The Scourge Of Racism
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Released January 5, 2024
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The suffering and death the Coronavirus pandemic will have caused the world by its end is tragic. It is though, the beginning of God's next level judgments that vindicate His warnings through us crying out to the world about sin and churches their rebellion against His Word, toleration of falsehood and worldly compromises.1 Indeed, the rapidity by which the pestilence spread throughout the earth, came upon our nation and overtook my January through March 2020 posts calling yet again for repentance among guilty churches and warning of coming judgment will be among my most powerful memories of the event. As I warned in the opening of a March post, the Lord “ain’t playing.”2
God’s Coronavirus judgment among other things is to also be considered another significant paradigm shift in His program for Christians and churches of similar end as that which occurred with the Jerusalem church after the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1-4). Negatively, the stoning of Stephen led to a severe persecution breaking out against the Jerusalem church causing “all” but the apostles to be “scattered” in every direction out of the city (Acts 8:1, NKJV). In the positive, the Jerusalem saints getting run out of town led to their beginning to fulfill the next phase in the Lord’s preannounced will and plan for how He was to be witnessed geographically (Luke 24:46-49; Acts 1:8, 8:4).
Negatively, the Coronavirus pandemic has closed the doors of many churches; some that will never open again. All Christians have suffered and suffer to various degrees through the challenges created by the pestilence; some have the illness and a relative few have died. Others are enduring the illness of loved ones sickened by the virus and the grief of loss. Many have failed the test of faith through fear in the event; some are rebounding through repentance. Some in despair walk away from churches. Others, called again to repent, continue to rebel in unbelief to their destruction shared in common with apostates who walk away from Christ never to return (Hebrews 3:7-19, 10:35-39).3
In the positive, the Lord through the Coronavirus pandemic has only mercifully chastened us to whatever extent any surviving Christian and church has suffered (Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:3-11; Revelation 3:19). Guilty where sin has been involved up to the swift onset of the pestilence, the repentant and humbled are freshly giving themselves in fidelity back to God--His will, way and Word! And while a number of pastors and churches have been creatively maintaining some form of corporate connection to members in the crisis, it should be clearly understood God’s one will, way and Word as it is written involves equipping men to lead His worship at home and in His house!4
Truly, Christian men new and seasoned restored in God’s revival stemming from all of this are to be in the vanguard of a renewed and final push by the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel and make disciples of the nations using mortal flesh (Matthew 24:14, 28:19-20; Mark 13:10, 16:15; Acts 26:8-20)!5 Our restored sisters are to be just as God designed: helpers and supporters of their husbands and men as they go forth (Luke 8:1-3; Romans 16:1-2); leaders in the cause to reach fellow women and children (Acts 9:36-42). If that sounds beneath you as a woman and insulting, you still need to repent from the stronghold of pride filled worldly feminism that retains its grip on your heart!
On this point as with every other matter the Bible plainly commands and teaches we should all be on one accord. For God does not have a multitude of wills, but there is only one declared consistently and without ambiguity on every issue in His Word as it is written! Passionately honoring this truth going forward as those revived by the one Holy Spirit, we fulfill Christ’s will delivered by His apostle, Paul, that walking “worthy of the calling” upon us in all “lowliness and gentleness with longsuffering” and forbearing “love” for one another, we strive hard “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,” (Ephesians 4:1-3, NKJV). Over the past 500 years many professed Christians and their churches have striven for just the opposite and we see the result in ungodly divisions!6
However, if it must be as foretold that we go out as “sheep for the slaughter” for Christ’s sake, then, let us go out in unity faithfully pleasing Him and doing His will as we ought--the heart of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in His image (Matthew 24:9-12; Romans 8:36, NKJV)!7 For “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all and in you all,” (Ephesians 4:4-6, NKJV). At the moment, we “hide” ourselves physically until the Lord’s indignation passes; laboring using media and waiting to emerge to zealously get after it (Isaiah 26:20-21, NKJV)! The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 God’s vindication in my lifetime of the word of warning and judgment He assigned in 1986 (Ezekiel 33:1-9) is deeply rewarding to me and I am sure all of His other
faithful servants. Many of the Bible’s prophets did not have this experience speaking as they did of events far removed into the future (1 Peter 1:10-12). To be sure,
the Lord’s vindication has nothing at all to do with those of us faithfully laboring, but a timely birth and nearness of His glorious Second Coming (Psalm 102:16; 1 Co-
rinthians 1:16-31; 2 Corinthians 10:17-18)! Glory to God!
