The Scourge Of Racism
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Rather than under the Black History category as would still be fitting, I am joyfully permitted by the Lord to put this edited 2012 repost paying tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. under Holidays as one our nation celebrates annually thanks to yet another hard won righteous battle fought by many souls. This year on April 4th will also mark the 50 year anniversary since Dr. King was assassinated. So, revisiting this post has had extra special meaning for me. For while the Christian dreamer was martyred, his dream has lived on through many like me who were blessed to be alive to experience some part of Dr. King’s Holy Spirit empowered rise to world prominence as God’s drum major.
King’s prominence on the world stage left on it the unmistakable fragrance of Jesus Christ in one of the most powerful “God moments” in modern times. And to think, not only was he a Christian, gifted preacher, pastor and prophet, but so important in my eyes as a child then and now, a black man.1 He was a man that stepped up to lead at just the right time and God used him mightily! Whatever all of their motives, there are those that want to diminish Dr. King and his spiritual legacy. But as I write in this repost, it is too late to tear down the divinely ordained work of Dr. King even if the man is found to have come up short as a sinner.
Originally Posted January 15, 2012
As is typical with celebrated, sinful human historical figures, there are those that have made it their business to inform us about their every personal failing, character flaw and sinful deed. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.--whose memory and legacy we remember this January 16th in a national holiday--has not escaped such investigation and exposure. While I respect the right of those so inclined to labor in this task, rarely does the effort seem to cause a major recasting of the historical figure into a new, negative light in the eyes of the public. This is especially true for those that were alive to see, hear and very importantly, benefit from the work of the targeted historical figure.
A fifty-something Bible student, I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt, Dr. King was a sinner just like me. Even if I did not think so, the Bible declares it (Romans 3:9-19, 23)! That also goes for every man since Adam except Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:14-15)! I trust God that whatever Dr. King’s sins without repentance, he was and will be dealt with by Him as I continually warn all of us (Hebrews 10:30). Thus, whatever dirt may be dug up and put out on Dr. King, it would not so shock me to my core that I would have to dismiss the spiritual and temporal appreciation I have for the man’s sense of divine mandate, mission and willingness to suffer to help others (which included me) that began in my eyes as a little boy.
I did not understand all of what was going on to be sure. But when I saw and heard Dr. King on our small, flickering black and white television screen, my heart swelled with admiration and hope that all he was fighting for would indeed, someday come to pass. Too, with a child’s heart I wanted to be like him and fight in his righteous cause to uplift black Americans; a cause I have not abandoned to this day.2 Dr. King challenged our nation about loving its black fellow citizens enough to treat them fairly and prevailed legally speaking. His life, however, was cut short by an assassin’s bullet.
In Chapter Four of my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, I name Dr. King as a high prolife aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ because he fully answered the Lord’s call to serve Him.3 With faith, courage and zeal he repeatedly put his life in harm’s way to defend the cause of his politically weak, helpless and powerless people. Over and over again, Dr. King is heard to say, “I just want to do God’s will.” That is the heart of Christ, the Strong Man of God and every man aspiring to be one in His image. He was a dreamer, but Dr. King’s dream to better the condition of his people (and all the oppressed) was righteously rooted in the very real mission of his Master, Jesus Christ (Luke 4:16-21) and lives on in the hearts of every faithful Christian--if no one else!
1 Oppressed and mistreated from slavery, black men had been taught in contemptible word and deed by those that oppressed us that we were so insignificant and incon-
sequential in the earth that even the Almighty cared nothing for us. But the work of Dr. King as a Christian black preacher and his resulting global notoriety joyfully
spoke (and speaks) otherwise (Lamentations 3:25-36).
2 Though the biblical worldview of our experience I espouse on The From Slavery To Victory Education Project Web Site, www.fromslaverytovictory.org is rejected by
those among black Americans that revel in victimization, it nevertheless, is the filling up and consummation of the spiritual legacy of our faithful Christian forefathers
from slavery through the work of Dr. King. As a result, I am truly a free black man (John 8:31-36)! Read in particular the May-November 2006 Commentary Series,
The Renewing of Our Minds in the Journal Archives.
