The Scourge Of Racism
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So tragically, lawless, mass gun violence struck again this past week in our nation. I pray for the healing and salvation of the grieving families who lost loved ones along with survivors that do not know Jesus Christ. In the same week the evil concocted theme, “Battle Of The Sexes” is in theatres, I was greatly impressed former NFL player, Ray Rice, sat with his wife, Janay, here in Portland to speak out against the more common domestic violence. When the 2014 video of him hitting his wife in an elevator made national news, I hoped for this day and said so in radio interviews. Domestic violence concerns me because contrary to the slander of some, I am not a misogynist as anyone who reads my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and the blogs I have written will see.
My God inspired cause to restore men as His appointed leaders in the home, churches and larger society (if it would receive it) does not equal toleration for or condoning male abuse of anyone. In the image of Christ, the aspiring strong man of God understands abuse is evil. In my book and Strong Man Minute radio spots such as “Girls,” and “Women: God’s Gift To Men,” I transparently share my shame over being violent out of anger issues in my youth before becoming a Christian.1 After becoming a developing believer, I still struggled with the anger fed tendency to be too physical as many men in the churches until the Lord set me free (another benefit of restoring men) as I write about in this 2012 Commentary I am posting for this week’s blog.2
Originally Published October 2012
No honest discussion of violence in America, indeed, the world, could be conducted without also including the tragedy of violence against women by men. While as a matter of addressing domestic violence, women do assault men, the number of such incidences is very small compared to male on female assaults and murder. Interestingly, even in this epoch of the woman created and championed by feminists from all persuasions, violence against women has continued unabated. God is not pleased about this nor should any aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ! Truly, we are required--as did our Lord--to protect our weaker partners (John 12:3-8; 1 Peter 3:7).
Before getting too far into this Commentary, let me quickly state that I come to this subject with the due humility of past guilt and shame in having been a male starting as a teenager, that has unleashed violence upon females. No, as I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God, Back To Basics, I have never hit my wife of over thirty years. However, I have experienced the kind of anger that as a teenager with little self-control led to my striking a few of the females I was coupled up with. Also, in complete transparency, out of that same often, quick anger I have fought other males and struck or disciplined my children as a father. Much of what is behind violence is anger.
My quick anger is one of many personal flaws that are the result of a sinful nature and “type A” personality inherited from my mother in particular. Even so, I watched helplessly as a little boy while my father beat up my mother after repeated warnings to stop assailing him verbally (and sometimes physically) on a number of occasions including holidays where alcohol fueled things. I became very angry with dad for hurting mom, but reserved my greatest anger for her because I clearly saw how so often she provoked him. It was not hard for me thereafter, as a seething hot head and bully, to start fighting males and dealing out violence upon females.
Violence and murder are the next recorded displays of sin after Adam's original fall in the Bible. Cain rose up violently against and murdered his own brother, Abel (Genesis 4:1-8). For all we know Cain's act was premeditated (examine Genesis 4:6-8 carefully). Regardless, note that Cain was angry (vs. 6). Again, whether it is quick rising, simmering or buried internally as bitterness, anger plays a major role in violence; some of which leads to murder. This is why that when alcohol and/or drugs are added to the mix loosening inhibitions and self-control, violence is a natural result. Cain's anger driven murder brought God's judgment and left a legacy (Genesis 4:9-24).
The Lord Jesus Christ also made the connection between anger in all of its forms and violence as He gave greater light behind the command of God not to murder in Matthew 5:21-22. The Lord places the person angry without a cause in the same peril of divine judgment as the murderer. However, even with cause (provocation), acting on that anger in just calling folk names was subject to judicial reprimand and/or dispatch to the lake of fire. In other words, sin influenced human anger in the divine assessment is very serious because of how it can lead to escalating evil including violence and murder (Ephesians 4:26-27, 31-32). Truly, violence does not easily arise from a tender heart.
As sinful creatures, separated from God, it has been easy historically since Cain for men to bully, batter and murder women. Since they are naturally physically smaller and weaker generally speaking, bigger and stronger men in sin use violence or the threat of it to impose their will. It has been an oppressive, tyrannical headship sinful men from all cultures have exercised over their female partners and in the natural, I understand why given the opportunity in these last days, women have risen up in protest and rebellion. However, as rising domestic violence reports confirm, this, or jails are not fixing men or women as sinners, which is the real problem according to God's Word.
The remedy for reducing domestic violence is life change through the power of God in the Gospel and the Holy Spirit as well as teaching men from His Word their proper roles and responsibilities. As aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ, for example, we men are to cherish our wives as our own bodies. No sane man harms his own body (Ephesians 5:28-29). Those with anger issues like I had own them to God in repentance and seek deliverance along with renewal through the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:12-13, 8:12-13; Galatians 5:16-25). Also, let aspiring great women of God respect their husbands at all times (Ephesians 5:33; 1 Peter 3:1-6). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 Listen to the Strong Man Minute Web edition here.
2 I speak a little more about the Lord’s work to deliver me from anger bondage in part 2 of the March 6, 2016 blog, When The Messengers Are Bound, under the categories, Black History and The Cause.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of our readers that are mothers! Just as God gave Adam one, simple command that he disobeyed, so, He gave woman taken out of man a two-fold purpose and one command (Genesis 2:17, 3:16b). But Satan, sin and self have not let all women joyfully embrace God’s two-fold purpose to be wives and mothers. In fairness, sinful men have not always made the two-fold purpose of women easily appealing to them! Nevertheless, the will of God stands as validated by Jesus Christ when questioned on the issue of divorce (Matthew 19:1-10). He did as He has led me to do in teaching God’s program for mankind: go back to the beginning.
