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Obedience is a distinctive character trait of the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ I write about in my book, “The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics” (view, like and share “The Strong Man Of God Book Trailer” now on God Tube). God is so serious about obedience, all disobedience is sin (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:6-11, 17-19)! Not even the Son of God got a pass on being obedient (Hebrews 5:8). Yet, many professing Christians are in rebellion against God’s Word and order as though He that is immutable has changed His mind about obedience. Over the next few weeks, I am re-posting a blog series that challenges such deceit and continues God’s call to repent in His house for the sake of restoring men and saving rebels that obey (Jude 20-23)! Originally Posted July 28, 2013
I know well the pain of disobeying God not just long ago but this past week. Every day in some way I come short of God’s glory and miss the mark of His perfect righteousness and on some days willfully disobey a clear directive of His Word. I also understand very well the continuing struggle faithful believers have to resist being selective in our obedience to certain spiritual, moral and ethical demands of Scripture such as loving neighbors or forgiving our brothers when you don’t feel like doing so or it is culturally acceptable to ignore them (“nobody obeys that”). However, the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ has no option but “to press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” even after failure upon failure (Philippians 3:14, NKJV). Indeed, it is our heartfelt resolve to please God and do His will (Colossians 1:9-12)! We are called to obey the whole Word of God as it concerns His commandments, spiritual, moral, and ethical imperatives as well as principles, precepts and exhortations. We cannot pick and choose what we will obey as it suits us. To be purposely selective in our obedience to God’s Word as so many have throughout Christian history, is to set ourselves up as superior judges of God passing judgment on His perfect righteousness. The Lord Jesus rebuked Israel’s religious educated elite for practicing selective obedience and no one will convince me He at any time has given His followers a pass (Matthew 23:23). The apostles presented us the “whole counsel of God” in Christ and we are to honor it in our lives by obedience even stumbling and fumbling in sin weakness through the flesh as we go for He has provided help through the Holy Spirit and continuing forgiveness upon our proper confession in genuine repentance (Acts 20:26-27; Romans 8:1-4, 26-27; 1 John 1:5-9, NKJV). Willful, selective obedience has stunted the spiritual growth of so many professing Christians as well as hurt their witness and the cause of Christ on earth from the first century until now. Truly, enabling societal racial double standards is among a long list of many permitted ungodly attitudes and behaviors that have been carried on with impunity by professing Christians in direct disobedience to the teaching of God’s Word. We try to pretend like all of this has really done no harm, but according to the apostle Paul speaking to proud and failed law keeping Jews, we are deceived (Romans 2:24). As one case in point, over the past century we have had many pastors willfully and defiantly disobey God’s command through the apostle Paul concerning the role and conduct of our sisters when the church is before Him in the worship assembly. One falsely held reason for this is that these men act as owners of God’s house rather than the stewards like Moses in it they have only been called to be since God in Christ is the Builder/Owner (Acts 20:28; Hebrews 3:1-6)! And like Moses, pastors too as stewards are to be found faithful in their Master’s house obeying His commands without deviation (Luke 12:42-48; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Paul teaches that our sisters are not to assert any form of leadership--preaching, speaking, teaching, leading worship etc.--in church assemblies out of reverence for God’s long standing command in the Garden of Eden that transcends the legal code given to Israel and was honored by Christ since there is no recorded instance in the Gospels where He put women in authority over men (Genesis 3:16b; Matthew 5:17-20; 1 Corinthians 11:3, 14:33-38). No matter how they arrive at giving themselves permission to do it, pastors and churches that put women into the exclusive leadership roles and responsibilities of men in whatever other ways they are obedient, have selectively chosen to disobey the consistent instruction of the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation not to do so. And now, as a result of this disobedience, churches not only showcase women Scripture readers, worship leaders and preachers, but have graduated to allowing them to serve as pastors along with those that are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender! As I write in The Strong Man Of God, many churches are today so compromised as a result of this particular act of disobedience, they are also seen as an ally to the world in its all out rebellion against God and are proud of it. To the women that truly love and would please God: do not follow after the way of selective obedience that is finally leading to severe judgment in His house (Isaiah 1:10-20; 1 Peter 4:17-18; Revelation 2:18-29). Also, do not let anyone lead you into disobedience whether it be a so-called apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, theologian, other teacher--no matter how credentialed, father or husband (Matthew 10:34-39; John 12:26, 14:15, 15:9-11). To the pastors and all professing Christians that willfully practice selectively obeying God’s Word: repent! For neither God nor His Word changes nor did He suddenly in the 20th century begin to look favorably upon disobedience (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). Also, selective obedience is not the mind nor does it in any way honor the example of Christ who was “obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross,” (Philippians 2:5-8, NKJV). Do not be deceived. The Lord does not treat our sins as they deserve, but is longsuffering and patient with us (Psalm 103:10; Romans 2:4). Finally, however, if we will not repent, He will deal with us as our Lord Jesus declares in Revelation 2:21-23. I know these truths personally, intimately and painfully as I hope I made clear in the opening of this blog. Too, as an aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ, I also know the joy of pleasing God with faithful obedience in the strength He supplies.
