I ended my last post of 2021 citing Daniel 9:26c of two prophetic Scriptures supporting the truth “things are not going to get better before the glorious Second Coming of Jesus Christ, but worse.”1 The content of Daniel 9:26c is near the end of four pure prophecy verses out of twenty-seven that make up a powerful chapter as context. The prophecies are delivered to Daniel in answer to his prayers by the angel, Gabriel, and are intended to give him the ability “to understand” further and more deeply from God about what He intended for Israel after their Babylonian captivity (vs. 20-23, NKJV). It was not an easier to read Bible, but God’s help he needed to get that understanding!
As Daniel 9:26c objectively and literally read in the immediate context of the verse asserts, destruction that brings “desolations” to cities such as did happen to Jerusalem and the second Jewish Temple at the hands of the Romans in A.D. 70 “are determined” by God “till the end of the war,” (NKJV). What war? In the larger context of the whole Bible, the war is the one ongoing in the spiritual and breaking into the physical realm; Satan and his angels warring against God after their rebellion, eviction from residence in Heaven, conquest and conscription of man and ultimate eternal sentence to Hell by His decree (Genesis 3:1-15; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
The ongoing war of the ages as a spiritual and historical context was important for Daniel (and us) to have to understand what God is doing in the world. In Daniel’s specific case, knowing about the overarching spiritual war would help him understand more deeply the why and what for of future events impacting his people, the Jews. Indeed, as recorded earlier in chapter nine, Daniel’s heart to understand the future of his people beyond Babylon was triggered by his having read and “understood by the books” prophecy God gave Jeremiah the prophet that “He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem”--a span then, near its end (Daniel 9:1-2, NKJV).2
Clearly, Daniel read the Old Testament scrolls containing Jeremiah’s prophecy from God objectively and literally as God expects all of us to do who know and love Him unless the text itself suggests we do otherwise such as with figurative language, symbols or metaphors often used in parables.3 He understood the plain reading of the text in his Hebrew language. He did not need to consult any number of translations--none were even available until the third century B.C. well after his time--for easier reading and a better understanding.4 Daniel took God’s Word at face value as it was written in the Old Testament books that were copies of the originals!
As I discovered to my horror while researching what extant Bible translations Martin Luther may have used when he uncovered again God’s salvation by grace through faith alone plainly stated throughout the New Testament, there are today, over nine hundred (900) just English language translations of the Bible in whole or in part!5 This is a recipe for destructive confusion in great spiritual desolations as Satan has already wrought among so many in the war as ostensibly under the guise of easier reading and a better understanding, many of these translations corrupt God’s Word. A number of the translators wickedly seek not to offend people and pander after what they want, not God.6
I realize my New King James Version Bible of choice (updating the 17th century King’s English) is a translation as are all Bibles apart from the original manuscripts. I consult a few other modern translations (which is how I know what they say) and teach others--aspiring strong men and great women of God--to do the same for possible greater language clarity.7 However, over nine hundred different English translations each with their unique selling points is overkill. Besides, whether easier to read or not, it is the truth in direct assertion, transcendent eternal principles, morality and ethics along with any deeper meanings in application embodied in the Scripture that we students like Daniel are after. These come only from God in the way He in sovereignty chooses to reveal them.
It may be an angel as Daniel experienced, but most commonly as Christians it is the Holy Spirit with Christ resident inside of us that reveals the truth of God in Scripture and anything deeper related to us (John 14:15-18, 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16)! If you are not understanding what you are reading in the Bible, pray and ask God to help you since it is His will in general that you understand what is written though, some prophecies remain closed for now (Luke 24:44-45; James 1:5-8; Revelation 13:18). As the Lord leads, I will continue working through chapter nine of Daniel in each of the posts this month to the end someone else will be helped as we receive understanding of the times Daniel was told of in advance that we are now, living in and which approach their climatic end!
1 See the December 19, 2021 post, Christmas: Love, Joy And Peace, under the category, Holidays.
2 Dating from the year of Babylon’s first invasion of Judah and taking of captives (such as Daniel) in 605 B.C. to 539 B.C. the first year of the Medo-Persian conquest of Babylon as Daniel historically notes in vs. 1, would have been nearing the end of the seventy years pro- phecy.
3 Daniel’s approach to objectively reading, literally interpreting and applying Scripture is that of every godly person in the Bible to include the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:1-11)! For help, download the free one page document the Lord led me to create summarizing Seven Principles of Bible Interpretation in the Strong Man Store.
4 See the Encyclopedia Britannica article on the Septuagint--the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures.
5 Read the 2017 Christianity Today article, The Most Dangerous Thing Luther Did by Ben Witherington III.
6 Woe to those who seek to deconstruct the Bible to make it more amenable to people! Your actions are instigated by Satan as one of many stratagems he is using in his war with God. If he could widely corrupt the Book with God’s direct revelation, expressly stated will and mes- sage of salvation as he has done, the resulting confusion would destroy many souls as it is doing. For this reason, God holds account- able and destroys the corrupters of Scripture as it is written (2 Peter 3:14-16)! See my August 2, 2020 post, Flavorless Salt Is Worthless, under the category, Call To Repent along with part two in particular of Daughters Of This Age, posted April 25, 2021 under the category, God’s Creatures.
