The Scourge Of Racism
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As the Lord led me to write in last week’s post, the aspiring great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ is possible only because she is first a Christian--His follower!1 A bona fide Christian is one that has repented of all their biblically defined sins, believed the Gospel that Christ died on the cross for those sins, was buried and rose again on the third day after (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). If this is true of such a one, then, they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and born again; that is, brought to divine eternal, spiritual life by His indwelling (John 3:1-8, 14:16-17). The Bible gives no exceptions to this sequence of spiritual events that is typically followed by water baptism (Acts 2:36-39, 19:1-7).2
The Bible gives no exception either to the Lord’s will that newly minted disciples of Christ be taught His commanded instruction directly spoken in the Gospels and relayed by His eyewitness apostles and epistle writers in the rest of the New Testament (Matthew 28:19-20). Experiencing God’s love, the disciples by faith endure even tribulation submitting to the Father’s work to accomplish His predetermined will for them in nature, character and demeanor to be “conformed to the image of His Son” and no longer to the world system they just came out of; being transformed by the renewing of their minds through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:1-5, 8:29, 12:1-2, NKJV)!
From the foregoing alone the Lord would have me stress neither I nor any other authentic preacher of His is in the business of attempting to change the world. This present world system ruled by Satan is a lost cause and cannot be changed for the better long-term because that goes against his purpose to destroy mankind (John 10:10, 14:30; 1 John 5:19). Only the Holy Spirit has restrained him until now (2 Thessalonians 2:3-7)! But we preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that souls in darkness as well as under divine condemnation and wrath like we once were, might be saved out of this world already “passing away” as foretold (John 3:16-21, 36; Titus 3:3-7; 1 John 2:15-17, NLKV).3
For this reason too, not the world's sake, but those being and already saved does this Ministry teach to restore men, their families and communities that even for a season before the end comes, they might enjoy God’s regenerating work for the good and triumphant joy of living in accord with His will, way and Word as it is written! Thus, worldly feminism as a demonic stronghold manifested in many churches over the past generation is not settled social policy for us. With the authority of Christ we war against it in the truth of God’s Word and Holy Spirit’s power to liberate willing captives in His Body and cast it down (John 8:31-32; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6)!4
In the truth of God’s Word as He leads, I teach His will for females in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and now, the just released Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study.5 Beyond salvation, the order of mankind, roles and responsibilities, His will includes the nature, character and demeanor of Christ the aspiring great woman of God is to develop in and display. The nature of Christ is divine and plainly not of this world! The character and demeanor of Christ are a combination of His eternal divine Person and that which He learned as a Man during His mortal sojourn (Hebrews 5:7-9). Though He is strong as a Lion, He is also gentle as a Lamb!
God constructs the character of His Son equally in both Christian men and women. However, as our awesome Designer-Creator, God emphasizes certain of Christ’s character traits in each respectively to enable effectiveness in their gender roles and responsibilities as well as relational complement and harmony in marriage for this mortal life. For example, among the character traits God accentuates in His aspiring great women is submission, empathy, consoling and generosity. These character traits of Christ and more are readily seen in the aspiring great woman of God presented as a “virtuous wife” in Proverbs 31:10-31 (NKJV).6 When God is finished conforming Christians to the image of Christ, they will eternally possess all of His character traits in fullness!
Developing in the biblically taught character of Christ precludes rebelling against Him at the same time. Professed Christian females that possess the rebellious character of worldly feminism while still mouthing faith in Christ are deceived by Satan. The Lord calls the guilty to repentance since He will not be mocked (2 Corinthians 5:9-11; Galatians 6:7-8)!7 Indeed, it is sad, but fitting that among the last death spasms of its existence and things never to occur again, the world under Satan marching to Armageddon should again have women rebelling against God (Genesis 3:6; Psalm 2:1-5; Joel 3:9-16; Matthew 24:15-21; 1 Timothy 2:14; Revelation 16:12-21, 19:11-21). But his end is foretold and certain; Christ has already won the victory (John 12:31-32; Revelation 12:7-10, 20:7-10)!
