The Scourge Of Racism
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The ability to think, reason and form opinions is a powerful ability we humans have from being made in the image and likeness of God. Created by Him with freewill, we are free to think whatever we want. The issue is, however, is what we are thinking lined up with reality and truth especially as set out objectively for us by our Creator? Atheists clearly see the reality and truth of God’s existence and deny it because they choose to think otherwise about the evidence. But for those of us that have been born again by the Spirit of God, we not only see the reality and truth of our God, but by His Word and revelation our eyes are opened to joyfully know these more deeply and learn that which is to be--His mind as it were (1 Corinthians 2:6-16)!
In the aftermath of declaring the spiritual reality and truth about the Eternal Sons Of God in the June 19, 2016 repost, the Lord has led me to repost this re-titled and edited 2013 blog that followed it. It serves as a prelude to addressing immortality from a biblical perspective. In it, we also see again the devastating consequence of culturally conditioning the faith to the point human thinking supplants God’s Word. For while titillating, flights of fancy, romantic ideas, wishes and subjective speculations in their error create heresy and rob believers (as they have done over the centuries) of the awe and child-like wonder available from the authentic glimpses of the unseen spiritual realm and future God has provided us in His Word. Why settle for false fantasy when the reality and truth are so good?
Originally Posted May 26, 2013
Faithful Christians know that we are not to impose our own ideas, views or desires onto Scripture or the faith. Even the apostles among themselves had to constantly guard against this in preserving the purity of their Scripture rooted message and the simplicity of Christ (Galatians 2:11-21). Nevertheless, with the rise of Christianity the religion of men after the passing of the 1st century apostles, as foretold, all manner of corrupt violence has been done since to God’s Word with the result that much wrong thinking and many false doctrines exist and persist among professing Christians along with their leaders in the churches to this hour (Acts 20:27-31; 2 Peter 2:1-3).
Examples of unbiblical thinking and ideas abound, but consider a few popular ones. As it concerns the impact of literature on Christian thinking, Dante may have written a fictional work showcasing Catholicism’s Purgatory and Hades as Satan’s current residence, but the Bible teaches neither idea. The television show Touched By An Angel starring Della Reese featured female angels, but where are they in the Bible? One of the most popular widespread cultural sentiments today not at all taught in the Bible puts anybody human opinion believes to be good in Heaven at their death. Related to that thinking is the unbiblical idea the dead in the afterlife can see earth activity.
I have heard even professing Christians say regarding departed loved ones: “I know he (or she) is looking down on us right now.” Where in the Bible is it taught that disembodied human spirits either in Heaven or Hades are permitted to view earth activity in real time? Concerning the afterlife too, not discouraged by solid Bible teaching to the contrary, many professing Christians solely out of mortal sentimentality and desire continue to insist they will reunite with loved ones and take up where they left off before death disembodied in Heaven and after at the resurrection to immortality forever! Such wrong human thinking and ideas will only continue to proliferate among professing Christians unless the guilty repent and turn back to the Bible as the final authority for spiritual reality and truth.
I fully empathize with the deep emotional ties we mortals have to our family and friends in this life. As finite mortals, the temptation to want eternity to be like our present is linked to what is familiar and excellent to us. For example, males find it hard to think of an eternity without females because of their mothers and intimate involvements with others. However, God’s Word is to be considered true because His perfect character permits Him to speak no other way (Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Samuel 7:27-29; Psalm 119:160; Titus 1:1-2)! Thus, Scripture is clear that death ends life, all biological family and marital ties as we knew them physically in this mortal age forever (Job 7:6-10; Ecclesiastes 9:2-6; John 19:25-27; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7:39).
Indeed, for the Christian, the disconnect process from family begins in terms of priority at salvation when we take up with Christ (Psalm 45:10-11; Matthew 10:34-39; Luke 14:25-27; Romans 6:3-4) following His example (Mark 3:31-35). Sadly, many professing Christians do not believe Christ means what He says about the primacy of our relationship with Him. But He warned the otherwise thriving church of Ephesus He would take away their existence unless they returned again to Him as their “first love” (Revelation 2:1-7, NKJV). Some in days to come will deny the Lord clinging to their mortal families of this world and perish eternally (Mark 8:34-38; Revelation 14:9-11).
