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1 Kings 12:24 (NKJV)

²⁴ ‘Thus says the Lord: “You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel. Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.” ’ ” Therefore they obeyed the word of the Lord, and turned back, according to the word of the Lord.

The purpose of this article is to build up the Body of Christ, His church, purchased with His blood. It’s because so many people who claim to be disciples in Christ are passionate about celebrating a part of history that should be remembered, but NOT celebrated.

They celebrate a heritage and culture that thrived from…

The enslavement of Black people…

The institutionalized and accepted rape of Black women…

The separation of fathers, mothers and children who were sold away from one another…

Profiting from forced labor.

Yes, they said it was for ‘States Rights’, but we all know the underpinning right for which the so-called “War of Northern Aggression” was fought.

Many of the same people who complain about our flag and military being disrespected celebrate the violent protest that fought against that same flag and military because they arrogantly have judged their cause to be more noble.

The Confederacy was another country, with it’s own constitution, it’s own government, it’s own currency, it’s own flag, its’ own military…it was treason.

Many of these same people who revere everything above to the point of worship, claim to be Christians. How could they have missed this verse…

Exodus 21:16  (ESV)

¹⁶ “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

I encourage anyone who claims to love the God of our salvation, Yah, Adonai, our Elohim, the Father of our Lord and Savior, Yeshua the Messiah, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Living Word, Jesus Christ to carefully read through the Old Testament.

Notice that the Nation of Israel was split into two kingdoms because of the sin of Rehaboam, which was a heritage of his father, Solomon’s disobedience in his old age…

1 Kings 12:15  (NKJV)

¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from the Lord, that He might fulfill His word, which the Lord had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

God forbade them to fight one another…

1 Kings 12:21-24  (NKJV)

²¹ And when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah with the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. ²² But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, ²³ “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying, ²⁴ ‘Thus says the Lord: “You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel. Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.” ’ ” Therefore they obeyed the word of the Lord, and turned back, according to the word of the Lord.

There were subsequently several battles between the northern and southern kingdoms during the reigns of the kings of both kingdoms. Here are a few of the verses…

1 Kings 15:1-6  (NKJV)

15 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. ² He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maachah the granddaughter of Abishalom. ³ And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; his heart was not ^[a]loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. ⁴ Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him and by establishing Jerusalem; ⁵ because David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. ⁶ And there was war between ^[b]Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.

1 Kings 15:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

2 Kings 14:11-12 (NKJV)

¹¹ But Amaziah would not heed. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went out; so he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. ¹² And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent.

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You will not find one verse in the bible CELEBRATING any of the civil wars between Israel and Judah! Are they documented? Yes. Are they celebrated? No. Are there statues and memorials? NO!

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This is one of the reasons that God forbade graven images…

Exodus 20:4-5  (NKJV)

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; ⁵ you shall not bow down to them nor ^[a]serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting^[b] the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Notice verse 4 says don’t make them. That’s one complete thought. Then, verse 5 says don’t worship them…that’s an extension of that thought. Don’t make them, then don’t worship them. Why?

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Because God knows us. Too many times passion and respect unintentionally becomes worship. Especially when someone else doesn’t share your perspective or level of reverence.

God is sovereign. As a Black man, I’m thankful that the South did not win. Just as Israel was enslaved in Egypt for 400 years, so were Black people in what became the United States. When God chose, He released Israel from their bondage, and he did the same in America.

If you believe God is sovereign, then you have to accept the fact that IF GOD WANTED THE CONFEDERACY TO WIN, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE.

Again, this post is to equip and build up the Body of Christ. If it for some reason makes you angry, ask yourself which spirit is provoking your anger.

CELEBRATING WHAT WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF PART 1…THE CIVIL WAR.

THE HYPOCRISY IN WHICH ‘RIOTS’ ARE TO BE RESPECTED (IT’S ALL ABOUT THE NARRATIVE)…

WHAT THOSE WHO CELEBRATE THE CONFEDERACY HAVE IN COMMON WITH COLIN KAEPERNICK…

FUNNY HOW IT’S CONSIDERED ‘WHINING’ UNTIL IT’S SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO YOU…

FOR THOSE WHO SAYS THE BIBLE ‘JUSTIFIES’ SLAVERY…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Life can get overwhelming. And, not just the consequences of sin, but the effects of your calling…

Philippians 1:29 (NKJV)

²⁹ For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

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God sometimes puts all of His children in situations where all they have to go on is faith. And, He knows how difficult it can be…

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Matthew 26:41 (NKJV)

⁴¹ Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Psalm 103:13-14 N (NKJV)

¹³ As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
¹⁴ For He ^[a]knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

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God knows trusting Him isn’t always easy.

