#ProjectEgypt - Justice?

Let me begin this post by saying that I am really sorry for the loss of Trayvon Martin, may God bless his family, friends, and everyone that has been deeply affected by this recent tragedy.. Everyone knows that the verdict was unfair and that a guilty man walked away from that trial without any noticeable consequences. But we have to trust that God saw what happened and He knows that it was 100% wrong for Trayvon Martin to be killed. One day his murderer will get their reward..

Instead of allowing hatred to grow, let us use this energy that we feel building up inside of us towards strengthening the black community and making changes within our culture so that this prejudice country will no longer have any reasons or excuses to look down on us as a people.

When I began Project Egypt I was inspired by a report I was watching on CNN about how Chicago was closing multiple schools in the African American neighborhoods and I realized, wow this isn't a coincidence, there is something going on here. Something deeper. As I pondered the many atrocities committed against "blacks" in America I noticed a pattern. SLAVERY NEVER ENDED! Sure the ownership of people as cattle or property has appeared to have ended, but have you actually thought about this.. Look at our prison systems. Who do you think fuels the economy of those correctional facilities? OH YEAH, black people.. Do you simply think it is by "chance" or "coincidence" that so many unregistered guns, and outrageous crimes are allowed in urban communities?.. Do you think it is just "happen stance" that the same people who sell drugs in the communities are the main ones with multi-million dollar entertainment contracts and setting fashion trends for these urban neighborhoods?.. There is a saying that goes, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.." Well I'm sorry to say this but unfortunately the shame is on all of us.

Why did it take Trayvon Martin's death for us to realize how twisted this country truly is?? There has never been a "Golden Age" for blacks, we went from slavery to segregation and from segregation to isolation! Many African Americans have become so blind and deceived that we don't even realize the biggest threat that we face right now are not the "racist whites" but each other! And that is exactly what they want! Why is it so hard for us to wake up?

African American communities will never stop suffering until we realize two things.. We are being targeted and we are only helping whoever is targeting us by continuing to support this dangerous, unprofitable, unrighteous, immoral culture that we have so strongly embraced. "HUSTLE HARD" "GET RICH OR DIE TRYING" "BABY MAMA DRAMA"... We think all those phrases are cool, when actually it is ideals like those that keep us from reaching our full potentials!

I grew up in some of the roughest neighborhoods in Detroit, and I was just like every other impressionable black kid, thinking gangs, drugs, and sleeping around with girls were cool. I could have easily been shot dead or in jail. But I believe there were only three things that kept me alive: I went to church, I read my bible, and I believed in Jesus. Am I saying that every black person should become a Christian?.. Well yes.. but I know that's about as likely as ending world hunger. BUT I do believe that it is within our grasp to change the culture, to reform our communities, to begin reflecting a more positive image, and to create better relationships with each other, God, and the world!

All it takes is enough parents to get tired of burying their children! Friends that are tired of burying their friends! Brothers that are tired of burying their siblings... WE have to get TIRED of this culture and make changes!

If you truly want Justice for Trayvon Martin, you will heed this message. We have to make changes now, before more kids are killed. We have to get out of this SELFISH mentality, that if it doesn't affect us then we don't care. We have to start sticking together and stop taking advantage of each other! I feel like every person in the black community has an "every man for himself" type of attitude and this should never be the case. The only way we will be treated as equals in this society is if we stop pulling each other down and start lifting each other up!

I love my people and I am not ashamed of the color of my skin or the stigma that comes associated with it. I wear it as a badge of honor, that God is able to take anything, even something considered as "dark," and make it shine like the brightest star in the heavens. We can all shine! We can all take advantage of what little liberty we have been given in this country, to learn, grow, and inspire each other!

It is time to END slavery once and for all! It's time to put away our guns and pick up our bibles! Stop running from our responsibilities and take care of our children. Take better care of our bodies and stop making these fast food companies RICH off of giving us diseases like diabetes and high cholesterol. Stop spending our hard earned money on flashy clothes, drugs/cigarettes, and other unnecessary expenses. Stop supporting these rappers that teach our children how to contract AIDS/HIV. Last but not least stop focusing so strongly on hating white people, that we don't realize in order to prosper we need to get out of our comfort zones and work WITH them to help improve our lives and communities.