At the onset of the new eternal order God also gives His redeemed sons a permanent memory wipe of all the “former things” of this present creation to include the sinful, sorrowful and painful experiences we had even with family and friends during our mortal sojourn so that they will not interfere with our new glorious experiences in His presence forever (Isaiah 25:8, 65:17-19; Revelation 21:1-4, NKJV). The memory wipe is necessary too because though in perfect agreement with God’s righteous condemnation of the wicked to the lake of fire, how could we not grieve forever as emotive creatures knowing that people we cared about during our mortal lives are there (Malachi 4:1-3; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8)?
Please note how Christ’s mortal family members (Mary, James and Jude) relate to Him as Lord, are not accorded any special standing nor do they appear to pursue it by right of family relationship in the aftermath of His resurrection and ascension in the canonical New Testament (Acts 1:12-26, 15:6-22; Galatians 1:18-19, 2:1-10; James 1:1; Jude 1). Only the transcendent spiritual relationships formed in and through the Holy Spirit of divine love with fellow faithful believers (including those from the family) in this present life will survive death intact and continue as we serve God together forever (John 3:3-7, 13:34-35, 14:15-17; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 13:8-13; 2 Corinthians 5:16-17; Galatians 5:22-25; 1 John 3:14-15, 4:20-21; Revelation 22:1-3).
Rather than attempting to impose our wishes on Christianity and corrupting His Word to do so, God’s will is for us to accept His will, way and Word as it is written (1 Corinthians 4:6)! If we do, it will mean we think righteously, objectively and truthfully about things as well as hold to and teach sound doctrine as the Lord wills (John 7:24; 2 Timothy 1:13-14). As it concerns our unsaved family and friends presently, the truth about God’s total disconnect at death should move us to do all of the loving of, witnessing to and good deeds for them we are going to do now (Ecclesiastes 9:7-10; Ephesians 5:15-16; Colossians 3:17)!
Concerning after we die, remember Heaven currently is only a temporary stop for our disembodied spirits to await God’s promised resurrection to immortal glory. As exceedingly superior to our present, mortal experience as Heaven will be to us disembodied, Scripture promises exponentially greater, unending experiences still to unfold for us as the immortally embodied and glorified eternal sons of God (Ephesians 2:4-7; Revelation 21:5-7)! The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
The title of this Blog is a question of contempt thought of me by some blacks and whites over the years I have served the Lord in ministry. A few blacks have actually uttered the question to my face!1 My question is what makes any fallen, sinful human being right? Truly, as President Abraham Lincoln also observed only “God is always right,” (Deuteronomy 32:1-4; Psalm 145:17).2 Likewise, the Word of the Lord stands perfectly and eternally right (Psalm 19:7-11; Hosea 14:9)! So, my two-part reply to my inquisitors is first, I and anyone else are right when we accurately repeat what God says in the now, that also agrees with His written Word objectively interpreted and applied.
Second, in all humility before the Lord because I believe the testimony of Scripture about who He is, I fear Him and to misrepresent His Person, nature, character, demeanor or words spoken to me or written in His Holy Word (Exodus 20:18-21; Isaiah 6:1-5; Ezekiel 1:26-28; Acts 9:1-6; Revelation 1:9-18). Yes, I fear God the way a mortal son honors and fears to disobey his father. While I get that “perfect love casts out fear” as it concerns “the day of judgment,”3 “fear of the Lord” causes me to give Him the full awe and reverence embodied in the expression and to reap its promised benefits (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7, 14:26-27, 16:6; 1 John 4:17-19, NKJV).
In making my two-part reply to the question of contempt, I am by no means asserting a foolish and arrogant claim to infallibility!4 However, I am assuring those that care I do not take my life in and assignment from the Lord lightly as a watchman/prophet and teacher in His Body (Ezekiel 33:1-9; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Ephesians 4:7-16). I have written about my gifts, calling and ministry many times.5 So, I will not spend time in this short post repeating the same things to those who really could care less about what makes me right. They will still perilously "refuse" to give heed as has always been the case with rebels that profess to be God’s people (Ezekiel 2-3:11, NKJV).
