The Scourge Of Racism
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In light of the Harvey and now, Irma Hurricanes that have hit our nation, I am foregoing posting the celebratory new blog post for this week the Lord gave me and with His permission joining the faithful in praying for His mercy as well as the welfare of our impacted citizens. My wife and I along with this Ministry have also joined with many in providing financial assistance for those still suffering from Hurricane Harvey through a trusted disaster relief outlet. This moment, however, is a time of continuing prayer and sober reflection for our nation as the Lord led me to warn in the introduction of my Mother’s Day blog re-post this year concerning the certainty of His coming judgment upon our nation for its many sins. I also warned in an August 30th post on our Facebook Resource Page that all of this activity of the natural order is foretold "labor pains."
Please re-read or read that Mother's Day blog re-post for the first time and understand, the God of the Bible is serious about sin. In its introduction specifically, the Lord has me reference Jeremiah 30:23-24 that speaks about “the whirlwind of the LORD,” going forth in fury “in the latter days,” (NKJV). According to the dictionary, a whirlwind is an apt description of several kinds of serious wind events to include the hurricane. The Lord had earlier warned ancient Israel not to listen to lying prophets as I so sadly do you now, that speak only comforting words, but do not warn the guilty to repent since God brings judgment on our and all nations because of sin (Jeremiah 23:16-22, 25:30-32).1
1 Re-read or read my January 3,,2016 blog, The Never Changing God, under the category, Call To Repent. Among other things, it presents the Christian preacher’s responsibility before God in the disasters He allows or brings on the earth.
Feminism’s rebellion against God’s order of mankind from creation that permanently established His election of men to lead beginning in the home has proven costly to the Western world, our nation and many churches during the Coronavirus pandemic. As part of a wider, foretold rebellion against God (Psalm 2:1-3), feminism’s rebellion has marginalized secular men leaving the typical male conflicted and confused about who and what he is. Thanks to feminism’s purposeful infiltration, the same has taken place among many Christian men as they may be taught they are the heads at home, but are usurped by females in guilty churches contrary to God’s written Word!1
In the rise of feminism it has been arbitrarily determined that men are necessary only as unassuming mates, financial partners and sperm donors. This determination has been made in the kind of ignorance medicine once displayed about certain body parts such as the spleen. Because they could not figure out its function, the spleen was once deemed unimportant.2 However, from creation humanity has known the very important leadership roles and responsibilities God assigned to men, but now, have chosen to rebel! One of the most ruinous outcomes of rebelling against God’s set order of mankind by the world and many churches has been the destruction of the nuclear family.
In my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, I cite statistics bearing out the foregoing statement and that have only gotten worse.3 Even the most rabid feminist and advocate of same sex marriage must concede that without an original married Adam and Eve procreating and providing a cohesive family framework as in the Bible, none of us would be here today! The nuclear family as God designed it with a male husband-father and female wife-mother is absolutely basic to the stability and survival of mortal human life on this planet (Genesis 1:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:11-12). You cannot remove either without wreaking havoc upon the family and mankind as is now, happening.
I was also led by the Lord in my book to recover His design of a man made in the divine image and likeness to lead, teach, provide for and protect his family from the Bible. Male headship is established by God in the simple act of creating Adam first and then, taking the female out of him to be his companion and helper (Genesis 2:7, 15-25). When the female plainly showed she had not understood this by the acts of usurping her husband and disobedience, God told her to her face what His order is as the apostles of Christ also affirm (Genesis 3:1-6, 16b; 1 Corinthians 11:3-10, 14:34-37; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 1 Peter 3:1-6). The wickedness of fallen men has not changed God’s order.
After just over half a century of feminism that has reached its triumphant though, temporary pinnacle,4 a devastating unforeseen consequence of its spread within many families and churches has been exposed by God’s Coronavirus judgment.5 The rebel feminist rejection of God’s order of mankind that requires male leadership has left many families and churches without men to step up and take charge during the crisis. Abandonment and domestic violence incidents may be up not only as a product of the psychological pressures of the pandemic, but this consequential absence of God’s moral responsibility imperative on men for their families; many with women not their wives.
