The Scourge Of Racism
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Following up my last post in the Good News and compassion of Jesus Christ who judges and is coming to judge (Psalm 96),1 I see fields of men in our nation still ripe for harvest at this hour!2 The lack of laborers He observed in first century Israel remains valid in our land today as does His remedy to “pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest,” (Matthew 9:35-38; Luke 10:2, NKJV). The Lord immediately appointed laborers He sent out to the harvest (Matthew 10:1-16; Luke 10:1, 3-16). However, in our day not only are the laborers few, but biblically sound churches where men made Christ’s disciples can be sent for proper equipping as men and laborers of God’s design!
This is a great evil! Like the literal fields of ripened produce that rot where they stand because of not being harvested, so, many men in our nation marginalized by secular society and numerous local churches following after it rather than Christ are perishing daily where they stand. Where I live here in Portland, Oregon is no exception. Our city is globally known for lawless streets not just due to a lack of police officers who are doing their best in the situation, but the widespread darkness that fills many hearts separated from the “light of life” in Christ Jesus (Mark 7:21-22; John 8:12, NKJV). This reality is “spiritually discerned” and why unsaved city leaders don’t get it (1 Corinthians 2:14, NKJV)!
I will never be made to understand why so many professed Christian church leaders within the city limits don’t get it either and are powerless in the face of the darkness having its way except to the extent they are afraid or part of the problem. Jesus is Lord of His Church! Since when do those assembled to Him as Lord fear the darkness or look to “an arm of flesh” for leadership to stand against it (2 Chronicles 32:1-8, NKJV)?3 They do not look to the Lord as they ought because they are alienated from Him through their corrupt compromises with the darkness or how is it that the biblical Gospel of repentance from sin and faith in Him is no longer preached for salvation by not a few?
How is it too, what Christ has commanded His followers to do in the Bible is not done (Matthew 28:18-20) or God’s creation of man as male and female and order of mankind in roles He designed abandoned (1 Corinthians 11:1-3; Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Peter 3:1-7)? I know of not one church in this city that I can safely send men and boys led to Christ that will teach them biblical manhood; their roles and responsibilities in a biblical worldview.4 If you are out there, reach out to me with men for the sake of working together under the leadership of Christ to help deliver men in our city from hearts overcome by darkness through preaching of the biblical Gospel and witnessing of Him!
Using men as laborers to reach men and the world with the Gospel is the example and intended enduring primary methodology of Christ recorded in the Gospels (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11; John 1:35-51, 20:19-23). He hand-picked no women to represent Him as apostles nor were any displayed in all of the rest of the New Testament. The Lord’s exclusive use of men in the apostolic mission and leadership of those assembled to Him as His Church had nothing to do with chauvinism or any notion of innate male superiority, but their suitability according to His election of order and roles of His design from creation as sovereign Creator (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7-8, 18-25; 1 Corinthians 11:8-9, 14:34-37; 1 Timothy 2:11-13)!5
While the foregoing offends the rebel feminist men and women in and outside of professing Christianity who have abandoned the Lord’s Word and its purposeful examples during these latter days, it and He remain unchanged (Psalm 119:89; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8)! Therefore, without repentance by guilty professed Christian leaders and churches, as the Lord led me to write similarly in another post their labor in cooperation with secular allies will continue to be ineffective at diminishing the lawless violence and murder by those with sin darkened hearts prevalent in the city.6 Meanwhile, let any churchless or otherwise interested Christian man in Portland reading this that is zealous for the Lord and His causes reach out to me for instruction, fellowship and ways to serve Him with us!7
1 Read the August 7, 2022 post, Saving Souls Not Nations, under the category, The Cause.
2 My phrase, “still ripe for harvest” reflects all of my Holy Spirit led intentional labor to restore men beginning with preaching the Gospel and witnessing Christ to them since 1998. See the July 9, 2017 post, Laboring To Restore Men, under the category, The Cause.
3 Consulting with and relying on human wisdom, efforts and power to engage the darkness as only the Church of Jesus Christ has uniquely been equipped and empowered by Him to do is a sure sign of spiritual impotency at best, apostasy at worst; either is characteristic of those practicing Christianity as manmade religion (Luke 10:17-20; 2 Timothy 3:1-5)!
4 The subtitle of my book, “Back To Basics” is a summons to return to and gives biblical instruction on God’s mortal order of mankind as well as male and female roles from creation! The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics 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.
5 Read the June 2017 posts presenting the value of men.
6 See the August 12, 2018 repost from 2012, Curtailing Gang Violence, under the category, Call To Repent.
7 We are always on the lookout for Christian men on fire for the Lord that are wanting to serve Him outside of the limiting box of manmade religion that exists in too many churches! Express your Portland area interest in connecting with this Ministry to me using our information e-mail address, info@thestrongmanofGod.org.
