The Scourge Of Racism
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I have a brief word of encouragement from the Lord for all of His faithful daughters aspiring to be great women of God in Christ’s image and any other female that will receive it.1 Today’s cry from females that feel victimized and voiceless and demand a voice to be heard (along with all others that feel the same way for whatever reasons), the God of the Bible would have you to know He hears you! Truly, as it is written, “He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see,” (Psalm 94:9, NKJV)? God hears every voice on earth whether spoken as an inaudible whisper from the heart or loudly shouted in the streets; He hears every single voice!
The response of the Lord is another matter. Indeed, for while He hears every voice, not every voice is calling upon Him. Some who have suffered an injury from living in this sinful, fallen and unfair world believe God is unconcerned and do not call on Him because He did not prevent their injury in the first place. So, they are angry with Him and the world and want someone to feel their pain with their bitterness through the outcry of the heart made visible in self-destruction or shouting upon every platform. Unfortunately, the sinful, fallen world from whence came their injury is limited in what it can and is willing to do to bring forth permanent readdress of evil and healing for its injured.
No such limitations are with the Lord God Almighty of the Bible (Psalm 146)! As it is written, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth,” (Psalm 145:18, NKJV). The Lord’s nearness is not just to hear and comfort, but to take action (sometimes before; at other times in His sovereignty, after the fact). But first, one must call upon Him “in truth”--transparency, true innocence and helplessness.2 If, for example, you are in a place where you should not be in willful disobedience to biblical righteousness, God is under no obligation to keep you from harm or provide perfect justice for your resulting injury. You purposely put yourself in harm’s way.3
Nevertheless, the righteous who fear the Lord are in peril of injury from this world ruled by Satan every day. It is written, “He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. The Lord preserves all who love Him,” (Psalm 145:19-20a, NKJV). Those who fear the Lord are given the general promise of deliverance from evil and injury including its ultimate form, death, when we call upon Him. But we understand His promise is of a general nature and have already accepted the fact that He for His sovereign ends and glory may allow us to suffer affliction or death at any time and are okay with this because they are temporary--we live to Him forever (Luke 9:23-26, 21:16-19; John 21:18-23; Romans 8:18-39)! For this we shout His praise (Psalm 145:21)!
However, not so the wicked to include full throated victims! For whether you are the perpetrator of evil or victim that refuses to call upon the Lord in truth and for salvation; looking only to make people hear and/or pay for your pain, it is written, “all the wicked He will destroy,” (Psalm 145:20b, NKJV).4 This is His soon coming permanent readdress of evil! Therefore, let those who fear the Lord keep on calling upon Him no matter how dark the night; He hears you. Let all who feel voiceless “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near;” abandoning your wicked ways and thinking in all repentance so, He may hear with mercy and forgiveness through the Good News of His Son, Jesus Christ (Isaiah 55:6-7; Luke 24:46-47; Romans 10:11-13, NKJV).
1 Learn about the great woman of God in The Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study He privileged me to create for females that will seek Him and those that already know Him and want to grow in their knowledge and understanding of biblical womanhood. The Women’s Group Study is available through your favorite internet bookseller or in the Strong Man Store.
2 You do not really believe the Lord will hear your demand for justice over the silent screams of the unborn being unjustly murdered through abortion you at the same time are vocally advocating for or carrying out do you?
3 This is not to blame the victim for the wicked deed done to them. However, keeping it real, just as warning signs are posted all over the world to keep people from possi- ble injurious situations, so, God in His Word! If you ignore His warnings from Scripture for whatever reasons, you must take responsibility for that and the consequences! Read my November 5, 2017 post, Sex, Power And Ambition, under the category, Biblical Worldview. Heed the warning signs of God and common sense. Speak up at the time of injury; seek forgiveness from God as warranted and His justice first in which He will help obtain whatever measure of it will come from Him through this world and His eternal judgment.
4 The bitter victim is destroyed with the unrepentant perpetrator because using any means including deceit in their vehement insistence that those who injured them pay for it somehow, they demonstrate their lack of trust in God and usurp Him in their actions who says as “it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’” (Romans 12:19, NKJV).
The title of this Blog is a question of contempt thought of me by some blacks and whites over the years I have served the Lord in ministry. A few blacks have actually uttered the question to my face!1 My question is what makes any fallen, sinful human being right? Truly, as President Abraham Lincoln also observed only “God is always right,” (Deuteronomy 32:1-4; Psalm 145:17).2 Likewise, the Word of the Lord stands perfectly and eternally right (Psalm 19:7-11; Hosea 14:9)! So, my two-part reply to my inquisitors is first, I and anyone else are right when we accurately repeat what God says in the now, that also agrees with His written Word objectively interpreted and applied.
