The Scourge Of Racism
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In the September 20, 2020 post, What Will It Profit A Man?, under the category, The Cause, I wrote in a footnote about how I (and you as an authentic Christian) am regularly visited by Satan, the tempter in some manner to tempt me to the sin of compromising God’s Word. As the Lord leads today, I follow up that footnote with a more thorough word of instruction and exhortation to the aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of our Lord Jesus Christ reading this to help in these latter times.1 Truly, it is absolutely imperative that we cling to what we know about God, His will, way and Word as it is written to “wage the good warfare,” (1 Timothy 1:18, NKJV).
In the post footnote referenced above, I was discussing the truth of how “we all have been tempted by the satanic deceit of feminism from whatever weakness or desire of the flesh to believe the lies God is no longer honoring His Word as it is written, biased males from Moses and to include Christ for centuries have misunderstood or purposely misinterpreted the Word to subjugate females or blasphemously, God made a mistake and is wrong (Genesis 3:1-6; Isaiah 29:16, 45:9-10; Romans 9:20; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; James 1:14).” From the foregoing, it is clear weaknesses and desires arising from the sinful flesh makes us very susceptible to being tempted and deceived.
The deceiver remains crafty and subtle from millennia ago in Eden with Eve; having since gained a wealth of experience tempting and deceiving mankind (Genesis 3:1, 13; 2 Corinthians 11:3, 10-15; Revelation 12:9). After God, only Satan and his minions better know sinful fallen human nature, our weaknesses, common desires and proclivities based on observation and success employing methodologies that entice. He is the master of suggestion, planting thoughts (beware your memories), ideas and doubts. He stirs up feelings (sensual, bitter and even happy) to ensnare and unabashedly lies on and contradicts God along with His Word toward his deceptive ends (John 8:44).
Satan’s core strategy of deception from the beginning is formed by the limitations God has placed on him. He, of course, wanted to destroy mankind from the face of the earth and for all eternity in Eden, but God would not allow that. God did allow Satan to attempt to seduce the first humans to sin leading to the carrying out of the divine decree of death, but with a turn of events he did not foresee knowing God to be righteous: God would Personally make a way for His fallen creatures’ deliverance (Genesis 3:14-15; Romans 1:16-17, 3:21-26; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Colossians 2:11-15)! Nevertheless, temptation to sin through deceit remains Satan’s chief weapon against men.
His weapon has been repeatedly and successfully used on God’s people such as in the Bible when Balaam deceived Israel and the Nicolaitans, first century Christians (Numbers 25; Revelation 2:12-17).2 So confident is he with his ability to tempt to sin using deceit, he went after the sinless Son of God, but failed (Matthew 4:1-11)! Our Savior and Lord wills that we not be overcome by the tempter either; teaching us to pray to that end and praying for us while still on the earth (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 22:31-32; John 17:15). Indeed, we are to stay alert for the crafty working of that evil one to avoid being his unwitting vessels or deceitfully tempted into sin (2 Corinthians 4:1-6; 1 Peter 5:8-11).
Despite there being no temptation to suddenly come upon us “except such as is common to man,” the history of Christianity from the first century until now, follows the examples of Israel’s failures (1 Corinthians 10:1-13a, NKJV). From sexual immorality, manmade religion (allowing unimaginable corruptions) to now, full on rebellion against the Lord in the order of mankind, we professed Christians have been so easily deceived as again, James warns through our “own desires” (James 1:14-15, NKJV).3 Because he craftily and subtly operates in the unseen spiritual shadows (Ephesians 6:12), many in ignorance and/or pride underestimate Satan’s ability to tempt and deceive us at the point of even latent desires (which he counts on) we discover too late ensnared us.4
The Lord Jesus and His apostles repeatedly warn us about the prominence of deception in these latter times and the need to avoid being deceived (Matthew 24:3-5, 11, 15-28; 1 Corinthians 3:18-23, 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:1-7; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11; 2 Timothy 3:13; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 3:4-9; Revelation 13:1-3, 11-15, 18:21-24). Being tempted by Satan is inescapable since God allows it. But He wants us to successfully endure it as James reminds us (James 1:12-13). To that end also, the apostle Paul writes, “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape...,” (1 Corinthians 10:13b, NKJV). To experience His deliverance, we must not yield to, but stand firm by faith in the temptation!
Therefore, to make ourselves as deception proof as possible we must daily do the following seven things. One, take Jesus Christ seriously when He demands of anyone that will follow Him to “deny himself” (Luke 9:23, NKJV). Two, practice putting the sinful flesh and its desires to death by and “walk in the Spirit” (Romans 8:12-13; Galatians 5:16, NKJV). Three, know our God, the God of the Bible--He does not change no, not even to accommodate our desires (Daniel 11:32; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:16-18). Four, know God’s Word (Psalm 119:9-11, 2 Timothy 2:15). Five, be content in Christ (1 Timothy 6:6-10). Six, keep short sin accounts with God--practicing sin invites Satan’s temptations (Psalm 32:1-5; 1 John 1:8-10). Seven, forgive so, God can forgive you (Mark 11:25-26)!5
1 Learn about who the aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Jesus Christ are in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is 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. It is
available 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 title into their search engines if necessary. You can also purchase the book and all related Strong Man Of God Brand Group Study Print Resources in
the Strong Man Store!
