The Scourge Of Racism
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During all of my service to God, I have sought to be humble, transparent and honest about my own weaknesses in the faith while as He gave leadership and power, I proclaimed and taught His Word uncompromised. I have never represented myself as having arrived at perfection. However, like the apostle Paul as an aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ, I have considered all worldly attainments garbage (including the favorable opinions of men) and “press” zealously toward God’s goal (Philippians 3:7-16, NKJV)! When I fail, I get back up again in confession, repentance, the forgiveness and strength my God supplies and grow as a result!
Faithful Christians that are almost always eager Bible students understand the times we are living in and what lies ahead if not in specific detail, generally. This is because they do not read into Bible prophecy to concoct theories, spiritualize, or reject it, but reverence the Source enough to allow His illumination and instruction (Mark 13:23; 2 Peter 1:19-21). They also understand and accept it as it is written along with all other objectively understood portions of the Bible. Finally, unlike some theologians of history such as Augustine that rendered allegorical what he could not understand, the faithful realize some Bible prophecy would not be opened up by God until now (Daniel 12:4, 8-10)!
Those professed Christians that are selling themselves out to rebellion against God’s program with the world in unbelief do not know what time it is.1 The Lord Jesus and His apostles repeatedly make it clear however, that the faithful--every aspiring strong man and great woman of God as I write in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics--must live fully by faith in Him; enduring to the end to obtain the promised salvation (Matthew 10:16-39, 24:13; Romans 1:16-17, 8:18-25; Hebrews 3:5-19).2 The Lord led me to write this edited 2012 Commentary to encourage aspiring strong men of God to remain faithful as Bible prophecy is fulfilled before our very eyes.
Originally Published April 2012
I stand amazed at our God who has made us both observers of and participants in the times such as are now unfolding. For unknown to the wicked and apparently even many professing Christians, the times we are living in were foretold millennia ago by the prophets of God in the Bible's Old Testament as well as Jesus Christ and His apostles in the New. This is all to the glory of God who reveals the end from the beginning and events long before they occur (Isaiah 44:6-8, 45:20-22, 46:5-10, 48:3-5)! God, the eternally living God who spoke time into existence (Genesis 1:3-5, 14-19) and fulfills His Word at the right time is resolutely ratcheting up this world's troubles (Matthew 24:6-7).
Not since the global flood of Noah's day had the world experienced a paradigm shift of such magnitude as the incarnation of the Son of God in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth, now over 2,000 years ago. Planned from eternity (1 Peter 1:20), preliminarily announced by God in Eden on the day Adam sinned (Genesis 3:15) and fleshed out over time in revelation to His prophets, Jesus came to “save His people from their sins,” (Matthew 1:21, NKJV). In God’s perfect moment, at the right time He arrived to fulfill His mission as the apostle Paul later affirms (Romans 5:6). Interestingly, unlike the flood of Noah’s day, the world did not know He had come except those God revealed Him to.
For thirty years He grew up quietly in the ways of His people--a carpenter’s Son. After this, He engaged in a three and one half-year ministry of preaching, teaching and mighty miracles that authenticated His identity as God’s Anointed One. Then, before the eyes of His disciples, He was arrested and crucified. They did not understand that to save them from their sins, Jesus had to die in their place by divine decree (Romans 5:7-9). They buried Him the same day He died, but on the third day after, He showed Himself to His disciples alive from the dead and explained to them from prophecy all that had happened to Him in fulfillment (Luke 24:1-45).
The Lord then revealed to His still startled disciples that they were witnesses of all that had happened to Him. They would now take on the important responsibility to proclaim what they had seen and heard as well as the resulting good news to the nations in the power of God (Luke 24:46-49)! After leading them out to the appointed spot, the Lord ascended into Heaven with the promise He would be with them (and us) to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20b; Luke 24:50-53). The mission has continued through Christ's disciples in every generation since to this hour and will continue until the last soul known to God is saved; for He has a number in mind (Romans 4:13-18, 11:25-36).
Echoing his Lord, the apostle Peter in his first and second recorded sermons told Jewish hearers that what they had been witnessing in word, power and events concerning Jesus of Nazareth to that time had been foretold by their prophets (Acts 2:14-32, 3:18-24). They were living in a divinely ordained time of prophetic fulfillment with still more to come. It is for this reason that as led by the Lord I assert we have continued all of these years since in a time of prophetic fulfillment and therefore, remain in what should be properly understood as "God's times." This being true, those who walk by faith in His Son and obedience to God have never been out of step with or behind "the times!"