7 This approach is especially helpful to all of us that do not normally read, write or speak Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek. Learn about aspiring strong men and great women of God in Christ’s image in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics along with companion works The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study at your favorite internet book seller and in the Strong Man Store.
Divergence and confusion unnecessarily attend to God’s written Word within professing Christianity during these latter days in part because many have developed their own made to order Bible. As the Lord led me to write about in my first post of the New Year, there are over nine hundred just English language translations of the Bible in whole or part today as evidence of the problem.1 A related cause are the falsehoods involved in lying on the Holy Spirit as the source in every case for that many translations rather than owning what it is in ego and the presumed divine concurrence with the right of American free enterprise to produce and bring them to the marketplace.
Surely, it is not God behind the multitude of English language translations, their divergences, resulting confusion and desolation of souls as well as humiliating scorn of the Christian faith by the watching unsaved world or would someone really try to convince me the Holy Spirit is the “author of confusion” contrary to what Scripture as it is written says (1 Corinthians 14:33, NKJV)?2 Indeed, would He who inspired Scripture millennia ago now, in these latter days actually cater to individual preference in doling out interpretations of it after having the apostle Peter emphatically write, “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,” (2 Peter 1:20-21, NKJV)?3
No, but the same folk that have historically lied on the Holy Spirit otherwise, have not been afraid to tamper with and alter the written Word inspired by Him to benefit all mankind and especially those that are saved through repentance and faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 31:9-13, 24-26; Psalm 102:12-22, Romans 15:1-6; 2 Timothy 3:14-17)! The Word of God is “life” to those who love it (Deuteronomy 32:44-47; John 6:63, NKJV). Consequently, the Lord has commanded that no one should “add to” or “take away from it” without punishment for causing His people to “stumble,” (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 12:32; Proverbs 30:5-6; Mark 9:42-48; Revelation 22:18-19, NKJV)!
The ultimate source and beneficiary of the resulting divergence and confusion from the made to order Bible is Satan as I wrote in that January 9, 2022 post! Moved to gain successes by any means in his war of hatred against God, Satan has deceived and taken advantage of persons as individuals or through sectarian organizations to follow their egos and selfish ambitions to create the many types of English language translations that exist.4 Ostensibly however, their objectives are the benevolent good of making the Bible easier to read, understand or less offensive pandering to worldly desires. Naturally, a number of these such as cults, wittingly produce corrupt, self-serving Bibles.
The solution for the time left is for biblically conservative leaders to come into consensus that word for word translations from the original Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic languages be the standard Bibles of primary authority and use. After this, encourage other types of translations vetted for accuracy and free from modern cultural influence, bias, corruption of or compromise with the plain meaning of word for word translation texts be only supplemental. Finally too, dissuade the marketing of any new designer translations that cater to vanity, personal preference or present the interpretive slants of preacher media stars as so-called “study notes” that engender divergence and confusion.
Alas though, fallen, sinful flesh being what it is, the foregoing is just too easy and fraught with unthinkable injury to ego, selfish ambitions, carefully crafted legacies and income.5 The kind of doctrinal divergence and confusion that exists within professing Christianity not only from the made to order Bible, but the pride of self-exalted hearts is not new, but a continuation from the time of the Lord’s apostles in the first century when they had to contend sometimes with each other to bring the truth of God’s will in His Word to light with it (Acts 8:9-25, 11:1-18, 15:1-29; Galatians 1:1-10, 2:11-21)! Shamefully, divisions rooted in narcissism, human loyalties and profit remains prime obstacles to leaders saying “the same thing,” (Acts 20:28-31; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13a, 3; 1 Timothy 6:3-10, NKJV).
While we live in a nation of freedom, Christians are not free to opinion or teach what we please from God’s Word! Our first citizenship is in Heaven where we answer to our sovereign Lord reigning with absolute authority (Colossians 3:1-2). What is written in the Word He Personifies, authenticated, taught and obeyed during His sojourn on earth as well as had the Holy Spirit further disclose to His apostles for us, we are expected to fearfully treat as sacred and live out (John 1:14, 8:13-20, 16:13-15, 17:17; 1 Peter 1:13-21)!6 Doing so will give rise to a biblical worldview toward all of this mortal life.7 Free enterprise may grant the right to create the made to order Bible, but this does not mean God does or that it will be “helpful,” (Proverbs 14:12; 1 Corinthians 6:12-13, 10:23-24, NKJV).
1 See the January 9, 2022 post, Easier To Read Bibles, under the categories Bible Prophecy and Instruction.
2 Read the May 22, 2022 post, Made To Order Spirit?, under the category, Instruction.
3 There is an excellent set of uniform Bible interpretation principles that are well presented by Dr. R.C. Sproul in his book, Knowing Scripture, and widely taught in reputable seminaries the world over. Sadly though, even many of the scholars, pastors and teachers that are taught these principles do not apply them! For this reason, as the Lord has led, I have sought to put the principles and other information into the hands of ordinary Christians to help the willing properly interpret the Bible and get the most out of their study of it in the Fruitful Bible Study Self-Paced Video Course now, featured on our Strong Man Virtual Institute’s YouTube Channel. The video course and op- tional (but recommended) Study Guide available for free download in the Strong Man Store replace and expand upon a one sheet document this Ministry formerly offered also as a free download.
4 As I asserted in the sixth footnote of that January 9th post, Satan’s attack on the Bible is a very important strategic move meant to undercut the good God intends through its purity (Psalm 19:7-8) and destroy the corrupters along with those corrupted by its altered content (2 Peter 3:14-17)!