All disobedience is sin! Thus, on this Mother’s Day 2018 the Lord has had me post this edited 2010 Commentary near the end of my series of posts since April 8th and celebrating “The Value Of Women” to stress that women like men as sinners need His salvation too. Even if you have done the will of God in being a wife and mother, this alone cannot save you! However, if you have disdained obedience to the will of God for you as a wife and mother being a feminist or other rebel barring any natural obstacles such as no suitors or sterility respectively, then you have magnified the justice of His wrath upon you as a sinner.1 Weak in sin, God prefers to have you become great in His sight!
Originally Published May 2010
Our nation's calendar is fast filling up with special days for every conceivable person, thing and event. The significance of the older of these special days is already diminishing in the face of their increase and the obvious commercialism that is attached to each one. Mother's Day is one of those older special days that is steadily losing its power to forcefully direct our thinking not only to authentic appreciation of our mothers, but even deeper, the absolutely essential role women have in the continuing existence and expansion of humanity on earth.
It is in the intensifying darkness of rebellion against the divine purposes for, design and order of human life on earth that every aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ can see the light of how sin is devastating the female version of man and motherhood. The Bible says, “all have sinned…,” (Romans 3:23), so, this clearly means women too! It also means women equally like men are weak before God through sin. Women in pride engage in denial and play all of the mental games of men to attempt to escape their weak and fallen condition with the same failed result.
However, after thousands of years of mostly compliance with their unique calling as wives and mothers by divine design and creation, in these latter days a growing number of women are even openly rejecting that calling. Some defiantly refuse to marry men and become mothers preferring instead to have same sex relationships or to pursue male oriented ambitions. Others willfully choose to become single mothers. An incredible number of married and single mothers abuse, abandon and murder their children. These acts born of sin in weakness are very egregious to God.
The female version of man only exists in this present age to help their husbands fulfill God’s two basic purposes: rule the earth as stewards and fill it with humanity (Genesis 1:26-28). God created the man first making him the head and took the woman out of him as his companion and helper. In their bodies He deliberately created a division of role and responsibility for the conception of children. The man fathers the children; the woman conceives, bears and nurtures them.2 Together, the couple and their children were to subdue and govern territory on the earth to the glory of God. This is still God’s program until He, not man, changes it and He is going to (Luke 20:27-36)!
While the sons of God from among men and women of this present age that live to please Him and do His will are His strong men eternally, the women are now also called great!3 This is because Christian women that voluntarily submit to the order, roles and responsibilities God has designed for the fulfillment of His mortal purposes well please Him. There is no greater work or ministry they can perform than to cooperate with God and their husbands in bringing human life into existence (1 Timothy 2:11-15). Indeed, Adam called his wife, "Eve" because he understood the awesome role and responsibility she was given as "the mother of all living," (Genesis 3:20, NKJV).4
In being a wife and mother, women act in the likeness of God. The Holy Spirit condescends to serve as every Christian's intended eternal Companion and Helper (John 14:16-17). The great woman of God humbly submits to the divine will to do the same with her husband. God is a life giver; women are too. God said from the beginning, "'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness,'" (Genesis 1:26a, NKJV). Man the male and female both share in the image and likeness of God. Hence, because the woman is not the head of the family does not make her roles any less important. Praise God for His great and all women that willingly choose to be wives and mothers!
Women and men of this age that refuse to fulfill their God assigned roles and responsibilities plainly show themselves to be proud, arrogant and self-willed rebels that will be destroyed in the divine wrath that is near at hand (Romans 1:18-32). So, the Lord is calling all rebels to repentance! The unsaved are called to repent and believe the Gospel--that He died on the cross for your sins, was buried and rose again on the third day--to be saved from wrath (1 Corinthians 15:1-4); willfully sinning professed Christians to escape the fate of being found apostates (Hebrews 10:26-31, 35-39). Judgment begins (and has begun) in God's own house on the earth (Luke 13:6-9; 1 Peter 4:12-19). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 I am well aware that there are church traditions of Christianity the religion of men that have given women a path out of God’s two-fold purpose for them through voluntary
celibacy and consecrated service. However, if the Bible is used as the final source of authority, God’s specific calling of women to lifelong celibacy is not found in it,
though, the apostle Paul affirms it as an acceptable, personally chosen act of devotion (1 Corinthians 7:25-40). Even so, younger women especially must be soberly committed to their vow lest--as Paul warns about widows--they renege bringing condemnation on themselves and giving Satan opportunity to boast (1 Timothy 5:9-15). I conclude in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics that lifelong celibacy as a specific calling from God is of men and very rare. Learn the reason why and more about the biblical calling to lifelong celibacy by getting a copy of my book available through all major internet booksellers, order from your favorite brick and mortar bookstore and in the Strong Man Store. Concerning Christianity as a manmade religion read my two-part, August 21-28, 2016 post, Christianity The Religion Of Men, under the category, Instruction.
