I am fully thankful to God to be among those who are born again Christians according to His love, grace and mercy that brought His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to make it possible through His atoning sacrifice (John 1:1-18, 29, 3:1-21). Indeed, salvation is the number one thing I am thankful to God for this Thanksgiving and every day! From the Lord’s saving of my soul has flowed every other thing I am thankful for not the least of which is His continuing work to help my progress toward becoming that strong man of God in the image of Christ I aspire to be (Philippians 3:12-14)! If you don’t know Him, I urge you to read last week’s post where I present God’s only means to His salvation through the Gospel.1 Have a safe, God honoring Thanksgiving holiday!
1 See the November 14, 2021 post, Overcoming The Male And Female Challenge, under the category, The Cause.
In between the frantic activities of the week, reflect on this edited 2011 repost.
Originally Posted November 18, 2011
Thanksgiving has almost been lost as “Black Friday” and the “Holiday Shopping Season” looms large. Besides the commercialism and greed for which Thanksgiving has become only a launch pad, the holiday has lost some of its luster spiritually as our secular society requires only a passing attitude of gratitude to satisfactorily celebrate the day. Thinking of the blessings of God are no longer required as the warm and fuzzy feelings of gathering with family and friends takes the top spot as the reason for having had a really great holiday.
Echoing the declaration of that ancient aspiring strong man of God, Joshua: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” (Joshua 24:15, NKJV). In an extra special way from our routine on Thanksgiving, we will reflect on the goodness of our God who has saved and blessed us abundantly in so many ways over the past year. I can lead my family to do this thankfully to God, because I have a wife who lets me serve in my role and place as the head of our family. I challenge every man reading this to prayerfully seek the Lord for the courage to lead your family to at least have a special prayer time giving thanks to God if in fact, this practice has been lost in your Christian house.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
In light of the Harvey and now, Irma Hurricanes that have hit our nation, I am foregoing posting the celebratory new blog post for this week the Lord gave me and with His permission joining the faithful in praying for His mercy as well as the welfare of our impacted citizens. My wife and I along with this Ministry have also joined with many in providing financial assistance for those still suffering from Hurricane Harvey through a trusted disaster relief outlet. This moment, however, is a time of continuing prayer and sober reflection for our nation as the Lord led me to warn in the introduction of my Mother’s Day blog re-post this year concerning the certainty of His coming judgment upon our nation for its many sins. I also warned in an August 30th post on our Facebook Resource Page that all of this activity of the natural order is foretold "labor pains."
Please re-read or read that Mother's Day blog re-post for the first time and understand, the God of the Bible is serious about sin. In its introduction specifically, the Lord has me reference Jeremiah 30:23-24 that speaks about “the whirlwind of the LORD,” going forth in fury “in the latter days,” (NKJV). According to the dictionary, a whirlwind is an apt description of several kinds of serious wind events to include the hurricane. The Lord had earlier warned ancient Israel not to listen to lying prophets as I so sadly do you now, that speak only comforting words, but do not warn the guilty to repent since God brings judgment on our and all nations because of sin (Jeremiah 23:16-22, 25:30-32).1
1 Re-read or read my January 3,,2016 blog, The Never Changing God, under the category, Call To Repent. Among other things, it presents the Christian preacher’s responsibility before God in the disasters He allows or brings on the earth.
As Daniel represented his generation in his heartfelt prayer of confession and repentance before the Lord in Daniel 9:3-19,1 so, after similar prayers over the years I write now, to my fellow baby boomers with a heart yearning for those of our generation who have not, to turn to Christ before it is too late! The foregoing “too late” is not intended so much to be apocalyptic as much as it is keeping it real about the fact that we are moving fast into the categories of higher death rates among senior adults. Though this is so, many still eat what they foolishly believe is the free lunch of rebellion against God they have also passed on to their progeny. I remind you, this belief is completely false!
