The Scourge Of Racism
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God’s salvation from my sins in Christ is the best thing that ever happened for me! When I think about how by even at the young age of twenty I had lived such a sinful life and was still alive to tell about it, I am fully thankful to God for His longsuffering He obviously had graciously and mercifully shown me. A wretch if there ever was one not a few who knew me in those days would hesitate to affirm, I marvel to this day that God forgave my sins, filled me with His Holy Spirit and took up residence in me on that Easter Sunday 1977 to begin the intended “forever” relationship He undertakes with all of those He saves (John 1:12-13, 3:1-8, 7:37-39, 14:15-24; Acts 2:36-39, NKJV).
While it took the Lord another 22 months from when He entered my life to finally have me get real with Him during a time of fasting and consecration He commanded me to,1 in the years since, I have been undergoing everything I wrote about from Scripture in a post earlier this month concerning the transformational renewing and regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.2 I am a living witness that when a professed Christian gets real with God in all submission and letting go of the world, the Holy Spirit will supernaturally act to begin transforming our way of thinking formerly governed by Satan, sin and self for example, to the bring it into line with “the mind of Christ,” (1 Corinthians 2:6-16, NKJV).3
In The Scourge Of Racism, I write about experiences with racism from my youth that filled me with anger and futile bitterness.4 Having been made in the image of the perfectly just and righteous God (Genesis 1:26a) though it is fallen due to sin, all mankind at some level has an angry reaction to injustice and unrighteous wrongdoing. For this cause, I can still be angered by the bigoted attitudes of racism and attending acts of discrimination I experience and/or see happen to others in the world. But now, after years of the mind renewing work of the Holy Spirit I am learning to dispose of my anger properly (Ephesians 4:17-32). When I do, bitterness cannot set up in my heart.5
In renewing my mind, the Holy Spirit has also fully convinced me to trust in Christ’s defeat of racism and all sin on the cross (Hebrews 9:26b); His fiery victory over racism and all forms of evil in the coming vengeance of His and the Father’s wrath (Romans 12:19; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10; 2 Peter 3:10-13)! Too, the Holy Spirit has given me the means through His spiritual gifts, calling and ministry to help His way in the right now struggle against racism and all of the harmful sins of humanity. As a preacher of the Gospel, I am able to joyfully herald the salvation of God in Christ that made human and my inner regeneration possible; teach about it as a teacher to willing believers and as I have in The Scourge Of Racism, serve also as the Lord’s watchman/prophet calling His people to obedience.
1 Read the February 17, 2019 post, Surrendering All To Jesus, under the category, Glory To God!
2 See the November 12, 2023 post, Loving With The Love Of God, under the category, Instruction.
3 Aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ are taught in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics that having the mind of Christ is an absolute imperative! The book is available in the Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Editions in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
4 The Scourge Of Racism, Copyright 2023, ODCM Publishing Division, Portland, OR, p. 31-32. These cited pages briefly present my introduction to racism growing up in Seaside, CA on the Monterey Peninsula. Get the recently released book in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores. Watch the book trailer.
5 Bitterness as an entitlement right of victimization many blacks cling to is contrary to the will of God for the professed Christian (Ephesians 4:30-32). If you are living in bit- terness you are walking outside of Christ. He bids you return to Him. Understand this fully by watching our thirty minute Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on YouTube.
As the Director of Strong Man Ministries and lead instructor in our Strong Man Institute in-person and virtual course offerings, I am excited to announce the roll out yesterday of our Fruitful Bible Study Self-Paced Video Course on our Strong Man Virtual Institute YouTube Channel!1 With the Lord’s leading, this video course addresses the great need in His Body for knowledge of the Word through the spiritual discipline of Bible study in these latter days. For He and His apostles warned us great deception would exist in the times before His return as it does and lacking knowledge of the Word, many are being deceived and fall away as also foretold (Mark 13:3-6, 22-23; 1 Timothy 4:1-5).
Though there are many false and deceitful doctrines of demons within professing Christianity at this hour, one of the most insidious is in fact “a different gospel;” the likes of which the apostle Paul puts the purveyor under a curse of destruction and that strikes at the very heart of the Christian faith “once for all delivered to the saints,” (Galatians 1:6-10; Jude 3-4, NKJV). It asserts that God does not judge what people do in sin anymore since Christ completely atoned for human sins past, present and future on the cross. Those who know the truth from their regular, Holy Spirit led and helped study of the Bible recognize the foregoing assertion is preposterous and thoroughly false!