5 I have repeatedly and painfully not only witnessed this truth, but experienced it among church pastors, elders and other religious authorities during my born again journey. Most recently, I could not in good conscience join or accept the pastorate of a church because the pastor’s legacy tainted by disobedience to God’s Word they expected me to uphold, was deemed more important than the repentance that would have allowed me in. In all of my similar experiences over the years, the religious have chosen to view me as lacking the requisite humility to pay my dues and follow leadership rather than see the biblically taught priority behind my choices and actions (Acts 4:7-19, 5:26-29).
6 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. It is available with the compan- ion 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.
7 A biblical worldview stands on the foundational practice of objectively reading, understanding and purposely applying God’s Word as it is written just as the Lord Jesus and every godly person named in the Bible does. Once again, it is not what you or I think, feel or believe, it is what does God’s Word say? See my May 31, 2015 post, What Does God’s Word Say?, under the category, Instruction. At this hour lack of a biblical worldview is widespread in professing American Christianity and among its leaders as a recent study by the Cultural Research Center directed by Dr. George Barna at Arizona Christian University reports. This means that many are already com- promised and ill-equipped to make a faithful stand for Christ in a culture that is intensifying its hostility toward our God and His Word they are failing to fully love and em- brace as “the truth,” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, NKJV).
As foretold by the Lord, tribulation and martyrdom for the faith have followed faithful Christians during this nearly 2,000 year period since the first century. Today, because the Gospel has spread to nearly every nation on earth, persecution fed tribulation and martyrdom are experienced by the Lord’s faithful in unprecedented numbers to grow much worse leading up to and during God’s seventieth week.9 Before those final seven years, though, the saints with everyone else will also be dealing with God’s escalating warning judgments to include ‘“great earthquakes…,’” ‘“famines and pestilences…;’” the Lord adding in Luke, ‘“fearful sights and great signs from heaven,’” (Luke 21:11, NKJV).
Just as we have had to cope in His provision and strength with persecution, wars, lawlessness, various calamities, famines and pestilences, still to come are what the Lord describes as “fearful sights and great signs from heaven” that will work destruction on earth, affect the cosmos, our solar system and time as we know it along with bring great pain and death to some of mankind. Among the Almighty God’s purposes in these coming, more severe judgments as those now, is to cause willing souls to recognize His reality and power, repent and believe the Gospel to be saved; the preaching of which has been a major reason for His long delay in bringing the end (2 Peter 3:1-9)!10
The shockingly terrifying events as signs and severe judgments from God prior to His final seven years also warn of His approaching full-on wrath.11 The sixth seal previews what God will do to protect His foretold preserved “remnant of Israel” He calls “My elect” that they might endure through His judgments as “trumpets” of warning which actually begin when Christ opens the seventh seal of the scroll fully unfurled thereafter (Isaiah 10:20-23, 65:8-10; Joel 2:30-32; Revelation 7:1-8, 8:1-9:21, NKJV). These plagues with all to follow that intensify in severity have a precedent in what God did to bring Israel out of Egyptian bondage--something the world will quickly catch onto.
For to appease Him, the world will allow Israel to rebuild their Temple! The rebuilding of the Jewish Temple during the period of or shortly after the severe judgments of Revelation 8-9 is inferred by the fact the structure is already standing when God’s final seven years are formally launched at the beginning of Revelation 11! Besides more warning judgments from God at the hands of His “two witnesses” during the first three and one half years of the seven, if not already, “the falling away” of professed Christians may take place here (2 Thessalonians 2:3a; Revelation 11:1-14, NKJV). Could this mass event be in part due to the realization the secret rapture has not occurred to this juncture?
Because His faithful already bear the living mark of the Holy Spirit, they will not be touched by the creatures God sends to hurt, but not kill those without Him in the fifth trumpet judgment (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Revelation 9:1-12). Otherwise, Christians will be at least indirectly if not directly impacted by God’s severe judgments then, as we are right now! Christ plainly taught following Him entails tribulation and death by whatever means, but that we would overcome them in Him (Luke 9:18-26; John 11:21-27, 16:1-4, 33)!12 Therefore, equipped with the Holy Spirit, Christians that will be faithful are fully prepared to endure tribulation from all sources to God’s appointed end.13
This is why instead of protection like the mortal Jewish elect, the sixth seal previews Christians in glory after coming “out of the great tribulation,” (Revelation 7:9-17, NKJV)!14 The “great tribulation” in Christ’s chronology occupies the last half of God’s final seven years. It is the apex of what will be worldwide suffering from all sources, but especially the activity of the Antichrist. Indeed, so severe are the trials of the great tribulation at the ascendency to world rule by the Antichrist with the aid of Satan in “great wrath,” the Lord warns about those days from the prophet Daniel and adds His prophecy to it. Later, from Him, two of His apostles also give warning (Daniel 8:23-25, 9:27, 11:31-45; Matthew 24:15-22; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 1 John 2:18; Revelation 12:7-13:18, NKJV).15
With the aid of demonic works, the Lord warns ‘“false christs and false prophets’” will arise to assert He has come secretly ‘“in the desert’” or ‘“inner rooms.’” ‘“Do not believe it,’” He also warns. Faithful Bible students will not! Then, He plainly instructs His only Second Coming will be globally seen (Matthew 24:23-28, NKJV)! Too, He plainly says this occurs ‘“Immediately after the tribulation of those days.’” Following foretold cosmic signs He comes ‘“with power and great glory;’” sending ‘“His angels…’” to ‘“gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other’” after which the full-on “day of the Lord” wrath is “poured out" (Matthew 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; Revelation 11:15-19, 16:12-21, 19:11-21, NKJV).16
While I have already cited two major reasons many American evangelicals in the main may cling to the falsehood Christ is going to secretly come to remove Christians from tribulation even before God’s final seven years contrary to Scripture objectively interpreted, two others that come to mind are pride and fear. The pride is of the same kind that will not let many repent from obvious sin!17 Fear of pain and suffering is normal; giving into it to the point of inventing ungodly means of escape is not, nor does this follow the example of our Lord (Luke 22:39-46; Philippians 2:5-8; 1 Peter 2:18-25, 4:1-6, 12-19). The evil outcome of pushing this made to order end is overthrowing “the faith of some” who cannot reconcile it with what they see or God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:16-18, NKJV)!18
