WHERE THE ORDINARY IS THE EXTRAORDINARY
MARCH 2022 | VOL. 12 | ISSUE 37
Heart Disease:
Awareness, Prevention and the Consequence of Choice
Spotlighting
Jasmine Matthew of Jasmin’s Beat
Consider This Facing The Music
On the Cover
Verna V. Nickelberry
Editor-in-Chief
From the Desk of the
Editor-in-Chief BY SHARON E. LOCKLEAR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known God, which surpasses all understanding, and will guard your heartsand minds through Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6 Recently, gas, food, housing – rent and mortgage rates have risen. There remains the supply chain issue. The dollar stores no longer charge $!.00 for merchandise. Most jobs have not increased salaries or hourly wages for employees that worked through the worst of the Pandemic; however, there are increases for some new hires and bonuses if they work for a specified period-oftime. What are you seeing and experiencing as a Christian? We live in the world but are not of the world, yet we continue to subscribe to the world’s values. Why? Are we not set apart? Shouldn’t there be a noticeable difference between Christians and the world? We should not be beset with anxieties and worry.
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We are to be prayerful, submitting our concerns to GOD and to be thankful for all that has been bestowed upon us by our Lord and Savior. God has a plan for my life and yours as stated in Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV), ‘For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. We have a guarantee from Our Father for prosperity. There is no need to worry about the things that disaffect the world. That is not our reality – we have hope, we have a future and unlike man, God is the ultimate promise keeper. Dr. Sharon Locklear
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departments Founder and Editorial Director Verna V. Nickelberry Editor-In-Chief Sharon Locklear Art Director Rushun Wiseman https://creavolutionarts.com Contributing Writers Vanderbilt Brabson Jeanette Chestnut-Chester Paola Tennon Photographers Kimberly Taylor Kendall Elem “Advertise With Us” Please Contact Us At (770) 7670649 O.P. Magazine Mail 2624 Santa Monica Dr, Atlanta Ga, 30318 (770) 767-0649 http://ordinarypeoplemagazine ORDINARY PEOPLE MAGAZINE is a quarterly publication and is distributed in Atlanta, GA, Memphis, TN; Knoxville, TN; Matteson, IL.
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contents MARCH 2022
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Thank You, Mother
ON THE COVER Hidden Gems: Meet Verna V. Nickelberry of VeMaShe™ Enterprise
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JUST TO ENCOURAGE YOU IN THE SPOTLIGHT Jasmine Mathew of Jasmin’s Beat
GOSPEL MUSIC/ARTISTS Gospel Jazz Artist Melvin Smith
FOR YOUR HEALTH Heart Disease: Awareness, Prevention and the Consequence of Choice”
All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without the founder/editor’s consent is strictly prohibited. The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the positions or views of the editor. The publication of any advertisement in the issue does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s products or services by the publication. © 2022 Ordinary People Magazine VeMaShe’ Enterprise LLC
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MIRACLES AND BLESSINGS
Facing The Music
Chef Sonya King of King Kreations PCS
51 INSPIRATIONAL WORDS FROM WITHIN... 53 Psalm 23
Verna V. Nickelberry
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Consider This
FACING THE MUSIC BY VANDERBILT BRABSON III, AUTHOR
Many years ago, a man wanted to play in the Imperial Orchestra, but he couldn’t play a note. However, since he was a person of great wealth and influence, he demanded that he be allowed to join the orchestra so that he could perform in front of the king. Finally, and reluctantly, the conductor agreed to let the man sit in the second row of the orchestra. Even though the man couldn’t read music, he was given a flute, and when a concert would begin, he would raise his instrument, pucker his lips, and move his fingers. He went through all the motions of playing, but with his instrument he never made a sound. This deception went on for two years. Then one day, to the man’s surprise, suddenly a new conductor took over the Imperial Orchestra. The
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new conductor informed the orchestra that he wanted to personally audition each of the players to see how well they could play. He informed them that the auditions would weed out all those who did not meet his standards, and he intended to dismiss them from the orchestra. One by one the players performed in his presence. Frantic with worry when it was his turn, the phony flutist pretended to be sick. The doctor who was ordered to examine him, however, declared that this man was perfectly well. The conductor insisted that the man appear and demonstrate his skill. Awkwardly, the man was compelled to finally confess that he was a fake. That was the day he had to “face the music.” Likewise, many people simply go through the motions of the Christian life without genuinely being Christians. They attend
their religious hypocrisy. Even though these people continued to observe certain ceremonies of the Mosaic Law, they stubbornly refused to obey God wholeheartedly. Fact is, they continued to transgress God’s Law by repeatedly visiting Gilgal and Bethel where they participated in idol worship. Like the phony flutist in our story who stubbornly refused to voluntarily abandon his hypocrisy until exposed, these people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel obstinately refused to exclusively worship and serve the true and the living God. Oh, to be sure, they went through the motions of worship, but their actions revealed the hypocrisy of their hearts. And in spite of their continuous rebellion, God still through His prophet (Amos 5:12-15) repeatedly appealed to this people to repent and turn back to Him in order that He may show them His mercy. Scripture reveals however that the ten tribes in the Northern Kingdom of Israel did not repent, did not abandon their idols, nor turn back to God.
