We must learn to be strategic in how we fight against the enemy. Knowing your enemy is the most important part of being strategic. So, who is your enemy and what does he want? He wants your soul. Plain and simple, the enemy could care less about your house, your car or your kids. The reason why I say that he is not offended by these things is because he uses some of these same objects to lure you. It is not the things you have that he is after, no, he is after your purpose. Many of us have been praying in hopes of keeping our car and not our salvation. We have been praying desiring to keep our house and not our hope. We believe that we are praying strategically not understanding that it is not the stuff that he cares about. He wants your soul and he will attempt to get it through the stuff that is attached to you.

We have been on our faces far too long crying out for everything that devil stole from us naturally. As we worry more and more about the things that he has taken from us naturally, we began to deplete spiritually. That is his goal. His goal is to make you lose focus on what is valuable. Once you have lost focused, you are no longer on guard for the spiritual attack because of the attack that has manifested physically.

If you would stand strong in faith, he would flee. Also, in the midst of you standing, you would also gain greater faith and be able to produce a greater level of God’s glory. So that in the end, that which was lost would only have been a trade in for the greater that was gained through your faith in God. Deny the enemy any room to move you from your place in God. He is not after your earthly possessions. He wants your soul. Resist him! Stay on the path.

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About the Author: Path contributing writer Calvin Walker has been writing editorial content for Path MEGAzine since 2007.  Calvin’s ability to break down the word of God with thought provoking analogies and real life analysis makes an impact on Christians seeking a closer walk with God.  An accomplished author, Walker released his debut book titled “The Gallery” early 2010.  Click here to read excerpts and purchase Walkers’  

The song “Miracles” is in heavy rotation across the country, but few know the lady behind the uplifting tune. Her name is Tonya Baker. Hardly a new artist, Tonya is carving out a spot in Gospel music with her incredible song and CD titled the “The LIVE Experience” available in stores and online now.

As a vocalist, this young lady is a much sought after psalmist who ministers the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ across the country. She has previously released two recording – “Life In Him” and “Since He Came In” under her independent production company Bakehouse Music Group, LLC. of which she is President. She has appeared on tapings of The Bobby Jones Show, local broadcasts of TBN, The Gospel SuperFest, The Full Gospel Baptist Fellowship Conference Women’s Choir; numerous gospel music showcases such as The Stellar Awards Music Showcase, I Hear Music in the Air Conference, The Gospel Music Workshop of America and the Gospel Heritage Foundation New Artist Showcase. She counts it an honor to have ministered in several of the country’s mega-ministries such as Valley Kingdom Ministries (Apostle H.D. Wilson) of Chicago, Illinois, and Mt. Zion Baptist Church (Bishop Joseph W. Walker) of Nashville, Tennessee. Her music ministry has reached nations as she ministered on a 15 city European (France) tour in 2007. Her most recent France Tour 2009 has reached an additional 15 cities including the prestigious International Music Festival 2009 – Jazz at Juan!

She has served as emcee and host for many events, concerts and showcases throughout the Midwest. Tonya ministers the Word of God in workshop sessions on topics such as Worship and Integrity in Music Ministry.

As a songwriter, she has written songs that have been recorded by such national recording artists as the phenomenal Tonex, and the legendary Helen Baylor with others yet to be released. As a background vocalist, she has traveled with Byron Cage, Percy Bady, Lisa McClendon among others. She has shared the stage and opened for such artists as Shirley Caesar, CeCe Winans, Fred Hammond, Isreal Houghton, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Mary Mary and Tye Tribbett to name a few.

Tonya is now signed as an artist with Kingdom Records Inc. based in Chicago Illinois along with label mates Shekinah Glory Ministries, Elder Phil Tarver, Cynthia Jones and The Brown Sisters and most recently the legendary soul group The Whispers! She is excited about this next season of her life as the recording, “Special Friend”, has been released nationally and is available in stores and online right now! This project is distributed through the Universal Music Christian Group.

Prepare your hearts to receive her ministry… Mrs. Tonya Baker.

The Word Network, the largest African American religious network in the U.S. and the world, has just finalized an historic partnership with Juanita Bynum Enterprises.

Together, The Word Network and Dr. Juanita Bynum will be producing quality, innovative, urban programming. All this excitement and new direction will coincide with the completion of The Word Networks world headquarters expansion later this year.