Surely though, the proclamation and teaching the Lord has given me from His Word over the years stand as perpetual evidence of His righteousness on display through me! Since His Word endures forever, it will never fail to be good, right and true (Isaiah 40:8)! For this cause, I rejoice that our Ministry is about to again Webcast the From Slavery To Victory: One Man’s Journey Radio Special on the occasion of the thirty year anniversary of its premiere on a Dallas, Texas radio station during Black History Month 1993.6 With thanks to God, I was used of Him to write, produce and speak in this docu-drama in similitude to Ezekiel, the model for my ministry (Ezekiel 11:24-12:16).7
The following year the radio special won an award and became the flagship program launching The From Slavery To Victory Education Project conducted by Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. on Juneteenth. In its original form, the program was distributed by compact disc and heard on radio stations around the nation. Thirty years after the initial February 20 and 21, 1993 premiere, I have no cause to take back anything I wrote or voiced in the program’s historical or prophetic content that is verifiably accurate (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)! This is because God and His Word which are always right mightily permeate it to His glory! By His grace as I have recently testified, God has delivered me from affliction that I may continue to declare His Word and works in righteousness!8
1 Such persons should be warned the Lord “heard” and will hear you as He did Miriam and was not pleased that His servant was assailed (Numbers 12, NKJV).
2 See the quote from President Lincoln.
3 The apostle John’s use of the phrase “perfect love” is the same as the Lord‘s “love” who he heard specifically tie to obedience (John 14:15-24, NKJV). Consequently, the apostle’s assertion that because of “perfect love” believers have no fear of the coming judgment day assumes faithful obedience to Christ to include properly dealing with our sins as they occur or are disclosed by the convicting work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11; 1 John 1:5-2:2).
4 The fear of the Lord, daily walk with Him, His instruction and work in my life since 1977 (Psalm 119:33-40) has made me humble enough before Him to publicly confess and repent of any error from not having heard Him correctly or “rightly dividing the Word of truth” if it becomes necessary. To avoid this, I do not typically open mouth un- til I have reflected before the Lord and His Word (Proverbs 15:28; 2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV). That said, at His command neither do I engage in any false humility concern- ing or apologize for the knowledge and understanding He has “taught me” to placate proud men who cannot endure anyone who appears to know or think he knows more than they do (Psalm 119:97-104, NKJV)!
5 Read for example, the October 2, 2016 post, Gifted With A Prophet’s Heart, under the category, Call To Repent and posted February 17, 2019, Surrendering All To Jesus, under the category, Glory to God!
6 The exact roll out date and time of the Webcast is still to be announced. Meanwhile, prepare for it by listening to interviews conducted with me about the radio special on The From SlaveryTo Victory Education Project Web Site.
7 See the March 6, 2022 post, Ezekiel: Slave Of God, under the category, Glory To God!
8 Watch the less than thirty minute Bible Instruction video message the Lord gave me to proclaim in view of His promised deliverance from Prostate Cancer on our Strong Man Virtual Institute Channel, Afflicted For God’s Good Ends!
As noted by not a few conservative Christian commentators, one of the buzz phrases of the secular culture today is “the right side of history.” When secularists or even professed Christians say this in tragic support of pressing their social agendas that transgress God’s Word in the Bible, they are most certainly failing to grasp the stark testimony of history. For the physical ruins of every ancient kingdom and empire of men are with us to this very hour as a reminder mortals cannot finally prevail in having their way against the living God!1 Consequently, those who oppose God are on the wrong side of history as His fulfilled prophetic Word to date through Daniel among others certifies.
Having reached the end of his prayer of confession, repentance and intercession seeking God’s mercy for Israel through forgiveness and restoration, Daniel receives a prophetic reply from God by way of an angel that is staggeringly far beyond the immediate historical situation. Praying as he was near the end of Israel’s seventy years of dispersion from the land and captivity to Babylon, God gives Daniel a prophetic timeline with key events in it that not only affect his people, but originating from them, the whole world and reaching into eternity! Daniel was instructed by God’s messenger, Gabriel, to ‘“consider the matter, and understand the vision,’” (Daniel 9:23, NKJV).
