This Week's BlackVoices Preach!: Otis Moss III, Alisha Gordon, Princeton Parker

Reposted with permission from the BlackVoices section on HuffingtonPost.com.

PRINCETON IRVIN PARKER: "In the Meantime"

Throughout my years of schooling, I prayed silently before every scholastic test I took. As I looked back over my years in high school, I recalled how there were times when I didn't do so well on tests, and I was puzzled about why. I thought, "I prayed, didn't I?" Regardless of whether I had prayed or not, the key to the test was studying. I was asking God to help me pass a test that I hadn't studied for. I was asking Him to bring to my mind information I hadn't planted there in the first place. It is only common sense that the key to doing well, was to study. While many people may find this account of my life humorous, they are doing the same thing with more serious issues. People are resting their goals and desires on prayer, when they have the means, and the resources to make it happen themselves.

My mother is a very energetic person. She exerts extra emotion when she is captivated in the news, sport events, or a game show. Out of all of her forms of expression, however, it is her scream that I dislike the most. The reason for this is because her scream of distress when something bad has happened and her scream of anguish or excitement about something are the same scream. She yelled one time, and I stopped my shower to investigate, only to find that she was just yelling about the team she wanted to win on a game show. Another time, I was backing out of the driveway, and she yelled so loud, that it could be heard in the street outside. I rushed in thinking something critical had happened, only to find out that the dog had just pooped on the carpet. In those moments I feel bewildered, and upset because there was no need to go get involved. I feel like God laughs with that same emotion at some of our requests. God looks at our situations, and wonders why we are so enthusiastic about praying to Him with a sense of emergency, when we have the power to fix the problem, or reach the goal ourselves. We cry, and continuously petition for divine intervention, when the only thing that really needed help was our own work ethic.

How we behave in the time between when we set a goal and when it is achieved, or when we make a petition and when it is granted, is a reflection of how we view whatever it is that we desire. Those who are certain that what they want is attainable, go after it. Those who see their desire as impossible sit and wait for some kind of miracle, instead of looking for what they can do.

One of my favorite men in the Bible is a man named David. In I Samuel chapter 16, God informs the prophet Samuel that he is to travel to the home of a man named Jesse, and while there, God will show Samuel which one of Jesse's sons have been selected to be king. Out of all of Jesse's sons, it was the youngest of them all, named David, who was a shepherd that was selected to be the king. While the other brothers were older, better trained, more exposed, and all around more qualified, it was what David did in the meantime that separated him from the others. While in the pasture, David would sing songs of worship, and cultivate his relationship with God. Not only was he developing himself spiritually, but also developing his character. Taking care of sheep taught David responsibility, how to have a protective instinct, how to be strong, and how to be wise. I can't imagine that David had becoming a king in his sights, or thought that being a shepherd was the precursor to royalty, but I'm sure he simply took advantage of the experiences around him, by putting forth effort in the job he had.

Instead of becoming frustrated with the amount of time transpiring between your request or goal and its fulfillment, seek out how you can invest in yourself, and invest in your goal while you wait. You never know; perhaps the only thing your dream is waiting on, is for you to take the first step. When you invest in yourself, keep two things in mind: prepare your mind and body by learning all the necessary skills and knowledge, but also prepare your spirit by developing your character and integrity so that you can know how to handle your success. Most of all, keep close to God. Do all in your power, and leave the impossible stuff to God. What happens in the meantime is often greater than what happens in the end.

Follow Princeton Irvin Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PrincetonParker

ALISHA L. GORDON, M.Ed.: "Tim Tebow and the Winning Formula"

As all of America watched quarterback Tim Tebow win his 4th game of the season, social networks were flooded with commentary about how Tebow was able to pull off a come back win against the Jets.

One person Tweeted:

"I have to get on #TeamJesus, Tebow wins again."

Another person said:

"All Tim Tebow has to do is start telling teams it's no defense against prayer and he will have opponents shook."

"God really listens to Tim Tebow's prayers."

Tim Tebow knew something in his spirit before the rest of the world did: God can do anything. The last tweet Tebow sent before tonight's game was Colossians 3:15 which reads:

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. (New Living Translation)

How nerve wracking must it have been for Tebow, a 2nd-year quarterback with all of the sports world calling his success "rookie luck", taking over a team after Kyle Orton, to enter the world's stage and play the Jets. The nervousness must have been unsettling. The pounding beat of his heart probably resounded louder than the thousands of fans screaming in the stadium. But in that same heart, lived the peace of Christ found in Colossians 3:15.