Second, in all humility before the Lord because I believe the testimony of Scripture about who He is, I fear Him and to misrepresent His Person, nature, character, demeanor or words spoken to me or written in His Holy Word (Exodus 20:18-21; Isaiah 6:1-5; Ezekiel 1:26-28; Acts 9:1-6; Revelation 1:9-18). Yes, I fear God the way a mortal son honors and fears to disobey his father. While I get that “perfect love casts out fear” as it concerns “the day of judgment,”3 “fear of the Lord” causes me to give Him the full awe and reverence embodied in the expression and to reap its promised benefits (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7, 14:26-27, 16:6; 1 John 4:17-19, NKJV).
In making my two-part reply to the question of contempt, I am by no means asserting a foolish and arrogant claim to infallibility!4 However, I am assuring those that care I do not take my life in and assignment from the Lord lightly as a watchman/prophet and teacher in His Body (Ezekiel 33:1-9; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Ephesians 4:7-16). I have written about my gifts, calling and ministry many times.5 So, I will not spend time in this short post repeating the same things to those who really could care less about what makes me right. They will still perilously "refuse" to give heed as has always been the case with rebels that profess to be God’s people (Ezekiel 2-3:11, NKJV).
Surely though, the proclamation and teaching the Lord has given me from His Word over the years stand as perpetual evidence of His righteousness on display through me! Since His Word endures forever, it will never fail to be good, right and true (Isaiah 40:8)! For this cause, I rejoice that our Ministry is about to again Webcast the From Slavery To Victory: One Man’s Journey Radio Special on the occasion of the thirty year anniversary of its premiere on a Dallas, Texas radio station during Black History Month 1993.6 With thanks to God, I was used of Him to write, produce and speak in this docu-drama in similitude to Ezekiel, the model for my ministry (Ezekiel 11:24-12:16).7
The following year the radio special won an award and became the flagship program launching The From Slavery To Victory Education Project conducted by Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. on Juneteenth. In its original form, the program was distributed by compact disc and heard on radio stations around the nation. Thirty years after the initial February 20 and 21, 1993 premiere, I have no cause to take back anything I wrote or voiced in the program’s historical or prophetic content that is verifiably accurate (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)! This is because God and His Word which are always right mightily permeate it to His glory! By His grace as I have recently testified, God has delivered me from affliction that I may continue to declare His Word and works in righteousness!8
1 Such persons should be warned the Lord “heard” and will hear you as He did Miriam and was not pleased that His servant was assailed (Numbers 12, NKJV).
2 See the quote from President Lincoln.
3 The apostle John’s use of the phrase “perfect love” is the same as the Lord‘s “love” who he heard specifically tie to obedience (John 14:15-24, NKJV). Consequently, the apostle’s assertion that because of “perfect love” believers have no fear of the coming judgment day assumes faithful obedience to Christ to include properly dealing with our sins as they occur or are disclosed by the convicting work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11; 1 John 1:5-2:2).
4 The fear of the Lord, daily walk with Him, His instruction and work in my life since 1977 (Psalm 119:33-40) has made me humble enough before Him to publicly confess and repent of any error from not having heard Him correctly or “rightly dividing the Word of truth” if it becomes necessary. To avoid this, I do not typically open mouth un- til I have reflected before the Lord and His Word (Proverbs 15:28; 2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV). That said, at His command neither do I engage in any false humility concern- ing or apologize for the knowledge and understanding He has “taught me” to placate proud men who cannot endure anyone who appears to know or think he knows more than they do (Psalm 119:97-104, NKJV)!
5 Read for example, the October 2, 2016 post, Gifted With A Prophet’s Heart, under the category, Call To Repent and posted February 17, 2019, Surrendering All To Jesus, under the category, Glory to God!
6 The exact roll out date and time of the Webcast is still to be announced. Meanwhile, prepare for it by listening to interviews conducted with me about the radio special on The From SlaveryTo Victory Education Project Web Site.
7 See the March 6, 2022 post, Ezekiel: Slave Of God, under the category, Glory To God!
8 Watch the less than thirty minute Bible Instruction video message the Lord gave me to proclaim in view of His promised deliverance from Prostate Cancer on our Strong Man Virtual Institute Channel, Afflicted For God’s Good Ends!