So don’t feel like you have let Him down when you have your weak, human moments. As long as you snap out of them and acknowledge that you love Him and trust Him…

Psalm 13 (NKJV)

How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
² How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

³ Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes,
Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
⁴ Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

⁵ But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Remember how troubled He was while He was in the garden before He was betrayed…

Psalm 103:13-14 (NKJV)

¹³ As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
¹⁴ For He ^[a]knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

He was troubled, but focused.

And, remember what our Lord and Savior said on the cross…

Matthew 27:46 (NKJV)

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

His cry didn’t mean that He didn’t trust the Father, it just meant He had one last human moment.

If Jesus had human moments that weren’t sin, He knows you will too, and understands.

Trust God my friends.

This may also bless you: HOW TO TURN YOUR PITY PARTY INTO A PRAISE PARTY…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

So many people today equate humility to weakness. Our society values arrogance, self-indulgence, retribution, revenge, retaliation, aggression, threats and what is perceived as loud, strong words…all of this is the fruit of pride. And, we know what pride does to our relationship with God…

James 4:6  (NKJV)

⁶ But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

Even in our movies, people celebrate when the so-called ‘nerd’ finally stands up to the bully and ‘knocks him out’ to the applause of everyone watching.

That’s not what happened on the cross.

Yeshua, Christ Jesus, humbled Himself to open and public humiliation for our sins…

Hebrews 12:2  (NKJV)

² looking unto Jesus, the ^[a]author and ^[b]finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 Isaiah 53:3-12  (NKJV)

³ He is despised and ^[a]rejected by men,
A Man of ^[b]sorrows and acquainted with ^[c]grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

⁴ Surely He has borne our ^[d]griefs
And carried our ^[e]sorrows;
Yet we ^[f]esteemed Him stricken,
^[g]Smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But He was wounded^[h] for our transgressions,
He was ^[i]bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes^[j] we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord ^[k]has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
⁸ He was taken from ^[l]prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
⁹ And ^[m]they made His grave with the wicked—
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it pleased the Lord to ^[n]bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
^11 [o]He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
¹² Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the ^[p]spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.

 God demands humility from His children. Humility is a sign of having faith in Him and the rejection of pride.

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God loves us enough sometimes to humble us when we refuse to humble ourselves…but it can be very painful and humiliating.

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When God humbles us, He isn’t trying to hurt us, but He is trying to help us to develop our character and walk in His Spirit. It’s a form of discipline, similar to when…

A parent has to punish a child in front of other children,

When a teacher or coach has to reprimand a student in front of others,

Or even when we’ve passed several cars speeding only to have them catch up to us while we are pulled over by an officer.

So NEVER, and I mean NEVER ask God to humble you. Just as we are encouraged in the book of James, humble yourselves so God does not have to do it for you. Don’t worry, it comes with a beautiful promise.

James 4:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

It’s amazing how God allows issues to arise to show what’s in people’s hearts, both good and bad. God knows what’s in our hearts…

1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

I have to admit that one of my pet peeves is when someone retorts the assertion that ‘BLACK LIVES MATTER’ with ‘ALL LIVES MATTER’ as if they are mutually exclusive.

You all know what mutually exclusive means. That two events or things can’t take place at the same time…

YOU CAN’T turn both right and left at the same time…they’re mutually exclusive.

YOU CAN’T flip a coin and have ‘heads’ and ‘tails’ at the same time…they’re mutually exclusive.

YOU CAN’T serve God and money at the same time…they’re mutually exclusive.

YOU CAN’T go to heaven and hell at the same time… they’re mutually exclusive.

Matthew 6:24 (NKJV)

^{24 (A)}“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. ^(B)You cannot serve God and ^[a]mammon.