Truly, as Scripture teaches the Lord’s death on the cross most certainly did make a full and eternal atonement for human sin before God (Isaiah 53:10-12; John 1:29, 19:30; Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:17, 9:11-15). However, it is only the one who repents of his sins, places faith in the Gospel and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit that will be saved which Scripture also teaches (Acts 2:36-39; Romans 1:16-17, 3:21-26; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). As it is written and cited in Romans 1:17, ‘“The just shall live by faith,’” (NKJV). There is no work or deed a sinner can do to earn salvation wrought through Christ’s sacrifice God has made available to all mankind by grace (Romans 3:27-4:25; Ephesians 2:1-10).2
I will declare it again. Although He died for all mankind, only those individuals who genuinely repent of their sins, believe the Gospel and receive new birth by the indwelling Holy Spirit, obtain salvation! Those who refuse to repent and believe the Gospel remain in their sins, will die in and face Christ’s “judgment seat” to answer for them (John 8:21-24; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11, NKJV).3 For of first importance salvation is “remission (by God’s forgiveness) of sins” upon repentance and faith in Christ (Luke 24:46-47, NKJV). Anyone who preaches anything contrary to this core, historic and biblical truth for salvation, puts themselves justly under the apostle Paul’s curse since it is a different gospel!
Now, even though no work or deed we do of ourselves prior to salvation can earn it, works and deeds afterward matter as evidence of its authenticity, fruitfulness and enduring faith in Christ which is not a one and done thing (James 2:14-26). We enter salvation through faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and continue living by faith in Him moment by moment going forward. Purposely practicing biblically defined sin without repentance is not proof of faith, but of possible insincere or false profession, rank disobedience which is rebellion or apostasy which can never please God who despite another false doctrine, ‘“will judge His people,’” (Hebrews 10:26-39, 11:6, NKJV)!4
Thus, even though Christ’s work to pay for human sin was finished on the cross, our responsibility before God for personal sin does not end there! For this reason, the Lord Jesus explains one must “believe in Him” whom God in love sent into the world to die for our sins in order to “not perish” and instead, “have everlasting life.” Otherwise, apart from appropriating His saving work to themselves by faith, the unsaved are “condemned already” with no other hope; their deeds certifying God’s righteousness to condemn them (John 3:16-21, NKJV).5 Also, what professed Christians do reveals whether they know Christ and bear good fruit (Matthew 7:15-23,13:1-9, 18-23).6
Indeed, the whole Word of God teaches what one does whether in sin or not during this mortal life matters to God! Consequently, every human being that has ever lived will face judgment by Jesus Christ to be rewarded accordingly--those with the fruitful deeds of faith in Him having nothing to fear (Job 34:10-15; Psalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Romans 1:28-2:11, 14:10-12, 23b; Revelation 22:12). Ours is not a made to order salvation of human construction. It has sprung from the heart and mind of the living God from eternity (1 Peter 1:13-21)! Christians must get and stay in God’s Word to recognize and avoid the many false doctrines today; careful not to even pass along sound good posts on social media from maybe well meaning sources, but that are not biblical.
1 The very first Short-Term Study from the Strong Man Virtual Institute can be viewed on its dedicated YouTube Channel. A course overview with description is provided in Session One of the six session study. While it is not required, a Study Guide is available as a free download in the Strong Man Store to help interested learners as they engage with the video course at their own pace.
2 Read the March 21, 2021 post, Good Works Cannot Save You, under the category, The Cause.
3 See the April 24, 2022 post, Messiah Comes Second For Salvation, under the category, The Faith.
4 What has death been to mankind but judgment from God who lovingly, graciously warned Adam of it as the consequence in the day of his disobedience (Genesis 2:15- 17, 3:6-11, 17-19)? And as it concerns Christians, the falsehood God does not judge what we do becomes crystal clear from faithfully reading and studying the New Testament where God is seen intentionally instilling fear of offending His holiness through willful sin after He put to death Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, on the same day for lying to Him--something many professed Christians in our times foolishly consider no big deal (Acts 5:1-11). For further reflection on God as the Judge of His people in the New Testament, read the two-part post that begins August 23, 2020, The Churches Under Judgment, under the category, Instruction.
5 There are those in Christian media and not a few pastors that refute the Bible they claim to uphold teaching God does not condemn. Some even boast that you will not hear them talk about such a thing, though the whole narrative of salvation in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is about God saving willing mankind from our sins in light of His certain coming wrath and condemnation to Hell! Being unwilling to declare “the whole counsel of God” especially for the sake of gaining money from people who want to hear nothing but positive statements about Him for them, followers or to fill auditorium seats is fraud (Acts 20:26-31; 2 Corinthians 2:17, 4:1-2, NKJV)! It is also false teaching to deny or purposely omit the fact unrepentant sinners stand condemned before a holy God--woe to the false teachers who bring the Lord’s judgment upon themselves (2 Peter 2:1-3)! Who really cares for your soul: the one that tells you only the parts of God’s Word you like and want to hear or the one who gives you God’s whole Word (1 Thessalonians 2:1-12)?