Today is Pentecost calculated by Western Christianity as fifty days after the Sunday of our Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead and return to Heaven to be glorified. As the Father promised, the Lord sent the Holy Spirit on this occasion to come upon and indwell His disciples He had commanded them to wait to receive in Jerusalem (Luke 24:49-53; John 7:37-39, 14:15-17, 20:19-23; Acts 1:4-14). Accordingly, when the Holy Spirit dramatically arrived on Pentecost among around 120 of Christ’s disciples assembled to Him, He came upon and filled them giving birth to the Church the Lord builds, not sinful, mortal flesh as an historic and ongoing falsehood (Acts 1:15, 2:1-4)!
This day then, is the birthday of the Church of Jesus Christ He plainly declared, ‘“I will build,’” (Matthew 16:16-18, NKJV). His intention to be actively engaged in His building project is asserted after His resurrection in the many commands and instructions given to the apostles; ending one instance stating, ‘“…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age,’” Matthew 28:18-20, NKJV). He also made it very clear who the converts to faith in Him belonged to as He commanded Peter to ‘“Feed My lambs,’” ‘“Tend’” and ‘“Feed My sheep,’” (John 21:15-17, NKJV). On Pentecost and going forward, Christ began building His Church (ex. Acts 2:5-47, 4:1-4, 5:14, 6:7, 9:31-43)!
The Christian and Jewish calculations of Pentecost which means fiftieth in Greek differ due to dating methods. Interestingly, it is also known as The Feast Of Weeks or Harvest and was instituted by God as one of seven required feasts for the Jews to observe (Leviticus 23). Shavuot in Hebrew was also one of three feasts that all of the males were to assemble “before the Lord,” (Exodus 23:14-17, 34:18, 22-24, NKJV). The feast celebrated the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. Prophetically in the commanded wave offering of the feast, the priests offered two loaves of bread “baked with leaven” always associated with sin and picturing Jew and Gentile as the Church (Leviticus 23:17, NKJV).1
Despite being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the reality of Christ’s mortal Church He builds on earth is that sin still resides in us even though He made perfect atonement for it. My continual praise to God the Father with thanksgiving is that He keeps on forgiving our sins as we confess and repent from them according to His plan from eternity and righteousness to do so through the finished work of Christ until we depart to Him or He returns to perfect us (1 John 1:5-2:2, 3:1-3)! Too, all throughout history some as gullible brethren, impostors, dead religionists, rebels and apostates used of Satan have dwelt in the midst of the mortal Church (2 Corinthians 11:1-21; Galatians 2:1-5; Titus 1:10-16).
Knowing the reality of sin in His mortal Church, the Lord and His apostles gave warning and instructions about how to deal with it and wicked infiltrators of its authentic local assemblies (Matthew 18:15-20; Romans 16:17-20; 1 Corinthians 5; Titus 3:9-11; 2 John 7-11).2 Now, this all presumed such men were not pastors, elders and other leaders in the main! For we are to submit to and obey “overseers” the Holy Spirit assigns to lead us who do the same toward Christ the Head of His Church “as those who must give account;” following their instruction and example (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 1:15-23; Colossians 1:15-18; Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Peter 5:1-4, NKJV).
However, when these men are “savage wolves” as foretold and readily identifiable by their failure to submit to and obey “the whole counsel of God” embodied in His written Word if one knows it through regular, fruitful study, we are not expected by the Lord to follow them to their certain destruction without repentance (Acts 20:25-27, 29-31; Philippians 3:17-19; 1 Timothy 5:17-22; 2 Peter 2; Jude 3-19; Revelation 18:1-4, NKJV).3 Yet, because many do not study God’s Word or really care about what it says as gullible brethren, impostors, dead religionists, rebels and apostates in their assemblies of manmade Christianity the religion, the savage wolves devour them by every carnal means as they build their doomed made to order churches (Habakkuk 2:12-14; Revelation 18:5-8)!4
Some have deluded themselves into believing the means however unbiblical with marketing gimmicks and entertainment is justified by the end of multiple church campuses and large numbers filling Sunday services.5 Others are well intended in their desire to make the local church appealing to the surrounding community and culture to attract prospective members. They do so though, by purposely choosing not to preach or obey God’s whole Word; allowing women for example, to take authority over the men (1 Timothy 2:11-15).6 But on this birthday of His Church, the Lord reminds all He is her Builder, not sinful, mortal men with their selfishly ambitious visions, plans and failures.7 Faithful believers are only granted the privilege of working alongside of Him as He does the building!