2 Read the May 1, 2016 post, Natural Bodies By Divine Design, under the category, God’s Creatures.
3 Definition and prophetic clarity concerning the great woman of God and the eternal future of mortal women are fully given from the Bible in my book. Discussion on these
topics drawn from the Bible and my book can also be read in blog posts the Lord led me to write May 18-26, 2014 and June 19-August 7, 2016.
4 The Great Woman Of God Mothers message as an audio download or CD is available in the Strong Man Store.
Let it be absolutely clear as of first importance that the value of women to God is exactly the same for the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Man! As the Head of every man immediately under Him in God’s order of mankind and Creator, the Lord Jesus also gives full support to the divinely designed value of women to men and families (Matthew 5:27-32; Mark 10:1-16; 1 Corinthians 11:3). Truly, in condescending to become a Man conceived in His mother’s womb, birthed, nourished and nurtured by her, He has firsthand knowledge and appreciation of the experience of His creatures as well. He was raised as any other Male by Joseph and Mary in a Jewish family (Luke 2:21-24, 39-52).
During His ministry years, women were equally with men the beneficiaries of the messianic preaching, teaching and miracles of the Lord Jesus. Indeed, He modeled for all men the disposition God expects of us toward women as a leader, teacher, provider and protector (Luke 4:31-44, 7:1-17, 36-50). Women were well represented among the throngs that flocked to the Lord; becoming devoted disciples and helpers as major supporters (Luke 8:1-3, 10:38-42; John 12:1-8). However, in accord with His Father’s will in the divine order of mankind, the Lord did not appoint any women to become apostles as I explain in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics (Luke 6:12-16).1
The intense love and devotion women are historically known for showed toward Jesus even after His crucifixion resulting in them being the first recorded mortals to hear the news and see Him alive from the dead (Luke 23:50-24:10; John 20:11-18). There is no such thing as coincidence for the God I serve with my whole heart! Thus, to make this last post discussing the value of women to Jesus Christ on Pentecost is completely a God thing since I did not plan it this way. On this day nearly 2,000 years ago female followers of the now, ascended Christ, were also assembled with the apostles who by divine will had just picked the male replacement for Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:12-26).
Surely, Mary, the mother of the Lord or other faithful women who had followed Him from the beginning of His ministry would seem to have been prime candidates as well to replace Judas as an apostle. But the Lord did not give any sign whatsoever of a change in men alone being appointed apostles as was given to Peter at a later date concerning him as a Jew interacting with Gentiles (Acts 10:1-29). Nevertheless, when the Holy Spirit arrived as promised by Christ, He came upon all of the firstfruits assembly without discrimination; all spoke in ecstatic praise of the ‘“wonderful works of God’” not having learned, but using the known languages of the Roman Empire (Acts 2:1-13, NKJV)!
Of great significance about the crowd that had gathered to this miraculous occurrence, was the fact it was largely composed of men. This is because the “Feast Of Harvest” or “Weeks” also known as Pentecost was of the three solemn gatherings in the seven holy feast calendar God had expressly commanded that all the men of Israel were to be present (Exodus 23:14-17, 34:22-26; Deuteronomy 16:9-12, 16-17; Acts 2:5, NKJV). When it came time to explain what was going on and preach the Gospel to begin God’s full harvest of souls among the assembly of mostly male prospects, it was Peter that did so, though again, Spirit-filled women were present and could have too (Acts 2:14-41).
Clearly, God was continuing to be consistent with implementing His order of mankind from Adam! Men are His chosen leaders and He did not change this at the onset of the New Testament era.2 3 As a result, from this beginning point at Pentecost with the Lord’s apostles (Acts 2:42) forward in the rest of the New Testament, formally appointed leaders, elders and pastors in the churches were all men. The ministry of deacons as formal helpers to leadership was made up of men in any oversight of church run operational or ministry activities, while in no shocker, women in their role as helpers served with their husbands to help them. Married or single, some women engaged in personal service and help ministries to church members and leaders (Acts 9:36-43; Romans 16:1-2).
The Holy Spirit was not confused nor should we be walking in Him! For when He fell on that first assembly at Pentecost without discrimination to give new birth to each disciple of Christ and power to praise God, He also distributed their spiritual gifts knowing the Lord’s will for each and honoring the divine order (1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:7-16). Therefore, just as the Lord used women to prophesy in the Old Testament, none of them including Deborah ever stood before the whole congregation of Israel to do so as Moses or Jeremiah (Exodus 15:20-21; Judges 4:1-14; 2 Kings 22:14-20; Jeremiah 7:1-2; Luke 2:36-38). Neither were women priests or worship leaders. All of this carried over into this New Testament era as the Spirit imparted spiritual gifts to women (Acts 21:8-9)!
The Lord gives women the ability to prophesy, preach, teach or exercise sign gifts according to His will that is always consistent with His eternal Word and standing order of mankind. Prophesy is addressed to individuals He may send the prophetess to or that might seek her out. It might also be combined with the leadership gifts of preaching for proclaiming the Gospel and God’s message or teaching for biblically instructing women and/or children in gatherings small or large. Service gifts supernaturally enhance a woman’s natural abilities to help their husbands and/or the churches serve the Lord’s Kingdom causes. To go beyond the Lord’s will is sin (1 Corinthians 14:33-40)!4 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics is available through all major internet booksellers, by order from your favorite brick and mortar bookstore and in the Strong Man Store. I also discuss and elaborate on this issue as the Lord leads in the January 27-February 10, 2017 three-part blog series, Jesus, Son Of Man and in a June 2017 series, The Value of Men To God and Jesus Christ respectively, all under the category, The Cause.