First, God set ‘“seventy weeks’” as the time length for all of His purposes and the events of His prophetic timeline to be fulfilled (Daniel 9:24-27, NKJV). While Israel was in the midst of finishing seventy literal years of captivity, the seventy weeks are not intended to be understood as literal seven day weeks which would yield four hundred and ninety days. No, here is where the author of the study notes in my New King James Bible and other reputable contemporary translations agree that “weeks” in the Hebrew should literally be understood “sevens” as in seven year spans. Consequently, it is seventy sevens or seven year spans totaling four hundred and ninety years. There is a plan and end!
Second, Daniel was told this period of time was ‘“determined’” by God ‘“for your people and for your holy city’” that had so concerned him in his prayer ‘“to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy,’” (Daniel 9:24, NKJV). God’s answer to Daniel’s prayer for Israel is in complete concert with His purposes of salvation for them and us Gentiles! During the time allotted, Israel is to finish their specific transgression against God bound up in their unique historical covenant relationship with Him as descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 3:15, 19:1-6).2
Too, in God’s prophetic timeline an end of sins that hopelessly separated all men from and reconciliation back to Him would occur. Truly, God is telling Daniel of things only He could accomplish! How, is powerfully signaled by the specific mention of Israel’s long before Daniel foretold ‘“Messiah the Prince’” and His intercessory agency (Genesis 22:15-18, 49:10; Isaiah 49:5-6, 61:1-3) in Daniel 9:25-26, NKJV. Messiah would also cause eternally enduring righteousness to come to redeemed mankind and under His up close royal administration, end the prophetic ministry as well as gloriously restore the Temple of God in Jerusalem (Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-10, 60:13; Jeremiah 23:5-8).3
Last, God’s vision to Daniel is very specific about the events and their timing in His timeline which history recorded in and out of the Bible proves to be perfectly accurate. Indeed, they follow in order after the official end of the Babylonian captivity with the decree of Persian King Cyrus who was himself divinely foretold (2 Chronicles 36:15-23; Isaiah 44:24-45:5). Interestingly, while it is not stated in Daniel 9:25, as Ezra and the post-exilic prophets Haggai and Zechariah record, building the second Jewish Temple is a priority of God when the people returned from captivity. Almost one hundred years pass before ‘“the command to restore and build Jerusalem’” in 445 B.C. and the attending troubles Nehemiah writes about launch God’s seventy sevens timeline (Daniel 9:25, NKJV).
Clearly, God’s timeline vision uniquely given to Daniel foretells when Israel could expect to see their Messiah since after the command concerning Jerusalem, seven sevens (49 years) and then sixty-two sevens (434 years) for a total of sixty-nine sevens (483 years) are set for as it turns out, His first coming.4 Nothing could or did stop His coming as Jesus of Nazareth who was conceived (Matthew 1:18-25), born where (Matthew 2:1-12), lived and ‘“cutoff, but not for Himself (declaring at His death, ‘“It is finished!’”)’” as foretold (Isaiah 53; Daniel 9:26a; John 19:14-42, NKJV). While not included in this vision to Daniel is the triumphant resurrection of Messiah after three days He foretold (Luke 18:31-34) or His ascension (Acts 1:9-11), in one earlier he saw His coronation (Daniel 7:13-14)!
Meanwhile, as the Lord Jesus Christ also foretold in complete agreement with the vision given to Daniel and history, nearly forty years later the Roman Empire--‘“the people of the prince who is to come’”--destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple yet again leaving them desolate in 70 A.D. (Daniel 9:26b; Matthew 23:37-24:2; Luke 19:41-44, 21:20-24, NKJV). An attempt by the Jews still living in the land to retake it and Jerusalem in 135 A.D. was also crushed by the Romans. From that point on as warned and foretold, they were scattered to the nations (Leviticus 26:27-35; Deuteronomy 28:64-66; Matthew 21:33-46). In under four hundred years after this, the Roman Empire joined its named predecessor Babylonian, Medo-Persian and Greek Empires among the ruins of history or did it?
1 This is the reason I hardly blink when critics among professed Christians insinuate this Ministry’s faithful instruction on the strong man and great woman of God is not in step with current popular Christian themes. God’s Word will never fail to stand right and true whatever the times or popular acceptance of people. If you want a life changing, enduring biblical word from the Lord on what you are supposed to be about as a Christian man or woman, get my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics along with its companion works The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study available at your favorite internet book seller and in the Strong Man Store.