Guilty churches that have proudly embraced the stronghold of feminism by teaching in word and practice a worldly egalitarian form of male headship at home which ends at the steps of the church building, now, find themselves having to get basic instruction and worship to families that cannot physically come to church. Not all have the internet.6 Meantime, most of their few men have no idea they were supposed to be teaching their families and leading them in devotion and worship of God apart from, but while also assembling with other believers in local churches (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 1 Corinthians 14:34-35; Ephesians 6:4). They are absolutely clueless on how to proceed. The local church did all of this for them in exchange for their attendance, money and service of some kind.
The Lord’s Coronavirus judgment has revealed the glaring evil in this sinful arrangement brought about by acquiescence to the feminist rebellion that marginalizes men and too, the carnal co-dependency I recently wrote about that exists in many churches.7 Therefore, let those pastors, elders and church leaders that are guilty during God’s Coronavirus judgment repent and return to conducting their assemblies in accord with His will, way and Word! This means teaching and practicing the Lord’s order of mankind, biblical man and womanhood in His house.8 In so doing, also teaching men without the gifts of leading and teaching how to call upon the Lord for what they need to fulfill His assigned responsibilities as the pastors of their homes; women how to submit and be supportive.9
As well, restore men to their proper leadership roles in God’s house; qualifying those gifted by the Holy Spirit and demonstrated practice at home to shepherd and teach others as it is written (1 Timothy 3:1-13). Men alone are to teach adult men as well as address, lead the worship, teach and preach to the whole church when it is assembled as the Word says and I exhort pastors in my book. This all being done, men will know what to do next time folk cannot go to church--coming persecution assuring that time is not far off! Let the church leaders that truly love Christ’s sheep give heed so, the shameful spectacle of professed Christians being distraught and disillusioned because they cannot go to church that has occurred during God’s Coronavirus judgment does not reoccur.
1 Read the October 12, 2014 post, Whose House?, under the category, Call To Repent and two-part post that began on May 27, 2018, Feminism’s Entry Into The
Churches, under the same category and that of God’s Creatures. Feminism is so pervasive in many churches today, I am not welcome in some. Also, not a few wo-
men have told me if it were not for them (rather than the Holy Spirit), churches would not exist. God’s Coronavirus shut down of churches surely proves who is really
behind their existence! Otherwise, the women speak the truth as it concerns dead churches of manmade religion.
2 See an article on the once thought “useless” human spleen from the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
3 A print copy or digital download of the book published by the Publishing Division of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater
clarity and updated web addresses in the footnotes is available 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.
4 Read the April 8, 2018 post, The Second Adam Rules And Judges, under the category, Call To Repent and The Value Of Women To Families posted May 6, 2018
under the category, God’s Creatures. The first woman though judged for her acts of rebellion (Genesis 3:16a, 17-24), was shown mercy because they were done out
of faithless spiritual ignorance (1 Timothy 1:12-13). Such will not be the case for women millennia after her, the coming of her Seed to bring salvation (Genesis 3:13-
15), biblical instruction and commands willfully discarded by them (and fearful, people pleasing men) who fully know what they are doing (Romans 1:18-32)! Truly, as
the Holy Spirit discloses in Bible prophecy, even before the Lord Jesus returns to squash all rebellion against God, the now, triumphant feminist moment will have
been put down by the Antichrist. Having no regard for any god above himself, he will not honor any women put forth no matter how seductively proffered or endorse
the feminist ascent to divinity which some of their more deluded numbers make no apology for blasphemously asserting (Daniel 11:36-37; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).
5 See the June 10, 2018 post, God’s Judgment Upon His House, under the categories Bible Prophecy and God’s Creatures.
6 Nor will an authentic Christian presence on the internet or in any other media long be tolerated. Read the October 21, 2018 post, Christian Television: Purveyor Of
Babel, under the categories Bible Prophecy and Call To Repent.
7 See the two-part post beginning August 23, 2020, The Churches Under Judgment, under the category, Instruction.
8 Such teaching and practice is fundamental to activity in the genuine repentance and Holy Spirit fired revival of the post Coronavirus paradigm the Lord led me to write
about in the April 26, 2020 post, There Is Only One..., under the category, Instruction. While there may not be uniformity of style in doing this, for the leaders’ sake,
there had better be unanimity of content informed exclusively and obediently by God’s Word (James 3:1)!
