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Junteenth or Emancipation Day

June 19th

Slaves were declared free on January 1, 1863 by Abraham Lincoln' s

Emancipation Proclamation. For the Southern slaves it would be years later before they were freed. Because of Confederate rule in the South freedom finally came on June 19,1865, 2 1/2 years later, when a proclamation was read to over 250,000 enslaved black people in Galveston, Texas. This day came to be known as "Juneteenth".

When Jesus died on the cross, in our

place, for our sin, Satan, the ruler of

this world, was defeated. Colossians 2:14-15 describes what God did for

those who trust His Son: “[The record

of debt that stood against us] he set

aside, nailing it to the cross. He

disarmed the rulers and authorities & put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Some 2000 years later there are still those living in the bondage of sin, even though their Emancipation has been bought for them by Jesus shed blood, and proclaimed by Christ's ambassadors,. Will you receive the good news of being set free from sin by receiving Jesus free gift of salvation? For whom the Son (Jesus) makes free is free indeed!

(John 8:32)

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Flag Day June 14

The U.S. flag, also known as the Stars and Stripes, or Old Glory, is a symbol of American freedom and democracy. 

Design and Meaning:

13 Stripes: 

Represents the original 13 colonies that declared independence from Great Britain. There are seven red stripes alternating with six white stripes.

50 Stars: 

Represents the 50 current states in the Union. The stars are white, five-pointed, and arranged in nine offset horizontal rows with six stars alternating with five. A star is added when a new state joins the US.

Blue field (Canton): 

Represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice.

Red: Valor and bravery.

White: Purity and innocence. 

Thousands of men and women have shown vigilance, perseverance, valor and bravery and fought, and many died giving the ultimate measure, for this flag and for our country. "The greatest love that could ever be shown is for someone to give their life for someone else!"

Jesus, the only One who was perfectly pure and innocent, gave the ultimate measure, dying for us, while we were His enemies, in our place, for our sin. Will you give your allegiance to Him and accept His free gift of salvation?

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D-DAY LANDINGS

Tuesday June 6, 1944 was the largest Amphibious invasion in history executed on three fronts: Air, Land and Sea with over 375,000 troops and 5,000 ships involved. The Normandy landings took place along a fifty mile section of beach divided into five sections: Gold, Juno, Omaha, Sword, and Utah.

We are in a battle but not against flesh and blood using conventional weapons. “This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.” (Ephesians 6: 12) It is the greatest battle in history and is being waged on three fronts: The Lust of the Flesh, The Lust of the Eyes, and The Pride of life. (1 John 2: 16) The enemy is The WORLD, The FLESH, and The DEVIL. This battle is for the souls’ of men and women!

Satan has already been defeated when Jesus, God in human flesh, died on the cross, in our place for our sin, was buried, and rose again! But we must appropriate this victory in our lives. This is done by declaring allegiance to GOD by receiving His SON JESUS into your life as Savior and Boss (Lord). Also by daily reading your Bible to transform your mind and not be conformed to the WORLD system. “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.” (Romans 12: 2) You defeat the DEVIL by “the blood of the Lamb and by [your] testimony (What God has done in your life).” “And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.”

(Revelation 12: 11)

Will you surrender the control of your life to GOD and sign a peace treaty with Him through the LORD JESUS CHRIST?

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But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

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Memorial Day Bagpipes Tribute: Amazing Grace (Bagpipes)

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I'm using the Bible App by YouVersion.com. Download it now for your mobile device.

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Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo is a holiday held on May 5 that commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the

leadership of General Ignacio

Zaragoza Seguin.

It is celebrated primarily in the state of Puebla and in the United States. Cinco de Mayo is not a Mexican holiday but an American Civil War holiday, created by Mexicans & Latinos living in California who supported the fragile cause of defending freedom & democracy at the beginning of the Civil War.

Many a good time is had during this

Celebration. There is “pleasure in sin

for a season”, but after that, what?  We’ve all tried to fill the void in our lives with drink, relationships, and

parties. What about when it wears off? Jesus offers you a drink that will never wear off, a Relationship that will never be broken & a life that has a purpose & never ends.

You can read more about this kind of life in the Gospel of John, The Bible. Would you like to start living a life like this?

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Explaining the Meaning of “Holy” in 6 Minutes

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The Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836 in present-day Harris County, Texas was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston the Texian army engaged & defeated General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just 18 minutes. About 630 of the Mexican soldiers were killed and 730 captured, while only 9 Texans died. Santa Anna, the President of Mexico, was captured the following day & held as a prisoner of war. Three weeks later, he signed the peace treaty that dictated that the Mexican Army leave the region, paving the way for the Republic of Texas to become an independent country. These treaties did not specifically recognize Texas as a sovereign nation, but stipulated that Santa Anna was to lobby for such recognition in Mexico City. Sam Houston became a national celebrity, & the Texans rallying cries "Remember the Alamo" & "Remember Goliad" became etched into American history & legend.

