The Scourge Of Racism
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As the Holy Spirit leads, in this post I circle back to last week’s and specifically the fourth footnote to glorify God and celebrate faithful black Christians from slavery!1 The footnote challenges the lie that Civil Rights leaders after Dr. King’s death had no other option but to align themselves with liberal professed Christians rebelling against God and His Word to successfully destroy the remaining barriers of bigotry, discriminatory acts and oppressions of America’s systemic racism denying black Americans the full rights and privileges of citizenship. This action was a clear break from the faith of our faithful Christian slave forefathers and those that suffered even martyrdom during the King years.
I have heard and seen it all before as well as been guilty of it myself more than a few times in my near 47 year journey with Christ; how guilty professed Christians so easily justify the need to help God out in a situation by making choices and decisions that seem right only to discover afterward, He was not in it at all! Having lived through the years I write about, I saw how many Civil Rights leaders once so devoted to God in dependent faith, the non-violent strategies of Dr. King and suffering arising out of biblically conservative Christianity sold out to back room deals and agreements with strange bedfellows supposedly in similar need to further the cause of racial justice for black folk.
And while a little progress was enjoyed mainly among those blacks politically, educationally, socially and financially positioned to lay hold of what came trickling out of governments and big corporations, the masses remain in dire need to this day. Poverty is still the norm. Black males disproportionately overflow prisons and graveyards while black females murder their unborn at a rate higher than any other group. Also, marching to protest real and alleged racial wrong doing against blacks continues plainly demonstrating that a generation after King, leaders who made the decision to take the tack of seeking allies among those rebelling against God were mistaken (Proverbs 14:12).
According to the Bible, the foregoing is not what happens when God fights your battle! This is as king of ancient Judah, Jehoshaphat, learned when he faced the daunting reality of war with neighbor nations making up a massive force already on the march for the battle. The king as a man of faith in God did what he was supposed to do: call on the Lord and led the people to do the same (2 Chronicles 20:1-13).2 Isn’t this what was done under Dr. King? Then, the Lord answered giving instructions through a Levite, Jahaziel, He used in the moment urging all not to fear ‘“for the battle is not yours, but God’s,’” (2 Chronicles 20:14-18, NKJV). Isn’t this what was done under Dr. King?
After spending time worshipping God “with voices loud and high,” the king encouraged the people to ‘“Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.’” Then they went out marching to battle continuing to sing the Lord’s praises in worship (2 Chronicles 20:19-21, NKJV). Isn’t this what was done under Dr. King? And though they routinely suffered physical violence and incarceration, most as Christians believed they were serving the higher purposes of God He validated by convicting the nation of its oppressive evil and unjust laws tied to systemic racism and making it begin to tear these down (2 Chronicles 20:22-30).3
Even before this our faithful Christian slave forefathers looked to God in faith and waited upon Him to fight their battle for freedom. In the meantime, they prayed and sang in worship resulting in a legacy of spirituals in the thousands that serve as tangible proof of their faith in God we their descendants ignore to our detriment as the West African fathers who heard the Gospel in their native lands, but largely rejected it (Psalm 78:5-8). Having been brought to this land in chains for what God intended to only be a temporary remedial judgment to humble the hearts of many which He accomplished, through the nation’s Civil War He fought the battle for their release when its time came (Psalm 107:10-16, 39-43). He had brought us in, He would bring us out (Lamentations 3:22-42)!4
But now, what was left to be done to help our nation righteously and justly overcome the debilitating sin of racism using a humbled, faithful people of faith in God, will never be fulfilled this side of Christ’s return since those in the liberal majority and their leaders have refused His help in exchange for that of rebels against Him and His Word as it is written (Isaiah 30:1-5, 31:1-3; Jeremiah 2:9-19, 32-37).5,6 This means of course, the promise of a bright future built on rebellion against the divine order as with feminists most who also sanction the murder of the unborn, the perverted ends of those that practice same sex relations and gender confusion will be exposed for the demonic deceit it is in the face of God’s near severe judgments and coming wrath (Psalm 75; Jeremiah 25:29-32)!7
1 Read the February 25, 2024, Liberal Black Professed Christians To Lose, under the category, Black History and Call To Repent!
2 Such was also the confidence of many other biblical characters where God showed up to fight their battles including the slaves from Judah taken to Babylon, Daniel and his three companions. Read the February 27, 2022 post, Daniel: Slave Of God, under the categories Biblical Worldview and Black History.