9 In its mission to restore men, their families and communities, this Ministry continues to stand ready to serve the instructional needs of men through for example, the
free download, Men Leading Family Worship At Home available in the Strong Man Store. Too, pastors and men’s leaders can teach and disciple men in biblical man-
hood through The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study also in the Strong Man Store. And coming this October for women, The Great Woman Of God Women’s
Group Study. Both studies can be conducted in small groups that gather together in person or by way of the internet.
Why is there still apparently so much angst and now, tumult among many that are politically conservative and profess to be Christians including those self-identified as evangelicals after this year’s Presidential election? Is it not because a year after the Coronavirus pandemic that persists, social unrest and political losses many are squaring up with the reality conservatism as it has been practiced in America may not endure? This is truly a frightening prospect to those that have rested their hope in this life almost exclusively on the control of human institutions of society to perpetually ensure their religious, moral, social and political values, dominance as well as prosperity. I get it.
Indeed, this line of thinking is by no means unique to American conservatism. It has been displayed by the peoples, nobles and royals of every nation and kingdom of men since the beginning. However, from the beginning also, the Almighty God, man’s Creator has been involved and at work in the affairs of men as His Word affirms (Genesis 3:9-11, 17-24, 6:5-22; Job 12:13-25). It is certain that neither Adam nor the people of Noah’s day that perished in the flood wished for an end; nor did king Nebuchadnezzar to whom God through the prophet Daniel revealed the future of His work to raise up and bring down kingdoms starting with Babylon until the coming of His own (Daniel 2:14-45).
The sovereign God has been in charge of the rise and fall of kingdoms up until now, and still is! Grasping this truth, the faithful in Christ understand our times are in His hand and accept His will to move them along even with judgments in accord with His plans and timing no matter how inconvenient, troublesome or adverse to our own plans, hopes and dreams (Psalm 31:14-15).1 While in general it is not wrong to pray for God to continue His gracious and merciful acts to preserve our nation and way of life as they are, it is to pray at cross-purposes with Him if it is abundantly clear as it is today, that the early warning judgments of His foretold end have begun to come upon the earth!
The generation that perished in Noah’s day had 120 years of his preaching as warning to prepare (Genesis 6:3; 2 Peter 2:4-5). Israel had all of the prophets from Moses and finally, Jesus of Nazareth, God’s Son--some 1,400 years--to warn them before their nation was destroyed and the people scattered a generation after His death, burial, resurrection and ascension (Ezekiel 7; Luke 19:41-44, 21:5-6, 21-24). Now, God has patiently given the world nearly 2,000 years since those days; time lengthy enough that some foolishly dare to scoff at us who continue to steadfastly wait for Christ’s promised glorious return and wrath as foretold (2 Peter 3:1-9; Revelation 6:12-17).
That a holy God has given sinners even one day is gracious and merciful (Ezekiel 18:4), but almost 2,000 years with the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 17:30-31)? As the Lord led me to write last year, the prayers of those professed Christians that He move His Coronavirus judgment and save our republic for among the emotionally manipulative and selfishly hypocritical reasons “the sake of our children and future generations” will not be answered by Him the way they want.2 If you truly cared about the children’s future, then, you would have fully repented from all of your biblically defined sins, rebellion and wickedness by now as God calls for (Numbers 14:1-3; Jeremiah 8:4-7).
Instead, by your refusal to repent, cavalier attitudes about and disbelieving denial of the consequences until now, it is too late to delay His on the way judgments more severe than losing elections, a nation and way of life (2 Kings 20:12-19; Ezekiel 12:21-28).3 And though they will suffer short-term, the eternal fortunes of our saved children will be infinitely greater than the inheritance of a crumbling nation and world facing divine wrath (Numbers 14:26-33; Hebrews 3:7-19). This is why the best inheritance to give our willing children is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they might be saved and instruction about how to faithfully endure suffering persecution to the end (1 Corinthians 15:19)!4
It is time to stop denying the present and warnings about what is coming we Christians have as a legacy of hope from God through His prophetic Word; His plans and purposes now, in play! Therefore, let those that repent of all selfishness and rebellion pray in accord with His will for God to restore you through the Holy Spirit. Pray for strength and wisdom to be a bold witness for Christ. Pray to stand firm in faith throughout all that is unfolding against believers in the darkness as trouble and be encouraged in it (Psalm 46; John 16:33; Philippians 4:4-6; 1 John 5:4-5).5 Pray for all your sustenance. Pray for and support fellow persecuted brethren everywhere. Pray for the expeditious coming of our God’s Kingdom to the earth (Matthew 6:5-15; 1 Peter 5:5-11; Revelation 6:9-11, 7-8:6)!