Baby boomers are the many post-World War II children born from 1946-1964. I was born in the middle of that range and lived the “wonder years” of the 1960s and early 70s in their full rebel splendor with some of the greatest particularly message music ever; some of which I was privileged to perform.2 Following hard after women’s suffrage begun in the mid-19th century during this Christian era, our generation openly rebelled against biblical social mores governing marriage, family and sexual conduct pursuing free love. We pressed beyond alcohol to experiment with and use drugs to free our minds and in free expression, flooded the streets with “anti-establishment” protests.
Too, many boomers turned their backs on the Christianity of their parents.3 A number did not even care to make a proper distinction between the Christianity of Scripture and that of organized human invention pursuing personal freedoms. Our generation abandoned the faith and churches we attended as youth in droves because it is what we wanted to do and could. Hostile attitudes toward Christianity were communicated in words and deeds by many boomers to their children and the generations that have followed. Indeed, the trend to reject Christianity and its practices among baby boomers has not abated to this hour according to Christian researcher, George Barna.4
As New Age religionists, secularists, agnostics and self-proclaimed free thinking atheists who have made science their god and final authority in large numbers, the hostility of baby boomers especially toward the moral standards of biblical Christianity has helped to bring our nation to its post-Christian posture where abortion is legal, truth relative; political correctness and tolerance facilitates sexual perversion and gender identity confusion in the generations that have followed. Needless to say, evil rebellion against God is not what a generation is supposed to pass on to those that follow it. Ours, consequently fulfills the wise observation of Agur (Psalms 2:1-3, 78:1-8; Proverbs 30:11-14)!
In the catch phrase of our generation credited to economist Milton Friedman, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”5 The costs of rebellion against God, His will, way and Word in the Christianity of the Bible are severe and many as warned, but have not always been immediate or foreseen. This is just as Israel’s prophets warned them and Daniel acknowledged in the day his generation endured God’s judgment for their and their fathers’ rebellion against Him (Daniel 9:5-12). Now, nearly 2,000 years after the first appearing of His Son, Jesus Christ, to bring salvation from sin to the world, He who holds the generations accountable assigns the guilt of rebellion in every generation since to baby boomers and its rising severe costs on the horizon to our progeny (Luke 11:46-51; Revelation 8-9).
For our generation knew the truth of the Gospel, but willfully spurned it (John 3:16-21, 36)! Many of our baby boomer generation pass from this life already seeing too late, the harvest of natural and divine imposed consequences our rebellion has brought upon the world and our progeny of generations X, Y and Z.6 Beyond the lyrical and melodic message music of our day warning as the Bible does of future calamity for rebellion and poor stewardship (Isaiah 24:1-6), it has been painful listening to the children of generation Z such as Climate Activist, Greta Thunberg of Sweden, call their parents and baby boomers out for our selfish lack of foresight and empathy for them as they fearfully and angrily communicate their concern about the degenerating state of the planet being left to them.7
However, climate change is not the worst of the many tragic consequences of baby boomer rebellion. Eating what was believed to be the free lunch of rebellion against God, a consequence not foreseen by unrepentant baby boomers is the warning from Bible prophecy our unsaved progeny making up generation Z that lives to be senior adults may well endure the foretold awesome outpour of God’s wrath upon all of earth’s sinners (Isaiah 2:10-22, 13:6-13, 24:17-20; Romans 1:18-32; Revelation 6:12-17, 15-16)!8 Therefore, I first urge every unsaved fellow baby boomer reading this to repent and believe the Gospel to be saved or return to Christ. Then, care enough about your progeny to proclaim the Gospel and witness to them while you have the opportunity (2 Corinthians 6:2).9
1 See the two-part post that starts January 16, 2022, Arriving At These Times, under the categories Bible Prophecy and Call To Repent.
2 I am thankful to God for the privilege I was granted to start the original Sounds Of Persuasion band in Seaside on the Monterey Peninsula, CA and to make music as well as have friendships with all of its members from 1970-73.
3 As dead manmade religion in many cases, this was actually understandable. Woe to guilty religionists! Read the two-part post beginning August 21, 2016, Christianity The Religion Of Men, under the category, Instruction. Also, read the two-part, American Culture’s Religion starting September 11, 2016, under the category, Call To Repent.