1 See The Feasts of the Lord, Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal, Thomas Nelson Inc., Nashville 1997, 22, 89-100. The Lord used the two authors to fully open my eyes about this prophetic assertion of Jew and Gentile assembled before Him as wheat in a future harvest of souls pictured in the Old Testament’s Feast Of Weeks. They fur- ther well present His work as the Messiah to make it so in the New Testament citing the “mystery” of His Church revealed and explained by the Jewish apostle Paul (Ephesians 2:11-3, NKJV).
2 Read the two-part post beginning January 5, 2020, Revelation’s Seven Churches In Time, under the category, Bible Prophecy. The Lord leads me to make it clear in this post that membership in a local church is not necessarily equal to membership in His Church!
3 No professed Christian that knowingly followed and endorsed church leaders in their disobedience to God’s written Word will be able to claim innocence before the Lord in the Judgment. You had a choice (1 Timothy 5:24-25; James 4:17)! A Christian that will recognize and faithfully stand against evil in these latter days must know the whole Word of God attained through the spiritual discipline of Bible study and understanding He provides! To help you, the Lord has led me to produce the Fruitful Bible Study Self-Paced Video Course now, featured on our Strong Man Virtual Institute’s YouTube Channel. The video course and optional Study Guide is available for free download in the Strong Man Store. It replaces and expands upon the one sheet free document download this Ministry formerly offered.
4 See the September 27, 2015 post, Empire Building On God’s Program, under the category, Call To Repent. Many of those that build their made to order churches today are of my baby boomer generation that stayed put under the tutelage of corrupt and compromising leaders building theirs back in the day I said nothing about in a recent post--read the March 27, 2022 post, No Baby Boomer Free Lunch, under the categories Biblical Worldview and Call To Repent. They stuck with the manmade religious systems of rules, rituals, priorities and activities in Christianity the religion and paid their dues. But if the religious systems of manmade Christianity the religion are cor- rupt, what really has been achieved in the sight of Christ who judges in accord with righteousness (Isaiah 11:3-5; Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46-49, 12:35-48)?
5 Read the September 16, 2018 post, Justifying The Means By The End, under the category, Instruction.
6 If God in His Word commands the leadership of men as pictured in His perpetual requirement on Pentecost of three times a year they were to assemble to Him in Israel, then, by what authority are guilty pastors and elders rejecting it? The Lord leads me to deal with this willful act of disobedience nullifying His commandment (1 Corinthians 14:34-37) in many blog posts (type “feminism” into the blog search window). I also address the issue 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.
7 Operating in the flesh as it is, no one should really be surprised at the extent to which pastors of churches large and small are falling like dominoes in moral failures and ethical scandals particularly those that enabled them as objects of their idolatrous worship; the cult of personality worship saturating the surrounding culture extant in the churches too!
Reflecting further on last week’s post,1 the Lord leads me to follow up today among the unsaved leaders at all levels of government and those professed Christians who have corrupted themselves through compromise with the world’s philosophies and attempts to bring peace to its lawless communities. There is only one Source in all existence for the light of life and peace: Jesus Christ, “the Word” and “Son” of the living God who has come and is coming again (John 1:1-18, NKJV)! This is what He said about Himself when He came to first century Israel: ‘“I am the light of the world, He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life,’” (John 8:12, NKJV).
Before He was born into the world, it was foretold by the prophet Isaiah of Him that among the titles of the “Son” of God would be “Prince of Peace,” (Isaiah 9:6-7, NKJV). This is because in His multi-faceted assignment from His Father, Jesus Christ causes peace to break forth in all realms of existence beginning between God and man “through the blood of His cross,” (Colossians 1:19-20, NKJV). After this (having risen from the dead and ascended to the right hand of His Father in Heaven) in a day very near now, He comes again to fulfill all that is written concerning His reign of peace on earth (Isaiah 2:1-4, 11:6-9, 65:24-25; Luke 2:8-14, 24:44-53; Hebrews 1:1-4, 13).
As we all painfully know, the world has had no peace since the first century though, it has tried and tries in futility apart from the means God has appointed. Faithful Christians have enjoyed inner peace from Christ which is beyond any kind of peace the world can offer because it is supernatural; flowing from Him in nature who is the eternal God (John 14:27, 16:33; Romans 8:1-6; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 2:11-18; Philippians 4:6-7; Colossians 3:15)! Until He returns to reign on the earth, Heaven’s decree is no peace on earth as He taught while still here and later prophecy after His departure affirms (Matthew 10:32-39, 24:6-14; Revelation 6:1-11). This is part of the cost of rejecting Christ as God’s appointed means for peace with Him as most important (Isaiah 57:19-21)!