3 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.
Memorial Day causes us to look to the graveyard or if you will, the fields of the dead to remember with esteem those of the military who gave their lives serving our nation. So, I do with all others again this year. The ‘“cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre’” in Israel is the burial place of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their respective wives Jews look to remembering the progenitors of their ethnic heritage (Genesis 49:29-33, NKJV). Jacob, God named Israel, fathered twelve sons by four wives, six of them borne by Leah who is buried with him. How this came about and on this Pentecost, the body of Leah’s greatest Descendant not in a tomb concerns this post.
Leah, daughter of Laban and sister of Rachel examined in last week’s post,1 was honored with burial in the patriarchal cave by her husband, Jacob. She had been his first wife through the deceit of her father when he switched her out for Rachel on what was supposed to be her younger sister’s wedding night (Genesis 29:15-30). For whatever all of the reasons including perhaps, the physical issue with her eyes noted in the referenced passage, Leah as the older of the two sisters had not yet married when Jacob arrived on scene. As with most women of her time, marriage and family were the twin aims of her life and surely the reason in part she cooperated with her father’s treachery.2
In the polygamous marriage to Jacob as his first wife, but second to Rachel because he loved her more, Leah found herself “unloved;” literally hated by her husband. Fortunately for Leah and all women in marriages where their husbands do not love them, God was watching and on the case for her. “He opened her womb” out of mercy, but kept Rachel’s shut (Genesis 29:31, NKJV). While His observation of women in marriages where they are unloved by their husbands is a universal reality that should spur them to prayer for help, God’s specific actions for Leah are not. He acts in accord with His sovereign will, wisdom, unique purposes for all who call upon Him and His glory!3
Leah rightly concluded that the Lord had seen her “affliction” of being unloved by Jacob when she bore him a son she named, Reuben, for that reason (Genesis 29:32, NKJV). However, her hopes Jacob would love her because of this son and the next two that followed were dashed (Genesis 29:33-34). From the seed of her third son, Levi, would come her descendants Aaron, father of Israel’s priesthood and God’s great lawgiver, Moses (Exodus 6:16-27). On her fourth son, Leah seemed to get that God should be praised for her fruitful motherhood and declared: ‘“Now I will praise the Lord.’” So, she named him, Judah, which means praise (Genesis 29:35, NKJV).
From the seed of Judah came Israel’s second king, David, and an eternal, royal dynasty terminating in “Shiloh” God foretold first through Jacob and promised several centuries later by the prophet, Nathan, to the king (Genesis 49:8-12; 2 Samuel 7:1-17, NKJV). This Shiloh, is none other than He Jacob had wrestled with and who came to earth to begin to fulfill all that was written of Him forty-two generations after Abraham (Genesis 32:22-32; Matthew 1:1-17). Of the things written of Him were His birth to a virgin also a descendant of Leah through David and the first priority of His work as Israel’s final King embodied in His name, “JESUS,” (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 3:23-31, NKJV).
Indeed, Jesus Christ, King of the Jews, completed His work to save His people from their sins as foretold (Psalm 22:1-21a; Matthew 27:32-50; John 19:17-30). On the same day before sunset, He was buried in a rich man’s tomb and on the third day after God resurrected Him (Psalm 22:21b; John 19:38-20:18).4 Following that on the fortieth day, “He was taken up” and glorified; seated at God’s right hand to await His return to rule not only Israel, but the whole earth! On the fiftieth day, “Pentecost,” He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell those who believe and enable His apostles to preach the Gospel about as well as “be witnesses to” Him “to the end of the earth,” (Psalm 22:22-31; Isaiah 53; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:14-20; Luke 24:36-53; John 20:19-29; Acts 1:4-2:40, 3:11-26, NKJV).