3 Beginning with the important 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision rendering public school segregation based on race unconstitutional and following the historic non-violent activities of those with Dr. King which began in 1955, unjust racially discriminatory behavior across the nation was outlawed within ten years by na- tional government measures in 1964 with the Civil Rights Act and in 1965 the Voting Rights Act.
4 Visit this Ministry’s From Slavery To Victory Education Project Web Site for more of a biblical worldview on slavery and God’s good ends.
5 It is an egregious sin and offense to God to be unfaithful to Him (Psalm 73:27)! Just ask another king of Judah, Asa, the father of Jehoshaphat who having previously en- joyed God fighting a victorious battle for the nation (2 Chronicles 14:9-15), afterward looked to a pagan king to deliver him from the attack of a brother Israelite king (2 Chronicles 16:1-9).
6 This general judgment of God does not preclude faithful, individual black American remnant Christians from laboring alongside those of other hues in biblical conserva- tism for the cause of racial justice issues that arise with Him leading as the Ally nor pursuing racial unity within conservative evangelicalism, my appeal in The Scourge Of Racism. The printed book is available in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores. The E-Book is available at major E-Book sellers. Learn more about the book, survey some reader endorsements and see its trailer at https://www.opendoorcommin.org/featured-publishing-resource.
7 Rather than anger at me for telling the truth, why not consider that if you are reading this post it has been another gracious opportunity God has provided you to return to Him (2 Peter 3:1-9)! Watch this Ministry’s thirty minute Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on our YouTube channel.
Biblically conservative Christians know God in His eternal, spiritually transcendent Word does not shy away from presenting a relational experience with Him that is thoroughly supernatural and insists on our faith to engage in it. The writer of Hebrews at the outset makes this very clear while citing the ancient personages of faith in his chapter on the subject and soberly warns “without faith it is impossible to please Him…,” (Hebrews 11:1-7, NKJV). Thus, if to the unbeliever in and outside of professing Christianity it is hard and not very pragmatic to believe God will fight one’s battles then, consider as I do in this post, Jesus Christ, who did so and teaches His followers to do the same!1
One major reason many professed Christians eschew biblically conservative Christianity is the fact they are focused almost exclusively on and love this passing world as though it was all there is (Philippians 3:17-4:1; Colossians 3:1-4; 2 Timothy 4:9-10; 1 John 2:15-17). Biblically conservative Christians rightly hold that unless indicated by the text, Scripture is to be literally, plainly, objectively read, interpreted and applied. So, in the passages cited at the end of the first sentence in this paragraph not only is it seen worldliness has been a problem among professed Christians since the early days of the faith, but the keeping of a beyond this world heavenly focus which is to dominate.
Indeed, Jesus Christ, the Word and Son of the living God, came into this world from His eternal abode with Him (John 1:1-5, 14-18). He came on mission from His Father ultimately to save willing mankind that believe in Him from our sins, but also to plainly disclose the reality of eternal spiritual life and existence with God who lives in Heaven outside of the physical universe (John 1:6-13, 29-34, 3:1-21, 31-36, 8:21-27, 14:1-6). Christ was fully devoted in love to pleasing His Father and doing His will.2 This included saying only what the Father had taught Him to say and doing those things He had commanded (John 4:31-34, 5:16-23, 6:38-40, 7:15-18, 25-31, 8:28-30, 12:44-50, 14:28-31).
Christ’s total devotion to His Father also involved His seeking Him in prayer for direction regarding the daily course of and decisions about His work and ministry (Mark 1:35-39; Luke 6:12-16). Clearly, the Father who had been protecting and providing for Him from birth was His Son’s faithful Ally (Matthew 1:18-2:15)! The proof Christ was secure in having His Father alone as an Ally is the fact He never aligned Himself with any of the many religious and political factions of first century Judaism to help Him advance His Kingdom cause and work. He did however, call some to become His disciples and join with Him in fulfilling His cause and work (Matthew 4:17-22, 9:9, 16:13-27).
Not only had the Father been fighting victorious battles for His Son protecting Him from the many attempts to take His life (Luke 4:28-30; John 8:52-59), but Christ insisted because of their unique Oneness “the works” He had been doing were the Father’s too (John 14:7-11, NKJV). The works included raising folk from the dead on several occasions which to this day is not among the common experiences of mortal men who die (Luke 7:11-17, 8:40-56; John 11:32-44). In raising the dead or departed, the Lord showed death was not annihilation, but a separation from this natural world of mortality and portal to the eternal spiritual realm. The dead still live (Luke 20:27-40)!