As the Holy Spirit leads, in this post I circle back to last week’s and specifically the fourth footnote to glorify God and celebrate faithful black Christians from slavery!1 The footnote challenges the lie that Civil Rights leaders after Dr. King’s death had no other option but to align themselves with liberal professed Christians rebelling against God and His Word to successfully destroy the remaining barriers of bigotry, discriminatory acts and oppressions of America’s systemic racism denying black Americans the full rights and privileges of citizenship. This action was a clear break from the faith of our faithful Christian slave forefathers and those that suffered even martyrdom during the King years.
I have heard and seen it all before as well as been guilty of it myself more than a few times in my near 47 year journey with Christ; how guilty professed Christians so easily justify the need to help God out in a situation by making choices and decisions that seem right only to discover afterward, He was not in it at all! Having lived through the years I write about, I saw how many Civil Rights leaders once so devoted to God in dependent faith, the non-violent strategies of Dr. King and suffering arising out of biblically conservative Christianity sold out to back room deals and agreements with strange bedfellows supposedly in similar need to further the cause of racial justice for black folk.
And while a little progress was enjoyed mainly among those blacks politically, educationally, socially and financially positioned to lay hold of what came trickling out of governments and big corporations, the masses remain in dire need to this day. Poverty is still the norm. Black males disproportionately overflow prisons and graveyards while black females murder their unborn at a rate higher than any other group. Also, marching to protest real and alleged racial wrong doing against blacks continues plainly demonstrating that a generation after King, leaders who made the decision to take the tack of seeking allies among those rebelling against God were mistaken (Proverbs 14:12).
According to the Bible, the foregoing is not what happens when God fights your battle! This is as king of ancient Judah, Jehoshaphat, learned when he faced the daunting reality of war with neighbor nations making up a massive force already on the march for the battle. The king as a man of faith in God did what he was supposed to do: call on the Lord and led the people to do the same (2 Chronicles 20:1-13).2 Isn’t this what was done under Dr. King? Then, the Lord answered giving instructions through a Levite, Jahaziel, He used in the moment urging all not to fear ‘“for the battle is not yours, but God’s,’” (2 Chronicles 20:14-18, NKJV). Isn’t this what was done under Dr. King?
After spending time worshipping God “with voices loud and high,” the king encouraged the people to ‘“Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.’” Then they went out marching to battle continuing to sing the Lord’s praises in worship (2 Chronicles 20:19-21, NKJV). Isn’t this what was done under Dr. King? And though they routinely suffered physical violence and incarceration, most as Christians believed they were serving the higher purposes of God He validated by convicting the nation of its oppressive evil and unjust laws tied to systemic racism and making it begin to tear these down (2 Chronicles 20:22-30).3
Even before this our faithful Christian slave forefathers looked to God in faith and waited upon Him to fight their battle for freedom. In the meantime, they prayed and sang in worship resulting in a legacy of spirituals in the thousands that serve as tangible proof of their faith in God we their descendants ignore to our detriment as the West African fathers who heard the Gospel in their native lands, but largely rejected it (Psalm 78:5-8). Having been brought to this land in chains for what God intended to only be a temporary remedial judgment to humble the hearts of many which He accomplished, through the nation’s Civil War He fought the battle for their release when its time came (Psalm 107:10-16, 39-43). He had brought us in, He would bring us out (Lamentations 3:22-42)!4
But now, what was left to be done to help our nation righteously and justly overcome the debilitating sin of racism using a humbled, faithful people of faith in God, will never be fulfilled this side of Christ’s return since those in the liberal majority and their leaders have refused His help in exchange for that of rebels against Him and His Word as it is written (Isaiah 30:1-5, 31:1-3; Jeremiah 2:9-19, 32-37).5,6 This means of course, the promise of a bright future built on rebellion against the divine order as with feminists most who also sanction the murder of the unborn, the perverted ends of those that practice same sex relations and gender confusion will be exposed for the demonic deceit it is in the face of God’s near severe judgments and coming wrath (Psalm 75; Jeremiah 25:29-32)!7
1 Read the February 25, 2024, Liberal Black Professed Christians To Lose, under the category, Black History and Call To Repent!
2 Such was also the confidence of many other biblical characters where God showed up to fight their battles including the slaves from Judah taken to Babylon, Daniel and his three companions. Read the February 27, 2022 post, Daniel: Slave Of God, under the categories Biblical Worldview and Black History.
3 Beginning with the important 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision rendering public school segregation based on race unconstitutional and following the historic non-violent activities of those with Dr. King which began in 1955, unjust racially discriminatory behavior across the nation was outlawed within ten years by na- tional government measures in 1964 with the Civil Rights Act and in 1965 the Voting Rights Act.