2 Read the two-part post that begins January 16, 2022, Arriving At These Times, under the categories Bible Prophecy and Call To Repent.
3 Daniel 9:24 is another place in Scripture that asserts God’s intent to end the prophetic ministry during the Kingdom reign of Christ on earth at His return and not before as the erroneous, contrary presupposition held by many especially conservative religious educated elites maintains. See the two-part post that begins August 2, 2020, Flavor- less Salt Is Worthless, under the category, Call To Repent taking special note of the fourth footnote in part one.
4 See the August 22, 2021 post, The King Of Israel, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
The Lord came to me during my time of Bible study on the morning of October 24, 2017 as I reflected on the condition of our nation asking, “Watchman, what do you see?” I said, “I see a house divided collapsing in on itself and there is no stopping it!” Then there was silence except for the noise of my scramble for a pen to write down what just happened. Would to God that the collapse in progress could be halted, but the authoritative teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ is always and eternally true (Matthew 12:22-26; 24:35)! Many see what I saw, but that old reliable crutch, denial, with mostly self-centered reasons continues to be their comforting fall back.
Among the legion of demonic and sin inspired causes America is a collapsing house divided is the falling away of the secular news media from its benchmark standards of journalism. Gone are the days last names like Murrow and Cronkite stood not only for professional journalistic excellence, but integrity, objectivity, political and social neutrality. Today, it is very clear the dominant players in the secular news media produce news that at times has been deceitfully constructed and slanted subjectively toward a political and socially liberal point of view. Political correctness, tolerance and feminism are in; biblical morality and views are out when true neutrality should favor neither.1
With few exceptions the secular news media’s adoption of all things 21st century politically and socially liberal in agenda has made its star reporters come across as hostile antagonists in their reporting on those not in sync with that agenda, rather than as aggressive protagonists in pursuit of the truth in the legacy of Murrow. Its reporters are also in the vanguard of a major resurgence of self-righteousness as every human failure of any kind and even disasters from the natural order allowed or brought by God must have blame and retribution assigned to someone as if those reporting have no faults or failures at all. When the Lord led me to write this 2011 edited repost, the sample issue was sexual harassment accusations against then Presidential candidate, Herman Cain.
Since then it has been Bill Cosby and now, Harvey Weinstein. The spectacle is sickening to watch as reporters press their agenda and look for scoops to further their careers along with their bosses' ratings, dollars, awards and bragging rights. As one of the Lord’s watchmen, I understand having an agenda, advocacy and rebuke in writing since I bear His either directly or by inspiration in mine. His goal through me is typically repentance of the guilty beginning always with me as the messenger. For this reason, though many still consider me offensively “in your face,” trust me, tempered by my own failings, I have not said everything the way I have wanted to say it! In this repost, plainly see another reason our divided nation is collapsing and hear the Lord if self-righteousness is an issue for you.
Originally Posted November 29, 2011
What a blessing we have had in America historically to have had a free press. Journalism was once a noble profession where there were high ethical standards. Getting the facts, being objective and fair were among the values the great journalistic enterprises lived by. Who knows all of the reasons those standards have gone by the wayside--though no doubt, some will argue they still live by them. The case of Presidential candidate Herman Cain illustrates my concern. The media swarmed all over the accusations of sexual harassment against him not caring to get the facts, but determined in a sensational feeding frenzy to make him confess guilt.
Let me be clear, I am not in any way endorsing Herman Cain or trivializing legitimate sexual harassment or the new charge by a woman saying they had a long time affair. However, with the heart of my God I am crying out against the resurgence and hypocrisy of self-righteousness in our society and the media in particular. Journalists (who are nothing more than sinful human beings with press passes) hunt down, harass, browbeat, accuse, convict and sentence the principals in their stories with all of the heartless gusto of the religious leaders who brought the woman caught in adultery to the Lord Jesus. After first making them wait, the Lord declared, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first,” (John 8:1-12, NKJV). No one did and all walked away.
