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There is a discussion, sometimes contentious, going on in America about how history is taught in schools. Many of the people who are passionate about controlling the narrative claim to be Christians. They claim to be concerned with the accurateness of how history is taught, especially because of it’s influence on future generations.

God has the same concern…

John 4:24 (NKJV)

²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Revelation 22:18-19 (NKJV)

^18 [a]For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, ^[b]God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God^[c] shall take away his part from the ^[d]Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

The bible makes it clear that Yeshua the Messiah was both human and divine. It also makes it clear that He was born a Jew. He was born in the Mediterranean, actually in Asia. It’s what we call the Middle East (relative to Europe of course). The region borders Africa and those born in that region don’t have the physical traits that are depicted in many images of Jesus.

It has driven thought among people of many races as to how Jesus looked. It’s interesting that many people who claim to be passionate about preserving history and it’s accuracy are perfectly fine with a European image of Jesus. Many people who claim to be passionate about scriptures, and will argue until they are ‘blue in the face’ about being true to the bible, will quickly claim, ‘his color doesn’t matter’ when this is mentioned. Many people who cherry-pick their way through the bible will say, ‘what does it matter?’

And, it especially, personally pisses me off when someone proclaims, “Why are you spreading division?”

Division?

Why is it than when certain narratives are challenged that it’s considered ‘division’? ‘Hate?’ ‘Negativity’?

I’m a Black man who lives in the United States of America, and unfortunately, many discussions come down to BLACK and WHITE.

I try to make it a point to challenge all of us with the content of this blog WHAT ‘BLACK-ON-BLACK CRIME’ & ‘WHITE PRIVILEGE’ HAVE IN COMMON…

Many people are introduced to faith in God through Yeshua the Messiah, believing that God is White. Jesus was born with White flesh, and the Gospel is preached from that perspective.

This has influenced thought to the point that many won’t accept a ‘Black Jesus’…

The fact that ‘White Jesus’ (Yeshua) is the one FALSE JESUS that people seem to resist challenging…

https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/10-versions-of-jesus-people-are-falling-for.html?utm_medium=fbpageu0026amp;utm_source=Facebooku0026amp;utm_campaign=ibupdateu0026amp;fbclid=IwAR3fCHdelEBoA6IKdHwkd_TA_vR2CVMbfKOfBpCQfa2Z_AydU3U9Zlyglck

This is one of the reasons that I believe that we are to never portray an image of Christ based on…

Exodus 20:4-5a (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. 

One could easily consider any image of the Son of God to be idolatry. Even though we don’t know exactly what He looked/looks like, by virtue of ‘race’ (for lack of a better word) FAITH, NOT RACE… and culture in which He was born, we know what He didn’t look like.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

There are many in the Body of Christ who love quoting John 10:10…

John 10:10  (NKJV)

¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

But, we must remember that this verse applies to those of us who are being led by the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-17). Those who are ‘walking in the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:16-26). Those who not only believe, but are responding to being the ‘called according to His purpose’ (Romans 8:28). To those who are laboring for His Harvest (Matthew 9:37-38). And especially those who  are connected to the vine and bearing good fruit (John 15:1-8).

It is God’s will that we add to His Kingdom…that we make disciples (Matthew 28:19), and that every interaction brings glory and honor to His name, that’s bearing good fruit.

So by default, if we aren’t bearing good fruit we are either bearing no fruit or bearing bad fruit. God’s word addresses how He feels about those of us who are being nurtured by His love, grace, mercy, provision and protection and bear no fruit (. Many of us only use the resources that God gives us, not just money, but our anointing, gifts and talents on ourselves. It’s like a fruit tree with all leaves but no fruit (Luke 13:6-9),(John 15:1-8), and dig this one…

Isaiah 5:1-7  (NKJV)

 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved
A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:

My Well-beloved has a vineyard
On a very fruitful hill.
² He dug it up and cleared out its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
He built a tower in its midst,
And also made a winepress in it;
So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,
But it brought forth wild grapes.