6 Though he may struggle, the saved one is done with sin and is helped by the Holy Spirit to live a holy and righteous life in the image of Christ through his purposeful, persevering faith (Romans 6-8). As the Lord leads, I present this truth in some detail to the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and its companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study as well as Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study. These are all available in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit,” (Psalm 32:1-2, NKJV). Hallelujah! I continue to rejoice in God’s salvation as I experience the awesome reality of His forgiveness of all my past sins when I first believed the Gospel and every day since as I have obeyed His Word to “confess” and repent from them as they occurred or upon later conviction (Psalm 32:3-5; 1 John 1:5-2:2, NKJV).1 While God’s salvation begins with forgiveness, its blessed benefits do not end there. As biblical Christianity, they bountifully and gloriously expand reaching into eternity!
God’s forgiveness opens the way for sinners to be reconciled to and enjoy familial relationship with Him as well as to receive all of His promised benefits. Of the many benefits as spiritual blessings God has packaged in His salvation from sin by grace through faith in the Gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ, forgiveness of all past sins is foremost and foundational (Romans 4:5-8, 5:10-11; Ephesians 1:1-10). As David testifies, God’s forgiveness for sins committed thereafter is absolutely essential to avoid the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical issues that consequentially arise from being unwilling to confess them to Him in all repentance. Sin guilt will make you sick and destroys!2
Enjoying peace with God by His forgiveness of our sins through the blood of Christ,3 the saved in Him are also indwelt and brought to spiritual life by the Holy Spirit; having an eternal inheritance as adopted sons (John 3:1-8; Acts 2:38-39; Romans 8:14-17). The spiritual life we have by the indwelling Holy Spirit is nothing short of the very life of God dynamically and eternally flowing as “rivers of living water” in our inmost being (John 7:37-39, NKJV)! There is nothing in all of human experience to which this can be compared.4 This is uniquely of God “the fountain of life,” “everlasting” and abundant David and the Lord Jesus speak of (Psalm 36:7-9; John 4:7-14, 10:10, NKJV).
The life of God in us by the Holy Spirit is evident in the display of the divine eternal nature beginning with love, character and power (Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 3:14-21, 5:9; 1 John 4:8). The presence of the Holy Spirit in believers seals us not like contents in a closed jar that cannot escape, but as a living imprint that marks us out as belonging to God. Too, He is “the guarantee” and earnest payment of the Father fulfilling all He has promised us in His great salvation! As our eternal “Helper” (Comforter) and Companion, He oversees and actualizes our regeneration as well (John 14:16-17; 2 Corinthians 1:3, 19-22, 3:17-18, 5:17; Ephesians 1:11-14; Titus 3:4-5, NKJV).
As if the foregoing were not enough, the Holy Spirit carries out the will of the Father and Christ in answering our petitions for protection and deliverance (Psalm 32:6-7). He is also our Teacher teaching us the riches of God’s way in Christ through the written Word; guiding us with His “eye” that has seen and knows all past, present and future if we will be submissive to learn (Psalm 32:8; John 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, NKJV). Believers as disciples are not to be stubborn, resistant and without understanding like an unbroken “horse” or “mule” that have to be forcefully “harnessed” and controlled or “they will not come near you” much less be teachable (Psalm 32:9, NKJV).
Submission to learn is God’s perfect will for everyone He saves! A submissive heart to learn describes Christ who is the perfect display and example of what a disciple is (Isaiah 50:4-5; John 8:28-29) and who commanded that His disciples be taught (Matthew 28:18-20). Further, being taught the Word of God leads to spiritual growth and maturity which are still more benefits of God’s salvation (Ephesians 1:15-23; 2 Peter 1:1-11)! Otherwise, any professed Christian that will not be taught walks in the way of the unbroken horse, mule and "the wicked" suffering “many sorrows” in contrast to those who submit to and obey God’s will through faith and experience His "mercy," (Psalm 32:10, NKJV).
Indeed, for those believers who submit to and obey God’s will through faith--even every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ--the Holy Spirit willingly serves as our Intercessor interceding for us with the Father when in weakness we have no clue (Romans 8:26-27).5 He is also our Equipper and Source of ability to serve God and fellow man through spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-11). In briefly addressing just some of the benefits of God’s salvation as biblical Christianity, it should be easily seen why those of us that are His “righteous” by grace through faith are “glad in the LORD” “and shout for joy,” (Psalm 32:11, NKJV)! Forgiveness of sin in Christ is only the beginning of these blessings that create the joy of salvation in us! Won’t you share in our joy?
