The Scourge Of Racism
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I have been thanking God for and will make the release of Pastor Andrew Brunson and our sister, Asia Bibi, from imprisonment for the faith this fall an important part of my Thanksgiving celebration. Brunson, an American Pastor, had spent two years incarcerated in Turkey after living with his family and shepherding a church there 23 years. He was freed after President Trump threatened sanctions. Bibi, a Pakistan native, was arrested and held on death row 8 years as a Christian for the charge of blasphemy against Islam. Prayerfully remember fellow believers suffering all over the world for the faith and give thanks for those God graciously delivers remembering next time, it could be you (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Hebrews 13:3, 23).1 Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
1 Read this article about the arrest of an American Christian anti-abortion activist and why.
This Veteran’s Day, I salute veterans by posting one of my favorite past Commentaries inspired of the Lord the moment I saw the photo of wounded Army Ranger, Joshua Hargis, offering a salute to his superior officer there in the hospital to honor him. Tears welled up in me so fast it was as if someone else inside of me I had no control over was moved by this imagery too; Someone I soon recognized as the Lord! Why would the Lord be moved by this imagery? As you will read in this edited 2013 Commentary, devoted and loyal soldiers are appreciated in Heaven by the “Commander of the Lord’s Army” who set such an example as well as on earth by mortal men (Joshua 5:13-15; Acts 14:19-22, NKJV)!
Originally Published November 2013
Count me in among the multitudes that were instantly moved upon seeing the photo of twenty-four year old injured Army Ranger, Joshua Hargis, struggling to lift his arm to salute his commanding officer during the ceremony awarding him the Purple Heart on October 6, 2013. The Cincinnati man had been injured in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan that wounded fourteen others and killed four. His salute came through bandaging, tubes, pain, a doctor’s attempt to restrain him and after the over fifty people in the room thought he was unconscious. A photo of the event was sent to his wife who in turn posted it on Facebook and from there it went global!1
Coming from a family of career servicemen to include my retired Army veteran brother, Richard, I fully understood the moment from a military perspective. My brother, our now deceased father, grandfather and uncles took their service commitments seriously. It was a duty as well as an honor to fight and if necessary, suffer and die for their Country. Never mind many of the white citizens of their Country despised them. In spite of that fact, the military culture with its spit and shine outer veneer, rigid command structure, devotion to comrade and requirement to be willing to sacrifice all bred in them a fierce commitment that was perfectly captured by Joshua Hargis in his determination to salute.
It is the fierce loyalty, commitment to duty and sense of honor to fight of the American soldier which is legendary from the Revolutionary War that is greatly lacking among Christian men today.2 Indeed, the many churches of manmade Christianity the religion have so thoroughly feminized their activities (clubs and tea socials for example) that they have discharged the men from service in their God designed natural masculinity specially suited for dangerous military type action. The closest thing to danger most Christian men might see in the churches is the quick muscle flexing of carnal leaders who feel their authority or position is threatened (Jeremiah 26:7-9; Mark 3:1-6; Acts 4:1-12).
As He is portrayed in the Bible and my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics,3 the Lord Jesus Christ approached His mission to rescue mankind from the powers of darkness and sin with a soldier’s heart and that is because His mission was of a military nature (Hebrews 2:14-18; 1 John 3:8). Knowing that He was the promised Seed of the woman and God’s Anointed, Satan tried but failed to preemptively take Him out as a Child (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:10-14, 9:6-7, 61:1-3; Matthew 2:1-18). God allowed Satan to tempt Jesus in every way men are tempted, yet, He did not sin as Adam before Him (Mark 1:9-13; Hebrews 4:15). The Lord directly took Satan on in a match of power and prevailed; even letting His disciples and enlisted soldiers get in on the action (Luke 4:31-37; 10:1-12, 17-20).
Then the hour arrived that He alone had to go behind enemy lines to Satan through his human agents to be falsely accused, tried, cruelly treated, tortured, whipped and condemned to death by crucifixion (Luke 22:52-53). On the cross naked, He was further humiliated by the taunts of the adversaries including two men crucified with Him and enemy soldiers gambling for His clothes. However, He graciously asked His Father who had sent Him on this mission to forgive His enemies and patiently endured His suffering involving finally the most excruciating pain of all: separation from His Father (Matthew 26:57-27:46; Luke 23:34-43). Moments before His death, the Lord vocalized His soldier’s salute to His Father: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” and as recorded by the apostle John, “It is finished,” (Luke 23:46; John 19:30, NKJV)!
Upon the successful completion of the first part of His two-fold military mission certified by His bodily resurrection from the dead to immortality on the third day after, the Lord Jesus Christ is called forever the “Faithful and True Witness” among other commendations (Revelation 3:14, NKJV). Truly, He is coming again to complete the second part of His mission and eliminate all opposition to His rule as King on earth (Revelation 19:11-20:3)! Meanwhile, in Christ’s image as faithful and true wit-nesses, Christian men are supposed to be fully engaged as soldiers in the spiritual warfare with the “spiritual hosts of wickedness” warring against them, resisting the Gospel that saves and the coming Kingdom of God equipped with the weapons and armor He has supplied until that Day (Matthew 28:18-20; John 15:18-16:4; Acts 4:23-31; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:10-18, NKJV).
Being in God’s army as in those of men includes enduring “hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” and avoiding entanglement with the temporary “affairs of this life” that pleases mortal flesh instead of Christ who enlisted us as soldiers (2 Corinthians 6:4-10; 2 Timothy 2:1-4, NKJV). Therefore, pastors, elders and church leaders that are guilty: rather than dry, dull courses, meetings discussing the Bible and men’s feelings about it as well as the many social occasions labeled “fellowship” that cultivate passivity, repent and get back to Christ’s program for restoring the men who follow Him!4 This cause is the heartbeat of the Ministry I lead by Christ’s command!5
Unless restored Christian men become engaged soldiers, humiliating days of defeat before the enemy loom ahead for them and professing American Christianity (Acts 19:11-16). This does not have to be; for we are supposedly Christ’s soldiers! With difficulty we “fight the good fight of faith” as well as for souls and even get wounded (1 Timothy 6:12, NKJV). However, in the image of Christ and like Joshua Hargis, we remain faithful and true in the service which we were enlisted; in the approving presence of our Commanding Officer though suffering as the apostle Paul also modeled, we give Him a soldier’s salute (2 Corinthians 11:22-29; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18).6 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 Google “Joshua Hargis update” to learn of his status now from your chosen source.
2 Read the July 2, 2017 post, The Urgency Of Restoring Men, under the category, The Cause.
3 The book is available at all major internet booksellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the Strong Man Store.
4 See the July 23, 2017 post, Churchmen In The Two Minute Drill, under the category, The Cause.
5 Learn about the mission and work of Strong Man Ministries on our Web Site About Us Page. Additionally, while on the Web Site, visit the Blog Page and look especially
in the category, The Cause, to experience our zeal to restore men!
6 For a sobering prophetic look at what American Christians are up against now and going forward figuratively depicted as a football game men can connect with, read the
six-part July 30-September 3, 2017 series, Restoring Men In The Two Minute Drill, under the categories, Bible Prophecy and The Cause.
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