From the first appearance of Christ and His successful mission, “the times” have been “God’s times” in which He is presiding over His eternal plans and superintending His longsuffering work through the faithful to preach the Gospel to all the nations. God’s longsuffering has been of His unrelenting desire in love to save (Matthew 24:14; 2 Peter 3:1-9). While by His providence, men have advanced technologically during the last 20 centuries and exponentially so in the last two, they have made no self-generated improvement spiritually or morally. Indeed, lawlessness has been increasing, love decreasing and evil men grow worse as foretold (Matthew 24:12; 2 Timothy 3:13).
Confirming prophetic fulfillment shows us closer to the end of this present age than we imagined and the next great paradigm shift in God's program: the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ! In step with "God's times," we that love Him see that we are descending like an airplane into the foretold period of severe turbulence our Lord describes as an intensifying "beginning of sorrows” or “birth pains" to include global persecution caused tribulation (Matthew 24:8-9, 15-22, NKJV). However, it leads to a safe landing in His presence (Revelation 7:9-17). Every aspiring strong man of God will be very glad he did not sell the Lord out to be in step with the world's times (Mark 8:34-38). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 Read the April 28, 2019 post, God’s Program Matters!, under the category, Call To Repent.
2 The book is available at all major internet booksellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the Strong Man Store.
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.
In light of what the Lord led me to write in the two-part post, Flavorless Salt Is Worthless, under the category, Call To Repent beginning August 2, 2020, He has given me a word of exhortation and encouragement for all of us that will be His faithful during these times of spiritual confusion, apostasy and His judgment. We or our faithful spiritual descendants that endure until the Lord comes as promised are not the first to have to live through such days waiting on Him to bring about deliverance and reversal. God’s faithful are a who’s who on His roll call of faith in the Bible that surround us as “so great a cloud of witnesses” headed up by our Lord Jesus Himself (Hebrews 11:4-12:2, NKJV)!
Among God’s faithful listed by the writer of Hebrews and inspirational to me personally serving by appointment of the Lord, are the Old Testament prophets in whose office of responsibility I also serve according to Ezekiel 33:1-9 during this New Testament era (Ephesians 4:11-16). One of the major Old Testament prophets was Isaiah who was called and used mightily by God to speak, write and act out His Word amidst the divided house of Israel, though, his messages were primarily to the two southern tribes and kingdom of Judah (Isaiah 6). Over 2,700 years later, those messages for the people and personalities of his times are saturated with prophetic import that reaches us today.
Up through the eighth chapter of his book, Isaiah foretells the judgment of God upon Judah for sin and imminent invasion of the northern kingdom’s ten tribes by the dominant power of the day, Assyria, for the wickedness of spiritual confusion and apostasy fed by idolatry. In that eighth chapter too, he is instructed by God about how he and all the other faithful to Him were to handle themselves during the times of spiritual confusion and apostasy that continued and while His judgment was taking place. For the faithful are not so by title or conferral of men, but as the very real description of their lives, words and deeds lined up with the character of God and His Word (Deuteronomy 7:9-11)!1
Like Isaiah and the faithful of his day, God first instructs us to “not walk in the way of this people;” the disobedient and unfaithful that in their spiritual blindness get caught up in the confusion of speculative conspiracy theories about the times. This is evidence that people have spun conspiracy theories from ancient times! The only difference today is the technology leap that has allowed the innumerable and rapid proliferation of these conspiracy theories and opinions. God also instructs Isaiah and us not to be terrified by or live in dread of the people or the content of their conspiracy theories, but fear the holy God alone and take refuge in Him (Isaiah 8:11-14a, NKJV).
To the unfaithful that choose not to fear God and let Him be their “sanctuary,” He will be “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” as in Jesus Christ, His Son, He has been “to both the houses of Israel” in unbelief; “a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” to this hour! The unfaithful “stumble” (fall away) and become captives to Satan for destruction because of their unbelief fed disobedience to “the Word,” (Isaiah 8:14b-15; 1 Peter 2:6-8, NKJV).2 Seeing the end for the unfaithful, Isaiah exhorts his “disciples” as also God’s to “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among” themselves; “wait on the Lord” in the time of judgment and “hope in Him,” (Isaiah 8:16-17, NKJV).