Leah continued to compete with Rachel for Jacob’s love through childbearing; making the same mistake as her sister in giving him her maid for a wife, but to no avail (Genesis 30:1-21). He did honor her above all at her death. Also, not only did Leah prevail in the fruitful bearing of six to Rachel’s two sons, but unknown to her God’s favor ran much deeper. She bore one from who would come Israel and history’s greatest King; even He who is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David,” (Revelation 5:5, NKJV)! From what God did through unloved Leah, both His aspiring strong men and great women in the image of Christ are reminded He has worked and wills to work in us far beyond what we could have ever imagined to His glory (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)!5 Let Him have you!
1 Read the May 21, 2023 post, Lessons From Rachel For Aspiring Great Women, under the category, The Cause.
2 Another reason was the universal reverence given to fathers and modeled by God as the heads over their daughters until marriage only rebelled against in this latter days generation (Genesis 2:18, 21-22, 24:47-51; Numbers 12:14-16) though, Leah out of greater reverence for God and as a matter of character could have objected to being a party to deceit.
3 Christian women please note how the Holy Spirit led me to write broadly of women in marriages with husbands that do not love them. In His perfect will and your obedience to marry “only in the Lord,” such a situation should not exist for you. However, if for whatever reasons you are in a situation like this, you all the more know seeking God in prayer is the first right step followed by doing what His Word teaches in longsuffering while you wait on Him to act as He wills. And yes, the same goes for any Christian man in similar circumstances as it is written (1 Corinthians 7:10-16, 39; 1 Peter 3:1-2, NKJV).
4 Because Christ is risen from the dead, we Christians do not look to tombs or graveyards to remember and honor Him as One still slain in battle. But we exalt and magnify Christ within our hearts as our living Savior, Warrior-King and Lord; fellowshipping with and serving Him who is “alive forevermore” as He promised (John 14:18-24; Revela- tion 1:17-18, NKJV). If as a professed Christian you are not inwardly enjoying the resurrection life of Christ, disobedience in sin may be the reason. Watch our latest Strong Man Of God Online Rally on YouTube, Return To The Lord, to hear His summons!
5 Learn more about this by reading my book, The Strong Man Of God; Back To Basics! Get your Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Edition of the book as well as companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study in the Strong Man Store, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar book- stores.
Once again the anniversary of the 911 terror tragedy is upon us as we remember the many lives lost and hurt to our national ego. Beyond its use by the fictional film character, James Bond, referring to how he wished his martini drink made, Collins Dictionary states, “If you say that someone has been shaken but not stirred by an experience, you mean that they have been slightly disturbed or emotionally affected by it, but not deeply enough to change their behavior or way of thinking.”1 While there was a disruption in the national comfort zone Americans enjoy from the threat of foreign invasion, within a few weeks of 911 most were back to their regular routines--shaken, but not stirred!
Since 911, numerous school, other mass, gang and police shootings killing many have again and again shaken our citizenry, but not enough to stir folks en masse into adopting any new ways of thinking or behaving that would mitigate such violence. Sure, there is always the initial emotion in the face of the tragedies that causes marches calling for gun control and government hearings. Laws are passed as they were after the recent Uvalde, Texas school shooting, but as before, things quickly settle down and Americans return to their usual patterns. Few seem to consider that as the Bible declares the problem is ultimately the evil of the human heart (Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:20-23).
Mankind has a medical fix for most everything these days, but has none for the resident evil in the human heart. However, the God of the Bible does have the fix through the Gospel of His Son Jesus Christ! If a man will only confess and repent from the evil in his heart through sin and believe the Gospel that Christ died for his sin, was buried and rose again on the third day God will forgive him. He will also fill him with the Holy Spirit who is able to give him a new heart! However, since everyone claims to be good contrary to God’s assessment, many will not accept His fix (Romans 3:10-12, NKJV). So, our unsaved citizens especially are left being repeatedly shaken, but not stirred.
