The title of this Blog is a question of contempt thought of me by some blacks and whites over the years I have served the Lord in ministry. A few blacks have actually uttered the question to my face!1 My question is what makes any fallen, sinful human being right? Truly, as President Abraham Lincoln also observed only “God is always right,” (Deuteronomy 32:1-4; Psalm 145:17).2 Likewise, the Word of the Lord stands perfectly and eternally right (Psalm 19:7-11; Hosea 14:9)! So, my two-part reply to my inquisitors is first, I and anyone else are right when we accurately repeat what God says in the now, that also agrees with His written Word objectively interpreted and applied.
Second, in all humility before the Lord because I believe the testimony of Scripture about who He is, I fear Him and to misrepresent His Person, nature, character, demeanor or words spoken to me or written in His Holy Word (Exodus 20:18-21; Isaiah 6:1-5; Ezekiel 1:26-28; Acts 9:1-6; Revelation 1:9-18). Yes, I fear God the way a mortal son honors and fears to disobey his father. While I get that “perfect love casts out fear” as it concerns “the day of judgment,”3 “fear of the Lord” causes me to give Him the full awe and reverence embodied in the expression and to reap its promised benefits (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7, 14:26-27, 16:6; 1 John 4:17-19, NKJV).
In making my two-part reply to the question of contempt, I am by no means asserting a foolish and arrogant claim to infallibility!4 However, I am assuring those that care I do not take my life in and assignment from the Lord lightly as a watchman/prophet and teacher in His Body (Ezekiel 33:1-9; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Ephesians 4:7-16). I have written about my gifts, calling and ministry many times.5 So, I will not spend time in this short post repeating the same things to those who really could care less about what makes me right. They will still perilously "refuse" to give heed as has always been the case with rebels that profess to be God’s people (Ezekiel 2-3:11, NKJV).
Surely though, the proclamation and teaching the Lord has given me from His Word over the years stand as perpetual evidence of His righteousness on display through me! Since His Word endures forever, it will never fail to be good, right and true (Isaiah 40:8)! For this cause, I rejoice that our Ministry is about to again Webcast the From Slavery To Victory: One Man’s Journey Radio Special on the occasion of the thirty year anniversary of its premiere on a Dallas, Texas radio station during Black History Month 1993.6 With thanks to God, I was used of Him to write, produce and speak in this docu-drama in similitude to Ezekiel, the model for my ministry (Ezekiel 11:24-12:16).7
The following year the radio special won an award and became the flagship program launching The From Slavery To Victory Education Project conducted by Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. on Juneteenth. In its original form, the program was distributed by compact disc and heard on radio stations around the nation. Thirty years after the initial February 20 and 21, 1993 premiere, I have no cause to take back anything I wrote or voiced in the program’s historical or prophetic content that is verifiably accurate (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)! This is because God and His Word which are always right mightily permeate it to His glory! By His grace as I have recently testified, God has delivered me from affliction that I may continue to declare His Word and works in righteousness!8
1 Such persons should be warned the Lord “heard” and will hear you as He did Miriam and was not pleased that His servant was assailed (Numbers 12, NKJV).
2 See the quote from President Lincoln.
3 The apostle John’s use of the phrase “perfect love” is the same as the Lord‘s “love” who he heard specifically tie to obedience (John 14:15-24, NKJV). Consequently, the apostle’s assertion that because of “perfect love” believers have no fear of the coming judgment day assumes faithful obedience to Christ to include properly dealing with our sins as they occur or are disclosed by the convicting work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11; 1 John 1:5-2:2).
4 The fear of the Lord, daily walk with Him, His instruction and work in my life since 1977 (Psalm 119:33-40) has made me humble enough before Him to publicly confess and repent of any error from not having heard Him correctly or “rightly dividing the Word of truth” if it becomes necessary. To avoid this, I do not typically open mouth un- til I have reflected before the Lord and His Word (Proverbs 15:28; 2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV). That said, at His command neither do I engage in any false humility concern- ing or apologize for the knowledge and understanding He has “taught me” to placate proud men who cannot endure anyone who appears to know or think he knows more than they do (Psalm 119:97-104, NKJV)!
5 Read for example, the October 2, 2016 post, Gifted With A Prophet’s Heart, under the category, Call To Repent and posted February 17, 2019, Surrendering All To Jesus, under the category, Glory to God!
6 The exact roll out date and time of the Webcast is still to be announced. Meanwhile, prepare for it by listening to interviews conducted with me about the radio special on The From SlaveryTo Victory Education Project Web Site.
7 See the March 6, 2022 post, Ezekiel: Slave Of God, under the category, Glory To God!
8 Watch the less than thirty minute Bible Instruction video message the Lord gave me to proclaim in view of His promised deliverance from Prostate Cancer on our Strong Man Virtual Institute Channel, Afflicted For God’s Good Ends!