From eternity Christ had trusted His Father in their plans for His entry into and departure in two parts from this world. The plan is seen first in Old Testament prophecy where through the words of David for example, the bodily death of Christ is faced by Him exercising a settled faith in God the Father successfully fighting this battle for Him. The certainty of the Father’s operation in the midst to preserve His body from enduring the natural decay of physical death and not to abandon His soul to the realm of the dead causes Christ to rejoice in hope; hope that is well rewarded in the Father raising Him to life everlasting (Psalm 16:8-11). This is all as the biblically conservative apostle Peter also affirms as fulfilled after Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and ascension to Heaven (Acts 2:22-36)!
If the Lord Jesus Christ could trust God to fight battles for Him, are you, O professed Christian, better than He that you will not? You are in sin since He wills that we follow His example. It is for this cause believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit also from Heaven who helps us and renews our thinking, priorities and focus (John 14:16-17, 25-26; Acts 2:1-4; Romans 12:1-2; Titus 3:1-7). He fights inward battles along with and for us we do not even discern as well as those that are outward with the demonic forces of this world arrayed against us (Romans 8:5-13, 26-27; Ephesians 6:10-18). Now, the Lord would have you repent unless you are intent on destroying yourself by walking willfully in your unbelief to His displeasure and disobedience which are sin (Hebrews 3:7-19).3
1 As an important background for this post, read the March 3, 2024 post, When God Fights Your Battle, under the categories Black History and Glory To God!
2 This is also the heart of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ He leads me to write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and 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.
3 Assuming you are a genuine, but backslidden professed Christian, a reversal in your direction is possible through returning to the Lord you have strayed from listening to the lies of demons coming through the many foretold false teachers (2 Peter 2:1-3). Watch this Ministry’s thirty minute Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on our YouTube channel.
How plainly narcissistic are the many demonically inspired and patently false doctrines flowing from numerous pulpits and media labeled Christian exposed in the illumination of God’s current and escalating judgment in His house! Yet again in history people claiming a connection to God must decide who speaks the truth from Him between the prophets of peace and prosperity that proclaim with zeal, “It’s your season” or those such as me calling for repentance while in real time judgment unfolds among dying churches? Since the Bible shows the immutable God consistently vindicating the prophets of judgment, the decision should be easy, but sin deceives and destroys in all seasons!
Today, megachurches are built on ear itch relief teaching as foretold that falsely has God always graciously blessing and bringing folk into their selfish season of prosperity--who would not want to hear that all of the time if it were so (2 Timothy 4:3-4)? Truly, God is gracious to bless His people sold out to Him and His cause in the Gospel beginning in their souls and despite whatever else they may lack (Philippians 4:10-14; 3 John 1-4); for Christ died on the cross to completely save sinners, impoverished souls with no hope of accessing the riches of spiritual life available in God alone (Matthew 5:3). This truth is true for believers in any nation and economy on earth!
Notwithstanding the deceitful preaching by so many of my male and female contemporaries, I declare as the Lord has commanded: repent, judgment is not for some future time far removed, but is now in progress and intensifying (Ezekiel 12:21-28)! In line with the experience of prophets such as Jeremiah who had to also contend with the contrary message of false prophets and the apostle Paul’s charge to Timothy, I stand knowing what is received as negative has never been popular and certainly is not in today’s “be happy” world (Jeremiah 6:10-15, 8:10-12; 2 Timothy 4:1-2). With the world, in fact, the very mention of the word “sin” is considered negative by many professing Christians.
Indeed, professing American Christians and those in other Western nations at this hour are not the first thinly religious people to so enjoy the pleasures of sin that they find the divine call to repentance and warning of judgment repulsive (Jeremiah 5:10-13, 28:1-17). Ancient Israel was repeatedly called to repentance and warned by her faithful prophets, but chose to ignore, persecute and murder them (Jeremiah 25:1-7, 38:1-6; Matthew 23:29-36). As the Lord Jesus points out in contrast to Israel rejecting Him--the greatest of all prophets, mighty pagan Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah (Matthew 12:38-42)! Outwardly religious Israel had the Son of God crucified.
Similarly, Foxe’s Book Of Martyrs details professing Christians and their manmade Christianity the religion have a history on par with Israel on this score. Unregenerate men more devoted to their invented forms and doctrines of Christianity have barbarically and hideously put to death those they considered heretics including the faithful souls God raised up to call them to repentance. Though they presently do not murder physically as a general rule, denominational leaders, pastors, elders and churches that resist God’s call to repentance for whatever motives do so now by maligning, shunning as outcasts and treating with hostile contempt those He sends to them as I am a witness.