4 Examine his report at Barna Research.
5 Milton Friedman Quotes. Brainy Media Inc, 2022. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/milton_friedman_141778.
6 See the article by Veronica Thompson, Generation Names Explained.
7 View the YouTube excerpt of then, 16 year old Greta’s address to the UN to see this child’s angry intensity. Let every neglectful pastor still rebelling against God after two years of His Coronavirus judgment to build your local church empire while not preparing those you serve for the coming persecution take a close look at Greta's face as you hear her anger. Baby boomers turned their backs on the churches; generation Z in their time will destroy them and persecute faithful Christians to the death (Daniel 7:23- 25, 8:23-25; Revelation 17:12-18)!
8 Read the February 6, 2022 post, The Divine Delay, under the category, Bible Prophecy, giving special consideration to footnote three.
9 To receive a fresh, clear biblically grounded presentation of the Gospel for yourself or someone you care about in whatever generation, please view one or both of our 30 minute videos on this Ministry’s Strong Man Of God Online Rally YouTube Channel.
My sisters in Christ that are guilty: you cannot believe God is perfect in knowledge and wisdom and at the same time made a mistake with His design of man as male and female, their order of rank, roles and responsibilities. Unsaved rebels may think this way, but you should not indwelt as you are (if you are) by the Holy Spirit and taught by Him in truth (John 14:15-17, 26, 16:12-15).12 God does not make mistakes and you thinking so, foolishly contend with your Creator (Isaiah 29:16, 45:9)! Also, if you say God has cast aside what is written in His holy Word and doing something new, you lie according to the instruction of Christ, the living Word of God (Matthew 5:17-20, 24:35; John 1:1-2)!
Bona fide Christians do not practice lying as a work of the flesh God “hates,” condemns and which is supposedly behind us in Christ (Proverbs 6:16-19, 12:22; Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9-11; Revelation 21:8, NKJV).13 Yet, the lie that God has changed His mind from what is written in His Word to accommodate the sinful ambitions of feminists has permeated professing Western Christianity and its media like yeast in bread.14 This has occurred through the well known process of repeating the lie often and long enough so, it eventually supplants the truth especially when at the same time folk no longer obey God’s Word as it is written or honor it as the faith’s final authority!15
Time is an issue in all of this. Many feminists like others of the world falsely believe they have plenty of it to accomplish their aims since in their evolution delusion, billions of years have gone by and life on planet earth will continue billions more. Not! 16 The eternal God, Maker of the heavens and earth has already foretold they have an expiration date He has set and are coming to their end (Psalm 102:25-27)! Before this though, all of the so-called progressive improvements of the world including feminism effected through rebellion against God will not endure and be completely destroyed at Christ’s Second Coming (Psalm 2:4-12; Isaiah 13:6-13, 24:1-20; Acts 17:22-31).
The spirit of rebel feminism during this present age embodied in Jezebel specifically named prophetically, identified in her brazen, usurping conduct, heretical teaching in His house and given time to repent, but refuses is the object of Christ’s obliterating judgment and will be no more again forever! For this reason, I implore every professed Christian female that is also claiming to be a feminist or acting out of any unbiblical aspect of feminism to choose this day whom you will serve: Christ or demons and their doctrine of feminism because you cannot serve both (Deuteronomy 30:11-20; Joshua 24:14-15; 1 Corinthians 10:14-22; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Revelation 2:24-29).
Indeed, for those with eyes to see, already in His Coronavirus judgment God has checked the unbridled ambitions of feminists by sending women home in large numbers from career aspirations to their children!17 Many of these ladies lament this and the media with them. But God is sending a message He is not pleased with the status quo that is eternally destroying many of them and tearing up families. During much of the short time that is left, the Lord is going to continue disrupting the wicked status quo of this world in rebellion against Him through sending increasingly severe warning judgments science will not be able to prevent, cope with or resolve after they occur (Revelation 8-9).
