The Scourge Of Racism
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The world as nations and peoples at large and our nation in particular among them, are where we are now, as a direct consequence of the ongoing war of the ages, transgression, sin and iniquity along with divine foretold and brought judgment! The foretelling of these turbulent times churning with destructive desolations from deliberate manmade acts and so-called “natural” disasters to include the deadly global Coronavirus pandemic foretold millennia in advance by God through His Jewish prophets and Son (Matthew 24:7) in the Bible, is yet another manifest proof of His existence and eternal greatness for those with eyes that are willing to see (Isaiah 43:8-13, 44:6-8, 45:18-25).
Indeed, here in America I once again write on this Sanctity Of Life Sunday sadly having to be instituted by biblically conservative Christians to emphatically affirm the value of human life from conception in a culture of death. This same day is also equally sad as the eve of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday commemorating a Christian black American that was martyred while advocating in biblically conservative taught non-violence against the nation’s historic, blatant and systemic oppression of blacks and other minorities through racial bigotry. Both occasions manifestly signify the evil working of sin in our nation and are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg of its depravity.
As the Lord has led, I have been repeatedly crying out against and warning of His judgment upon the moral ruin of our nation and very importantly too, the disobedience of those that profess to be His followers as Christians. As He instructs in His Word, Christians are supposed to be “salt” and “light” in the midst of our nation (Matthew 5:13-16, NKJV). But with our nation, professing American Christianity forms a “house divided” falling into desolation (Luke 11:17, NKJV) that cannot even agree on what the Bible actually teaches with thousands of humanly constructed theologies as I have written about in other posts1 and hundreds of different translations I presented in my last post.2
For example, many side with the secular culture against what is clearly written in the Bible to legally allow same sex persons to marry and women to murder their unborn (Genesis 1:27-28; 9:5-7; Exodus 20:13; Matthew 19:3-6, 16-19). Other professed Christians calling themselves conservative insist Jesus upholds the Constitution’s right to bear arms (weapons) for personal self-defense when it was for His defense His apostle, Peter, cut off a man’s ear and received the Lord’s perpetually standing rebuke for “all” of this epoch who follow Him (Matthew 26:47-54, NKJV). Still others of the same mind protest teaching the truth about our nation’s history of racial bigotry in our K-12 schools.3
Truly, if only all who claimed to be Christians would humbly pray with the heart of Daniel at this hour, our fractured nation and professing community under God’s judgment might see Him extend more mercy to us--things could be even worse (Psalm 136)! For understanding the plain meaning of the prophecy in the Old Testament scrolls he possessed just over 2,500 hundred years ago, Daniel applied it right away by turning to God in prayer and fasting to request that He, who is always true to His Word and merciful, would be again (Daniel 9:1-3). Such was the genuine faith in and relationship Daniel had with God from his youth who was now, a man easily in his eighties (Daniel 1:1-7).
He was later told by the angel, Gabriel, ‘“At the beginning of your supplications the command’” from God ‘“went out’” for him to come with Daniel’s answer to prayer adding, ‘“for you are greatly beloved,’” (Daniel 9:23, NKJV). Every truly born again Christian is to have such a standing with God by instruction of His Son, our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, who Daniel surely glimpsed in a later vision (Daniel 10:1-9; John 15:16, 16:16-28). Daniel’s exemplary humble prayer of confession, repentance acknowledging God’s righteousness to judge His people who refused to repent and appeal to His eternal heart of mercy is a template today, for all who profess to know and love Him.
Daniel opens his confession exalting God’s greatness and uttering a transcendent eternal principle many professed Christians today, either willfully cast aside so their theology will work or ignorantly overlook to their detriment. Daniel in total consistency with His eternal character and the whole Bible says to God, “who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments,” (Daniel 9:4, NKJV). Loving God in covenant relationship is demonstrated by faithful obedience to His commandments--no exceptions as the Lord Jesus also taught (John 14:15, 19-24; 1 John 2:3-6, 5:3)! As Daniel strongly implies, Israel did not love God as seen in their breaking His covenant through disobedience (Jeremiah 11:1-10; Daniel 9:5).
1 Read the October 18, 2015 post, Pursuing Credentials And Authority, followed over the next two weeks beginning October 25, 2015 by the two-part, Religious Educated Wiser Than God? All three posts are under the category, Call To Repent.