2 As the Lord leads me to contend in an Appendix of my book, all of the deceitful arguments that are presented within the churches to allow women to preach to, teach and take authority over men within them in these latter days are all predicated on God having made a change of some kind in His attitude toward or implementation of the divine order of mankind. This is preposterous not only because the divine order is perfect and beneficial to mankind in this present age, but also because among other very important reasons it now includes Christ as the Second Adam and the Head of man! Read my April 8, 2018 post, The Second Adam Rules And Judges,
under the categories Call To Repent and Bible Prophecy to consider this point further. You can read my November and December 2007 two-part Commentary, When Did God Change? to walk through the major arguments of deceit that have enabled rebellion against the divine order in God’s house.
3 Unless one is willing to call God “sexist” or “unfair” (which some feminists do, though, most are careful to attempt to cloak this blasphemy by directing their accusations to those like me that would have the audacity to hold to God’s Word as it is written), there is no other option but to accept New Testament instruction and example as it
is. Doing so, of course, means feminism that opposes God’s order must be rejected because both approaches to human organization cannot be right at the same time
and are in fact, mutually exclusive. For more on calling God “sexist” or “unfair” read my May 8, 2016 post, God A Sexist?, followed the next week, May 15th with God Unfair?, both under the category, God’s Creatures.
4 Since so much confusion swirls around the Word of God in these latter days due in major part to poor interpretation, our Ministry as a Christian service continues to of- fer the free resource, Seven Principles Of Bible Interpretation the Lord led me to prepare to help those that honestly want to know how to interpret God’s Word. Distilled
from the excellent book, Knowing Scripture by Dr. R. C. Sproul that I urge you to get, our free resource is available in the Strong Man Store.
In light of all that the Lord has led me to write concerning worldly feminism and the great woman of God in His image since 2011,1 as He continues to lead it is time to fully address the out of place elephant in the room of women pastors. It is not as though the Lord has not had me address this issue before. However, it has mostly been brief statements that speak to women taking authority over men in God’s house such as posts during this Covid-19 year starting with the very first in a footnote.2 In this post, the Lord in grace, mercy and at the end of His longsuffering has me make an extended case for guilty women pastors to repent now, or face His at hand severe judgment!
Search the whole Bible from beginning to end to see if there is one instance of God calling a female to serve Him as a priest in the Old Testament or pastor in the New. You will not find even one because the immutable God is consistent with Himself from creation that men are His elect leaders beginning in the home (Genesis 2:7, 18-24, 3:16, 20, 5:1-5)! As the head of his house in the Old Testament, every man answered to God for his leadership and assigned responsibilities which included leading his family in worship and teaching His way (Genesis 8:20; Deuteronomy 6:4-9). When God established Israel’s priesthood He was very specific and direct in His words to Moses.
‘“Now, take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest…,’” (Exodus 28:1, NKJV). Plainly in the foregoing God makes His sovereign choice as to who of tribe, family and gender in Israel would serve Him as priests. Then, the Lord ensures that all understand His election of Aaron and his sons to serve Him as priests is for all time by declaring to Moses: ‘“The priesthood shall be theirs for a perpetual statute. So, you shall consecrate Aaron and his sons,’” (Exodus 29:9b, NKJV). Though women were singers (Nehemiah 7:66-67), none ever led worship nor served as priests or Temple attendants but the sons of Levi.
In the New Testament that fulfills God’s promise of a New Covenant with Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-34), her promised Messiah and King inaugurates it through His shed blood at their rejecting hands. Though not descended from Aaron, Jesus Christ is God’s exalted High Priest because His Priesthood is of a different, eternal spiritual order (Matthew 21:42, 26:26-28; John 19:5-22; Acts 4:8-12; Hebrews 4:14-5:11, 7-10:18). He as God’s great High Priest has made those of us who believe on Him from either mortal gender priests to serve God in the eternal “spiritual house” He has made us to be individually and together as His living Body (Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:4-10, NKJV).3
Yet, as the Lord and His apostles make clear, the spiritual priesthood believers enjoy through faith in Him does not invalidate God’s order of mankind and election of men to lead in the home as well as the local churches during this present mortal age. Indeed, the Lord Jesus had a golden opportunity to demonstrate any change in God’s order and did not when He appointed His twelve apostles that were all men. And later, after His resurrection when the eleven sought His will for one that would replace Judas who betrayed Him and committed suicide, the Lord has them select a man who met the apostolic criteria though, women were there including His own mother (Acts 1:9-26).4
There were no female apostles, pastors, elders, church sponsored ministry leaders or teachers over men in the first century churches or for nearly all of the centuries after until now, except in sin rebuked by Christ (Revelation 2:18-29). Paul--the Lord’s apostle specifically to us Gentiles where aberrations from God’s will from creation would be most prolific (Romans 1:18-32)--gives the reason when He presented and affirmed God’s order of mankind as the Father, Christ, man and woman to the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 11:2-10)! He and the apostle Peter also affirm God’s will that wives submit to the headship of their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24; Colossians 3:18; 1 Peter 3:1-6).