Isaiah presented himself and his two sons with God given names of prophetic significance that when fulfilled, would be additional affirmation of the right choice the faithful make to trust in God and His Word (Isaiah 8:18). We have the joy of that additional affirmation of God’s prophetic Word fulfilled in experiencing the power of the first coming of Christ through the Holy Spirit as testified to by His eyewitness apostles (Acts 2:1-39; Hebrews 2:10-18; 2 Peter 1:16-21; 1 John 1:1-4)! So, as Isaiah admonishes, we do not consult with psychics or the occult; nor do we trust in “lying wonders” Satan will soon be allowed to perform or blindly stay tethered to local churches under judgment where false teaching is going forth (Isaiah 8:19; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Revelation 18:1-8, NKJV).3
Indeed, many of the elder faithful in this generation rightly understand their faithfulness has been displayed in part by their attendance, participation in and financial support of a local church. However, as God has had me warning many years, not only can a local church become corrupt, but He shuts them down in judgment as thousands per year have been before His Coronavirus judgment.4 Now, in His Coronavirus judgment where most churches have been temporarily closed by government safety decree, we are to clearly understand it is not attendance and participation at buildings God values above all, but obedience!5 Therefore, if a local church is not being obedient to God’s Word, the faithful are to leave after lovingly attempting to urge repentance if possible.
For the faithful in all epochs the rallying cry is “to the Word of God” as it is written--undiluted, uncorrupted and uncompromised (Isaiah 8:20)! Even knowing there were some minor human copyist errors in the Old Testament scrolls He read and quoted from that adversaries love to point up, the Lord Jesus staked His life and teaching ministry on the Word of God (Matthew 4:1-11, 5:17-48; Luke 4:16-21); His apostles, its perpetual trustworthiness and value to believers (2 Timothy 3:13-17). In a time of spiritual darkness, confusion, apostasy and God’s judgment (Isaiah 8:21-22), the faithful look to, trust in and stand on the Word of God to endure to the end He has prepared; for we have seen and know the “great light” that has dawned and is soon to overspread the earth (Isaiah 9:1-7, NKJV).
1 Because of this truth, in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, I am led by the Lord to teach faithfulness as a fruit of the Spirit and required character
trait of aspiring strong men and great women of God in His image! A print copy or digital download of the book is available at major internet booksellers such as
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
2 Read the February 2, 2014 post, The Falling Away, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
3 See the two-part post that begins May 21, 2017, Beware False And Deceitful Brethren, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 Read the reposts chronicling my own experience with the judgment of God upon local churches and prophecy He gave me concerning them beginning on August 30,
2015 with When Strong Men Of God Weep, followed by Death Of A Church--One Year Later and Praise For The Lord God Almighty! These were all posted under the
category, Glory To God!
5 This being true as the whole Bible teaches, a number of pastors are bringing shame on Christ and the faith by insisting on holding gatherings at their buildings in dis-
obedience to the government. This is not about Constitutional rights and government intrusion into religion, but righteous submission and obedience to a secular
government’s best effort to fulfill its divine mandate to protect its citizens from harm. And professed Christians that ostensibly answer to the God that brought the pes-
tilence are being disobedient claiming a right to worship? If we really want to worship God that bad, have we forgotten the individual Christian in any circumstance
always can since our bodies are His temples (John 2:19-21; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19-20)? Also, God is not doing a new thing in our not being able to assemble at
buildings. He has reminded us of the old thing from His Word where the smallest corporate form of the local church is a family in a house with teaching and worship
led by men as His chosen heads if there (Acts 2:44-47; Romans 16:3-5; 1 Timothy 3:1-7). Get the free download, Men Leading Family Worship At Home in the
Strong Man Store for such times as these and till the end. Otherwise, we know what is really behind the pushback by some pastors and churches to the point of
being willing to put people in harm’s way: the loss of income. Rather than disobeying the governing authorities trying to protect people, I exhort all to take their instruc-
tions on public gatherings as from God and His call to repent seriously during His Coronavirus judgment (Isaiah 26:20-21; 1 Peter 2:11-17)!