Even so, hear now, this summary Word of the Lord from Ezekiel 13 to the sixth century BC “foolish prophets” of Israel that reverberates in application down to the false prophets, prophetesses and teachers of peace and prosperity in this twenty-first century (NKJV). Woe to you! You prophesy out of your own heart; having seen no vision from God, you express what has come from your own spirit in falsehood and futility. He did not send you and you lie on Him that He has spoken to you for the sake of money. The Lord’s hand is against you. Unless you repent, your name will not be written down with the righteous because you have seduced His people with your false messages and teaching of peace and prosperity to enrich yourself.
With your lies you have built a spiritually weak wall for those that follow you. This is a wall that will collapse from the storms of God’s judgment in His house and the world. Being no respecter of persons, the Lord will not spare the women either who have boldly stepped up to claim their right to speak and be heard before and in all authority over the assembly; lying on God to say He called you to do this and making Him a party to confusion and sin (1 Corinthians 14:29-37; 1 Timothy 2:11-14). Together with your male counterparts, it is your season; your season to experience the judgment of the holy God who judges us in accord with our works ostensibly born of faith, love and obedience (Jeremiah 17:9-10; John 14:15; Romans 2:5-11)! Be certain that with dying churches, your foolishness will die also.
There will be no peace in the world during this present, evil milieu except within the faithful Christian (Isaiah 26:3-4; John 14:27, 16:33); the Western economic system that made material prosperity possible, drawing to its inevitable end as well (Isaiah 24:1-13; Matthew 10:34-39, 24:7; Revelation 6:5-6). Not until the Lord, the Prince of Peace returns will there be thorough and lasting global peace and prosperity (Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-9)! Greatly blessed are the gray headed that largely fill the relative few faithful Western churches that remain. They now depart home in peace and the prosperity of their souls; removed from the troubles ahead (Psalm 116:15; Isaiah 26:20-21, 57:1-2). Let the younger faithful prepare by coming to the way of the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of our Lord Jesus Christ and the soon coming revival fire of the Holy Spirit!
On this Memorial Day I remember with the rest of our grateful nation those from all branches of the military that have died in wars from its inception. War is not a pleasant matter to consider or view even from a distance as is afforded in modern times through television. Nevertheless, God Almighty sanctioned the inclusion of men in His ongoing war with rebel angels as formally stated in Eden after our forefather and head of the human race, Adam, fell to Satan through sin (Genesis 3:1-8, 14-15). In the same breath our God announced a Champion from among us that would single handedly prevail against Satan and the entire fallen angelic realm!
The Lord Jesus Christ--Seed of the virgin, Mary--won the war as foretold by His life, ministry, death on the cross, burial, resurrection from the dead and ascension to Heaven (Luke 1:26-33, 4:14-21, 31-41; Hebrews 2:9-18, 7:25-8:2, 9:24-28). Whether aware of it or not, like it or not, those that become Christians through the Gospel about Him to this day are enlisted into the ongoing war of the ages. For though Christ has won the war, the mop up operations include bringing willing humanity to salvation and leading us to journey through this fallen world waging “the good warfare” in His victory safely to Heaven (Colossians 1:3-8, 2:11-15; 1 Timothy 1:18-20, NKJV).
Walking in the victory of Jesus Christ means that we must closely follow His example and pattern of conduct in the face of satanic warfare against Him. Even from His youth the Lord had the priority of His life settled--He would be about His “Father’s business,” (Luke 2:41-50, NKJV). As He ministered, He remained mindful that the Father’s ultimate business for Him was suffering leading to death (Luke 9:18-22). He did not sugar coat or deceive anyone then nor does He do so now; the cost to be His disciple is the same self-denying priority focus on pleasing God and doing His will to the death He had--the life of the Strong Man of God (Luke 9:23-26, 14:25-35; 2 Timothy 2:3-4)!
The Lord prepared for His final battle of suffering and death with Satan as His Father’s business for Him in three major ways: He put His affairs in order, remained resolute through prayer, and finally, submitted completely to all that the Father had allowed for Him to experience. While our Lord had no property or bills (Luke 9:58), He had made provision for His mother as required of the first born Son and spoke it from the cross (John 19:25-27). The soldiers had already taken His clothes as foretold (John 19:23-24). Following His example, every adult Christian should be living to die and simply; having all of our affairs in order as it depends on us (1 Timothy 6:7-12).