As the new Director of Special Programming, Dr. Juanita Bynum will be on The Word Network Monday through Friday at 5:00 a.m. ET; in addition, she will be producing monthly special events that are EXCLUSIVE to The Word Network. You can also tune in to Dr. Bynum LIVE Monday through Friday from midnight to 1:00 a.m. ET, at www.radio1000.org.

The Word Network is excited about this new partnership and says it will continue to bring you the best in urban ministry and gospel music.

Bishop TD Jakes is set to release the second installment of Sacred Love Songs on May 31, 2011.  The project, titled Sacred Love Songs 2, is a 12-track compilation of music inspired by the new movie Jumping the Broom on Sony Pictures.

With guest artists ranging from Fred Hammond to Karen Clark Sheard, El DeBarge to Joe, Bishop Paul Morton to Ledisi, this project promises to have a little something for everyone.

The first single from Sacred Love Songs 2 is a modern remake of Kirk Franklin’shit “Love,” recorded by Anaysha Figueroa.

Td Jakes’ Jumping the Broom hits theaters Friday May 6th. 

Here’s a full track listing…

1. The Vow featuring Bishop T.D. Jakes
2. Let’s Stay Together featuring Ledisi
3. Back At One featuring Micah Stampley
4. Just Take My Heart featuring Crystal Aikin
5. Closer featuring Joe
6. The Homily featuring Bishop T.D. Jakes
7. Inseparable featuring Karen Clark Sheard & Kirk Whalum
8. My Lady And Myself Featuring Fred Hammond
9. Love featuring Anaysha Figueroa & Bishop T.D. Jakes
10. Finally featuring Bishop Paul Morton
11. How Can You Love Me featuring El Debarge
12. Don’t Go To Bed Mad featuring Terry Thomas 

Jumping the Broom Movie Trailer 

Yolanda Adams brings her new single “Be Still” to the world and it’s destined to be a Gospel classic. The first thing you notice in the song is that it is perfect for meditation, before or after your prayer time. Even if you want to just sit and write in your journal, the notes wrap you in an inspirational mind set that is both calming and encouraging. Particularly, if you are focusing on getting your prayer life in order. If that is your goal than this is the song for you.

Having heard only this one track I can say we must be in for a real treat from this album.

Yolanda’s new CD, Becoming, will be available exclusively at Walmart. The release date is May 3, 2011, but you can pre-order the album today at the Walmart website.

The single can be ordered on yolandaadamslive.com.

The song is a comforting reminder that we need to be still and listen.

It was produced by Drathoven.

R&B diva Kelly Price is making her comeback to R&B with some serious matters at hand. Known for classic hits like “Friend of Mine,” “As We Lay” and “Heartbreak Hotel,” Price took an eight year hiatus from R&B to produce Gospel music. 

Now back in full effect, Price’s forthcoming sixth studio album, ‘Kelly,’ will cover topics near and dear to her heart, including body image, teen pregnancy and family tensions. Instead of being a sad record, this album focuses on self-forgiveness (“I’m Sorry”), empowerment (“The Rain”), to addictive relationships (“HimAholic”). Plus Kelly mixes it up with a little two-step on “And U Don’t Stop.” 

“I’m grown; that’s what this record says,” Price. “I’ve made a whole lot of mistakes and dumb decisions but I’m not beating myself up over it. There’s a lot of resolve here but happiness as well. I’ve come of age doing what I know how to do: soothing myself through music and hopefully helping someone else.” 

‘Kelly,’ which will be released on May 3rd, features production from Campbell and Williams, long-time collaborator Shep Crawford and Jazz Nixon with a special feature from Mint Condition’s Stokley. The project represents a new career birth. 

“My hiatus wasn’t really an accident or on purpose,” Price states of her new drive. “It just worked out that way. When my break came from Def Jam, the timing was good to do something more personal to me-the gospel album. And when I thought about going back to a major or doing something on my own, I thought I should have the opportunity to experience being in charge of my career-and benefit from it as well.” 

Besides the forthcoming effort, Price also has a ton of projects on the table, which includes a summer tour with Dave Hollister and Angie Stone, a TV pilot, a clothing line, an audio version of her 2005 book “Inscriptions of My Heart,” a cook book and her ongoing philanthropic work on behalf of breast cancer. She will also collaborate on songs with Dave Hollister, Toni Braxton and Keke Wyatt. 

Price will perform at Singersroom’s Acoustic Conversation series on May 4th in NYC.