9 Visit https://www.opendoorsusa.org/ a Ministry to persecuted Christians this Ministry supports.
10 See the February 6, 2022 post, The Divine Delay, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
11 Scripture teaches the full-on wrath of God is cataclysmic destruction whether widespread as in Noah’s flood or localized as it was with Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 7:17-24, 19:23-29). The foretold coming full-on wrath of God is part of His “Day of the Lord” launch and will violently shake both the universe and the earth; causing the earth to move from its current orbit along with upending and changing its topography (Isaiah 13:6-13, 24:17-20, 40:3-5, 42:14-15). It is from God’s full-on wrath Christians have been promised deliverance through Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, 5:2-10)!
12 Learn more about following Christ into suffering as He teaches 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.
13 Consequently, as the Lord has led, I have been calling believers in need to repentance and revival! Read the May 22, 2022 post, Made To Order Spirit?, under the category, Instruction.
14 Clearly, this passage shows the close of the great tribulation includes partial displays of God’s wrath directed specifically upon those with the Antichrist’s mark still re- fusing to repent, the water resources they in the majority rely on and the sun to burn them with the heat of global warming at its peak without killing off all air breathing life indirectly affected due to the shortened days involved (Matthew 24:21-22; Revelation 16:1-11).
15 Read the two-part post that begins February 13, 2022, War Of The Ages End, under the category, Bible Prophecy. Please note in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, the apostle Paul opens up referencing “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him” (the rapture) as tied to the “day of Christ” which is also the Day of the Lord. He further instructs “that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed…,” (Emphasis Mine, NKJV).
16 All mortals on earth will see the Second Coming of Christ including faithful remnant Christians who immediately thereafter, are made immortal and join those resur- rected gathered to Christ in the sky (1 Corinthians 15:50-57). See the August 15, 2021 post, The Honor Of Bypassing Death, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
17 See the September 26, 2021 post, I Have Sinned, I Repent, under the category, Call To Repent. Consider too, the joy and peace of Marvin Rosenthal when what he understood about the rapture’s timing at Christ’s Second Coming and just before the outpour of God’s full-on wrath fully lined up with what Scripture objectively inter- preted, taught!
18 Believers should have only the truth of God’s Word to inform their understanding, not the opinions of men! This means as this “made to order” series of posts has steadfastly urged, studying the Bible for oneself to learn the truth therein.
Having just spent time giving serious thanks to God for all of His blessings this Thanksgiving, the Lord again directs my attention to the persecution being suffered by my Christian brethren among many nations. Though I do not write a lot about the ongoing persecution of Christians, I stay regularly informed and prayerful for all. The aforementioned “all” includes not just the suffering faces of those in faraway lands such as North Korea and Nigeria, but increasingly, those enduring persecution in this Western hemisphere and our own nation. Truly, growing hostility toward and persecution of Bible believing Christians in America is a reality that can no longer be dismissed as only isolated.
As a supporter of similarly named, but organizationally unrelated Open Doors USA, our Ministry regularly receives their reports on what is happening among our persecuted Christian brethren around the world.1 Not only are our brethren suffering from family and community exclusion within the nations they live, but government harassment, arrests, unfair trials, incarceration, legally sanctioned mob violence and martyrdom. When the Christian men are targeted for incarceration or murder, it leaves their families to suffer. While Communist and Islamic run nations fill the list of persecutors, nations such as Christian Eritrea, Hindu India and Buddhist Bhutan are also prominent.2
It is about to get really real for those of us that profess to be Christians in America too. Intensifying opposition to the biblical faith once on the fringe of American society is going mainstream. Moral tenets of the faith once taken for granted as absolute and bedrock to American society are not only being challenged, but cast down as no longer acceptable. These are not just tenets governing marriage and family for example, but definitions of objective truth, right and wrong, good and evil as well as justice and injustice. In the wake of this swiftly moving river of moral upheaval, Christians that would dare stand firm for the moral tenets of our faith are suffering varying degrees of persecution.
