Daily Walking, Working, and Winning by God's Word by Rev. Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway Sr.

The Bible asks the question, "what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"

The conversation continues about the debts owed by the estate of Michael Jackson. Some say he owes over $400 Million Dollars, but MJ was a shrewed businessman and purchased the catalog to all the Beatles songs. A catalog that some say is valued at over a $1 Billion dollars.

If that is the case because he made a purchase long ago, all his debts will be cancelled out by the value of the asset he bought.

God knew that each of us would have a debt we would have to pay; therefore, Jesus Christ purchased our debt on an old rugged cross long ago. Because of His death and resurrection our debt has been cancelled out and we are all set free.

Someone should say, Thank You Jesus!

Sometimes our adultness gets into the way of our enjoying this beautiful experience which is fleeting - life. Reduce your stress level, spend quality time with love ones, and pay attention to the beauty God has placed in everyone's life. Live life with a "child's heart."

God made each of us unique and special. Too often persons seeks to see yourself through the life experiences of others. Hence the Michael Jackson phenomna where people sought to dance like him, dress like him, and even look like him.
God made each of us unique and special. While it may be popular or faddish to get caught up in the marketing of a personality. It is dangerous to live vacariously through others experiences. No one can be you; and you can be no one else.

Now that Michael Jackson has joined the celestrial choir, may all the people of the world live life to their fullest potential and be the best person they can be: like none other.

As we continue to reflect on the life of Michael Jackson, we must conclude that he was committed to excellence in his professional career. The mystic sage, Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman, once wrote that “Commitment means that it is possible for a man to yield the nerve centre of his consent to a purpose or cause, a movement or an ideal, which may be more important to him than whether he lives or dies.”

I join the world in mourning the death of Michael Jackson. A child prodigy who lived his life in the public arena under the scrutiny of the world's media. With his unique gift of music and creative genius, he captured the imagination of children and fans throughout the world. He lived an eccentric life, but he lived nevertheless to the fullest extend. A world traveler his ever changing face was known throughout the planet.

A biblical ideal in relationships is the concept of "being equally yoked." It's where two individuals are bound in such a way that they operate as one in mind. spirit, and body. Too often it is difficult to walk a path together where each side of the road is equally divided. Most often every relationship requires the other party to give sometimes. Can one give in without losing one's power to say no, cease, or move over? Can one give in and not be relegated to a secondary position? This is the dilemma in relationships: how does one share in the emotional, spiritual, and financial ups and downs, but still remain equally yoked? Yoked in such a way that in tragic and triumph, in pain and passion, in calamity and celebration: you are inseparable, indivisible, and indestructibly united together.

The joy in relationships is the divine quest to continually work it out knowing that the end result is a bond, an adherence, and a unity of spirit and purpose that will stand the test of time.

The mistake is sometimes made in relationships where they start off like a rocket and soon sputter to the earth. The couple ends up in an emotional roller coaster without an ability to achieve any equilibrium in the relationship. If moods swings dominate your relationship, I would suggest that all parties take a time out and remember the Honeymoon when it all began. The sparkle in your eye when your mate walked into the room. The aromatic sensation you felt when their favorite cologne or perfume scented the air. The whirlwind space of your initial time together when all the possibilities of love and life where before you.

Richard Smallwood and Vision - Total Praise


The Worship experience of Sunday is over. The clock is now ringing for you to get up. The work day is about to begin. The stress of too little income and too much outgo impacts many families during these economic times.

Yesterday was Father's Day, but today is a work day and "baby needs a new pair of shoes."

How are you feeling now you know you are returning to the drudgery of work and the monotonous routine of doing the same thing and getting the same results?

On one hand work is an exchange of time for money. Everyone needs money to survive. But do you find your work experience fulfilling? Do you find your workplace enhancing? Or do you drag yourself into your work site with an attitude that if anyone ticks you off; they will get a piece of your mind.

What happened to your Sunday praise? What happened to your worshipful sense of the presence of God?

God continues to inhabit the praises of his people.

Wake up! Get up! Move on up to a higher level of praise!

Leave home with made up mind that "this is the day that the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it."

Always and at all times give God - "Total Praise!"