Seeing the tragedy that can unfold when there is death without a will, Christians should have at least a basic one to give direction about the distribution of property and other assets to surviving family members. Providing for our spouses and any dependents to the death is our responsibility before God as aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ (1 Timothy 5:3-16). This does not just require having life insurance or retirement income if available, but leaving as little debt as possible. Written funeral and burial plans paid in advance will be helpful too. Jesus knew when He was going to die and put His affairs in order; not knowing, we all the more should.
As our Lord embraced His coming suffering and death, we must do the same. For while He fully participated in activities beyond ministry such as weddings, dinners with friends and foes along with funerals (though He interrupted one in progress by raising the deceased to life), He was resolute in His commitment to die in His Father’s cause to save fallen mankind (Luke 13:22, 22:7-16). As the time drew very close, His resoluteness to suffer and die was fully tested on the Mount of Olives. But He prevailed over the natural, human desire to look out for self, avoid pain and live through steadfast, intense prayer as we may have to also do when our hour comes (Luke 22:39-46).
Fully surrendered and completely resolute after prayer and strengthening sent from His Father, the Lord Jesus endured being betrayed to His face by His hand-picked disciple as well as submitted to the mob that had come to take Him prisoner and Satan, who was ultimately behind the evil of that hour (Luke 22:47-53). The Lord expects His followers to imitate Him in all things including preparing for our final battle in the hour of darkness as He did. To the glory of God, the last twenty centuries are filled with the excellent testimonies of aspiring strong men and great women of God in Christ’s image who prevailed to victory in their final battle (Acts 7:54-60; Revelation 2:8-13). Many prevail every day now. May you and I go out in a manner worthy of our Lord (2 Timothy 4:6-8).1 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, “Who is on the Lord’s side?”
1 As an additional instructional resource on the topic of the Christian’s spiritual warfare, the Strong Man Store has available an audio CD series I was blessed of the Lord to proclaim entitled, We Are At War!
The stirring John Legend written song, Glory, he and rapper, Common, perform with a little help from a choir as the theme of the movie, Selma, has risen up in my heart again in the present version of the ongoing black American quest for racial acceptance. Well captured in the song and the current news images of students passionately protesting long tolerated systemic patterns of racial mistreatment in American society, its campuses and streets is the deeply troubling pathos involved in continuing to fight the many centuries long battle that cannot seem to be finally won. Even so, as the song asserts, the fight continues to be won at last when the Glory comes.
Glory is a fitting close to the film biopic, Selma, that chronicles the challenges and adversities slain Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dealt with to safely and peacefully complete a march over the Edmond Pettus Bridge into the now famous Alabama city in 1965. Such marches were the cornerstone of King’s purposeful strategy of nonviolent resistance to America’s legally sanctioned racial discrimination against blacks that also involved students peacefully sitting in at segregated eating establishments across the South. The marchers and protesters stood up carrying in their hearts the long held aspiration of our slave forefathers for freedom, equality and justice.
Recently seeing tears on some faces of University of Missouri black students as they sang, prayed and expressed themselves vocally to protest incidents of racism they felt were ignored or not considered important enough by school officials to investigate coupled with the sometimes very angry marches of those that protest under the banner, “Black Lives Matter,” caused me to easily and compassionately empathize with them. Transported to my childhood a generation ago when the activities of the Civil Rights Movement unfolded in real time on my family’s black and white television screen, I too began to tear up at the sadness that this seemingly easy to resolve struggle continues.
While I do not find every single sentiment expressed in Glory biblical, I nevertheless, greatly appreciate Legend’s recognition and incorporation of the predominant Christian faith of our people going back to slavery. Also, his song includes the fight for what should be common human decency as just, an encouragement to peaceful protest, respect for Jesus Christ as victorious after a public crucifixion and of course, the exclusively Christian hope of His glorious return to make things right as themes. In my mind, these themes enable the song to be an appropriate final anthem for the struggle to a generation forced to face the reality this fallen world will not of its own do right.
Indeed, since Legend’s song invites the wisdom of the elders into the continuing struggle in this generation, I step up. I qualify to do so now after nearly sixty years of experience being black and having the requisite mental and emotional battle scars from wounds suffered in the struggle with secular white as well as professed Christians that practice racism. First, understand as God has judged and declares in His Word, all human beings are sinners unwilling and unable to line ourselves up with His perfect standard (Romans 3:9-20). Nevertheless, God in love, grace and mercy has provided deliverance and help for the willing in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-21; Romans 3:21-26).