This is the case even in the face of seeing what God in His Word also foretells about “evil men” (with Christian impostors) growing “worse and worse” in these latter days (2 Timothy 3:13, NKJV). It is at this juncture that faithful Christians and students of the Bible2 should be fully understanding of the how in our Lord Jesus Christ’s prophecy of these times when He declares: ‘“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold,’” (Matthew 24:12, NKJV). Repeatedly being shaken by lawlessness to include violence and murder without being stirred, eventually leads to cold, dead hearts that are completely unfeeling and uncaring about it. May remembering the evil audacity of 911 today, at least stir us Christians in love to continue proclaiming the Gospel to our lost citizenry!
1 See the phrase definition on the Collins Dictionary Web Site.
2 Such ones include every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available with the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
In this first of two follow-up posts I will make this month to my Prostate Cancer announcement last week, as the Lord leads, I want to briefly present a few reflections. First though, for the sake of those that may not know what a prostate is much less cancer in it, as I had to learn, the prostate gland is exclusively an organ of the male reproductive system. The prostate gland produces and adds supporting secretions of seminal fluid to sperm on its way up from the testes at the heart of each of two testicles and through the penis during ejaculation. It is the size of a chestnut. The prostate sits just below the bladder and surrounds the tube flowing down from it for urination.1
It is not known exactly why the prostate in men over fifty enlarges and squeezes the urination tube causing issues. Researchers are also not certain about why cancer develops in the prostate. Beyond heredity and genetic predisposition, one theory suggests the stimulation of increased production of testosterone due to a high fat diet. The testosterone in turn stimulates dormant cancer cells. Some men live well into old age with slow growing cancer and no major symptoms. Others like me and a high incidence of other black American males, experience the more aggressive forms of the cancer and medical science does not have definitive answers as to why on this either.2
Consequently, I urge all men age 50 and older, but especially black Americans to get screened for and remain engaged with your doctor watching out for signs of Prostate Cancer which left untreated, may lead to a premature death. I make the foregoing encouragement remembering and acknowledging with gratitude the urging from one of my former High School classmates some years back to give attention to the issue as one very important for men. However, my reply then, remains the same today even now, with the temporal affliction. The greater and most important need of men and my assignment from the Lord is to preach the Gospel for the eternal salvation of their souls!
Indeed, my first reflection from being diagnosed with Prostate Cancer is an offering of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for saving a wretched sinner like me as with all of humanity, destined to die from something because of sin (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:17-19; Ezekiel 18:4; Hebrews 9:27)! For in His grace and my repentance, I believed the Gospel on Easter Sunday 1977 I also preach that Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day after. At the same time I was also indwelt by and filled with the Holy Spirit who brought me to new birth and eternal spiritual life (John 1:11-13, 3:1-8, 14-18; Acts 2:36-40; Romans 6:23, 10:5-15; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Thus, while in accord with the Lord’s promise my body will not die from Prostate Cancer as one of many ways sin works ruin and death in mankind, it will eventually die from whatever cause. I am so glad for His salvation that assures not only my soul lives in and with Him forever, but also “through the Gospel” like Him, resurrection to immortal glory (John 11:23-27, 14:1-6, 17:24; 2 Timothy 1:8-10, NKJV)!3 A second reflection is inspired of the foregoing reality and has led to another praise offering to God for “fearfully and wonderfully” creating me a mortal man (Psalm 139:13-14, NKJV)! For I have been reminded again the whole human body is an amazing living machine God created.
The prostate in the mortal body of man the male as one part of our reproductive system is uniquely and purposely designed by God to facilitate the fathering of children within the context of marriage (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:21-25, 3:20, 4:1). This truth led me to a third related reflection and praise offering to God. After being presented and rejecting surgery to remove my prostate, I realized I could still live without all of my reproductive parts as man and was not ultimately defined by them! This affirmed again to me what God from His Word caused me to understand and teach concerning His design of our future immortal bodies. Since there will be no marriage or procreation in that day, bodily reproductive equipment will no longer be needed (Luke 20:27-40; 1 Corinthians 15:20-57).4
1 All of the general information I am writing about the prostate and cancer to it is readily available on the internet using your favorite search engine.
