Words of the Week – Page 6 – Los Angeles Sentinel

Words of the Week – Ordinary and Unschooled But I Have Been with Jesus

Pastor Michael W. Eagle, Sr., Contributing WriterJanuary 23, 2019

Scripture – Acts 3: 13 The disciples, Peter and John, were considered ordinary men, untrained and unschooled in the perspective of the Jewish authorities of the day. Unschooled, negatively, in that those who were educated looked down on them, turned their noses up at them and even bullied them. There’s somebody who knows what it feels like when somebody is looking down on you. Knows what it feels like to not belong, don’t exist, are not credible, and don’t matter because you do not measure up to their standards. It did no matter what you did, what you said or

Religion

Words of the Week – God’s Promises are Yes and Amen!

Joshua Apparicio, Contributing WriterJanuary 16, 2019

Welcome to 2019, your best year yet! To all of the hard working young youth leaders, I would like to start off by encouraging you all to work diligently on your new year and what you’ve promised yourselves this year. I do remember when we were going through life’s unforgiving challenges, we read in Isaiah 40:31, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” I especially liked this scripture because my understanding is that God can

Religion

Words of the Week – Love One Another

Joshua Apparicio, Contributing Youth WriterJanuary 2, 2019

Young readers, God wants us to know how special we are to him. “For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Every morning, I wake up so grateful knowing that God blessed me with another day filled with love. My days are often challenging because of my hectic schedule, filled to the brim with schoolwork, but I always stay focused and on task. To be loved is a blessing! There are days when I feel like I haven’t rested enough, and I

Religion

Words of the Week – Watch, Fight and Pray to God

Rev. Mark E. Whitlock, Jr., Contributing WriterDecember 5, 2018

We are living in the last days. In a real sense, God expects Christians to be equipped for the return of Christ. We know not the time or date, but be prepared. Jesus prophesizes a period of great tribulation – a period of great adversity and anguish; intense oppression or persecution; wars and rumors of wars; natural and man-made disasters and crooked leadership in high places. Tribulation is linked to God’s process for making the world right again. This tribulation has its source in the conflict between God and the devil, which will end with the devil being cast into

Religion

Words of the Week – Did Joseph Doubt His Father Jacob’s Motives?

Larry Buford, Contributing WriterNovember 28, 2018

It’s human nature when something bad happens to us, to put the blame on something or someone beside ourselves. The pronouns “he,” “she” or “they” become the objects of our source of disappointment, suffering, pain and shame. It takes a mature person to be rational and ask, “What was my part in all of this?” The blame seems to become even more amplified as we oftentimes become isolated, whether self-imposed, or by some external force. Isolation can cause our minds to play tricks on us. It causes us to second-guess, and even distort the facts if we’re not careful. The

Religion

Words of the Week – Be Thankful Always

Joshua Apparicio, Contributing Youth WriterNovember 21, 2018

To the youth readers: The season of giving thanks is quickly approaching. I like to call this the “Thankful Season.” So many people take this time to provide services to the less fortunate. As a young man, I think the season of gratitude should be present all year around, daily or as often as we can. Being thankful for what we have endured or the challenges we have been through is not always easy to look back on. This time of giving thanks is especially sensitive for me, as we were without a place to call home four years ago.

Religion

Words of the Week – Obedience Is Rewarding

Joshua Apparicio, Contributing Youth WriterOctober 31, 2018

To the youth readers, my prayer for you all is that you’re having an opportunity read for pleasure, whether it is a love story, drama, romantic or non-fiction otherwise known as the Bible. I hope that you now understand what a great book it is. Can you imagine challenging your English teacher with the Bible as a book report? I would like to start with the first commandment with a promise we all know or have heard, which is in Ephesians 6:1-24, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, that it