Obstinate white men guilty as sinners have resisted doing right from slavery because racism is not just about skin color, but guarding selfish privileges and opportunities--economic and otherwise. In light of this, consider also your generation’s wholesale embrace of the world’s sinfully invented political correctness, tolerance, multiculturalism, gender and sexual equality and how these concepts have not brought the long quest of our slave forefathers to full realization. In fact, in spite of these concepts and a very morally tolerant African-American President, your generation is still marching to protest racism! A holy God is constrained to help because so many marching are in rebellion against Him as willful sinners (Proverbs 14:34; Jeremiah 5:20-29; Romans 1:18-2:11).1
Second, understand that the resistance in guilty white men to do right and your own rebellion is not only driven by sin within, but outside forces are at work too. Ultimately, the struggle of our and all people that long for a world of love, acceptance, peace and justice is opposed by fallen angels led by Satan (Ephesians 6:12). This is why finally, the struggle will continue until the Day I am pleased to say is near; the Day when Jesus Christ, the Glory of God comes in wrath to insert Himself and His Kingdom into this world (Revelation 1:7-8, 6:12-17, 11:15-19, 19:11-16)!
Wholeheartedly come back to the biblical faith of our Christian slave and free forefathers so that you will not suffer the fate of those who mistreat you and all sinners before it is too late! For the kingdoms of fallen men and angels will be destroyed, the victory of Heaven justly won and His righteous reign rolled out! 2 Those who waited on Christ living as it pleases Him (1 Thessalonians 1:6-10, 2:10-12) will joyfully stand in that Day with elect Jews in His triumphant, eternal Kingdom (Isaiah 25:6-10a).3
1 Read the June 2015 blogs under the category, Black History.
2 Read the July 26, 2015 blog repost, Final Deliverance From The Evil Oppressor under the category, Encouragement.
3 With a learner’s heart, I challenge my fellow black American readers to set aside the convictions you may have from the worldview of a victim, to consider a biblical worldview of the enslavement and suffering of our people presented on our From Slavery To Victory Web Site; reading all the way through the brief presentation to the Victory Page. Follow this link, https://fromslaverytovictory.org/Healing/The-Journey to be taken directly to the presentation.
With the Lord, I find sadly humorous those professing Christian leaders that exalt and admire the Old Testament prophets for their at times very harsh rebuke of Israel in sin who then turn around and condemn the contemporary prophets in this New Testament era sent to them for so easily finding critical things to say about the churches in sin declaring, “God is about love.” Hypocrites! Most assuredly “God is love” (1 John 4:8, NKJV), but He is also holy, righteous and just and therefore, judges sin wherever it is found including among those who profess to know Him as His people (Hebrews 10:30-31).
It is because God loved Israel that He sent the prophets to warn them of His judgment for their sins if they might repent, but they did not (2 Chronicles 36:15-16). It is because God loves sinners that He sent Christ into the world to die for our sins so that those who believe might be removed from eternal condemnation on the condition of their continuing faith and mutual love motivated obedience (John 3:16-21, 5:24, 14:19-24; 1 John 3:4-9). Otherwise, there is no other remedy for practicing sinners whether they never place faith in Christ or “draw back” from it in disobedience (John 8:21-24; Hebrews 10:26-29, 35-39, NKJV). Even so, our gracious God is ready to forgive the repentant!
Not the proud man who stubbornly resists admitting he has been wrong, but it is the man who humbles himself in brokenness and repentance from his sins that enjoys God’s grace in forgiveness (Psalm 32:1-5, 51:16-17; Proverbs 3:34; Isaiah 57:15; James 4:4-10; 1 Peter 5:5-6). If you, Christian leader that is guilty, will not repent seeking to save face among other reasons in the flesh, be reminded that knowing the right thing to do, but refusing to do it is sin (James 4:17). Also, as you have no doubt proclaimed to others, pride and haughtiness precede destruction (Proverbs 16:18). Know too for a certainty that God has warned and called you to repentance through this His servant and yours in the 2013 blog series on worship and this edited epilogue He led me to post. As a result, I fulfill the ministry He in love for you called me to (Ezekiel 33:1-11; Romans 12:3-8; 2 Timothy 4:1-5)!
Originally Posted September 29, 2013
In wrapping up the series of blogs the Lord led me to write entitled, Worshipping God Without God beginning September 8, 2013 there were a number of things that were left unsaid that I now present in a series of short statements.