4 Visit this Ministry’s From Slavery To Victory Education Project Web Site for more of a biblical worldview on slavery and God’s good ends.
5 It is an egregious sin and offense to God to be unfaithful to Him (Psalm 73:27)! Just ask another king of Judah, Asa, the father of Jehoshaphat who having previously en- joyed God fighting a victorious battle for the nation (2 Chronicles 14:9-15), afterward looked to a pagan king to deliver him from the attack of a brother Israelite king (2 Chronicles 16:1-9).
6 This general judgment of God does not preclude faithful, individual black American remnant Christians from laboring alongside those of other hues in biblical conserva- tism for the cause of racial justice issues that arise with Him leading as the Ally nor pursuing racial unity within conservative evangelicalism, my appeal in The Scourge Of Racism. The printed book is available in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores. The E-Book is available at major E-Book sellers. Learn more about the book, survey some reader endorsements and see its trailer at https://www.opendoorcommin.org/featured-publishing-resource.
7 Rather than anger at me for telling the truth, why not consider that if you are reading this post it has been another gracious opportunity God has provided you to return to Him (2 Peter 3:1-9)! Watch this Ministry’s thirty minute Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on our YouTube channel.
It is with great joy the Lord has allowed me to conclude my 2018 blog writing service to Him and our readers with a word of instruction on tithing. Writing a post on legalism this fall, I was troubled that I was not able to say more about this important, voluntary spiritual privilege and discipline for willing Christians that has been mostly foisted on us historically as a legalistic carryover requirement of God’s Law and commandments to Israel.1 I know some were worried I was against tithing. However, the footnote I would have written explaining the sin of teaching Christians to tithe as a matter of Law, rather than faith, free will love and worship would have been this post and too long!
Now, by the grace of our God, here in summary form is the teaching the Lord gave me early in my journey as a Christian over forty years that I also taught my family and church members as a pastor. Let me begin by saying I was introduced to the concept of tithing as a Christian babe in a traditional black American Baptist church by leadership that insisted it was God’s required will straight up out of Malachi 3:8-12. As a result, out of guilt, shame, fear and inadequate faith I wrestled with how to become an obedient tither and where to begin--off of my net or gross income that either way by sight left me short of my budget needs--as most other folk when introduced to tithing.
After much prayer, I took my first shaky steps toward being one who tithed off of my net (just keeping it real), then my gross and eventually whatever financial increase came to me in addition to giving my God offerings for whatever causes I was led by Him to sow into. Along the way, He took me deeper into His Word about tithing as giving not out of the Law for a Christian, but faith and love (that authentic, always involves the will and worship) as a voluntary spiritual privilege and discipline. Building faith and love are why I am convinced God does not harshly swoop down on us as babes right away to correct tithing wrongly introduced as legalism--but woe to the unrepentant legalist!
Giving a tithe (a tenth or more) in the Bible is first introduced some 500 years before the Law as the act of Abraham, the man of faith, when he did so to “Melchizedek, king of Salem” who “was the priest of God Most High.” Melchizedek had come out to bless Abraham after his successful rescue of Lot and others from marauding kings (Genesis 14:13-20, NKJV). In that blessing, the mysterious priest declared, ‘“Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High who has delivered your enemies into your hand.'” After this blessing, Abraham gave Melchizedek “a tithe of all,” (Genesis 14:19-20, NKJV).2 What made Abraham do this?
Making offerings to God goes back to Adam, who obviously taught his sons to do so (Genesis 4:1-7). Clearly too, the practice of making religious offerings to priests as intermediaries with a tithe being the norm was common in Abraham’s day. Beyond this, no doubt, the key to Abraham’s tithe given to Melchizedek was his faith recognition in the blessing that his successful rescue campaign and all of its spoils were the direct result of the Most High’s providence who owns everything in Heaven and on earth! Abraham then--though he refused anything for himself, was giving back a portion to the priest for God what He had already blessed him with (Genesis 14:21-24).
The foregoing principle of giving was preserved by God as motive and requirement in the Covenant Law and commandments He gave Moses for Israel to support the priesthood, Levites, His house and benevolent causes among the people (Numbers 18:7-32; Deuteronomy 12:1-19, 14:22-29, 26:1-15). Later, king Solomon declared God’s principle and the associated blessings in instructions he as a father gave his son (Proverbs 3:9-10). After this, it is only for their disobedience in not giving as required in His Law and commandments that God rebukes Judah before and after their Babylonian captivity. In the New Testament and under the New Covenant there is no divine command to tithe!
