The Scourge Of Racism
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It was a most powerful moment in the narrative of the Son of God’s mortal journey to that day; a moment of fight, flight or forfeit the first two options for Him and His eleven disciples. Hours earlier He had already forewarned His disciples they would all “be made to stumble (fall away) because of” Him as with Him, they were all about to experience the fulfillment of just over a 500 year-old Bible prophecy He quoted to them (Matthew 26:31-32, NKJV). They heard His words and the prophecy loud and clear. As a result, Peter in the full splendor of his natural manhood and earnest devotion immediately locked in on the possibility he would desert Christ and denied it (Matthew 26:33).
In the face of Peter’s heartfelt, testosterone driven confidence, the Lord gave him his own personal prophecy about what his actions would be. Again, Peter denied any such thing would happen with him (never mind, it was God in the flesh telling him so) and the other disciples asserted the same for themselves also; all missing the Lord’s prophecy of His resurrection in the process (Matthew 26:34-35). It was after His time in prayer alone that the moment of the Lord’s betrayal and arrest came (Luke 22:47-48; John 18:1-9). True to their loyalty, the eleven all seeing what was happening and coming next queried the Lord for His command to draw swords to fight (Luke 22:49).
Perhaps anxious to prove just how deadly serious he had been hours before, Peter sprung into action ahead of any word from the Lord and struck a blow to the head of the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear (Luke 22:50; John 18:10). All four Gospels record this part of the event; three, the response of the Lord Jesus to Peter directly and all of the disciples indirectly which are telling. He commands Peter to put his sword back in its place admonishing “for all who take the sword will perish by the sword,” (Matthew 26:52; John 18:11, NKJV). Having already proven He alone could have fought weaponless, the Lord further instructs Peter His Father had His back too (Matthew 26:53).
While healing the severed ear of the high priest’s servant, the Lord Jesus also commanded Peter and all of His disciples to “Permit even this” (His arrest and all that would follow) because it was fulfilling God’s foreordained plan written in Scripture (Matthew 26:54; Luke 22:51, NKJV). This truth according to Matthew, He also asserted to those that were arresting Him, Luke adding very importantly for us in this post: “But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” “Then,” as He had prophesied to them, “all the disciples forsook Him and fled,” (Matthew 26:55-56; Luke 22:52-53, NKJV); there being no fight and surrender to certain harm completely out of the question.
As the Lord leads, I write this post to the glory of God and for our encouragement in follow up to last week’s sober word from Bible prophecy and current events concerning the intensifying persecution of Christians abroad and at home.1 In that post, I also quoted Luke 22:53 to answer why persecution is intensifying and here to stay until the Lord returns. Truly, as the permitted hour for the world of fallen humanity that included those who were religious, but without God and the kingdom of darkness that governs it came upon our Lord Jesus Christ, so, as He repeatedly warned, it has come and comes upon those of us who faithfully follow Him (Matthew 10:24-25; John 13:16, 15:20).
Indeed, the persecution of Christians is not new. What is different about now, though, is that the widening scope and intensity in the earth is a prophetic sign we have come into the latter weeks of the final spiritual trimester of pregnancy before the manifest birth of God’s Kingdom on earth. This is Satan and the world’s last hooray and they will make the most of it; suffering the birth pains God brings on them in judgment and inflicting the same to the extent they can on Jews and Christians as His elect (Matthew 10:16-23; Revelation 12:7-17). Not what you signed up for when you decided to become a Christian? Then, you did not take the terms Christ plainly lays out for all that will follow Him as a disciple seriously or fear has gripped you (Luke 9:18-26, 57-62, 12:49-53, 14:25-35).
You would not be alone dealing with fear in the face of harm since it is a part of our natural design as human beings. In the natural, Peter and the other disciples fled the scene when they saw that the Lord’s plan was not to fight. In fairness to them, though He had been telling them He was about to suffer at the hands of Israel’s religious leaders and Roman authorities representing the Gentiles, His disciples had not understood why this hour of darkness had to come. His cause at that moment was not yet one for them to die for. But even as they watched His suffering from afar, He was still teaching and modeling for them His way as God’s Son, the Messiah; still shining as the “light of the world” and hope in darkness to those of us who believe on Him (John 8:12, 9:1-5, NKJV).
1 See the November 29, 2020 post, Persecution Of American Christians Intensifying, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
For Mary, the mother of her now, deceased Son, the hour was very distant and disconnected from the joyful events surrounding His birth as “Savior...Christ the Lord” attended to by angels (Luke 1:26-56, 2:1-20, NKJV) and infancy when Gentile religious men from the East amidst the stars of light He created followed “His (unique) star” to visit the family and worship Him (Genesis 1:3-5, 14-19; Matthew 1:18-2:2, NKJV). This is the condensed time period we Christians celebrate as Christmas! Mary’s soul was pierced just as Simeon had prophesied to her on the occasion of her baby Boy’s presentation and circumcision at the Temple in Jerusalem in accord with the Law (Luke 2:21-35).