2 See the January 9, 2022 post, Easier To Read Bibles, under the categories Bible Prophecy and Instruction.
3 While Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a legal and academic critique of racism’s impact in American society may have wrongly found its way into some K-12 school curric- ula and should be removed since as theory it has its own biases against a biblical worldview for example, the need remains for a generation of especially white Ameri- can children to finally be taught the whole historical truth about how the evil of racial bigotry did contribute to the violent and still systemic oppression of the land’s indi- genous peoples, black and other minority Americans. Contrary to the fear their children will “hate their white heritage” as a consequence, understanding the healing power of truth, empathy and repentance especially as Christians, their children will come away determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past and help to undo what remains of American racial practices as some, such as white evangelical, David Barton, are trying to do right now. I recommend his book, Setting The Record Straight: American History In Black & White for those retreating from public education to private and home schools over CRT so your children can still be taught the truth! I ex- amined several online sources to understand more about CRT including American Bar Association, Education Week, Encyclopedia Britannica, and Middle Tennessee State University’s The First Amendment Encyclopedia.
Daniel holds nothing back of the truth in confessing the transgression, sin and iniquity of his people, Israel, he righteously characterized as rebellion in their departure from God’s written Word. Twice in his confession he also points up the people’s disobedience to God’s direct instruction and warnings to them through His prophets (Daniel 9:6, 10). Besides Moses and Isaiah of the greatest of these prophets (Deuteronomy 28; Isaiah 1), Jeremiah and Ezekiel Daniel’s contemporaries were used mightily of God to graphically present and cry out against their sin, call for their repentance and pronounce His judgment upon their stubborn refusal to do so (Jeremiah 2, 11:11-17; Ezekiel 8, 12).
No, the shame of Babylonian captivity Daniel also asserts twice in his confession to God did not come without prior warning over many years in His longsuffering, forbearance and readiness to mercifully forgive as Israel ‘“rebelled against Him,’” (Daniel 9:7-9, NKJV). Thus, it was that after long sounding his trumpet of warning, Daniel’s fellow prophet in exile, Ezekiel, as God’s watchman to the rebellious captives (whose ministry my own is patterned) learned Jerusalem had fallen into the hands of the Babylonians and directed by Him, announced its complete desolation (Ezekiel 33:1-9, 21-29). Praying with painful hindsight and agreement with God’s written Word, Daniel confesses to Him why.
He prays: ‘“Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law and has departed so as not to obey Your voice.’” As a foretold consequence, he acknowledges they now, had a desolate homeland, holy city, Jerusalem, and Temple as righteous judgment from God (Daniel 9:11-12, NKJV). I remind us in America again that Israel is the only chosen people and nation of God in history.4 Yet, He brought upon them His righteous judgment stemming from their departure from His Word in disobedience as well as stubborn refusal to repent. Now, if He did this to Israel, where do the many guilty in our nation get off asserting an exceptional standing that exempts us from the same (Jeremiah 25:15-29)?
This is a great falsehood in the land that is working tangible desolations commensurate with the nation’s moral ruin (Micah 3:8-12). For in the arrogance of this self-deceit, the guilty are refusing to humble themselves and repent before God Almighty while He intensifies the desolations upon our nation in our plain view through calamities such as devastating storms, out of season tornadoes, wildfires and His unrelenting Coronavirus pestilence (Isaiah 45:6-7).5 Like Israel, will you foolishly continue not to see ‘“all this disaster has come upon us’” because of transgression, sin and iniquity refusing to repent and ‘“understand’” God’s ‘“truth,’” (Deuteronomy 31:14-32:47; Daniel 9:13, NKJV)?
The foregoing is especially heartbreaking in a land filled with so many professed Christians, their churches and religious educated elites that ostensibly know God and His truth fully written, but who willfully refuse to acknowledge the obvious for all manner of motives. Is not this scenario of spiritual dullness through preoccupation with Christianity as manmade religion how it is that the biblical instruction of salvation by grace through faith alone had to be uncovered again by Martin Luther, a broken and miserable German priest searching for the living God using his Latin Vulgate and Greek Bible translations after over a millennium of corrupt Catholicism usurped and buried it?
Because God is holy, righteous and just, sin not confessed and repented of always has consequences no matter who it is that is guilty! The plain fact is Israel in sin not confessed or repented of was guilty before God. Consequently, as Daniel declares soberly to God in his prayer about Israel’s obstinacy (and ours too), ‘“Therefore the LORD has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice.’”6 He adds in simple humility, ‘“we have sinned, we have done wickedly;’” including himself in again with his people despite that he was godly (Daniel 9:14-15, NKJV).7 Daniel confessed and repented even though, Israel in the disaster as many today, still refused to do so!