2 See the January 26, 2020 post, The Spirit Of Harlotry and its footnote on the Nicolaitans, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 Lusts (desires) for riches, positions, privilege, power etc. are reasons many professed Christians of all hues and genders will not fully answer God’s call to repent from
plainly seen sins of corrupting and compromising His Word as well as rebellion against Him and apostasy they are caught up in at this hour (Titus 1:16).
4 An excellent case study is this past century’s uprising of Western women armed with a number of righteous grievances against their male led societies, but which by the
midpoint of the century, had morphed into an all out rebellion against God and His order of mankind. Called now, feminists, these women and their male supporters in-
spired other rebels against the divine order such as those practicing same sex relations, infiltrated many churches and while allying themselves with black Americans for
example, have smeared their righteous cause for racial justice. At this hour the pursuit of secular and professed Christian feminists is for power and accolades amazingly
in line with that of Satan who incited, tempted, deceived and ensnared them into this great evil (Genesis 3:4-6; Isaiah 14:12-15; Luke 4:5-8; Revelation 13:4)!
5 Holding grudges in unforgiveness leads to bitterness and is a flashing neon light summons to Satan to tempt you to greater sin (Ephesians 4:25-27, 31; Hebrews 12:12-
15).
Following up my November 8, 2020 post, the Lord would have me issue yet another warning to professed American Christians and the churches they assemble in that are guilty of allowing themselves to be easily deceived by “deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” in these latter times as foretold (1 Timothy 4:1, NKJV).1 While I wrote in that post that Satan and his kingdom of darkness has operated mostly in the invisible spiritual shadows, Bible prophecy plainly asserts his revelation in the tangible evidence of unfolding world events, personages and open worship (his long held aspiration) in the wrap up of these times before the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Faithful, Bible believing Christians from the first century have seen and see the reality and working of Satan in the darkness.2 We see it in his never ending opposition to the Gospel and its spread as foretold (Mark 13:9-11; Acts 4:1-22, 13:1-12; 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20). We see it in the foretold rebellion he foments against God, His Anointed and Word even from among those that profess to know Him (Psalm 2:1-3; John 16:1-4; Acts 4:23-31; 2 Timothy 3:1-9). We see it too, in the foretold hatred and persecution of Christians he stirs up that is taking place in many nations across the face of the earth (Matthew 10:22-26, 24:9; Mark 13:12-13; Luke 21:17; John 15:18-25)!3
The Bible teaches lawlessness, persistent social conflict, civil unrest, rioting, strife, violence, murder (right down into the womb through abortion), terrorist acts and wars are instigated by Satan and his behind the scenes work carried out with Christ’s permission and continuing until His return (Genesis 4:1-8; Ezekiel 28:11-19; John 8:44, 13:1-2, 18-30; Ephesians 2:1-3, 6:10-12; 1 John 3:4-15; Revelation 6:1-8, 9:20-21). Through his deceiving work, the adversary also seduces many that profess allegiance to Christ to fall away in rebellion, betrayal and unbelief to their destruction while persecuting others to the death (Matthew 24:10; Hebrews 3:7-19; Revelation 2:8-11, 6:9-11).
Indeed, “the falling away” is a foretold mass event that looms; its trigger and full circumstances a mystery, though, if prophecy, historical and rising contemporary instances are any indication, the growing unpopularity of biblical Christianity in the world (to include among adversaries many false and manmade religious forms of it) with persecution will be the primary cause (2 Thessalonians 2:3a, NKJV).4 Interestingly, the apostle Paul’s prophetic declaration in the foregoing Scripture reference is preceded by the phrase, “Let no one deceive you by any means.” In God’s perfect timing, “the falling away” and what comes next in the same verse are sober, certain prophetic truth from Him!
The Lord uses the apostle Paul to yet again prophesy a staggering prophecy about one named by description in many ways who is foretold to come before the “Day” of the Lord. Paul calls him “the man of sin” and “son of perdition,” (2 Thessalonians 2:3b, NKJV). Daniel prophesies about him as does our Lord in His great prophetic discourse that warns of resulting “great tribulation” for the world and impacting God’s Jewish and Christian elect (Daniel 7:15-25, 8:23-25, 9:25-27; Matthew 24:15-22; Revelation 7, NKJV). He “opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped” and in God’s Temple asserts the lie “that he is God,” (2 Thessalonians 2:4, NKJV).