Besides the “in-your-face” government policies and litigations to remove crosses and nativity scenes as public displays of Christianity to implement falsely believed constitutionally mandated church and state separation, some Christians have suffered being demoted or fired from employment because they had Bibles at their work stations or read them on breaks. And because many secular entities have a “corporate culture” now, that does not tolerate religious expression (though, they publicly trumpet “inclusion” and “diversity” as values), being hired a Christian with a social media presence may be very difficult and once hired, witnessing Christ to co-workers is out.3
American secular colleges and universities that have historically celebrated tolerating various viewpoints as a means in the process of vigorous, but polite debate to sharpen the thinking of young minds have in too many instances today, hung out the “not welcome” sign to a biblical worldview. Biblically conservative Christian students are routinely singled out and held up to ridicule for their faith. Christian professors do not escape either.4 The secular media regularly ignores and mocks Christians that hold to a biblical worldview being quick only to report on high profile “Televangelists” and “Megachurch Pastors” whose sins come to light, while social media giants resist them.5
As I have also commented in other posts, a number of American Christians have been purposely targeted and martyred in mass shootings such as the one at Columbine High School in 1999 along with churches as occurred in Charleston, SC in 2015 and Sutherland Springs, TX in 2017.6 In agreement with all other observers here, none of what American Christians have suffered to date compares with the daily egregious and violent persecution our overseas brethren endure--yet! Praying for “the persecuted church” like it is some disconnected entity that exists only in non-exceptional, often impoverished nations of the world is about to change as persecutors intensify their efforts in America.7 And why? It is their “hour and the power of darkness,” (Luke 22:52-53, NKJV).
For this reason, beyond seeking to sensitize us to the ongoing suffering of our brethren wherever they are as a primary reason for this post, exhorting faithful American Christians to spiritually, mentally and emotionally prepare for the kind of hatred fed persecution our overseas brethren experience is an important secondary reason since our Lord has warned it is to occur in “all nations,” (Matthew 10:16-39, 24:9, NKJV).8 Now, is the time to awake from arrogance and apathy to get ready for what our Lord foretells and assures will take place. Among the equipping resources available is my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and related group studies.9 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 The organizational parent of Strong Man Ministries is Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. I was led by the Lord to found August 12, 1985. Read some of the
stories of persecuted Christians among the many countries on the 2020 World Watch List of Open Doors USA.
2 What many of our brethren overseas “normally” suffer from their persecutors has been intensified during the Lord’s Coronavirus judgment. As we are banding together
with other Christians to help and encourage one another here at home, the Lord would have us remember our suffering persecuted brethren in those faraway lands
with tangible support as well (1 John 3:16-18).
3 Sadly, our military as a work place is no exception. Read about the case of Chaplain Curt Cizek.
4 To learn more about the experience of Christians on American campuses read the following ACLJ, Beliefnet and IsChristianityTrue articles.
5 I can attest to the heavy-handed resistance of Facebook to biblically conservative ministries such as this one among the social media giants. “Likes” to our pages by
Christians mysteriously dwindle after I write blogs or make posts on their platform that are not politically correct, tolerant etc. which the Lord has had me call them on.
They want me to believe that just making better posts and spending more money to “boost” them will remedy the situation though, such has not been the case since
they also limit the reach of the same. For the record, I do understand a to be expected number of professed Christians that formerly liked our Facebook pages are sub-
ject to “unlike” them at any time as a show of disagreement with me. I get that, but not what Facebook is doing which lately has even taken away page likes whenever
someone has liked a post! I urge Christians that have liked our pages and those of other ministries to check back periodically especially if you have not received a post
in your newsfeeds for a time and re-like the pages if necessary. Also, enlist other Christians on Facebook to like our pages after you have done so.
6 Read for example, the June 8, 2014 post, And Then There Is The War, under the category, instruction. Revisit the cited respective church shootings at the following
links Charleston, SC and Sutherland Springs, TX.
7 See the November 12, 2017 post, God’s Throwaways?, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
8 Read the two-part post beginning May 17, 2020, Persecution, Hatred And Betrayal, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
9 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 clari-
ty and updated web addresses in the footnotes is available at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only).
You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store. 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.
The real fear and depth of pathos in the face of 12 year-old black American Keedron Bryant as he sings the song his mother wrote, I Just Wanna Live, overwhelmed my heart along with many others as it went viral and global in the days immediately following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis, MN police officer back on May 25th this year. And while I cannot speak for Keedron’s feelings, in it for me was not just the Floyd murder, but the repeated killings of black American males in the news across America since I can remember in over sixty years of living not only by the police and white citizens, but other black males in predominance as I have written about in other posts.1
I write to Keedron, my own progeny and every black child now, and to come in this 21st century with a word of encouragement from the Lord! First, Keedron, know your mother’s song expresses the heartfelt prayer our forefathers had in slavery God has already answered for those willing to believe. For while a relative few slaves thought to liberate themselves through violent uprisings, those that had become Christians in larger numbers decided to put their faith in and wait on God who had allowed their plight and would in His timing, set them free which He did (Psalm 107:10-16).2 Their faith in God brought them and its legacy the Christians that have followed through much suffering!3
Second, know that God in Jesus Christ, His Son, has already answered your prayer for freedom from fear of death and to live in peace in spite of what is going on all around you. You are right to believe you should not have to live in fear and feel like prey from any source much less those of your “kind,” officers as sworn agents of God and men to uphold the law or fellow citizens. But the one who really wants you to live in fear for your life is not human. He is the devil, one of God’s fallen angels who hates Him and mankind. He works through sinful persons from all walks of life to hurt and destroy as many as he can unlike Jesus (John 8:44, 10:10-11; Ephesians 6:12; 1 John 5:19).