In spite of his people’s failure to do right, Daniel closes his prayer appealing to God in all of His ‘“righteousness’” to ‘“let Your anger and fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem…,’” (Daniel 9:16, NKJV). God’s righteousness here was to honor His Word; the prophecy He gave Jeremiah to limit Jerusalem’s desolation at the time to “seventy years,” (Jeremiah 25:1-11; NKJV). Daniel then, appeals to God to hear him and take pity on the ‘“desolate’” state of His ‘“sanctuary’” as well as the ‘“desolations’” of the people as He looks out on the situation not in accord with their ‘“righteous deeds’” since they had none, but His ‘“great mercies,’” (Daniel 9:17-18, NKJV). Finally, he exhorts God to ‘“forgive…listen and act,’” (Daniel 9:19, NKJV). Should professed Christians pray otherwise?
4 See the two-part post that begins August 2, 2020, Flavorless Salt Is Worthless, under the category, Call To Repent.
5 Read the July 5, 2020 post, Decision At The Crossroads, under the category, Call To Repent. For all including professed Christians in unbelief that want to redefine God Almighty out of existence or in one’s personally determined image of Him, He is who He is and does what He pleases as it is written (Exodus 3:13-14; Psalm 135:-6; Isaiah 40:12-26)! As a result, mortals should fear in the face of His power rather than dismiss Him through hearts proudly hardened. Or don’t you realize that He who with a word instantly stilled storms (Mark 4:35-41) is also able to permit them with other calamities as works of Satan (Job 1:6-19; Lamentations 3:37-38; Amos 3:6b) and summon them at whatever intensity He wills as He shall do in His wrath before the end of these “latter days,” (Psalm 135:7; Jeremiah 25:30-38,30:23-24, NKJV)?
6 As the harlot daughters of Catholicism in the over 500 years since Luther launched the Protestant Reformation with his biblical rediscovery of God’s salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone, the guilty have shared fully in their mother’s harlotries of disobedience, feat of choking off sound doctrine and being stubbornly unwilling to repent. This is to their terminal judgment with their mother (2 Timothy 3:1-12; Revelation 16:19b, 17-19:4)!
7 While in my book,The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, the Lord leads me to hold up faithfulness as the character trait Daniel exemplifies, obviously humility is also among the many character traits of Christ and the aspiring strong man of God in His image he displays. Get my book along with its 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.
Home teams all over the world display such a loyalty to their religiously devoted, fan filled sports fields and arenas they call them “our house.” As in war among nations, these warriors set about to defend the honor of their house by winning. If it is so among fallen, sinful men in their world of play, how infinitely greater in sincerity and loyalty is the living God to defend the honor of His house by insisting on the obedience to His will or judgment of those related to Him by covenant (Jeremiah 11:1-17; Hebrews 8:7-13, 10:5-18, 26-31)? Like ancient Israel, professing Western Christians today do not want to hear the truth about God’s displeasure with the disobedience in and unfolding judgment of His house (Jeremiah 11:18-23). It showed early and fully by the time I shared this fifth and concluding blog of the 2013 series on obedience--you have done much better this year. Originally Posted August 25, 2013 Judging by how our number of readers temporarily plummeted after the Lord led me to start talking about obedience and relating it to the issue of women in the churches, I know that I hit a raw nerve. This is not surprising since not only do I sit on the sidelines of shepherding a local church because of holding true to what God’s Word says on these two related topics, but my book is also considered controversial. Hallelujah! I have been counted worthy to follow in the footsteps of all God’s Old Testament prophets, the Lord Jesus and His apostles in holding true to the written Word against the corruptions of impostors, the selectively, partially and willfully disobedient, backsliders as well as religious folk that are more concerned with their traditions practiced in a manmade form of Christianity. Therefore, to those who have come back again this past week, thank you for your Berean heart that no doubt found after carefully reading the Scriptures (our absolute final source of authority for the faith and its practice), that what I have been writing--however unpopular and disobeyed in these latter days--is true (Acts 17:10-12). Those of us who are in Christ individually and corporately assembled belong to God! His Kingdom come arrives in our hearts at the moment of new birth (John 3:1-8). Each of us spirit, soul and body instantly become a temple or if you will, house where God lives and rules. God by right of purchase and rule owns us so that we no longer do as we please, but as it pleases Him (John 2:19-22; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:9-20). Indeed, we each are also made members of the “household of God” and are brought together and being built together by Him “on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone…into a holy temple…for a (eternal) dwelling place of God in the Spirit,” (Ephesians 2:19-22, NKJV). So, whether it is our individual person or when we assemble together in local churches on earth, we are God’s house where the Father is the Supreme Head and Sovereign, Jesus is Lord and the Holy Spirit in power enables our experience of these realities! As a result, the churches and members that make them up are rejecting the rule of God when they willfully disobey His Word. Twenty-first