The Lord in no way condoned the woman’s sin in this incident. However, He forced the self-righteous religious leaders to consider if they were to be held accountable by God on the spot for their own sins, they would be condemned. The Lord would also remind us and our news media of this truth. For us, tell the truth about sin, but do so understanding we are sinners too that need after the truth is told, a place of brokenness, repentance, mercy and forgiveness. For the media, pursue your story, be objective, get and report the facts in a neutral and fair way to all sides. Do this keeping in mind if all of your own sins were known, you too would be condemned. These are the ways of the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.2
1 In actuality, while historically free from government control, the American press as part of its fabric has always reflected societal mores as was the case prior to this anti- Christian era when they were strongly influenced by Judeo-Christian values. From such mores were drawn its own formerly high standards of journalistic character such as integrity and interest in factual truth men such as Murrow and Cronkite adhered to.
2 The book is available at all major internet book sellers and in the Strong Man Store.
The citizens of our nation are now able in this 21st century to immediately exert moral pressure on the government, businesses and other institutions through social media. The positive display of this ability was powerfully seen again after audio recorded racist remarks by Los Angeles Clippers Basketball Team owner, Donald Sterling, were posted online by a sports news outlet. Within a few days this past week thanks to social media and Mr. Sterling’s admission the voice on the audio recording was his, the NBA Commissioner announced that the owner would be banned for life from the NBA, fined $2.5 million and steps taken to force him to sell his team.
On the joyful occasion of Palm Sunday last year, the Lord led me to write soberly about the why and what for of His Coronavirus judgment declaring it “a major magnitude ‘shot across the bow’ to the world that God has turned a corner on His forbearance with mankind.”1 On this Palm Sunday commemorating the foretold nearly two millennia ago triumphant, yet lowly entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem as Israel’s King (Matthew 21:1-11), I am privileged by Him in this post to wrap up my exposition of the biblical Gospel as a special emphasis to black American males with whom I share ethnic identity.2 Hereafter, none as victims in truth will again say, “no one like me ever told me!”
In declaring the biblical Gospel beginning with last month’s Black History Month post and all this month, I have repeatedly stated that those who repent and believe it are saved from their sins and the wrath of God.3 As I wrote specifically in last week’s post, the wrath of God is the naturally aroused, settled response of His eternal holy Person and character to sin that He judges in perfect righteousness and justice. Sin is not natural to God or the environs of glory in which He dwells. Sin like a virus arises from and is the unique experience of man and angels that have willfully come short of and rebelled against the divine will (Genesis 3:1-11; Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-19).
The wrath of God toward sin and sinners is a narrative and prophetic theme throughout the Bible. His wrath makes its first appearance in the biblical narrative at the rebellion of man where God not only affirms in righteousness and justice His fore stated penalty for it physically, but spiritually too, as He separated from His now, sin tainted and guilty creature. Even so, God also displays His grace toward man by promising a Deliverer and providing a temporary covering for his naked body and sin guilt as an animal was slain and its life poured out on behalf and instead of man. In doing this, God signifies what must be done to forever turn His wrath away from man (Genesis 3:15, 17-19, 21-24)!
God’s promise of a future Deliverer is the first mention of it in the Bible as prophecy and His unspoken, but clearly implied continuing wrath toward sinful mankind until all would be fulfilled. Indeed, after writing “God is a just judge,” David adds, “and God is angry with the wicked every day.” God’s delay to judge is due to His longsuffering grace waiting since the ancient king of Israel further warns that if the wicked person does not repent, His retribution will follow (Psalm 7:11-16, NKJV). For this reason, Noah’s generation endured an earth destroying global flood as the first instance of divine wrath poured out upon unrestrained human wickedness (Genesis 6:3, 5-17).