Making the Lord Jesus your Shepherd assures His protection on this earth to the extent He wills since out of love for Him, we as His sheep are already prepared for the slaughter; living as though we have already died in Him who raises us from the dead to live with Him forever (Psalms 23, 44:22, 118:6; Romans 6:1-8, 8:31-39)! Also, He gives us His peace, the peace of God so that we do not have to live in fear of man or anything else of this world (Isaiah 26:3; John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7). Too, we are to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might;” putting on all of the “whole armor” He has given to stand while we purposely live holy (Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 John 5:18, NKJV).
Finally, once more the Lord has already answered your emotion laden prayer in song through Israel’s king David who over three thousand years ago made many of his divinely inspired prayers Psalms for all to read in the Bible. To those in Israel similarly oppressed, troubled by and living in worrisome fear of those doing evil, he wrote encouragement in Psalm 37:1-11 we can take hold of. His key points are not to worry about those who do evil or practice things clearly forbidden by God because they will not long endure (vs. 1-2). Instead, “trust,” “delight yourself also in” and “commit your way to the Lord,” (vs. 3-6, NKJV). “Rest in” “and wait patiently for Him” as well (vs. 7, NKJV).
Furthermore, along with ceasing from worry, do not be continually angry and bitter as are many of your “kind” that destroy themselves and others as victims or again, worry about evildoing racists with or without police badges. God is going to deal with them, but anger, bitterness and worry harms you (vs. 8-9a, 10)! Therefore, let these destructive emotions go through faith, forgiveness and hope in the promises of God “who cannot lie,” (Habakkuk 2:4; Ephesians 4:26-27, 31-32; Titus 1:1-3, NKJV). Among the promises God has made to all David calls “the meek” is that we “shall inherit the earth” and enjoy an “abundance of peace,” (vs. 9b, 11, NKJV).4 God will take this present world away from evildoers, reverse the way it works and give it to us, His saints to rule under Christ!
Indeed, teaching His disciples in first century Israel the Lord Jesus affirms God’s promise made a thousand years earlier through David declaring: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,” (Matthew 5:5, NKJV). The Lord comes to the stunning promise of future reversal in favor of those that humbly serve God now, after acknowledging how they first came from having poverty of spirit and continual grief through the wicked works of evildoers as well as their own sins (Matthew 5:3-4, NKJV). But God begins the process of reversal right now, through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to save us from our sins and resurrection from the dead; assuring the Kingdom we wait for comes to earth, His forgiveness and eternal life are available to all in the meantime (John 3:1-8; Acts 2:36-39).
1 See the August 12, 2018 post, Curtailing Gang Violence, under the category, Call To Repent and its follow up, August 19, 2018, Valuing Human Life, under the cate-
gory, Biblical Worldview.
2 Read the two-part post beginning June 2, 2019, Message From A Redeemed Black Man, under the category, Biblical Worldview. Be sure to also visit our Ministry’s
Web Site dedicated to the cause of presenting a biblical worldview of the black American experience, https://fromslaverytovictory.org.
3 The legacy of faith our Christian slave forefathers left us is embodied in their simple, and deeply emotive “Spirituals” (which I Just Wanna Live harkens back to); those
Christian black Americans thereafter in most forms of their Gospel Music to this present day!
4 To be meek is not to be weak, cowardly or an “Uncle Tom” as negatively defined by many black Americans (read the biblical worldview of this fictional character the
Lord led me to present on our From Slavery To Victory Education Project Web Site). Meekness is the willful choice by aspiring strong men and great women of God
to walk in Christ’s humility as a Lamb and His strength under control as a Lion. I give this instruction as the Lord leads in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To
Basics. It is an excellent resource for godly parents to use in teaching and mentoring their children into biblical man or womanhood as they near their teen years. Get
a print copy or digital download of the book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also
purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
Truly, every prophecy of Scripture concerning and from Christ, the living Word, will be fulfilled (Luke 21:33, 24:44)! Thus, the hate-filled global persecution of Christians is coming to America! Judging by the spiritual energy presently being expended to relieve fear among an obviously large number of professed Christians during His Coronavirus judgment, clearly, many are not ready for the coming “fiery trial” God is allowing to “try” us in judgment (1 Peter 4:12-19, NKJV).5 As a result, the people need to be warned, taught and prepared to faithfully persevere trusting in the Lord as He has led me to write in many previous posts and my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.6
The current state of fear pervading much of American Christianity is on every pastor and Bible teacher that has failed until now to biblically warn, teach and equip those they serve in the church building and by way of media in the basics of the faith and “the whole counsel of God”--His grace that saves and holiness that demands His foretold wrath upon sinners (Isaiah 13:9; Acts 20:26-27, NKJV). Imagine how much more fruitful the response of our unsaved fellow citizens could be if in the background of the solid preaching of the Gospel now, going forth, there wasn’t also the steady drone of exhortation not to fear going out to those that already profess to be Christians weak in faith!7
Faithful Christian Americans are just one anti-Christian spark and/or national election to the political far left away from legal persecution through arrest, trial and incarceration for standing on the Word of God as it is written.8 The Lord Jesus Christ warns His first century disciples and us about this reality and instructs not to worry about what to say at that time, but to speak what the Holy Spirit puts in our mouths giving testimony about Him (Matthew 10:16-20; Mark 13:11; Luke 21:12-15; John 15:26-27). Besides that kind of tribulation, verbal and physical assault for being a Christian easily follows in a nation where the majority hates Christ and the Bible He is faithfully portrayed in!