However, YOU CAN be both hungry and thirsty at the same time… not mutually exclusive.

YOU CAN love your son and daughter at the same time…not mutually exclusive.

GOD IS a God of love and a God of wrath at the same time…not mutually exclusive.

Both Black lives, all lives and blue lives can happen at the same time…not mutually exclusive.

What motivates that initial retort when someone says “Black Lives Matter?” When people say encourage 2020 graduates because they were cheated out of the normal pomp and circumstance does not mean other graduates or other students don’t matter. When someone says show respect to senior citizens that doesn’t mean other citizens don’t matter. When Jesus says blessed are the poor in spirit, does that mean everyone else isn’t blessed? That doesn’t even enter our minds.

Could it be that the “BLACK LIVES MATTER”statement offends some people because of some hidden, unacknowledged racism in their hearts? Are they trying to ‘muddy the waters’ because the narrative they prefer is being challenged?

Racism is a lot like high blood pressure. Many people don’t know they have it until it affects their heart.

During the Civil Rights movement, the need for equal rights and equity was not mutually exclusive from any problems within the Black community. So, the need to address the brutality of some police officers and systematic racism within the system doesn’t have to be silenced because of Black on Black crime (I hear this argument all the time, ‘where are the protests about Black on Black crime’).

It it easy to see the people who would have criticized Dr. King and the countless unknown heroes of the Civil Rights Movement if they had been living then.

It’s easy to see who would have criticized Yeshua as He challenged the system and traditions of that time.

Yes, BLACK LIVES MATTER and ALL LIVES MATTER…all at the same time.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

There are many atheists and skeptics who say that religion was created to control the masses.

As a Black man, I often hear others say how can you believe in a God that was forced on your ancestors by the slavemaster. They forget or ignore that the bible did not originate with Europeans, but that’s another discussion.

Once some people are convinced their particular view is correct, they claim everyone else is BRAINWASHED.

It’s amazing how one can assume you haven’t studied history for yourself and that you’re being naive.

There are plenty of believers like myself who are educated, have studied history, have studied other cultures and still choose to believe in the Lord God of Israel from Everlasting to Everlasting through His Son and our Savior Yeshua, Christ Jesus, The Lamb of God.

The history of the bible goes beyond and before European influences.

Besides…Those who are truly connected with God don’t have ‘religion’…we have relationship.

1 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV)

For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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So many times we, in the Body of Christ, are very quick to blame God’s wrath and judgement on those who don’t believe and are practicing the works of the flesh. And, God has promised that those who practice the works of the flesh and continue in sin will be ‘dealt with’….

Galatians 5:19-21  (NKJV)

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: ^[a]adultery, ^[b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, ^[c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 6:23 (NKJV)

²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the ^[a]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

However, when you carefully read the word of God, especially in the Old Testament, you will find that God’s judgment on His people was NEVER because of the sin of unbelievers, pagans or heathens…it was ALWAYS because of either THEIR OWN SIN, COMPROMISE, HYPOCRISY and ASSIMILATION or because of the SIN OF THE LEADER (KING).

First of all, remember that every thing that is written in the Old Testament, especially the catastrophic, sometimes unbelievable and admittedly difficult to understand acts of judgment, such as commanding everything alive to be killed, the ground opening up and swallowing entire families, a man being stoned for picking up sticks on the day of rest, and His people being exiled were written for our example…

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ Now ^[a]all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our ^[b]admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

They were extreme examples to let us know God’s heart. It let us know how much some behavior pissed Him off.

That being said, now read carefully through Judges, 1st & 2nd Kings, 1st & 2nd Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi making a point to notice how God reacts to the behavior of His people.

Yes, God pronounced judgement on pagans, as when He told Israel to destroy Ai in Joshua Chapter 8.

But, notice that Israel suffered drought, famine and exile not because of heathens, but because of their own spiritual adultery. That’s why He made the promise to His people in 2 Chronicles Chapter 7 as a reminder of this…

2 Chronicles 7:13-14  (NKJV)

¹³ When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among MY PEOPLE, ¹⁴ if MY PEOPLE who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Israel and Judah were exiled into Babylon because of their own sin.