1 See the October 4, 2020 post, The Great Woman Of God, under the category, The Cause.
2 Water baptism is a testimonial act of obedience that is commanded for one that is physically able to comply. Otherwise, the Lord Himself first gave the exception He
permits for being saved, but not baptized when He declared the thief dying on a cross next to His would join Him in “Paradise” (Luke 23:39-43, NKJV).
3 Preaching the Gospel among the nations has been from the beginning a rescue mission of God’s grace and mercy and will be to the end (Matthew 24:14)!
4 Read the three-part post, In God’s Revival Men Are Restored, under the category, The Cause that begins on January 8, 2017.
5 The book, published by the Publishing Division of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater clarity and updated web addresses in
the footnotes, is available as is The 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 necessary. You can also purchase the book and all Strong Man Of God
Brand Group Study Print Resources in the Strong Man Store!
6 This does not mean Christian men or non-Christians of either gender are not capable of displaying these traits. It only means God is at work on purpose forming these
character traits of Christ in His willing and teachable aspiring great women as a matter of His will.
7 Read the April 8, 2018 post, The Second Adam Rules And Judges, under the categories Call To Repent and Bible Prophecy. As well, read What Will It Profit A Woman?
It posted on September 27, 2020 under the category, The Cause.
In spite of demonically hateful feminist ideology that despises her; the Bible’s woman, the aspiring great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ alone enjoys His full favor and blessing now, as well as promise of eternal glory! Who is she? Why is she called “great?” What is her purpose and assignments from God in this present age? What is her reward besides being called “great?” I rejoice the Lord blessed me to answer those questions in two chapters of my previously published book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.1 Now, from and expanding on those chapters, The Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study will be released this October 8, 2020.2
As I wrote in this year’s Mother’s Day post,3 “in my book...and The Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study I endeavor as the Lord leads to restore the biblical worldview of womanhood for Christians and churches that have lost their way in the feminist rebellion underway near the end of this present mortal age (Psalm 2:1-3). The Lord Jesus has led me to call women that in His image passionately seek to please God and do His will great! For just as man is no freak accident of the cosmos, neither is woman; purposely, tenderly built by God from a rib He ‘had taken from man’ and brought to him in the first marriage (Genesis 2:21-25, NKJV).”
From the Bible as the Lord leads, I define Christian males that would be strong men of God in the image of Jesus Christ as those who live to please Him and do His will. As the perfect counterpart, this is also the definition of Christian females that would be great women of God in the Lord’s image! Strong and great as terms do not replace defining what a Christian is in basic form as one that has repented of their sins and believed on Christ for salvation and eternal life. The terms speak to what God in His Word repeatedly lays out as His will for the kind of person in nature, character and demeanor after the image of Christ He desires to be displayed and constructs in man (Romans 8:29).
Though they start split apart like a wishbone on two ends of the same bone (called man) by purposeful divine design of gender (Genesis 1:27, 2:21-23, 5:1-2), spiritually, God has the Christian male and female coming together at the point on the other end that is the image of Christ! Thus, for Christian males to aspire to be strong is Christ; for Christian females to aspire to be great is Christ as each respectively arrives at the end of God’s purposeful regeneration and character building work (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 1:3-6; Hebrews 12:3-11). Each though, must be willing to voluntarily submit to God’s purposeful work in them which not all professed Christians are.
Joyful willingness to submit to God’s purpose for her as a female in pleasing and obeying Him in all of the related assignments to do His will during this mortal life as Christ, is the heart of the Christian female aspiring to be great in His sight (Philippians 2:5-8).4 Indeed, woman as female was created by God for the express purpose of being a lifelong companion in marriage to and helper of man as her male husband. Her foremost help to him in obedience to God is procreation (Genesis 1:28, 2:18-20, 24, 3:20). God uniquely designed female bodies to produce seed, receive male seed, conceive, carry in a womb, bear and nourish offspring. There is no denying these female body facts.