The rest of that terrible day through the Sabbath Mary and all of those who knew Jesus of Nazareth mourned for Him in great bewilderment at the tragedy that had befallen Him; He who was and should have been according to the prophecies of Scripture and Him, their light of hope (Numbers 24:10-19; Isaiah 9:1-7; John 12:42-50)! But He was gone, the glory of His light apparently overcome by the darkness. Why had God forsaken His own Son? The darkness of ignorance and despair was equally deep. Determined to give their Teacher’s body a more thorough preparation, the women disciples who had been watching everything came to the tomb on the third day after His burial.
The four Gospels vary in their details about what happened next with the women.3 According to Luke, to their astonishment “they found the stone rolled away from the tomb” and after going in, “did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” Stunned and confused about what they were seeing, suddenly two angels in male form appeared to and asked them the question of this mortal age: ‘“Why do you seek the living among the dead?’” They followed their question with an equally amazing declaration: ‘“He is not here, but is risen!’” The angels then charged the women to remember the words of Christ foretelling His resurrection and they did (Luke 9:18-22, 24:1-8, NKJV).
All of the Gospels agree the women went to go tell the Lord’s eleven disciples what they had seen and been told by angels and the risen Lord Himself; their devotion richly rewarded with the distinction of being the first to see Him alive from the dead. Coming to the men as they still “mourned and wept,” their first reaction was not to believe. Peter and John however, on second impulse leapt to their feet and ran to the empty tomb to see for themselves (Matthew 28:7-10; Mark 16:7-11; Luke 24:9-12; John 20:1-18, NKJV). Meantime, the Lord appeared to two dejected male disciples not of the eleven traveling from Jerusalem who were kept from initially recognizing Him (Luke 24:13-16).4
After inquiring about their conversation concerning His suffering, crucifixion, lost hope He was Israel’s Redeemer and news from the women, the risen Lord rebuked their slowness to believe all of what it was written the prophets spoke. Then, “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them” everything about Himself and what had just happened as He later did the eleven who He also restored (Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:17-47; John 21:1-19, NKJV).5 Witnesses of all that was fulfilled, the Lord commissioned the eleven to go tell it after being empowered by the Holy Spirit then, ascended to Heaven (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:14-20; Luke 24:48-53; John 20:19-23; Acts 1:4-11).
Having added Matthias to their number to replace Judas (Acts 1:12-26), the twelve apostles and those gathered with them waited for the Holy Spirit to arrive. He came ten days after the Lord’s ascension on the Jewish Day of Pentecost and mightily filled everyone in the room where they were assembled causing them to praise God in human languages they had not previously learned; Peter stepping up to give biblical explanation of what was taking place and to preach the Gospel (Acts 2:1-39). On that day the Church of Jesus Christ was born with the apostles overseeing her (Acts 2:40-47). As for Peter and the other apostles, I write about the miraculous transformation the Holy Spirit wrought in them and wills for us in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.6
With the Lord’s instruction and help they still fled, hid or escaped harm from persecution to live to boldly testify and preach another day and never denied Him or abandoned the faith--James being the first one martyred in His cause (Matthew 10:23; Acts 4:1-31, 5:12-42, 8:1-3, 12:1-19). It is Peter that teaches us to submit to unjust suffering trusting ourselves to God following the example of Christ he witnessed (1 Peter 2:18-25, 3:13-17); a teaching corruptly used by professed Christian American slave owners to compel the submission of my forefathers to their wretched institution of slavery and its evil abuses.7 In step with the apostle Paul, Peter also informs us the Lord’s light of hope never stopped shining at His death, but illuminated Hades (Acts 2:27; Ephesians 4:7-10; 1 Peter 3:18-22).
Therefore, let us in the darkness of these latter days be encouraged as we look to Christ our example and ever shining light of hope (Hebrews 6:9-20; 1 Peter 1:3-5)! As He taught, we are not only blessed to suffer for His cause in the Gospel and God’s Kingdom (Matthew 5:10-12), but filled with His light we are also “the light of the world” exposing the darkness as faithful witnesses (Matthew 5:14-16; Ephesians 5:8-14, NKJV). Suffering as He, we are glorified with Him having also overcome the darkness (Romans 8:14-25, 31-39)! Departing this life, we live and our light continues to shine in Heaven (Revelation 7:9-17)! And just as Christ fulfilled the prophecies of His first coming, so with His star portending it, His return with us (Matthew 24:29-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; Jude 14-15).8
(This was my final post for 2020. Lord willing, my next post will appear Sunday evening, January 3, 2021. Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year filled with all the light of hope our risen, living Savior, Jesus Christ the Son of God imparts to the faithful among our readers waiting for Him!)