Recently, Shawn McLemore has become known for joining James Fortune & FIYA and Zacardi Cortez to sing the smash hit “I Believe” that spent 19 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart this year. Over the years, he’s done backing vocals for gospel heavyweights Donnie McClurkin and John P. Kee, produced R&B star Regina Belle and written songs for singing evangelists Kim Burrell and Dorinda Clark-Cole. In between gigs, he’s also recorded a few solo albums. This is his time to take center stage. After a nearly fatal heart attack last year, McLemore is now back with a testimony of God’s healing power on his fourth solo CD, “One Percent Miracle” (Blacksmoke Music Worldwide), that hits stores everywhere May 3, 2011.

In July 2010, McLemore was rushed to a Houston, Texas –area hospital. “I suffered a massive heart attack,” he recalls. The doctors shocked his heart three times and had given up until one doctor suggested they give McLemore one more defibrillation. “The hospital was full of praying believers,” he continues. “My wife pulled oil on her hands and believed God was going to bring me through.” McLemore survived what doctors told his family was a 1% chance to recover and was back on the road performing and sharing his miracle convalescence within a matter of weeks. 

The Los Angeles native grew up in the church and got his start in the music industry working with choirs or background singing ensembles that recorded with Mattie Moss Clark, Douglas Miller and John P. Kee. He went on to become a behind-the-scenes star known for his powerful vocal skills a background vocalist with a who’s who in gospel music. The buzz about his work led to his debut solo CD “Wait On Him” that peaked at #33 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart in 1997.

Kerry Douglas, named Billboard magazine’s #1 indie gospel label owner in 2010, then discovered McLemore and took his career to new heights by pairing him with James Fortune & FIYA and Zacardi Cortez on the mega hit “I Believe” that spent 19 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart earlier this year. McLemore says that his soulful new radio ballad, “Any Minute Now” is a continuation of “I Believe.” In the song he sings about bad medical reports and pink slips as examples of circumstances that God will miraculously show up and bring a solution to the problem.

“This album is special because I was able to even launch it,” he says. “Even through all the situations that happened while I writing it. It all came together, and it’s the right time to produce this album, especially because of where I am in life right now. When people listen to this album, I want them to take away that there’s hope in God. There’s so much going on right now with the recession, but any minute now God is going to do something. We all should live by faith.” For more on McLemore and other Blacksmoke Music Worldwide artists, log online at www.MrKerryDouglas.com.

Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed by Navy Seals with an exuberant President taking claim that has many saying this is just what Obama needed to be re-elected for a second term. Every president is identified by a moment in history, a catastrophe or a triumph that overcomes the odds. But as Christians are we to celebrate?

Television, Facebook and twitter went crazy yesterday as news broke that President Obama would be announcing the death of Osama Bin Laden. People took to the streets by the thousands outside the white house in Washington, and at ground zero in New York. Debates erupted as to who should get credit for the assignation, and what was President Obama’s real involvement in the moment that will be forever remembered in history.

PATH was under fire as a Facebook post made by PATH ignited a debate that went as far as to mis-quote the organization. The outpouring of our Facebook friends even rendered an apology by the re-poster. The PATH statement read, “This is what Obama needed.. To attach himself with triumph. OBAMA for a second term!”

Over 30 people instantly liked the comment, but two people insisted that a Christian magazine was celebrating in the death of another. That was not the intent, but as a journalist I know that is how politics is won. The statement was a declaration to how history will now record Obama’s term as President.

The statement brought up debates on capital punishment, and Christians celebrating in the death of another. I choose to look at it as a victory for man-kind. The man that is responsible for the death of tens of thousands of people can not hurt anyone anymore, and the victims of 9:11 finally have their justice.

Signs are already being printed reading “Obama got Osama!” The fact is that history will record this day as a victory for America, the world, and Barack Obama.

Some Christians even went as far as to say that Obama’s speech was Anti-Christian, as Obama pointed out the following in defense of Muslims: “As we have stated repeatedly since the 9/11 terror attacks, bin Laden never represented Muslims or Islam In fact, in addition to the killing of thousands of Americans, he and Al Qaeda caused the deaths of countless Muslims worldwide.”

It seemed as if Kinkos was called up at midnight as Obama signs appeared and were waved in the air while the crowds chanted “USA-USA.”

In the midst of celebration, serious questions remain. What will now be the outcome on a world-wide scale? Threat levels will go up in the U.S. TSA agents will check you even tighter in the coming weeks. But will the United States see retaliation? These are all questions that will be analyzed and watched in the coming months. But today I’m proud to be an American, a Christian, and I’m proud of Barack Obama.