1 It is deceit for any unsaved person or professed Christian to believe one can hide or God not notice or care about their sins no matter how small in human eyesight! There
is no possible way to deceive God so, why try? “...you have sinned against the Lord; be sure your sin will find you out,” (Numbers 32:23, NKJV). Christians are supposed
to walk before God and “worship in spirit and truth,” (John 4:23-24, NKJV). And forget the "nobody is perfect" argument--He already knows this while still expecting our
sold out heart attitude to obey His whole Word (not just the parts we agree with) out of love (John 14:15). His way freely offered in love is for us to own our rebellion,
missing of the mark of His perfect righteousness and perversion of His straight ways so that He can forgive these in Christ!
2 For the professed Christian David says particularly in Psalm 32:4a about the time he spent refusing to confess and repent from his sins: “For day and night Your hand was
heavy upon me,” (NKJV). There is no way a blood bought, Spirit-filled believer can sin without sooner or later experiencing His convicting work which may be quietly
resisted in denial and pretense nothing was done wrong, but as David is explaining, this does not turn out very well for the person doing so.
3 Peace with the living God is a blessing beyond description since it includes not having to fear the Day of His wrath!
4 Having been an abuser of drugs and alcohol and committed hedonist in my unsaved youth, I know what I am saying.
5 Read about the aspiring strong man of God and great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, published by Open
Door Communication Ministries, Inc. and available in print or digital formats at major internet booksellers. You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
It is with great joy the Lord has allowed me to conclude my 2018 blog writing service to Him and our readers with a word of instruction on tithing. Writing a post on legalism this fall, I was troubled that I was not able to say more about this important, voluntary spiritual privilege and discipline for willing Christians that has been mostly foisted on us historically as a legalistic carryover requirement of God’s Law and commandments to Israel.1 I know some were worried I was against tithing. However, the footnote I would have written explaining the sin of teaching Christians to tithe as a matter of Law, rather than faith, free will love and worship would have been this post and too long!
Now, by the grace of our God, here in summary form is the teaching the Lord gave me early in my journey as a Christian over forty years that I also taught my family and church members as a pastor. Let me begin by saying I was introduced to the concept of tithing as a Christian babe in a traditional black American Baptist church by leadership that insisted it was God’s required will straight up out of Malachi 3:8-12. As a result, out of guilt, shame, fear and inadequate faith I wrestled with how to become an obedient tither and where to begin--off of my net or gross income that either way by sight left me short of my budget needs--as most other folk when introduced to tithing.
After much prayer, I took my first shaky steps toward being one who tithed off of my net (just keeping it real), then my gross and eventually whatever financial increase came to me in addition to giving my God offerings for whatever causes I was led by Him to sow into. Along the way, He took me deeper into His Word about tithing as giving not out of the Law for a Christian, but faith and love (that authentic, always involves the will and worship) as a voluntary spiritual privilege and discipline. Building faith and love are why I am convinced God does not harshly swoop down on us as babes right away to correct tithing wrongly introduced as legalism--but woe to the unrepentant legalist!
Giving a tithe (a tenth or more) in the Bible is first introduced some 500 years before the Law as the act of Abraham, the man of faith, when he did so to “Melchizedek, king of Salem” who “was the priest of God Most High.” Melchizedek had come out to bless Abraham after his successful rescue of Lot and others from marauding kings (Genesis 14:13-20, NKJV). In that blessing, the mysterious priest declared, ‘“Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High who has delivered your enemies into your hand.'” After this blessing, Abraham gave Melchizedek “a tithe of all,” (Genesis 14:19-20, NKJV).2 What made Abraham do this?
Making offerings to God goes back to Adam, who obviously taught his sons to do so (Genesis 4:1-7). Clearly too, the practice of making religious offerings to priests as intermediaries with a tithe being the norm was common in Abraham’s day. Beyond this, no doubt, the key to Abraham’s tithe given to Melchizedek was his faith recognition in the blessing that his successful rescue campaign and all of its spoils were the direct result of the Most High’s providence who owns everything in Heaven and on earth! Abraham then--though he refused anything for himself, was giving back a portion to the priest for God what He had already blessed him with (Genesis 14:21-24).
The foregoing principle of giving was preserved by God as motive and requirement in the Covenant Law and commandments He gave Moses for Israel to support the priesthood, Levites, His house and benevolent causes among the people (Numbers 18:7-32; Deuteronomy 12:1-19, 14:22-29, 26:1-15). Later, king Solomon declared God’s principle and the associated blessings in instructions he as a father gave his son (Proverbs 3:9-10). After this, it is only for their disobedience in not giving as required in His Law and commandments that God rebukes Judah before and after their Babylonian captivity. In the New Testament and under the New Covenant there is no divine command to tithe!