2 See the article on African American men and prostate cancer at the National Cancer Institute Web Site.
3 Barring any life ending accident or martyrdom, I already have Coronary Artery Disease and High Blood Pressure as the aging process adds more ways for my body to die. I am not taking my mortal life lightly, but keeping it real that my body will in time die from something. Until then, I am experiencing the truth as it is written: “Our God is the God of salvation; and to God the Lord belong escapes from death,” (Psalm 68:20, NKJV). I am also comforted to know when I go, I will go to Him who has saved my soul (2 Corinthians 5:1-8)!
4 Learn more about the immortal destiny of mankind in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available with the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore. Also, read posts the Lord led me to make throughout the month of July 2016.
Besides the history of Israel as biblical precedent, the apostle Paul provides compelling New Testament instruction concerning why God would judge so harshly. Having praised the church at Corinth for remembering him and his teaching as he had presented it, the apostle could not praise them for the “instructions” he now, wrote in their failure to properly reverence “the Lord’s Supper“ when they met together for that purpose (1 Corinthians 11:1-2, 17-22, NKJV). They had ego driven divisions and factions when they met; some were selfishly eating their own food ahead of and not sharing with others leaving a hungry person while another came to the meeting drunk.
Such behavior showed not only contempt for “the church of God,” but Christ who is the holy Object of the memorial supper He instituted (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)! Paul is very clear, “whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” Thus, we are to “examine” ourselves thoroughly for sin to the end of confessing and repenting from it before partaking of the Lord’s Supper. We do this to avoid eating the bread representing the Lord’s body and drinking from the cup with His blood “in an unworthy manner” and bringing judgment upon ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:27-29, NKJV).
The guilty may not, but God plainly takes the sacrifice of His Son that has saved us from our sins very seriously (Ephesians 5:1-7)! As a result, the apostle reported in his time that many were “weak,” “sick” and dead from divine judgment for their disrespect of the Lord’s body and blood while practicing sin. And we can be sure this has been the case for every guilty soul until now, because “God shows no partiality,” (Acts 10:34-35, NKJV)! “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” by the Lord who calls us to repentance and chastens to help us avert eternal condemnation “with the world” if we will (Romans 1:18-2:11; 1 Corinthians 11:30-32, NKJV).
“Lest you come together for judgment” is the spiritual reality the apostle Paul sums up his Lord’s Supper instruction with; warning the Corinthian church and every other to this hour if they would pay heed (1 Corinthians 11:33-34, NKJV). The evidence of history is that many churches have not given heed either to the apostle’s warning about proper reverence for the Lord’s Supper or his instruction from Him on the order of their assemblies. Already during and after the first century many local churches became the pride of sinful flesh and manmade religion; their leaders also driven by selfish ambitions to pursue and relishing power and control over them (3 John 9-11).
Furthermore, as foretold, these men (and wickedly now, women too) in sin have purposely drawn away especially the gullible and weak among Christ’s sheep after themselves and made membership in their local church false proof of true salvation (Acts 20:29-30; 2 Timothy 3:6-9; 2 Peter 2:12-22). Something is wrong when like a drug addict people have a need to go to church, take their favorite seat, hear their pastor preach, the music team sing their favorite song or irrespective of gifting, work in their desired humanly invented position. Something is also wrong when pastors need to be up preaching to “their people.” This is textbook co-dependency God never intended!5
As houses of ill-repute, all manner of evil, impropriety, vice, false teaching, dysfunction, torture and murder of enemies in sin to name only a few things have been practiced and tolerated while the Lord’s Supper is featured and regularly taken as their grand display of Christianity in them! Arrogant, defiant and obstinate; those that are guilty in our times reached critical mass in much of the foregoing and practicing disorder in the Lord’s house. For they not only have rejected the Lord’s order of mankind from creation to be practiced by Christian men and women He gives through Paul, but the place, use and order of spiritual gifts in their assemblies as well (1 Corinthians 11:3-16, 12:1-14:40).6
The question is not why God would judge guilty local churches so harshly by shutting them down, but why did He take so long given how widespread the wickedness among them is? Is it not again the longsuffering of our God that in grace waits as long as possible for repentance since He knows when He finally does judge, it will not be a lightweight slap on the wrist (2 Peter 3:9)? As with Israel’s past judgments, He also knows His faithful though not guilty, will nonetheless, be impacted. He waits making the way and opportune time to minimize that impact (Ezekiel 9; Luke 21:20-24). The Lord’s Coronavirus judgment came suddenly and invisibly out of nowhere first in China last fall and then, upon our shores this past January en route to spreading fatally over the inhabited earth.