1 This is a reality the Lord had me address early on during the spread of His Coronavirus judgment in a May 3, 2020 post, Why Now, Lord?, under the category, Encour-
agement.
2 See the April 5, 2020 post, God Is Speaking and that of April 19, 2020, Does Anybody Repent Anymore?, both under the category, Call To Repent.
3 In a chapter aptly titled, God And Politics in his 1989 book, Against The Night, (Vine Books, Ann Arbor, Michigan), political and biblical conservative, Chuck Colson, is
unambiguous in asserting the 80’s Reagan Presidential era and height of evangelicalism’s Moral Majority had “failed” in the attempt to effect a swing in our nation to a
decidedly Christian morality. Religious conservatives, he contends, ignored “two key truths” as reasons writing: “first, the solutions to all human ills do not lie in political
structures; and second, it is impossible to effect genuine political reform solely through legislation,” (p. 117). Colson ought to have known since he came to know Christ
while incarcerated for crimes committed carrying out political dirty tricks in the cause of a conservative President. Too, the historic sinful duplicities of religious conser-
vatives such as upholding systemic racism also contributed to their failure. The failure of the 80’s continues into the present hour where a divided nation is crumbling
into ruin as the Lord led me to warn in a two-part post beginning September 11, 2016, American Culture’s Religion, under the category, Call To Repent. Consequently,
Colson also affirms my conviction from the Lord that any real national reformation would have begun with individuals which only He can effect through Holy Spirit em-
powered salvation (Titus 2:11-3:8).
4 My book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics can help in this instructional effort. A print copy or digital download of the book published by the Publishing Division
of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater clarity and updated web addresses in the footnotes is available 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. Too, parents
and church leaders can teach, disciple and equip the next generation through The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and The Great Woman Of God Women’s
Group Study also in the Strong Man Store.
5 Colson in his book earlier referenced and others that followed is not calling for disengagement from culture, but for the Church to be the Church as salt and light serving
God’s Kingdom purposes which include holding up “the blood stained banner” of Christ and His transcendent morality, (pp. 118-121, 135-137). This is not possible to
any effective extent of course, if the many that profess to be Christians are corrupt and complicit with this dark world in its rebellion against God. For this reason, Colson
also calls for repentance among guilty professed Christians and their churches, (Chapter 15 and beyond).
Alert readers of my March 2, 2014 blog, The Testing Of Our Faith under the category, Instruction found me susceptible as all other Christians not only to the sin of unbelief, but also offering fear driven prayer to God that seeks His ratification of my solutions over what His might be. I should have known better by now--no doubt one of the reasons the Lord allowed me to go through the painful consequences. My youth in Christ is filled with those kinds of prayers that were not all treated with severity in the failed aftermath. Our God is a Father with no equal; a perfect balance of patience, wisdom and mercy as well as firmness and severity as needed with His sons. All praises be to Him!
One of the many advantages we mocked “born again” Christians (John 1:12-13, 3:1-8, NKJV) enjoy comes into clear focus during the fifth trumpet warning judgment of God presented in the second installment of last week’s two-part post.1 Born again Christians and remnant Jews marked out by the Holy Spirit as belonging to God will not suffer being repeatedly stung by creatures He permits to do this to those without Him! So painful are the stings and the torment from them, “men will seek death and will not find it…desire to die, and death will flee from them,” (Revelation 9:1-12, NKJV). The tormented will not forget how those with God’s mark escaped the experience.2
God’s elect remnant Jews are specially marked out for protection during all of His judgments and wrath (Ezekiel 9:1-11; Joel 2:28-32; Revelation 7:1-8)! While as the Lord Jesus taught, “the world cannot receive” the Holy Spirit “because it neither sees Him nor knows Him,” by virtue of having received Him upon their repentance and faith in the Gospel, believers come to “know Him” through experiencing new spiritual birth and His abiding presence “with” and “in” us (John 14:16-17, NKJV)! Though since He is Spirit we do not see Him with our natural eyes, His glorious presence with and in us marks us out as belonging to God and is seen by all in the spiritual realm (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)!