Moreover, God wired females naturally as mothers to nurture their children and as excellent multi-tasking managers of the home. In God’s order of mankind, the male husband is the head of the family and his wife submits to his leadership. In that context, they both have assigned responsibilities the Bible spells out.5 Interestingly, educated feminist icon, Betty Friedan, understood all of this. However, in the pride of her education, she found being a wife and mother alone dissatisfying and wanted something more; something more that men (white male in predominance) seemed to have in meaningful career choices and opportunities that also gave them the rewards of recognition, success and status. Her quest for liberation from barriers to these was born of her dissatisfaction and envy.6
Conversely, the aspiring great woman of God in the image of Christ like her examples in the Bible, is able to live in this fallen world with satisfaction because she does not derive it from the world, but God with whom she enjoys relationship (1 Samuel 1-2:11; John 20:1-18). He issues the invitation to come to Him “everyone who thirsts” from lack of satisfaction with the things of this world to include careers and rewards as many men and women have painfully experienced over the past generation (Isaiah 55:1-3; John 7:37-39, NKJV).7 Truly, Jesus Christ Himself is His follower’s “exceedingly great reward,” (Genesis 15:1; Luke 10:38-42, NKJV)! There is no need to envy if one is already content inwardly as the aspiring great woman of God is (Proverbs 23:17-18; Isaiah 26:3-4; 1 Timothy 6:6-8).
The Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study arrives during a time of tremendous social upheaval, turmoil, disorder and contention in the world. New Christians especially need to be properly introduced to the faith and along with Christian females reaching puberty, purposely taught the biblical worldview of womanhood to live out God’s design, purposes and assignments for them. Maturing female believers need sound, biblical instruction to challenge the worldly feminist notions of womanhood that have entered many churches over the past generation. This group study the Lord has led me to write is perfect for fathers as the family teacher, mothers their daughter’s first spiritual mother-mentor, pastors, women’s ministry leaders and teachers in the churches during these times.
1 A print copy or digital download of the book published by the Publishing Division of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater clarity
and updated web addresses in the footnotes is available at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only).
You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
2 Learn more about this new Strong Man Of God Brand Resource here.
3 See the May 10, 2020 post, Great In The Image Of Christ, under the category, The Cause.
4 Great In The Image Of Christ.
5 The Lord leads me in my book along with the men’s and women’s group studies to recover, present and explain their roles and responsibilities from His Word.
6 This is not to say women do not have righteous ground to stand on insisting that employment opportunities not exclusively ordained for men should be denied them.
Neither should they be paid less than a man when hired to do the same job. However, women working, competing against and displacing men just because they should
be able to out of a newly constructed definition of equality or boredom for example, has not only challenged God’s ancient instructions on human social order and organi-
zation in the Bible, but predictably brought forth the unforeseen consequences of family and societal dysfunction and fracture. Also, Friedan’s rebellion a generation later
has seen what is deemed “reproductive freedom” in the murder of their unborn added to the agenda of the Women’s Rights Movement. Rebel allies have also been
spawned in related movements such as those advocating for gay, lesbian and transgender rights. This is precisely why feminism in rebellion against and at war with God
is completely incompatible with biblical Christianity. No professed Christian should be part of, supporting or endorsing it in any measure lest they also impossibly at the
same time as claiming to love the Lord, be found fighting in rebellion against Him (Matthew 6:24; 1 Corinthians 10:14-22)!
7 While more men than women commit suicide and it is true many factors go into why anyone does so, life and career satisfaction are prominently among them as the re-
cent suicides of some high profile successful personalities would seem to indicate. See the January 2020 CDC Report and be sure to examine the two tables that display
the suicide rates by occupational groupings and gender.