In the frantic mix of government solutions to fight the spread of the plague, churches along with others that host public gatherings were required to shut down. As the Lord also led me to write previously, the upside for Christians and their local churches that will survive is the fact He has provided opportunity for soul searching and repentance as needed.7 Too, the Lord has graciously given all an advance look at the near future and reality check about just how important the local church really is in His grand scheme of things. In a moment, churches can be no more as happens to our persecuted brethren in many places. Recognizing this, should not leaders be intentional about lining up the churches they can still serve with God’s will, way and Word as it is written?
(Thoroughly grateful to God to remain employed full-time in His service, I will be taking Sunday, September 6th off as my Labor Day rest. Lord willing, my next post will appear on September 13th. Enjoy your Labor Day and if you are looking for work, seek the Lord who is merciful for help.)
5 I write about this tragic spiritually, mentally and emotionally unhealthy reality of local church life which crosses ethnic and cultural lines in a March social media post
that I repeated and added to in the April 5, 2020 post, God Is Speaking, under the category, Call To Repent. We are to absolutely ever need only Christ (Deuteron-
omy 31:6; Psalm 23; Acts 18:9-10, 23:11; 2 Timothy 4:16-18; Hebrews 4:14-16)! Also pastor, you do not own His authentic sheep, they belong to Christ who “pur-
chased” them “with His own blood.” You sir, are a shepherd under Him if He appointed you and steward that must give an account (John 10:11-16, 21:15-17; Acts 20:
28; 1 Peter 5:1-4, NKJV). Consequently, you should fear lest you through wickedness be found the cause of even one of Christ’s sheep being “scattered,” “lost” and
devoured by that spiritual wolf, Satan (Ezekiel 34:1-10; Mark 9:42-48, NKJV)!
6 Contrary to the deceit planted by Satan and slowly cultivated by professed Christians over the past century, God has not changed His order of mankind from creation
as I also maintain in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. 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.
7 See God Is Speaking.
The righteous are only ever trouble to religionists when they refuse to indulge selfish motives with them in sin, go along to get along tolerating or covering up evil or corrupting and compromising the clear teaching and truth of God’s Word applied to every situation! In consequence, as I have experienced, religionists will even lie on God’s faithful stewards and misconstrue their words (Amos 7:10-11).3 Already an outsider “for the truth” (2 Corinthians 13:8, NKJV),4 because of such treachery I am an exiled Pastor too! Historically, religionists have also physically assaulted and murdered faithful stewards while deceitfully claiming to serve the same Master (John 16:1-4; Revelation 17:1-6).
Nevertheless, in accord with my calling, gifts and ministry I am not silent; proclaiming God’s will, way and Word as it is written because this is the example of every faithful Old Testament prophet, the Lord Jesus Christ, His apostles and prophets in the New! They did not shrink back from speaking truth to their religious antagonists because it was their stewardship responsibility from God (Luke 11:37-54). Opposition from religionists is not the fault of the righteous that stand up to and cry out against their wickedness. Religionists are at fault since they willfully choose to oppose God who knows their hearts and His plainly written eternally standing Word as the Lord taught (Luke 16:15-18).