Father's Day creates a variety of feelings among families, children and mothers. Depending on the responsiveness of your father, his availability, and dependability; emotions range from indifference to adoration. It is unfortunate that for some the image and reality of a biological father causes dismay. Some are so fortunate that they have experienced the love, affection and support of a strong male figure in their home - their father.

The word reminds us that "if father and mother forsake you the Lord will take you up." That's why we did not create ourselves, none of us are mistakes, and we are all God's children. Fearfully and wonderfully made, God deposits into each of us His Divine Essence. So on this Father's Day, be willing to proclaim: "Father I stretch my hand to thee, no other help I know."

Indeed you will find the comforting love of a Heavenly Father who only asks that you place your hand in His hand and be blessed.

In the lives of everyday people it is sometimes difficult to find a quiet place.

A place where you can go "up on the roof" and get away from the confusion, the hectic pace, the issues that confront one's life, or the maddening noise of our modern society and our cultural lifestyles.

Rev. Dr. Gardner Taylor challenges preachers (and hearers) of the gospel to center the focus of their message on Jesus Christ. He rightly concludes that for some the focus has been on themselves and the prosperity of the era. The sense of the "suffering servant" has been lost. The sense of self-sacrifice has diminished. In a era of "I'm number one." We are losing in sermonic messages that Jesus is the answer to our troubles.

It is fulfilling that the sage of the pulpit is still challenging preachers and hearers to the truth of the gospel message, "Jesus Saves."

Can I get a witness?

The Rev. Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway, Sr. has the distinction of being the 10th Pastor in the 159 year history of Union Baptist Church. He was elected in February 2007 after serving for three years as the Assistant Pastor. Reverend Hathaway has a Ph. D. in Philosophy of Religion from The North Carolina College of Theology and Doctor of Ministry degree from the United Theological Seminary. He earned his Masters of Arts in Church Ministries and a Certificate in Urban Ministry from Saint Mary’s Seminary and University. He is a graduate of The Harvard Divinity School’s Summer Leadership Institute. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from The McKendree School of Religion.

Increasingly those of us in the faith community are wondering how do we interact with and possible influence those members of the Hip Hop community.

Time should lead us to understand that every generation has its defining culture: Lindy Hop, Be Bop, Birth of the Cool, Bohemian, Hippie, Gangster, etc. It is appears that each generation matures from its early definition into a more societal acceptable mode. In other words every group grows up and becomes the status quo.

So it is with the Hip Hop Culture, a phenomenon that has transformed the nature of a cultural fad's cycle and become incorporated into the mainstream.

Therefore, the question really is: "how does the church community communicate with its young?" This has been and is the age old question of the church.

I firmly believe Jesus' proclamation, "that if I be lifted up, I will draw all men (people) unto me." We have attempted to package Jesus in our own likeness. But, he has his own distinctive features. He is a friend to the friendless. One who "stickest closer than a brother." He is a comforter when you need him. He is an advocate when you are voiceless. But most importantly he is a Savior who will rescue the lost, the perishing, and the weak.

That's why we can never give up on our youth, because we are the beneficiaries of people never giving up on us.

In our society we see so many stories of very talented people with extraordinary skills become entangled in difficulties that call their character into question.

Bishop Walter Thomas made this salient statement that, "talent will take you; where character will not keep you".

Care must be taken in life to insure that your word is your bond and that you practice what you preach. Recent stories describe the tragic predicaments talented people have found themselves in because character flaws crop up that become an albatross around their necks.

You only have to look at the situation of Michael Vick who lost the opportunity to play in the NFL, who lost millions of dollars in salary and endorsement, and who eventually was imprisoned for a character flaw involving dog fighting. The list of Rap Stars seems never ending as they wrestle to become the leader in their field, only to fall prey to the same circumstances they were seeking to escape, i.e Little Kim, Tupac Shakur, and Biggie Smalls.

Returning home from the Hampton Minister's Conference and its electric atmosphere of praise, preaching and prayer; I was confronted with a telephone inquiry asking me what my opinion was about a front page article in the Baltimore Sunpapers describing the appointment of Mr. Brian Morris. I was not able to respond to the article. I was still driving on the highway. But after I returned home, I read the article. My first reaction was that the appointment of Mr. Morris to the position of Deputy CEO did not meet the "smell test." The smell taste suggests "does the aroma of a transaction smell sweet or foul." Unfortunately this matter smells foul.