³ “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.
⁴ What more could have been done to My vineyard
That I have not done in it?
Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes,
Did it bring forth wild grapes?
⁵ And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:
I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned;
And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
⁶ I will lay it waste;
It shall not be pruned or dug,
But there shall come up briers and thorns.
I will also command the clouds
That they rain no rain on it.”

⁷ For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,
And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.
He looked for justice, but behold, oppression;
For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.

 So, I think the word of God establishes it well that it is very possible to believe but to be of no use to Him in the Kingdom. Even to the point to tell us that if we have faith, but are always sitting on it, that our faith is dead (James 2:14-26).

By deductive reasoning, we can also conclude that if we are not benefiting God’s Kingdom that we are…

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NO THREAT TO THE DEVIL

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That being established, and so-called believer who is no threat to the devil IS a threat to the Kingdom. They justify being an inactive, apathetic believer.

There are those also who claim to believe but have allowed the devil to manipulate them into pursuing his agenda, for example the scribes and Pharisees claimed to be God’s representatives but were actually working for the enemy, they sought to kill Jesus unknowingly fulfilling scripture (Matthew 12:14, John 5:18, John 7:1, John 11:53, John 16:2).

The Ku Klux Klan claimed and claims to be a Christian organization, but they are actually pursued and are pursuing the enemy’s agenda.

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SO IF YOU ARE OF NO USE TO GOD’S KINGDOM OR EVEN HELPING THE ENEMY WHY SHOULD HE TRY TO STEAL FROM YOU, KILL YOU OR DESTROY YOU? WHY SHOULD THE ENEMY TRY TO HARM YOU IF YOU ARE BENEFITING HIM?

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Do you have a genuine concern for those who are lost? Are you acting on it? Are you letting your light shine? Can people really tell you’re a Christian by how you live daily?

Remember the words of the 12-year old Jesus, “…I must be about my Father’s business.”(Luke 2:49).

Are you about your Father’s business? If not why should the devil fight against you?  In fact, if we aren’t about our Father’s business, then again by default who’s business are we about?

John 8:44-45  (NKJV)

⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources,for he is a liar and the father of it. ⁴⁵ But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.

If your life seems to be too easy…it may be for a reason.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Psalm 127:2 (NKJV)

² It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

Are you tired? You went to bed. You had time away from work, but you’re still tired? Is your mind always racing? Are you either trying to get ahead? Stay ahead? Or, catch up? Maybe you’re just trying to hold it together.

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So many of us our so busy. So many of us are either worried, stressed or obsessed.

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Then what do we say when someone transitions from this life…”Rest in Peace!”

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I want to encourage you today to learn to rest in peace BEFORE you die!

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One of the enemy’s greatest manipulations is to keep us spiritually weak because we don’t rest. He wants us too tired to read and study God’s word. He wants us too tired to take the time to pray before we eat our food, before we go to bed at night. He wants us too tired to go to worship.

How many times have you said, “I’m not going to church today…I’m too tired!”

Rest is so important to God that He commanded we rest one day every week (Exodus 20:10). He told us to do no work! But, I’ve noticed that in some church cultures people will go to morning worship, then they will leave and go to another church and worship having what’s called ‘afternoon services’ or ‘special days’….Men’s Day, Women’s Day etc.  Then some will even have another service in the evening.

Just as much as it is God’s will that we don’t forsake the assembling of ourselves together and that we worship regularly, it’s not His will for us to spend all day in church to the point that we don’t rest at all. That is establishing our own righteousness (Romans 10:3).

I have to admit when it comes to not getting enough rest. I’m guilty. I’m guilty of sometimes letting life’s problems weigh too heavy on my mind. I’m guilty of not stopping to just do nothing and rest my mind, body and spirit

I encourage you to learn to rest in peace before you die. Learn to rest your body. Learn to rest your mind. Learn to rest you spirit. Learn to refresh yourself in God’s word and prayer. Learn to say NO. Learn to say I can’t do that. Learn to say I need some time to myself. Think of how Jesus would withdraw to Himself (Luke 5:16).

The Lord has promised to help us with our ‘rest problem…’

Matthew 11:28New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Learn to get yourself some rest because if you don’t…you’re being disobedient.

BE BLESSTIFIED!