3 Detail variances do not discredit the whole resurrection account, but actually add authenticity to it since to this very hour witnesses of the same event will provide de-
tails that differ. One angel of the Lord or two does not change the fact the women found the tomb of Jesus empty as all four Gospels report!
4 In the same supernatural way these disciples were kept from recognizing the Lord, the twelve and all were kept from fully understanding what He was specifically
telling them about the suffering and death He would endure followed by His resurrection (Luke 9:43-45, 18:31-34). Hence, not understanding Christ was in part di-
vinely imposed to keep them from getting in the way as even beforehand, Peter shows he would have done (Matthew 16:21-23).
5 No doubt among the prophets, the Lord did not omit Isaiah 53! Also, please take note of the Lord’s straightforward, objective interpretation and application of God’s
Word as it is written. If He, the living Word as our example in everything handles the Bible this way, then, ought we not to do the same (John 1:1; 2 Timothy 2:15)?
6 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 (digi-
tal only). You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store. Too, leaders can teach, disciple and equip through The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group
Study and The Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study also in the Strong Man Store.
7 Folk of the same mind contrary to what Christ taught, commanded Peter on the day of His arrest and Peter’s teaching tied to this footnote also codified the right of
citizens to keep weapons and use them to violently defend themselves against perceived hostiles in the nation’s Constitution (Matthew 5:38-48, 15:1-9, 26:51-52).
The faithful in the Holy Spirit obey God’s Word before that of men even if it involves rights granted (Joshua 24:15; Matthew 6:24; Acts 4:19, 5:29)! Thus, obeying and
imitating Christ in major part, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led mostly professed Christian black Americans in the Holy Spirit to practice non-violent resistance with their
persecutors during his portion of the black Civil Rights Movement and won the day by the grace of God and to His glory! As Christ declared to Peter, they will die by
manmade weapons that take them up to violently resist the darkness. Surely, God will not honor any professed Christian that defies this teaching either. Too, God’s judgment will bring an end to the practice of corrupting and setting aside His Word to further one’s own ends that has now, mushroomed out of control within profess- ing Christianity (1 Peter 4:12-19)!
8 As I write in The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, Christ’s suffering brought about salvation for the world and great reward to Him; our suffering is a tangible wit-
ness of the power of God’s salvation and Kingdom to the world and brings eternal blessing and reward to us too (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 4:20)!
What the disciples of Jesus Christ saw beginning that dark morning of His arrest and thereafter, so deeply impacted their lives they were never the same again. Though Peter and traditionally the apostle John as “the other disciple” had initially scattered with their companions, they showed up at the home of “Annas,” “the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year” “to see the end,” (Matthew 26:57-58; John 18:12-16, NKJV). It was at this point that Peter makes the first of three denials of knowing Him as the Lord prophesied “before the rooster crows” which he afterward “bitterly” regrets (Matthew 26:34, 69-75; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:17-18, 25-27, NKJV).
I cannot begin to connect with the depths of Peter’s personal pain at that hour especially the heart rending occurrence of the Lord looking him straight in the face at his third denial. I can however, relate to having failed the Lord many times over the years. It is here that I can also appreciate doctrinally and personally the Lord’s words of encouragement to Peter in the face of his impending failure saying to him: “...I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren,” (Luke 22:31-32,NKJV). Peter’s personal faith in Christ and who He was would and did not fail that day--Peter did in his natural, fallen state as a man!
How eternally unfathomably fortunate Peter was that day and all of us who have believed in Christ since that for the cause of our natural, fallen condition as sinners, sin guilt and sins He surrendered to those that would press for His death so, we can return to Him; that is, repent and be forgiven--oh, the joy of the Lord’s forgiveness for sin (Psalms 30, 32)! Peter in the fallen natural and spiritual ignorance; as a not yet Spirit-filled, born again man in the spiritual know denied knowing or being a follower of his Lord to save himself from certain harm and obtained forgiveness for this sin because his faith (trust, confidence) in Him as God’s Son, the Messiah did not fail as He had prayed.
The forgiveness Peter and the other disciples received for not believing Scripture or Christ’s words and spiritual ignorance is granted to all the lost who repent and believe the Gospel (John 5:45-47; 1 Timothy 1:12-17)! Judas’ betrayal is a unique case (Matthew 26:14-16, 19-25, 27:3-10; John 17:12; Acts 1:15-26). Clearly, the warnings of the Lord and later New Testament writers including Peter about the eternal consequences of denying and falling away from Him speak most directly to disciples coming after His suffering, the Holy Spirit and the new spiritual birth (Matthew 10:32-33, 12:31-32; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 12:8-12; Hebrews 3, 6:4-8, 10:26-31; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 2:22-23).2
It is important to note that while Peter witnessed the first round of the Lord’s interrogation at and before his departure from the home of Annas, John apparently stayed and followed the events leading to His crucifixion since he was known to Caiaphas. With Sanhedrin members and disciples Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, he would have been close in to observe the Lord’s foretold trials before this Council, Pilate and Herod. All present would have seen His disfigurement in the aftermath of beatings and scourging; his physical weakness on the walk to crucifixion requiring help and during which He prophesied to grieving women (Luke 22:63-23:31, 50-51; John 3:1, 7:45-52).