Religion

Words of the Week – Slipping Into Darkness

Rev. Dr. Kelvin T. Calloway, Contributing WriterOctober 10, 2018

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-12 In November 1971, the Rhythm & Blues group, War, released “All Day Music” and one of the songs on the album was entitled, “Slipping Into Darkness.” The song, written by War guitarist Howard Scott, was about the slippery slope between sanity and insanity. In an interview with “Song Facts,” Scott said how all of us have looked past the wall of sanity to insanity, but come back. But, some have been known to look and never come back. According to Scott, we start seeing certain things that are insane in a different way as though they

Religion

Words of the Week – A Life Worth Living

Rev. Dr. Kelvin T. Calloway, Contributing WriterSeptember 26, 2018

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6 Sometimes, sisters and brothers, the challenges and complications of life can be so overwhelming that they can cause us to want to give up on living. Earlier this summer, the challenges and complications of life caused fashion designer Kate Spade and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain to give up on living. The complications and challenges of life don’t just effect high profile individuals but they have had a rising effect on teens and young adults. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, the rate of suicide among teen girls is the highest it

Religion

Words of the Week – Quiet Strength: The Power of Silence

Barbara Bryant, Contributing WriterSeptember 19, 2018

Silence is powerful. Silence is spiritual strength. Silence is great confidence. Being quiet is a choice, but not a permanent status. Recently, my dear mom passed away and it was urgent that we quickly plan her funeral. Usually, I’m quite capable and confident in my decision-making and administrative skills. I’m a serious researcher, a lover of analysis and a gifted organizer. I am the type of person who reads every review, investigates, becomes knowledgeable about the issues and ultimately makes an informed decision. I can even do this very quickly when the situation calls for it. But this time–this time I

Opinion Religion

Words of the Week – God, ‘god’ and the Universe

Brian W. Carter, Contributing WriterSeptember 12, 2018

When you ask people if they believe in God, you’ll either get a yes, no or maybe. Many people like the idea that someone or something greater than ourselves is watching over us, but who is watching over us? I mean, many people have different ideas of who they think God is, but I’m going to narrow it down to three that I think are the most pervasive. I’ve come to see that many people either believe in the God of the Holy Trinity or the “god,” who tends to be a personal creation that many ascribe to or the

Opinion Religion

Words of the Week – Faith Must Be Exercised Daily

Joshua Apparicio, Contributing Youth WriterSeptember 5, 2018

When I think about faith, I can share the faith I had to have while my mom and I were homeless. We had to rely on faith as our daily food. But, as James 2:17 says, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” I had to apply my faith in class, on the playground and anywhere I went knowing that I had asked God to help me. During our time in the valley, after my mom lost her job and everything else, we truly relied on God’s promises in the Word. We were never hungry,

Religion

Words of the Week – Respect Is Paramount

Joshua Apparicio, Contributing Youth WriterAugust 1, 2018

To the youth readers: Though I am 13-years-old, I know the importance of being respectful to everyone, including my elders and especially my parents. It’s okay to disagree and express the basic forms of respect, which starts at home. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will never depart.” Proverbs 22:6. We are distinctly instructed in the word of God to submit to authority. “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by

Religion

Words of the Week – Enlightening Summer Reading

Joshua Apparicio, Contributing Youth WriterJuly 18, 2018

To the Youth Readers: Summer is almost over, believe it or not, and the fall will be here before you know it. Whether you are returning to school in August or September, now would be a great time to start reading a book, and I believe the Bible is a wise choice. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” – Proverbs 1:7. I remember my mom reading to me daily when I was younger. I couldn’t wait to read on my own. As I grew older, I realized how much I enjoyed reading, which I started at

Religion

Words of the Week – Never Let Being Bullied Derail You

Joshua Apparicio, Contributing Youth WriterJuly 11, 2018

To the Youth Readers: I am truly humbled and privileged to have this opportunity to write to my fellow peers about a disheartening and true issue we all experience – bullying. Whether you are the victim or the person who does the bullying just remember 1 John 4:4, “The Lord is greater than the giants you face.” I’ve been in the victim position and it feels demeaning and overall terrible. I was bullied for 6 years and I have a prolific amount of stories to tell. This all correlates as to why I am the president of the Student State