The Lord Jesus commended the Jewish religious leadership of the time for their obedience to tithe, but failure in other, “weightier matters of the law” (Matthew 23:23, NKJV). In conformity with the divine transcendent principle, He also taught the blessedness of giving of one’s substance to God (Luke 6:38, 9:10-17, 12:13-21) to support His Kingdom workers, work and benevolent causes; receiving such support as did His apostles with but one exceptional exception (Luke 8:1-3, 10:1-7; Acts 20:33-35; 1 Corinthians 9:1-18; 2 Corinthians 8-9; 1 John 3:16-18). In the likeness of Melchizedek and the priests of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ is also our High Priest and formal Intermediary when we give to God.3 He receives our tithes and offerings on behalf of the Father and is also honored by us with them (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:14-5:10, 7:1-8:6).4
Thus, even though there is no New Testament command to tithe of our income in giving as Christians, the principle--reaching all the way back past the Law to Abraham our faith example in everything, commends it to us as normative and certainly, as I can testify, a spiritual privilege and discipline (like regular Bible study, prayer and church attendance) God blesses as a matter of walking by faith in Him (Romans 4:3; Hebrews 11:6; James 2:20-26)!5 So, then, let any professed Christian leader attempting to get God’s people to give through tithing by falsely and legalistically making it a requirement of the Law repent now if you will please God. Teach His Word faithfully!6 I wish all a blessed and prosperous New Year especially as you make giving to God a spiritual priority.7
1 Read the two-part post, Let’s Talk Legalism, under the category, Instruction, beginning September 23, 2018.
2 So much for the net versus gross question!
3 Melchizedek and our Lord Jesus also very significantly share in common being bearers of “bread and wine,” (Genesis 14:18; Luke 22:14-20; John 6:31-59).
4 As the apostle Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 8-9, Christ’s churches and Parachurch ministries have a stewardship responsibility from Him to receive any kind of offer-
ings as His agents and to disburse them at His direction in support of His Kingdom workers, work and causes. Woe to the churches, ministries and their leaders that do
not do so (Matthew 23:14; 1 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11)!
5 Learn more about the concept of spiritual discipline for the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ from my book, The Strong Man Of
God: Back To Basics. It is available at all major internet booksellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the Strong Man Store.
6 Teaching God’s word faithfully does include examining the spiritual, moral, ethical and transcendent truths embodied in the Old Testament Law and commandments to
understand His good intent in them and to make a proper application as the Lord led me to write in the post on legalism. So, for example, we can look at Malachi 3:8-12
and see how God wanted the Israelites to obey His Law and commandments on tithing to be blessed of Him while also fulfilling His support plans for the priests, Levities,
the Temple and community benevolence. God stresses His willingness to bless their obedience to the point of inviting them to put Him to the test! The application for
Christians is to see the consistency of God in His transcendent principle of blessed giving through the proportional discipline of tithing that reaches all the way back to
Abraham which also our Lord Jesus Christ affirms. Then, out of faith and love, to act out of it to benefit both us and God's Kingdom priorities!
7 Please remember Strong Man Ministries in your giving among the ordained Kingdom workers (me--Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:17-18; 3 John 5-8), works and causes of
God in this generation. Give securely on our Web Site at https://thestrongmanofGod.org/Give. You can also mail your cash, check or money order made out to our or-
ganizational parent, Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. and send it to P.O. BOX 56704, Portland, OR 97238.
In this first of two follow-up posts I will make this month to my Prostate Cancer announcement last week, as the Lord leads, I want to briefly present a few reflections. First though, for the sake of those that may not know what a prostate is much less cancer in it, as I had to learn, the prostate gland is exclusively an organ of the male reproductive system. The prostate gland produces and adds supporting secretions of seminal fluid to sperm on its way up from the testes at the heart of each of two testicles and through the penis during ejaculation. It is the size of a chestnut. The prostate sits just below the bladder and surrounds the tube flowing down from it for urination.1
It is not known exactly why the prostate in men over fifty enlarges and squeezes the urination tube causing issues. Researchers are also not certain about why cancer develops in the prostate. Beyond heredity and genetic predisposition, one theory suggests the stimulation of increased production of testosterone due to a high fat diet. The testosterone in turn stimulates dormant cancer cells. Some men live well into old age with slow growing cancer and no major symptoms. Others like me and a high incidence of other black American males, experience the more aggressive forms of the cancer and medical science does not have definitive answers as to why on this either.2
Consequently, I urge all men age 50 and older, but especially black Americans to get screened for and remain engaged with your doctor watching out for signs of Prostate Cancer which left untreated, may lead to a premature death. I make the foregoing encouragement remembering and acknowledging with gratitude the urging from one of my former High School classmates some years back to give attention to the issue as one very important for men. However, my reply then, remains the same today even now, with the temporal affliction. The greater and most important need of men and my assignment from the Lord is to preach the Gospel for the eternal salvation of their souls!