James, pastor of the first century Jerusalem Church writes, “to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin,” (James 4:17, NKJV). While the context involves doing the good of properly respecting the reign of God over our lives in considering any plans for a tomorrow (vs.13-16), the spiritual truth James declares can and does also more broadly apply to all similar evil instances including partial obedience by professing Christians. The repost of my 2013 blog series on obedience continues today with part one of a blog exploring the sin of partial obedience to God. Originally Posted August 4, 2013
Equally sinful as selective obedience in the eyes of God is partial obedience. Anyone that has parented children is well acquainted with the less than full compliance with a command or instruction given they can serve up out of willful disobedience. While today’s humanistic parenting requires giving children fully reasoned back stories for commands or instructions accompanied by insistent pleading, God the Father and perfect Parent is hardly seen in the Bible at all providing any explanations for His. In fact, the Lord Jesus ties the faith that pleases Heaven directly to a willingness to receive and carry out divine commands and instructions in obedience without question when He commends the Roman centurion (Matthew 8:5-13). Rather than hearts devoted in love to pleasing God the Father and Jesus as Lord in obedience to the Word, many 21st century Christians and leaders behave as children willfully seeing just how little they can obey and get away with; foolishly testing the limits of divine longsuffering and patience. In The Strong Man Of God, I write about the partial obedience of pastors in the churches they serve that for the sake of placating feminists and their sympathizers have sought to go as far as they can in putting women into men’s roles and responsibilities not only in worship, but throughout the church’s programming. I spent a brief time among them until the Lord showed me I was in sin and called me to repentance (get more details in the book). What does the Word directly and without equivocation say? The truly anointed apostle to us Gentiles, Paul, wrote: “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression,” (1 Timothy 2:11-14, NKJV). The instructions of the great apostle to his son in the ministry, Timothy, and to us are given to uphold the divine instituted mortal, human order for this age which was expressly affirmed by God to Eve in Eden (Genesis 3:16b). God’s order of the home does not end at the church steps (which is supposedly His house) or into the larger community for that matter. Therefore, for any pastor to take it upon himself to change God’s express command to Eve and the women coming after her in these latter days is willful sin indeed. Even when a pastor as I once did puts the women at a different podium to speak to honor the divine will (so we think) because she is not technically preaching or teaching or barking out commands to the men at the pastor’s pulpit, it still violates the spirit of God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation; it is a less than full hearted obedience to what we know God has commanded. Many pastors attempt to justify their partial obedience by convincing themselves there are no men that can do what needs to be done. But that does not fly with God since you can do it yourself, go get and train the men you need or eliminate the chore--much of what we do in the churches is of manmade tradition in the flesh (this includes what passes for worship and the making of announcements) not divine will and we sin putting our stuff before His commandment (Mark 7:5-13)! There are, of course, some pastors that are unwilling to obey God’s Word as it is written because they believe it is wrong and unfair to women.