Even though men from Adam are fallen in sin and our understanding of things divine in origin non-existent or horribly distorted without God’s help, there is in every man’s heart an accurate residue of understanding about what our Creator wants from us as sons of this age and eternally. The natural love a mortal son has for his father is as close an approximation to what God the Father desires from His sons as is possible to see in action on earth by sinners. Only Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, has come and perfectly modeled for us the fullest possible display of a Son’s love for His Father. Every aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ seeks to be a son like Him!1
Father-son love is historical and biblical. From Adam mortal fathers have been desirous to beget sons to mirror their own image, raise up in their likeness and carry these on as a perpetual legacy of their existence on earth (Genesis 5:3-32). Not jealous of this in ancient times as feminists are today, godly women especially fully supported the yearning in the heart of men and their husbands to have a son after their own image and likeness and hoped in their love to bear them at least one among many children (Genesis 21:1-7, 29:31-35; 1 Samuel 1:1-11; Psalm 127:3-5). Such has been the norm amidst most ethnicities and cultures across the earth until this 21st century.
Fathers lavished love and attention upon their sons in the pride of accomplishment and joy of their manifest representation of themselves. They also took serious the challenge of purposely instructing them with knowledge and tangible skills to equip them for manhood. Again, from ancient times and across ethnicities and cultures, men have devised various rituals that enable their sons to demonstrate their readiness to pass from boy to manhood. Meanwhile, with love for and devoted hearts to their fathers, typical sons have been eager to do their father’s will and well please them; living to hear (as I did) their father’s affirming commendation in whatever fashion it might be offered.
Usually also, in humility a son’s love for his father included the highest esteem; consciously and unconsciously looking up to his father as an example to be emulated. In similitude, this natural heart of love a son has for his earthly father is what God the Father sought from His first son, Adam, who in perfect heart “is a type of Him who was to come,” (Romans 5:14, NKJV). But as I wrote in last week’s post, Adam did not do His will and displeased God his Father after He had initiated his existence, led, taught, provided for, gave protection, responsible tasks, a mate and affirmation to him (Genesis 2:7-25, 3:6-11).2 His sin drove a wedge of separation between Adam and God the Father.
Tragically, while our sons now, with sinful natures maintain a natural desire for their father’s up close, personal love, instruction, affirmation and awe-inspiring example, fewer in these latter times are getting it due to the separation, willful neglect and irresponsibility of out of wedlock births (which is where I failed my own son as an unsaved teenage father and later, a growing Christian still ignorant about biblical man and fatherhood)3 and divorce. Too, pride born of sin causes many sons to rebel against and reject their father’s instruction and example whether as part of intact nuclear families or not. Finally, confusion about family composition, roles, assignments and order is not helping.
The heart of a Son in relation to His Father was perfectly demonstrated by Jesus Christ who from the beginning served as Adam’s original role model and is for every one of his sons of this age that have followed. Indeed, for after He had come into the world the Lord Jesus first showed His love and devotion for His Father in Scripture as a Boy when He was found at the Temple dialoging with the leaders there and exclaimed to Mary and Joseph looking for Him: ‘“Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business,’” (Luke 2:41-50, NKJV)? In His love and esteem, He set about to do the will of, please and honor His Father; doing so without sin to the suffering of death (John 6:38, 8:25-29, 48-49, 10:17-18, 14:28-31; Hebrews 4:14-15, 5:7-8)!
God the Father “loves the Son” and taught Him everything He needed to know and do in His ministry (John 3:35, 5:19-23, NKJV). The Father also repeatedly affirmed His Son. Three occasions in the Gospels before, during and near the end of His ministry to Israel serve as examples (Mark 1:9-11, 9:1-7; John 11:38-44). As He leads me to write in The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics,4 God seeks to relate to authentically born again Christian men as sons the same way He relates to His only begotten since He is our Father too (John 16:23-28, 20:17)! In Christ’s image we are to be humble in heart as sons; loving, esteeming and imitating the Father as He wills--in faith and obedience (John 14:15-24; Ephesians 5:1-7; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 11:6, 12:1-11; 1 Peter 1:3-9, 13-21).
1 Read the three-part post beginning January 29, 2017, Jesus, Son Of Man, under the category, The Cause.
2 See the June 6, 2021 post, Sons Of This Age, under the category, God’s Creatures.
3 See the September 20, 2020 post, What Will It Profit A Man?, under the category, The Cause.
4 The book is 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 along with its companion, The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study for in-person or virtual use in the
Strong Man Store.
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.
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