The entire nation suffered because of the sins of unrighteous leaders who did not seek Godly counsel nor listen to God. These were Kings who put their trust in the military rather than God…

Psalm 33:16  (NLT)

¹⁶ The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
    nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.

The entire nation of Israel was punished because of leaders who were arrogant, ungodly, unrepentant, and vengeful. They used religion for their own agenda, such as King Jeraboam (Read 1 Kings Chapter 12). Yes, they were ordained by God. Some of them were great builders and had many successful projects, but their arrogance established the culture in the nation and set up His people to sin.

King Herod was very fond of John the Baptist. He loved listening to him and even protected him. He was a great builder and politician, but he was an enemy of Christ.

Mark 6:20  (NKJV)

²⁰ for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he ^[a]did many things, and heard him gladly.

We all know that in 70 A.D. Jerusalem was destroyed. Yeshua even lamented about how He longed to protect HIS own people, but they wouldn’t have His protection…

Matthew 23:37-38 (NKJV)

³⁷ “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁸ See! Your house is left to you desolate;

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So, here is my warning to those in America or any other nation who calls themselves disciples of Christ. I know many Americans fear socialism, illegal immigration, radical muslim influence and the loss of the nation but remember this…

Even though God set the example of allowing violent judgement upon heathens in the Old Testament…

ISRAEL LOST THEIR NATION, WAS EXILED AND THEIR TEMPLE DESTROYED NOT BECAUSE OF SINNERS BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN SIN, COMPROMISE, HYPOCRISY and ASSIMILATION or because of the SIN OF THE LEADER (KING).

Please don’t take my word for it. Take your time (because it’s not a one day read or study), pray for wisdom, read and study it for yourself.

Also remember that every prophet called in the Old Testament that had harsh warnings from God had their messages rejected by the people of God.

GOD’S ‘JUDGEMENT’ ISN’T ALWAYS PAINFUL…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

If you read the bible carefully you will notice that everyone that God used to carry out His will had one thing in common…

None of them signed up, applied for or volunteered for the job.

Abram (Abraham)…

Noah…

David…

Joseph…

Mary…

John…

James…

Matthew…

Peter…

Paul…

If you notice, Yeshua went and drafted the Apostles while they were working on their job.

And as you know they all, except for the Apostle John, were killed for their faith and beliefs.

Our Savior even reminded us of who chooses whom, and His expectation of us…

John 15:16 (NKJV)

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and^(B)appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father ^(C)in My name He may give you.

^{d(B)appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father (C)in My name He may give you.6} It’s okay to be ambitious and have the desire to do great things. It’s okay to have goals and to relentlessly pursue our passions. However, remember that many of the people who changed the world did not plan their path…especially those who lost their lives.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

This is a spiritual post with political implications…

When Jesus’ disciples were observed eating without washing in the ‘prescribed’ manner they were criticized by those in authority, the Pharisees.

This expectation was a tradition that not only was accepted but expected. Anyone who didn’t do so had their loyalty to God and the tradition challenged. All in all, this was not something that God expected, but people. Just because it was the established expectation did not make it right.

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Jesus sharply rebuked them and their silly traditions. The mere passion behind being compelled to defend a tradition, even to the point of death, makes it worship to me.

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Any tradition that you cling to the point it is revered and question the loyalty of others if they feel it’s not right for them is too close to worship for me.

And, it was apparently too much for Jesus too…

Mark 7:5-9 (NKJV)

⁵ Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”

⁶ He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—^[a]the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

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⁹ He said to them, “All too well you ^[b]reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

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Jesus said they REJECTED what God has said for their traditions.

This same dangerous thinking and practice continues today. Jesus said they set aside the commandments of God for the traditions of man.

For example, one of the hottest topics, debates and disagreements today is that of people disrespecting the American flag when they choose to ‘take a knee’ in protest to police brutality towards African-American men.

Personally, I love this country and would not want to live anywhere else in the world. I had uncles fight in World War ll and had two die just months before it was over. I had other uncles return home after fighting for their country to be treated like second class citizens. I currently have relatives serving in our armed services and have many friends who are police officers.