Rachel, the mother of Israel, has much to instruct aspiring great women of God in the image of Christ. She was central in last week’s Mother’s Day post as she was too, when the Lord first led me to write about her back in January of this year.1 Unfortunately, the positive lessons Rachel has to teach are from her less than admirable character and bad behavior. Her historical appearance in the Bible serves as a cautionary tale for all women, but especially those that are Christians and would live on purpose to please God and do His will as is the heart of the aspiring great woman of God in Christ’s image.2 Rachel is famous in Israel because of God’s acknowledgment and in spite of her.3
Rachel bore Jacob two sons: Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph grew up to become an outstanding example of a spiritually gifted aspiring strong man of God, ruler (under Pharaoh in Egypt) and deliverer of Israel in the image of Christ. From Benjamin’s seed came Israel’s first king, Saul. Like too many men today Christian or not, Jacob was initially enraptured with Rachel’s beauty, not her character. As it turns out, it appears that Rachel’s descendant, Saul, and his half-hearted commitment to God, contrary and independent spirit originated with her in the biblical narrative;4 being displayed first in her choice to shepherd sheep among predominantly males.
Examine Genesis 24:1-28 and 29:1-12 to compare Rachel’s assertive insertion into what was typically a male vocation (she had brothers--Genesis 31:1) to the servant’s heart of her aunt Rebekah in her youth who was also “beautiful,” but carried out the usual tasks women had in those days (NKJV).5 She clearly had been accepted and was respected by the males because they waited for her as part of the community rules for when flocks could be given water. However, as is the case for guilty females in today’s feminist driven world where Rachel’s assertive insertion into the traditional occupation of males is applauded, that spirit reveals some deeper, underlying character flaws of sin.
Accustomed to having her way since clearly her father, Laban, permitted Rachel to be a shepherdess despite having wealth enough to give maids to his daughters when they married Jacob and sons that did not require it, she was also envious, demanding, impatient, competitive, self-willed, selfish, self-deceived in attempting to make God a party to sin and conniving (Genesis 30:1-8, 14-16). Though she had prayed to Him for children and was heard in His timing with the birth of her firstborn, Joseph, she hoped would lead to another son (Genesis 30:22-24), Rachel did not exalt God in gratitude or truly reverence Him thereafter seeing as she stole her father’s idols (Genesis 31:17-21).6
Whatever Rachel’s motives for stealing her father’s idols, the act not only made her a thief, but also one that did not highly regard the living, “only true God” her husband, Jacob, spoke to and heard from as did her father (Genesis 31:2-16, 22-29; John 17:3, NKJV). Wicked in idolatry with her father, Rachel became a deceiver as he demanded to know who had stolen his idols he searched for she had hidden and prevented their discovery underneath her (Genesis 31:30-35). She clung to those idols while hearing of Jacob’s encounter with angels and name change along with seeing the result in his body after wrestling with “a Man” he identified as “God,” (Genesis 32:1-2, 22-32, NKJV).7
If Israel did not know about the idols Rachel stole from her father before this point, he most certainly learned about this after he commanded all his household to “put away the foreign gods” and collected the idols in preparation for leading them to meet with God at “Bethel,” (Genesis 35:1-15, NKJV). Rachel’s last act of selfishness was as she died naming her child translated, son of my sorrow, which Israel changed (Genesis 35:16-18). No doubt, he was heartbroken as before and at her death he saw the woman he had loved so deeply in true spiritual, moral and ethical character that over twenty years had never changed while he drew closer to God and did. Not in the family plot of his fathers, but a marked grave near Bethlehem by herself he buried Rachel (Genesis 35:19-20).
Rachel’s lessons for every aspiring great woman of God in the image of Christ should be heeded. First, outward beauty impresses men, but not God. Second, separated from God as a sinner, you are inwardly grotesque and dead in spiritual death! There is no make-up or pretense to hide the real you that will eventually show through. Third, Rachel was so close, but failed to reach out and come to know God as did her husband so she could be transformed inwardly in character.8 No one who comes to truly know God remains the same! For this cause, if you want a life blessed of God, well lived with a godly husband and family, then press into and submit fully in all obedience to Christ (Proverbs 31:30; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 2:1-10, 4:17-24; 1 Timothy 2:8-15; 1 Peter 3:1-6).