So then, faithful born again Christians are not supposed to be struggling with why we would suffer persecution even to the death for being followers of Jesus Christ! Christ being our example in everything led me beginning November 27, 2022 to write consecutive posts through January 8, 2023 holding up His willingness in attitude from eternity to suffer persecution to the death and His experience of it for God’s cause of salvation. Completely identifying with Christ, our cause in profound gratitude to be saved and love for Him is to be willing to suffer persecution to the death if called upon as a witness to the world of the Gospel’s power to save and for the glory of God (Revelation 12:11)!1
Many of the professed Christians struggling with the biblically taught, prophetically foretold, historically demonstrated and currently ongoing reality of persecution for the faith to the death are sadly, impostors. Others are superficial and weak in the faith for various reasons including not being properly taught in the churches they attend. They are ready to fall away at the least bit of persecution related suffering “because of the word.” Still others are distracted and preoccupied with “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.” Not a few such as religionists who have their own “form” of Christianity are in fearful denial (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; 2 Timothy 3:1-12, NKJV).
Nevertheless, when the Lord granted and announced to His persecutors bent on killing Him ‘“this is your hour, and the power of darkness,’” this period of hatred driven persecution He foretold that began with Him commenced and has continued for His followers nearly two millennia (Luke 21:17, 22:53; John 15:18-19, NKJV). It will not end until His Second Coming (2 Thessalonians 1:3-10)! While the extent and severity of persecution has ebbed and flowed over the centuries, some observers suggest the uptick of martyrdoms in the 20th century was more than all of the previous centuries together!2 A number believe all forms of persecution this 21st century are the worst ever.3
However bad it is now, Bible prophecy assures us that even more hate-filled, intensely oppressive, violent, murderous and widespread persecution is coming upon the saints from among all nations (Matthew 24:9) and finally the Antichrist (Daniel 7:15-25; 8:23-25, 11:31; Matthew 24:15-22).4 Indeed, wherever Christians have been persecuted “for” His “name’s sake,” most frequently over the centuries up to now, it has involved various governing and religious authorities to include professed Christians just as the Lord warned (Luke 21:12, NKJV).5 Such times, He instructs, are an opportunity to testify with the Holy Spirit’s help requiring no need to worry about what to say (Luke 21:13-15).
Perhaps the most mentally and emotionally disturbing thing to consider is the Lord’s warning too, of being persecuted and betrayed to the death by family and friends (Luke 21:16). As I wrote in a previous post in this series, the Lord was persecuted by His brothers and betrayed to His death by a friend.6 I understand betrayal by friends to the death since most of us will have very few in a lifetime that are of the depth and caliber of Jonathan to David (1 Samuel 19-20). I have had my share of even professed Christian friends betray me for whatever motives. And while troubling to contemplate, having had family strife over Christ as He warns, I know betrayal is possible too (Matthew 10:34-39)!7
The faithful are to understand and take comfort in the fact evil mankind and the devil have been permitted their hour to persecute first our Lord Jesus and us afterward by God! So, we are to endure it as testing knowing that there is good that comes out of it for us including divine blessing and reward (Matthew 5:10-12; Luke 6:22-23; Romans 5:1-5, 8:18-39; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; James 1:1-8; 1 Peter 1:1-12, 2:18-25, 3:13-17, 4:12-19; Revelation 2:25-29, 14:9-13). They are all taking their best shot, but in the end, we remain standing even in spite of death because Christ who died and rose again immortal, enables us to do the same (1 Corinthians 6:14, 15:50-57; 2 Timothy 1:8-12)! Thus, if it must be, let us go out like and for Him as many of our brethren have done, are doing and will do.8
1 This is precisely the heart of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore and the Strong Man Store.
2 Read the 2010 Christianity.com article by Dan Wooding, Modern Christianity.
3 See the 2023 World Watch List produced by Open Doors International and cited in a Christianity Today article. Also, read the November 29, 2020 post the Lord led me to write discussing the rising persecution of Christians in our own nation entitled, Persecution Of American Christians Intensifying, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 Let it sink down into our hearts: this hour granted to evil men and demons to persecute the saints is moving toward its foretold climax (Revelation 13)!
5 Professed Christians among Catholics and Protestants in history have violently persecuted the Lord’s saints and prophets and martyred many as heretics wickedly going far beyond the authority of Scripture (Revelation 17:1-6).
6 Read the January 8, 2023 post, Christ Persecuted To The Death, under the category, Instruction.
7 See the two-part post beginning May 24, 2020, Persecution, Hatred And Betrayal, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
8 Christ with humble submission to God and resolute determination after prayer went to the cross and expects His faithful to follow His example in the face of our own cross (Mark 8:31-38, 14:32-50).
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