The Scourge Of Racism
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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.
As the Lord led, I wrote this edited 2010 Commentary in commemoration of serving Him in this Ministry He led me to found. In that mindset, I post it now to praise the God who saved and called me to His service through what have been many adverse circumstances since 1985 and to serve as yet another witness against the success mongers that have falsely made compromise of God’s Word a necessity of Christian service. I joyfully fear God and in it have led this Ministry to stand for the restoration of men to the ordained roles of headship He designed for them in this mortal age; the glorious destiny that belongs to all Christians who will let God conform them to the image of Christ!
Originally Published August 2010
In our success mad world that always judges it based on numbers, size and favorable outcomes, many of the Bible's most important figures would be deemed failures. Yet, time has proven their calling and service to God--where they many times stood alone against the tide of their day--was truly very successful as it concerned faithfully doing His will. Reflecting on the 25th anniversary since I was blessed by God to found Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. August 12, 1985, I have faced the fact a later to be seen faithfulness as success may be my own spiritual legacy as also the majority of aspiring strong men of God in the image of Jesus Christ!1
Since the success model of the world has also firmly established itself in most of our churches and para-church ministries today, numbers, size and favorable outcomes determine whether a man or his ministry are successful. As a pastor, folk constantly want to know, "how large is your church" as if this one factor can really determine success or if God is involved. Many certified false teachers have followers in the millions. With Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. the question is "what is your income?" In fairness, we report numbers small and large from events we sponsor in our monthly newsletter. But we give God the glory because His work is the point!
The God of the Bible does not often set numerical goals especially for work to be done with a prophetic emphasis. The question, “how many support your cause” asked in their times would have surely made the responses of men like Noah, Lot, Elijah, Jeremiah, the Lord Jesus and His apostle, Paul, failures in the eyes of their inquirer. Noah was called of God to build an ark for what turned out to be just for his family of eight out of millions of human beings. God gave this cause to Noah after announcing He would destroy the world with a flood. Yet, Noah preached righteousness while he worked a lengthy time building the ark, but none sought refuge until too late (Genesis 7:11-23; 2 Peter 2:4-5).
Righteous Lot lived in a wicked city like many in our nation today in which he had continually appealed for their restraint from evil. God sent angels to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah sparing only Lot, his wife and daughters for his sake. But even his wife perished after disobeying the command not to look back (Genesis 19:12-26; 2 Peter 2:6-8). Elijah the prophet stood alone to face down 450 false prophets of Baal and though he prevailed by the Lord, he felt abandoned by the people of Israel because they feared wicked Jezebel who had put a death sentence upon him (1 Kings 18:20-19:10).
The prophet Jeremiah warned of God's coming judgment and called the people of Judah to repentance for over 40 years. He was beaten, imprisoned, kept in stocks, dropped down wells and opposed by priests, false prophets and most of the kings. He stood virtually alone until the end when the judgment God had been warning of through him came (2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Jeremiah 40:1-6). After having the multitudes of Israel follow Him and enjoy His instruction and ministry of power, the Lord Jesus stood alone against His accusers and in His cause that led Him to the cross (Luke 23:33-49). Later, Paul, His apostle knew a similar experience (2 Timothy 4:9-16).
Thus, limited numbers and standing alone against the crowd typically in rebellion and apostasy is not new for God’s faithful. Indeed, every professed Christian man must decide if he needs a crowd or will he stand alone if necessary to do God's will? I made my choice 25 years ago and suffer the consequences. This Ministry is still small and I have never had a salary.2 I am scoffed at and ridiculed because I refuse to corrupt God's Word for the sake of success. Even so, the Gospel is preached, lives are being changed and souls are being warned! Like all of the Bible’s aspiring strong men of God, I have stood at times and will stand alone to faithfully do His will to the end (Ezekiel 33:1-9). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 As a result, my sole focus is on finishing well (pleasing to God--2 Corinthians 5:9) and to let legacy take care of itself! Learn more about the aspiring strong man of God
in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available at all major internet booksellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the
Strong Man Store.
2 With all praise and thanksgiving to God, this changed in 2014 with the sale of property the Ministry received. I am trusting the Lord for what follows the exhaustion of
this diminishing provision and invite any faithful Christians looking for men of biblical truth and faithfulness to support to consider me through this Ministry. Contact the
Ministry for more information.
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