1 See the January 15, 2023 post, Rachel’s Children Live!, under the category, Instruction.
2 I am led by the Lord to first introduce the aspiring great woman of God in the image of Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. More biblical details and instruction about her are later presented in a companion women’s group study. Get a Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Edition of the book as well as the Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study in the Strong Man Store, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
3 As noted in my January post, Rachel had standing with God because the patriarch, Jacob, son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham loved her deeply. Her burial off a major north-south connecting road near Bethlehem gave rise to the Lord using her in two prophetic instances (Jeremiah 31:15-17; Matthew 2:16-18).
4 Read 1 Samuel 9-15 to see the character and ways of Rachel’s blood descendant, king Saul, God rejected.
5 In her later years Rebekah refused to patiently wait on God to work out the prophecy of Jacob’s family standing and convinced him to follow her lead in using subterfuge to gain it with his father’s blessing. This created a murderous family rift and she never again saw Jacob as outcomes. After those days, she disappears from Genesis being only mentioned when her nurse died and as buried in the family plot with Isaac near its end (Genesis 25:19-28, 27-28:5, 35:8, 49:29-31).
6 In Rachel’s defense, she had only the superficial knowledge of God retained in the years following Noah’s flood and as her father and other spiritually duplicitous Mesopota- mians, practiced syncretism (Genesis 11:1-9).
7 The “Man” is plainly a pre-incarnate appearance of Jacob’s future Descendant, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ!
8 Character matters to God! The Lord leads me to write about the character He seeks to construct in His great women in my book, group study and exclusively in the Strong Man Store, the Audio Resource, The Character Of The Great Woman Of God available on CD or for Download. The character God builds in both His aspiring strong man and great woman begins with faith and humility which if Rachel had had, her fame would have been so much nobler and eternally excellent as well as worthy of imitation.
Happy Mother’s Day to my wife and all of my sisters in Christ! Memories of mom on Mother’s Day are hard to avoid for those of us who have had them depart this life. My own mother, Bettie Kelley, left my siblings and me for glory ten years ago on the 14th of this month--a time post living through the current global Coronavirus pandemic has not caused me to forget. How glad I am she as an unwed nineteen-year-old surrendered to the Lord to have me; my father to step up and marry her! Whether Christian women realize it or not, they aspire to be great in the image of Jesus Christ to the extent they humbly submit to God’s assigned roles, responsibilities and order for them as females.
The Lord Jesus Christ was foretold by the angel, Gabriel, to His mother, Mary, that among other things, ‘“He will be great,’” (Luke 1:32, NKJV). Webster’s Dictionary defines great as an adjective in part to mean “Superior; outstanding, eminent; renowned.” Encarta Dictionary adds “important” and “powerful.” Defining great as a noun Encarta states, “Somebody whose fame or influence has proved to be long-lasting.” Beyond debate Jesus Christ fulfills all of these definitions of great whether one follows Him in a personal relationship or not as any history book documenting events of the past 2,000 years must affirm! Indeed, He is the greatest Man ever and forever!
In my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics,1 previous posts2 and still being edited The Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study I endeavor as the Lord leads to restore the biblical worldview of womanhood for Christians and churches that have lost their way in the feminist rebellion underway near the end of this present mortal age (Psalm 2:1-3). The Lord Jesus has led me to call women that in His image passionately seek to please God and do His will great! For just as man is no freak accident of the cosmos, neither is woman; purposely, tenderly built by God from a rib He “had taken from man” and brought to him in the first marriage (Genesis 2:21-25, NKJV).
God created the woman to be the man’s lifelong wife, not just another human being he could choose to engage with or not! As the man’s wife, God expressly made the woman to be his companion and helper and said so (Genesis 2:18). The man’s intimate companion and helper, along with governing support the woman was to help him bring forth more of their kind in accord with God’s will (Genesis 1:27-28). Her role assignment in this by God’s purposeful design of her body was to receive her husband’s seed in their intimacy, conceive, carry in her womb, birth, nourish and nurture their offspring as a mother which is embodied in the descriptive name he gave her (Genesis 3:20).