The most important Battle in History was fought on a hill, most likely Skull Hill. The weapons used were not physical but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds that we all face. Jesus was forsaken by his Father because he took upon himself the sins of the world. He was surrounded by many demonic hordes (bulls of Bashan, dogs & assemblies of the wicked; Psalm 22:12; 16) when Jesus died & was buried Satan thought he had won the victory, the same as Mexico when the Alamo was lost. But when Jesus rose from the dead he won the victory over Satan, sin, death, Hell, and the grave. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory (Nike) when we accept Jesus work on the cross in place of our works. "Remember the Cross".

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The Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836 in present-day Harris County, Texas was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston the Texian army engaged & defeated General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just 18 minutes. About 630 of the Mexican soldiers were killed and 730 captured, while only 9 Texans died. Santa Anna, the President of Mexico, was captured the following day & held as a prisoner of war. Three weeks later, he signed the peace treaty that dictated that the Mexican Army leave the region, paving the way for the Republic of Texas to become an independent country. These treaties did not specifically recognize Texas as a sovereign nation, but stipulated that Santa Anna was to lobby for such recognition in Mexico City. Sam Houston became a national celebrity, & the Texans rallying cries "Remember the Alamo" & "Remember Goliad" became etched into American history & legend.

The most important Battle in History was fought on a hill, most likely Skull Hill. The weapons used were not physical but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds that we all face. Jesus was forsaken by his Father because he took upon himself the sins of the world. He was surrounded by many demonic hordes (bulls of Bashan, dogs & assemblies of the wicked; Psalm 22:12; 16) when Jesus died & was buried Satan thought he had won the victory, the same as Mexico when the Alamo was lost. But when Jesus rose from the dead he won the victory over Satan, sin, death, Hell, and the grave. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory (Nike) when we accept Jesus work on the cross in place of our works. "Remember the Cross".

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The Resurrection of Jesus: Luke 24

Death is not the end of the story for Jesus of Nazareth. As the firstborn of new creation (Col. 1:15, 18) and the heir of all things (Heb.1:2), he is showing humanity that death is not the end of our story either. It’s a brutal and mysterious part of our story, but in the light of Christ, we can believe that our life does not end in earthly death. God’s love carries us through, and death loses its sting in the face of Jesus’ resurrection promise. This is the indestructible life we celebrate on Easter Sunday, the life of Jesus!

Three days after Jesus’ execution, two women from among Jesus’ disciples find out that the tomb’s stone has been moved—the seal is broken, and Jesus’ body is gone. An angelic man says Jesus has risen, and he urges the women to tell the other disciples. Jesus is alive and heading north, and he plans to meet his disciples in Galilee.

Jesus meets with his followers, showing them his wounds and letting them touch his resurrected body. According to Luke’s version of the story, when Jesus first sees the disciples, he asks them if they have any leftovers to share. They give him some fish, and he chats with them over a meal (Luke 24:41-43). Jesus passed through death and returned to life as a walking, talking, living human being who was hungry for some leftovers—he is the firstborn of humanity in the new creation. And he tells his disciples that he’s going to give them the same divine power that sustains him, so they can go out and share the good news of resurrection and the unending love of God’s Kingdom with people throughout the world.

Jesus sends the disciples out to all families of the Earth with this good news. Everyone can join Jesus’ Kingdom by turning away from their fear of death and turning toward his love and following his way of life. On Easter Sunday, followers of Jesus celebrate with joy! Jesus has risen, and his new creation has begun. Happy Easter!

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Holy Saturday invites us into the experience of darkness, into the questions and grief that so often accompany this life. Where is God? Why do we experience so much pain? We thought Jesus came to rescue us, but what now?

Today, we sit in the painful darkness of Holy Saturday and find rest through knowing that, in the darkness of life, God is alive and working. In deep sorrow, God is still there. In our waiting, God has not forgotten us. He is loving us and working in his ways to restore life to each of us.

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Why is Good Friday called "good" when someone died? That's because someone died in place of someone else. The guilty sentence was handed down for a murderer & the Judge stepped down from the judgement seat, took off his robe, & took the place of the criminal. This was very "Good"!

Barabbas was found guilty of murder & was given the sentence of death on the cross. Governor Pontius Pilate proclaimed "I have examined [Jesus], in your presence, & found him innocent. Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd released Barabbas & handed Jesus over to be crucified."