In the context of God’s declaration of judgment on His people for deliberate and flagrant disobedience, the prophet Isaiah cries out: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter,” (Isaiah 5:20, NKJV)! So, now, in these latter days many pastors, elders and leaders believe God has gone sappy and no longer regards obedience as good, light and sweet. Instead of repentance from it, they call the evil, darkness and bitter of disobedience to His Word good, light and sweet. The Word of the Lord through Zechariah to the returned Jewish captives shows Isaiah’s “woe” was justified then (Zechariah 1:1-6) and is now as I cry out to irrationally deaf hears in this third repost from my 2013 blog series. Originally Posted August 11, 2013 Like the women in the spaghetti sauce commercials that after tasting the brand better than their own wonder what other bad choices they have made in life, so, we have to soberly consider what other acts of disobedience our guilty pastors and churches are committing if they can willfully disobey God’s clear commands about the exclusive service of men as leaders in the governance, worship assemblies and ministries where men are involved in His house? One of the universal truths about sin is that once you start giving place to it in one area, it becomes easier to yield to its influence in others. As an expert sinner, I can also testify that the biblical analogy of sin as yeast that spreads from one small point to infiltrate the whole lump of dough is true (1 Corinthians 5:6-8). Therefore, it causes me great concern when I see leaders willfully disobey any command of God and especially when they attempt to justify it by corrupting His Word. For example, as I write about in The Strong Man Of God, to excuse putting women into men’s leadership roles and responsibilities by declaring the apostle Paul as “not perfect” or a “captive of his historical-cultural milieu” is over the top arrogance toward the Lord’s eyewitness apostle (1 Corinthians 15:1-11) and wickedly questions whether God is truly the sovereign inspiration and Superintendent of all Scripture (Genesis 3:1; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 3:14-16). Truly, if any part of what Luke wrote in Acts about Paul and the thirteen books which make up half of the New Testament that he wrote is not expressly of the Lord (except where Paul himself says “I, not the Lord,” see 1 Corinthians 7:10-12, NKJV), then we are all fools and should immediately abandon the faith because Christianity is of fallen, sinful mortal men not the eternal God! It would be better though still bad for you, sir, to just tell the truth: you (for whatever reasons rooted in the flesh) do not want to obey the Word of God as it is plainly written. Given the deteriorating devotion to God we see in the churches today and what is coming, you probably would not lose very many members (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Hear the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ to the 1st century Jewish disciples that sat before Him and those that would come thereafter: ‘“If you love Me, keep My commandments,’” (John 14:15, NKJV). Love for God the Father and Christ is and should be the uppermost motive for the obedience of professing Christians (John 14:21-24). I remind our readers again the love Christ speaks of is not the inferior, conditional love typical of us sinful humans, but the unique, unconditional love of God that flows to and through us by the Holy Spirit who lives in every born again Christian (Romans 5:5). We love God back and each other with the divine love that is first lavished on and supplied to us! This is certainly the love that fills the heart of every faithful Christian who is also an aspiring strong man as well as great woman of God in the image of Christ. As Christ obeyed His Father’s commandments out of love for Him, so, we obey Christ out of divine love for Him (John 14:31, 15:10)! God does not lower the standard for us as saints under grace. Selective, partial and willful disobedience is sin in the sight of God and punishable by death (Romans 6:15-23). Just because we are incapable of perfect obedience due to sin, does not mean that we are not to strive with eager, determined hearts to please God and do His will through steadfast obedience. Indeed, motivated by love and helped by the fear of the Lord (fear fills in when our divine love is momentarily diminished for whatever reason), obedience is developed in the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ by Him as a basic and distinctive character trait. Progression toward perfection is accomplished in us by the Holy Spirit through many failures, discipline and time spent in the crucible of painful life experiences. God is a patient Father and Craftsman; shaping, molding and yes, hammering obedience into our new natures in Christ over time. He is also perfectly fair and does not expect the same level of steadfast obedience from babes in Christ as those that are mature. Those that are maturing as aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Christ are like the apostle Paul and display a dogged determination to be pleasing in steadfast obedience to Him (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