2 See the March 15, 2020 post, Torn Between Two Masters, Pt. 1, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 Read the April 19, 2020 post, Does Anybody Repent Anymore? under the category, Call To Repent.
4 Pastor, it never did nor will it serve any good biblical end going forward to reserve the church house with its buildings and programs (which God has now, powerfully
shown He can do without and does not absolutely need especially when things are not going to be done His way) as the exclusive place of instruction, worship, fel-
lowship and ministry. In the wisdom of God from the beginning every man was assigned by Him to be the spiritual leader of his house (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-3, 21,
4:1-7, 8:20; Deuteronomy 6:1-9; 1 Timothy 3:2-5, 12). While you can easily teach the men of the church you lead to do as I have instructed in the free document, Men
Leading Family Worship At Home, save yourself some time since it has already been prepared. Download it from the Strong Man Store and use it!
5 Read the more thorough six-part treatment of this reality that begins July 30, 2017, Restoring Men In the Two Minute Drill, under the category, The Cause.
6 The apostle Paul, who wrote of divisions in the church at Corinth numbering just a handful, would be astonished to find them in the tens of thousands throughout pro-
fessing global Christianity today! Too, he would marvel that few consider this state of affairs abnormal and wicked in the sight of God who now, judges; calling guilty
leaders to repentance (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 3:1-4). While Paul’s focus in the passages just cited was on divisions created by personality loyalties, all should be clear
the great apostle would not condemn them caused by the faithful standing firm in disallowing the biblically defined sin of those that insist for example, on practicing all
forms of sexual immorality--a reason God Himself will exclude all such persons from the Kingdom (1 Corinthians 5:9-13, 6:9-20; Galatians 5:19-21).
7 I write about the aspiring strong man and great woman 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 Strong Man Store.
One of the tragic reasons divorce is prevalent in our times is because marriage as God designed it has been so devalued and underappreciated.1 Divinely instituted marriage is unique to the realm of mankind and is far from anything like seriously dating, or “going steady or together” as unmarried relationships were termed in my youth. Its sexual intimacy because of righteousness is also more satisfying than whatever pleasure is derived from the mere physical, self-gratifying acts of the sexual revolution’s resultant “hook up culture.” Though marriage is for mortal human experience by God’s design,2 it fully pictures what is exclusively eternally divine in the concept of oneness.
To be clear from the outset, after each human soul God loves, evil has vigorously targeted for ruin everything God brought into being to bless his mortal creatures to include marriage. For staggering in the announcement of man’s creation is how by a Creator God in voice expressing plurality: “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;’” (Genesis 1:26a, NKJV). Born again Bible students see in this verse the presence and unity of the One, triune God from eternity--Father, Son and Holy Spirit affirmed by Moses (Deuteronomy 6:4) and later, the Son and Word made flesh (Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-3, 14, 14:7-11)--acting together to create man.
The triune God is the original unity of One and until man was created, the only such unity! The unity of God is an absolute marvel for all ages as each of the three Persons with different roles and responsibilities that make it up equally share the unique divine nature and character while operating together in voluntary, Selfless harmony (John 5:16-23, 10:30-39, 14:15-31). Created in the image and likeness of God, man was designed to enjoy the intimacy of oneness relationship with God and the eventual female version of himself (Genesis 1:27, 2:18-20). When God created and brought her to the man, he immediately understood the fact she had come out of him (Genesis 2:21-23).
There can be no greater display of mortal human unity than God actually reaching into the physical body of Adam to take a part and from it, lovingly fashion his companion--two from one! Now, marriage is God putting the man and the woman back together in a oneness union of correspondence that incorporates their two spirits, souls and bodies purposely made to unite for physical intimacy (Genesis 2:24-25). Like God, the two persons with different roles and responsibilities would operate in nature and character as one.3 And not only was their physical intimacy to be mutually pleasurable, but from it God designed that children would result from the cooperative joining of their bodies.
Enticing man to sin was intended by Satan to first ruin his oneness relationship with God, then his wife (and subsequent children) in the respective spiritual and physical death God had announced would be the outcome of disobedience. Thus, along with man, marriage and family has been under assault from Eden (Genesis 3:1-13)! What the fallen angelic enemy of God and man did not count on was the depths of His love such that He would seek to save His fallen creature and restore our ruined oneness relationship; taking it to its ultimate, eternal end as the Son of God, Jesus Christ later prayed to have become a reality (Genesis 3:14-15; Matthew 18:10-14; John 3:10-17, 17:11, 20-26)!