Personally I like Mr. Morris. But on a professional level, I wonder what Dr. Andres Alonso was thinking to make such a high level appointment without an executive search, without posting the position, or without subjecting Mr. Morris to more than a brief interview.

Can Mr. Morris perform in the position? That is not the question.

The situation smells foul because Mr. Morris played a major role in the hiring of Dr. Andres Alonso and voted in favor of a very lucrative and secure contract for him. To have Dr. Alonso hire Mr. Morris for a $175,000 position without establishing hiring standards, or qualifications smells "fishing."

I would pray that all efforts are made to air out the details of this appointment to insure that the public's best interests are served.

Today begins a new day in ministry for me. It is the day that I integrate technology as I daily communicate with you to encourage your "Daily Walking, Working and Winning by God's Word."

Today is also the day that I travel to the Minister's Conference in Hampton, Virginia. This is the largest conference for minister's in America and is regularly attended by over 4,000 ministers and 2,000 choir members.

As I begin this blog, "Daily Walking, Working and Winning by God's Word" I will seek to response to a question posed by a person looking for answers to one of life's dilemmas: can a persons turn their life around, if you stumble are you able to pick up where you left off, or "How do you rebound from a knockdown"?

The word of God is always my guide.

Pick up your Bible and read II Samuel 24:14 "And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man."

What is clear about life's struggles is that you will not win every battle. Every time you get into the ring of life does not mean that the referee will raise your hand in victory. Even though you may feel ready, even if you feel that you are strong, or even if you feel that the odds are stacked in your favor; sometimes in your life you will be faced with the awesome reality that it is you who is lying on the mat knock down, but not out. Given this set back, set up, or set out; you have a decision to make. Do you crawl out of the ring on your hands and knees, do you wait for your corner man to bring a stretcher to haul you away, or do you get back on your feet, dust yourself off, shake yourself loose, clear your head, and get back into the fight for your life. One thing is certain. The decision you make will have lasting ramifications for your life. Therefore, how do you rebound from a knockdown is an important question to answer.

There may be someone who is reading who understands what I am saying. Nobody but you knows what you are facing. Nobody but you knows that you are losing every round and that the end is eminent. Unexpectedly you have received the news. You are not winning, you are losing. Your family is in chaos. Your relationships have gone haywire. Your children are acting absolutely crazy. Your outgo exceeds your income. You are walking a tightrope and your balance is unsteady. Your are not winning, you are losing. And suddenly out of nowhere comes the crushing blow, the critical punch, the crucial moment that turns the tide out of your favor and you are faced with the awesome reality - I have been knockdown, but not out!

How do you rebound from a knockdown?

Allow me to take another perspective on this matter. I am a product of the sixties which I believe was an exciting period in the life of this country and our people. We realized that a man can't ride you back, if you don't bend your back. We realized that there was no reason to accept second class citizenship. We realized that we didn't have to ride in the back of the bus. Out of the sixties arose a mighty warrior - Muhammad Ali. He could float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. He was a heavy weight boxer who had a unique style of fighting in that he could hit you and avoid being hit. He could dance. He could float. He was poetry in motion. He was pretty. He was handsome. He was strong. He was Muhammad Ali.

Muhammad Ali could predict the round when he would knock out his opponent. He was one of the original rappers. He used his oratorical skills to provide color to a brutal sport.

Muhammad Ali had made the American government upset with his stance on the Vietnam War. When he was asked to step forward and be inducted into the Army - he refused. He was stripped of his boxing license and the championship he had earlier won by defeating Sonny Liston. For three years, he couldn't fight. There arose another boxing champion - Joe Frazier. But Muhammad Ali would say he was the people's champion. After he was permitted to obtain his boxing license he fought two tune-up fights in anticipation of a match between him and Frazier - the Fight of the Century.

It was held in Madison Square Garden in New York. Everyone was there. The whole world watched on closed circuit television. I watched too.