Moreover, Paul brought the direct command of Christ to Corinth and all of the churches to adhere to God’s order when the whole church met together which he reiterated to next generation leadership, Timothy, his son in the faith (1 Corinthians 14:33-37; 1 Timothy 2:11-15). To Timothy also he sets forth the perpetual will of Christ as to who is to be considered for the positions of pastor (to include an elder since a pastor was often both) and deacons in the local churches. In laying out their qualifications, the apostle is unequivocal that only men who demonstrate ruling ability at home are to be considered for these positions (1 Timothy 3:1-13). This was no glass ceiling artificially installed by sinful men, but instructions from Christ consistent with God’s order of mankind from creation!
Seeing then, that God has made no change in His order of mankind to be honored and practiced in the churches, the change that has taken place even celebrating professed Christian women taking authority over, teaching and shepherding men as church pastors has come from them and their male supporters.5 This is rank rebellion and a “latter times” display of foretold apostasy originating from “deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” as “the Spirit expressly” declared to the apostle Paul. For the woman pastor is a total contradiction and repudiation of Scripture and sound doctrine. Such women are out of order in the sight of God no matter how much they claim to have His calling and sanction and according to His Word, are not telling the truth (1 Timothy 4:1-2, NKJV)!6
Therefore, unless the guilty do thoroughly repent and abandon their demonically inspired rebellion and apostasy, the Lord is about to bring on you what He did the false prophets and wicked priests of old who also lied on Him and the promised end of all false teachers (Jeremiah 23:9-40, 28; Ezekiel 13; 2 Peter 2). The Lord will make you an example and omen of what lays ahead for your sister rebel feminists who make no pretense about knowing Him! Again, I exhort you to repent from your rank rebellion pursuing Satan’s dead end path to power and renown.7 Instead, in all humility and submission aspire to become a great woman of God in Christ’s image (Mark 10:35-45)! The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 My breakout blog posts challenging the satanic deceit of feminism that has infiltrated many churches take up the month of May 2015 as 2011 commentaries refuting four
classic arguments attempting to justify its presence that arise from sinful mortal flesh, not God’s Word. You do well to read these series of posts beginning May 3rd under
the category, The Cause and on May 31, 2015, What Does God’s Word Say?, under the category, Instruction if you have not already before taking to social or any other
media to assail me.
2 See the January 5, 2020 part one post of the two-part, Revelation’s Seven Churches In Time, under the category, Bible Prophecy. While the footnote points up the dis-
obedience of male pastors in allowing women to teach and take authority over men in the Lord’s house, the same is done in the body and a specific call to repentance
made to women pastors in a footnote of the April 19, 2020 post, Does Anybody Repent Anymore?, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 See the August 23, 2020 part one post, The Churches Under Judgment, under the category, Instruction.
4 See the May 20, 2018 post, The Value Of Women To Jesus Christ, under the category, God’s Creatures.
5 For those with a copy, read the second Appendix of my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. The Lord leads me to refute the lie God has made a change of
some kind in His attitude toward or implementation of the divine order of mankind. You can also read my November and December two-part Commentary,
When Did God Change? 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, my book is available as is the newly released Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study at major internet booksellers such as Amazon,
Barnes & Noble and ChristianBooks.com. These book sellers with Apple also have the digital download of the book. Type the titles into their search engines if neces-
sary. You can also purchase the book and all Strong Man Of God Brand Group Study Print Resources in the Strong Man Store!
6 Because most women are in greater touch with their emotions, it is very easy for evil men (to their chagrin) and demons to manipulate their strongly held and trusted
feelings. However, no matter how strongly you may feel, the Holy Spirit will never lead you to defy and disobey God’s written Word since that would be fighting against
Himself! If Satan is wise enough not to fight against himself, how much more wise is God not to do so (Matthew 12:22-30)? Anyone is self and/or demonically deceived
to believe God would lead them to disobey His Word and in making the Holy Spirit a party to your deceit, in danger of unpardonable blasphemy against Him (Matthew 12:
31-33)!
7 And woe to the men in willful disobedience who have usurped Christ and enabled this rebellion! I especially appeal to my professed Christian black American sisters in
so many churches where their numbers are in the majority and well represented among rebel women pastors to hear the Lord through me on this (Ezekiel 33:1-9; Acts
20:26-27; Revelation 2:21). Repent and voluntarily walk away as those did that escaped the fate of famous rebels Korah, Dathan and Abiram (Numbers 16:20-35). Yeah,
it’s serious like that!
In a recent radio interview discussing my book, one of the hosts and sister in Christ shared that from her experience, most women--Christian or not--want a strong man. While this may be true, contemporary feminist ideology--which at its core seeks for a separate and independent identity from men in what is called “equality”--sabotages this aspiration more so than any failures men may have that do so. Truly, there is nothing innately wrong with men that God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and power of the Holy Spirit cannot fix. However, willful rebellion against God’s order by women that are guilty including those professing to be Christians exacerbates the problems men in sin weakness have and provokes the wrath of God against them as rebels.
As the Lord led, I wrote about the issue of re-defining men, women, their roles and responsibilities that coincides with what is also being done with sin in the second chapter of The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. As is plainly shown in His Word, God did not create two heads in the order of the human family. Indeed, as I have taught over the years, we instinctively understand a two headed anything is not natural or normal. God created the man first and brought forth the woman second from out of him specifically to be his companion and helper (Genesis 2:7, 18-25). She was fully equal to him in person, but God gave the couple different roles and responsibilities that are also plainly seen in their bodies.