Humbly submitting to God’s will for her in the image of Jesus Christ calls forth the Christian woman’s designation by Him as great as it did Christ when He submitted as “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” (Revelation 13:8, NKJV).3 For if it took complete humility and self-emptying denial to submit to God and do His will as Christ did in a sinless body (Matthew 26:36-44; Philippians 2:5-8), what about the godly woman with a sin nature and choice that does so (Luke 1:38)? The power of this reality is clearly seen when contrasted with the rebellious outcry of feminists in these latter days that so resent their divine assignment, they even murder their children in the womb!
How thoroughly deceived they are by the powers of darkness since a mother’s womb is a place of life; the only begotten Son of God even hearing from His Father who also mentions His name while He was in His mother’s womb (Isaiah 49:1; Matthew 1:18-25)! And though a wide swath of professing Christianity has gone blasphemously too far exalting Mary by making her equal to her Son, she is first in line among all godly women that are great in His image. She expressed understanding of this prophetically in her Holy Spirit inspired praise to God for what He had done in selecting her to be the mother of Christ (Luke 1:46-50). She was already going to be a wife and mother, but because of her humble submission to God long before and when He called, she became great in His sight!
Selfish and ungodly mothers that would murder your unborn on the altar of convenience: how do you know that the child conceived in you is unworthy of life and one that will not be used mightily of God (Psalm 22:9-10)? Indeed, every son and daughter with joy remembers for life their mother who in love bore them; mom, that taught and succored them (John 19:26-27). The destiny of all males after Christ and in Him if they are willing is to be strong--thank You, Lord, for saving me from death before birth; females, great because God eternally remembers and rewards your humble submission to Him in this life (1 Timothy 2:15)! Therefore, let every professed Christian woman aspire to be great in the sight God by humbly seeking to please Him and do His will in all submission.
1 Get a print copy or digital download of the book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also
purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
2 See for examples, my April 22, 2018 post, The Value Of Women To God and Weak Women Made Great posted May 13,, 2018 both under the category, God’s Creatures.
3 Read more about Christ’s display of submission in the February 12, 2017 post, Jesus, Son Of Man, Pt. 3, under the category, The Cause.
As the Lord led me to make clear in my April 8, 2018 post, "The Second Adam Rules And Judges,"1 worldly concocted feminism is not a social-political ideology that can be safely tolerated by or integrated with biblical Christianity in the churches. Its origin is demonic, strategically deceitful and destructive; viewed on High as rebellion against God! For God purposely designed and created man and woman with roles and responsibilities in an order where they cooperatively fulfill His will for them in this mortal age.2 However, the 20th century rise of feminism blatantly challenges God’s will. Along with many other associated evils, puffed up feminists have created a “battle of the sexes.”
In this now, generation long battle as enemy combatants, women have struggled against men for power and position. Under withering true and false accusations of failure, shamed men have been yielding ground in ancient places of governance such as the family. The ruinous fruit of backing men down can be everywhere seen in the breakdown of the family and gender confusion in the wider culture, for example, as well as in the churches with professed Christian women in defiance of Scripture pursuing roles of authority over men in God’s house. In this edited May 2012 Commentary, I again summarize God’s design of woman and in four posts to follow, present her value to the continuing end of pulling down feminism as a stronghold of deceit in the churches (Philippians 3:1b)!
Originally Published May 2012
One of the things you learn right away as a maturing Christian is that Satan and his kingdom do not play fair. How ironic, since one of the enemy's major allegations in these last days concerns how unfair God is in many things, but especially His design of male and female roles and responsibilities.3 So persuasive is Satan on this issue that professing Christians, churches and related entities in growing numbers are abandoning God's biblical ship to embrace his lie. With his instigation, faithful teachers of God's Word on the issue are barely tolerated any longer and considered extreme. Nevertheless, God is judging rebels on this issue of rebellion as He is all others.
The Lord leading, I have written often over the years warning professing Christians not to believe Satan’s lie that God is somehow unfair (which attacks His character) or even worse has made a mistake (which questions His perfection as deity) on the issue of male and female roles. Be reminded and warned again that the issue has only come up because Satan has been successfully using this tact of attacking God’s character and questioning His Person from Eden (Genesis 3:1-5). It worked with a perfect woman; it has worked all the more with sinful humanity since then who in our fallen state are primed to rebel against God and seek to justify it by identifying supposed flaws in Him!