It was an epic struggle. Muhammad Ali danced and punched. Joe Frazier ducked and swung. It went for fifteen rounds without a clear winner. The people who liked Frazier thought he was winning. The people who liked Ali thought he was winning. Suddenly in the fifteenth and final round in the first seconds; Frazier threw one of his famous left hooks. Everyone saw it.



We expected Ali to avoid that ferocious punch. But it caught Ali flush on the jaw and he was knock downed. Ali was lying on his back with over 300 million people watching. He lost that fight, but won the people's hearts. He was faced with a decision in the ring that we are faced with in life; how do you rebound from a knockdown.

The 24th Chapter of 2nd Samuel provides us with insights and suggests an answer to this question. The Chapter begins with a biblical and theological dilemma. It suggests that the Lord moved David to number the people of Israel and then punished him for doing it. That appears to me to be contradictory. God has asked you to do something and then is angry with you for doing it. Possibly the writer did not provide enough explanation. But the writer does share something with us for he writes in the second verse that Davide provides as the reason for numbering the people, "So I may know how many there are."

God told you to do something for him and you take credit for doing it. One thing is certain God is a jealous God and we should never take credit for what rightly belongs to him. That's why we must say, "Praise God from whom all blessing flow." We must always give God the glory and not take credit for what he has done for you, in you and through you.

This biblical and theological dilemma is increased with the parallel reading of this story found in I Chronicles 21:1. There it states that Satan rose up and incited David to number the people. And the Lord was displeased with David.

This apparent contradiction is not problematic for me. First, we must never refrain from giving praises to God. Second, we must never give place in our hearts, minds, and spirits to the devil. Which ever course you follow, you can be certain that God will not approve.

The second observation one makes is why was David so intent on numbering the fighting men of Israel. He forgot that in his early years that God was not concerned about the number of people, just the commitment of people. God knew that one could chase a thousand, and two could put ten thousand to flight, it God was with them.

David didn't remember the story of Gideon when he fought the Midianities. The Lord had told Gideon that he had too many men to go into battle. He said that if you won the battle with the number of men you had, you would think that the victory was yours. So God said to Gideon ask the people who are afraid and allow them to leave. A large number left. God said there are still too many. Then God told him to take the men down to the brook and have them drink water. Some got on their knees and stuck their faces in the water and others lapped the water like a dog. God told Gideon to take only the 300 men who lapped the water like a dog and go into battle.

God won the battle with the Midianities even through Israel was outnumbered and had just a few men.

David should have remembered that when he was a young boy he fought Goliath with only a few stones and a sling.

David should have remembered the words of Jehoshaphat, "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Be not dismayed for the battle is not yours, it's the Lord."

But David decided to take matters into his own hands and now God was angry with him.

David's prophet Gad, comes to him and tells him that God is angry and that he will have to pay a penalty for his sin. All sin has consequences. He gives David three choices:

1) You can have famine in your land for three years
2) You can flee for three months from your enemies
3) You can have a plague in your land for three days

David is stuck - the punch is coming and he cannot avoid it. He understands that "his arms are too short to box with God."

He has been knockdown off of his high horse of ambition, knockdown off of his sense of ego, knockdown from his esteemed position.

He is faced with a life changing decision, "how do I rebound from a knockdown."

As you read this story you may see your life's situation. The walls are closing in. The argument has escalated into a feud. The relationship is being ripped apart. The sense of peace is lost and confusion is the order of the day. The loose action you took has now come back to haunt you. The brief moment of pleasure is now a long night of horror. You are losing it. The game of life for you is almost over. What do you do?

Examine David's options:

To rebound from a knockdown, you must realize three things:

1) You do not fall into the hands of man.

a) You don't fall into the hands of your friends - you friends can't help and most things they are in the same boat you are in.

b) You don't fall into the hands of your family - your family has tried time and time again to get you to see the light, they have given up on you.

c) You don't fall into the hands of your foes - your foes, the haters, your enemies delight in your misery, they are of no use.

2) To rebound from a knockdown, you must fall into the hands of your Father God. God is the only one "who can pick you up and turn you around and plant your feet on solid ground." God is the one who loves you so that "His mercy and goodness will follow you." God is the one who cares for you.

To rebound from a knockdown don't fall into the hands of your friends, don't fall into the hands of your family, don't fall into the hands of your foes; fall into the good hands of the Father - God.