The Lord Jesus commended the Jewish religious leadership of the time for their obedience to tithe, but failure in other, “weightier matters of the law” (Matthew 23:23, NKJV). In conformity with the divine transcendent principle, He also taught the blessedness of giving of one’s substance to God (Luke 6:38, 9:10-17, 12:13-21) to support His Kingdom workers, work and benevolent causes; receiving such support as did His apostles with but one exceptional exception (Luke 8:1-3, 10:1-7; Acts 20:33-35; 1 Corinthians 9:1-18; 2 Corinthians 8-9; 1 John 3:16-18). In the likeness of Melchizedek and the priests of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ is also our High Priest and formal Intermediary when we give to God.3 He receives our tithes and offerings on behalf of the Father and is also honored by us with them (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:14-5:10, 7:1-8:6).4
Thus, even though there is no New Testament command to tithe of our income in giving as Christians, the principle--reaching all the way back past the Law to Abraham our faith example in everything, commends it to us as normative and certainly, as I can testify, a spiritual privilege and discipline (like regular Bible study, prayer and church attendance) God blesses as a matter of walking by faith in Him (Romans 4:3; Hebrews 11:6; James 2:20-26)!5 So, then, let any professed Christian leader attempting to get God’s people to give through tithing by falsely and legalistically making it a requirement of the Law repent now if you will please God. Teach His Word faithfully!6 I wish all a blessed and prosperous New Year especially as you make giving to God a spiritual priority.7
1 Read the two-part post, Let’s Talk Legalism, under the category, Instruction, beginning September 23, 2018.
2 So much for the net versus gross question!
3 Melchizedek and our Lord Jesus also very significantly share in common being bearers of “bread and wine,” (Genesis 14:18; Luke 22:14-20; John 6:31-59).
4 As the apostle Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 8-9, Christ’s churches and Parachurch ministries have a stewardship responsibility from Him to receive any kind of offer-
ings as His agents and to disburse them at His direction in support of His Kingdom workers, work and causes. Woe to the churches, ministries and their leaders that do
not do so (Matthew 23:14; 1 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11)!
5 Learn more about the concept of spiritual discipline for the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ from my book, The Strong Man Of
God: Back To Basics. It is available at all major internet booksellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the Strong Man Store.
6 Teaching God’s word faithfully does include examining the spiritual, moral, ethical and transcendent truths embodied in the Old Testament Law and commandments to
understand His good intent in them and to make a proper application as the Lord led me to write in the post on legalism. So, for example, we can look at Malachi 3:8-12
and see how God wanted the Israelites to obey His Law and commandments on tithing to be blessed of Him while also fulfilling His support plans for the priests, Levities,
the Temple and community benevolence. God stresses His willingness to bless their obedience to the point of inviting them to put Him to the test! The application for
Christians is to see the consistency of God in His transcendent principle of blessed giving through the proportional discipline of tithing that reaches all the way back to
Abraham which also our Lord Jesus Christ affirms. Then, out of faith and love, to act out of it to benefit both us and God's Kingdom priorities!
7 Please remember Strong Man Ministries in your giving among the ordained Kingdom workers (me--Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:17-18; 3 John 5-8), works and causes of
God in this generation. Give securely on our Web Site at https://thestrongmanofGod.org/Give. You can also mail your cash, check or money order made out to our or-
ganizational parent, Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. and send it to P.O. BOX 56704, Portland, OR 97238.
As I have stated before, many professing American Christians live and their churches carry on as though Jesus--their ostensible Lord--is dead (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)! Dead men cannot lead or govern from Hades and are completely cut off from this life (Psalm 88:10-12). “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,” (Psalm 16:8-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20, NKJV). So, upon announcing His authority and giving charge to His disciples in all generations (the ones standing before Him would die) He declares, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20, NKJV). As He worked with the first disciples to build His Church, so, those that are His last (Matthew 16:15-18; Mark 16:20; Acts 2:1-41, 47, 4:1-4, 5:12-14).
Christ reigns with all authority over all to include His Church from the throne of God to which He ascended (Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-18; Hebrews 1:1-4)! About sixty years or so later He spoke to seven churches of Asia and broadly to all in every generation to follow through His last living apostle, John, with mostly rebuke and warning in what is the last book of Scripture (Revelation 1:9-3:22). Living in believers, He continues His Lordship in real time; giving among other things vision, commands, knowledge, rebuke and warning to those who will hear Him from Scripture (Romans 4:3a) and the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:27-30). As this edited 2012 repost asserts, not without consequences are any professing Christians and churches treating Jesus as dead; doing as they please.
