to know it when you see it. So, the man; who's seeking a virtuous woman, in knowing what virtue looks like must also be able to identify with it as well. He must possess the same qualities he-himself is looking for in a mate. However, the caveat in all of this is both the "seeker" and the "sought after" are flawed, because of sin. So, virtue may or may not be identifiable by the "seeker" or completely possessed by the "sought after". This is why God has be enlisted in this search, because only He is able to rightfully match the right man for the right woman. "Who can find...only God can find a virtuous woman, so we-men should consult God when we're ready to look for Ms. Right

So, my question to my females readers is simple, which kind of woman would you like to be? One that is objectified and sexual-ized by society; manipulated and man-handled for profit. Or would you rather be one that is adored and sought after by the right suitor; the one that God has rightfully suited especially for you. It's interesting that the artist; who's song I chose to title this blog, obviously didn't even know her own worth, because she looked for her value from someone who was already taken. Consequently, this says more about her personal insecurities than his martial infidelity.

Ladies, how valuable are you?

Pastor Nimmons
www.michaelnimmons.com

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Revelations 13:18, "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of man; and his number is Six Hundred threescore and six."

Yesterday evening I was relaxing in front of the television watching the national broadcast of the Boston Celtics vs the Miami Heat; which was the opening game for the regular season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). This national and international broadcast reaches millions of viewers across the country and the globe and likewise this is a great opportunity for advertisers and marketeers to promote products and other goods during these types of telecasts. During a TV timeout, I noticed a commercial for Hewlett Packard & Beats By Dre headphones. Apparently, Dr. Dre, HP built a line of computers with Beats Audio™ technology so you can hear the music the way the artist intended.  I have to admit the first time I saw it I wasn't really paying much attention and I let it go by without giving it a second thought. Fortunately for me the commercial was played several times during the TNT broadcast, so I got several opportunities to see what was really going on. And, the third time I saw it and what caught my attention really just blew me completely away. If you haven't seen the commercial yet, take a few minutes to check it out.



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666 in the shape of a pyramid

What is this on his face?

Dr. Dre

As you can see in the commercial an unidentified woman is walking with a cart, with what appears to be 3 Beats By Dre microchips to be inserted into the hard drives of 3 HP laptops by Hip Hop Mogul Dr. Dre.  And, as she is walking the camera takes a complete picture of all 3 chips on the cart and all together they closely resembles the sign of the "Mark of the Beast" 666. In addition they seem to be strategically placed to form a pyramid as well.  It's interesting that the commercial conveniently included 3 micro chips with 3 accompanying HP laptops. The convenient use of 3 chips and 3 computers was not coincidental but by design, especially given the close resemblance of the logo used to advertise Beats By Dre to the number 6. Take a look.

Beats By Dre Headphones

Beats By Dre Headphones

Why not 2 micro chips and 2 laptops or 4 micro chips and 4 laptops, who decided on the number 3 and why? Well, I believe you all know the answer to that question. And, thus the reason for this week's blog post. It is no secret the connections between the music industry, the occult and devil worship, and this is just one of many examples that we have identified in previous blog posts and even on our Youtube Channel PSTRNIMMONSTV. On our Youtube Channel we have video footage of a Bible lesson that we taught for the Young Apostolic Students for Christ at Wayne State University entitled: "Sleeping With The Enemy." This is a very eye-opening and informative bible lesson about the music industry and its occult influences and how it is has crept its way into the church. When you get a minute we encourage you to check it out.  But, more importantly these images were broadcast right across the airwaves in front of a captivated audience, not one or two times but several times and I wonder how many people actually notice the 666 in the commercial. Not very many.