Knowing these things, faithful daughters of this age are reminded from God’s prophetic Word that the rule of not just women, but children over His people He purposely brings signifies judgment! Seven hundred years before Christ, the prophet Isaiah was called by God to deliver His prophetic Word to Judah and Jerusalem that included His judgment upon them near and to come in these latter days (Isaiah 1-2). The Lord is very specific about the ways He would punish the nation and city, announcing He “takes away” their provisions and the men they relied on as leaders declaring: ‘“I will give children to be their princes and babes shall rule over them,’” (Isaiah 3:1-4, NKJV).
The results are oppression, insolence and desperation for capable male leadership because their sinful words and actions were against God to His face, while in their faces was the obstinacy and shamelessness of “Sodom.” It would go well for the faithful righteous, but the wicked brought His judgment upon themselves as “children are their oppressors and women rule over them,” (Isaiah 3:5-12, NKJV). Whether figurative or literal, God’s point is (men as or) women or children out of His order of mankind as rulers lead into error and are a sign not of favor, but judgment (Isaiah 3:13-15)! The literal “daughters of Zion” God says “are haughty” receive attention in judgment for their wicked ways that impacts their femininity and in the end, ability to fulfill their marital roles (Isaiah 3:16-4:1, NKJV).
Therefore, daughters of this age hear the Word of the Lord Jesus as He also spoke to the “Daughters of Jerusalem” weeping for Him on the way to the cross. He instructed them not to weep for Him, but themselves and their children. For as it happened in 70AD, days did come upon them where those women without children were considered “Blessed” because they had none to lose in the display of God’s wrath upon Jerusalem. Such days are drawing near again! Referring to prophecy, the Lord warns they will “say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’” This is all because of the wicked rejection of Christ and His Word then, and now, as apostasy spreads like wildfire (Isaiah 2:10, 19-21; Hosea 10:8c; Luke 21:20-24, 23:26-31; Revelation 6:12-17, NKJV).18
12 Read the April 11, 2021 post, The Joy Of Salvation, under the categories, The Cause and The faith for a summary of the Holy Spirit’s beneficial presence and work in
those that are truly saved!
13 Faithful daughters of this age as aspiring and developing great women of God in the image Christ are to be women of character as I have already written of Esther in the
part one footnote of this post. See and also consider the October 11, 2020 post, The Great Woman Of God’s Character, under the category, The Cause. Too, the audio
resource, The Character Of The Great Woman Of God is available in the Strong Man Store. Finally, see my afore cited April 11, 2021 post, The Joy Of Salvation, where
the Lord leads me to write about His forgiveness and mercy for professed Christians that will confess their sins; warning of the assured unpleasant consequences to
those stubbornly not willing to do so!
14 Here is where the moral cherry pickers in evangelicalism get into a hypocritical fix since while many allow place for rebel feminism that tramples upon God’s set order of
mankind so as not to offend females or shrink their donations among their chief motives, they condemn the contention by those practicing homosexuality God accepts
them in it because the Bible says it is wrong. See the November 8, 2020 post, Why So Easily Deceived?, under the category, Instruction.
15 The apostle Paul speaks of “the lie” in the context of worshipping false gods and ultimately, the Antichrist warning, “Let no one deceive you by any means,” (Romans 1:
24-25; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 9-12, NKJV). If you cannot discern and renounce the lie of feminism that advocates for abortion for whatever excuses you give yourself
as a captive, you are well set up to accept the lie of the Antichrist which is what all satanic deception in this world is finally leading to!
16 Apparently, some in the world agree out of fear of catastrophe from global warming among other calamities and refusing to repent before God, are attempting to fast track
their many forms of rebellion masked as progressivism!
17 The Lord in His Coronavirus judgment has similarly exposed and “checked” churches as feminist strongholds. See the September 13, 2020 post, Marginalizing Men
Proves Costly During Pandemic, under the category, The Cause.
18 Read the September 27, 2020 post, What Will It Profit A Woman?, under the category, The Cause and that of March 28, 2021, The Righteous Wrath Of God, under the
categories, Bible Prophecy and The Cause.