The unveiling of this “lawless one” that the apostle John also calls “the Antichrist” is now, held back from making his brief appearance leading to his eternal destruction only by the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:5-8; 1 John 2:18, NKJV).5 In agreement with Daniel, the apostle Paul further foretells the Antichrist does have a benefactor, Satan, that he is beholding to and who is allowed by God to fully display the powers granted angels to falsely authenticate his claim to be God and deceives many. The Antichrist with the aid of a major and many other false prophets in return favor will fulfill Satan’s ultimate purpose for him and that is to openly acknowledge the devil and call for his worship too (Daniel 11:36-39; Matthew 24:23-28; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Revelation 13)!
The Lord has led me to describe the fast approaching period of the Antichrist as His “final exam.”6 That being so, all other instances of Satan having so easily tempted many into deception throughout professing Western Christianity to this hour are failed tests that do not bode well for passing the final exam! With all that is in me in love for Christ and the Church I exhort all reading this to take the necessary measures to minimize Satan’s ability to tempt you into sin and deception. Recognize for example, disobedience to God’s Word cannot be justified or satisfactorily rationalized before Him (John 14:23-24, 31, 15:9-10). Only repentance now, is acceptable! If you do not prepare yourself appropriately and fail it, understand there is no make-up final exam (Revelation 14:9-13).
1 Read the November 8, 2020 post, Why So Easily Deceived?, under the category, Instruction.
2 These are aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Jesus Christ! Learn more about them in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.
It is 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. It is available 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 title into their search engines if necessary. You can also purchase the book and all related Strong Man Of God Brand Group Study
Print Resources in the Strong Man Store!
3 See the two-part post beginning May 17, 2020, Persecution, Hatred And Betrayal, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 Read The Falling Away, posted on February 2, 2014, under the category Bible Prophecy.
5 See the February 23, 2014 post, The Man Of Sin, under the category, Bible Prophecy. If as the apostle John writes, “sin is lawlessness,” then, it is impossible that the
yet sin indwelt Church or their churches on earth could be the restrainer of lawlessness and the coming lawless one (1 John 3:4, NKJV). Truly, many that profess to
be Christians at this hour refuse to repent of their lawlessness! Only the Holy Spirit as God could restrain sin and its out breaking work to include wicked personalities
until He ceases restraining. Then, woe to the world! This “church as restrainer” doctrine tied to a pre-tribulation “rapture” is another false supposition imposed on
Scripture among many that are and will continue falling like dominoes in the face of reality during these latter times. Again, to avoid being deceived faithful Christians
with all else must know God’s Word as it is written, objectively read, interpreted and applied.
6 See Man Of Sin.
The world ruled by Satan is pushing his great deception hard in these latter days; namely, that all of the social changes upending God’s order of mankind with gender roles and responsibilities in the family are going to permanently endure. Not so, according to God Almighty who long ago announced the end of all kingdoms in the eternal triumph of His own through His Son (Isaiah 2:1-4, 9:6-7; Daniel 2:31-45, 7:13-14; Micah 4:1-3; Revelation 11:15)! Now, the world in rebellion against God and His coming Kingdom can believe the lie as it wishes, but those that profess to be Christians are not supposed to standing firm in the never changing truth that is Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:8)!
The Lord has led me to confront the lie with the truth especially from His prophetic Word in the footnotes of recent posts. They make clear He will push back against the rebel social engineers of worldly feminism among others destroying the family as He designed it even before He returns to visibly install His Kingdom on earth.1 The reality that the ostensible positive advance of worldly feminism now, at its triumphant peak is about to be turned back forever should be deeply sobering to professed Christian males and females that have banked their souls on the hope that somehow God was in it for the good even to the extent of corrupting and setting aside His Word to make it so.
However, Satan has successfully deceived these worldly minded Christians in convincing them that good can come out of his evil (Genesis 3:1-11)! Indeed, none of the relative few legitimate grievances of feminism such as pay inequity that should be fixed have justified the evil of attacking to dismantle God’s order of mankind.2 But like the Trojan gift horse the ancient Greeks used to hide in before coming out to war against and defeat Troy, so, worldly feminism has packaged itself as advocates for the positive advance of females while destroying them, their families and communities; duping many professed Christians and related entities into supporting their cause in the process.3
Their cause is ultimately Satan’s cause which means his successful temptation to lure many professed Christians and their entities into supporting worldly feminism under the pretext of advancing females is a two for one win for him since they are also aiding and abetting him in his war against God! This is spiritually unthinkable, unconscionable and a betrayal of the Lord who’s Word guilty professed Christians so easily compromise, corrupt and twist to justify their transgression and iniquity. For the implication in their departure from God’s Word is that He and it have been wrong and unfair in the treatment of females from the beginning! What, God unrighteous (Romans 9:14)?4
Even if you say, “we reject the more extreme assertions of secular feminism such as a woman’s right to murder her unborn child, but stand for the positive and progressive advancement of females into all heretofore exclusively male instances of authority and work,” it is an affront to God and His Word since the unspoken implication is again that He has been wrong! This is as arrogantly high handed as the creature can get before its Creator and expected from the unbelieving unsaved, but not those that profusely profess to know and love Him (Romans 9:20)! This is the mind of those professed Christians who have corrupted themselves still following after the world and its ways.