When we refer to these signs and symbols of the occult that are intertwined into music, videos, movies and the like, we often think that they have to be decoded or unmasked in order for the average person to see them. Not so! These images are being broadcast during regular TV programming without censorship or prejudice, and they are many times overlooked by the average person, because we don't believe the TV is used and being used as an instrument of mind control and manipulation. Advertisers do not spend millions and millions of dollars putting together marketing campaigns just for novelty sake, but they are plotting and scheming on ways to get more consumers attention so they can in turn get more dollars and revenue for whatever it is that they are selling.  What is interesting is that the FCC continues to scrutinize television shows, TV ads and the other media for nudity, profanity and other socially offensive material, but when it comes to occult signs & symbols like this it goes by without anyone ever taking a second glance. But, again these are the "Signs of the Times." And, as we get closer to Jesus Christ return the more blatant and the more bolder the devil will get in the propagation of his messages of evil and deception across the globe.  We as Christians have already been forewarned by Jesus, in Mark 13th chapter vs 33-37.

"Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."

What is interesting is that within these 4 verses in Mark, Jesus uses the word "watch" 4 times, which means He is putting great emphasis on what we should be doing as Christians. His over emphasis of the word "watch" also explicitly suggests that there is something that we should be looking for as the times draw closer and closer to the end. And, signs like these, which are being seen everywhere nowadays, are what I believe Jesus was speaking of and talking about, when He admonishes us to "WATCH."  You not only see it in commercials but you've also seen the "666" sign  from some your favorite artist and celebrities and probably didn't even know it.

OK Sign and Occult Symbolism

Lady Gaga

Justin Timberlake

Beyonce

So, there you have it, the shrewdness and cunning-ness of our adversary the devil. And, yes there will be those who will continue to choose to ignore these signs or to even argue the very existence of them. However, I feel it is my duty as a minister of the Gospel to expose the enemy on every front. As God reveals the devil's plans to us it is our endeavor to share those plans with you. If nothing else these signs should tell us as Christians that we are living in the last days. And, these signs should also tell us to get our houses in order, because the RAPTURE is soon to come!

I'd like to know what are your thoughts on this subject? Do you believe what we're saying or do you believe that we are like many other conspiracy theorist, just digging for a story to post to bring attention to our personal blogs. I invite all suitors to comment. I'm not afraid of debate or discussion as long as we keep the discussion within its proper context. I'm interested in your comments and your dialogue, remember you can post your responses directly to your own personal Facebook pages. I hope this week's post is a blessing to you, feel free to post it on your Facebook profiles, tweet it, e-mail it and share it with someone.

As I close, I leave you with the timely instructions of the Master, "Watch!"

Pastor Nimmons
www.michaelnimmons.com

Cuties of the Month

Hey Everybody just wanted to make you aware of a recent honor bestowed upon our family by on-line Christian magazine Maximum Exposure. My two little children pictured above Stephen-Michael & Mya Grace Nimmons are the featured "Cuties of the Month" on the Maximum Exposure website. I thought I would share this honor with those of you who periodically read our blog.  Stephen-Michael is 4 years old and my daughter Mya just turned 1 back in September.

Check out the video tribute I made for my daughter's 1st Birthday, which also has some great family photos included in there as well. For e-mail subscribers Click here.



If children are truly a gift from God, I feel tremendously blessed to have two wonderful children that I believe God has put his favor upon.  Thanks guys from Maximum Exposure Magazine, I truly appreciate the working relationship we have established. May God continue to bless you and your every endeavors!!!

Deep Faith

Alg Mario Sepulveda celebrates after being rescued from the mine

 I was thinking today about what our next blog post was going to be about and I got to thinking about the amazing miner story and how they were rescued after 69 days of being trapped in a hole. 33 Miners were miraculously rescued one by one over a two day period. According to reports the last man rescued was supposedly the one that kept the entire group of miners together and focused on being rescued.  He said, " "We have done what the entire world was waiting for...We had strength, we had spirit, we wanted to fight, we wanted to fight for our families, and that was the greatest thing." What tremendous spirit they exemplified in the midst of probably the greatest challenge they've ever faced.

So many stories have come out of this one story about the rescue, everything from a miner inviting both his wife and his mistress to the rescue site, all the way to which miner wanted to be the last one rescued. But, to me the most profound story of all of those that have come out was one miner who says that both God and the devil were in the hole with them.