You would think the awful toll the Coronavirus pestilence from God, unrest and increased lawlessness is taking on our nation would be enough to bring especially all Christians that claim to love it to their knees in complete humility, brokenness, repentance praying like Daniel of old and grief as called for by God (Daniel 9:1-19; Joel 2:12-14). But while this Ministry and no doubt a few others also have called for this, you do not hear much about it in Christian media as the television networks for example, continue with their usual programming and messaging focused on what God wants to do even now, to positively impact the dreams, ambitions, wealth and health of their audiences.5
Regular readers know the Lord has not led me to anchor His call to repentance and true Holy Spirit fired revival to 2 Chronicles 7:14. It has been repeatedly and hypocritically quoted by many sincere looking Christian leaders and others for years in times of national crisis as though America is Israel of old to whom the verse speaks. America is not Israel that is God’s one and only “everlasting love” among the nations (Deuteronomy 4:32-40; Jeremiah 31:1-3, NKJV)! Among the founders of America and to this day there have been individual faithful Christians including those of my black forefathers for whose sake God has graciously and richly blessed our nation in the past.6
Now, however, as should be abundantly clear to all but the most willfully dull-hearted professed Christians, the Coronavirus pandemic is not just a national crisis, it is so globally as judgment from God! Quite as expected, 2 Chronicles 7:14 uncoupled from the preceding verse that gives rise to it has been trotted out again. If professed Christians would rightly interpret and apply the two verses together as they ought, then, there is an important spiritual application for us as individuals living in a time of divine judgment. For if the guilty as God’s people would truly “humble themselves, and pray and seek” His “face,” and “turn from their wicked ways, then...,” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14, NKJV).
But God will not hear petitions, forgive or heal the land we live in because the folk that are supposed to be His people in it will not repent from their wicked ways; denying that they have any ways that should invite His judgment! However, as I wrote earlier, so-called Bible teachers that for financial gain fixate those they teach only on what God wants to do for them materially now, are teaching falsehood which in God’s view is wicked and sin! They and academic religionists may also tolerate as equally valid corrupt personal interpretations of and opinions drawn from Scripture, but as the Lord showed with His rebuke of Israel’s religious elite and His apostles, the false preachers and teachers, God does not (Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 9:42-48; Galatians 1:6-10; 2 Peter 2:1-3)!
The false presumption one can teach whatever he or she pleases is among many wicked ways professed Christians have that are also idols they have set up in their hearts (Ezekiel 14:1-5). Other idols are success and the pursuit of it through realizing personal dreams and selfish ambitions, the attainment of wealth by covetousness and greed and health involving body and fitness obsession along with the purchase and consumption of related products. Also, there is materialism, racism, sexual immorality, worldly compromise and rebellion entailing the embrace of feminism for example, and its corollary, gender equality as the world defines it contrary to the divinely set order of mankind.7
All of the foregoing idols of the heart and more must be fully repented of by guilty professed Christians for true revival (Ezekiel 14:6-11), to give the nation a temporary reprieve from judgment and forestall that which is greater God holds back to the end more of our fellow citizens might be saved!8 Otherwise, as with ancient Israel our biblically prescribed example, God must judge the “persistent unfaithfulness” of those insisting they are His people (Ezekiel 14:12-13; 1 Corinthians 10:1-11, NKJV). For apart from repentance and true revival, they are flavorless salt that cannot be re-salted; worthless to God and “good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” according to the Lord Jesus (2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Matthew 5:13b, NKJV).