Originally Posted August 5, 2012
A powerful truth in John 15:5 being ignored in many churches today is the Lord instructing, “…for without Me you can do nothing,” (NKJV). I say this after being in and around American churches from coast to coast since childhood where I have seen the unmistakable pattern of religious authority, human strength and works in action that are an artificial imitation of biblical Christianity. The Bible teaches Jesus is the Head over His Church and the Holy Spirit the empowering source of the activity He wills to the glory of God the Father (Ephesians 1:22-23, 3:14-21)!
Perhaps we have misunderstood; the “much fruit” that the Lord refers to in John 15:5 is in accord with His leadership (which presumes abiding in Him and Him in us) in the power of the Holy Spirit who is our Helper (NKJV). It is impossible for this fruit to be produced in the flesh. Therefore, if we kick the Lord Jesus to the curb as our “first love” (Revelation 2:4, NKJV) or in willful disobedience do our own thing in His name, we are doing nothing. This is evident in the very sad, fruitless state of so many churches today with either passive dispassionate or selfishly ambitious, tyrant pastors attempting to make a name for themselves to climb the religious corporate ladder or leave brick and mortar legacies.
There are elders and deacon boards that wickedly conspire to control pastors and churches. Church fights and splits are common along with thefts and sexual immorality. Churches with money in the bank display what they think is spiritual power when they do whatever flesh works seem right to them; offering token prayer petitions for what they intend to do anyway. Other churches steeped in tradition and manmade religion endlessly entertain themselves with annual events to raise money to do little or nothing of what the Lord wills. Is it any wonder that exercising spiritual or grace gifts--another aspect of doing things in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit--is not taken seriously in such churches?
Spiritual gifts are supernatural abilities the triune God gives as a matter of grace to each person that believes on Christ and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at the new birth (John 1:12-13). So basic to the Christian’s ability to function in God’s program and the Church is the Holy Spirit, one cannot even say from the heart “Jesus is Lord” except with His enablement (1 Corinthians 12:1-3, NKJV). Nothing Christians have been commissioned by Christ to do can be done without the agency of the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts--nothing! Now, there are many gifts, callings and ministries members of the Body of Christ have and all flow from the triune God by way of the working of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
No pastor or local church can say to any member, “you or your gifts are not needed here” since it is God who places each member in the Body as He wills by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). No pastor or church can declare as some have that certain of the New Testament gifts are no longer in play since it is the Lord who has established the purpose, function and order of spiritual gifts in the Church (1 Corinthians 12:28-30; Ephesians 4:7-11). Indeed, it is because of the faithless, flesh driven dissertations of especially the guilty religious educated elite devoid of the Spirit that the spiritual bedlam I have seen and experienced in so many churches of various ethnicities and sizes exists today.
Again, the only remedy God provides for this is revival if proud and withering men will see their wicked ways and seek Him for it in all confession, repentance and heartfelt petition before it is too late. Otherwise, the aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ accepts his gift(s), calling and ministry as part of accepting his assigned roles from God. Specifically, he will yearn with love and zeal to serve the divine purposes as a son of God, disciple of Christ and servant through the spiritual gifts, calling and ministry he has been given by the Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 20:7-9; 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13)! There are no exceptions; every believer has at least one spiritual gift to serve God with.1 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 In 1992 a Fort Worth, Texas church first allowed me to present instruction on the Lord’s spiritual gifts out of the teaching gift I have been given. I have continued to in-
struct on this very important subject as a pastor and welcome any opportunities to do so now through our Strong Man Institute. I am also now in the process of devel-
oping Strong Man Of God resources on the topic to help Kingdom minded pastors and seeking Christians. Let me know of your interest by answering a single survey
question on the Feedback Page of our Web Site. In the meantime, as the Lord has led, I have laid a foundational introduction to the service of aspiring strong men of
God in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. I urge every Christian reading this that seeks even a basic, biblical introduction to what serving God in the
Church is supposed to look like to get a copy of the book.
As the Lord led me to write about earlier this month and celebrate from Palm through Resurrection Sunday, God’s Messiah was foretold by Him through His Jewish prophets in the Bible to come twice.1 The first coming of God’s Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, during the first century A.D. was all about sacrificing Himself to save willing mankind from our sins. He finished this part of the mission on Calvary’s cross with His death. After His burial, resurrection and ascension back to glory, at God’s appointed future time He is slated to return “a second time” to fulfill every promise of salvation God has made to those of us who have put our faith in and wait on Him (Hebrews 9:28b, NKJV).