Therefore, the days since Christ’s return to glory have been and are days of decision for all mankind; whether one upon hearing the Gospel that Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again will repent and believe to receive God’s forgiveness and eternal life through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit or not (Acts 2:36-40, 10:34-48). Those who do repent, believe the Gospel and remain faithful to the end enjoy the light of life and peace in Christ (Colossians 1:21-23)! Those who do not are condemned in their sins and suffer separation from God eternally after being judged by Christ according to their works (Revelation 20:11-15). Let all who have never or need to then, answer God’s call to repent now, before it is too late!
1 Read the August 14, 2022 post, Laborers For The Harvest, under the category, The Cause.
Let it be absolutely clear as of first importance that the value of women to God is exactly the same for the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Man! As the Head of every man immediately under Him in God’s order of mankind and Creator, the Lord Jesus also gives full support to the divinely designed value of women to men and families (Matthew 5:27-32; Mark 10:1-16; 1 Corinthians 11:3). Truly, in condescending to become a Man conceived in His mother’s womb, birthed, nourished and nurtured by her, He has firsthand knowledge and appreciation of the experience of His creatures as well. He was raised as any other Male by Joseph and Mary in a Jewish family (Luke 2:21-24, 39-52).
During His ministry years, women were equally with men the beneficiaries of the messianic preaching, teaching and miracles of the Lord Jesus. Indeed, He modeled for all men the disposition God expects of us toward women as a leader, teacher, provider and protector (Luke 4:31-44, 7:1-17, 36-50). Women were well represented among the throngs that flocked to the Lord; becoming devoted disciples and helpers as major supporters (Luke 8:1-3, 10:38-42; John 12:1-8). However, in accord with His Father’s will in the divine order of mankind, the Lord did not appoint any women to become apostles as I explain in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics (Luke 6:12-16).1
The intense love and devotion women are historically known for showed toward Jesus even after His crucifixion resulting in them being the first recorded mortals to hear the news and see Him alive from the dead (Luke 23:50-24:10; John 20:11-18). There is no such thing as coincidence for the God I serve with my whole heart! Thus, to make this last post discussing the value of women to Jesus Christ on Pentecost is completely a God thing since I did not plan it this way. On this day nearly 2,000 years ago female followers of the now, ascended Christ, were also assembled with the apostles who by divine will had just picked the male replacement for Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:12-26).
Surely, Mary, the mother of the Lord or other faithful women who had followed Him from the beginning of His ministry would seem to have been prime candidates as well to replace Judas as an apostle. But the Lord did not give any sign whatsoever of a change in men alone being appointed apostles as was given to Peter at a later date concerning him as a Jew interacting with Gentiles (Acts 10:1-29). Nevertheless, when the Holy Spirit arrived as promised by Christ, He came upon all of the firstfruits assembly without discrimination; all spoke in ecstatic praise of the ‘“wonderful works of God’” not having learned, but using the known languages of the Roman Empire (Acts 2:1-13, NKJV)!
Of great significance about the crowd that had gathered to this miraculous occurrence, was the fact it was largely composed of men. This is because the “Feast Of Harvest” or “Weeks” also known as Pentecost was of the three solemn gatherings in the seven holy feast calendar God had expressly commanded that all the men of Israel were to be present (Exodus 23:14-17, 34:22-26; Deuteronomy 16:9-12, 16-17; Acts 2:5, NKJV). When it came time to explain what was going on and preach the Gospel to begin God’s full harvest of souls among the assembly of mostly male prospects, it was Peter that did so, though again, Spirit-filled women were present and could have too (Acts 2:14-41).
Clearly, God was continuing to be consistent with implementing His order of mankind from Adam! Men are His chosen leaders and He did not change this at the onset of the New Testament era.2 3 As a result, from this beginning point at Pentecost with the Lord’s apostles (Acts 2:42) forward in the rest of the New Testament, formally appointed leaders, elders and pastors in the churches were all men. The ministry of deacons as formal helpers to leadership was made up of men in any oversight of church run operational or ministry activities, while in no shocker, women in their role as helpers served with their husbands to help them. Married or single, some women engaged in personal service and help ministries to church members and leaders (Acts 9:36-43; Romans 16:1-2).