When the death processional came to Calvary the Lord was nailed to His cross as were two criminals. He spoke to His Father on behalf of those responsible for His suffering as all that unfolded fulfilled prophecy exactly as it is written. He also brought one of the criminals crucified with Him who had repented into the Kingdom. Meanwhile, possibly to mirror the spiritual darkness that already shrouded what was taking place; it became physically dark from noon until His death three hours later as the light of the sun was kept from shining on the scene. While “all His acquaintances” and women disciples from Galilee had watched from a distance, John and His mother drew near His cross where He addressed them, then, His Father again before dying (Luke 23:32-49; John 19:25-30, NKJV).
At the moment of His death with the darkened land also uncontrollably convulsing, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” providing a monumental sign and clue as to why all of this was permitted by God and had to take place; the Roman centurion and his men on the scene guarding the Lord observing how He died and the events attending to His death in fear crying out in unison: ‘“Truly, this was the Son of God,’” (Exodus 26:31-34; Leviticus 16:2-3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Matthew 27:51-52a, 54, NKJV)! Those who pressed for His death, however, still refused to believe this and sought to ensure His light was put out forever even as fellow Sanhedrin members Joseph and Nicodemus saw to His burial; women followers watching (Matthew 27:57-66; John 19:31-42).
2 Thus, for this cause no professed born again Christian should believe they in unbelief can be forgiven for denying the Lord to save themselves from consequence in per-
secution or apostasy (Romans 14:23b; James 4:17)! Men are free to voluntarily walk away from the Lord in unbelief though, no evil spirit or mortal predator can “snatch”
those clinging to Him by faith out of His or His Father’s protective care (John 6:60-71, 10:22-30, NKJV). Obviously, false professors of the faith that publicly forsake it
and Christ were never saved to begin with (1 John 2:18-19). Salvation then, inures to those professed Christians that stand firm to the end in faith, love and obedience
to God’s written Word (Matthew 10:21-22, 24:13; Mark 13:12-13; Ephesians 5:1-7; Hebrews 10:32-39; Revelation 12:10-11, 14:9-13). Read the two-part post beginning
April 6, 2014, The Faith That Saves, under the category, The Faith.
Continuing to reflect on the importance of faithful Christians anchoring God’s Word in our hearts as the Lord led me to begin to instruct about in the two-part post beginning August 18, 2019, Lined Up Behind Jesus and followed up by last week’s, Loving The Word Of Truth, both under the category, Instruction, I am thoroughly sobered to consider how over the top foolish it truly is to neglect God’s Word at this late hour. Not only is the Word of truth instruction, comfort, hope and life among other things to us that study and practice it, but also through its many uniquely God provided prophecies of these and days still to come, it is light illuminating the times and future.1
At any hour it is foolish to neglect God’s Word! But it is to be especially lacking in discernment, intimate knowledge and the fear of God to do so now for whatever reasons. Indeed, the faithful Christian’s ability to spiritually develop, be fruitful, avoid being deceived or falling away in these latter days depends on knowing God and His Word! Peter, one of the eyewitness apostles of Christ, wrote to first century Christians in his second New Testament letter: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” He goes on to stress how important such knowledge is to God’s end that they (and we) share in “the divine nature,” (2 Peter 1:1-4, NKJV).
Furthermore, Peter’s instruction to “add to” what they were gaining for eternal benefit from the knowledge of God and Christ (to include more knowledge), leads to his sober warning about the consequences of failing to do this (2 Peter 1:5-11, NKJV). Already surrounded by devouring wolves of falsehood, Peter is reminding Christians then living in what he and other New Testament writers quoting the Old called “the last days” (Genesis 49:1; 2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3, NKJV) of “the present truth” (and us too, clearly in the latter of such days nearly 2,000 years later). As well, he wanted to leave them what would be a written reminder we by God’s grace have (2 Peter 1:12-15, NKJV).2
Peter adds his reminder of the present truth not composed of “cunningly devised fables,” but the eyewitness experience of he and other apostles with both Christ’s “majesty” and the Father’s glorious voice from Heaven to the already preserved “prophetic word” of God that fulfilled in what they had seen and heard, “confirmed” its accuracy. This being so, the apostle insists his readers “do well to heed” the prophetic Word “as a light that shines in a dark place” giving illuminating understanding of God’s will and workings concerning Christ to their unknowing hearts until all is fulfilled; knowing by faith how Bible prophecy has come about from God (2 Peter 1:16-21, NKJV).