Consistent with His longsuffering nature, God has given professed American Christians as false prophets, teachers, scoffers, religionists, rebels and de facto apostates plenty of remedial judgments and time to repent (Isaiah 1:1-9, 9:13-17; Jeremiah 5:1-9; Luke 13:1-9). But now, striking to the very pride-filled hearts of these stubborn men and women that do not fear Him, God is bringing unmistakable judgment from Him upon the land. ‘“Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job, were in’” the land, ‘“they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,’ says the Lord GOD,” (Ezekiel 14:14-20, NKJV). It is therefore, as the Lord has had me warn, only the repentant and Holy Spirit revived will emerge as His people after His judgment (Ezekiel 14:21-23)!9
5 The welcome exceptions have been the networks’ special programming to address the needs of people created by the Coronavirus and the nation’s freshly opened
racial wounds in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder back in May. Regarding the latter, seasoned, sound and articulate national Christian black leaders with
biblical solutions, but that do not espouse the popular prosperity messaging championed by most of the networks are rarely heard from which calls into question just
how serious they are about ministering healing into the crisis. Interestingly too, picking who will speak for and to blacks to their liking, Christian white media owners
continue employing yet another of the historic tools used to create and sustain systemic racism.
6 America is not a Christian nation just because all of its founders tipped their hats to God, sought to include Christian principles in their founding documents and rightly
asserted every citizen must have a moral heart to make it all work. As I wrote in a previous post, while this was all noble, real biblical Christianity is empowered by the
Holy Spirit, not the well intended attempts to live out its precepts and morality through the sinful flesh! Not for the sake of being a “Christian nation” or its high ideals,
but His born again faithful in the midst has God preserved and blessed America! Read the two-part post beginning September 11, 2016, American Culture’s Religion,
under the category, Call To Repent.
7 Siding with the world against God to reject His perpetually standing order of mankind that defines male and female roles for this present, mortal age is not just over the
top, but open, brazen in God’s face evidence of rebellion (Ezekiel 8)!
8 True, biblical revival only results from soul deep repentance from all breaks with God’s Word which is sin. This sharply contrasts with what professed American Chris-
tians usually serve up as revival. Read the August 14, 2014 repost, The Sham Cry For Revival, under the category, Call To Repent. Also, here is where the implica-
tions of viewing America as a secular or Christian nation get real. For if America is a secular nation as from the Word of God I contend, there is hope for a great har-
vest of souls in the aftermath of true revival and God’s judgment of His people though as part of all this, the unsaved realize disobedient Christians have been a major
cause of their pain and react (Jonah 1:1-16; 1 Peter 4:12-19). But if as many contend from their hearts America is a Christian nation, then, its current wicked condition
and refusal to repent is evidence of apostasy with no hope of a temporary recovery or reprieve (Hebrews 6:1-8, 10:26-31)!
9 Most assuredly these will be the aspiring strong men and great women of God He led me to write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. A print
copy or digital download of the book is available at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can
also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
The righteous are only ever trouble to religionists when they refuse to indulge selfish motives with them in sin, go along to get along tolerating or covering up evil or corrupting and compromising the clear teaching and truth of God’s Word applied to every situation! In consequence, as I have experienced, religionists will even lie on God’s faithful stewards and misconstrue their words (Amos 7:10-11).3 Already an outsider “for the truth” (2 Corinthians 13:8, NKJV),4 because of such treachery I am an exiled Pastor too! Historically, religionists have also physically assaulted and murdered faithful stewards while deceitfully claiming to serve the same Master (John 16:1-4; Revelation 17:1-6).
Nevertheless, in accord with my calling, gifts and ministry I am not silent; proclaiming God’s will, way and Word as it is written because this is the example of every faithful Old Testament prophet, the Lord Jesus Christ, His apostles and prophets in the New! They did not shrink back from speaking truth to their religious antagonists because it was their stewardship responsibility from God (Luke 11:37-54). Opposition from religionists is not the fault of the righteous that stand up to and cry out against their wickedness. Religionists are at fault since they willfully choose to oppose God who knows their hearts and His plainly written eternally standing Word as the Lord taught (Luke 16:15-18).
Contrary to the convenient misapplication of Scripture actually intended for corrupt religionists concerning what to do with “those who cause divisions,” (Romans 16:17-18, NKJV), God expects His faithful stewards to speak up and out about sin. Paul did so with Peter who did not resist him (Galatians 2:11-21). Yet, loud and prolonged quarreling is not the Lord’s will. If submission to the Word is not forthcoming as is typical with proud religionists (Luke 16:19-31), then, the righteous without giving ground and continuing to faithfully teach gives them over to God if He might bring them to repentance, knowledge of the truth and deliverance from Satan’s control (2 Timothy 2:24-26).