Marriage as a living picture of divine oneness is so sacred the Lord Jesus figuratively refers to Himself in parables as a “bridegroom” (Matthew 9:14-15, NKJV). If the Lord is a Bridegroom (Male), then who is His bride (female) but all of those that have trusted in Him for salvation; those eagerly and wisely waiting on His return to be married in a celestial wedding ceremony (Matthew 25:1-13; John 3:26-30; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7-14, 21:9).4 The apostle Paul portrays the Lord as the saving Bridegroom who pays the bride price for His betrothed He expects to remain pure and faithful to Him in oneness until their wedding (1 Corinthians 6:12-20; Ephesians 5:25-33); a cleansing purity He accomplished at great Personal cost (Psalm 22:1-21a; Mark 15:15-35; John 19:28-30)!
Not only did Christ sacrifice Himself to save willing fallen mankind and bring us back into oneness relationship with God, but also a man with his wife in the mortal experience of oneness in marriage as divinely designed. As God makes clear through the prophet Malachi, oneness in mortal marriage was the divine intent from the beginning not just for the experience itself, but also for "godly offspring!" Too, oneness is the reason God is not pleased with a man mistreating his spouse and hates the painful violence of divorce (Malachi 2:13-16, NKJV). Salvation wrought by Christ provides the means through Holy Spirit renewed minds and hearts for two otherwise selfish persons to come and stay together as one in marriage with much forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35; Ephesians 4:31-32)!
1 See the March 24, 2019 post, Restoring Marriage As God Designed, under the category, The Cause.
2 In three of the four New Testament Gospels the Lord Jesus Christ plainly teaches that marriage is a mortal human experience for this present age only (Matthew 22:23-
33; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40). Understanding this, Christian married couples should count every moment together as a precious gift from God and enjoy this
solely mortal experience to the fullest! Read the June 26, 2016 post, Right Thinking About The Afterlife, under the category, Instruction.
3 The Lord leads me to write more fully about His putting male and female with their different roles and responsibilities back together in marriage as one in my book, The
Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, available at all major internet booksellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the Strong Man Store.
4 For those Christian men especially that still wrestle with how a mortal daughter of God could also be literally destined to be an immortal, eternal son, consider how we
mortal and eternal sons of God are also figuratively called the “bride” of Christ to be married in a wedding to live thereafter as His eternal “wife.” The intent of God in
both the former and latter instances is the real familial closeness and glory of spiritual oneness that transcends mortal body types! See the June 19, 2016 repost, Eter-
nal Sons Of God, under the category, Instruction.
The Son of Almighty God came riding a donkey humbly into the city of Jerusalem on this day almost two thousand years ago to celebratory shouts of praise and laying of palm branches before His procession. Christians call this day Palm Sunday because of this event which occurred in precise fulfillment of prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) and is recorded in all four New Testament Gospel accounts (see for example John 12:12-15). The Lord Jesus rode into the holy city openly presenting Himself as God’s Anointed One and King! By Friday He would be soundly rejected as the religious leaders and many of the people following their leadership called for His crucifixion (Luke 23:13-25).
The foretold spiritual realities and truths surrounding all of the foregoing are intended by God to remain unchanged forever! For in them and all that follows bound up in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the glorious outcomes are issues of eternal life and death for mortal man. And yet, nearly two millennia later, professing Christianity is completely twisted and conflicted on even the most basic elements of God’s salvation through the Gospel and written instruction that comprises “the faith” as proud men and women in the thousands clash over their personal theologies. In the edited 2012 blog repost for this Palm Sunday, I exalt the one Lord and one faith He has established for us through His blood as it is written in Holy Scripture (Ephesians 4:1-6).
Originally Posted March 25, 2012
As the annual commemoration of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ approaches, I am reminded from the New Testament accounts of His ministry that He never allowed for anyone to believe He represented any way to God but one: through Him (John 14:6)! Similarly, Jesus always stood on the righteousness and wisdom of God as already written in the Old Testament Scriptures (Matthew 4:3-10). He is never quoted as citing the writings of the great minds of history to give authoritative weight to His teachings. He also never offered opinions but taught the people in the absolutes of authority. No mystery here as to why since He is the eternal Word of God made flesh (John 1:1, 14-18). He was faithful to all of His own previously written Word and the divine will.
While even the Lord’s eyewitness apostles initially struggled to fully grasp and faithfully disseminate the essential Gospel and instructions of the faith to believers in the early years of Christianity (Acts 10:1-11:18, 15:1-29), the apostle Paul was absolute by the late fifties of the first century that there was only one Gospel and called for the divine destruction of any one preaching another (Galatians 1:6-9). Certainty does not elude Jude, the half-brother of the Lord either when he writes his short epistle calling for believers “to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints,” (Jude 3, NKJV). Most Bible students would agree Jude writes well after Paul wrote his Galatians epistle. The point being that contrary to the madness that exists in the world today, the Bible unapologetically asserts there is only one way to relationship with God and that is through faith in the one Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-11).