To the triune God, Maker of the heavens and the earth, my God, my hope, my joy and my life; to You be my heartfelt worship, praise and adoration for all of who You are and all of your goodness to me both now and forever--Amen! Father, there is no one greater! Lord Jesus, my Savior and Champion: how awesome You are and pleased I am to praise You forever as one eternally grateful for your work to save a wretch like me! Holy Spirit, my constant Companion and Helper: thank You for bringing the love of the triune God to me and making possible my expression of it back to You! O God, you deserve so much better than what You are being offered as worship from us on earth.
To my Jewish brothers in Christ for whom I rejoice and am well pleased to be among and share as a Gentile in God’s salvation through grace by faith effected as of a first priority for you (Romans 1:16): you are of God’s continuing elect of your people since the earliest Jewish disciples that have enjoyed the initial realization of His promises in Christ (Romans 11:1-15) who is the Son of God and David soon to return to sit on His throne at Jerusalem (Psalm 110:1-2; Matthew 22:41-46).
As He spoke to the woman at the well “salvation is of the Jews,” so is everything pertaining to it historically (John 4:22; Romans 9:1-5, NKJV) and in the prophetic future yet to be fulfilled through Christ that true worshippers among the Gentiles celebrate with you (Isaiah 49:22-23; Zechariah 8:20-23). To the extent this is not true among any Gentiles professing to be Christians, forgive their willful ignorance and very importantly, do not compromise what you know is right from God’s Word following after their corruptions especially in worship! Instead, you who have suffered double persecution, lead the way before us in what pleases God through your obedience as did your first century Jewish predecessors, the Lord’s apostles most prominent among them (Revelation 3:7-9).
To my white brothers especially of Conservative Evangelicalism who are guilty not as you judge, but God: loving me and all of your black brothers has not been given to you as an option by God. It is commanded! Therefore, all failure to love your brothers in the Body of Christ is willful disobedience. As a result, your covert racism toward black Americans (trotting all over the third world helping and taking pictures with Africans and other people of color does not remove your guilt) causes you not only to continue to offer up polluted worship to God that is rejected, but many professors of Christ among you have died and will die entering eternity without Him because of clinging to it (Matthew 7:21-23; 1 John 3:10-15).
Also, the love Christ commands is not to be just words spoken insincerely in theory, but backed up by deeds (1 John 3:16-24). Repent now so God may send Holy Ghost revival that will supply His love to the many cold, dead hearts unable to love your brothers of color as equals and on an equal basis as you love yourselves. Nevertheless, many that read this will perish refusing to obey the call to repentance because it is coming from a black man. Surely, God is wise in all of His ways (Proverbs 27:12)!
To my black brothers in all of the major denominations caught up in Christianity the religion of men passed down to you by your former masters who are guilty: you pride yourselves on being free from the control of white men. So then, who is now holding you captive to carry on all of your traditional practices that cancel out obedience to the Word of God as it is written and pollute your world renowned, enthusiastically offered worship to God; worship which only pleases you and those entertained by all of your performance not God? While it is true from God’s Word that “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17, NKJV), the Spirit will never sanction sin or lead God’s people to sin in offering worship polluted through disobedience (1 John 1:5-7).
If you are truly free in Christ, then realize you are free to serve Him faithfully and obediently as a lifestyle of worship as He requires and not just a Sunday only affair where performers help you get your happy on! Also, our Christian slave forefathers learned singing to God lifts burdened hearts not as some cathartic release induced by the singing itself, but through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in faith filled hearts fulfilling the words of Christ found in Matthew 11:25-30. Repent, therefore, from your “old time religion,” wicked ways practiced even on Sunday and any bitterness of heart toward your white brothers in Christ which has already sent many to Hell, so you may offer up an authentic worship to God (Mark 11:25-26; Hebrews 12:12-17).
Finally, to my sisters in Christ who are guilty especially those of my own race and culture that beyond question have all of the right stuff in spiritual fervor and leadership skills to lead anybody’s worship of God: repent and voluntarily relinquish your leading of the worship of the whole church! Remember the divine response to Miriam when she challenged the leadership calling of her brother, Moses, and Sapphira when she blindly followed in the sin of her husband (Numbers 12; Acts 5:1, 7-10).
Your fervor for God, desire and ability to lead His worship is not somehow wasted because He has not elected you to lead the whole church in usurpation of men whom He has chosen. Thinking like this comes from the sinful flesh; a desire to be seen and heard by mortal flesh rather than the eternal God who has put His holy fire in you and called you to honor Him first with submission in this present age (Luke 1:38)! It is not about you in performance, but it is about what God has required for His own worship (1 Corinthians 14:34-37).