The Holy Spirit was not confused nor should we be walking in Him! For when He fell on that first assembly at Pentecost without discrimination to give new birth to each disciple of Christ and power to praise God, He also distributed their spiritual gifts knowing the Lord’s will for each and honoring the divine order (1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:7-16). Therefore, just as the Lord used women to prophesy in the Old Testament, none of them including Deborah ever stood before the whole congregation of Israel to do so as Moses or Jeremiah (Exodus 15:20-21; Judges 4:1-14; 2 Kings 22:14-20; Jeremiah 7:1-2; Luke 2:36-38). Neither were women priests or worship leaders. All of this carried over into this New Testament era as the Spirit imparted spiritual gifts to women (Acts 21:8-9)!
The Lord gives women the ability to prophesy, preach, teach or exercise sign gifts according to His will that is always consistent with His eternal Word and standing order of mankind. Prophesy is addressed to individuals He may send the prophetess to or that might seek her out. It might also be combined with the leadership gifts of preaching for proclaiming the Gospel and God’s message or teaching for biblically instructing women and/or children in gatherings small or large. Service gifts supernaturally enhance a woman’s natural abilities to help their husbands and/or the churches serve the Lord’s Kingdom causes. To go beyond the Lord’s will is sin (1 Corinthians 14:33-40)!4 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics is available through all major internet booksellers, by order from your favorite brick and mortar bookstore and in the Strong Man Store. I also discuss and elaborate on this issue as the Lord leads in the January 27-February 10, 2017 three-part blog series, Jesus, Son Of Man and in a June 2017 series, The Value of Men To God and Jesus Christ respectively, all under the category, The Cause.
2 As the Lord leads me to contend in an Appendix of my book, all of the deceitful arguments that are presented within the churches to allow women to preach to, teach and take authority over men within them in these latter days are all predicated on God having made a change of some kind in His attitude toward or implementation of the divine order of mankind. This is preposterous not only because the divine order is perfect and beneficial to mankind in this present age, but also because among other very important reasons it now includes Christ as the Second Adam and the Head of man! Read my April 8, 2018 post, The Second Adam Rules And Judges,
under the categories Call To Repent and Bible Prophecy to consider this point further. You can read my November and December 2007 two-part Commentary, When Did God Change? to walk through the major arguments of deceit that have enabled rebellion against the divine order in God’s house.
3 Unless one is willing to call God “sexist” or “unfair” (which some feminists do, though, most are careful to attempt to cloak this blasphemy by directing their accusations to those like me that would have the audacity to hold to God’s Word as it is written), there is no other option but to accept New Testament instruction and example as it
is. Doing so, of course, means feminism that opposes God’s order must be rejected because both approaches to human organization cannot be right at the same time
and are in fact, mutually exclusive. For more on calling God “sexist” or “unfair” read my May 8, 2016 post, God A Sexist?, followed the next week, May 15th with God Unfair?, both under the category, God’s Creatures.
4 Since so much confusion swirls around the Word of God in these latter days due in major part to poor interpretation, our Ministry as a Christian service continues to of- fer the free resource, Seven Principles Of Bible Interpretation the Lord led me to prepare to help those that honestly want to know how to interpret God’s Word. Distilled
from the excellent book, Knowing Scripture by Dr. R. C. Sproul that I urge you to get, our free resource is available in the Strong Man Store.
As I have written in other places over the years, my passion to reach and restore men did not come about as a vision I had one day in the flesh for a new fangled approach to church growth. It is the direct result of the visionary leadership of the risen Christ in me to see my own unmet needs for instruction and development as a Christian man and what I soon discovered were those of a great number of other men in and out of the churches! Though many Christian men out of spiritual ignorance and church neglect were not pressing their pastors for teaching that addressed issues of biblical manhood and mission, like me, they were seeing the lack of it in weak and defeated lives.1
For this reason, I was among the throngs of men in Promise Keeper events during the last decade of the 20th century searching for answers. And while I had some powerful instruction and so enjoyed the amazing temporary experiences of multi-ethnic men loving on Jesus and each other, I still lacked a biblical worldview of manhood that transcended hypocritical conservative white, middle class moral definitions of responsibility. Men of my race were hurting as I was and hungry for an authentic Word from the Lord that spoke of manhood without having to be white or tormented with the charge to responsibly provide, while because of racism, being denied equal opportunities to do so.
So, I began to earnestly seek the Lord and study His Word for answers knowing Him to have been true to it in many other questions of this life I had previously brought to Him (Luke 11:9-13; James 1:5-8). In the process of time, the Lord helped me to see and begin to deal with the mental and emotional issues I grappled with as a black American male. As a pastor in 1998, I was led by the Lord to share what I had learned in a seminar growing out of the continuing From Slavery To Victory Education Project entitled, “Releasing The Strong Man.”2 But very few proud black men turned out. I continued praying, studying, learning, growing, teaching and writing about biblical manhood.