By the declaration of God ancient Judah was a called nation that refused to obey the Lord after hundreds of years of His longsuffering appeals through His prophets and remedial judgments. So put out with disobedient Judah was the Lord that as the time of His wrath approached, He forbid Jeremiah the prophet to intercede with Him on their behalf (Jeremiah 7:16-28). Without repentance, divine disgust with the corruptions, compromises and defiant disobedience of many professing Christians, their leaders and churches are bringing them to a similar moment in history; a moment in which religious devotion--no matter how impassioned--and activities are clearly seen as no substitute for obedience (Zechariah 7). Yet, the Church will stand obedient to God’s glorious end in Christ! Consider carefully this fourth repost the Lord gave me from my 2013 blog series on obedience. Originally Posted August 18, 2013 “Are you teaching that all pastors and church leaders that willfully disobey the clear commands of God and corrupt His Word are weak Christians?” If they are Christians at all and do so without repentance, yes, since aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Christ are characterized by steadfast obedience in pleasing God out of love. As is typical historically, this is also a reason neither I nor my book are welcome in assemblies led by such persons. They are sinning against the Lord and will not have someone come in to confirm that fact by teaching God’s Word in truth. They scoff at and are cynical toward anyone that teaches the way of love motivated obedience in Christ because they have corrupted themselves. And while they may even have large congregations and all of the outward display of worldly admired success, they are failing before God and in grave danger of sudden judgment as all others that willfully sin without repentance. The end does not justify the means especially when the end is big churches with the attending worldly admired success and the means is refusing to obey any part of God’s Word (Matthew 4:8-10, 16:24-27)! It is amazing how these proud leaders attempt to escape guilt by accusing those who cry out against their sin as “not being smarter than everybody else” that outnumbers them. This is true as it concerns mortal men (2 Chronicles 18:1-13). However, praise God for His omniscience and infinite wisdom (2 Chronicles 18:14-34)! Indeed, for the times of tribulation He foretold through His prophets, Christ and His apostles are rapidly descending on this world (Isaiah 51:17-23; Jeremiah 25:29-33; Mark 13:3-13; 2 Timothy 3:1-5). God is clear in His Word that these times leading to even great tribulation are testing and exposing the true character of every heart in and outside of the churches (Mark 13:14-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Revelation 3:7-10). Therefore, all of the leaders and people among the selectively and partially obedient as well as willfully disobedient who also shout down the message of those sent by God to turn their hearts back to Him as “gloom and doom,” face the humiliating full exposure of their spiritual weakness and the counterfeit nature of Christianity the religion in the churches going forward. For the times of tribulation are also the beginning of the final judgment God brings upon His own house (Proverbs 16:5, 18; 1 Peter 4:17-18). Truly, only the strong in the strength God supplies His faithful and steadfastly obedient ones will persevere through the times of tribulation ahead to salvation and eternal glory (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17)! It is for this reason that like an air bomber flying through persistent flak to reach its target, I also press faithfully in Christ through the opposition of faithless and disobedient professing Christians and their leaders to deliver His unchanging call to repentance and faithful discipleship rooted in the strong man of God message (Luke 9:57-62, 14:25-35). With the heart of Christ my heart is deeply grieved over the foretold disgraceful carnage and spiritual damage done to this hour (and yet to be done) to His cause on earth by the many churches filled with disobedient and weak leaders and members in compromise that practice manmade Christianity the religion. Nevertheless, I am joyfully encouraged that Scripture also foretells the victory of Christ’s Church (Matthew 16:18). This is the eternally enduring house being built by God in Christ for His indwelling who also serve as priests under Christ that through the Spirit offer up spiritual sacrifices of steadfast obedience and service through times of tribulation (Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 3:4-6, 10:19-25; 1 Peter 2:1-10, 3:13-17). Such persons make up the universal assembly of Christians, the true Church on earth; aspiring strong men and great women of God that faithfully, accurately and honorably represent Christ in their obedience to the death; to the last ones standing triumphantly as a tiny remnant at His glorious appearing (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12; Revelation 12:10-11). This Church is not confined to buildings made with human hands that can be destroyed as has occurred in history (though we have assembled together locally in such structures since the 1st century--see, for example, Acts 1:12-14, 2:1-2, 44-47 and Romans 16:3-5) and will be the case in the time of the Antichrist with divine permission as judgment on Christianity the religion’s houses of confusion (Revelation 14:8, 17:1-18:24). This is the only Church that will be left standing after the divine judgments upon the whole world that are leading to wrath and the complete destruction of the evil kingdom that now governs it at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ with the Kingdom of God (Revelation 19:4-6)!