The man was to be the head over his wife and chief leader in the family. This was not about inequality, but divine will and order for humanity; order that is everywhere apparent within the family of God, Heaven and its ranks of angelic majesties, the cosmos and every kind of display of life on planet earth. Truly, God is One (communicating absolute unity and equality of Person) and yet, within the triunity of God, the Father is the Head, Christ the Word is the Son and the third Person is the Holy Spirit ready to do the will of the Father and Son (Genesis 1:1-3; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:13-17; 28:19; John 1:1-5, 14-18, 14:28, 15:26). Read my July 27, 2014 blog, God Of Order under the category, Instruction to learn more about the divine display of and commitment to order.
So, men are to be the heads over their wives by the express will of God in consistency with the divine order in which the woman came from the man for him, but since then, both are dependent on the other in the Lord’s continuing program of marriage and procreation (1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-12). Understanding from the Holy Spirit the surpassing greatness and blessing of God’s order of marriage framed within the Christian faith, the great apostle Paul purposely taught it to first century Christians (Ephesians 5:22-24; Colossians 3:18; Titus 2:1-5). With consistency, he also taught how God’s order of marriage in male and female roles and responsibilities were to be carried out in all of the churches largely made up of Gentiles since the Jews already knew from the mosaic law and had been obedient since Abraham’s day (Genesis 3:16b; 1 Corinthians 14:33-40; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 1 Peter 3:1-6).
Yes, in general historically, men have blown it big time as it concerns being the kind of ruler God designed after the image and likeness of God and perfectly modeled by our Lord Jesus Christ (Genesis 1:26; Ephesians 5:25-33; Colossians 3:19; 1 Peter 3:7). I own this truth in the book and apologize to my sisters for it. However, I also say the failure of men does not warrant a full on rebellion against God by women in these latter days since the failure of men is due entirely to the fall and sin as an indwelling reality going forward. Though because of his status before God as the head, Adam’s disobedience condemned the race (Romans 5:12), nevertheless, it was Eve who led the way as the first human sinner (Genesis 3:6; 1 Timothy 2:14).
Now, today, will the women who are guilty as Eve’s daughters also lead a rebellion against God’s order and expect that their sin will set everything right? Apparently they think so since the rebellion is in progress and has been growing for a generation. At this point, as the Lord leads, I especially speak from the heart to the women of my own race and people. I know so many of you have had to step in to fill the void left by missing men since slavery and not all from the demoralization of our experience that affected those without Christ the most. Some were irresponsible as men weak in sin then, as the many are today. By default and for your children, you had to become the head of the family as Deborah also had to save Israel when the men were weak before God (Judges 4:4-22).
We who are learning the way of the strong man of God in the image of Jesus Christ understand from the foregoing that we owe you a great debt of gratitude. But if in these latter days a significant number of us will successfully rise up from the dead of sin weakness into the restoration of strength through Christ to become strong men of God in His image, those of our sisters who are guilty must repent from the pride of feminism and relinquish your grip on headship to return to honoring God’s order in the home and churches as it is written in His Word! Two independent heads of the house sounds good to the rebel heart, but in practical application engenders conflict and blocks a man from becoming strong in his role and responsibility to lead as God has hard wired into his existence and is revived in the strong man of God message and cause.
Too, as is well known, what is being done right now in rebellion is not working to facilitate intact families. The high levels of single females who feel obliged to be sexually promiscuous and enable male irresponsibility by financially supporting them to attract their interest, domestic violence, divorce, shacking and single female headed households (many with children from different absent fathers) amply demonstrates the truth. If women of the world will not return to God’s program, then, surely those professing to be Christians should though some of my strongest opposition to restoring men over the years has come from this group because they do not want to abandon their selfish ambitions for position, power and recognition in the churches inspired by the flesh and feminism not God! Let all unrepentant rebel females be warned that since God shows no partiality, they equally face His wrath with guilty males (Romans 2:1-11).
So, how can willing professed Christian women who are guilty return to God’s program and help restore men as aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ? The first step always where sin is involved is to confess and repent from it before God. Second, accept the fact God is the Author of the roles and responsibilities of men written in His Word not mortal flesh and submit to Him. Third, if relinquishing the authority of headship is a problem for you, in your fresh submission to God ask for the heart of John the Baptist who as the Lord Jesus greater in role and responsibility came on the scene said, ‘“He must increase, but I must decrease,’” (John 3:30, NKJV). John understood and accepted his role in God’s program (John 3:22-36). So should every aspiring great woman of God in the image of Christ today as divinely appointed helpers and spiritual descendants of those from ancient times recorded in the Bible and history that God may be glorified in you!
On this thirty-third anniversary since the Lord led me to found Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc., the organizational parent of Strong Man Ministries, He has me continuing to deal with two themes: violence against young black males and folk practicing Christianity as a religion of manmade invention. In this post of an edited 2012 Commentary,1 however, the violence against and killing of young black males comes purposely at their own hands, while it is predominantly black Americans as professed Christians in many churches practicing their own form of Christianity completely powerlessness to reverse this evil to any extent that are addressed.2
Without repentance, total community self-destruction is assured! With repentance and embrace of biblical Christianity in genuine Holy Spirit empowered revival, there is still some hope and a little time left to make a difference for good among our spiritually lost, young black males and entire community. This hope is not a fantasy like that of the fictional, comic book Black Panther king, his other world magical flower and cloaked kingdom of Wakanda. Our hope is fully grounded in the reality of the Son of God, His anointed King, Jesus Christ, revealed from Heaven who died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again to bring salvation and its exceedingly great benefits including His eternal power and Kingdom rule to all mankind now (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:8)!