Plainly from the foregoing taught by the apostle Peter, God wants Christians to have not only a grasp of the propositional truths of His Word, but at least a working general knowledge and understanding of Bible prophecy particularly as it relates to Christ (Luke 24:25-27, 44-48). God is going somewhere with His Word of truth and Christ is it! For this reason, church pastors that shun teaching or even discussing Bible prophecy as part of instructing God’s people are sinning against Him and hurting them.3 This is especially disastrous in these darkening latter days since the light of prophecy Peter speaks of shining in our hearts is a surpassingly great help to our persevering faith.
Truly, it is near impossible to avoid ever saying anything about prophecy since all propositional biblical truth coalesces with and is properly fulfilled in God’s prophetic Word!4 As with the historical and narrative forms of Scripture, God’s prophetic Word when encountered is to be objectively read, interpreted and understood as the One who gave it leads!5 Yes, men over the centuries have given a stunning array of interpretations to the many symbols and symbolic expressions of Bible prophecy.6 But the objective, straightforward approach led to the Jews, for example, expecting the coming of the Lord Jesus at a certain time from Daniel’s prophetic writings (Daniel 9:20-25). Also, their religious leaders even in unbelief spoke of where He would be born from Micah 5:2 (Matthew 2:1-6).
Moreover, the Lord Jesus certainly had Daniel’s prophecy in mind when He warned of events that would transpire after His departure and into a final end time period. As Daniel foretold and the Lord gave more specific details, launched by Caesar Nero and finished by Vespasian, Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed in A.D. 70. The Jewish people were scattered in the overflowing display of Roman military might. “The war” ultimately between God and Satan would continue and “wrath” follow the Jews wherever they went until the end (Daniel 9:26; Matthew 24:1-2, 6-7a; Luke 21:20-24, NKJV). Back in the land since 1948, God prepares Israel for the events of the final week of seventy prophetic weeks He gave Daniel by the angel, Gabriel, counting down to His end (Daniel 9:27).
It is at the midpoint of this final week kept from coming by God until He is ready that the Lord Jesus makes direct reference to Daniel’s prophecy in Daniel 9:27. He warns any that understand the prophecy and live in Israel at the time the “abomination of desolation” in the Temple (this clearly asserts a Jewish Temple is to be built--Ezekiel 40-43:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8) is fulfilled to “flee” because “great tribulation” follows (Matthew 24:15-21, NKJV). Please note in this brief, but powerful example how the ancients and the Lord Jesus Himself not only took Bible prophecy seriously, but also objectively read and literally understood it. It is imperative that we do the same in these latter days so that we will walk in the light of knowledge and not the darkness of ignorance.7 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 Read the May 5, 2019 post, Out Of Step With The Times?, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
2 Not only does Peter know he’s going to die (no rapture for him), but how, because the Lord told him in advance (John 21:18-19). Interestingly, both Peter in the pas-
sage cited (vs. 13-14) and Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:1-4 describe their mortal bodies as a tent, that is, a temporary dwelling. Something that is temporary is not meant
to be permanent as Paul makes clear in 2 Corinthians 5:1 when he speaks of “our earthly house, this tent” being “destroyed,” but receiving “a building from God” which
is permanent by virtue of being “eternal” (NKJV). As different as a tent is in form and quality from a building, so, after the metamorphosis to immortality, our bodies
Paul also writes about in 1 Corinthians 15:49-53.
3 See the April 30, 2017 post, God, His Prophets and Word, under the category, Glory To God!
4 A perfect example of this is the declaration by Moses, “The Lord will judge His people,” (Deuteronomy 32:36a, NKJV). Not only had Israel been issued this truth pro-
positionally, but heard it repeatedly as warnings in prophecies and experienced it in fulfillment. For this reason, the apostles and other New Testament writers also
prophetically warn professed Christians the propositional truth God judges His people has not changed (1 Corinthians 10:1-11; Hebrews 10:26-31; 1 Peter 4:17-18).
5 How could we not be humble enough to recognize that since “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” so, prophecy as part of it is best interpreted with the guid-
ance of Him who gave it as Peter would surely agree (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21, NKJV)?
6 The safest ground to stand on for interpreting prophetic symbols in the Bible is to use another of the sound principles of interpretation: Scripture interprets Scripture.
Typically, a symbol in the Bible is interpreted at first use or thereafter and used consistently throughout. Download the free document, Seven Principles Of Bible Inter-
pretation, in the Strong Man Store.