For this cause, the angel king over and controlling the stinging locusts is able to distinguish those with God’s living seal upon them from those without Him and by His command, restricts the creatures from touching them (Revelation 9:4). For the record, rather than bitter resentment in the aftermath of their unimaginable agony, those that suffer the five months of painful torment had the prior opportunity as every born again Christian to believe the Gospel and receive the Holy Spirit and should now, be filled with repentance!3 However, their choice to be embittered leaves them open to more intense satanic influence and the evil decision to embrace violent persecution as revenge.
Extremely greater than at this hour widely filled with suffering and martyrdom throughout many nations,4 as the Lord foretold, hatred of born again Christians at that time reaches the point where they are “hated by all nations for” His “name’s sake,” (Matthew 24:9, NKJV). In their reprobate thinking, hurting and killing Christians (whose numbers had swelled during the revival the Holy Spirit freshly sparks when marking out the Jewish remnant--Acts 2:1-21) will be striking back at God for the stinging creatures and every plague of His warning judgments through the time of His “two witnesses,” (Revelation 11:3-6, NKJV). But the sovereign God is in control (Revelation 6:9-11)!
As the Lord led me to write in a previous post this year,5 toward the end of the witnessing of His two witnesses by prophesy and plagues, God’s holy angels led by Michael war against Satan and his angels in Heaven and prevail. They are cast out and down to the earth that have been and are behind the persecution of Jews (the elect is protected) and faithful Christians who overcome through their faith in and love for Christ!6 To be sure, “the devil” comes down “having great wrath because he knows that he has a short time,” (Revelation 12, NKJV). At this precise moment the Holy Spirit ceases His restraint preventing the coming of Satan’s “lawless one,” (2 Thessalonians 2:6-12, NKJV).
He rises up “out of the bottomless pit” to “war against” God’s two witnesses, “overcome” and kill them;” leaving “their dead bodies…in the street” and allowing the whole unsaved world to celebrate their deaths “three-and-a-half days” until God resurrects and calls them up to Heaven. After the “great earthquake” that follows, Satan and his “beast” go forth to rally the world to their quest for exaltation, worship, destructive dominion and warfare against God through killing Jews and Christians--the beast taking up the revenge cause of those without God’s mark who were tormented (Romans 8:31-39; Revelation 11:7-13, 13:1-10, NKJV). This ushers in what the Lord Jesus first describes as “great tribulation,” (Daniel 7:1-8, 19-25, 9:27, 11:31-45; Matthew 24:15-22, NKJV).
During the three-and-a-half year great tribulation that is in fact the beginning of the “third woe” culminating in the outpour of God’s wrath and Second Coming of Christ (Revelation 11:14, NKJV), Satan’s beast will be aided in his ability to kill all, but especially faithful Christians who do not worship him by another resurrected deceitfully lowly, but malevolent figure. He causes an image of the beast to live and kill any that will not worship it. He also requires everyone to receive the beast’s “mark” on themselves showing that they belong to him in imitation of what God has done with His elect Jewish remnant and faithful born again Christians who refuse to take it (Revelation 13:11-18, 14:9-13, NKJV). Consequently, they are shown victorious in glory thereafter (Revelation 7:9-17, 15:1-4)!
1 Read part two of Unbelief In God Near Dramatic End, posted October 16, 2022 under the category, Bible Prophecy.
2 See footnote seven in the post cited above as well as the two-part post that begins June 7, 2020, Days Of Separation, under the category, Bible Prophecy, for deeper spiritual insight into how God making a distinction between His elects and the unsaved fits into His larger separating activity already in progress.
3 Since nowhere in Revelation 9:1-12 is there even a mention of repentance from among those tormented by the stinging creatures, we have no reason to believe there is in light of none in the far worse next plague in verses 13-21!
4 Visit https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/ for an overview presentation of what Christian persecution is, its growing scope and severity. This Ministry is pleased to prayerfully and financially support our persecuted brethren around the earth through Open Doors USA and invites you to do so as well!