By God’s express will we Christians have been called out of the world; renouncing our former allegiances, worldviews and ungodly conduct for the sake of Christ, His eternal Kingdom and biblical worldview (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 4:17-24). But many “who exchanged the truth of God for the lie” of worldly feminism and its perpetual endurance have been so effortlessly deceived and drawn away by Satan because they have not turned their backs on the world (Romans 1:25, NKJV). They still love and revere particularly its opportunities for financial gain!5 As a result, when God and the Word are falsely portrayed as unfair toward females to them--as if this were really possible for the perfectly “Just One”--it is believed (John 1:1-5, 14-18; Acts 7:51-53; 1 Timothy 6:6-10, NKJV).
Professed Christian females are seduced by their ambitions and lust for power feminism insists is righteous since males have these. Professed Christian males are seduced by fear of appearing oppressive, sexist and misogynistic in the face of feminism’s false contention that true equality demands the removal of all forms of male leadership inherit in God’s order of mankind beginning in the family.6 Like Esau who desperately sold his birthright for some food, many males in and outside of Christianity have sold their election to lead by God to females to escape their wrath not considering His wrath is exceedingly greater and eternally devastating (Genesis 25:29-34; Revelation 21:8)! All fear being labeled “extreme” like they and the world see the Amish who generally reject modernity.
1 See for examples, the fourth footnote in the September 13, 2020 post, Marginalizing Men Proves Costly During Pandemic where the Antichrist is presented as a damp- ening foil to feminism and more recently, the eighth footnote in Fathers Help Build Excellent Wives posted on October 10, 2021 showing how God will send the prophet Elijah to restore fathers and their children in Israel even before the Antichrist appears. Both posts were made under the category, The Cause.
2 Read the April 8, 2018 post, The Second Adam Rules And Judges, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
3 See the May 6, 2018 post, The Value Of Women To Families, under the category, God’s Creatures.
4 Take a look especially at part one of the three-part post beginning April 18, 2021, Daughters Of This Age, under the category, God’s Creatures.
5 Guilty pastors, elders, and other church leaders motivated to keep churches going and solvent have heavily fallen for the lie since females predominantly fill them as have Christian leaders of ministries and businesses (to include Christian media concerns) motivated by financial profit because females also dominate the markets for the purchase of Christian merchandise. This tendency to rationalize away and/or jettison God’s commandments, spiritual principles, morals and ethics in the Bible for the sake of financial gain is an evil thread running throughout Christian history clearly seen for example, in the enslavement of my forefathers. It is soon to be done by many when the decision to “worship” and take “the mark or the name of the beast” has to be made in the face of God’s warning (Revelation 13:11-18, 14:9-13, NKJV).
6 Read the November 8, 2020 post, Why so easily Deceived?, under the category, Instruction.
Joe Biden was sworn in this past Wednesday, January 20th as the forty-sixth President of the United States. This reality happened despite weeks of disputing the election results and widely declared pre- and post-election prophetic assurances supposedly from the Lord through professed Christian prophets, prophetesses and well known evangelical personalities that Donald Trump would remain in office. The voices making these prophetic declarations obviously all got it wrong. Clearly too, they all uttered their prophecies at cross-purposes with God. So, how did they get it wrong and what should the biblical response of the Body of Christ be to these false prophets?
As it turns out, this is a final post in a series the Lord has led me to write concerning especially professed Christian conservatives praying and teaching at cross-purposes with Him.1 This situation hits home and hard for me. This is because of the struggle I have had since surrendering to Christ in February 1979 first with ignorance as a babe about serving Him in the prophetic ministry He began to quicken in me with the foundational burden for His Church (Ezekiel 8; Revelation 1:9-3:22).2 After that, it was trying to understand the burden, gifting and ministry in the context of Baptist churches that did not recognize the biblical calling and a seminary education that falsely rendered it obsolete.
I have written several posts over the years chronicling my mostly negative experiences among the churches and giving biblical instruction on the gift of prophecy along with the prophetic ministry Heaven will not retire until the Lord Jesus returns!3 I know well the temptation to speak what God has not spoken to me. My saving grace to date has been a healthy fear of God and being wrong with a number of close calls (fulfillment is not always immediate) since according to the standard He gave for those He uses in the prophetic ministry, proof the words they speak have come from Him is their consistent accuracy (Deuteronomy 18:9-22; Matthew 26:31-35, 47-56, 69-75; Acts 11:27-30).
The temptation to prophesy what is not from the Lord arises from two related desires: to please people in telling them what they want to hear and self to the same end. The Lord led me to write about our desires as the core means Satan uses to tempt and deceive any gullible or unguarded Christian into sin no matter how far along in the faith.4 False prophets telling the people what they wanted to hear and out of their own hearts as a living in ancient Israel was condemned by God through His faithful prophets (Jeremiah 14:10-16, 23:9-15). While the false prophets cried “peace,” God’s faithful warned of judgment and charged the people to repent (Jeremiah 23:16-22, NKJV)!