7 Every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ is challenged in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics to operate in the knowl-
edge of God’s prophetic Word. Get a print copy or digital download of the book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com
and Apple (digital only). You can also get a print copy of the book in the Strong Man Store.
Thank God that churches where Jesus is Lord do not pick men and women to serve as they see fit, but rely on God who has established spiritual gifts as the way He calls and equips His servants to serve! Globally known evangelist, Billy Graham is among those from the 1st century God has called and equipped by spiritual gifting to serve Him through the Body of Christ. I wrote the following blog as the Lord led to be of some support during the launch of what turned out to be yet another fruitful evangelistic campaign to our nation from the Graham team that continues. After repentance and revival, pastors and churches would do well to engage with them in this effort.
Another important reason I originally wrote this blog and present it as an edited repost now is to highlight again how willful pastor and church ignorance about spiritual gifts get in God’s way; hindering the work He wants to do through His servants like Billy Graham. No one delights more in hindering the work of God than Satan! Imagine his glee at having churches do his dirty work for him by overstepping the Holy Spirit in casting aside spiritual gifts and attempting to deploy members into invented religious service after fleshy wisdom and preference. In great joy I thank God that Billy Graham did not listen to flesh driven men in his service, but to Him as I have also done!
Originally Posted November 3, 2013
The memory of words spoken to me by one of the now departed mothers of the church I formerly served as pastor, Cleolia Wilder, came to mind as the Holy Spirit led me to consider this blog on Billy Graham: “Give me my flowers now,” she said. “I won’t be around to hear what you have to say about me after I’m gone.” Her playful, but real words echo wise as I reflect on a lifetime of having heard in some setting or another the name, Billy Graham; the name rising to the forefront once again as his national evangelistic broadcast event, My Hope America, is set to begin on the occasion of his 95th birthday November seventh.1
If there were anyone that qualified to be our nation’s spiritually wise grandfather with the right and clout to speak to us at such a time as this, it is certainly Billy Graham. Without question, Rev. Graham is a God gifted and called evangelist (Acts 8:4-5, 26-40, 21:8; Ephesians 4:11) and the greatest of post 1st century history in terms of reach and impact around the earth. Men like me “do the work of an evangelist” along with other ministry responsibilities (2 Timothy 4:5, NKJV). However, Billy Graham is a full-time, all the time preacher and witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the burning passion from Him to win souls!
Born in North Carolina on a dairy farm, Rev. Graham was himself won to Christ in a revival meeting as a youth. He answered God’s call to preach and evangelism and by 1949 had assembled a team that conducted a history making evangelistic Crusade in Los Angeles, CA. It lasted eight weeks and saw many hundreds come to Christ. In those days the secular media took note of the young evangelist and before long word spread around the nation about his fiery delivery of the simple Gospel message. He drew crowds in the tens of thousands in crusades on every continent and in many major cities at the height of his labor.
Noteworthy too is the favor God gave to Rev. Graham among the churches across denominational lines, though his lifelong affiliation is with Southern Baptists. He rallied the churches in the cities of his crusades to pray for, financially support and participate in them. I was privileged to participate as a decision counselor in a Billy Graham Crusade that came to San Jose, CA in the early eighties through the Emmanuel Baptist Church where I was a member at the time. During his nearly half a century of service Rev. Graham became known as “God’s ambassador to the world” and was spiritual advisor to American Presidents from Harry S. Truman to George W. Bush.
Billy Graham also broke racial harmony building ground in publically urging white Christians to repent from racism.2 He endorsed the non-violent work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As a man of God, he stood tall as a role model in setting standards of humility, integrity and propriety with women that I as one of his admirers continue to emulate. For all of the fruitful labor and good God has used Rev. Graham to bring forth as a full-time evangelist, I stagger at the thought of what might have happened if he had listened to those early on in his young career that would keep him close to the local church to prove his loyalty to its program.
Similarly, other voices among the churches and in denominational circles would also attempt to pigeon hole him as a pastor; confining him to their unbiblical view of what “a call to preach” really means as has happened to me in my own Scriptural calling as a watchman/prophet. Billy Graham--as do all His gifted and called servants--served at the pleasure of God, not mortal flesh and as a result, stands as a towering Christian figure; an excellent example of an aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ in our times who has earned the right to be heard nationally one last time in these latter days!
Therefore, whether you are participating in Billy Graham’s My Hope America through your local church or not (many churches have chosen not to be involved), I urge you to join me in praying for it.3 Pray that many souls will be won to the Lord through Rev. Graham and this broadcast as the Gospel is presented simply and clearly one more time by the devoted heart of a truly God called evangelist on a national platform. Otherwise, there is no one of his stature to command the cooperating media involvement he is getting now in the future. Indeed, most of the secular networks and cable systems are not participating in this broadcast event.4
Given the times, perhaps the next voices to command even global audiences for the authentic proclamation of the Gospel are God’s two witnesses who are prophets and finally, a holy angel (Revelation 11:1-14, 14:6-7). For this cause, pray also that God will be able to light a spark of revival among Christians as we understand with this broadcast how extraordinary it and the hour are. Thank you for your faithful service, Rev. Graham, and happy birthday!