In the meantime, the Lord was also enlarging His vision in me for restoring men. He showed me the havoc my own failures had caused especially to my progeny and what was happening in black communities, our nation and the world because men were without Him and a biblical worldview of manhood. With the advice and consent of our Ministry board of directors, Strong Man Ministries was launched on October 1, 2005 to restore men, their families and communities! The Lord has more than amply shown it is of Him in the fruitfulness He has brought forth from our labor. Indeed, this past June sixty men incarcerated and in recovery made decisions through our Strong Man Of God Rally.
Such decisions and males taught through our Strong Man Institute and Strong Man Academy number close to a thousand now--to the glory of God! The opportunities are such that we are in need of more laborers in the harvest and continue to call for them among Christian men in the churches.3 But for the many reasons I have written about in all of my blogs--being unsaved, untaught, unchallenged and comfortable on the bench in passivity among them, very few respond. Few too are those that see our obviously God enabled fruitfulness in the work and step up to financially support us knowing that this Ministry with all others must have it to continue to exist and operate.
Understanding how bombarded all of us feel by the seemingly endless appeals for donations to the many worthy causes today, I have refrained from speaking much in the body of a blog about our ongoing financial need. I have instead, urged readers in footnotes to purchase items in our Web Site store as a means to help us. But this is one of the rare times that I am appealing to any readers that are faithful Christians to please seek the Lord about how you might commit to become a financial supporter of this Ministry as a continuing partner or by making a generous one time, tax-deductible gift. The reason again is simple. It takes funds to carry on our work and the Ministry receives very little relative to our labor and fruitful results God brings forth annually to His glory!4
We have not made seeking funds from secular sources a priority, but the Lord’s people and churches because this is the biblical pattern and faithful Christians are supposedly highly motivated in love for the Lord to see His genuine Kingdom causes be supported (Luke 8:1-3; Galatians 6:6; 3 John 5-8). Heading this Ministry since 1985 (laboring 28 of those years without a salary), I can affirm this is a bona fide work of the Lord zealously engaged in His Kingdom causes; uppermost of which is to restore men with the Gospel and instruction on biblical manhood! We are accounted for with God’s faithful in this two minute drill leading finally to Christ’s game ending touchdown! What about you? If you can or will do nothing else, please stand with and support us as we keep after it (Mark 9:38-41)!
1 I am thoroughly convinced of the Lord the practice of Christianity as a manmade religion is the number one reason men in the churches are not getting the instruction they need! Read my two part Blog, Christianity The Religion Of Men, under the category, Instruction and the October 2, 2016 post, Gifted With A Prophet’s Heart, un- der the category, CallTo Repent.
2 Read the seven part 2006 article, The Renewing Of Our Minds drawing from the seminar in the Journal Archives.
3 Learn more about serving with us on the Ministry Activity Summary Page.
4 Those of you that would like to see an ECFA affiliation attached to ministries you support do not see it with our Ministry since the minimum annual income required to be
be a member is $50,000. We are small in size and income, but our God is still using us to do a work so much greater than these. As a result, the faithful must recognize
He is working in us and come along side to support (Mark 8:13-21)!
Of the many sins that professing Christians of all American hues that are guilty must repent from before experiencing authentic, Holy Spirit fired revival is the practice of racism. Founded upon the twin evils of human arrogance and showing partiality, the American legacy and reality of racism and all of its related evils has been shamefully intertwined with and sanctioned by that which is outwardly professing Christianity from colonial times. If the proclamation of the Gospel will bear the greatest possible fruit in souls saved during the temporary door of opportunity God is opening, then the true nature and character of biblical Christianity must be put on display by us.
Catholicism by way of Georgetown University currently on the hot seat within professing American Christianity does not bear alone the institutional shame of being fully engaged in the business of slavery which was completely predicated on the presumed racial inferiority of my black forefathers. To this hour, many conservative white evangelicals still believe themselves racially superior. And though there have been many welcome public apologies for and denunciations of past racially based sins by evangelical leaders, the evil is so systemic and culturally entrenched, many especially in the rank and file carry on in their ways as if no apologies had been made.
Being a black American, of course, I am an experienced witness to the still practiced racial arrogance, discriminatory attitudes and conduct of many of my white brothers that profess with me to be Christians. I have written about some of my experiences in a booklet entitled, The Scourge Of Racism.1 For this blog, though, the Lord has led me to pinpoint from my experiences how progress toward real, biblical brotherhood is stymied primarily due to the typical white evangelical’s natural presumption of racial superiority. This attitude persists in spite of Scripture teaching the rise, fall and wisdom of peoples and kings is the sovereign work of God (Psalm 75:4-7; Daniel 2:20-23, 4:28-37).