Too, in spite of the insane confusion that exists doctrinally in and among the churches today, there is only one faith plainly presented in the pages of Scripture and gladly illuminated by the Holy Spirit to all who will take the time to seek Him. Otherwise, those that are presenting their many different theologies supposedly taken from the Bible would have us believe contrary to it that God is confused and tolerant to the point He is the author of confusion among those He loves (1 Corinthians 14:33). This is outrageously evil beyond words and blasphemy! There is a such thing as error which is clearly seen when any doctrine of sinful men arises that does not only line up with a particular passage of Scripture, but the whole thrust of instruction in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation inspired by God (Galatians 2:1-4:31; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Yes, believers are free in Christ to live and conduct our lives how we please before God as it concerns personal freedom. But this freedom is by no means a license to sin, invent doctrines that flow from our own prideful flesh or speak authoritatively on spiritual matters apart from drawing directly out of Scripture (Romans 14:1-15:6; Galatians 5:1-15). In my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, I present faith in Christ crucified, buried and risen as the only way to salvation. I also declare Him to be the One bidding men to follow Him in the one and only faith He and His apostles present from the whole counsel of God existing in the Bible. Aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ embrace the one, true biblical faith and are ready to die in contending for its veracity, their Lord and hope in Him (Luke 9:23-26). In His footsteps, truly, a number have died and will die doing so in days ahead in accord with God’s eternally enduring Word (Luke 21:12-19, 33; Revelation 6:9-11, 12:7-12).
Even now, thirty years later as the Lord had me assert in the 1993 From Slavery To Victory: One Man’s Journey (FSTVOMJ) Radio Special,1 there is still one last hope for a curtailment of black America’s self-destruction as judgment from Him. That hope is biblically defined repentance leading to the spiritual revival and salvation of many which the radio program seeks to spur in line with the mission and objectives of The From Slavery To Victory Education Project it generated in 1994.2 Over the past thirty years there has been no nationwide repentance to God’s satisfaction among black Americans professing to be Christians to date. Time for repentance and hope is running out!
Curtailing God’s judgment upon black America must begin among those who profess to be Christians because such ones knew (and know) better than to disobey Him in the first place as backsliders and rebels (James 4:17)! This is exactly why God on the occasion of the dedication of the Temple Solomon built gave him a warning. He would bring judgment upon Israel for their sins that could only be turned back by humility, seeking prayer, repentance, His forgiveness and restoration (2 Chronicles 7:12-14).3 Otherwise, though pleased to dwell at the Temple, in wrath for persistent disobedience God would remove it and the people from the land (2 Chronicles 7:15-22).
This latter thing God did to Israel twice; once in 586 BC as the Babylonians destroyed the Temple and carried the people away captive and again in 70 AD when the Romans burned the rebuilt Temple down and scattered most of those they did not kill to the nations. In the parlance of black culture, “God don’t play!” So, why are so many acting like God is playing with regard to judging sin among those professed to be His people? It can only be the devil’s inspired delusion of entitlement to sin out of being victims at work among many unsaved and professed Christian black Americans along with the lie God is no longer serious about or judging it (John 8:44; 1 Corinthians 15:33-34)!
Clearly also, many professed Christian black Americans among those choosing to be secular atheists, agnostics and apostates have decided no longer to believe the truth God is the One that brought our forefathers from West Africa to the New World in chains. Though as victims most do not want to hear it, in accord with His purposes the way our forefathers came and their enslavement was punishment from Him for sin (Lamentations 3:37-39).4 As well, it was so the willing might be humbled and in honest confession and repentance “turn back to the LORD” through the Gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ, as many did (Lamentations 3:40-42; Acts 17:22-31; Romans 1:16-17, 10:11-13, NKJV).
Too, it was God who brought our people out of bondage and into the opportunities to be unimpeachable “witnesses” of His grace, mercy and power to save, preserve as well as deliver souls from any adversity (Deuteronomy 6:20-25; Psalm 124; Isaiah 43:8-13, 61:1, NKJV). We owe God an incalculable debt of gratitude, loyalty and devotion! But the many to include every guilty professed Christian in their churches have repaid Him instead with narcissism fed rebellion; playing the harlot with other gods in idolatry, the cruel sacrifice of unwanted children and trusting more in sinful mortals, their governments, institutions and alliances than God to advance in the world (Jeremiah 2:26-37).