I want to apologize to anyone that sought to read last Sunday’s post anytime between Thursday, September 18th and Friday the 19th. This past week we experienced a satanically instigated abrupt knocking offline of our Web Site through human agency. We had to repost all of our blogs from the end of June through last Sunday. This is the second time this year the enemy has attacked us in this way. Please pray for us as we continue to repair our Web Site as well as press on declaring and teaching God’s Word! The following blog is the conclusion of a blog repost in my 2013 blog series on obedience. Originally Posted August 4, 2013 In my book, the Lord leads me to warn that partial obedience is total disobedience in His sight. I cite the example of king Saul in 1 Samuel 15. He was commanded by God to completely destroy the people of Amalek including women, children and their animals (vs. 1-3). Please note that Saul did not demand that God explain why, but rightly “heeded” (NKJV) as the prophet Samuel directed without question in starting out (vs. 4-5). This is because he and every Israelite knew of God’s long standing declaration of judgment on the Amalekites for an unprovoked attack on Israel when they came out of Egypt (Exodus 17:8-16; vs. 6). Saul went forth on the divine mission but did not destroy everyone and everything as God commanded because he and the people were “unwilling” (vs. 7-9, NKJV). God’s reaction was one of regret that He had made Saul king and assessed his actions as unfaithful and disobedient (vs.10-11). In spite of Saul’s self-congratulatory and deceptive insistence that he had been obedient but only kept some choice animals to sacrifice to the Lord, Samuel disagrees (vs. 12-21) and confronts him with the Lord’s displeasure. Let every pastor and Christian fully hear what Samuel says to Saul in the face of his partial obedience: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king,” (vs. 22-23, NKJV). Not only did God through the prophet condemn Saul’s partial obedience as complete disobedience, but He also judged it as though it was too since He took the kingdom from him. While Saul finally conceded he had disobeyed God because he said, “I feared the people and obeyed their voice” (sound familiar?) in what for him was a little thing, God did not rescind His judgment and remained displeased with Saul the rest of his life (vs. 24-35, NKJV). From Adam in Eden and forever, obedience to God’s will is mandatory not optional or contingent on whether we get the full back story (you already know God has made men leaders in their house and His) or agree with it or not (God has not asked any man for his opinion--see Job 38-42:6 and consider afresh Romans 9:20). Therefore, every pastor and church that believes they have found a loop hole in or a place of permission through corrupting God’s Word to put women in the places of leadership God in accord with His order from the creation of man has ordained for men only are deceived and standing in the place of His severe judgment for your total disobedience unless you repent! Truly, king Saul and Israel in the Bible serve as a sober warning and our example in everything concerning rebellion (1 Corinthians 10:1-11; Hebrews 3:7-19). And foolish and deceived are those that teach that because of the cross, God no longer punishes His people. You deserve every bit of time you spend in God’s woodshed for telling that lie (Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:3-11) instead of teaching, exhorting and warning Christians that the immutable God will allow no one professing to be a Christian to long make a mockery of the cross through willful sinning. If however, temporal discipline will not lead to your repentance, then He who judges His people will bring on you His eternal judgment (Proverbs 29:1; Hebrews 10:26-31)!