century Western Christians and their churches in large measure are taking their cues from and following after the world so they can be liked and fill auditoriums. But we were never called to be liked by the world or fill auditoriums. In spite of the world’s hostile opposition, we were commanded to make, baptize and teach disciples as Christ’s heralds proclaiming the Gospel and witnesses (Matthew 10:16-26, 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). And while we are certainly to care enough about lost souls to be winsome in finding a convenient way to connect with them in our proclamation and witnessing (1 Corinthians 9:19-23), we were never commanded to corrupt or compromise God’s Word to win them. This is what happens when we forget whose house we are and start operating in the flesh rather than in the Spirit to be a house unto ourselves. Now, in these latter days, the world’s will, way and views hold sway in so many professing Christians and their churches to such an extent that when the truth of God’s Word is declared these folk get angry because their sin is revealed; or did you not know that all disobedience is sin? As it concerns our cause to restore men, you cannot do so properly unless you also restore them fully in their roles and responsibilities in the home, churches and the larger worldly society if they would have it. Our priority in restoration is the individual man followed closely by the churches they need to be a part of to grow in the faith and their understanding of the life of the strong man of God. If the churches are messed up in confusion and disobedience, then how will these men make any headway toward growth and developing into aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ? Those that have come to this blog, considered my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, our Web Site etc. and applaud the attempt to restore men without also appreciating the important role the local church has to be a facilitator in obedience rather than a destroyer in disobedience have missed God. He seeks to restore men, their families and communities which include the local assembly of believers that form His corporate house where in obedience to the divine commandment, men serve in leadership! Rather than anger and offense, then, let every pastor, church leader and professing Christian reading this recognize pleasing God is the uppermost aim you should have in life and repent if you and the church you serve are in disobedience. It is hypocritical and an incomplete restoration of men to teach them that they are the heads of their families, then have them come to church where their wives, daughters and other women usurp them contrary to the order of God’s house (Genesis 3:1-6, 16b, 17a; 1 Corinthians 11:3, 14:33-40; Ephesians 5:22-24; Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 1 Peter 3:1-6). It should not be astonishing that in a final explosion of lawlessness and rebellion against God foretold for these latter days that women and their male sympathizers should be among the ranks of the rebels (Psalm 2:1-3). Be that as it may, I exhort every man and woman professing to be a Christian to give serious consideration as to whether you really want to be among them when as is also foretold, God begins to respond in ways that are indisputably coming from Him (Jeremiah 30:23-24). Time is getting short; for the sake of men, their families and communities repent from disobedience to God’s Word in worldly compromise in the churches and return to Him who is the faithful Son over God’s house; “whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end,” (Hebrews 3:5-6, NKJV).
Following up my November 8, 2020 post, the Lord would have me issue yet another warning to professed American Christians and the churches they assemble in that are guilty of allowing themselves to be easily deceived by “deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” in these latter times as foretold (1 Timothy 4:1, NKJV).1 While I wrote in that post that Satan and his kingdom of darkness has operated mostly in the invisible spiritual shadows, Bible prophecy plainly asserts his revelation in the tangible evidence of unfolding world events, personages and open worship (his long held aspiration) in the wrap up of these times before the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Faithful, Bible believing Christians from the first century have seen and see the reality and working of Satan in the darkness.2 We see it in his never ending opposition to the Gospel and its spread as foretold (Mark 13:9-11; Acts 4:1-22, 13:1-12; 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20). We see it in the foretold rebellion he foments against God, His Anointed and Word even from among those that profess to know Him (Psalm 2:1-3; John 16:1-4; Acts 4:23-31; 2 Timothy 3:1-9). We see it too, in the foretold hatred and persecution of Christians he stirs up that is taking place in many nations across the face of the earth (Matthew 10:22-26, 24:9; Mark 13:12-13; Luke 21:17; John 15:18-25)!3
The Bible teaches lawlessness, persistent social conflict, civil unrest, rioting, strife, violence, murder (right down into the womb through abortion), terrorist acts and wars are instigated by Satan and his behind the scenes work carried out with Christ’s permission and continuing until His return (Genesis 4:1-8; Ezekiel 28:11-19; John 8:44, 13:1-2, 18-30; Ephesians 2:1-3, 6:10-12; 1 John 3:4-15; Revelation 6:1-8, 9:20-21). Through his deceiving work, the adversary also seduces many that profess allegiance to Christ to fall away in rebellion, betrayal and unbelief to their destruction while persecuting others to the death (Matthew 24:10; Hebrews 3:7-19; Revelation 2:8-11, 6:9-11).