Yet, as He declared to Solomon, God who is longsuffering and merciful is ready to ease up on His ongoing judgment impacting all with only the humility, seeking prayer of sincere confession and repentance of the guilty majority among those who profess to be Christians rebelling against His will, way and Word as it is written! This is to be a full confession of and repentance from every spiritual, moral and ethical departure made from His Word.5 If you don’t know what all of that might be, ask the Holy Spirit to show you with your Bible open. To repent is to change one’s mind about his sins viewing them as a holy God does--not self, neighbor or a so-called “progressive” culture that includes numerous religionist and corrupt pastors with the churches they lead, false prophets and teachers.
Unless there is a turning back to God in full confession and repentance, there can be no forgiveness or hope of revival from Him that temporarily eases back on His judgment just as He had me declare in the FSTVOMJ Radio Special thirty years ago. Indeed, His judgment is to intensify going forward as God moves to consummate His plans to end this current evil age and bring forth the Kingdom of His Son!6 Therefore, time is running out in these latter days to get right with God and stop following the crowd in continuing rebellion and sin against Him. Every guilty professed Christian must decide for themselves whether to turn back to God or not. Those who refuse will personally endure His intensifying judgment and coming wrath (Romans 1:18-2:16; Hebrews 3:7-19; Jude 5)!
1 The starting date and time for the Webcast of this historic docu-drama will be announced in select media and on social media. Prospective contributors can make designated gifts for the Webcast at https://fromslaverytovictory.org/Donate and receive one of the last number of Commemorative Cassettes.
2 Learn more about the project on its Web Site.
3 See especially the second part of the two-part post that begins August 2, 2020, Flavorless Salt Is Worthless, under the category, Call To Repent, to understand why as the Lord has led me, I do not overuse 2 Chronicles 7:14.
4 I still remain amazed at how so many do not finish reading through our brief presentation, The Journey, on The From Slavery To Victory Education Project Web Site. The primary reason no doubt, is that most view it through the deadly worldview of victimization. I challenge all serious black American seekers of truth to read and soberly consider each of the five stops on The Journey unapologetically presenting a sound, biblical worldview of the black American historical experience as has been done in this and the preceding February 26, 2023 post, Thirty Years Later…, under the categories, Biblical Worldview and Black History.
5 Read the August 31, 2014 post, Soul Deep Repentance, under the category, Call To Repent.
6 Believing this truth from God’s Word, the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, prays accordingly (Matthew 6:9-13). Get a copy of my book at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore, the Strong Man Store and the FSTVEP Resource Store on The From Slavery To Victory Education Project Web Site.
What a joy for me as a Christian: it’s Christmas Eve! Above any other presents on Christmas, I will rejoice afresh over God’s gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, given to me and all mankind over 2,000 years ago I received personally on April 10, 1977 (Isaiah 9:6-7)! God’s gift of His Son must be received on purpose by faith to be unwrapped into salvation. As the Lord leads me to write in this edited 2013 repost, choosing God’s gift of His Son is to do so in the midst and to the exclusion of all other ostensible gods, religions and ways to God. Reflect and rejoice if you have received God’s gift of His Son; be challenged to receive Him if not. Lord willing, my next post will be on January 7, 2018. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Originally Posted December 1, 2013
The times we live in spiritually are not unlike those in the first century A.D. Then as now there were thousands of religions that featured the worship of unseen spirits as well as images and statues representing men, women, animals, celestial bodies, things of earth’s natural order and man’s creative invention. Then as now the religions spanned the spectrum from moral restraint to complete license including all manner of sexual immorality. Then as now, men made choices as to which if any of all the religions they would embrace. The Gospel of Jesus Christ was introduced then and remains as the exclusive message from the living God summoning men to relationship with Himself.
As the apostle Paul waited in the great city of Athens, Greece many students of the New Testament believe sometime between 49 and 52 A.D., “his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols,” (Acts 17:16, NKJV). Rather than immediately attacking the idolatry which God in His longsuffering forbearance has temporarily permitted, he began to share the Gospel with Jews and Gentile converts to Judaism (who had in common with him a belief in the God of the Bible as it existed then as the Old Testament) and in the public marketplace. Some philosophers invited him to share more in a place called “Mars’ Hill” (Acts 17:17-21, NKJV).