5 Read the two-part post beginning February 13, 2022, War Of The Ages End, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
6 Such faith in and love for Christ (Revelation 12:11) fills the heart of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in His image I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. Get it along with the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study for the equipping of the saints in the home and churches in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
In light of what the Lord led me to write in the two-part post, Flavorless Salt Is Worthless, under the category, Call To Repent beginning August 2, 2020, He has given me a word of exhortation and encouragement for all of us that will be His faithful during these times of spiritual confusion, apostasy and His judgment. We or our faithful spiritual descendants that endure until the Lord comes as promised are not the first to have to live through such days waiting on Him to bring about deliverance and reversal. God’s faithful are a who’s who on His roll call of faith in the Bible that surround us as “so great a cloud of witnesses” headed up by our Lord Jesus Himself (Hebrews 11:4-12:2, NKJV)!
Among God’s faithful listed by the writer of Hebrews and inspirational to me personally serving by appointment of the Lord, are the Old Testament prophets in whose office of responsibility I also serve according to Ezekiel 33:1-9 during this New Testament era (Ephesians 4:11-16). One of the major Old Testament prophets was Isaiah who was called and used mightily by God to speak, write and act out His Word amidst the divided house of Israel, though, his messages were primarily to the two southern tribes and kingdom of Judah (Isaiah 6). Over 2,700 years later, those messages for the people and personalities of his times are saturated with prophetic import that reaches us today.
Up through the eighth chapter of his book, Isaiah foretells the judgment of God upon Judah for sin and imminent invasion of the northern kingdom’s ten tribes by the dominant power of the day, Assyria, for the wickedness of spiritual confusion and apostasy fed by idolatry. In that eighth chapter too, he is instructed by God about how he and all the other faithful to Him were to handle themselves during the times of spiritual confusion and apostasy that continued and while His judgment was taking place. For the faithful are not so by title or conferral of men, but as the very real description of their lives, words and deeds lined up with the character of God and His Word (Deuteronomy 7:9-11)!1
Like Isaiah and the faithful of his day, God first instructs us to “not walk in the way of this people;” the disobedient and unfaithful that in their spiritual blindness get caught up in the confusion of speculative conspiracy theories about the times. This is evidence that people have spun conspiracy theories from ancient times! The only difference today is the technology leap that has allowed the innumerable and rapid proliferation of these conspiracy theories and opinions. God also instructs Isaiah and us not to be terrified by or live in dread of the people or the content of their conspiracy theories, but fear the holy God alone and take refuge in Him (Isaiah 8:11-14a, NKJV).
To the unfaithful that choose not to fear God and let Him be their “sanctuary,” He will be “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” as in Jesus Christ, His Son, He has been “to both the houses of Israel” in unbelief; “a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” to this hour! The unfaithful “stumble” (fall away) and become captives to Satan for destruction because of their unbelief fed disobedience to “the Word,” (Isaiah 8:14b-15; 1 Peter 2:6-8, NKJV).2 Seeing the end for the unfaithful, Isaiah exhorts his “disciples” as also God’s to “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among” themselves; “wait on the Lord” in the time of judgment and “hope in Him,” (Isaiah 8:16-17, NKJV).
Isaiah presented himself and his two sons with God given names of prophetic significance that when fulfilled, would be additional affirmation of the right choice the faithful make to trust in God and His Word (Isaiah 8:18). We have the joy of that additional affirmation of God’s prophetic Word fulfilled in experiencing the power of the first coming of Christ through the Holy Spirit as testified to by His eyewitness apostles (Acts 2:1-39; Hebrews 2:10-18; 2 Peter 1:16-21; 1 John 1:1-4)! So, as Isaiah admonishes, we do not consult with psychics or the occult; nor do we trust in “lying wonders” Satan will soon be allowed to perform or blindly stay tethered to local churches under judgment where false teaching is going forth (Isaiah 8:19; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Revelation 18:1-8, NKJV).3
Indeed, many of the elder faithful in this generation rightly understand their faithfulness has been displayed in part by their attendance, participation in and financial support of a local church. However, as God has had me warning many years, not only can a local church become corrupt, but He shuts them down in judgment as thousands per year have been before His Coronavirus judgment.4 Now, in His Coronavirus judgment where most churches have been temporarily closed by government safety decree, we are to clearly understand it is not attendance and participation at buildings God values above all, but obedience!5 Therefore, if a local church is not being obedient to God’s Word, the faithful are to leave after lovingly attempting to urge repentance if possible.