Being on the king’s payroll gave financial incentive to tell him only what the false prophets knew he wanted to hear. It took faith in God, a genuine calling complete with divine encounter, courage and fortitude in suffering to stand often alone 450 to 1 to speak God’s prophetic Word as did Elijah (1 Kings 17:1-7, 18:1-46) and Micaiah who was outnumbered 400 to 1(1 Kings 22:1-18).5 The false prophets prophesied lies out of their own hearts to please the king. Indeed, as Micaiah revealed in his situation, God had even permitted “a lying spirit” to come to and help the false prophets along in their utterance; bringing about the downfall of the king as God willed (1 King 22:19-40, NKJV).
This latter thing has happened before our very eyes within professing Christianity here in America during the just passed Presidential election and interim transition to the next President. Men and women among the ranks of professed Christians that are politically conservative and purportedly operate in the prophetic and word of knowledge gifting were so intent on a Trump second term, they were captured on video in various settings prophesying to and over him supposedly from God with that aim. Aware of the biblical lying spirit incident, one of the prophets is quoted acknowledging this as the only way they could be wrong.6 Pleasing like-minded donors and absorbed with them in the idolatrous delusion of American perpetuity and rabid patriotism seems to have been the major drivers.
Searching out their own motives and publicly confessing the sin with contrition and repentance is what I pray each saved one who uttered false prophesy on now, former President Trump’s behalf will do, since you have given the Lord’s enemies cause to mock, misled His flock and brought shame on the prophetic ministry. The faithful should restore such ones with mercy though having come short of the Lord’s standard, never again receive a prophecy from them!7 For the rest who have made a career out of trafficking in false prophecy and refuse to repent, the Lord calls you ‘“foolish’” and declares, ‘“I am indeed against you.’” You will suffer His judgment on earth and eternally for prophesying falsehood at cross-purposes with God (Ezekiel 13; 2 Peter 2:1-17; Jude 10-13, NKJV).
Seeing then, that false prophets are and will remain among us until the end as forewarned by our Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles, the faithful must be vigilant in discernment to recognize and deal with them (Matthew 7:15-23, 24:11, 23-28; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22; 1 John 4:1-6; Revelation 13:11-18, 16:13, 19:19-21). Finally also, as a wrap up to this series receive the Word the Lord gave me back on September 6, 2020 for our times. In reply to and firm rebuke of my prayer offered in frustration from a long wait on His guidance for my life circumstances, the Lord sent me to hear Him from Jeremiah 45. I was humbled, repentant and good! The next day the globally heard about fierce winds and firestorms descended upon our Northwest region that brought choking smoke for weeks.8
1 Read the January 10, 2021 post, Praying At Cross-Purposes With God, under the category, Bible Prophecy and the one following on January 17th entitled, Teaching At
Cross-Purposes With God, under the category, Instruction.
2 See the October 2, 2016 post, Gifted With A Prophet’s Heart, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 Read the October 30, 2016 post, No One Speaks For God?, under the category, Instruction. Also, the three-part repost beginning November 13, 2016, Without Honor
In The Churches, under the category, Glory To God!
4 Read the November 8, 2020 post, Why So Easily Deceived?, under the category, Instruction.
5 This is beyond incredible in this land of majority rule! For this cause all of the Lord’s faithful prophets and prophetesses in the Bible fulfill the definition of the aspiring
strong man and great woman of God I write about respectively in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics published by Open Door Communication Minis-
tries, Inc. It is available in print or digital formats at major internet booksellers. You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
6 View the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) produced Christian World News story, Prophets Say They Did Not Get It Wrong: ‘It’s Not Over’ that aired the day after
the election, November 5, 2020 and includes the supposed word from the Lord to CBN founder, Pat Robertson, Trump would win re-election. They were all deceived!
To the credit and integrity of CBN News, though it puts their founder in a bad light, they have left the story intact and available to view.
7 1 Corinthians 14:29-32. It is situations like this that the Lord shows His amazing grace and another of His tough standards: love (2 Corinthians 2:1-11). For here He
has me calling for the faithful to show mercy to largely guilty whites that repent from sin (imperfection does not give Christians a pass from sin guilt that must be con-
fessed and repented of to be forgiven by God) knowing that if it were me as a black man, it would not be as readily forthcoming. As a matter of fact, though the Lord
has caused me to accurately declare His written prophetic Word as well as that which has been extemporaneous, I have been treated as if I have been a guilty false
prophet especially by many whites that consider me inferior because of my black skin, but not to exclude the many who share my skin color out of pride and the psy-
chological legacy of self-hate (removable in Christ) from our American experience to date that will not allow us to easily regard one another.
8 It turns out the multi-year wait for the Lord’s guidance from Jeremiah 45 had been before me all along. I was just not willing to receive it. What about you?