Indeed, my first reflection from being diagnosed with Prostate Cancer is an offering of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for saving a wretched sinner like me as with all of humanity, destined to die from something because of sin (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:17-19; Ezekiel 18:4; Hebrews 9:27)! For in His grace and my repentance, I believed the Gospel on Easter Sunday 1977 I also preach that Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day after. At the same time I was also indwelt by and filled with the Holy Spirit who brought me to new birth and eternal spiritual life (John 1:11-13, 3:1-8, 14-18; Acts 2:36-40; Romans 6:23, 10:5-15; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Thus, while in accord with the Lord’s promise my body will not die from Prostate Cancer as one of many ways sin works ruin and death in mankind, it will eventually die from whatever cause. I am so glad for His salvation that assures not only my soul lives in and with Him forever, but also “through the Gospel” like Him, resurrection to immortal glory (John 11:23-27, 14:1-6, 17:24; 2 Timothy 1:8-10, NKJV)!3 A second reflection is inspired of the foregoing reality and has led to another praise offering to God for “fearfully and wonderfully” creating me a mortal man (Psalm 139:13-14, NKJV)! For I have been reminded again the whole human body is an amazing living machine God created.
The prostate in the mortal body of man the male as one part of our reproductive system is uniquely and purposely designed by God to facilitate the fathering of children within the context of marriage (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:21-25, 3:20, 4:1). This truth led me to a third related reflection and praise offering to God. After being presented and rejecting surgery to remove my prostate, I realized I could still live without all of my reproductive parts as man and was not ultimately defined by them! This affirmed again to me what God from His Word caused me to understand and teach concerning His design of our future immortal bodies. Since there will be no marriage or procreation in that day, bodily reproductive equipment will no longer be needed (Luke 20:27-40; 1 Corinthians 15:20-57).4
1 All of the general information I am writing about the prostate and cancer to it is readily available on the internet using your favorite search engine.
2 See the article on African American men and prostate cancer at the National Cancer Institute Web Site.
3 Barring any life ending accident or martyrdom, I already have Coronary Artery Disease and High Blood Pressure as the aging process adds more ways for my body to die. I am not taking my mortal life lightly, but keeping it real that my body will in time die from something. Until then, I am experiencing the truth as it is written: “Our God is the God of salvation; and to God the Lord belong escapes from death,” (Psalm 68:20, NKJV). I am also comforted to know when I go, I will go to Him who has saved my soul (2 Corinthians 5:1-8)!
4 Learn more about the immortal destiny of mankind in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available with the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore. Also, read posts the Lord led me to make throughout the month of July 2016.
One of our readers this past week became the one millionth to read this Blog since its launch on this Web Site back on January 28, 2014. While one million is small potatoes in the blog universe, having been a pastor that considered six people in Sunday service a good day during one of the lowest points in my ministry, I fully appreciate all that turn aside each week to read what the Lord has given me to write. To God be the glory! It is exactly because I have been around churches a long time that I am able as the Lord leads to write about what I have seen and heard as I do in another post this week on character featuring an edited 2011 Commentary.
Originally Published August 2011
Serving the Lord and His churches over the past thirty years I have found a troubling lack of consistent courage among too many leaders in standing for the truth and righteousness of God's Word. Many of these men--pastors and denominational leaders--will stand firm and even get ugly defending or protecting concerns for which they have a personal stake. However, in the face of potential suffering for taking a stand for God's Word, I have seen no small number wimp out as a matter of course.1 While I also have had my instances of failed courage standing for God's Word, spiritual and moral timidity among men appears to be rife and growing in our churches and nation today.
Next month Sherwood Pictures, the Christian film studio operated by Sherwood Baptist Church of Albany, Georgia and producers of the greatly acclaimed Fireproof, will release another excellent picture focusing on men, Courageous. The movie weaves together the lives of four police officers and one Hispanic construction worker. It opens with an incredible display of courage by a black officer. After tragedy strikes the family of one of the white officers, the men begin meeting to challenge themselves to a higher standard of commitment to their families and character. Their commitments are tested requiring each to live up to the courage of his commitment. One of the men does fail.