Bishop and Gospel artist Larry Trotter is on a campaign to support the proposed ban of blunt wraps in the city of Chicago. Bishop Larry Trotter is the senior pastor of Sweet Holy Spirit Church of Chicago.  Trotter backs legislation sponsored by state Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-13th Dist.) and state Rep. Art Turner (D-9th) to ban the sale of the fruit-flavored cigar wraps that are usually emptied of its tobacco and replaced with marijuana.

The wraps, which come in other flavors such as vanilla, are easily accessible in convenience stores, gas stations and liquor stores for a low price, especially to youth, the pastor said.

“Having this product in mainstream stores is like having drug pushers in our neighborhoods,” said Trotter.

The pastor said April 11 from his pulpit that he’ll embark on a sevenday, 50 church campaign throughout Cook County to spread awareness and garner support for the proposed ban.

Trotter already has received the support from many residents in the city as well as the south suburban community.

“The American Lung Association in Illinois has worked for many years to protect children from flavored tobacco products. Illinois was the first state to ban the sale of ‘beedies’ flavored cigarettes and the federal government immediately banned them nationwide. We are hopeful for similar action for blunt wraps,” said Harold Wimmer, president and CEO for the American Lung Association in the Upper Midwest.

Article derived from a Chicago Defender Report 

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 27, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ — Zonderkidz™, the children’s division of Zondervan, today announced the NIV Adventure Bible Memory Game for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, as well as a new online destination for the NIV Adventure Bible, www.AdventureBible.com. The app and website bring new interactivity to the bestselling NIV Adventure Bible, America’s most-read children’s Bible with more than six million copies sold. The game made its debut in Apple’s App store this week; the website is currently live in the beta phase. 

Memorization is the key to understanding and retaining information. In a young Christian child’s life, Bible stories form the building blocks of faith, and research shows that children who engage with the Bible before age 10 are more likely to read the Bible regularly as teenagers. The NIV Adventure Bible Memory Game reaches children by understanding how they learn and then takes them on a fun and rewarding journey through God’s Word. 

“Reading and memorizing Scripture is important at an early age because it helps children begin to understand God’s love and plan for their lives,” said Annette Bourland, senior vice president and publisher with Zonderkidz. “By coupling and integrating proven techniques with a technology platform many children understand, the NIV Adventure Bible Memory Game engages children in a completely new way that can impact their faith and their futures.”

Mobile apps continue to be among the fastest-growing segments in consumer software, and publishing groups, such as Zonderkidz, are moving into the space in order to provide children educational content that combines interactive features, artwork and games. 

The bulk of the NIV Adventure Bible memorization games are designed around word scramble and fill-in-the-blank. Children can review verses for the various levels and then take the quiz. They also can take them at varying levels of difficulty which are differentiated by the number of blanks they need to fill in.

Games on all iOS devices including the iPad and iPod touch and iPhone are segmented into easy, medium and hard levels. Users can record themselves reciting up to five favorite verses. “Shake to Scramble” randomly selects a Scripture verse and creates a new scramble. Users earn animal sound effects and Bible illustrations for correctly completing verses. 

The mobile app comes at the same time as the launch of the NIV Adventure Bible’s new beta website, www.adventurebible.com. This online destination provides a safe place for families, Christian school teachers, and children’s ministry leaders to get a passport into biblical adventure with maps, timelines, devotionals, sermon outlines and many other activities and educational resources. There are even three online games to test Bible knowledge, a Bible search function, and a teacher dashboard to make assignments and watch the progress of their students’ activity on the site. Everything on the site is free and is being praised by Christian school teachers and children’s ministry leaders as a wonderfully rich and robust site to supplement their existing curriculum.

“The new AdventureBible.com is full of interactive resources and activities to aid both in family time or teacher lesson planning and to encourage further learning beyond the text of the Bible,” added Bourland.

The NIV Adventure Bible uses the updated NIV text, which was completed in the fall of 2010 after years of rigorous translation work by the Committee on Bible Translation (CBT, www.NIV-CBT.org). The updated NIV translation utilized the oldest and best-attested biblical manuscripts along with the finest contemporary English language scholarship in order to create a Bible that was not only accurate, but highly readable and easy to comprehend.

The NIV Adventure Bible Memorization Game was designed by Momentum Design Lab and is currently available in the Apple iPhone and iPad App Stores as a Lite (Free) edition and a full edition sells for $4.99.