Indeed, “the falling away” is a foretold mass event that looms; its trigger and full circumstances a mystery, though, if prophecy, historical and rising contemporary instances are any indication, the growing unpopularity of biblical Christianity in the world (to include among adversaries many false and manmade religious forms of it) with persecution will be the primary cause (2 Thessalonians 2:3a, NKJV).4 Interestingly, the apostle Paul’s prophetic declaration in the foregoing Scripture reference is preceded by the phrase, “Let no one deceive you by any means.” In God’s perfect timing, “the falling away” and what comes next in the same verse are sober, certain prophetic truth from Him!
The Lord uses the apostle Paul to yet again prophesy a staggering prophecy about one named by description in many ways who is foretold to come before the “Day” of the Lord. Paul calls him “the man of sin” and “son of perdition,” (2 Thessalonians 2:3b, NKJV). Daniel prophesies about him as does our Lord in His great prophetic discourse that warns of resulting “great tribulation” for the world and impacting God’s Jewish and Christian elect (Daniel 7:15-25, 8:23-25, 9:25-27; Matthew 24:15-22; Revelation 7, NKJV). He “opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped” and in God’s Temple asserts the lie “that he is God,” (2 Thessalonians 2:4, NKJV).
The unveiling of this “lawless one” that the apostle John also calls “the Antichrist” is now, held back from making his brief appearance leading to his eternal destruction only by the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:5-8; 1 John 2:18, NKJV).5 In agreement with Daniel, the apostle Paul further foretells the Antichrist does have a benefactor, Satan, that he is beholding to and who is allowed by God to fully display the powers granted angels to falsely authenticate his claim to be God and deceives many. The Antichrist with the aid of a major and many other false prophets in return favor will fulfill Satan’s ultimate purpose for him and that is to openly acknowledge the devil and call for his worship too (Daniel 11:36-39; Matthew 24:23-28; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Revelation 13)!
The Lord has led me to describe the fast approaching period of the Antichrist as His “final exam.”6 That being so, all other instances of Satan having so easily tempted many into deception throughout professing Western Christianity to this hour are failed tests that do not bode well for passing the final exam! With all that is in me in love for Christ and the Church I exhort all reading this to take the necessary measures to minimize Satan’s ability to tempt you into sin and deception. Recognize for example, disobedience to God’s Word cannot be justified or satisfactorily rationalized before Him (John 14:23-24, 31, 15:9-10). Only repentance now, is acceptable! If you do not prepare yourself appropriately and fail it, understand there is no make-up final exam (Revelation 14:9-13).
1 Read the November 8, 2020 post, Why So Easily Deceived?, under the category, Instruction.
2 These are aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Jesus Christ! Learn more about them in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.
It is published by the Publishing Division of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater clarity and updated web addresses in the
footnotes. It is available at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble and ChristianBooks.com. These book sellers with Apple also have the digital
download of the book. Type the title into their search engines if necessary. You can also purchase the book and all related Strong Man Of God Brand Group Study
Print Resources in the Strong Man Store!
3 See the two-part post beginning May 17, 2020, Persecution, Hatred And Betrayal, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 Read The Falling Away, posted on February 2, 2014, under the category Bible Prophecy.
5 See the February 23, 2014 post, The Man Of Sin, under the category, Bible Prophecy. If as the apostle John writes, “sin is lawlessness,” then, it is impossible that the
yet sin indwelt Church or their churches on earth could be the restrainer of lawlessness and the coming lawless one (1 John 3:4, NKJV). Truly, many that profess to
be Christians at this hour refuse to repent of their lawlessness! Only the Holy Spirit as God could restrain sin and its out breaking work to include wicked personalities
until He ceases restraining. Then, woe to the world! This “church as restrainer” doctrine tied to a pre-tribulation “rapture” is another false supposition imposed on
Scripture among many that are and will continue falling like dominoes in the face of reality during these latter times. Again, to avoid being deceived faithful Christians
with all else must know God’s Word as it is written, objectively read, interpreted and applied.
6 See Man Of Sin.
The anniversary eve of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack upon our nation is a fitting jump off point to briefly consider the so much lengthier topic of the American heritage. Our nation’s reaction to that attack pulls together many of the character qualities, traditional values and classic features of what it means in a generic sense culturally to be an American going back to its founding. However, while there was a time our American heritage once widely involved pledging allegiance to the flag as “one nation under God,” even this former nearly consensus sentiment has fallen prey to an increasingly testy national divisiveness in political, racial and spiritual matters among others.