According to CNN.com,  "Sepulveda, the second miner extracted from the mine, has advice for those who take undue risks in their lives."I think I have learned a lot of wonderful lessons about taking the good path in life," he said. "For those of you able to call your wives or your husbands, do so. During the time he was trapped inside the mine, Sepulveda said, he saw both good and evil. I was with God, and I was with the devil. They fought, and God won," he said. Sepulveda said he grabbed God's hand and never doubted that he would be rescued."  

The reason that this story resonated more with me than the others was because this miner's statement gives a better picture of the mental battle that each of the 33 miners encountered while trapped in that hole in Chile. It was more than just a physical battle that they were experiencing, it was more than a battle against their will, but this was a spiritual battle that this one miner was able to see in the midst of all else that was going on. I can imagine the devil telling him along with the other miners that you will not be rescued, this mine is going to become your ultimate grave, no one will ever be able to find you. But, in the midst of the negative venom the devil was spewing, God was speaking to that miner and telling him to hold on and hang in there help is on the way. This miner, according to his earlier statement, decided to listen to the voice of God and he decided to grab a hold of God's hand and never doubted that he would be rescued. And, God proved true to his word and brought he and the other miners out just like he said he would.

This story kind of reminds me of the Three Hebrew Boys; who were thrown into the burning fiery furnance by King Nebudchadnezzar for refusing to bow before his graven image. Their courage, determination and loyalty to God was demonstrated when they boldly declared to the King, "We are not careful to answer thee in this manner, for the God that we serve is able to deliver us out of the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of your hand O'King. But, if not, let be known unto thee O'King that we will not serve your idols nor worship your golden image you have setup."  The King was infuriated with their defiance and threw them into a furnace that was heated 7 times hotter than it normally was. Not much is said regarding the conversations or the mentality of the young men after they were thrown into the fiery furnace. But, as the story goes on the king went to check on them and he saw four men in the furnace and one of them appeared to be the Son of God. So, yes it was abundantly clear that God was with them in that fiery furnace, but it was their faith in God before they went in that allowed them to see that God would be with them. However, the devil wanted them to believe that they would be devoured; that they would be consumed by the fire, but they kept their faith and believed that God would deliver them in spite of what the situation might have looked like.

In life; as children of God, we are going to have two voices speaking to us. One voice, which is the devil; the accuser, who will tell you that you are not going to make it, and you are not going to win. He wants to convince you that there is nothing to look forward to in life, an that your situation has ultimately determined your outcome. And, if we listen to that voice long enough, he will convince you that what he is saying is true. He will convince you that giving up is the easiest thing to do, and if you listen he will convince you that there is absolutely no hope. But, there is another voice that the rescued miner in Chile decided to listen to, and that was the voice of God. And, God is there to encourage you and to lift you and to let you know that if you hold on and hang in there everything is going to be alright. God's voice is speaking to you in the midst of your current crisis, even when the situation looks like it hasn't changed or has even gotten worse, God is still speaking to us and telling us not to quit and not to give up. And, even as the situation keeps getting worse, God keeps saying to us hold on, don't give up. It is up to you to determine who's voice are you ultimately going to listen to. Because the devil never stops talking and as the situation continues to get worse the "righter" the devil seems and the louder his voice begins to resonate. But, your faith kicks in when you allow God's voice to become the prevailing voice you hear even as the situations continues to worsen. And, eventually as the bible rightfully declares, "He that shall come, will come and He will not tarry." It is then you find out there you were listening to the right voice all along.

My question to you today is who's voice are you going to listen to? The miners exemplied what I believe to be "Deep Faith" because they took their faith deep into the recesses of the earth and held on to it even as the days and nights got longer and their rescue looked even more bleak. Can you hold on in the midst of what you going through? Do you have the faith to believe in God despite what the prognosticators are saying. I would love to hear from you. I would love to hear your stories of truimph over tragedy and how you held on to your faith in the midst of a difficult situation. You never know who you are able to encourage with your testimony!  Share those stories and let see how God moves in the life of someone else.