However, ever since I was able to read the bible for myself, I have felt uncomfortable standing and putting my hand over my heart for ANY flag. There’s a reason that God forbade us to honor, worship or acknowledge Him or anything else with graven images. The fact is that all idols aren’t made of stone, some are made of cloth. Does it take doing what seems to me as worshiping an idol to prove my respect? Just because this tradition was established doesn’t make it right. After all, there is also the established expectation to put one’s right hand on the bible and swear an oath while accepting an elected office or testifying in court…this is the same bible that our Lord clearly commands that we should never swear an oath. For more on this read WHY SWEAR IN COURT WHEN GOD FORBIDS IT?

Matthew 5:33-37  (NKJV)

³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to those of ^[a]old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; ³⁵ nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ But let ^[b]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

James 5:12  (NKJV)

¹² But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into ^[a]judgment.

God’s expectation can’t be any more clear than here, but still we persist in swearing-in officials. What kind of rebuke would someone suffer if he or she refused to be sworn in?

How dare person A tell person B that they aren’t loyal because person  B feels a beloved tradition is in direct conflict to God’s word. In fact, person B could contend that person A’s devotion to that tradition contradicts person A’s loyalty to God.

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It is not God’s will to put our love for country or anything else before our love for Him or obedience to His word.

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God has given us the freedom to assume several postures in approaching Him. He allows us to kneel, stand, raise our hands, lay before Him etc. I discuss this more in the post… 9 BIBLICALLY PROPER PRAYER POSTURES… If God allows us to show respect, honor and praise for Him in several manners, who are we to demand more for ourselves or what we create?

So many of us today have become modern-day Pharisees in our expectation of others to honor the traditions that are dear to us, but are NOT requirements of God. There are many traditions and expectations that have endured for years and people have killed to defend that are in direct conflict with the word of God…hazing for example, that includes language and behavior (getting drunk, sex and violence) has become expected to become a part of many organizations and even upheld by Christians. I discuss this topic in the post THE UNHOLINESS OF HAZING: TRADITIONS FROM HELL…

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Again, I love this country but I would be irresponsible as a man of God if I didn’t challenge us to reexamine some of our traditions…that’s what Jesus and His apostles did.

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Remember, some idols aren’t made of stone, but cloth.

If this blessed or challenged you, I also invite you to read,

WERE SHADRACH, MESHACH, & ABEDNEGO BEING UNPATRIOTIC…?

 IF GOD DOESN’T CONSIDER ‘TAKING A KNEE’ DISRESPECTFUL TO HIM, WHY SHOULD WE?

God bless America and…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

It’s interesting to me how we sometimes expect more of one another than God expects of us.

Those who are against athletes kneeling during the National anthem complain they are disrespecting the American flag and service men and women who have fought for it.

Those who support kneeling contend it’s a peaceful protest to bring attention to police brutality against African-Americans.

The protest escalated when the President of the United States used his podium and position of authority to call athletes who choose to kneel sons of b*****s. This is not only insulting them but their mothers. It amazes me that so many ‘Christians’  (especially Christian leaders) are not offended at that. Offensive language is disrespectful and forbidden by God.

My question is this. Why is kneeling considered disrespectful?

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If GOD doesn’t consider ‘taking a knee’ to Him disrespectful…why should we?

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God allows us to approach Him kneeling, standing, or sitting.

Do you always stand to honor God when you pray?

Do you always stand before God when you read His word?

Jesus did when He read the scripture publicly in the synagogue…do you ALWAYS do likewise?

Luke 4:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

Respecting a flag and the ideal behind is fine, but I will honor NOTHING more than I honor God.

Many of our traditions and expectations aren’t necessarily ordained by God…but merely traditions.

Remember how Jesus constantly rebuked the Pharisees for expecting more from the people than God did. How he rebuked them for being more passionate about traditions than devotion to God and His expectations.

Matthew 15:3 (NKJV)

 ³ He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?

 In many ways, our country has set traditions that contradict what God commanded.

Think about it…

People are expected to put their hand on a bible and swear an oath to tell the truth when God forbids swearing in that same bible. That makes little since anyway since swearing on a bible means nothing to an unbeliever.

People are expected to take ‘an oath of office’ when God forbids it.

 Matthew 5:33-37 (NKJV)

 ³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; ³⁵ nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

We must be careful that we don’t have the spirit of the Pharisees. It’s not fair for one base someone else’s patriotism on their expectations, perspective or traditions.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

I by no means condone rioting, looting and destroying property. It is counterproductive and actually hardens the hearts of some who support whatever the cause may be.