Satan has once again in these last days gone to the woman as he did in the beginning to stir up women and sympathetic men over God's apparent unfairness in making the man first and the head in human families (1 Timothy 2:13-14). But even if the accusation had some basis in fact (I feel ridiculous writing this), the greater issue is the defiant act by the creature to rise up in revolt to question its Maker (Romans 9:20) and declare war on His chosen head. As it is captured in the 1946 Irvin Berlin song used in various TV commercials, "Anything you can do, I can do better." Moses' sister expressed a similar mind and was immediately, severely rebuked by God (Numbers 12).
As I write in The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, our Creator did not set out to create a rivalry between men and women when He created them.4 In His perfect design, men and women were to work in harmony to fulfill His will for them in the earth. The man was created first because he is the eternal creature, "man" in mortal form! To satisfy His plans for man to reproduce, God reached into him and made another of equal person, but with some important differences. Woman is taken out of the man as a female counterpart to be put back together with him in marriage so she might help fulfill God’s will for them to govern and fill the earth with mankind (Genesis 1:22-28, 2:18-24).
In the eyes of Adam and every aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ, woman is an absolute wonder to behold (Genesis 2:23)! In general, woman is smaller and softer with beauty of face, longer hair and a body that by God's purposeful design excites her husband's sexual interest leading to procreation.5 She also corresponds perfectly to him in spiritual, mental and emotional make up complementing their relationship. Clearly, she is no afterthought or cast off left over from God's creation of man. But as man is the glory of God in image, she truly is his glory (1 Corinthians 11:7) to be loved, nourished and cherished as he does his own body (Ephesians 5:28-29).
To say that woman is the glory of man is not to suggest she bears nothing of the image and glory of God. Truly, God has caused woman made from man to equally radiate the divine image and glory including the impulse to lead and rule. This is shown in Eden when the serpent brings his case to the woman and she leads out in disobeying God (Genesis 3:6). In doing so, she willfully usurps her husband's prior standing as God's chosen head and is corrected (Genesis 3:16b). Later, in judging Adam, God integrates into his sin of failing to obey Him, the fact that he temporarily abandoned his role as God's chosen head to follow his wife's leadership instead (Genesis 3:17a).
God has designed woman on purpose with unalterable purpose for this present age. Every Christian woman who will live as God designed must resist embracing Satan's lie that either God or His Word are flawed on the issue. We are flawed in sin and inability to function as God designed in His ordained order, roles and responsibilities! Therefore, aspiring great women of God that would please Him and do His will joyfully submit to His will for them as a woman.6 You are granted of the highest honors to cooperate with God in being a wife and mother; fruitfully filling the earth with humanity (1 Timothy 2:15). Otherwise, as a rebel, His judgment will find you too (Hebrews 3:15-19). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 Find it under the categories Call To Repentance and Bible Prophecy.
2 Read the related July 3, 2016 post, Man As God Designed Him, under the category, God’s Creatures.
3 See the May 15, 2016 post, God Unfair?, under the category, God’s Creatures.
4 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.
5 Read the May 1, 2016 post, Natural Bodies By Divine Design, under the category, God’s Creatures.
6 I devote two full chapters in my book to defining and instructing on the great woman of God from the Bible. Additionally, the Strong Man Store now has available the
newest Strong Man Of God Audio Resource, Great Woman Of God Mothers, an expository message from the Lord I was blessed to proclaim. Check it out and listen
to the sample provided.
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.
In the midst of teaching “The Character Of The Strong Man Of God” which is Unit Two of The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study1 to locally incarcerated inmates as basic instruction for biblical manhood, I remain amazed at the lack of godly character among professed Christian men out here in the “free” world. From pastors to men in the pews over my forty year journey I have dealt with many that have no shame in being faithless, proud, disobedient, disloyal to God, weak in sin, dispassionate and cowardly about Kingdom causes, spiritual slackers, impatient, ungodly, dishonest, liars and unmerciful.2 Their lack of godly character is not even an issue for these men.