Truly, in full character with those of history, Christian religionists today would have you bend to their corruptions rather than repent at the presentation of God’s Word! I have long endured the treachery of such persons among the churches in common with all of the prophets of the Old Testament, the Lord Jesus, His apostles and prophets after them. Indeed, mostly gone are the days the Lord’s New Testament prophets were welcome in the churches to bring a word of revelation, prophecy, exhortation, reproof or instruction (Acts 11:19-30, 13:1-2). Threatened religionists and their pastors want nothing to do with hearing, being taught or brought back to His Word as it is written!
The Lord had made good on His word to the 1st century Jewish religious establishment when in the gifting mix of His apostles and servants were “prophets, wise men, and scribes“ He sent to them to prove their unregenerate hearts by the murderous treatment they gave the men and God’s just judgment (Matthew 23:34-36; Acts 5:27-41, 7:51-8:3, 12:1-3, 14:19-22, NKJV). How can men that profess to know God lift a finger to harm anyone? Again, the father of religious men is not God, but Satan who Jesus declares is the original murderer (John 8:44). The satanically deceived heart of the religionist causes him to believe he does God a favor to murder opposition (John 16:1-4).
So, it has been the case down through the centuries since that Christianity the religion of men has used every possible means including murder to silence real or perceived opposition. Only in recent years have Catholics and Protestants in Ireland called a truce to bloody open warfare. And while warfare has been less violent in other Western nations including our own, nevertheless, denominational and church legal battles are legion; those labeled divisive in legitimate disagreement with a pastor or elders because of the Word, at their whim are cast out of churches as easily as the Pharisees excommunicated the man born blind that Jesus healed (John 9:26-34).
Amazingly and at Satan’s delight, the Word of God is nearly always at the center of religious contentions. Having deceived religionists to depart from faithful obedience to God’s Word in spirit and fullest implication as it is written (John 6:63), Satan instead inspires endless covenants, creeds and activities in accommodation to the sinful flesh that in form appear God approved, but are far from it (Matthew 15:1-20). In fact, because God is not really in what the religionists in carnality do no matter how outwardly splendid, pious, emotionally charged or pleasing to them, there is no spiritual power from the Holy Spirit just as the apostle Paul warns about these last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
Please note that he also warns to “turn away” from such people (2 Timothy 3:5, NKJV); people that read and instruct from, but do not obey the Bible; that practice Christianity as a religion majoring on self-effort, sentimental, human love and the externals of manmade rules, rituals and traditions in all spiritual deadness pleasing not God, but Satan (Colossians 2:20-23; 1 Timothy 4:1-5). This is why I do not preach or teach religion to men, but Jesus Christ in the Gospel, His Word and the Spirit in all power to do God’s will in pleasing Him! Gifted and called one of the Lord’s prophets to the churches, I also call religionists to repentance and revival (Ezekiel 33:1-9; Ephesians 4:7-16; Revelation 3:1-6).
I call religionists in the churches to repentance because they need it to escape captivity to Satan (2 Timothy 2:24-26). Revival is necessary because the “new wine” of authentic, biblical Christianity must be poured into hearts made “new wine skins,” (Luke 5:33-39, NKJV). I also call religionists in the churches to repentance and revival for the sake of those seeking and won by hard labor to Christ as babes who need the spiritual nurture of His Body in Word with the Spirit’s life and power, but cannot get it from them! I am deeply grieved and burdened with the heart of Christ about this since religionist churches are pervasive in our nation. They stifle the spiritual growth of initially sincere men eventually ruining many that adopt their ways (Matthew 23:13-28).
Such religionist run churches in America spawned those that have now fully turned their backs on biblical family order and morality. They boldly re-define God and sin. Their equally satanically deceived politically correct and tolerant offspring will shortly in great intolerance join with atheists and all others hatefully embittered against God and His Christ, to unjustly and violently silence the voices of His faithful (Mark 13:11-13; John 15:18-25). Throughout history God has made a distinction between those that are His and those that are not. Unrepentant religionists never make His cut (Malachi 3:13-4:3; Matthew 7:21-23, 23:29-33). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
There is no other way to say it but directly: those of you who have been and are being taught by whomever Jesus Christ is only lowly, meek and mild are being deceived! Truly, by His own testimony the Lord Jesus does invite persons weary and heavily weighted down from the “labor” of life in sin and religion to “Come to” Him, “take” His “yoke upon” themselves “and learn from” Him because He is “gentle and lowly in heart.” In doing as He says, these persons “will find rest for” their “souls,” (Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV). To the humble, He presents Himself gentle and humble. But the proud in their sins should beware; this same Jesus holy and strong is King and Judge of all mankind!1
Even His Personal advance man, John the Baptist, was concerned if in fact Jesus of Nazareth was Israel’s long awaited Anointed of God--her promised King and Deliverer. After sending back word to John, the Lord essentially gave his eulogy and followed this sharply rebuking three cities of the Galilee that had been privileged to see many of His mighty works of power including Capernaum where His ministry was headquartered (Matthew 11:1-24). Then, the Lord Jesus prayed to His Father in the hearing of all present and on the basis of Their mutual knowledge and relationship, immediately pivoted to His hearers to issue the invitation cited in the opening of this post (Matthew 11:25-30).