Many of the even well meaning white evangelical brothers I have known over the years do not see how the presumption of superiority is deeply embedded in them through cultural conditioning. By default as a result, these brothers cannot begin to accept, for example, that the way they see a matter or a solution they have may not be right compared to what is offered by their brother of color. To this day, a once close brother expects me to apologize to him for the hurt he experienced because I told him the truth about his presumption of racial superiority and how it had influenced his judgment. Tangible evidence then and since proved he was wrong.
In denial (and pride), he not only maintains his position, but clearly does not appreciate how I may have been hurt by having my sound judgment from God rejected in his false presumption of superiority. He believed he had moved beyond racial bigotry. He had to a degree, but in his heart where self-perception and worldview reside, he still needed repentance and the Holy Spirit’s renewing work to transform and empower him to see me as his equal in Christ subject as he to error. Now, expand this brother out to the many well meaning evangelical Christians also with the same need along with the smaller, but still significant number that are racially bigoted and proud and you have this planet sized elephant seated in the midst of professing American Christianity.
To be sure, we Christian black Americans deeply wounded from four hundred years of America’s racism are a piece of work in glacial progress too. Add to all of this the deceitful work of demons through manmade Christianity the religion widely practiced by men operating in both camps and one that is willing can easily see how the Lord’s call to repentance is justified. Indeed, biblical Christianity is founded upon and driven by the love of God which brought Jesus Christ into the world to die for, save and reconcile fallen mankind as sinners back to God. That same love of God is poured into the hearts of those that repent and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit who also renews our minds and regenerates our souls (Romans 5:5-11, 12:1-2; Titus 3:1-6).
The Holy Spirit so transforms us that as new creations, we think and act as our Redeemer. God is love! Christ commands us therefore, to love and make Him known by our love for each other (John 13:34-35).2 And since love does no harm to a neighbor and in His perfect character our God shows no partiality, the arrogant mindset, attitudes and acts of racism are incompatible with biblical Christianity--period (Romans 13:10; James 2:1-10; 1 John 4:20-21).3 It is not possible that the world should out love us who profess to know God intimately is it? Yet, media images abound with young white, worldly faces taking a stand with blacks and other minorities against racism among their other social justice causes, while historically silent and aloof evangelicals largely remain so.
In the Donald Trump era made possible by an over 80% evangelical vote, the Lord calls all professing to be His followers to repent from any willful and lingering practice of racism. The Gospel message and witnessing of Christ can no longer stand to be tainted as it has been historically by the hypocritical practice of racism among professing Christians if we will be fruitful in this temporary door of opportunity God opens for us. The world saw enough of this a generation ago and rejected it; they will rightly continue to do so. Only Holy Spirit fired love for each other as our Lord Jesus originally commanded and His power will authenticate our message and witness going forward. The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, “Who is on the Lord's side?”
1 This booklet is available in the FSTVEP Resource Store.
2 Read my March 8-15, 2015 blog, Known By Our Love, Pt. 1&2, under the category Instruction.
3 Read the December 6, 2015 blog, Celebrating God’s Racial Diversity Initiative, Call To Repent.
Some in Christian media are doing a great disservice to those they claim to care about by desperately seeking to provide proof God is doing only positive things in America. This they do to blunt the truth He is also at work in the negative from their human perspective judging His people and a nation in rebellion against Him! Why is it so important for the self-serving pastors, false teachers and prophets as media personalities as well as Christian media entities that are guilty to continually spin God at work in the positive? Isn’t it for the same primary reasons the false prophets of ancient Israel and every historical milieu sought to do the same: self-preservation and profit!
Rather than a healthy regard for the truth positive or negative in nature, a large number of professed Christians in America has been conditioned over this past generation to believe God is about doing them good at all times without any concern for their sins. Consequently, every effort is made by guilty media personalities and entities to seek out and report on anything they can find to prove God is at work doing positive things for their benefit and in the world. With this mindset, these modern day traffickers in falsehood narrowly focus on and celebrate the numbers involved or impacted in evangelistic outreach events and purported revivals as though this is all God is doing.
While folks getting saved and revived are incredibly positive works of God to be celebrated, He does these as He is also judging sin in His house and the world to the end (Isaiah 63:1-6; Matthew 28:18-20)!1 Is the Almighty God of the Bible not capable of doing more than one thing at once? Did He not judge Eve and Adam and then provide them with a temporary covering for sin (Genesis 3:16-21)? Did He not also destroy the world in the flood as well as Sodom and Gomorrah with holy fire, but save Noah and his family and “righteous Lot” respectively (2 Peter 2:4-10a, NKJV)? Did He not severely punish Judah in 586 B.C. by expelling the majority from the land, but save a remnant in it?