(Mark 15)

Before this Jesus took our whipping even though no fault was found with him. (John 19:1-6) Have you allowed Jesus to take your punishment or are you willing to accept it? I give my back to those who beat me & my cheeks to those who pull out my beard. I do not hide from shame, for they mock me & spit upon me. (Isaiah 50: 5- 6) Many were amazed when they saw him beaten & bloody so disfigured one would scarcely know he was a person. (Isaiah 52:14) Yet it was our weaknesses he carried, it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins. But he was wounded & crushed for our sins he was beaten that we might have peace... All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us all Isaiah. (53:4-6) The soldiers also placed a crown of thorns on Jesus' head & mocked him. Matthew (27: 27- 31) What kind of worship do you give to jesus?

Jesus not only died in Barabbas place, He died in my place & your place!

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Head coach Grant McCasland leads Texas Tech with Jesus being 'who I live my life for'

By Cole Claybourn Mar 27, 2025

It didn’t take long for Grant McCasland to see his vision come to fruition at Texas Tech. In just his second year at the helm, he has the Red Raiders in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2022.

For McCasland, it’s his first trip to the NCAA Tournament’s second weekend as a head coach. But this year marks his second straight tournament appearance with Texas Tech, and his third total thanks to a 2021 berth as the head coach at North Texas.

“What he’s done in two short years at Texas Tech has been incredible,” Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal last week. “Feel very fortunate and blessed that he’s our head men’s basketball coach. I sleep very well at night knowing that he has the keys to that program.”

After wins over No. 14-seed UNC Wilmington and No. 11-seed Drake, the next test for the No. 3-seeded Red Raiders is an upset-minded Arkansas team (10:09 p.m. ET Thursday), a No. 10 seed that knocked off No. 7-seed Marquette and No. 2-seed St. John’s to reach the Sweet 16. Win or lose, McCasland will coach with his faith in Jesus leading the way.

He was open about his faith while at North Texas, and made it clear in his introductory press conference at Texas Tech that nothing would change for him even if the stage was bigger and the lights were brighter. Looking to the players he inherited on his roster, he thanked them for their patience in the coaching search process and told the crowd how he planned to approach his job: relationships first.

“God’s called us all to something,” he said. “I know that our purpose is to pour our hearts into you guys every single day. We love winning, but the only way you can truly win is if you love people with all your heart, and I believe that.”

McCasland recited a similar refrain while on the Sports Spectrum Podcast in 2020 when he was with North Texas.

“If I can go and love my wife the way I’m supposed to and love my kids, then I feel like that will carry over and God will honor it with how I coach our team and how I prepare them,” McCasland said. “And that there’s space for the priorities that need to be in that order. If I can do that in that order, He’ll continue to honor what we’re doing as basketball coaches and maybe as a basketball program.”

McCasland’s time at North Texas included two regular-season championships and one conference tournament championship, capped off by him being named the 2019-20 Conference USA Coach of the Year. He went 23-11 in his first year at Texas Tech and has his team at 27-8 heading into Thursday’s game. He was also named a semifinalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year award this season.

He’s won everywhere he’s been, and he’s done it “the right way with character and toughness,” according to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which honored him with the 2024 John Lotz “Barnabas” Coaching Award, named after the former North Carolina assistant and Florida head coach. It’s “given annually to honor a basketball coach who best exhibits a commitment to Christ, integrity and encouragement to others, and lives a balanced life.”

“Fellowship of Christian Athletes has honored a coach whose influence has made not just a positive, but eternal, impact on his players over his successful career,” FCA President and CEO Shane Williamson said. “We congratulate Grant McCasland for not only his coaching talent but for the way he has invested his time and effort into the lives of his players for God’s Kingdom.”

FCA also praised McCasland for being willing to share his testimony and speak at local FCA events, including an FCA-sponsored on-campus event that brought a couple thousand college students to Texas Tech’s basketball arena.

“The way he treats his players, staff, media and fans around his program is with kindness and respect that honors the Lord,” the FCA press release read. “The core values his program culture is built on are all biblically based and modeled in his own life.”

A son and grandson of Baptist preachers, McCasland said his life revolved around church and sports growing up. But an ACL tear in seventh grade put his playing career in jeopardy, and he said that was when God started to break down the idol that sports had become to him.

“Then I was like, ‘What am I? If I’m not sports, then what am I?’” McCasland recalled on the podcast. “… To say I’d put my faith in Him, I think that was the turning point where I decided that, ‘OK, I get it now. Jesus can’t be a part of what I am, He has to be who I live my life for and give my heart to completely.'”

Now seemingly at the peak of his sporting career, he hasn’t forgotten what grounds him.

“There’s no better journey than to live a life of sacrifice to Christ,” McCasland in the FCA award announcement. “This honor is a huge blessing, but, ultimately, all of our hearts must point to Christ and give Him the glory for what He does in and through us.”

>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<

https://sportsspectrum.com/sport/basketball/2025/03/27/coach-grant-mccasland-texas-tech-jesus-live-for/