While thereafter, the Bible records many regional and localized displays of His wrath (Genesis 19:12-29; Exodus 15:1-7; 2 Chronicles 24:17-25), the reality God would “once more” express it not just on the whole earth, but the universe too, is what prophecy thematically and consistently asserts; “the day of the Lord” the apostle Peter warns is delayed only again by His longsuffering grace waiting for those He foreknows will be saved from it (Isaiah 2:10-22, 13:6-13, 40:3-5; Joel 1:15-20; Amos 5:16-20; Zephaniah 1:14-18; Luke 3:1-7; Hebrews 12:25-29; 2 Peter 3:1-10, NKJV)! The Day of the Lord is one and the same as The Day Of Vengeance He had me write about in 2016.4
As the Lord Jesus Christ was the divine instrumentality enabling this nearly two millennia period of grace through His death on the cross, burial, resurrection and ascension, so, His glorious return will finish the approaching Day of God’s wrath and vengeance (Isaiah 53, 61:1-2; Mark 14:60-62; Acts 1:9-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12; Revelation 1:4-8, 6:12-17). For He endured the wrath of God toward human sin upon Himself in our place as our “Passover” “Lamb” and “once for all” atoning, eternally sufficient sacrifice that any who repent and believe on Him through the Gospel should receive a pass from having to experience it for themselves (John 1:29, 3:16-18, 36, 19:30; Romans 5:6-9; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, 4:13-5:11; Hebrews 9:11-15, 27-10:14, NKJV).
Rejecting His grace throughout severe, escalading warning judgments now, underway with the global Coronavirus pestilence as one among many foretold adversities (Matthew 24:3-31; Revelation 8-9, 11-14), sinners alive at the Day of the Lord will suffer the full outpour of His long held wrath that completely transforms the landscape of the earth and leaves relatively few mortals (Isaiah 42:14-17; Revelation 15-16)!5 God’s wrath is righteous because He did not create us to be rebels that even murder His holy sons, but to be one in fellowship with Him forever!6 Therefore, do not be caught with a proud, stubborn, angry and willfully ignorant heart refusing God’s salvation in the Gospel of Christ who confirms the authenticity of the former days and His own coming Day of wrath (Luke 17:20-37).
(As per usual, there will not be a post on Resurrection Sunday. I will be celebrating my 44th year since becoming a beneficiary of God’s grace to save sinners through faith in Christ on Resurrection Sunday 1977. The Lord saying the same, my next post will be on April 11, 2021.)
1 Read the April 5, 2020 post, God Is Speaking, under the category, Call To Repent.
2 See the March 14, 2021 post, The Gospel Is For Black Males Too!, under the category, The Cause
3 Read the two-part post beginning on February 21, 2021, Willful Ignorance Destroys under the category, Black History and this month’s posts all under the category, The
Cause.
4 See the June 5, 2016 Post, The Day Of Vengeance, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
5 Despite the unscientific attempts by evolutionists to interpret the empirical data to the contrary, the evidence of cataclysm consistent with what would have occurred
during and after the global flood of Noah’s day is everywhere to be seen on earth including our nation’s famous Grand Canyon. They look at it as a wonder of nature
over evolutionary millennia (Romans 1:18-21); the Lord’s faithful see tragedy and ruin as the recent aftermath of His wrath potently displayed globally for the first time
upon rife human wickedness which no one in good conscience can deny is coming to this again (Genesis 7:11-8:14; Psalm 29:10)!
6 Learn about the eternal destiny of every faithful Christian man who is also an aspiring strong man of God in the image of Jesus Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of
God: Back To Basics. It is published by Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. and available in print or digital formats at major internet booksellers. You can also
purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store. A summary introduction of the strong man of God in Christ’s image is presented on the strong man of God Web Site.
Those professed Christians that cannot bear to hear talk about God as Judge may not actually know Him from the Bible and are in a bad place spiritually. As the Lord has led me to write in recent blog and social media posts, much of the blame for this must be shouldered by those pastors and teachers whether in church buildings or the media that have deceitfully focused exclusively on what are considered the non-threatening, positive aspects of the divine nature, character and acts presented in Scripture.1 However, the evidently massive numbers of fragile souls that need God to only show His sunny side must also accept responsibility (Isaiah 30:8-11; 2 Timothy 4:3-4).
While space will not allow me to do more than give only a very lightweight introduction to the God of the Bible, I proceed as the Lord leads out of His love for those He foreknows will be helped to understand who it is that has called them to salvation and eternal life! God wants to be known by us and has taken the initiative in four ways to make this happen. God is revealed through what has been observably created both external in the creation all around us (to include the human body) as a first and internal--made as we are unique above all animals in the divine image and likeness--as a second way of knowing Him (Genesis 1:1, 26-27, 5:1-2, 9:5-6; Psalm 19:1-4; Romans 1:18-21).