The remnant of Judah in the land included God’s faithful prophet, Jeremiah, who prophesied His judgment and a terrified Ethiopian eunuch that had helped him (Jeremiah 38:1-13, 39:11-40:6).2 And though many Jews were saved by grace through faith in Christ at the outset, did not God in wrath scatter the unbelieving majority at the hands of the Romans nearly two millennia ago, but also preserve their existence and save among them at the same time until now, back in the land (Luke 21:20-24; Romans 11)? Hasn’t the Cosmos been given over to ruin and disorder, but sustained as well by Christ as Creator until the day of restoration (Romans 8:18-25; Colossians 1:16-17)?
Let purveyors of the God only in the positive false narrative hear the naked truth: God is a work all over the earth both saving and reviving souls while at the same time judging sinners in and out of His house and wicked nations as long ago foretold (Isaiah 49:1-6, 57:15-21, 61:1-2; Jeremiah 25:15-29; Luke 13:1-9; John 3:16-21, 36). And to be very clear as the Spirit leads, the salvation of souls in great numbers is not automatically indicative of biblical revival which becomes necessary when those already saved backslide on God. Refusing to repent or receive correction, they diminish in “flavor” as “salt” and dim as “light” practicing sin (Matthew 5:13-16; Romans 8:6-13; Galatians 5:16-21, NKJV)!3
Otherwise, God’s faithful regularly enjoy help in times of weakness from the Holy Spirit’s “intercession” and fresh fillings of His power to live and serve the divine purposes (Romans 8:26-28; Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 5:1-21, NKJV). There is also forgiveness of confessed and repented of sin in accord with Christ’s advocacy by way of His finished work on Calvary (1 John 1:9-2:2) as in all of the foregoing we abundantly reap the harvest of riches in God’s gracious New Covenant!4 Is this not positive enough in a dying world under God’s righteous judgment and soon to face His coming full on wrath (John 12:27-33; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, 15:19; 1 John 2:15-17; Revelation 6:12-17)? Yes and we who walk by faith in and faithfulness to Christ have a robust hope now, and for the future!5
However, guilty media personalities and entities contrary to God’s whole Word promote their positive false narrative as though they have impetus from Him and enough political will to perpetually reverse His judgments for their children’s sake they say. But it is your own children among others you are deceiving to your destruction rather than equipping with the truth God saves while judging in this age and hence, His call to repentance (Jeremiah 23:16-22; Amos 6:3-7; Zephaniah 1:12-13; Romans 1:18-2:11).6 You walk in fear not of God, but your livelihoods! Just as kings of old killed their phony soothsayers that did not tell them what they wanted to hear, you seek to please your audiences so they do not kill your livelihoods by withdrawing support (Daniel 2:1-12; Micah 3:8-12).
1 Read the four-part post that begins February 26, 2017, God Of Restoration And Judgment, under the categories Bible Prophecy, Biblical Worldview, Black History and The Cause.
2 Another Ethiopian eunuch and black skinned man in the Bible (Acts 8:26-40)? Yes, just as it is written, ‘“God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him,’” (Acts 10:34-35, NKJV). For this cause, the Lord is greatly displeased with the historic practice of racism among many evils within His Church; something He has led me to address in a soon to be released updated publication.
3 See especially part two of the two-part post that begins August 2, 2020, Flavorless Salt Is Worthless, under the category, Call To Repent, where the Lord leads me to also implicate guilty Christian media outlets as a foil to biblical revival in America through pushing the God in the positive only false narrative.
4 The “riches of His grace” in God’s New Covenant overflowing to us who have believed the Gospel of His Son are not just excellent in their untold number reaching into eter- nity, but quality of which “forgiveness of sins” is in no way inferior to any (Ephesians 1:3-7, NKJV)! See the January 2014 posts, God’s New Covenant, under the category, Holidays and the two-part, Party Of The Second Part, under the Category, The Faith to learn more about the New Covenant.
5 In the time of God’s judgment and all other times, “…the just shall live by his faith” as the prophet wrote and joyfully applied during his day (Habakkuk 2:4, 3:17-19, NKJV). So it is for aspiring strong men and great women of God I am blessed of the Lord to write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. You can obtain the Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Edition of the book as well as the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study in the Strong Man Store, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
6 Hear the Lord’s call to return to all professed Christians at this hour by watching the 30 Minute Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on our dedicated You- Tube Channel in the hope perhaps, among other things of even a temporary reprieve from the many calamities as His remedial judgments presently ravaging our nation (Joel 2:12-14).
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