Contrary to the convenient misapplication of Scripture actually intended for corrupt religionists concerning what to do with “those who cause divisions,” (Romans 16:17-18, NKJV), God expects His faithful stewards to speak up and out about sin. Paul did so with Peter who did not resist him (Galatians 2:11-21). Yet, loud and prolonged quarreling is not the Lord’s will. If submission to the Word is not forthcoming as is typical with proud religionists (Luke 16:19-31), then, the righteous without giving ground and continuing to faithfully teach gives them over to God if He might bring them to repentance, knowledge of the truth and deliverance from Satan’s control (2 Timothy 2:24-26).
During my Christian journey to date, I have painfully been aware of many men in the churches that with proud religious leaders have not chosen to make the Lord Jesus their Master to serve Him alone. If it is not the love of money that prevents this, it is wife, children, parents, siblings, friends and self invested in personal vanity, job, recreation, hobbies, cars, yards and social clubs to include the local church which is seen and treated as such; differing from those secular only in that it gives a man the outward appearance of being religious and dispatching some duty to God in his attendance, practice of traditions and involvement. To be sure, many of these men are deceived and not saved!
In defiance of Scripture, such men are impossibly attempting to be saved by keeping religious traditions and doing church works (Romans 3:9-31; Ephesians 2:8-9). Religious leadership--many not saved themselves, wickedly insist the men obey them as wise masters in their deadly deceit as they exploit them for their money and labor (Mark 7:1-23).5 A smaller number of other men are saved, but make very little progress in spiritual maturity for lack of instruction in sound doctrine and biblical manhood. They never sell out completely to the Lord as Master of their lives because they do not know it is required of them as religious leadership demands to be served as master instead.
A still smaller number of men in local churches ruled by religionists are more serious about the Lord, but for lack of a made up mind wholly given over to serve Him are torn between two masters. While the other master can be anyone or thing of those already stated, it is typically the local church and the religious requirement of leadership to be more faithful to them in service and doctrine than to the Lord--His will, way and Word as it is written! My heart has gone out to these men over the years many of whom have been dear brothers and personal friends because as others of old, their torn state is filled with fear of their religious leaders and secrecy (John 7:13, 9:13-22, 12:42-43, 19:38-39). They need repentance and courage to serve Him alone from the Lord if they are willing!6
While I too, have had a few moments over the years when fear of religious consequences have caused me to be careful of what I said and to whom I said it, I have sought the Lord for the courage needed to follow His example and that of His apostles as faithful stewards of God. Absent the Holy Spirit leading, controlling and empowering them, the disciples all ran away in fear at first in the face religious men (Mark 14:43-50). After their new birth, however, they became courageous, sold out to and stood firm as apostles and faithful stewards of Jesus Christ, their Master (Acts 4:1-22, 5:17-42). If a man has been truly born again and loves the Lord, he is never to be torn between two masters. He is loyal to Christ as his Master alone and true to His Word (Acts 4:19-20, 5:27-29)!7
3 And no wonder since they lie on God too saying, ‘“The Lord says,’” but He had not spoken (Ezekiel 13:6-7, NKJV)!
4 Truly, how can one that is a faithful born again believer in Jesus Christ and member of His Church universal ever be an “outsider” to any professed Christian local
church where He is really honored as Lord? Sin in all of its forms, unbiblical, cliquish membership requirements and nepotism through Christianity as manmade reli-
gion forces Christ and His faithful stewards to be outsiders (Colossians 2:16-23; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; Hebrews 13:9-13; Revelation 3:20)!
5 How wise really are these men since they reject and refuse to obey God’s Word as it is written? Consequently, His judgment of them is just (Jeremiah 8:8-12)!
6 The Lord calls you to repent from fear of sinful men, unwillingness to stand on the truth of His Word as it is written not as it is corrupted to accommodate religious a-
gendas or suffer as He and all of the saints before and around us! Too, He would have you repent from divided loyalties and double mindedness (James 1:5-8, 4:
7-10). If the Lord is Lord, then serve Him as Master remembering religious leaders did not die for nor do they have a Heaven or Hell to put you in. If to you Jesus is
not Lord, why torment yourself trying futilely as He taught to serve two masters? Understand though, that rejection of Jesus as Master leads to no good end now or
in the day of accountability (Matthew 7:21-23, 10:16-39, 12:30).