Their King stood in their midst loving on them, but they did not receive Him because He did not fit their preconceived profile nor subscribe to their practice of external religion that blinded them as evidenced by what happens in Matthew 12:1-45. He invited faith in Him by the same kind of humble persons He had previously called “Blessed” in a sermon proclaimed to those assembled to Him on a mountain (Mathew 5:1-6, NKJV). Gentle and humble as “The Lamb of God” is part of the character and demeanor of Christ He still presents to those at this very hour that come to Him humble and broken in their sins (Psalm 51:16-17; John 1:29; Philippians 2:5-8; 1 Peter 1:18-19, NKJV).
Unfortunately, either through genuine or willful ignorance or purposeful deception, many have portrayed the Lord Jesus as only “The Lamb” or worse, still the cute, harmless “Babe” in the manger. This has led to many false teachings such as Christ being not just tolerant, but accepting of biblically defined sin, His endorsement of other gospels including that built on covetousness for prosperity at all times and syncretism that seats Him at the table with religious figures and idol worshippers antithetical to His Word. And as if these were not enough as examples, many professed Christians deny God's Word denying Christ is now, “the Judge of all the earth,” (Genesis 18:25, NKJV)!2
Blinded by flawed presuppositions, reading into Scripture, purposeful corruption of the same and personal desires for what they want Christ to be, the false teachers also fail to see who He is in fullness not only as “The Lamb of God,” but “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David,” (2 Samuel 7:12-17; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:30-33; Revelation 5:5-6, NKJV). Validated by His resurrection, in strength and manner of a warrior He commenced issuing commands out of His delegated royal authority and continued reigning from the throne He shares with His Father upon being seated after His ascension (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:4-11; Ephesians 1:15-23)!3
To this hour the risen Christ reigns and as Judge is directly responsible for giving authorization for every judgment that has been and will be carried out on earth just as His Father assigned Him (John 5:24-30; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Revelation 20:11-15). He judges with the ready mercy He displayed at Sodom, as foretold of and taught by Him (Genesis 18:23-33; Isaiah 11:1-5; John 7:24).4 Thus, not the righteous or the unsaved humble He foreknows will come to Him need fear. It is the proud wicked to include religionists who resist the Gospel and insult His Person and cross by inventing other ways for folk to come to God besides Him that have much to fear at His soon coming in wrath (John 14:6; Acts 4:8-12; 1 John 2:18-23).5
A proud, overzealous religionist and Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus came to understand something of the terror involved encountering the risen Christ in His glory. In persecution of Christ’s followers, he was on his way to Damascus, Syria to round up and bring any back to Jerusalem in chains. A light “suddenly” engulfed him “from heaven.” “He fell to the ground and heard a voice” not gentle in tone, but resolute and full of authority. The Speaker identified Himself as “Jesus” and Saul “trembling” addressed Him “Lord,” (Acts 9:1-8, 22:6-11, 26:12-15, NKJV). Jesus in royal posture and fearful roar will be gloriously revealed from Heaven for all to see with the foretold results (Jeremiah 25:30-31; Matthew 24:29-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 1:7-18, 6:12-17, 19:11-16)!
When He comes, He as King and Judge will reign as He has from His resurrection; doing so in His whole eternal character and demeanor as foretold in prophetic Scriptures.6 For example, Psalm 99 declares His universal worship alone as “the LORD our God” and repeatedly emphasizes His holiness (vss. 1-3, 5, 9, NKJV). In His strength He loves justice and sees that it is administered with equity and righteousness; giving His laws as He once did with the saints of old (vss. 4, 6-8). Indeed, He will not be defeated in bringing forth justice for all (Isaiah 42:1-4)! This reality precludes the resumption of abominable idolatry, sorcery, sexual immorality, lying, exploiting and oppressions of any kind during His reign for He “will be a swift witness against” the guilty as Judge (Malachi 3:5-6, NKJV).
1 Read the three-part post beginning January 29, 2017, Jesus, Son Of Man, under the category, The Cause.
2 The Lord did not lose touch with any of His eternal designations or former experiences as deity in His permanent incarnation as the Man, Jesus of Nazareth. In fact, in
Genesis 18:25 Abraham spoke truthfully in that moment of His eternal standing as God the Judge and also prophetically, as the Man his future Descendant since He
stood before him in Human form (John 8:56-59)!
3 As the second Adam, Christ gloriously reigns fully God and fully immortal Man! See the August 11, 2019 post, The Man From Heaven, under the category, Glory To God!
4 Read the two-part post beginning July 18, 2021, God: No Repentance, No Peace, under the category, Call To Repent.
5 See the March 28, 2021 post, The Righteous Wrath Of God, under the categories, Bible Prophecy and The Cause.
6 I present Christ’s blended character and demeanor of Lamb and Lion as that of the Strong Man of God and what the Father wills to conform His adopted sons to as His
image in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. The book and companion Strong Man Of Men’s Group Study are available at your favorite internet book
seller and in the Strong Man Store.