As an aspiring great woman of God in the image of Christ, pleasing Him in love and obedience should be your highest concern (John 14:15). Stop letting Satan deceive you into believing out of a rebellious, worldly feminist disgruntlement that you are being short changed by glory hogging men that want the spotlight all to themselves. Woe to any man in the flesh that is doing this as a worship leader or preacher! Instead, like Miriam before her sin, joyfully lead your daughters as well as fellow sisters in the churches, prisons and scattered as lost sheep in the community who need your fervor for Christ and leadership among them (Exodus 15:20-21). Your faith, submission, self-control and service will be richly rewarded by the Lord here and now as well as eternally if you will obey!
The recent suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain along with our nation’s high suicide rate which counts a few of my relatives too, are reminders of how precious hope is as a soul resource. For this reason, there should be no doubt why Satan works hard as a lion to capture and drag so many to his lair of darkness to deceitfully convince them there is no light; no hope such that death is appealingly the only false escape. Hopelessness, loneliness, emptiness and despair can be dark and dangerous places that not even money and fame can overcome--though popular culture continues to feverishly sell the lie that these accomplishments will solve everything.
While she did not commit sudden suicide, the 2011 tragic death of Amy Winehouse I briefly wrote about in this edited repost follows after and precedes too many others of the rich and famous who died from slow death lifestyle choices that included the abuse of alcohol and drugs. Among these were the stellar entertainers Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Prince all demonstrating again that not only money and fame, but superior talents and abilities are not sufficient to resist the destructive forces of this world system waging war against human souls (Ephesians 6:12). For the record, nominal Christianity or other religions which many have cannot deliver in the war for the soul ether!
Praise God for the light of “a living hope” those of us truly in and sold out to Jesus Christ by faith have and need to be more deliberate about witnessing to others that do not know Him regardless of their status in the world (1 Peter 1:3, NKJV). Not only does the Gospel--that Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day--save our souls through faith, but we begin what is intended to be an eternal relationship with Him! This relationship with the risen Christ supplies all that a human soul needs to overcome everything that the world system uses against us in the unavoidable war of this mortal age (Genesis 3:1-15; John 16:33; 1 John 5:4-5).
Sudden or slow lifestyle suicides then, are very tragic since they are preventable by the simple, child-like decision to repent and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all one’s heart! While God has allowed for each soul to make a personal decision in this matter, the Lord Jesus is clear that those that reject Him will die in their sins to face the fate worse than any problem or issue one thought so bad in this life: His judgment seat (John 3:16-21, 36, 8:21-24; Revelation 20:11-15). For this reason, the Lord’s love in me motivates me (and I pray you too, O, Christian) to zealously preach the Gospel to the lost whatever their life station so that they can at least hear of the life giving hope available in Him alone! For truly, this life gets no easier going forward (Luke 21:25-26).
Originally Posted July 31, 2011
I with so many others all over the world was deeply affected by the death of Amy Winehouse this past week. Though I had never bought one of her CD’s or even heard a full song of hers on the radio, her death was tragic to me on so many levels. Most moving for me is the pathos that the talents of this musical giant as sizable as they were, were not enough to stave off the inner torments of her soul including despair. We have encountered this so many times throughout history among the great and those whose names will never be known except by grieving and bewildered family and friends.
Many commentators brought up the age 27 as notable for such talents of recent memory to abruptly exit from the world stage. Among them are Jimmie Hendrix and Janis Joplin of my youth. While I had only begun in those days to really pursue an interest in music and barely knew their names, I remember the sadness in pondering why they had died since they were such excellent musicians. This all came rushing back to me with the death of Ms. Winehouse. I still do not have any answers as to why now, so young with so much life potentially yet to live--nor does any other mortal.
However, as a Christian, I do now understand that our abilities, no matter how great, are not enough to give light or minister healing to our souls. The soul belongs to God and only He has the spiritual remedies we need to cope and effectively navigate through a sin darkened world. That is the first lesson for the aspiring strong man of God I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.1 Unlike those outside of Christ, we draw our strength and every other spiritual resource from Him! As such, while it is true we will all depart this world through one cause or another, despair--an affliction of the soul--is not to be one of them for the aspiring strong man or great woman of God in the image of Christ.2
1 The book is available at all major internet books sellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the Strong Man Store.
2 If you or someone you know are wrestling with thoughts of suicide or other self-destructive behaviors or want help with any number of the spiritual, mental or emotional
issues of our day, visit this resource for an important listing of hotlines some of which are Christian operated.
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