During my Christian journey to date, I have painfully been aware of many men in the churches that with proud religious leaders have not chosen to make the Lord Jesus their Master to serve Him alone. If it is not the love of money that prevents this, it is wife, children, parents, siblings, friends and self invested in personal vanity, job, recreation, hobbies, cars, yards and social clubs to include the local church which is seen and treated as such; differing from those secular only in that it gives a man the outward appearance of being religious and dispatching some duty to God in his attendance, practice of traditions and involvement. To be sure, many of these men are deceived and not saved!
In defiance of Scripture, such men are impossibly attempting to be saved by keeping religious traditions and doing church works (Romans 3:9-31; Ephesians 2:8-9). Religious leadership--many not saved themselves, wickedly insist the men obey them as wise masters in their deadly deceit as they exploit them for their money and labor (Mark 7:1-23).5 A smaller number of other men are saved, but make very little progress in spiritual maturity for lack of instruction in sound doctrine and biblical manhood. They never sell out completely to the Lord as Master of their lives because they do not know it is required of them as religious leadership demands to be served as master instead.
A still smaller number of men in local churches ruled by religionists are more serious about the Lord, but for lack of a made up mind wholly given over to serve Him are torn between two masters. While the other master can be anyone or thing of those already stated, it is typically the local church and the religious requirement of leadership to be more faithful to them in service and doctrine than to the Lord--His will, way and Word as it is written! My heart has gone out to these men over the years many of whom have been dear brothers and personal friends because as others of old, their torn state is filled with fear of their religious leaders and secrecy (John 7:13, 9:13-22, 12:42-43, 19:38-39). They need repentance and courage to serve Him alone from the Lord if they are willing!6
While I too, have had a few moments over the years when fear of religious consequences have caused me to be careful of what I said and to whom I said it, I have sought the Lord for the courage needed to follow His example and that of His apostles as faithful stewards of God. Absent the Holy Spirit leading, controlling and empowering them, the disciples all ran away in fear at first in the face religious men (Mark 14:43-50). After their new birth, however, they became courageous, sold out to and stood firm as apostles and faithful stewards of Jesus Christ, their Master (Acts 4:1-22, 5:17-42). If a man has been truly born again and loves the Lord, he is never to be torn between two masters. He is loyal to Christ as his Master alone and true to His Word (Acts 4:19-20, 5:27-29)!7
3 And no wonder since they lie on God too saying, ‘“The Lord says,’” but He had not spoken (Ezekiel 13:6-7, NKJV)!
4 Truly, how can one that is a faithful born again believer in Jesus Christ and member of His Church universal ever be an “outsider” to any professed Christian local
church where He is really honored as Lord? Sin in all of its forms, unbiblical, cliquish membership requirements and nepotism through Christianity as manmade reli-
gion forces Christ and His faithful stewards to be outsiders (Colossians 2:16-23; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; Hebrews 13:9-13; Revelation 3:20)!
5 How wise really are these men since they reject and refuse to obey God’s Word as it is written? Consequently, His judgment of them is just (Jeremiah 8:8-12)!
6 The Lord calls you to repent from fear of sinful men, unwillingness to stand on the truth of His Word as it is written not as it is corrupted to accommodate religious a-
gendas or suffer as He and all of the saints before and around us! Too, He would have you repent from divided loyalties and double mindedness (James 1:5-8, 4:
7-10). If the Lord is Lord, then serve Him as Master remembering religious leaders did not die for nor do they have a Heaven or Hell to put you in. If to you Jesus is
not Lord, why torment yourself trying futilely as He taught to serve two masters? Understand though, that rejection of Jesus as Master leads to no good end now or
in the day of accountability (Matthew 7:21-23, 10:16-39, 12:30).
7 This is the heart of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. Get a print copy or digi-
tal download of the book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also get a print copy
in the Strong Man Store.
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