I have an additional important concern in the aftermath of Black History Month and posts I made this year beginning with the cautionary anecdote of twentysomething, Devontay Rhodes, and followed by the one in two parts just concluded conveying God’s response from His Word to black American invented forms of counterfeit Christianity with all others.1 Counterfeit anything has negative consequences for those deceived and hurt by not having the real thing. Disconnecting the faith from God’s Word and obedient practice as counterfeit Christianity does has hurt especially black American men I share an affinity with among all those this Ministry targets in its cause to restore men!2
As the Lord had me to make clear in the two-part post, Willful Ignorance Destroys, manmade Christianity is not the genuine article. Whatever is not within the doctrinal confines biblically of “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” including all of its inherent freedoms and those not specified, but easily discernible as granted by God in conformity with what has been written in His whole Word is outside of it and counterfeit (Romans 14-15:6; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20, 8, 10-11:1; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Galatians 5; Colossians 2:16-23; Jude 1-4, NKJV). And while no one of us that professes to be followers of Christ is perfect, we aspire to it in God’s plan (Philippians 3:1-16)!3
Godly aspiration to perfection is not what many black men from slavery have encountered with whites or those that share their ethnicity because of intervening counterfeit manmade Christianity as religion. With whites, conveniently selected, self-serving practices of the Law and New Testament teachings maintained their supremacy while also permitting abusive conduct which many continue to this day. The same religious hypocrisy and corruption among blacks has turned many of our males away from God and the biblical faith they rarely saw displayed except by the family matriarchs. Today, even the faith and example of the black family matriarch is fading into historic memory.4
For those that demand specific examples to authenticate what I am writing, use your chosen search engine to find any number of white professed Christian duplicities and abuses from slavery and after to the present involving special slave Bibles, marital infidelity with and rape of black women, brutal beatings, lynchings and wanton murder of black men. The hypocritical sins and abuses of guilty black clergy and other leaders are searchable too. In recent times, the now, deceased Bishop Eddie Long, is slickly shown on video preaching against homosexuality from the Bible while allegedly having gay trysts by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. without comment in his black church documentary.5
In my labor among black males, I have met so many that want nothing to do with Christianity whatever its organized religious form. Their numerical absence in the churches reaches back to slavery and forward to this hour when their presence as thirty percent of a congregation is considered miraculous! Wired in their brains with logic and reason as most males, using these many black males easily deduce and see right through the inconsistencies of practice in the churches and the faith the Bible presents. It does not help when preachers in large numbers are found to be fleecing the flock financially, practicing sexual immorality, being abusive or abusing drugs and alcohol etc.
Add to the foregoing the ongoing hurtful acts of systemic racism by professed Christian white men that is allowed by their counterfeit forms of Christianity, the spiritual, mental and emotional injuries suffered and the even unconscious humiliation of usurpation by women within the churches of black religious invention they may have grown up in and it is not difficult to understand the typical unsaved black male’s disinterest in Christianity, agnosticism, embrace of religions such as Islam and hostile atheism. I have engaged a few that though they claimed to reject religion, are into New Age self-worship as their own gods. Still others are comfortable with counterfeit Christianity and care nothing about what it is or does since they are Christian impostors living as they please anyway.
Despite the challenges involved, reaching unsaved black males with the biblical Gospel toward the end of divine restoration is an absolute urgent imperative for their own eternal soul’s sake, the families they create and our wider community under lawless siege from their lost spiritual condition and anger.6 As a black male, I am a living witness of what God can do when He is allowed to through His cause of salvation and restoration in the Gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ! What is needed are more individual sold out holy vessels and faithful churches they make up to stand with Him (and us) in His cause; preaching, teaching and practicing sound doctrine from “the whole counsel of God” as it is written to include His order of mankind from creation electing men as leaders (Acts 20:27, NKJV).
1 Read the January 31, 2021 post, A New Year Cautionary Anecdote, under the category, The Cause and the two-part Willful Ignorance Destroys that begins on February 21,
2021 under the category, Black History.
2 Learn more about the cause of Strong Man Ministries to restore men, their families and communities on our Web Site.
3 This is the heart of every Christian man and woman that respectively aspires to be like Christ as strong men and great women of God I write about in my book, The Strong
Man Of God: Back To Basics. The book is published by Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. and is available in print or digital formats at major internet booksellers.
You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
4 See the two-part post beginning June 21, 2015, Mama’s Boys, under the category, Black History.
5 Dr. Gates wrote, produced and hosted the four hour, two-part documentary, The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song that aired this past February for Black
History Month on PBS. A brief clip of Bishop Long is shown as the consummate (and implied across the board hypocritical) Christian black biblically conservative outcry
against the God condemned practice of homosexuality in the Bible.
6 Read the February 19, 2017 post, Who Is Weeping For My People?, under the category, The Cause. Also, on The From Slavery To Victory Education Project Web Site,
learn more about how the spiritually bound up condition of black males is negatively impacting the family and community on its Help For Men Page.
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