Too, as in other nations whose governments now, look the other way when mobs and terrorists murder Christians identified by their unwavering testimony of faith, it will happen here as it has and does for example, with black and other Americans profiled by our skin color. The Lord Jesus teaches that the hatred behind Christian persecution stems from apostasy, falsehood, love grown cold in abounding lawlessness, His works and exposure of the persecutors’ “sin.” This persecution comes well before the “great tribulation” and gives rise to open conflict among professed Christian religionists and apostates who “betray” and “hate” each other along with the faithful (Matthew 24:10-12, 15-21; John 15:18-25, 16:1-4, NKJV).9
Indeed, the coming global persecution is a major factor in “the falling away” the apostle Paul foretells (2 Thessalonians 2:3, NKJV).10 Falling away and betrayal among the disciples of Christ whether in times of persecution or not has occurred from His time on earth (Matthew 26:20-25, 47-49; Luke 22:48; 2 Timothy 4:9-10; 1 John 2:18-19). However, for many professed Christian Americans that barely distinguishes between being a Christian and an American, the Lord’s warning of extensive betrayal to the death by family and friends in a nation that hates Christians as a coming reality is very hard to accept. Yet, Christ says so (Matthew 10:21; Mark 13:12; Luke 21:16)!
Moreover, church history and current events among our persecuted brethren in other nations shows how Christians are betrayed by hating family and friends.11 Most Americans--Christian or not--place a high value on family and other mortal relationships. The Lord Jesus though, quoting from the prophet Micah as historic and ongoing spiritual reality, not only foretold division over Him in families, but made it plain He expects our love and loyalty to Him above all including self (Micah 7:5-7; Matthew 10:35-36; Luke 14:25-27)! Regardless of who is doing the persecuting, hating or betraying, He also expects His faithful to patiently endure to the end--our lives or His coming--not retaliating or taking vengeance (Matthew 10:22; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:18-19; Romans 12:17-21).12
Therefore, pastors and ministry leaders: do you really plan to go back to business as usual? The Lord calls you to recognize the times have changed in front of your very eyes and to repent from every way it was before the Coronavirus judgment that is sin in His sight to include allowing women to corruptly defy His Word in falsehood (1 Timothy 2:11-14); deceiving many and leading to their equal judgment (Ezekiel 13:17-23; Revelation 2:18-23)! Too, snap out of denial and get His people ready for all of what the Lord Jesus said is coming in the face of God’s Coronavirus judgment which is demonstrated proof the judgments and events He foretold would precede His return are underway! The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
5 This unpreparedness for His sudden judgments in the earth is just as the Lord led me to warn would be the case in the September 29, 2019 post, God Almighty In A
21st Century World, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
6 Read the following posts under the category, Instruction: May 22, 2016, The Peculiar People, May 29, 2016, Preparing For The Final Battle and the two-part, Lined
Up Behind Jesus beginning on August 18, 2019. Get a print copy or digital download of my book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble,
ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
7 Having previously written transparently about my own 2014 failure to trust God in a business situation, I did not write this statement out of some high-handed, self-
righteous place. See my March 2, 2014, The Testing Of Our Faith, under the category, Instruction. I understand and empathize with those of my spiritually maturing
brethren that fail the test of faith as a matter of momentary weakness in sin. What I am writing of here, is ongoing unbelief in weakness sustained by longstanding
spiritual immaturity through lack of instruction and practice especially prevalent in the many forms of empty, powerless manmade Christianity the religion. Read the
two-part post beginning August 21, 2016, Christianity The Religion Of Men, under the category, Instruction followed by the two-part post beginning September 11,
2016, American Culture’s Religion, under the category, Call To Repent.
8 Roman Caesar, Nero, had only to blame Christians for the fire that destroyed much of Rome to persecute many to the death, while a later Caesar, Diocletian (and
government tyrants from many nations that followed), used no excuse except to be rid of them! Without endorsing as completely accurate or any specific sects men-
tioned, an online overview source to explore the history of Christian persecution is Wikipedia.
9 See the December 9, 2018 post, The Peril Of Religious Men, under the category, Instruction.
10 Read the February 2, 2014 post, The Falling Away, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
11 This Ministry supports Open Doors USA, a Ministry serving our persecuted brethren in many places and invites you to read some of their stories that include be-
trayal and violence against them by family, former neighbors and friends.
12 Read my June 5, 2016 post, The Day Of Vengeance, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
Among other things, this edited 2013 repost is a real world illustration of just one evil done by those that have practiced loveless Christianity the religion of men in America from its founding.6 That its practitioners and churches have helped to morally undergird and maintain the nation’s racial double standard is the focus of this part two. An appropriate call to repent is made to the guilty.
According to Microsoft Encarta Dictionary, a double standard occurs when a principle, rule, or expectation is applied to some people, but not others in a way that is unfair. America’s historic racial double standard where its laws, system of justice, morals and rules of social conduct were unfairly applied to blacks in favor of whites is perceived by many to remain largely, though covertly intact. So, while the American justice system is supposed to be blind, given the history and present hour realities, most honest Americans must concede that the tables being turned and a black man killed a white man, they would be shocked if he were to be found not guilty--“stand your ground law” or not.