Not all white people are bad, and not all black people are good. This battle that we are fighting is not against skin color but against GOOD and EVIL regardless of what form it may come in.. Don't believe the HYPE!

The media isn't going to help us get out of this mindset, they make way too much money off of our ignorance. Thank God for modern technology! Instead of always needing to form street teams, and post flyers on every door to spread awareness you can simply, COPY, SHARE, and SPREAD important information to all your friends with the click of a button.. Don't let this message go unread! Get Trayvon Martin the Justice that he deserves by not just protesting in the streets and going back to life as it was before... But help make permanent changes to reform this African American culture of poverty and violence that is destroying our communities while everyone is paying attention!

Get educated, get motivated, and spread the truth! For when we learn the truth, then the truth will set us free! God bless us all!

- #ProjectEgypt

#ProjectEgypt - The Power of Forgiveness

How can we expect to receive forgiveness from God if we are constantly holding onto anger, bitterness, and hatred? Forgiveness is one of the most important, and powerful ways to overcome the difficulties that we face in our day to day lives. It is something that does not come naturally to us, our natural instinct is to return pain for pain, hurt for hurt, and an eye for an eye. But it takes effort to forgive. It takes conscious effort and work to look past whatever someone has done to harm us and say, I forgive you, and let go.

Many times those who do us wrong are not even sorry for what they have done. Why should we forgive someone who hasn't even apologized or asked to be forgiven? As a matter of fact, in some cases they may even be proud of the ways that they have wronged you... But forgiveness is the ultimate payback and that is why we must forgive.

When we forgive those who are obviously wrong, we are saying, whatever your doing is NOT going to destroy my mood, my hope, and my passion to live my life in peace and love. Forgiveness cuts deeper into our enemies than even the sharpest sword ever could. It makes an open wound directly through the superficial shields that they have put up that helps them EXCUSE the ways that they have wronged you and others, it cuts them where it hurts the most, it cuts them in their spirits.

There is a reason why the bible says to "Bless those who persecute you and do not curse them" (Romans 12:14). Bless and do NOT curse. In every situation of frustration and stress we can either curse, which is giving the situation over to the enemy and our natural instincts, or to bless, which is giving it to God. I don't know about you, but I believe that God can do much better with my situations of conflict than handing it over to anything else.

By forgiving those who persecute you, you are essentially blessing them (which in my interpretation of the word "to bless" is to freely give something good that is unmerited, undeserved, and unexpected). When you choose to give them something GOOD after they have given you something BAD, you are exposing their sins for what they really are, and allowing them to openly recognize their shame.

The greatest example of forgiveness that we can imitate and admire is within the Gospels of our Lord Jesus Christ. One example of the forgiveness that He displayed and its power, is the fact that He was actually chased out of cities for spreading His message of forgiveness... Chased out of cites all for telling people that they are forgiven.

Why? Because it is one of the main things that separates a man from God. By Jesus offering this message of eternal salvation and forgiveness of sins, he was essentially exposing our shame, exposing how human and ungodly we are as people. He was reminding us of how far we have fallen from the image that God originally created us in. Taking away all the cover ups and excuses that we use to explain why we do all the dirty and terrible things that we do. He was essentially calling us out on our wrongs.

There were those who reacted in the right way, which was to accept their shame and receive with gratefulness that God had chosen to bless us with His forgiveness; then those who reacted the wrong way, and became offended by the fact that their evil deeds were exposed. These people would rather hold onto their excuses rather than to admit that they were shameful and wrong. They couldn't have that message spread in their cities, they would loose too much earthly "profit" gained from corruption and sin...

Jesus called everyone out and preached this message to show how powerful forgiveness is! And to display the fact that He was not just a man, but that He was acting on behalf of God. When we choose to forgive we are using whatever little part of God that is left in us, tapping into His power, and choosing to expose sin for what it really is!