Possibly for the last time like it in our nation’s history, September 11th galvanized it as one after receiving the painful bloody nose from a sucker punch thrown by terrorists. This was so because one of the character qualities of America drawn from the large number of professed Christians attempting to live out a biblical morality since its inception is not to go around picking fights with others. It was after all, only after feeling bullied and overwrought by king George’s colonial taxes and policies that a desire for independence was fueled with war to obtain it only if necessary. The colonists determined war was necessary and prepared a document declaring their reasons for seeking independence.
I will come back to the aforementioned document in just a moment. Here though, just like those colonists of American history, I want to acknowledge what has become a traditional value when the nation in 2001 rallied to our leaders who determined war was necessary in this case to defend the homeland and deter any others that would consider such a brazen attack upon our citizens. As a classic feature of the American heritage, our citizen soldiers (of which many of the men in my family have stood among in serving our country) bravely went out to foreign lands to accomplish their assignments with resolve, honor and great sacrifice as some returned wounded; others deceased.
Though they were divided in convictions within the context of divergent practices of Christianity, political, economic, social and educational philosophies, a group of European descended white men gathered together to craft their Declaration of Independence. In it was written this key phrase: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.…”1 These amazing words penned in unity out of diversity pay tribute to the excellence of biblical morality that teaches human equality and God as Creator who is the Teacher!
Of all the character qualities that emerged as the American heritage from the nation’s fight for independence was at least the stated recognition of the Bible’s God as righteous Sovereign over mankind who created all equal. How the black forefathers in colonial times must have had every hope that such biblically sound, noble and inspiring words about equality and a God given right to life and liberty would apply to them when the smoke of the Revolutionary War for independence cleared and which many of them fought including the most famous, Crispus Attucks, and died.2 But this did not happen as slavery was retained and its horrors also made a part of the American heritage.
Unfortunately, after the war for independence came a Civil War less than a hundred years later that divided the nation against itself over the equality of men as a moral principle which had not held up in law or practice.3 Indeed, racial bigotry and discrimination practiced by white Americans in the majority against blacks and other minorities became common practice even after the Civil War up to this very hour as another part of the American heritage.4 It cannot be denied that centuries of tolerating and practicing racism caused it to become systemic though, some calling themselves conservative Christians are trying; defensively angry that their white heritage is negatively put upon when the true American history of racism is presented as if there is some other responsible group.5
Slavery, Jim Crow Segregation and systemic racism carried out by guilty whites are just as much a part of this ignoble aspect of our American heritage as the racial minorities harmed. Keeping it real, America as a melting pot ostensibly and ideally forged together as one in unity has not happened to any outstanding degree except in times of major national crisis of which September 11th has been among them. A racially diverse nation in unity under God is a bygone ideal at this juncture of a divisive 21st century America at large and tragically in Christ’s Church that should be exemplary.6 God’s intervention is possible, but not without repentance first among all who profess to know Him as Christians.7 Blessed is he who has the Lord as his untarnished eternal heritage (Psalm 73:25-26)!
1 See America’s Founding Documents at the National Archives.
2 Learn more about Crispus Attucks who was a mixed race African and Indigenous man; carrying the banner of hope for equality in the fight for independence for both as well as all future Americans.
3 Read the February 12, 2023 post, Leaders Can Get Their Nations In Trouble, under the category, Call To Repent.
4 And right on cue a young white male murdered three black persons the police concluded out of racial bigotry and hate in Jacksonville, Florida this past August following a recent string of these types of incidents in other parts of the nation.
5 See the two-part post beginning January 16, 2022, Arriving At These Times, under the category, Call To Repent. Also, in the book, The Unsaved Christian by Dean Inserra, Copyright 2019, Moody Publishers, Chicago, pastor Inserra as a conservative white evangelical makes it clear beginning on page 171 that the practice of cultural Chris- tianity especially in the American South is a credible reason defensiveness and anger would feed a completely morally indefensible denial of racism in the American and white American heritages. In biblical Christianity, we own our sin and repent of it!
6 Because His Church is not exemplary of unity racial or otherwise, I am pleased to announce the soon release of the latest Strong Man Of God Brand Resource the Lord has granted me to author for evangelical men white, black and all others: The Scourge Of Racism. Learn more at this link. I tie this updated work as an urgent application to my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available right now, in a Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Edition in the Strong Man Store, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
7 Unity busting racism is sin that must be repented of by every guilty soul professed to be a Christian! Let the Lord speak to your heart about how serious He is regarding pro- fessed Christian repentance from all sin through this Ministry’s Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, available to watch free on its dedicated YouTube Chan- nel.