church, youth groups, church functions, and recite Bible verses, and seek to say all the right things. However, in reality, these individuals are phonies. They are fakes. And we can all be sure that there is coming a time when each of us will be called to stand before the God and Judge of Heaven and earth and also “face the music.” And when that time comes, no one will be able to hide in the crowd nor blend in with genuine believers. The phonies will be separated from the true players—the true believers (ref. Matthew 25:31-46). In the Old Testament book of the Prophet Amos, we see the inspired words of Amos chiding the people dwelling in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Why? Because of
As a result, God rejected this people’s religious sacrifices, peace offerings, and songs of praise. Why? Because God wanted them to pursue justice and righteousness in His sight. However, rather than do so, these people chose to continue with their vain and meaningless practices and rituals. Therefore, God’s judgment came in the form of allowing the brutal Assyrians to invade their land and overcome them. And yet even in the midst of the brutal Assyrian invasion, God still showed mercy to a small group of Jewish survivors in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. So, what does God’s judgment on the Northern Kingdom of Israel have to do with you and me as Christians? What lessons can you and I learn and glean from God’s long sufferings ordinarypeoplemagazine | 41
and dealing with the Northern Kingdom of Israel in order that we ourselves may avoid “facing the music?” 1) God has called and empowered each of us as Christian men and women to be part of a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation which makes up the Church, and therefore, God’s very own possession (1 Peter 2:9). Why? In order that God is glorified in our lives as His holiness and goodness is evidenced in and through our daily walk as believers. We who were once individuals walking in spiritual darkness, now have God’s power plainly being demonstrated in and through our lives for all to see. Our very lives and profession of faith now give evidence that we no longer walk in spiritual darkness but have been called into the wonderful light of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.
prayers will not be hindered (1 Peter 3:7)? What good are our personal prayers if their purpose is not to get God’s will done on earth through us as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10)? What good are our personal prayers if we get up off our knees just as unrepentant as when we first sank to our knees in prayer? What good are our songs of praise to our God when we fail to have God’s love shed abroad in our hearts because of our habitual walk outside His will (1 Corinthians 13:1)? Are not such songs sung from our lips and unrepentant heart simply noise before God? Is not God more interested in hearing from individuals whose hearts humbly seek to know and to do His will first and foremost?
“As Christians we need to understand that our homes, our marriages, our families will not see and experience improvement until we personally repent and beg God to help us walk upright before Him. ”
2) If we have become carnal Christians (1 Corinthians 3:1-4), we must ask ourselves how many warnings will our loving Heavenly Father give us before we truly repent and submit to a holy walk before our Great God and Savior. As Christians we need to understand that our homes, our marriages, our families will not see and experience improvement until we personally repent and beg God to help us walk upright before Him. To do otherwise only invites the chastening hand of God in our lives as Christians (Hebrews 12:6-7). 3) God is not interested in our sacrifices of praise and prayer and good deeds if our unrepenting hearts see no need of a right standing before Him. Why should we erroneously think that if we refuse to repent of the sin in our lives that our
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Consider the inspired words of the Psalmist [Psalm
1:1-3] which reveal that God’s blessings rest upon those who truly seek to know Him and obey Him. In our world those who spend their lives seeking true joy and happiness apart from God [through Jesus Christ] never truly find it. However, true joy
and happiness will always find those who allow God to sit on the throne of their hearts and have first place in their lives, their marriages, and their homes. “I believe Christians often perceive obedience to God as some test designed just to see if we’re really committed to Him. But what if it’s designed as God’s way of giving us what’s best for us?” Craig Groeschel Craig Groeschel is the founder and senior pastor of Life Church, an American evangelical multi-site church with locations in 10 U.S. states. © February 2022 Vanderbilt Brabson III, Author ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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