The people of Chile celebrating the 33 miners rescue

Until next time, be blessed!


Pastor Nimmons
www.michaelnimmons.com

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY BISHOP DAVID L. ELLIS 1935-1996

I know I just posted a blog just a few seconds ago, but I would be remiss if I ddin't recognize and pay tribute to one of the greatest preachers of our time and one of my spiritual father's of the Gospel; The Honorable Bishop David L. Ellis. He was truly a man of God and today marks his 75th birthday.  This will the first time I've ever written 2 blogs in the same week, but certainly Bishop David L. Ellis' legacy merits such an occassion. He is a man that I truly admired and aspired to be like. I was just musing about his unique style of oratory and eloquence on yesterday after our Sunday services at Greater Grace Temple. Yesterday during the morning services, our pastor Bishop Charles Ellis III; the son of the late Bishop David Ellis, instead of preaching a sermon of his own choosing, he decided to play of the many messages his father preached. And, as I set and watch the magnificence of his delivery and the authority from which he spoke, it was as if was a child seating in the balcony of the cathedral at 7mile and Schafer listening to him preach all over again.

 And, I was I watching and listening on yesterday during service I got to thinking about how we never seem to appreciate the gifts that God gives to the kingdom while they are living. Many time it is not until they have gone on to be with the Lord that recognize their significance and can't seem to get enough of whatever footage we are able to get our hands on.

Here's an excerpt from one of Bishop David L. Ellis many messages.


There are hundreds of pastors, elders, ministers and evangelists; like myself, that have benefited from his ministry and attribute much of their spiritual success to being under his divine tutelage. One thing I would love about Bishop Ellis was the boldness and authority of which he spoke whenever he mounted the pulpit. It was as if his messages were directed towards the Devil-himself. And, as he spoke you know that it was not of his own volition, but it was under the immense power of the Holy Ghost. I marveled at his boldness and vowed to make that a part of our ministry presentation if God was to ever call us to the ministry. Another key part of Bishop Ellis that I love was his devotion and commitment to the ministry. You can see the depth of which God's Word was hidden in the heart of Bishop Ellis by how he was one of the few preachers that could exegite and entire message without any notes. Many times, he would just call a scripture and pick a subject and speak under the auspices and anointing of the Holy Ghost and literally bring the house down.

I, along with so many other also enjoyed listening to Bishop Ellis sing "Down Through The Years," "Joy Bells," and "My Mind's Made Up," just a few of the old songs that were apart of his signature style of praise & worship. I feel so priviliged and honored to have set under such a great man. Being able to watch and observe how God used him while he was here amongst us is definitely one of the key components of maturing in the ministry. He was truly an anointed and appointed man of God.

There are so many memories I have of my late father in the gospel that I could share, but there is one that stands out as a rare occassion I was able to see another side of this man when I just young lad in the church. I can remember during the month of January several years ago; I believe I was about 10 or 11 yrs old. The month of January was traditionally our time of consecration and re-dedication as a entire church. We would be in revival every day and on Saturdays we would have one hour of prayer. This particular Saturday, my family and I went to prayer and I was sitting on my mother's lap in the pews just after a funeral service had ended. Bishop Ellis was sitting in his chair, and I can remember saying to myself I hope he doesn't call me up to the front to talk to him. It was not that I didn't want to talk to him, but it the bashfulness of my youth to speak to a man of his magnitude that overwhelming for me. And, it seems as quick as I utter those words to my mother, Bishop motioned for me to come up to the front to talk to him. As I approached the front, a bit nervous, I mustered up enough courage to walk up to him to hear what he had to say. Much to my surprise I was not summoned to the front for a stern reprimand, but quite the contrary Bishop wanted to invite me along to the Detroit Int'l Auto Show with his grandson David Sheffield. I was excited to have the opportunity to go on a field trip with my pastor. After church he came by my house and picked me up in his grey Volvo at the time and we were off to the Auto Show. I failed to mention that Bishop Ellis was a lover of cars and frequented the Detroit Auto Show to check out the latest vehicles that were debuting each year. As I walked through the show with the Bishop I was in awe of how many people he knew and who knew him. I found myself watching him more than I saw many of the cars in the show. But, it was a time that I will never forget and one that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