“Scoffers” living captive “to their own lusts” as foretold, for nearly 2,000 years have scoffed at the faith of faithful Christians in our willingness to wait on “the promise of His coming.” “They willfully forget” the Bible’s instruction on God’s mighty Word in creation and past visitation in destructive wrath using water; foretelling of yet another to come with fire in judging earth’s “ungodly men,” (2 Peter 3:1-7, NKJV). What the scoffers and apparently many professed Christians also fail to realize is that the return of Messiah has been purposely delayed by God this long out of His love and “longsuffering” to save the willing He foreknows from His wrath and eternal damnation (2 Peter 3:8-9, NKJV).2
As the apostle Peter soberly warns, the return of Messiah entails the outpour of God’s wrath in the eternal onset of “the day of the Lord” as earth is reclaimed for His dominion from fallen angels and men, then later, destroyed to make way for “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells,” (2 Peter 3:10-15; Revelation 11:15-19, 21:1-8, NKJV). His wrath does not fully unfold, however, until after Messiah gathers His two elects--Israel’s mortal remnant and His followers from all nations--to Himself (Mark 13:24-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11, NKJV).3 These events fulfilled are among the promises of salvation God has made to both elects in His Word!
The next promises of salvation to be immediately enjoyed by the faithful followers of Messiah gathered to Him from Heaven who are resurrected and those relative few mortals alive on earth at His Second Coming are glorified immortal bodies and eternal righteousness (1 Corinthians 15:50-57; 2 Timothy 4:8)! For in God’s justification by grace through our faith in Messiah looking to that Day, is our being clothed now, with His righteousness as both a spiritual position we occupy and experience we have despite the endless attempts of sin to reassert its dominion over us with the aid of Satan and his temptations we are to vigorously resist (Romans 6-8:17; Galatians 5:16-25; 1 Peter 5:8-11).
Thus, in Messiah Jesus, I am a sinner made righteous in the sight of God through faith and understand myself to be a righteous man who sins when I do in the weakness of the sinful flesh. In sin, I confess and repent of it availing myself of God’s readiness to forgive and cleanse me through the finished work of Messiah on Calvary’s cross as often as needed (Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 John 1:5-2:2). So, when I say I am a sinner to sinners as a Christian, it is not because I am going about practicing sin as a way life any longer, but I am humbly and honestly acknowledging that I still sin as one redeemed by and righteous before God in my mortal journey toward perfection!4
Today, secular films and television programming regularly mock and belittle God’s social and moral order He established at creation for the good of mankind in favor of what they call “progressive” correctives, but which are evil. Contrarily, another promise of salvation Messiah will fulfill in the Day of His Second Coming is the restoration of God’s will and way now, declared in His Word across every aspect of surviving mortal human earth existence in which He will reign as King and Judge (Psalm 72; Micah 4:1-3; Matthew 25:31-46).5 Indeed, we His glorified redeemed followers and saints from all time will reign and judge with Him (Psalm 149; Revelation 1:4-8, 2:26-29, 5:8-10, 20:4-6)!6
At the end of Messiah’s millennial reign in this present earth and age, by His Father’s election as God and Man, He shall resurrect “those who have done evil” and judge for eternity every human who has ever existed that He had not already judged (John 5:16-30; 1 Corinthians 15:20-23; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11; 1 Peter 4:1-5; Revelation 19:11-21, 20:11-15, 22:12-15, NKJV).7 Daniel in his book where we started back on January 9th this year among the prophets of the Bible were shown the coming resurrections of the righteous and the wicked along with their final judgment by Messiah (Daniel 12:2-3).8 Clearly, things will not go well in the judgment to eternal fire for the unsaved who have shown contempt for God’s Word. But the saved who love God’s Word will delight in it forever!
1 See the April 3, 2022 post, Messiah Comes Twice: Once For Sin, under the category, The Faith.
2 Read the two-part post beginning July 18, 2021, No Repentance, No Peace, under the category, Call To Repent. Also, consider the February 6, 2022 post, The Divine Delay, under the category, Bible Prophecy, to appreciate if you will, that as He gave sinful humanity in Noah’s day time to repent and be saved from His wrath, so, all in these last days since He offered up His own Son on the cross to make our salvation possible nearly 2,000 years ago!
3 See the August 15, 2021 post, The Honor Of Bypassing Death, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 The Christian journey toward perfection is about allowing God to make us over into the image of Messiah Jesus, His Son. This is the rallying cry and content of my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and its companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study as well as Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study all available in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
5 That’s right! The same transcendent eternal spiritual principles, morality and ethics contained in the Bible the wicked now, mock and belittle as well as many professed Christians corrupt and compromise, will be put in play and enforced by Messiah since as He Himself teaches, neither the content of God’s Law or any of His Words will fail to endure forever (Matthew 5:17-20, 24:35)! See the August 1, 2021 post, Jesus Christ King And Judge!, under the category, Instruction.
6 Read the August 8, 2021 post, Kings And Judges With Christ, under the category, Encouragement.
7 Behold the perfect justice of God the Father to allow His Son, Jesus, as perfect Man to judge His fellow man (Acts 17:29-31)!