It is once again only the apostle Matthew who relays the events that unfolded when “wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying,” ‘“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews,’” (Matthew 2:1-2a, NKJV)? Stargazers as part of their religion, these Gentiles had seen a very special star suddenly appear in the sky where they lived and concluded not just any king, but the King of the Jews had been born and came “to worship Him,” (Matthew 2:2b, NKJV).1 The text is clear these Gentile religious men made no small stir in the city of Jerusalem upon their arrival as they diligently sought to confer with any Jew in the know about the birth and whereabouts of their King.
Indeed, news of the persistent inquiring of the Magi reached the ears of Rome’s appointed king of the Jews, Herod. He and the entire city were disturbed by what these men asserted about the birth of God’s foretold, long awaited King of Israel and Anointed One (Isaiah 9:6-7, 49:1-13, 61:1-3; Jeremiah 23:5-8, 33:14-16). So “troubled” was Herod who understood the foretold King was also the Messiah, he “gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together” and “inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.” They correctly told him, ‘“In Bethlehem of Judea’” and quoted from Bible prophecy to substantiate their answer (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:3-6; Luke 2:1-7, NKJV).2
Still frustrated at not being able to prevent Christ’s birth or kill Him immediately afterward, Satan seized upon Herod’s violent jealousy for his throne to have him deceitfully engage in a scheme to kill Him as soon as he learned His precise location in Bethlehem. “Secretly” summoning the Magi, Herod first determined when “the star appeared” they had seen. This would give him an approximate idea of how old the Child was. Then, he gave the information he had to the Magi and “sent them to Bethlehem” saying, ‘“Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also,’” (Matthew 2:7-8, NKJV).
Departing from Herod, the Magi started for Bethlehem as directed and shortly encountered again “the star which they had seen in the East.” When they saw it, they were filled with “exceedingly great joy” believing what even many professed Christians refuse to that this unique star which first appeared to them in their country then, disappeared, had now, reappeared and actually went ahead of them guiding them to “where the young Child was” because it was supernatural (Matthew 2:9-10, NKJV)! Natural stars do not behave like this. Entering “the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him,” (Matthew 2:11a, NKJV).
Don’t miss that; they fell down on their faces and worshipped Christ! As far as we know from Matthew’s account, none of the Jews from Jerusalem, their chief priests, scribes or Herod joined the Magi in their quest to locate and worship their King.3 Herod only deceitfully suggested he would if the Magi found Him and brought him back word. But these Gentiles came hundreds of miles by faith to worship the King of the Jews and did so; falling prostrate before Him! After this, they “opened their treasures” and “presented gifts to Him,” (Matthew 2:11b, NKJV).4 Warned by God in a dream, they did not go back to Herod, but returned to their own land a different way (Matthew 2:12).
God sent an angel to also warn “Joseph in a dream…” to ‘“take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod (and ultimately Satan behind this evil) will seek the young Child to destroy Him.’” Joseph did as he was told and took his family to Egypt fulfilling a prophecy when they returned after Herod’s death that clearly identifies Christ with His people, “Israel,” (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:13-15, NKJV). Meanwhile, feeling deceived when the Magi did not report back to him, Herod issued an edict to kill “all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old (the uppermost age Christ may have been from the Magi’s timeline) and under,” (Matthew 2:16, NKJV).
The reprehensible deed carried out, Matthew informs us it fulfilled a prophecy given by the prophet Jeremiah centuries before (Matthew 2:17-18, NKJV). Joseph was alerted to Herod’s death by the Lord’s angel in a dream when it occurred not long after his massacre of Bethlehem’s male children two and under. He then brought his family back to Israel from Egypt (Matthew 2:19-21). However, thinking of returning to Judea, he became “afraid” because Herod’s son as treacherous as he sat on his throne. After “being warned by God in” another “dream,” Joseph “turned aside into the region of Galilee” and back to “Nazareth.”5 This is where the young Child grew up into Manhood protected from Satan’s harm by God and His parents (Matthew 2:22-23; Luke 2:41-52, NKJV).
(Thank you for being a reader of the Strong Man Of God Blog in 2022. Lord willing, my next post will be on Sunday, January 8, 2023 when I will continue this current series of instructional posts that began on November 27, 2022. Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year to you and yours!)
1 How these men came to this conclusion only God knows for sure since scholars debate how much influence interaction with the Jews, their faith and Old Testament Scriptures had during the years they dwelt among them first as captives in the Medo-Persian Empire, then, voluntarily in large numbers over five centuries (see the book of Esther and Daniel 5:30-6:2, 28). One thing is certain, God had touched the hearts of these Gentiles deep enough to act on what they understood the star meant in being willing to make an over nine hundred mile journey for four months minimum not only to lay eyes on this Jewish Child King, but to worship Him (Psalm 117:1).