It is a fallen world--you know I get that. However, keeping it real and straight to the point of our strong man of God cause, white men weak in the sin of racism professing to be Christians and operating out of churches claiming to represent Christianity have for centuries been the enabling moral force behind America’s racial double standard.7 Because of that fact, to this day in many predominantly white churches a white man’s word or teaching still carries more weight than a black man’s no matter how biblically sound. Too, a white man’s evil deeds will be reflexively excused or explained away, while a black man guilty of the same behavior would be more severely dealt with.
I know this because I have been part of predominantly white denominations since 1980 and am presently a member of a predominantly white church where I have experienced the racial double standard.8 Indeed, because of it, some of the white readers of this post that are guilty will automatically dismiss what I am saying in denial rather than taking it to heart and repenting! Some of my black brothers will say, “Get out of there!” But if professed white and black Christians never interact, how will we ever resolve issues like the racial double standard; as brothers, presenting to the world the commanded, superior way of Christ (John 13:34-35; Romans 15:1-7)?
Safely retreated into segregated camps apathetically retaining the racial double standard status quo is not now nor was it ever God’s solution! Truly, it is a state of sinful defeat that especially professed Christian conservative white Americans live in that tolerates all of the racial negatives including the double standard in the camp without any serious attempt to remove them.9 As I have already alluded to as a reason, many practice counterfeit Christianity the religion of men. It allows one to profess being a Christian without having to demonstrate any real “fruits” of repentance so that impostors proliferate within their ranks (Luke 3:7-14; Galatians 2:1-5; Colossians 2:16-23, NKJV).10
Corrupting Scripture to arrogantly rationalize redefining men of color as sub-human and inferior, the majority of their forefathers as professed Christians established the racial double standard; upheld to this hour if not overtly in word, covertly by deeds. Falsely believing God shared their wicked view of non-white men, they failed to realize (or care) their sin with disobedient others cast shame upon Christ’s name among its consequences (Romans 2:17-24; 1 Timothy 5:14-15, 6:1; Titus 2:1-10)! Using double standards falls biblically into the category of showing partiality which God does not do and condemns as sin (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Galatians 2:6; James 2:1-9).
Therefore, let every professed Christian be warned from the sinful issue of racial double standards raised again in the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman: repent if you are guilty lest the God who shows no partiality you claim to serve deals with you personally as your sins deserve (Romans 2:1-11; Galatians 6:7-8; Colossians 3:25; 1 Peter 1:13-21). Moreover, recognize this and every effort to communicate God’s call to repentance to you rebuffed for whatever reasons including racism, serves as a witness against you “before the judgment seat of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 5:9-11, NKJV). God in wrath will also destroy your religion (Revelation 16:17-21). To the relative few faithful working to repair racism’s damages: your reward awaits you; keep working!
Nonetheless, the work of the faithful will not forestall God’s coming wrath upon this and all nations guilty of prolonged and severe oppression of subjugated peoples. For just as Judah, what God allowed as punishment for ancient sin in the case of my people and all surviving minorities from America’s colonial times was only to be for a little season. As He did to Babylon, His vengeance is about to fall on the nations “at ease” that unmercifully lengthened their pain. This will be followed by His mercy extended to Jerusalem and the lowliest of souls waiting in faith for Him (Isaiah 47:1-7; Jeremiah 25:8-33; Zechariah 1:12-17, 2:6-13; Luke 1:46-55, 6:20-23; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12, NKJV).11 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
6 See the two-part post, Christianity The Religion Of Men beginning August 21, 2016 under the category, Instruction.
7 Read my September 4, 2016 post, Christianity The Religion American Style and those that follow that month under the category, Call To Repent.
8 Once, in a one on one meeting, the pastor had a knife under his leg that was revealed when he rose up out of his chair to leave the room briefly. Upon his return,
I asked about the knife since there was no reason to fear me. I was told it must have fallen out of his pocket and was carried only out of the norm of his cultural up-
bringing. After sharing the incident with church elders that included a police officer, it was dismissed as my misperception--an outcome most blacks are familiar with.
Perhaps so, but because of the racial double standard also practiced in many predominantly white churches, I have no doubt that had it been me with the knife, the
incident would have been seen and handled differently.
9 I make a distinction between “conservative” Christians which tend to be white and those souls from every hue like me that are “biblically conservative” in likeness to the
Lord Jesus (Matthew 5:17-20) as I discuss in an April 19, 2015 repost, On The Lord’s Side, under the category, The Cause. Though there is generally an overlap in
some shared morals, in contrast to conservative Christians who are more worldly political and patriotically intense, biblical conservatives have as our uppermost con-
cern love for Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit preserving, applying and living out the eternally transcendent truths and instruction of God’s Word as it is written!
As a result, there is no tolerance of or accommodation to the sin of racism in our ranks. Read my December 11, 2016 post, Professing Christian Racism Is Sin Too,
under the category, Call To Repent.
10 Read the July 8-22, 2018 posts that discuss biblical faith, false and real Christians as well as authentic Christianity.
11 For a summary historical examination of the rise and fall of Christianity as a manmade religion along with God’s foretold judgments on the nations, read the February
24-March 17, 2017 four-part blog series, God Of Restoration And Judgment, under the category, The Cause.
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