8 See the January 9, 2022 post, Easier To Read Bibles, under the categories Bible Prophecy and Instruction.
I begin the New Year challenging all professing Christians and preachers to make this the year any that are guilty stop trying as Israel’s false prophets of old to sugar coat the unusual weather patterns, related disasters and other calamities as simply the unexpected activities of so-called “mother nature” as though you know nothing of what has been foretold about these latter days in God’s Word (Jeremiah 23:16-22; Luke 21:11, 25-26). Since He is ultimately in absolute, sovereign control of His creation right down to the smallest particles (Psalm 147:15-18; Colossians 1:15-17), those saved by grace through faith in Christ are to tell the truth that He has permitted all calamities He has not directly caused in accord with His purposes!
Our mission is not to be God’s public relations spokespersons attempting to spin disaster and calamity in such a way that His benevolent image is not harmed, but we are charged to preach the Gospel of and give witness to Jesus Christ; preaching “the word…in season and out of season,” (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 1:8, 2:38-40; 2 Timothy 4:1-2, NKJV). Truly, even in the day of persecution, we are to stand ready to witness Christ (Luke 21:12-19)! Led by the Holy Spirit in compassionate service to survivors yet, with wisdom and full knowledge, we use the disasters and calamities of this world to do what the Lord Himself did, warn that unless they repent (Psalm 39) they shall “all likewise perish,” (Luke 13:1-9, NKJV).
As the Lord has led, I have reposted this edited 2011 blog that continues to be very relevant in light of the recent violent storms and other calamities that have hit and those yet to come upon our nation. The only way anyone can posit that our nation could somehow be exempt from the judgment of God is to foolishly insist America is dearer to the heart of God than Israel; the people of His ancient love (Jeremiah 31:1-14)! Scripture is clear: if God has judged Israel for its sins as He has in various ways as promised over 3,500 years, there is no escape for any other sinful nation including ours since He is immutable (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Jeremiah 25:15-33, 30:23-24)!
Therefore, let every soul in our nation and the world know and understand that it is God, the living God that is active in the disasters and calamities of His creation going forward whether those who profess to be His people tell the truth about it or not--woe to the preachers of “peace and safety” apart from the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, NKJV)! Indeed, it is soon to become very obvious to all that the mighty power of God is at work in the disasters, calamities and painful events occurring in the earth and universe (Revelation 8-9, 10:5-11:14, 16:1-12). And again, what does God desire before He finally pours out the fullness of His wrath on this world (Revelation 11:15-19, 16:17-21)? Repentance from sin and a turning in faith to His Son, Jesus Christ for salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:4-11)!
Originally Posted August 28, 2011
What are the odds of an earthquake and hurricane hitting the East coast of our nation within the same week? The odds had been very slim indeed! Yet, I get the impression while everyone agrees the experience of our nation’s East coast this past week is a strange set of circumstances, the attitude is we successfully endured another couple of natural events by “mother nature.” Rather than so-called “mother nature,” may I proclaim for the record, the never changing God who created and controls His creation as evidenced in His Word is dealing with and speaking to our nation--if we will hear it (Isaiah 45:7; Lamentations 3:38; Amos 3:6).
In these and the other major calamities that have struck our nation this year so far, He has only sought to get our attention and bring us to repentance. If He had wanted to severely judge us, there would have been greater destruction and loss of life. Is that extreme? So be it! In The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, I warn that God’s attitude toward rebellion against Him is displayed in His dealings with Israel found in the Bible. He has not changed! You cannot have the blatant wickedness--which includes the destruction of the family as God designed it--that we have going on in our nation and expect Him to be silent indefinitely. Unbelievers from whatever motives can attempt to push the reality of the living God to the side if they choose, but that does not cause Him to cease to exist (2 Timothy 2:13).
My heart goes out to those who have lost family members and/or experienced property loss or displacement of any kind this past week. But it is not the prideful boast of American resilience God wants to hear at this hour. It is the humble repentance in all brokenness of a nation that “gets it.” This was the Lord’s purpose in sending calamity after calamity upon Israel; for He wills to save not destroy. However, when the people’s hearts are so proud and stubborn that they will not be humbled, then the Most High must deal with them severely which is exactly the scenario presented in Amos chapter four.1
Please, my nation, I hurt for us. Let us turn to the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ in all repentance to obey the Word as it is written and not as we corrupt it to have our way. Our way has put us on a collision course meeting with the never changing God. If you doubt that is not a good thing, the example of Israel in the Bible and history is God’s witness.
1 You can hear a sample and obtain a copy of a message entitled, When A Sinful Nation Meets God! from Amos 4:6-13 in the Strong Man
Store at www.thestrongmanofGod.org that fully explains these truths.
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