Do not over look the power of forgiveness... It is the only weapon that when it is used, it is always guaranteed to heal while doing damage at the same time!

Take this weapon in your life and use it to defeat every enemy that stands in your way. Also it is MOST important to RECEIVE forgiveness when this weapon is used against you. By doing so you will not be a victim but you are allowing it to heal you! To heal your shame, heal your hurt, and heal your wounds of failure and defeat.

Stop holding onto your bitterness, shame, and guilt because it doesn't measure up to the joy of being fully forgiven and redeemed! Never underestimate the power of forgiveness.

#ProjectEgpyt

#ProjectEgypt - The Flood

This is no longer a black or white movement.. It is a Godly vs Ungodly movement. There are people who don't want to be free. They want to do evil. They want to live their lives however they please and refuse to repent, for they don't believe they either deserve or need forgiveness..

You can tell someone not to go outside because its going to rain but if they look outside and they see a bit of sunshine they may think you are insane. The entire planet was flooded and everyone drowned because people did not heed Noah's warning.

This is where we are heading again. Society is too busy focused on celebrities, buying nice things, and hooking up with each other to see the rain coming.

Nobody wants to be told what to do. Not by bosses, not by parents, not even from the Almighty God who created them. We are truly becoming a "lawless" society but we try to cover it up with words like "freedom" and "peace."

If doing whatever you want no matter what the consequences are is "freedom" then maybe too much "freedom" is a bad thing. If there are no limits to moral codes in society then when do we start becoming humane?

Is it after we have totally murdered each other? Is it after everyone has contracted AIDS and HIV? Maybe after we overpopulate the country with children because we are having too many babies out of wedlock? Or maybe we can just kill the babies. Maybe that's the answer we are looking for..

When is this country going to wake up? Every time there is a disaster we all run to God and pray for the lost, pray for the wounded, and pray for the destroyed. What about now? Why not pray when things are going well? Have you ever thought maybe God allows "bad things" to happen just so we would snap out of our selfish lives and talk to Him and show love to one another for a change?

No, we never think of that. We just assume its unfair that God would demand our attention. Unfair that we stop living our selfish lives to thank Him or to give help to the poor and those in need. Nah that's not worth our time...

If we really looked to God the way He wants us to, which is as Father of all, we could understand why He wants to be noticed.

How many parents would like it if they changed a babies diapers, fed him every day, bought him clothes, bought him toys, essentially provided everything that this child has, and he never said thanks. Not only that, but once he is old enough to "think" for himself, the child is not only ungrateful, but he hates his parents the first time they tell him no, or doesn't give him something he desires.

That is what we do everyday. So yes, I can see why God would be displeased with our behavior... I know I would if that was my child.

As the rain begins to pour on humanity for the way we have mistreated our Father, I just want all of you disobedient and ungrateful children to remember that you heard it from me, build yourself an Ark or you will drown.

And that Ark is a relationship with God through His son Jesus Christ.

#ProjectEgypt

#ProjectEgypt has begun...

Hello everyone, this blog post marks the very first movement of #ProjectEgypt. Today as I was preparing to get ready for work, I was watching CNN and a story came on that stirred something up inside of me.

Apparently Chicago just closed 52 schools and the African American community was hit the hardest. The newscast reporter claims it was because of low attendance, which I do not doubt, but this has to end now. I know that there are many organizations fighting to make a change in the African American community but something more needs to be done. Something deeper...

Today this country is very blessed but as a nation we are falling away from God, and as a people African Americans are taking the largest hits from this falling away. Our people, who used to sing hymns in the field, who marched for freedom, who were once chained and had their shackles loosed have committed the ultimate crime. We have fallen away from the One who delivered us from bondage.

As a result we are in a worst state than before, and the "American Egypt" that once enslaved us is now no longer openly striking us with whips and forcing us to labor; no, now the slavery that we face as a people has gone deeper. It is inside of us. We are enslaved by our culture. We are enslaved by recent traditions. We are enslaved by ignorance.