On this platform where all new religious ideas and philosophies were given a hearing, Paul commended how ‘“religious’” the Athenians were in that they even had an altar dedicated ‘“TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.’” The Athenians and others were hedging their religious bets and covering their bases in presenting this altar among the thousands of idols, religions and philosophies of that day. Many today are attempting the same kind of approach by affiliating themselves with multiple faiths citing similarity of teaching and tolerance. After this, the great apostle of the Lord declared, ‘“Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you,’” (Acts 17:22-23, NKJV).
Paul goes on to depict God the way He speaks of Himself in Scripture as the Creator and Lord of the heavens, earth and everything in it including man from whom He needs nothing (Genesis 1:1, 1:26, 2:7; Isaiah 42:5, 45:18; Acts 17:24-25). From the one man, Adam, created in the image and likeness of God, God made every race and tribe of men who live before Him as image bearing offspring--though that image has been marred; felled by sin (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-11, 17-19, 22-24; Acts 17:26-28). Because men are the created offspring of the living God, Paul asserts they certainly should not "think" to devise art images or craft inanimate objects from earth’s substances to represent His nature (Acts 17:29, NKJV).
The Jewish apostle to non-Jews declares the idols, religions and philosophies of man’s devising; ‘“these times of ignorance God overlooked’” have come to an end spiritually speaking and in days soon to come, all dimensions of existence. For God ‘“now commands all men everywhere to repent’” and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ--that He died on the cross for our sins, was buried and on the third day after rose again--so that He might righteously forgive our sins and cause us to escape the Day of His wrath to be brought by Christ which His resurrection from the dead guarantees (Acts 17:30-31; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11)! This is that same Jesus; God in the flesh born at Bethlehem in Israel who Christians celebrate at Christmas (Luke 2:1-20; John 1:1-18)!
The Lord Jesus Himself declares, ‘“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,’” (John 14:6, NKJV). Consistent with the Ten Commandments, He taught redeemed men are to ‘“love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength,’” (Deuteronomy 5:6-10, 10:12-13; Mark 12:29-30, NKJV). Surely, this is the heart of every aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ!1 For a man to love and honor anyone including his parents, wife, children, siblings, his life or anything more than Jesus Christ is idolatry and disqualifies him from being His disciple (Luke 9:18-26, 14:25-26; John 14:15).
Similarly, the Lord also taught that a servant cannot be fully devoted to two masters. Both would rightly require love and loyalty. But because the servant is not able to give total love and loyalty to both masters, he ends up hating and despising one of them (Luke 16:13). There is also the matter of mental health consequences since James later writes, “a double-minded man” is “unstable in all his ways,” (James 1:8, NKJV). All of the first century Spirit-filled apostles of the Lord fully devoted themselves in love to and faithfully preached the Gospel about Him. They were also willing to suffer and die standing on the truth that the name of Jesus was the only name by which men can be saved from the coming wrath of God (Acts 4:1-22, 5:12-42).
Therefore, while God has given free willed men the privilege to choose if they will obey the Gospel and be saved or not, He does not allow a man to hedge his religious bets to serve Him and other gods too in that demon inspired Athenian spirit. He calls everyone to make a choice: Christ or the gods, religions and philosophies of men? In the likeness of Joshua, every aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ elects to serve Him alone understanding the ‘“gate”’ to eternal life is not wide, but narrow and sparsely populated (Joshua 24:14-15; Matthew 7:13-14, NKJV)! Such men also rejoice in having made the right decision seeing by faith the aftermath of God’s Day of wrath foretold in His Word (Psalm 96-98; Zechariah 14:9). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, “Who is on the Lord's side?”
1 Learn more about the heart of the aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, available at all major internet booksellers and in the Strong Man Store.
There is an end God has had planned before there was ever a beginning and shepherds bringing to fulfillment. That I should be alive to be as close as we are now, in the world to the day of the Lord and end of this present age abundantly foretold in Bible prophecy is exceedingly awe inspiring to me! Any of us who are faithful Christians have only one legitimate cause for sorrow about this and that is the reality not everyone we love or know will come to God’s end saved in spite of our best efforts (Jude 20-23). Truly, God’s holy wrath approaches as the destructive dawn of His eternal day and punishment of all unsaved sinners for their wicked deeds (Zephaniah 1:1-3, 14-18)!