However, rioting because of injustice is nothing new. Injustice may not be an excuse, but it has been a reason…a spark to the explosion.

Even the religious leaders, the system that was threatened by Yeshua the Messiah ( Jesus Christ) knew this. They wanted to kill him many times before the crucifixion, but relented, seeking an opportune time. Why? Because they feared the people would riot.

Luke 22:1-2 (NKJV)

22 Now ^(B)the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. ² And ^(C)the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.

It’s interesting how so many Americans were taught to respect the ‘accepted’ rebellious protest of the Boston Tea Party. This act of vandalism and deception was considered honored and noble. Remember, they vandalized and destroyed property disguised as Native Americans so it would be blamed on them. What if that happened today?

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The fact is that the American Civil War was one big, violent ‘riot’ of the Southern states over what they called ‘States Rights’, but we all know what right was most precious to them… slavery.

They consider that cause so honorable that even public institutions are named to honor rebellion, for example, The Ole Miss Rebels. Rebels? Rebellion is being revered, and those who do so feel if you don’t feel the same you ‘don’t know history’. No, others just don’t agree with or accept that narrative.

• 

People want to own the narrative. When Jesus came, He changed the narrative, and the system didn’t like it….

Luke 23:5 (NKJV)

⁵ But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”

The Apostles were accused of the same…

Acts 21:20–21 (NKJV)

20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all pzealous for the law; 21 but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.

Rebellion and riots are nothing new. And, I believe in peaceful protest. But, how those riots, rebellions and protests are viewed is not determined through ONE narrative.

Never forget the first rebellion in heaven that got Lucifer kicked out…

Luke 10:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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Fear is how the enemy convinces us to undermine our own future; stunt our own growth; place limits where there are none; create a ceiling where the sky isn’t even the limit.

God did not give us the spirit of fear…

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Unfortunately, too many times we learn to be afraid of certain things from our parents. My grandmother taught me to be afraid of water. Anytime I got near a lake or river, she would say, “GET AWAY FROM THERE!”

What are you afraid of?

Water?

Flying?

Traveling?

Change?

Uncertainty?

Another race or culture?

Switching from Android to iPhone?

Think about what causes you anxiety. What you try to avoid….your prejudices.

Now, where did your fear come from? And, if you’re a parent, what fears have you passed on to your children?

You can either bless your child, or curse your child. When you teach your child to be afraid, you are cursing them… it becomes a generational curse.

Bless your child with enough confidence in God and Godly wisdom so that they don’t inherit your fears.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Most of us have heard the saying, “Revenge is sweet”. We have all had moments that we have craved for revenge.

That’s why I think the metaphor is appropriate because REVENGE and SUGAR have something in common. Just like sugar slowly deteriorates your teeth, the desire for revenge slowly deteriorates your spirit. It eats away at your spirit, defiles it and consumes your mental energy.

Besides, God never promised us revenge or allows us to take revenge. It belongs only to Him…

Romans 12:19  (NKJV)

¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Why?

Because revenge is judgement. It is condemnation. It is us deciding that people deserve to be paid back for how they have hurt us .

However, God does allow us to have and will sometimes grant us vindication. He has even promised vindication in His Word…

Isaiah 54:17 (NIV)

¹⁷     no weapon forged against you will prevail,
    and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
    and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord.

In the bible vindication is getting justice or clearing one’s name.

We all know revenge is getting even and repaying someone for what they’ve done. It is retaliation. And, God does not allow us to do that…

Matthew 5:38-42 Expanded Bible (EXB)

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth [Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21].’ ³⁹ But I tell you, don’t ·stand up against [resist; retaliate against] an evil person. If someone ·slaps [strikes] you on the right cheek [^Ceither an insult or an act of violence], turn to him the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ If someone wants to sue you in court and take your ·shirt [tunic], let him have your coat also. ⁴¹ If someone forces you to go with him one mile, go with him two miles [^Calluding to the practice of impressment, whereby a Roman soldier could command a civilian to carry his gear for a mile]. ⁴² If a person asks you for something, give it to him. Don’t ·refuse to give to [^Lturn away from] someone who wants to borrow from you.