1 For more information about My Hope America visit https://myhopewithbillygraham.org/.
2 Current events have clearly nullified the hostile conservative white evangelical put down of bringing up the charge of continuing racism among them and their churches
as playing “the race card.” Once again, the silence during an opportune time to proclaim and display a biblical worldview that black and all lives matter to God is
deafening. Billy Graham's call to repentance from racism then, is still appropriate now and required by God to be in the mix of all the sinful ways of the guilty to be
repented of before revival comes to them.
3 Oregon Regional Coordinator for the campaign, Ken Ramey is quoted in the November issue of Christian News Northwest as saying that “only one in every 12 churches
nationally knows about it.” He goes on to say the Graham team had met their goal to have 25,000 churches participate. For the entire article, Billy Graham My Hope
America Campaign enlists hundreds of Northwest churches, go to http://cnnw.com/2013/11/.
4 Three years later, if this year’s wicked race for President is any indicator of where our nation is at and going spiritually, then, in this reality taken seriously as it should be,
I humbly submit the Graham national evangelistic effort to all Americans using secular media in the mix is--barring divine intervention--truly the last of its kind as the Lord
led me to warn.
Reflecting further on last week’s post,1 the Lord leads me to follow up today among the unsaved leaders at all levels of government and those professed Christians who have corrupted themselves through compromise with the world’s philosophies and attempts to bring peace to its lawless communities. There is only one Source in all existence for the light of life and peace: Jesus Christ, “the Word” and “Son” of the living God who has come and is coming again (John 1:1-18, NKJV)! This is what He said about Himself when He came to first century Israel: ‘“I am the light of the world, He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life,’” (John 8:12, NKJV).
Before He was born into the world, it was foretold by the prophet Isaiah of Him that among the titles of the “Son” of God would be “Prince of Peace,” (Isaiah 9:6-7, NKJV). This is because in His multi-faceted assignment from His Father, Jesus Christ causes peace to break forth in all realms of existence beginning between God and man “through the blood of His cross,” (Colossians 1:19-20, NKJV). After this (having risen from the dead and ascended to the right hand of His Father in Heaven) in a day very near now, He comes again to fulfill all that is written concerning His reign of peace on earth (Isaiah 2:1-4, 11:6-9, 65:24-25; Luke 2:8-14, 24:44-53; Hebrews 1:1-4, 13).
As we all painfully know, the world has had no peace since the first century though, it has tried and tries in futility apart from the means God has appointed. Faithful Christians have enjoyed inner peace from Christ which is beyond any kind of peace the world can offer because it is supernatural; flowing from Him in nature who is the eternal God (John 14:27, 16:33; Romans 8:1-6; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 2:11-18; Philippians 4:6-7; Colossians 3:15)! Until He returns to reign on the earth, Heaven’s decree is no peace on earth as He taught while still here and later prophecy after His departure affirms (Matthew 10:32-39, 24:6-14; Revelation 6:1-11). This is part of the cost of rejecting Christ as God’s appointed means for peace with Him as most important (Isaiah 57:19-21)!
Therefore, the days since Christ’s return to glory have been and are days of decision for all mankind; whether one upon hearing the Gospel that Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again will repent and believe to receive God’s forgiveness and eternal life through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit or not (Acts 2:36-40, 10:34-48). Those who do repent, believe the Gospel and remain faithful to the end enjoy the light of life and peace in Christ (Colossians 1:21-23)! Those who do not are condemned in their sins and suffer separation from God eternally after being judged by Christ according to their works (Revelation 20:11-15). Let all who have never or need to then, answer God’s call to repent now, before it is too late!
1 Read the August 14, 2022 post, Laborers For The Harvest, under the category, The Cause.
Even now, thirty years later as the Lord had me assert in the 1993 From Slavery To Victory: One Man’s Journey (FSTVOMJ) Radio Special,1 there is still one last hope for a curtailment of black America’s self-destruction as judgment from Him. That hope is biblically defined repentance leading to the spiritual revival and salvation of many which the radio program seeks to spur in line with the mission and objectives of The From Slavery To Victory Education Project it generated in 1994.2 Over the past thirty years there has been no nationwide repentance to God’s satisfaction among black Americans professing to be Christians to date. Time for repentance and hope is running out!