From creation God in sovereignty has been shepherding events toward His predetermined end bound up in His Kingdom and Son, Jesus Christ, as noted in last week’s post and proclaimed by His apostles after His first century appearance (Daniel 2:44; Acts 2:22-36, 3:17-26; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; Ephesians 1:3-23; 1 Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 1:1-8).1 As in every generation following those days described as “the last,” ours are still an outworking of God’s plan toward His end in Christ (Acts 2:1-21; Hebrews 1:1-4; 1 John 2:18, NKJV).2 These are the last days for a number of reasons one of which is God has allocated none after to offer His gracious salvation to mankind (Titus 2:11-15).3
Bible prophecy speaks of the “latter days” or “times” which as the phrase conveys are the last part of the last days when God begins to fulfill the most severe foretold events in His prophetic plan especially His warning judgments before bringing His wrath and end to this present mortal age as we have known it (Jeremiah 30:23-24; Daniel 10:14; 1 Timothy 4:1, NKJV). Now, many professed Christians that love this present age do not want for their selfish motives to see it end. But end it must since all that has taken place after Adam’s fall during it is a wicked deviation from God’s perfect will for His creatures to be eternally together with Him as Creator (Genesis 1:26-31, 2:7-3:11, 22-24).
Foreknowing man’s fall into sin and His just consequence of separation by death from Him, love moved God to make a way before our creation to save the willing. That foretold way was the incarnation of the Word and His Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die in our place to make atonement for our sins so God would be righteously free to forgive them and enable us to be reconciled to Him (Isaiah 53; John 1:1-18, 3:16-21, 36; Romans 5:6-11). The completely unselfish death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Christ heralded in the Gospel restored God’s original plan of eternal life and immortality for all mankind that would believe (1 Corinthians 15:45-57; 2 Timothy 1:8-12).4
The Lord Jesus waits for the end and awesome day of the Lord in Heaven with all of the saints departed to Him as we do here on earth. Among the many moving parts of His predetermined end only the Almighty God could perfectly weave together and bring about, are the foretold specific plans for His chosen Man and nation, Israel. The formal reappearance of the nation on the world stage in 1948 after nearly 1,900 years of dispersion throughout the world was the clear launch of God’s latter days since Israel is the central reason prophesied events of the end unfold as they do (Isaiah 49:1-3, 66:5-13; Zechariah 1:12-2:13; Romans 11:25-29)! To know where we are in God’s plan watch Israel!
Indeed, not only are we to watch Israel prophetically for what God is doing now and up until the very time of the end, but what He has done with them in the past “as examples” for us Christians the apostle Paul warns “upon whom the ends of the ages have come,” (1 Corinthians 10:1-11, NKJV). Thus, besides not sinning against God to avoid punishment, we are not “to put far off the day of doom” as part of God’s predetermined end pretending it may yet be thousands of years into the future as many of them did (Ezekiel 12:21-28; Amos 6:3-7, NKJV).5 Too, unlike them who did not believe their prophets we are to believe the prophecies God has given in His whole Word about these latter days we now, live through and the end (Jeremiah 19:14-20:6, 40:2-3; Luke 21:5-24, 24:13-27, 44)!6
Regarding the end, it comes with the outpouring of God’s promised wrath upon sinners who right up until that very moment refuse to accept His offer of forgiveness through repentance and faith in the Gospel. All of the plagues of climate change controlled by God including scorching heat come upon them (Revelation 14:6-7, 16:1-11). After this they even conspire to impossibly war against Him (Psalm 2:1-3; Joel 3:1-14; Revelation 16:12-16)! Having given His fallen creatures every chance to repent to no avail, God pours out His full wrath upon them and the earth (Psalm 2:4-12; Isaiah 13:6-13, 24:1-13, 17-23; Joel 3:15-17; Revelation 6:12-17, 16:17-21, 19:11-16). Only a mortal remnant from among the Jews and Gentile nations survive the end (Isaiah 10:20-23, 24:14-16; Ezekiel 7).
1 Read the July 23, 2023 post, The Nations Do Not Impress God, under the category, Call To Repent, and see the eighth footnote.
2 If Christ’s coming as the Judge was “at the door” in the first century, when do you really think it is now, nearly two thousand years removed (James 5:7-9, NKJV)?
3 Read the February 6, 2022 post, The Divine Delay, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 Through Christ, resurrection from the dead to immorality will also become the experience of all the wicked when He does this as a prelude to their final judgment and “condemnation” to Hell (John 5:24-30; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15, NKJV)! But as the apostle Paul makes clear, God has established an “order” of the resurrections (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, NKJV).
5 Many professed Christians today, not only nonchalantly kick the day of doom can down the far off in the future road, they do not want to hear about it; some even being “scoffers” with unbelievers so anchored are they into this present world and age (2 Peter 3:1-9, NKJV)! This is a grave error especially in light of the Lord’s specific command to His followers to “watch,” (Matthew 24:36-44, NKJV). All such professed Christians should watch the Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on our YouTube Channel to hear His appeal.