Revenge is getting them back.

Vindication is getting yourself back.

So, pray for vindication, but from the perspective that the person or those who injured you can be brought in right relationship with God.

Remember, God doesn’t love your enemies any less than He loves you.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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We have all messed up some stuff in our lives…

Money…

Marriages…

Relationships…

Credit…

Reputation…

What have you messed up in your life?

We also know that even when you’re in relationship with God, there are still real consequences for sin, bad decisions and weaknesses. And even now, many of us are living out those consequences.

It’s God’s will that we learn from our experiences, the mistakes of others, and listen to good Godly advice. We must learn those lessons of…

Repentance (Completely turning from our sins and changing our behavior. Not just asking for forgiveness, but actually changing.)

Accountability (acknowledging and owning where we need to change).

Stewardship (carefully managing the resources that God has given us).

Responsibility (owing and living up to our responsibility)

Relationships ( making sure we are doing everything we can for healthy relationships with God first, then one another)

Once we learn the lessons that God requires for our growth, even though we are living out the consequences, God can still restore all of the things we have screwed up through out mistakes, if He chooses. Time after time in the bible Israel and Judah hurt God and suffered the consequences, then after crying out, He heard them and restored what they lost….after repentance.

Check out these encouraging scriptures about restoration…

Psalm 23:3  (NKJV)

³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Joel 2:25-26  (NKJV)

²⁵ “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.
²⁶ You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.

Isaiah 1:16-19  (NKJV)

¹⁶ “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil,
¹⁷ Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke ^[a]the oppressor;
^[b]Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.

¹⁸ “Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;

Isaiah 54 (NKJV)

Sing, O barren,
You who have not borne!
Break forth into singing, and cry aloud,
You who have not labored with child!
For more are the children of the desolate
Than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.
² “Enlarge the place of your tent,
And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings;
Do not spare;
Lengthen your cords,
And strengthen your stakes.
³ For you shall expand to the right and to the left,
And your descendants will inherit the nations,
And make the desolate cities inhabited.

⁴ “Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame;
For you will forget the shame of your youth,
And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
⁵ For your Maker is your husband,
The Lord of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called the God of the whole earth.
⁶ For the Lord has called you
Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit,
Like a youthful wife when you were refused,”
Says your God.
⁷ “For a mere moment I have forsaken you,
But with great mercies I will gather you.
⁸ With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment;
But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,”
Says the Lord, your Redeemer.

⁹ “For this is like the waters of Noah to Me;
For as I have sworn
That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,
So have I sworn
That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
¹⁰ For the mountains shall depart
And the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

¹¹ “O you afflicted one,
Tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems,
And lay your foundations with sapphires.
¹² I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
Your gates of crystal,
And all your walls of precious stones.
¹³ All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
And great shall be the peace of your children.
¹⁴ In righteousness you shall be established;
You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
And from terror, for it shall not come near you.
¹⁵ Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me.
Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.

¹⁶ “Behold, I have created the blacksmith
Who blows the coals in the fire,
Who brings forth an ^[a]instrument for his work;
And I have created the ^[b]spoiler to destroy.
¹⁷ No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.

Job 42:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ And the Lord ^[a]restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

If you know in your heart that you have learned from your mistakes, as well as the trials that God has allowed to arise in your life, it’s okay to ask God for restoration.

God can and sometimes will…

Restore your relationship with Him…

Touch the hearts and minds of people that you’ve hurt for restoration in relationships…

Work miracles to restore money and property that you thought will never see again…

Work situations so that your credit can be restored…

Bless you with opportunities to restore your influence and reputation.

GOD CAN DO IT IF YOU TRULY TRUST HIM!

God loves you. Just like a parent who has a baby that had a horribly messy bowel movement that leaked out of the diaper and spread all over the child’s body…the parent doesn’t throw away the child. He or she gently cleans washes the child and restores it to it’s original cleanliness and beauty. That’s what God does for us.

So, begin to ask God during your regular prayer life that as you repent, learn and grow to deliver you from the consequences of you sins, bad decisions and weaknesses.

A SHORT PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF BAD DECISIONS…

BE BLESSTIFIED!