Here’s where I get accused of being a “goody two shoes,” “idealistic,” “too serious,” “super religious,” “unrealistic” and “legalistic” as a “self-righteous Pharisee” since God does not require perfection or that kind of “extreme” devotion. Instead, as I hear so much in Christian media and the churches today, God is more concerned with what He can do for us; how He can make us happy, healthy and wealthy. When character is mentioned, it is only as a means to the end of manipulating God into doing what we want, rather than what the Bible actually teaches as His priority will for our development and regeneration as eternal image bearers of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29)!
Faithful Bible students know that in point of fact God cannot be manipulated and that these mostly spiritual charlatans are deceived and deceivers as false teachers who will meet their just end (Galatians 1:6-10; Philippians 3:17-19; 2 Timothy 3:1-9, 13; 2 Peter 2:1-3, 3:14-18). And if you are one following after them, you will also receive their reward unless you come to your spiritual senses and repent before it is too late in having become hardened into resisting the truths of God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:22-26, 3:14-17). We were redeemed through the blood of Jesus to the divine end of being “transformed” into His image which includes His godly character (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV).
What is Christ-likeness but God-likeness since He is the very “image of the invisible God,” (John 14:7-9; Colossians 1:15, 2:9; Hebrews 1:1-4, NKJV)? All of who God is in nature and character Christ is! For example, in nature God is love and so is Christ. In character, God is holy, righteous, just and true and so is Christ. Man was designed and created by God to uniquely display the divine image in nature and character, but sin was the foil through our first forefather, Adam (Genesis 1:26, 3:1-11). Christ the eternal Word and Son of God took on mortal flesh and came as a second Adam to redeem the willing and restore the divine image in us (John 1:1-18; 1 Corinthians 15:47-49).
Now, God renews the divine image in those who become Christians by the Holy Spirit who indwells and brings us to spiritual birth with a new nature (John 3:1-8; Titus 3:4-7). The sanctifying work of God through the Spirit thereafter is to effect and perfect the renewing of the divine image in us with our cooperation by purposely transforming and conforming us to the image of Christ as was earlier stated. Select attributes of the divine nature such as love, joy and goodness are displayed in us through His inner presence as natural fruit. We cooperate by being willing at all times to crucify the deeds of the flesh (Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 5:8-12; Colossians 3:1-17).
A number of the unique divine attributes of character and those otherwise that are desirable by Him, God must construct in us. Christ--who is our example in all things--through His mortal sojourn among us fully demonstrates this reality. In divine character, for example, He was perfectly faithful to God (1 Corinthians 1:9; Hebrews 3:1-6). As I write in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics3 and teach in the men’s group study from Scripture, the Lord Jesus as a Man had to learn obedience through all that He suffered (Hebrews 5:8).4 Preceding obedience certainly was faith and humility as traits of divinely approved character He would have to put into practice which we are also called to do and grow in (Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 12:1-2; 2 Peter 1:1-11).
Indeed, contrasting every sinful way of professed Christian men in character defect I listed at the beginning of this post, Christ perfectly displayed what pleases God even as the Father proclaimed of Him on the mountain (Matthew 17:1-7; 2 Peter 1:16-18). So, having repeatedly affirmed my own failure to yet arrive at perfection in Christ, I nevertheless, share in common with all God’s sold out aspiring strong men of history a daily yearning to do so (Philippians 3:12-14). And though it is quite painful at times, I understand God must chisel, hammer and nail in my life to construct the godly character of Christ in me because it is absolutely essential to holy living if men will see Him in peace and rule now as well as in His Kingdom come like Him (Hebrews 12:3-17; Revelation 1:4-8, 2:26-29)!
1 Learn more about the Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and how you could possibly have me come teach it with the men of your church or men’s organization through
the Strong Man Institute on the Strong Man Of God Web Site.
2 Each of these ungodly character traits is the polar opposite of what God wills for His aspiring strong men as I teach in the Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study.
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.
4 Walk through a short presentation about what the strong man of God is and even read a chapter of The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics for a fuller explanation on our Web Site.
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