A third way God makes Himself known to us is in His written Word; a marvel of divine inspiration using human vessels over many centuries (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). A fourth and final way humanity can know God is up close and Personal through Jesus Christ, the Son and Word who revealed God at His first century A.D. coming and after to all who believe on Him (Jeremiah 31:31-34; John 1:1-18, 14:7-26; Hebrews 1:1-4). From all of these ways of Self-disclosure, but especially the written Word, mankind can know what God wants known about Him. For this reason, every man should read the Bible for himself; not relying solely on what others tell him it says!
According to His Word, God is the eternally living God whose nature and character do not change--He is who He is forever (Exodus 3:13-15; Isaiah 40:27-28, 43:10, 44:6-8; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; Revelation 1:4-8, 17-18)! God perfect in nature is alone just, righteous, truth, holy, merciful, gracious, good, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kind, gentle, faithful and Self-controlled as some of His attributes (Deuteronomy 32:3-4; Leviticus 19:1-2; Psalm 103:8; Matthew 19:17; Galatians 5:22-23). His nature informs His character so that as holy for example, He is set apart from and has no dealings with sin lest He break out in wrath to destroy its bearer (Leviticus 10:1-3; Isaiah 6:1-7).
Because God does not change in nature and character, even after the coming of Christ in mercy and grace to endure the divine wrath against human sin as our sin bearing substitute, the benefit of His sacrifice extends only to those that repent of their sins, believe the Gospel about Him--that He died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day--and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:36-38; Romans 3:21-26, 10:6-13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Hebrews 9:27-28). However, those that reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ remain in their sins and must find another way if there were one to turn the wrath of God away from their sin guilt (John 3:16-21, 36; Acts 4:8-12).
Now, this is where many professed Christians and those that lead and teach them (some well intended) in these latter days are getting into trouble with God. For though, He is loving, good, kind, benevolent, merciful, gracious, longsuffering and ready to forgive the sins of believers (all disobedience to God’s written Word is sin) in the aftermath of Christ’s sacrifice, He does and will not do so unless we in humility confess, repent from and forsake them out of reverence for His holiness (1 John 1:5-2:2).2 Otherwise, the professed believer who refuses to do so faces God as Judge now, and in the future (Romans 2:1-11; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11; 1 Timothy 5:24-25; Hebrews 10:26-31).3
Indeed, Christians are called to be holy as God is in the New Covenant just as Israel was under the Old (1 Peter 1:13-21). Knowing God as He is, we supposedly need no one to teach us these things since His law is in our hearts and written upon our minds and we are eager to obey all of His commandments (Hebrews 10:11-22). Out of this context alone comes our legitimate confidence in all of God’s scripturally assured promises, benevolences and blessings. We are also enabled to “be strong” and do great deeds out of our knowledge of God (Daniel 11:32, NKJV).4 Nevertheless, the apostle John is very direct in declaring that anyone who professes to know Jesus Christ, but “does not keep His commandments is a liar,” (1 John 2:3-4, NKJV).5
Therefore, coming to Jesus Christ, Son of the holy God, believers that do not want to fear facing Him as Judge are called to follow His example of love motivated obedience to all of His Father’s commandments which are His too (John 14:31, 15:10; Philippians 2:5-8)! Keeping the Lord’s Word in obedience proves one truly knows and loves God and is in Christ, while walking as He did is proof one abides in Him (1 John 2:5-6). This is all critical to understand now and going forward. The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 See the two-part post beginning May 17, 2020, Persecution, Hatred And Betrayal, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
2 God already knows He has called us to mission impossible as it concerns sin without His help. He has provided the Holy Spirit and continuing access to His throne of
grace and mercy where our confessed and repented from sins are forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus (John 16:5-15; Hebrews 4:14-16). For more instruction on
biblical forgiveness, read my November 2, 2014 post, Once And For All Forgiveness?, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 Many Christians and their churches in sin now, endure God’s Coronavirus judgment as an example and are called to repentance.
4 This is the heart of every faithful Christian aspiring to be strong men or great women of God in the image of Jesus Christ I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of
God: Back To Basics. Get a print copy or digital download of the book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple
(digital only). You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
5 See the five posts on the topic of obedience that begin on September 7, 2014, under the category, Call To Repent.
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