How can this rookie QB face such great obstacles and win time after time after time?

He has a personal relationship with Christ. There's no other explanation.

While he was a stellar college player, his skill set doesn't necessarily scream star QB with a precision robo-arm and down field advantage vision. He's always loved the game of football, enjoyed being a part of the team, and played just like "one of the boys."

His  open  relationship with Christ is the only thing that separates him from his peers. It is, in essence, his winning advantage.

Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6) and through Him and Him alone are way able to achieve unmerited favor and continual success that never plateaus.

Tebow has the "formula" down to a science: honor God privately and publicly, live a life reflective of what His Word says, and love others how God loves you.

Tim Tebow isn't more special than you or me. There's no secret to his success -- the favor God has shown on his life is there for all of us. Because of Jesus Christ, we have the ability to win, win, win just like Tebow does.

It might not be on the field, but in our respective places, we can have the same "surprising" success as Tebow. If only we would commit our lives to Christ as he has.

If you're reading this and wanting to really tap into what makes Tim Tebow special, just say this simple prayer:

Dear God, I believe that you sent your son Jesus to die on the cross for me. I believe that he died and rose again and because of that, I no longer have to lose at life. I can live victoriously through you and receive all of the blessings you have in store for me. Because of you, I win. I thank you the blood that was shed for me and I receive not only your forgiveness, but your love. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

The walk from this point may not be easy. Tim Tebow, you, me, and the millions of other believers don't parade our faith to show that we're better than someone else or that we're perfect. But what showing our faith to others does is remind the world that the "formula" to life doesn't come in a bottle, a pill, an ideology, success, degrees, or promotions.

They come from God.

Letting my faith shine like Tebow,

Alisha L.

Follow Alisha L. Gordon, M.Ed. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AlishaLGordon

THE REV. DR. OTIS MOSS III: "A Blue Note Gospel"

In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work appointing Levites twenty years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the LORD. Jeshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah[a]) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers--all Levites--joined together in supervising those working on the house of God. When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel. With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: "He is good; His love toward Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away. - Ezra 3:8-13 (NIV)

They could not distinguish between the Gospel shout and the Blues moan. - Ezra 3:12 OM3 Version

The Tremé, is a small section in the crescent city of New Orleans. It is an easy, block and half away from the famous French Quarter. The Tremé is primarily an African American neighborhood, rich in culture, architecture, food, language, and most importantly, music.

HBO created a compelling dramatic series honoring this diverse and rich cultural gem of African-American culture and American history. The Tremé, is the birthplace of jazz and it sits within an earshot of the epicenter of the cultural tsunami known as the Congo Square; where enslaved Africans, freed Haitians, Indian traders, and French colonists, unknowingly consummated a relationship that gave birth to "Jazz" -- a cultural legacy. In the days of slavery, people in the public square had never seen nor will witness again, this cultural musical breach birth known as Jazz. They could not distinguish between the Gospel Shout and the Blues moan.

In the thick humid air of Louisiana, the rhythms of Africans mingled with Haitian, Creole, French New World songs, Indian syncopations and French chamber music to produce, "Jazz." The basis of this unique democratic sound was what scholars call the "Blue Note." Chords and rhythms fused in the voices of a people ripped from the womb of their cultural mother, forced to nurse from the dysfunctional breast of chattel slavery, and ingest the cancerous milk produced by the insanity of racism. As if it was a normative reality ordained by creation -- they could not distinguish between the Gospel Shout and the Blues moan.

The Tremé and all Southern neighborhoods formed by the spirit of New World Africans is saturated with Blue Note tonality, produced by a people who have seen the horror of humanity gone awry, and watched the beauty of redemption and grace meet in unlikely corridors, once exclusive havens for hate and harm.

In the Tremé and all places where Africans gathered across the expanse of North America, the Blue Note can be heard in song, speech, prose, poetry, sermon; even our food has the sorrow of yesterday with a Blue Note testimony. The delightful delicacy called "gumbo" is more than a meal, but a sermon of resistance. Women unable to feed the bellies of hungry children, were forced to rummage through garbage, and by the grace of God, and anointed creativity, found leftovers okra, rice, tomato, a scrap of pork and a fragment of shrimp to create a meal we call gumbo. Now, today, Paula Deen, Wolfgang Puck, and Emerile LaGasse will charge you $20 a bowl to serve you this culinary testimony. The spicy smell of gumbo brings a smile to the diner's face, but this delightful delicacy was birthed by the Blue Note.