I thank God for the life and legacy of this great Man of God. And, the seed that he planted in us is one that has truly grown and blossomed us into the Man of God that we are today. So, on today as we celebrate this great man's birthday, let us thank God for bestowing such an awesome gift upon the Church of God.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BISHOP!!!

MSU v U of M Rivalry Week

 

As with some of my earlier blogs, I like to use this opportunity to reveal more of myself to my readers. And, for those who do not know us personally there are a few things I want to uncover in this week's blog. First, I am a avid SPORTS fan. My ideal Saturday is spending the entire day stretched out on my couch watching footbal ALL Day. LOL! Football would have to be my favorite sport; College Football to be more specific, but I love basketball and I watch baseball periodically, tennis and NASCAR & Indy races respectively. Would I say, i'm an Every sport man, No. But, I find myself channel surfing through some ESPN's mirad of channels and periodically stopping to see what's going on.

My 2nd admission is this, I AM A MSU SPARTAN FAN & ALUMNI! I bleed GREEN & WHITE! I love my former almamater Michigan State University, and feel very blessed to have graduated from such a great institituion. That being said, one of the most exciting weeks for me during the college football season is Michigan v Michigan State Rivalry Week.  Regardless of where both of these teams are in the games leading up to this week, it never fails to be a exciting games for both of the premiere schools in the State of Michigan. I love engaging Wolverine fans in debates about who's going to win this rivalry game. It's all done in fun, but the bragging rights that follow this game are one of the great trophies that come with a win each year.

Here is  a brief history of the MSU v. U of M Rivalry Game


This year's game is coming up this Saturday, kick-off is 3:30 at U of M in the Big House, and all eyes will be on this venue as "Who's The State of Michigan's Best College Football Team" will be decided this weekend. Alot is riding on this game. This is the first time in a very long that both teams are going into this game undefeated with a record of 5-0 and both teams are ranked; MSU (17)  and U of M (18). So, the implications that follow a win would be tremendously rewarding.  Alot is at stake and so much is on the line this week. In addition to the infamous Paul Bunyan Govenor of Michigan Trophy being at stake for this week's winner,  whoever wins this game automatically becomes bowl eligible and continues their quest for a Big Ten Championship opportunity. Whoever wins this game carries with them the bragging rights for the rest of year as the Best Team in the State of Michigan. In addition, there are a few special interests that help build the momentum for this game for either team. The first is if Micihgan State University wins this game this weekend in Ann Arbor, this will be the 3rd straight Spartan win under 3rd yr U of M Coach Rich Rodriguez. And, if U of M wins, this would be the 1st signature win for this embattled coach, as well as a tremendous boost to the credibilty of QB Denard Robinson.  So, as you can see alot is as stake this weekend.

You can also see that i'm an excited MSU Spartan fan as I have taken time out to write about my passion for college sports as well as my love for Spartan-Nation. I'm interested in getting your thoughts on this rivalvry. Where do you stand, which team will you be rooting for this weekend? If neither of these teams are your favorites, tell us who are your favorite sports teams from any sport. Let us know what are your thoughts on this subject. Do you love college football as much as I do? This is definitely a weakness of mine. What do you think of my admission? I can't wait to see what kind of responses we are going to get. Don't forget your comments can be posted directly to your Facebook Profiles, so you can start a discussion about the MSU v. U of M Rivalry by simply leaving a comment in a our blog section.   In addition to you getting to know us as we write, our blog is designed for us to get to know more about our readers as well.  So, LET'S GET IT STARTED!!