7 This is the heart of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. Get a print copy or digi-
tal download of the book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also get a print copy
in the Strong Man Store.
On this day marking the sanctity of human life beginning in the womb and eve of the nation’s holiday remembering slain Civil Rights leader and martyr for Jesus, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I am challenged afresh about doing God’s will. Dr. King made it clear this was his life aim in what would be his final sermon before being assassinated. He said, “I just want to do God’s will.”1 This conviction does not originate with Dr. King, of course, but is pleasantly consistent with my own heart and multitudes of persons that have through time enjoyed relationship with the living God and His Son, Jesus Christ, who preeminently expressed and carried it out (John 6:38, 17:4).
Pleasing God and doing His will is the heart of the Lord Jesus and what makes Him the Strong Man of God (John 8:29)! From eternity it was known what the will of God would entail for the Lord: a cross (John 3:13-16, 12:27, 32-33). In His perfect Humanity He, even He struggled with this part of God’s will for Him and prevailed through Self-denial (Matthew 26:36-46). The Lord unambiguously charged all that would be His followers to line up behind Him in self-denial to live on purpose to please God and do His will too (Mark 8:31-38).2 This has been the heart of aspiring strong men and great women of God in His image to the point of martyrdom beginning with Stephen (Acts 7:51-60)!3
What is God’s will for Christians since despite the corrupt laxity of Christianity as manmade religion, doing His will remains a biblical requirement (Matthew 7:21)? Continuously Spirit-filled (Ephesians 5:15-18), faithful followers of Christ understand God’s priority will for them after salvation is to cultivate relationship with Him through a growing faith and love even through much tribulation (Romans 5:1-5; Ephesians 3:14-21). His will linked to this is our character development and spiritual growth (2 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 2:1-4, 5:12-14, 12:3-11; 2 Peter 1:1-11). We are to also fulfill our assigned familial roles while loving and serving fellow saints (Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Peter 4:7-11).
Finally too, we are to be engaged in the mission Christ has commanded (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). In light of the two-part post, Revelation’s Seven Churches In Time, beginning January 5, 2020 under the category, Bible Prophecy, we know with certainty God’s will is for us to continue faithfully doing all of the foregoing. These together are the “works” of Christ we are to diligently keep to whatever end He has permitted for us (Revelation 2:26, NKJV). By His grace and in His strength, I daily press to do God’s will to include my assignment through this Ministry to restore men in the Kingdom cause of the Gospel, revival and the strong man of God among the willing.
Indeed, it is absolutely imperative that men be restored at this late hour because individually they are equipped to walk in the four distinctive characteristics of Christ as aspiring strong men of God in His image. In accepting the roles God has assigned, being willing to obey His will and Word to the death, relying on and trusting in Him for vindication they stand in the evil day. Very importantly too, in their roles as husbands and fathers they appropriately lead their families to stand as persecution and God’s judgments in the earth intensify and going to corporate brick and mortar churches are increasingly not an option.4 Resisting the Lord through me in this cause and work is evidence of your need for repentance, salvation or revival! Otherwise, stand with me in it!5
1 The statement was made in the I’ve Been To The Mountain Top portion of his sermon on April 3, 1968 at the Bishop Charles Mason Temple Church Of God In Christ,
Memphis, TN, while in town to support the city’s striking sanitation workers.
2 Read my two-part 2019 post that begins August 18, Lined Up Behind Jesus, under the category, Instruction.
3 I write and instruct about aspiring strong men and great women of God in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. Get a print copy or digital download of
the book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also get a print copy in the
4 Read the July 30-Sept 3, 2017 six-part series Restoring Men In The Two Minute Drill, under the category, Bible Prophecy to get a sense of the urgent need to restore
men now!
5 Contribute to my salary support in the work at https://fundrazr.com/salarycampaign1. Give either to my support or the ongoing work of the Ministry or both at
https://thestrongmanofGod.org/Give.
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