The Blue Note is the major artery of our culture. It is not a single style of music but the spiritual heartbeat of a people who know what it is to live on the B-side of life, and live as seventh sons and daughters in a new world they helped to build. And they could not distinguish between the Gospel Shout and the Blues moan.

What is the Blue Note? It is who we are as a people. A people who look through the lens of the Blue Note, know, joy is married to sorrow and tragedy is forever engaged to triumph. Life with her sweet brutality and bitter blessings reminds us, praise and pain are first cousins, and worship and weeping constantly flirt with each other. The accurate hermeneutic for searching the biblical landscape is from the balcony of the Blue Note Gospel.

Thomas Wiggins, known as "Blind Tom," born in 1849 in Columbus, GA was born blind but at the age of seven, this enslaved African could flawlessly play spirituals and European classical music. He made his way into the "big house," listened to Beethoven and Chopin, and it is alleged, he memorized over 8,000 compositions. One reviewer stated they had never heard a person play with such skill and beauty; they said, anytime Blind Tom played, tears would begin to flow. Many music critics could not understand how this untrained, blind black man could play this beautiful music but I would suggest, Blind Tom, had the Blues flowing in his spirit and it would make its way into the concert hall, and touch the souls of people who did not see Blind Tom as a full person.

What is a Blue Note Gospel? A Blue Note Gospel is raising a son who finished two tours in Iraq, who loves Christ, community and his culture, but is gunned down by thugs on the streets of Chicago. That's a Blue Note Gospel.

What is a Blue Note Gospel? A Blue Note Gospel is having the privilege to be the first African American President in these United States, pass healthcare legislation, receive the Noble Peace Prize, keep the economy from going into a depression, elect more judges of color than any other president in history, but the first African American President still has to show his birth certificate to prove to people that he is an American citizen. That's a Blue Note Gospel.

In the text, the Persian King, Cyrus has taken the people of Israel and returned them back to their home, these people who were in exile under the Babylonian regime, the talented tenth, removed from their community are able to return back home to build a new temple. What we witness in the text is a young generation who did not know the previous temple and an older generation is weeping. The older generation is weeping because they remember segregation and the pain of yesterday. This is not the first time a temple has been built. The previous temple had been destroyed. The Blues and the Gospel are mixed together in the text. As my friend Steven Carter would say, "The blues keeps us rooted in reality." There should be Blues connected to our Gospel. The "Blues" keeps us connected to yesterday.

We also notice in Ezra, the elders are crying. Oftentimes, tears are the only way we can communicate with God. This theological thought became clear to me in New Orleans this past summer, when my wife and I entered a studio and saw an artist painting. His paintings ranged from $20 to $1500. I asked the artist, "Why are the pictures on this side inexpensive and are the pictures on the other side are expensive? The artist told me, he painted the inexpensive pictures but the expensive pictures were finished by God. I asked, "Did God step in and begin to paint with a paint brush?" He said, "When a storm hit New Orleans, the Lord said take the picture out into the storm. Take that picture, place it on the ground and allow the rain to beat against the canvas and new colors will be created when you take the picture into the storm." The artist stated, "The tears of God literally bring out new colors and hues as a result of being in a storm."

Many times God will bring out new colors when we experience the blues of a storm - we must allow, the tears of God to beat across the canvas of our soul and God will paint a new picture in our spirit.

This pericope in Ezra also tells us, there can be no Gospel without the Blues. In the African American tradition, in order to have Gospel music you must have the 12-bar flatted note. The 12-bar flatted note is the basis of Blues. When Thomas Dorsey created Gospel music, he used that 12-bar flatted note; when one is experiencing "the thrill is gone..." the words of B.B. King, the 12-bar notes change to Mahalia Jackson's "Precious Lord, take my hand..."

The final thing that excites me about this text is simply this -- the elders were weeping, the young people were shouting, they could not distinguish between the Gospel Shout and the Blues moan. They were shouting not because the temple was finished but because the foundation had been laid.

As we look across the expanse of America, we witness that a foundation has been laid but we are not in a post-racial society. The foundation has been laid but we are not in a post-sexist society. There is still much work for us to do. The Foundation has been laid by Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglas, W.E.B. duBois, Marcus Garvey and Booker T. Washington, Ida B. Wells, A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., Septima Clark, Fannie Lou Hamer, Angela Davis. Shirley Chisholm and Barbara Jordan, but we are not, yet done. The foundation has been laid, we have a person of color in the White house but we have yet to reach, the time in America where the lion will lay down with the lamb, and we shall beat our swords into plowshares. The foundation has been laid but the work is not done and we must merge our Blues with our Gospel.