Home teams all over the world display such a loyalty to their religiously devoted, fan filled sports fields and arenas they call them “our house.” As in war among nations, these warriors set about to defend the honor of their house by winning. If it is so among fallen, sinful men in their world of play, how infinitely greater in sincerity and loyalty is the living God to defend the honor of His house by insisting on the obedience to His will or judgment of those related to Him by covenant (Jeremiah 11:1-17; Hebrews 8:7-13, 10:5-18, 26-31)? Like ancient Israel, professing Western Christians today do not want to hear the truth about God’s displeasure with the disobedience in and unfolding judgment of His house (Jeremiah 11:18-23). It showed early and fully by the time I shared this fifth and concluding blog of the 2013 series on obedience--you have done much better this year. Originally Posted August 25, 2013 Judging by how our number of readers temporarily plummeted after the Lord led me to start talking about obedience and relating it to the issue of women in the churches, I know that I hit a raw nerve. This is not surprising since not only do I sit on the sidelines of shepherding a local church because of holding true to what God’s Word says on these two related topics, but my book is also considered controversial. Hallelujah! I have been counted worthy to follow in the footsteps of all God’s Old Testament prophets, the Lord Jesus and His apostles in holding true to the written Word against the corruptions of impostors, the selectively, partially and willfully disobedient, backsliders as well as religious folk that are more concerned with their traditions practiced in a manmade form of Christianity. Therefore, to those who have come back again this past week, thank you for your Berean heart that no doubt found after carefully reading the Scriptures (our absolute final source of authority for the faith and its practice), that what I have been writing--however unpopular and disobeyed in these latter days--is true (Acts 17:10-12). Those of us who are in Christ individually and corporately assembled belong to God! His Kingdom come arrives in our hearts at the moment of new birth (John 3:1-8). Each of us spirit, soul and body instantly become a temple or if you will, house where God lives and rules. God by right of purchase and rule owns us so that we no longer do as we please, but as it pleases Him (John 2:19-22; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:9-20). Indeed, we each are also made members of the “household of God” and are brought together and being built together by Him “on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone…into a holy temple…for a (eternal) dwelling place of God in the Spirit,” (Ephesians 2:19-22, NKJV). So, whether it is our individual person or when we assemble together in local churches on earth, we are God’s house where the Father is the Supreme Head and Sovereign, Jesus is Lord and the Holy Spirit in power enables our experience of these realities! As a result, the churches and members that make them up are rejecting the rule of God when they willfully disobey His Word. Twenty-first century Western Christians and their churches in large measure are taking their cues from and following after the world so they can be liked and fill auditoriums. But we were never called to be liked by the world or fill auditoriums. In spite of the world’s hostile opposition, we were commanded to make, baptize and teach disciples as Christ’s heralds proclaiming the Gospel and witnesses (Matthew 10:16-26, 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). And while we are certainly to care enough about lost souls to be winsome in finding a convenient way to connect with them in our proclamation and witnessing (1 Corinthians 9:19-23), we were never commanded to corrupt or compromise God’s Word to win them. This is what happens when we forget whose house we are and start operating in the flesh rather than in the Spirit to be a house unto ourselves. Now, in these latter days, the world’s will, way and views hold sway in so many professing Christians and their churches to such an extent that when the truth of God’s Word is declared these folk get angry because their sin is revealed; or did you not know that all disobedience is sin? As it concerns our cause to restore men, you cannot do so properly unless you also restore them fully in their roles and responsibilities in the home, churches and the larger worldly society if they would have it. Our priority in restoration is the individual man followed closely by the churches they need to be a part of to grow in the faith and their understanding of the life of the strong man of God. If the churches are messed up in confusion and disobedience, then how will these men make any headway toward growth and developing into aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ? Those that have come to this blog, considered my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, our Web Site etc. and applaud the attempt to restore men without also appreciating the important role the local church has to be a facilitator in obedience rather than a destroyer in disobedience have missed God. He seeks to restore men, their families and communities which include the local assembly of believers that form His corporate house where in obedience to the divine commandment, men serve in leadership! Rather than anger and offense, then, let every pastor, church leader and professing Christian reading this recognize pleasing God is the uppermost aim you should have in life and repent if you and the church you serve are in disobedience. It is hypocritical and an incomplete restoration of men to teach them that they are the heads of their families, then have them come to church where their wives, daughters and other women usurp them contrary to the order of God’s house (Genesis 3:1-6, 16b, 17a; 1 Corinthians 11:3, 14:33-40; Ephesians 5:22-24; Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 1 Peter 3:1-6). It should not be astonishing that in a final explosion of lawlessness and rebellion against God foretold for these latter days that women and their male sympathizers should be among the ranks of the rebels (Psalm 2:1-3). Be that as it may, I exhort every man and woman professing to be a Christian to give serious consideration as to whether you really want to be among them when as is also foretold, God begins to respond in ways that are indisputably coming from Him (Jeremiah 30:23-24). Time is getting short; for the sake of men, their families and communities repent from disobedience to God’s Word in worldly compromise in the churches and return to Him who is the faithful Son over God’s house; “whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end,” (Hebrews 3:5-6, NKJV).