2 Read the December 11, 2022 Post, Christ Persecuted To His Birth, under the category, Instruction.
3 Like many professed Christian religionists to this day, the Jewish religious leaders and people read and knew what the Bible said, but did not in faith believe and act on it!
4 While their gifts to the young Child were a continuing act of worship, they were also God’s provision for the family to help support them through the difficult days He fore- knew they were about to experience.
5 Let every professed Christian take due note of the obedience and submission of Joseph to God through all the dreams presented to him. While dreams are easily debat- able, not God’s Word as it is written and still many refuse to obey and submit! Such ones are not aspiring strong men or great women of God in the image of Christ as I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics since obedience and submission are character traits God forges in the willing. The book is available at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore and the Strong Man Store.
Not only do faithful Christians seeking to obey Christ’s Great Commission face a steadily closing window of opportunity, hardening and cold hearts resisting the Gospel and our witness in these latter days as I have been writing about,1 but diminishing returns on the investment of time, energy and expense made in making disciples! Simplified, diminishing returns is an economic concept companies use to help them understand how costs increase and profit margins decrease over time producing their products. They can typically predict when they need to either make adjustments in their product, spending on it or consider the feasibility of abandoning it altogether.
Faithful Christians need to understand how our preaching of the Gospel and witness of Christ as a spiritual product is also subject to diminishing returns and be encouraged. In the first place, since our product is of divine origin in Word and Person, it has had and has staying power (Matthew 24:35, 28:18-20)! After nearly 2,000 years the Gospel still saves and the testimonies of the saved remain unimpeachable. So, there is nothing wrong with our product. No adjustments are necessary in the Gospel or our witness of its life changing results in Christ though, a number in these latter days have been foolishly and corruptly making them to build their own doomed made to order churches!2
Second, our Lord warned of such days as we live in where it would cost us more in time, energy and expense including blood to present the Gospel and witness Him making disciples (Matthew 24:9; Mark 13:11-13; Revelation 6:9-11). One reason for this is that the world is now, saturated with our product! There are relatively few major population centers left in the world where the Gospel has not been preached and a witness of Christ given.3 Spiritual apathy, increasing secularization and rising hostility greet bearers of the message in nations such as our own where Christianity as biblical or manmade religion with apostasy has been settled in for centuries.
Another reason is violent persecution brought upon believers in other nations as the Lord warned where once there was a toleration of Christianity, but now, due to a return to indigenous and national religions it is regarded as a threat to be destroyed. This mentality will reach its global zenith shortly under the auspices of the Antichrist (Daniel 7:15-25; Revelation 13:1-10). Consequently, nearly 2,000 years later our fishing nets are not as full as they once were as recently as the Billy Graham era just last century; diminishing increasingly until that “night” arrives and “no one can work,” (John 9:1-4, NKJV).4 Even so, all of this for us means the glorious Second Coming of our Lord with His eternal rest from and rewards for our Kingdom labor is closer still (Revelation 14:13, 22:12).5
1 Read the August 28, 2022 post, It Is Now Or The Peril Of Never, under the category, The Cause and Shaken, But Not Stirred, posted September 11, 2022, under the category, Biblical Worldview.
2 See the June 5, 2022 post, Made To Order Church?, under the category, Instruction.
3 Though these are minimal outcomes, they are important in the primary mission Christ has given His followers (Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:44-49; John 20:19-23; Acts 1: 6-8). If after preaching the Gospel and witnessing Christ no disciples are made or churches planted in a locale (as is often the case in these latter days), we have done well since we are not accountable for the people’s response (Luke 10:1-12; Acts 2:36-47)! In the days of the Antichrist when his reign of evil globally ends the public preaching, witnessing, making, baptizing and teaching of disciples along with church planting by God's mortal saints, He will send an angel with only “the everlasting Gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth” a final time (Revelation 14:6-7, NKJV)!
4 This does not preclude spikes in the harvest of disciples made such as during the Holy Spirit sparked revival I joyfully await that ensues when He marks out the rem- nant of Israel as foretold in a second fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28-29; Revelation 7:1-8) before God’s severe trumpet warning judgments begin (Joel 2: 30-32; Revelation 8-9).
5 While as I write in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, the first motive of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in serving our Lord’s Kingdom purposes is love for Him, His promised rest and rewards are excellent biblically taught motivators also (2 Timothy 4:6-8; Hebrews 4:1-13, 12:1-2)! The book 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 fa- vorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
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