I highly recommend Courageous be seen by men (especially with their families) most importantly for its attempt to restore the sense of honor that used to attend the display of courage by men on and off battlefields. Important also (in light of my July 2011 Commentary)2 is the film’s intentional effort to show white, black and brown men equally called upon to display the character trait of courage. The film does not sugar coat the reality that acting in the courage of your convictions may cost you as I have painfully experienced in my years of ministry. Even so, when the conviction one has is of the cause, truth and righteousness of Christ in God's Word, I am learning it is worth it.
Courage is defined in Webster's Dictionary as "the ability to face danger without fear." Lack of courage has caused many of the leaders I have known over the years not to stand with or help me in my ministry for fear of exposure as spiritual frauds or hypocrites, the loss of jobs, comfortable lives etc. while knowing my work and message are biblically solid. The Bible is filled with examples of men that stood in the courage of their convictions, suffered for it, but were rewarded by God. Among them are Joseph who would not commit adultery (Genesis 39, 41:38-45), David who slew Goliath (1 Samuel 17:26-51), Daniel who defied a king (Daniel 6) and Christ, death (John 2:18-22).
The aspiring strong man of God will be taught courage by Him as a matter of building into us the character of Christ. Indeed, courage is one of twelve character traits of Christ I write about in The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics that God forms in willing Christian men through the crucible of painful life experiences.3 This is why it has been so troubling to me about the many pastors and leaders I have encountered that have lacked not only the courage of conviction, but other basic character traits of Christ such as humility, obedience, faithfulness, zeal and integrity. The Bible is clear; God does not give any of His true sons a pass on possessing the character of Christ.4
It is God’s express will that we be “conformed to the image of His Son,” (Romans 8:29, NKJV). Christ’s character is also the purposeful mission of His discipline in our lives (Hebrews 12:3-11; 2 Peter 1:1-8). So, either the spiritually timid men I speak of have been outright religious impostors or they are stubbornly resisting God's character building program which the apostle Peter indicates is not at all a good thing (2 Peter 1:9-11). This resistance is no doubt a major reason so many of our leaders fall into sin bringing shame upon themselves, Christ and His Church. It is also why so many of the men under them in the churches rise no higher in the faith than they have.
The courage of conviction and boldness to speak or act accordingly comes from the Lord and is to characterize the lives of His aspiring strong men as we “stand fast” in Him (Acts 4:13-31; 2 Thessalonians 2:15, NKJV).5 Unless professed Christian men do step up in droves aspiring to be strong men of God in the image of Christ that possess among their character traits His courage, American Christianity will continue its slide into irrelevance. Unprepared to stand fast in the severely trying days shortly ahead, many will be destroyed in the cowardice of apostasy (Matthew 10:24-33, 13:20-21; Revelation 14:9-13, 21:7-8). Not so God’s aspiring strong men (Hebrews 10:38-39)! The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 See the August 9, 2015 repost, Silent Endorsers Of Evil under the category, The Faith.
2 This Commentary, Biblical Equality And Equity, was posted July 5, 2015 under the category, Call To Repent.
3 My book and the companion instructional resource, The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study are both available in the Strong Man Store.
4 Read the January 28, 2018 post, Character Is Required Of Christian Men and Men Of Integrity posted on January 6, 2019 both under the category, Instruction.
5 See the November 25, 2018 post, Standing In The Evil Day, under the category, Encouragement.
As I have repeatedly done in many posts over the years in the hope any might be saved, I warn sinners reading this you have no deliverance from condemnation, wrath and eternal removal from God’s presence except by the means He has graciously provided through repentance and faith in the Gospel (Good News) of His Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16-21, 36)!1 The fact you may have heard, but rejected the Gospel a number of times from men like me as its joyful heralds sent by Christ does not weary us who are ourselves saved by it, nor does this bode well for you in the judgment. God has allotted only so much time for the Gospel to be preached in the earth and it is about up!
On this Palm Sunday nearly two thousand years ago, the Lord Jesus Christ rode slowly into Jerusalem riding a ‘“donkey’s colt.’” By doing so, He fulfilled Bible prophecy and fueled the messianic hopes of the many who had seen or experienced His miraculous works including His chosen disciples who did not at the time “understand these things” “written about Him.” The only unhappy souls on that day were the “Pharisees” of the Jewish religious establishment (John 12:12-19, NKJV). These were the folk that instigated the Lord’s crucifixion later in the week at Passover thinking to be finally rid of Him because they did not realize even this was part of God’s plan to save sinners (Isaiah 53).2
For after His burial, resurrection on the third day following and appearance to them, Christ instructed His disciples ‘“that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the’” Old Testament ‘“concerning’” Him. “He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” He followed this with assuring instruction everything that happened to Him was foretold ‘“and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem,’” (Luke 24:44-47, NKJV). Thus, to be saved from condemnation and wrath a man must first repent of his sins--that is, change his mind about their acceptance and turn away from them!