Originally Published August 2012
The mostly Portland, OR area black American men and pastors that walk the streets to intervene with our boys and that recently came together to address how churches should handle gang related funerals are to be commended for their efforts. Formerly in my pastorates and through Strong Man Ministries I have witnessed to gang members. Eight years ago, I also attended a community meeting in the aftermath of yet another uptick in gang violence and was pierced deeply by the statements of one gang member who shattered all of our presumptions about gang bangers. His words made me realize Spirit led Christians can help curtail gang violence, but must be more assertive about it.
Let me be clear that I fully understand the problem with gangs and all forms of lawlessness in our communities are complex and multi-faceted. Even so, at its core, the criminal enterprise of gang banging with all of its associated lifestyle props is a spiritual issue of sin and evil. For example, the gang member that greatly disturbed me and others in the community meeting said that they are not all from single female led homes and poverty. This particular gang member had come from a two-parent, middle class home and was banging for the thrill of it--so much for viewing and solving the problem solely as a matter of political, economic, social and educational victimization!
Secular governments and police agencies are frustrated along with the few engaged church leaders that deal with the gang problem having rejected a biblical worldview and approach to curtailing it. Biblical Christianity is plain that gang bangers are sinners and need the Gospel like all other sinners to face up to the fact that a holy God has condemned them and their wicked behavior (criminality, violence and murder are sin). However, God loves and sent His Son, Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners that will repent from their sins and believe in Him (John 3:16-18a)! Those who believe become new creations with renewed minds by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:17-24).
Sinners who refuse to repent and believe in Christ from the heart remain condemned before God (John 3:18b-21; Romans 3:9-20; Galatians 5:19-21). With our continued attempts to reach gang members in and out of prison,3 they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law to include receiving the death penalty when they harm and murder others respectively (Genesis 9:4-6; Romans 13:1-4). Churches mocking Christ's words should not provide a Christian burial service to those killed while banging (Matthew 7:21-23). But such tough love will never happen until pastors repent from not preaching the Gospel and the whole counsel of God with a unified voice into our communities.
Again, in having rejected a biblical worldview, secular governments and police agencies are outwitted and gunned in their struggle with the gang problem while too many church leaders appear to be willfully ignoring or helpless against the reality of the evil that supports it. Biblical Christianity also presents lawlessness as the spiritual outworking of evil (2 Thessalonians 2:3-9). According to the Bible, Satan is the original gangster as well as author of gang violence among angels and murder among men (Ezekiel 28:11-16; John 8:44). Because of this reality, faithful Christians or the world will never totally eradicate gangs for lawlessness even increases as the Lord foretold (Matthew 24:12).
However, just as our Lord went about destroying the works of the devil for the love and liberation of oppressed humanity, so must we for the sake of our sons, families, churches and communities (Acts 10:36-38; 1 John 3:8). Aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ understand that we are not as a first priority wrestling against human beings, but territorial fallen spirits; demons whose mission it is to oppose God by destroying the men of His love (Daniel 10:1-14, 20-21; Ephesians 6:12).4 Therefore, we properly suit up and begin to attack the gang problem where it originates: in the spiritual realm among demonic hordes arrayed against us (2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 6:10-18).
Such warfare requires that sinning pastors turn back to and lead their churches in the way of biblical Christianity which is routinely the power of God on display (Mark 16:15-18)! And since they have failed to do this until now, much fasting and prayer in revival must precede and bathe the warfare (Mark 9:14-29). Our liberated children will still need to be mentored spiritually in faithful, Bible teaching churches and encouraged to pursue an education as well as positive activities, employment or entrepreneurial opportunities. Our boys in particular must no longer be given mixed messages about what a man is and does as a leader in the home and churches!5 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 This Commentary originally launched a trilogy on violence that ended with Arresting Violence Against Women that posted on October 6, 2017, under the category,
Biblical Worldview. Lord willing, the middle Commentary--a follow up to this one entitled, Valuing Human Life, will post August 19, 2018.
2 The Lord has led me to write many commentaries and blogs over the years to professed Christian black Americans and our churches calling for repentance from re-
ligion and revival because of the sinfully lost opportunities to showcase the life changing power of the Gospel and power of God in our community. Read for exam-
ple, the February 8-15, 2015 two-part post, Strong Through God, Not Religion, under the category, Black History.
3 Since 2005 Strong Man Ministries has been intentionally engaged in reaching young males with the Gospel using media, on the streets, in sports and the prisons.
Learn more about our activities in summary on our Web Site or for our work with youth go directly to the Strong Man Minute Page. This Ministry stands ready to
come along side of and stand with any Kingdom driven church of Jesus Christ to reach especially our males--God’s chosen family heads with the Gospel and make
a difference for good among all of our community members.
4 I write about Christian men as aspiring strong men of God in the image of Jesus Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available at all
major internet book sellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the Strong Man Store.