For the faithful in all epochs the rallying cry is “to the Word of God” as it is written--undiluted, uncorrupted and uncompromised (Isaiah 8:20)! Even knowing there were some minor human copyist errors in the Old Testament scrolls He read and quoted from that adversaries love to point up, the Lord Jesus staked His life and teaching ministry on the Word of God (Matthew 4:1-11, 5:17-48; Luke 4:16-21); His apostles, its perpetual trustworthiness and value to believers (2 Timothy 3:13-17). In a time of spiritual darkness, confusion, apostasy and God’s judgment (Isaiah 8:21-22), the faithful look to, trust in and stand on the Word of God to endure to the end He has prepared; for we have seen and know the “great light” that has dawned and is soon to overspread the earth (Isaiah 9:1-7, NKJV).
1 Because of this truth, in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, I am led by the Lord to teach faithfulness as a fruit of the Spirit and required character
trait of aspiring strong men and great women of God in His image! A print copy or digital download of the book is available 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.
2 Read the February 2, 2014 post, The Falling Away, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
3 See the two-part post that begins May 21, 2017, Beware False And Deceitful Brethren, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 Read the reposts chronicling my own experience with the judgment of God upon local churches and prophecy He gave me concerning them beginning on August 30,
2015 with When Strong Men Of God Weep, followed by Death Of A Church--One Year Later and Praise For The Lord God Almighty! These were all posted under the
category, Glory To God!
5 This being true as the whole Bible teaches, a number of pastors are bringing shame on Christ and the faith by insisting on holding gatherings at their buildings in dis-
obedience to the government. This is not about Constitutional rights and government intrusion into religion, but righteous submission and obedience to a secular
government’s best effort to fulfill its divine mandate to protect its citizens from harm. And professed Christians that ostensibly answer to the God that brought the pes-
tilence are being disobedient claiming a right to worship? If we really want to worship God that bad, have we forgotten the individual Christian in any circumstance
always can since our bodies are His temples (John 2:19-21; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19-20)? Also, God is not doing a new thing in our not being able to assemble at
buildings. He has reminded us of the old thing from His Word where the smallest corporate form of the local church is a family in a house with teaching and worship
led by men as His chosen heads if there (Acts 2:44-47; Romans 16:3-5; 1 Timothy 3:1-7). Get the free download, Men Leading Family Worship At Home in the
Strong Man Store for such times as these and till the end. Otherwise, we know what is really behind the pushback by some pastors and churches to the point of
being willing to put people in harm’s way: the loss of income. Rather than disobeying the governing authorities trying to protect people, I exhort all to take their instruc-
tions on public gatherings as from God and His call to repent seriously during His Coronavirus judgment (Isaiah 26:20-21; 1 Peter 2:11-17)!
True to the epilogue of a literary work, the Lord leads me to provide some hopefully clarifying and helpful additional information on some issues not more fully presented or addressed at all in the three-part post, Jacob, God Named Israel, under the category, The Cause, just concluded June 18, 2023. In doing so, I am being especially sensitive to help those who have only recently become Christians and aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ to develop a basic understanding of our God; His ‘“thoughts’” and ‘“ways’” which ‘“are not’” and infinitely ‘“higher’” than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9, NKJV).1 He is after all, God Almighty who made us and not the other way around (Isaiah 40:12-26)!
First, God is sovereign. This means He is the highest authority in all of existence (Psalm 9:1-2; Isaiah 44:6). Whatever He chooses to do in Heaven and His creation is His business for which He has no obligation to give an account to anyone. In accord with the foregoing, God’s election of Jacob over his fraternal twin, Esau, to be the heir of the covenant of promises made to their forefather, Abraham, and father, Isaac, was His sovereign business He does not have to explain nor does anyone have the right to question (Romans 9:6-21)! That said, neither Ishmael nor Esau rejected as heirs of the covenant of promises went unblessed (Genesis 17:18-22, 27:38-40; Deuteronomy 2:1-5).