Curtailing God’s judgment upon black America must begin among those who profess to be Christians because such ones knew (and know) better than to disobey Him in the first place as backsliders and rebels (James 4:17)! This is exactly why God on the occasion of the dedication of the Temple Solomon built gave him a warning. He would bring judgment upon Israel for their sins that could only be turned back by humility, seeking prayer, repentance, His forgiveness and restoration (2 Chronicles 7:12-14).3 Otherwise, though pleased to dwell at the Temple, in wrath for persistent disobedience God would remove it and the people from the land (2 Chronicles 7:15-22).
This latter thing God did to Israel twice; once in 586 BC as the Babylonians destroyed the Temple and carried the people away captive and again in 70 AD when the Romans burned the rebuilt Temple down and scattered most of those they did not kill to the nations. In the parlance of black culture, “God don’t play!” So, why are so many acting like God is playing with regard to judging sin among those professed to be His people? It can only be the devil’s inspired delusion of entitlement to sin out of being victims at work among many unsaved and professed Christian black Americans along with the lie God is no longer serious about or judging it (John 8:44; 1 Corinthians 15:33-34)!
Clearly also, many professed Christian black Americans among those choosing to be secular atheists, agnostics and apostates have decided no longer to believe the truth God is the One that brought our forefathers from West Africa to the New World in chains. Though as victims most do not want to hear it, in accord with His purposes the way our forefathers came and their enslavement was punishment from Him for sin (Lamentations 3:37-39).4 As well, it was so the willing might be humbled and in honest confession and repentance “turn back to the LORD” through the Gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ, as many did (Lamentations 3:40-42; Acts 17:22-31; Romans 1:16-17, 10:11-13, NKJV).
Too, it was God who brought our people out of bondage and into the opportunities to be unimpeachable “witnesses” of His grace, mercy and power to save, preserve as well as deliver souls from any adversity (Deuteronomy 6:20-25; Psalm 124; Isaiah 43:8-13, 61:1, NKJV). We owe God an incalculable debt of gratitude, loyalty and devotion! But the many to include every guilty professed Christian in their churches have repaid Him instead with narcissism fed rebellion; playing the harlot with other gods in idolatry, the cruel sacrifice of unwanted children and trusting more in sinful mortals, their governments, institutions and alliances than God to advance in the world (Jeremiah 2:26-37).
Yet, as He declared to Solomon, God who is longsuffering and merciful is ready to ease up on His ongoing judgment impacting all with only the humility, seeking prayer of sincere confession and repentance of the guilty majority among those who profess to be Christians rebelling against His will, way and Word as it is written! This is to be a full confession of and repentance from every spiritual, moral and ethical departure made from His Word.5 If you don’t know what all of that might be, ask the Holy Spirit to show you with your Bible open. To repent is to change one’s mind about his sins viewing them as a holy God does--not self, neighbor or a so-called “progressive” culture that includes numerous religionist and corrupt pastors with the churches they lead, false prophets and teachers.
Unless there is a turning back to God in full confession and repentance, there can be no forgiveness or hope of revival from Him that temporarily eases back on His judgment just as He had me declare in the FSTVOMJ Radio Special thirty years ago. Indeed, His judgment is to intensify going forward as God moves to consummate His plans to end this current evil age and bring forth the Kingdom of His Son!6 Therefore, time is running out in these latter days to get right with God and stop following the crowd in continuing rebellion and sin against Him. Every guilty professed Christian must decide for themselves whether to turn back to God or not. Those who refuse will personally endure His intensifying judgment and coming wrath (Romans 1:18-2:16; Hebrews 3:7-19; Jude 5)!
1 The starting date and time for the Webcast of this historic docu-drama will be announced in select media and on social media. Prospective contributors can make designated gifts for the Webcast at https://fromslaverytovictory.org/Donate and receive one of the last number of Commemorative Cassettes.
2 Learn more about the project on its Web Site.
3 See especially the second part of the two-part post that begins August 2, 2020, Flavorless Salt Is Worthless, under the category, Call To Repent, to understand why as the Lord has led me, I do not overuse 2 Chronicles 7:14.
4 I still remain amazed at how so many do not finish reading through our brief presentation, The Journey, on The From Slavery To Victory Education Project Web Site. The primary reason no doubt, is that most view it through the deadly worldview of victimization. I challenge all serious black American seekers of truth to read and soberly consider each of the five stops on The Journey unapologetically presenting a sound, biblical worldview of the black American historical experience as has been done in this and the preceding February 26, 2023 post, Thirty Years Later…, under the categories, Biblical Worldview and Black History.
5 Read the August 31, 2014 post, Soul Deep Repentance, under the category, Call To Repent.
6 Believing this truth from God’s Word, the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, prays accordingly (Matthew 6:9-13). Get a copy of my book at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore, the Strong Man Store and the FSTVEP Resource Store on The From Slavery To Victory Education Project Web Site.
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