6 The world has its definition of “woke,” but aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Christ are joyfully “awake” to the nearness of “our salvation” because of believing and doing God’s Word (Romans 13:8-14, NKJV)! To learn more, get my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics in the Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Editions along 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, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
As the Lord led, I wrote this edited 2010 Commentary in commemoration of serving Him in this Ministry He led me to found. In that mindset, I post it now to praise the God who saved and called me to His service through what have been many adverse circumstances since 1985 and to serve as yet another witness against the success mongers that have falsely made compromise of God’s Word a necessity of Christian service. I joyfully fear God and in it have led this Ministry to stand for the restoration of men to the ordained roles of headship He designed for them in this mortal age; the glorious destiny that belongs to all Christians who will let God conform them to the image of Christ!
Originally Published August 2010
In our success mad world that always judges it based on numbers, size and favorable outcomes, many of the Bible's most important figures would be deemed failures. Yet, time has proven their calling and service to God--where they many times stood alone against the tide of their day--was truly very successful as it concerned faithfully doing His will. Reflecting on the 25th anniversary since I was blessed by God to found Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. August 12, 1985, I have faced the fact a later to be seen faithfulness as success may be my own spiritual legacy as also the majority of aspiring strong men of God in the image of Jesus Christ!1
Since the success model of the world has also firmly established itself in most of our churches and para-church ministries today, numbers, size and favorable outcomes determine whether a man or his ministry are successful. As a pastor, folk constantly want to know, "how large is your church" as if this one factor can really determine success or if God is involved. Many certified false teachers have followers in the millions. With Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. the question is "what is your income?" In fairness, we report numbers small and large from events we sponsor in our monthly newsletter. But we give God the glory because His work is the point!
The God of the Bible does not often set numerical goals especially for work to be done with a prophetic emphasis. The question, “how many support your cause” asked in their times would have surely made the responses of men like Noah, Lot, Elijah, Jeremiah, the Lord Jesus and His apostle, Paul, failures in the eyes of their inquirer. Noah was called of God to build an ark for what turned out to be just for his family of eight out of millions of human beings. God gave this cause to Noah after announcing He would destroy the world with a flood. Yet, Noah preached righteousness while he worked a lengthy time building the ark, but none sought refuge until too late (Genesis 7:11-23; 2 Peter 2:4-5).
Righteous Lot lived in a wicked city like many in our nation today in which he had continually appealed for their restraint from evil. God sent angels to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah sparing only Lot, his wife and daughters for his sake. But even his wife perished after disobeying the command not to look back (Genesis 19:12-26; 2 Peter 2:6-8). Elijah the prophet stood alone to face down 450 false prophets of Baal and though he prevailed by the Lord, he felt abandoned by the people of Israel because they feared wicked Jezebel who had put a death sentence upon him (1 Kings 18:20-19:10).
The prophet Jeremiah warned of God's coming judgment and called the people of Judah to repentance for over 40 years. He was beaten, imprisoned, kept in stocks, dropped down wells and opposed by priests, false prophets and most of the kings. He stood virtually alone until the end when the judgment God had been warning of through him came (2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Jeremiah 40:1-6). After having the multitudes of Israel follow Him and enjoy His instruction and ministry of power, the Lord Jesus stood alone against His accusers and in His cause that led Him to the cross (Luke 23:33-49). Later, Paul, His apostle knew a similar experience (2 Timothy 4:9-16).
Thus, limited numbers and standing alone against the crowd typically in rebellion and apostasy is not new for God’s faithful. Indeed, every professed Christian man must decide if he needs a crowd or will he stand alone if necessary to do God's will? I made my choice 25 years ago and suffer the consequences. This Ministry is still small and I have never had a salary.2 I am scoffed at and ridiculed because I refuse to corrupt God's Word for the sake of success. Even so, the Gospel is preached, lives are being changed and souls are being warned! Like all of the Bible’s aspiring strong men of God, I have stood at times and will stand alone to faithfully do His will to the end (Ezekiel 33:1-9). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 As a result, my sole focus is on finishing well (pleasing to God--2 Corinthians 5:9) and to let legacy take care of itself! Learn more about the aspiring strong man of God
in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available at all major internet booksellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the
Strong Man Store.
2 With all praise and thanksgiving to God, this changed in 2014 with the sale of property the Ministry received. I am trusting the Lord for what follows the exhaustion of
this diminishing provision and invite any faithful Christians looking for men of biblical truth and faithfulness to support to consider me through this Ministry. Contact the
Ministry for more information.
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