I can no longer sit by and watch as hundreds of thousands of African Americans glorify hatred, poverty, drug use, and gang violence. This culture, that we have grown so strongly attached to has to change. The fact that we are murdering our own in the streets for pocket change and what we call "respect" is no longer acceptable.

The issues that we face cannot be solved with money, it cannot be solved with police enforcement, neither can it be solved by simply promoting a positive message in mainstream hip-hop. These issues must be solved internally. The shackles that we have on our people are no longer attached to our legs, necks, and feet, but to our spirits!

This message is not about religion. It is not about morals. I believe we all have attended a church service and we know the difference between right and wrong. No this message is about FREEDOM, EMPOWERMENT, and taking a STAND against the TASKMASTER who now lives inside of us, who has even gone so far as to convince us that we should call each other N*GGERS.

This must end. This culture must be reformed. There must no longer be simple city hall gatherings and Al Sharpton speaking on behalf of African Americans when one of us are mistreated. We must start a movement.

We must start a fire in our hearts that spreads from one African American to another until our entire community is reformed!

I cannot promise how long this process is going to take, I don't know exactly how each portion of this movement will come together, and I can't even guarantee I understand exactly what every step is that we need to take to make this happen. But I can tell you this, all it takes is one match to light up a darkened room, and right now I am doing my part to light the first match in our darkened hearts.

The first match that we need to light, will be to define #ProjectEgypt and gather as many other people to bring awareness to this movement as possible. The more people that talk about it, the more opportunities there will be to gain resources to help teach others about and fund such a drastic change in American culture. Yes, I said American culture, not just African American culture, but the culture of this ENTIRE COUNTRY. As our people rise up out of darkness we can shine a light throughout the rest of this nation, but it has to start here. With our people, in the urban communities.

I am not claiming to be the "black Moses" or anything special, I am just an African American who has learned the truth and now I feel compelled that I must share it with others. I need God's forgiveness like everyone else so I am not striking out to condemn my people but out of love. And this love that I am speaking of NEVER fails, therefore that is what I will use to fuel the heart of this movement.

If you are tired of being enslaved, tired of being mentally shackled down by poverty, tired of being in bondage to poverty. Join me. Join this movement.

Well, how do you join you might ask? You can start by repenting for turning away from the one who delivered us from slavery! He is merciful to forgive. He stood by us then and He is still here now. As I stated earlier this is not about religion this is about FREEDOM. The only one who can truly change a darkened heart and bring about internal change is Jesus Christ. So if you want the strength and ability to stand together with me in this movement, you will need to empty your heart of the dirt and chains that keep it in bondage, and fill it with love; fill it with Christ.

Simply pray this out loud "Lord God I am sorry for not believing in your power to save, I'm sorry for not believing in your power to free me from this terrible place of poverty and destruction that I'm in, most of all Lord God I am sorry for my sins. I believe that your Son Jesus died on the cross for me and I want forgiveness, I want to do your will and to help change my community, but right now Lord I need you to change my heart. In Jesus name I pray, Amen."

If you said that prayer the shackles that once had you enslaved have been loosed and the "Taskmaster" is no longer in control! Even if you are not African American you can still pray that prayer and you will also be freed from your spiritual bondage as well. Everyone of all ethnic groups and cultures are invited to help join #ProjectEgypt and stir up this change!

So now the hard part begins. Go into your local church and tell them what you just prayed and tell them about #ProjectEgypt. Tell them that freedom is coming back to the African American communities and lead them and others that you may know to this blog.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about this blog and movement I want you to email me directly at my personal email address Cojackson@wccnet.edu.

Tell your friends! Post this blog to Twitter and Facebook! Use the Hashtag #ProjectEgypt when you tweet about something related to this cause! Be a light and do your part to help free our communities from bondage! It is time to end the killing, poverty, and ignorance!

There will be future updates coming very soon that further define/outline this movement and also detailing the next steps that we must take...

#ProjectEgypt has begun.