Also, concerning Esau, Jacob and their divergent interests and dispositions, I was led by the Lord to point out Esau’s wild outdoorsman persona passed off as prototype manhood by some in the Christian men’s movement is not biblical.2 Truly, no portrait of manhood coming from the will of sinful men (and there are many) finds favor as a preference with God our Creator. The portrait of manhood God designed and exalts begins and ends in His Son, Jesus Christ! For this cause, more important than any manhood persona devised by men or what we do as responsibilities in all other roles of biblical manhood is who we are as “sons of God” in Christ’s “image” (Romans 8:12-30, NKJV)!
Second, Jacob came by his use of deceit in his affairs honestly from both Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 12:10-20, 26:6-11).3 How could God be so favorable to such men? How can God be so gracious to all sinners including us saved through the blood of Christ, the promised Seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Besides being back to His sovereignty and the fact He can choose to work with any sinful man He wills, you have conveniently forgotten the patriarchs were saved by faith as we are (Romans 3:20-4:25; Galatians 3:15-18). So, if God had not interacted with sinful men, none of us would be here because as Scripture shows, He would have destroyed all by now (Genesis 6:5-8)!
Third, Jacob’s attitude toward Leah in what amounted to a forced marriage was not right, but understandable in the sinful flesh. He did not love Leah, but mechanically fulfilled his marital expectations including sleeping with her. God did not make Jacob love her as He does not force us to love Him! Instead, He intervened for and blessed Leah with fertility while making Rachel infertile during the first fourteen years of the polygamous marriage. Too, He worked in the mess Jacob had made from failing to seek Him to serve His purposes and grow him as He does with us. Meanwhile, the Lord also took Rachel from him without apology as she died giving birth to only their second child.
Fourth, incestuous polygamy was dealt with in this year’s Mother’s Day post.4 As noted then, marrying two sisters became sin and all of the sexual sins that come up during our examination of Jacob were later addressed with his descendants and the world through the one and only written Law God gave them. Marriage to sisters was forbidden in Leviticus 18:18. Raping an unmarried virgin and sex with the wife of one’s father both arise in the final Jacob, God Named Israel post (Genesis 34:1-2, 35:21-22a). God’s commands about these two issues are found written one after the other in Deuteronomy 22:28-30.5 His perpetual moral standards in these and all the commands of the written Law are integrated into the New Testament as well (Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 5, 6:9-20).
Finally, among the ways I was taught and built up by the Lord writing as a focus on Jacob of the three Jewish patriarchs, is having a greater appreciation for the end of the journey. Abraham, followed by Isaac and Jacob appeared on God’s generational stage performing their parts ultimately in the drama of His plan from eternity to redeem fallen mankind through their greatest Descendant, the Lord Jesus Christ, then died. How the sons and family of each patriarch gathered to and buried them touched me deeply. Giving me a right now, application, the Lord took pioneer Christian broadcaster, Pat Robertson, 93, home during these posts. He was clearly a patriarch to his family, those at CBN, other ministries he founded and many Christians during his time on God’s stage.6
1 While acknowledged, nowhere in the Bible will one find God being okay with weak and feeble devotion to Him! To the end of helping professed Christian men passionately press to “be strong in the Lord” as He wills, I wrote the book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics (Ephesians 6:10, NKJV). Its Hard and Soft Cover or E-Book Edi- tions as well as companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study are available in the Strong Man Store, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
2 Read the June 4, 2023 part one post, Jacob, God Named Israel, under the category, The Cause.
3 Despite all of the good God did through the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they left a legacy of using deceit in situations especially of fear with their descendants (technically, Abraham did not tell the whole truth which is still deceit--see Genesis 20). Beyond what was noted in the June 18, 2023 post about the use of deceit by the “sons of Jacob” after the rape of their sister and making him with all the rest of the family believe Joseph had been killed and eaten by an animal (Genesis 34:13-29, 37: 23-35, NKJV), it has played a role in their biblical history and attempted even to the face of God in Christ (Exodus 2:23-25; John 8:31-33).
4 See footnote 5 in the May 14, 2023 post, Motherhood: A Female’s Greatest Gift, under the category, Biblical Worldview.
5 No one guilty of sin before the written Law got away with anything! Reuben, Simeon and Levi are examples of those who received enduring divine judgment from the lips of their father, Jacob, for their sins (Genesis 49:3-7). And note the fear of retribution in all of his guilty sons concerning their brother, Joseph (Genesis 42:18-24, 50:15-21).
6 CBN stands for Christian Broadcasting Network.
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