Like the proverbial sweater that unravels from one loose thread, so, the disobedience of one pastor, group of elders, other church leaders and teachers unchecked leads to the disobedience of the many spreading eventually to other churches and beyond. As it is written, “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore, purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened,” (1 Corinthians 5:6-7, NKJV). Yet, in these latter days first one then another among those serving as leaders and teachers in American churches have backed away from full obedience to the Word of God on some issue for any number of evil motives.
These disobedient men (and now women in keeping with the rebellious times) continue to loudly profess their undying love for Jesus while they openly parade their disobedience; deridingly labeling those of us sent by God to cry out against their sin “Pharisees” and my personal favorite, “narrow minded.” (Thank You, Jesus, my detractors confirm I have entered “by the narrow gate” as You have taught—Matthew 7:13-14, NKJV!) On His side the Lord has given a definition and set the standard for the real demonstration of love for Him as I write about in this week’s blog. You will note that this blog and the four that follow serve as my uncompromised stand for the family and men as God’s chosen leaders embodied in the cause of the strong man of God and building toward the pre-first release in June 2011 of The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.
Originally Published February 2011
One of the four distinctive characteristics of the strong man of God I have been led of Him to teach and write about in the forthcoming book is that he obeys God to the death. As perfectly modeled by Jesus Christ--the Strong Man of God, steadfast obedience to God's Word is driven by a love motivated desire to please Him and do His will! It is not about being overly strict or legalistic to obey what is plainly taught as God's will in His Word. It is about truly knowing and loving Him. Since He intimately knew and loved His Father, Jesus Christ set His heart to obey His Word and do His will in everything even to His death on the cross (John 3:35, 8:29, 48-58, 10:30, 14:30-31, 18:1-11).
Every man that will follow Jesus Christ and be a strong man of God in His image displays the same characteristic of obedience to the Word of God unto death. The motive for such obedience is the same as it was tor the Lord Jesus: love for God. The Lord Jesus very directly and clearly taught those who would be His disciples, “If you love Me, keep My commandments,” (John 14:15, NKJV). It is so simple and plain that even a little child can understand this. Yet, in these near the end of this world system days, in and out of churches all over America are professing Christians that claim to love the Lord, but are willfully disobeying His Word.
In no way is this disobedience more apparent than in what is going on in so many professing Christian homes and the churches where God's Word on male and female roles, marriage and family has been cast aside and discarded as outdated. This is done to keep in step with the world and because God's Word is seen as an impediment to personal freedom, ambition and happiness. The fact that this rejection of God's Word is causing devastating family and social ruin does not seem to bother the rebels taught as they are by demons (1 Timothy 4:1). It is also laying the groundwork for the ultimate fulfillment of Psalm 2:1-3--a prophetic Word given by God millennia ago.
Whoever is on the Lord’s side does not take their instruction from Him and demons too (1 Corinthians 10:21-22)! Indeed, every aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ and on His side faithfully honors and obeys His Word bound up in seven major pillars as it concerns human existence and social organization in this present age.
1. Man the creature has been created by God with purpose--Genesis 1:26-28.
2. Marriage has come from God as a gift to man and instrument for fulfilling His pur-
poses in this present age--Genesis 2:18-25.
3. Marriage is intended by God to be a lifelong commitment between a man and a
woman. Divorce is acceptable only on the grounds the Lord gives in His written
Word--Matthew 19:3-9; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16.
4. All sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is sin before the Lord--
1 Corinthians 6:9-7:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.
5. God has permanently ordained in this age that a married man is the head of his
wife and family--Genesis 2:7-8, 3:16b; 1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-9; Ephesians 5:22-24;
1 Peter 3:1-7.
6. In God's order, male headship is to be honored beyond the home and especially in
the churches which belong to Him--Matthew 16:15-18; 1 Corinthians 14:33-40;
1 Timothy 2:11-15.
7. Children are a blessing from the Lord even when they come outside of the marital
bond. Their lives begin at conception and they are not to be murdered in or outside
of the womb--Psalm 127:3-5, 139:13-18; Matthew 19:13-15.
These seven pillars erected from God's Word are indisputably plain and straight forward. Therefore, any man--president, apostle, prophet, bishop, pastor, preacher, priest or teacher--that teaches otherwise is not operating on the Lord's side no matter how much they profess to love Him. For He has taught our love is shown by our obedience (John 14:15, 21-24). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
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