5 Males are purposely introduced to the Christian faith and taught biblical manhood which includes divinely willed Christ-like character in traits to help them mature in
Christ through The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study, available in the Strong Man Store. My book also teaches about purposeful mentoring by way of spiritual
fathering. This is spiritually maturing Christian men working with younger men and boys to help them grow in the faith. They also model to and teach them what it
means to be a man by God’s design and walk in His assignment of family headship and church leadership.
Critical to a human family as God designed it in perfection is a devoted wife and mother. For while a man as the head of the family importantly initiates, gives visionary leadership and overall governance to it, a devoted wife and mother provides bonding love to all and excellent management skills that keeps it running smoothly. Regardless of family size, her job is incredibly challenging and requires all that God has designed a woman to be naturally and because of sin, supernaturally in nature, character and demeanor to pull off successfully! Therefore, being a devoted wife and mother as a woman is not something inferior or trivial, but very significant and precious to her family.
The struggle many women of child bearing age have today balancing education and career aspirations with the demands of being fully devoted wives and mothers is taking a devastating toll on them and their families. From personal mental and physical health issues to the multifaceted drama of marital strife often leading to divorce and traumatized children, many affected 21st century women attempting to live out 20th century feminism’s narcissistic ideal to “have it all” are suffering greatly. In the process, virtually gone are the days women as devoted wives and mothers joyfully gave themselves in self-denying, sacrificial service to their husbands and children and were still fulfilled.
From the 18th century industrial age women have been pressing their way into male dominated workplaces. While the Woman’s Suffrage Movement sought to politically enfranchise them in the 19th century, by the middle of the 20th century, feminist descendants expanded their objectives to include the right to be free from the ancient biblical, Judeo-Christian expectation of marriage and family. As I wrote in a previous Mother’s Day post, Betty Friedan is generally credited with voicing the rallying cry for “Women’s Liberation” from what she and others she surveyed felt were the mundane and dissatisfying tasks of just being wives and mothers especially for those that had been educated.1 2
Since Friedan in the mid-sixties, feminism has urged women to pursue their dreams in all fields of endeavor and to do so without guilt concerning marriage, family and their own biological clocks to find the significance and fulfillment they equally deserved with men. But there yet remains stubborn resistance by the large number of struggling women to an all out abandonment of marriage and family as a valid avenue of female experience. Indeed, among them are many professed women of faith who like others still wanting marriage and family as devoted wives and mothers in accord historically with God’s design for them, struggle too, because they cling to Satan’s lie in feminism.
For a generation women have heard the lie that they should not be satisfied and in related evil, envious and resentful toward men in authority. However, faithful contemporary women of faith find themselves in a long line of sisters that begins in the Bible who were well adjusted, satisfied and fulfilled as devoted wives and mothers of significance and blessing to their families. These women receive satisfaction from their God designed roles and praise from their families because they start not in narcissism with themselves, but Him as the woman of Proverbs 31:30. Interestingly, it is a mother’s instruction to her son that reveals why such women are relatively few (Proverbs 31:1-3, 10).
A woman that knows and fears God loves and is devoted to Him first! In that devotion, she is joyfully eager and willing in all submission to embrace the roles and responsibilities He has assigned in order to please Him and do His will. As a result, with His guiding wisdom and strength, this great woman of God purposefully commits her life to being the best possible wife to her husband and he knows it (Proverbs 31:11-12).3 With his trust, encouragement and support because he and the whole family also benefit, she works in and outside of the home using her God given talents to operate businesses without neglecting her family (Proverbs 31:13-24). Because she knows the Lord, she is a woman of compassion, strength, dignity, wisdom, kindness and diligence (Proverbs 31:25-27).
Amazingly, because her significance is tied to her God’s love, acceptance and approval, the great woman of God is completely satisfied with her life. She also truly has it all since she uses every fiber of her being, knowledge, talents and skills to serve the purposes of God in her roles and responsibilities as a devoted wife and mother. Blessed, her family rises up to “call her blessed;” her husband “praises her” as does the watching community (Proverbs 31:28-31; NKJV). Foolish is the man that would oppress such a wife; treasure her, she is from God!4 My sisters that are guilty: repent from buying into the lie of feminism; put God first then your husband and children (Psalms 37:3-4, 111:10; Isaiah 55:1-3). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 See the May 11, 2014 post, Motherhood In A Time Of Rebellion, under the category, God’s Creatures.
2 Read about Betty Freidan and her impact on American feminism at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Friedan.
3 Learn more about the great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics available through all major internet book-
sellers, by order from your favorite brick and mortar bookstore and in the Strong Man Store.
4 My grandmother, Eunice Campbell, featured on the Great Woman Of God Mothers CD cover worked nearly all of her sixty-six year life as have most black women from
slavery, including her daughter, my mother, Bettie Kelley and my wife, Mary, when our children were in the home. Momma as an aspiring great woman of God main-
tained an excellent Christian witness to her nominally professing Christian husband and family. While being an excellent wife, mother, homemaker and working full-
time as a Civil Service Food Service Worker with AAFES at the Fort Ord Army Base, she still went to mid-week and Sunday church services. She only took my siblings
and me to church as children on many Sundays where we were exposed to Christianity. Momma was overjoyed later when as a young adult, I came to Christ and gave
her a preview of my exercising the gift of preaching as a babe before her departure. We called her blessed while she was with us; I declare her so again in sweet mem-
ory of her this Mother’s Day! The Great Woman of God Mothers CD is available in the Strong Man Store.
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