Next, such a man must believe the Gospel that Christ died on the cross for his sins in his place; that He was buried and rose again on the third day after to enable God to remove or if you will, forgive his sins and their guilt. After this God sends the Holy Spirit into the heart of the repentant, Gospel believing soul to bring about new birth into eternal spiritual life as well as impart assurance of salvation among other blessings (John 3:1-8, 7:37-39; Acts 2:36-41, 10:34-48; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22). And because men must “hear” the Gospel to believe it and be saved, as Christ has willed I rejoice to be among those from Him in the first century He has “sent” to preach it (Romans 10:11-17, NKJV)!
As the Lord Jesus Christ humbly rode into Jerusalem that Palm Sunday, so, spiritually speaking He desires to ride into the hearts of willing sinners for salvation during this, His Father’s predetermined interval of grace (Acts 1:4-8, 17:30-31). This is because at His return as foretold the Lord will come in blazing glory on “a white horse” to carry out His part in expressing the wrath of God in judgment and begin His reign among survivors ruling with “a rod of iron,” (Revelation 19:11-16, NKJV)! “Now,” as it is written, “is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” for you since not being saved from your sins there is no guarantee of a tomorrow (2 Corinthians 6:1-2, NKJV).
It has taken this long and as long as it will finally be in God’s grace to fulfill His will that the Gospel be preached in all the nations. In this truth the reality of God’s grace is made all the more evident since beyond Israel that is one nation and heard the Gospel “first” (Acts 3:22-26, NKJV), there are only the many Gentile nations. This means God’s eternal plan to save sinners always included us Gentiles (Isaiah 49:1-6; Romans 15:7-13) and is a part of the purposeful reason God has taken this long to have the Gospel preached in every nation using redeemed human agency (Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:14-20; Acts 26:1-18).3 Indeed, what the Lord designates as “the times of the Gentiles” draws near its close as does another reason for God’s delay, Israel’s punishment (Luke 21:20-24, NKJV).4
How glad I am Christ came to save sinners! I repented of my sins and believed the Gospel to be saved on Resurrection Sunday 1977. Not only has my life been slowly changing for the better, but I enjoy one of God’s great mysteries in His work of salvation: the risen, living Christ in me “the hope of glory,” (Colossians 1:24-29, NKJV)!5 Fear of wrath and the judgment do not attend to me as a result. But you sir, if you continue refusing to repent and believe the Gospel, as Christ told first century Jews: “you will die in your sins,” (John 8:21-24, NKJV). This means the guilt of your sins not forgiven by God will be with you in Hades as you await your audience with Christ who while you lived on the earth was your prospective Savior, but now, will be your Judge (John 5:24-30; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11).6
(As my Lord has graciously blessed, I will be taking Resurrection Sunday off to celebrate my 47th spiritual birthday. He willing we see it, my next post will be on April 7th. To God be the glory!)
1 Read the March 17, 2024 post, Sinners Cannot Create A Perfect World, under the category, Call To Repent, as a most recent warning to sinners.
2 Isaiah wrote his report on the substitutionary suffering and death of Christ for and to save sinners from their sins some seven hundred years in advance. Those among black Americans as victims that are convinced nobody knows the trouble we as a people have seen from oppression should consider the Lord Jesus does since Isaiah specifically writes, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth…,” (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 26:47-67, NKJV). Get my latest book, The Scourge Of Racism in print at your favorite internet book seller and in the Strong Man Store. E-books are also available at major E-Book sellers. Learn about the book and read reviews on the Featured Publishing Resource Page at https://www.opendoorcommin.org/featured-publishing-resource.
3 Out of the overflow of God’s grace and longsuffering, an angel seen and heard by all will preach the Gospel a final time to the whole world just before Christ’s return (2 Peter 3:1-9; Revelation 14:6-7).
4 See the February 6, 2022 post, The Divine Delay, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
5 Of the many changes God has been working in my life is conforming me to the image of Christ as the Strong Man of God (Romans 8:29). He led me to write about this in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics available at your favorite internet book seller and in the Strong Man Store. The E-Book is also available at major E-Book sellers.
6 If you will further consider Christ as Savior watch this Ministry’s Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Reconciled To God, on our YouTube channel.
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