7-18-2020 God is For Humanity

This morning (7-9-2020) has been strange.  Normally, I spend time with my blog, then 8-9 AM I’ll have breakfast, then start my morning session with Father. 

Interesting how this works out.  Father put a couple into my life just about the time Covid-19 hit in March.  They had been living just a few doors up the street with another person but the house they were in was condemned and they were about to become homeless so you can guess where they’ve been for the past few months.  Not only homeless but he had been jobless for some time, as well.  However, since the beginning of Covid-19, Father has blessed him with a job from a company that manufactures building supplies and which pays decently (PTL).  Public transportation has not been convenient for the hours he works so I’ve been somewhat of a taxi.  My time has not always been my own as my schedule has been frequently rearranged.  This AM, Father rearranged my rearranged schedule.

I’m going to share my heart about three things Father showed me this particular morning.  It’s interesting because they all came within an hour.  I’m sharing my spirit with you so I may not refer to a lot of scripture (as the Lord leads).  So, sit back, buckle up and hang on.

I usually check my e-mail in the AM, what’s up with family, friends or other posts of interest. Two things caught my attention. 

I tried, not long ago, to gather biblical info from a sight called “Quora Digest”.  It had a byline which peaked my interest.  I didn’t join, but (I guess) because I looked, now they send me updates via e-mail.  This particular AM, in Quora, the question was asked “Why do some say that the God of the Bible is actually a derivation of an earlier Semitic god?”

Part of the argument is that Abraham, who is considered the father of the Israeli nation, emerged from what we would call a ‘pagan’ environment.  Note that Israel did not have its own territory until after Moses brought them out of Egypt and Joshua brought them into the ‘promised land’, which had been promised to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-8), @500 years or so after Abraham.  Moses died and the God took 

Israel, led by Joshua, into the Promised Land (Josh. 1:1-9). 

Quora states that in Abraham’s time, people worshipped many gods and history bears this out.  History reveals that the Sumerians (who are credited with creating written language) and the people of the Indus Valley (in India) had been around @2000 years before Abraham and they apparently worshipped many gods. 

However, what Quora doesn’t account for is how man, after a period of time, though beginning with God, deviates from God’s words as they get farther separated from the original source.  This has been true throughout Israel’s history.  God would bring Israel back into alignment, then they would stray.

Now, Adam and Eve were given the run of the Garden in Eden.  They could do anything or partake of anything they desired except to eat the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 1:26-31, 2:7-9, 2:15-17).  Once Adam and Eve were ‘booted’ from the Garden and started having children and grandchildren, man started forming his own ideas as to who God was.  Read the rest of Genesis, Exod., Lev., Num. & Deut., Judges, Kings and Chronicles.  Read the prophets!  When they messed up, Israel would repent and come back into God’s fold, but after a generation (or even maybe just a few years) man was continually forming his own opinions about God and started heading off in his own direction.  We even see the same trend in the New Testament.  Paul had to write letters to the fledgling churches because they had quickly strayed and were sidetracked from what he taught them about God (1 Corinth. 4:1-17).  Not even a generation.  Depending with whom we agree, a generation is either 30 or 40 years.  After the death and resurrection of Jesus, Paul’s ministry lasted about thirty years (@35 AD - @ 65 AD).   It doesn’t take man long to stray from original teachings.

All those people (before Jesus) had the same root.  Originally Adam, then the flood came leaving only Noah, his three sons and their wives as the only human life on earth, that’s eight people.  It wasn’t until the tower of Babel that God started spreading man out across the earth (Gen. 11:1-9).  As man spread out, he got farther away from his roots.  And the farther he got from his roots, the farther he got from the truth.  Man tries to explain things in terms he can understand o which suit him the best.  So, of course, today, he uses his ‘wisdom’ to explain not who God is, rather to explain God away so that there is no obligation to follow His rules.  I wanna do it my way!

As man has become ‘smarter’, he has created ‘rationale’ as to why things are (or perhaps are not).  Man becomes very comfortable in developing rules that he can break or change when the mood strikes.  God gave Adam freedom with two rules – take care of My garden and don’t eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  Then God gave Moses (to give to Israel) the Ten Commandments which contained five “dos’ and five restrictions (Exod. 20:1-17).  How long did it take Israel to get amendments to those original ten requirements?  Israel quickly, to justify themselves, asked “what if?”  God replied “because of the hardness of their hearts (Matt. 19:8), He would allow adjustments.  Man has been saying “what if” ever since. 

God created the angels, one third who fell with Lucifer/Satan and the two thirds who stayed with the Creator of all things (Rev. 12:4-9).  Angels are servants, whether Satan or Yaweh (Jehova, God the Father) and they do serve one or the other.  No one can serve (obey) two masters (Matt. 6:24).  Father has charged His angels to serve those who inherit eternal life (Heb. 1:13-14, Psalm 34:7-8), the true children God (obedient to His Word).

Demons can pose as ‘other gods’ because even Satan, himself, was an angel of light (2 Corinth.  Angels are powerful beings 11:10-14), more powerful than man.  So, it shouldn’t be surprising that they can seem to be something which they actually are not.  Satan demands ‘no loyalty to the Creator of heaven and earth’.  In turning man from the Father, he leaves man with only one alternative.  And the end of that is not pleasant (Rev. 20:10-14).

It is no surprise that Quora argues as they did, for this argument takes away responsibility to the living God who loves us (whether we believe it or not).  No responsibility removes (in man’s sight) the need or requirement to abide by God’s rules.  In actuality, this puts man into anarchy – do what I want, when I want or how I want, everything is OK as long as I’m good with it.  Even though taught right (in the beginning), man quickly strays from he had originally learned.              

On a Facebook post, I saw a post about Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemming.

Growing up and in school, I was aware of only two black personalities, George Washington Carver and Frederick Douglas.  Carver developed a concept of crop rotation to regenerate soil depleted by the continual planting of cotton and developed many uses for the peanut (d. 1943). Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in Maryland to become a renowned social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer and statesman and (in my knowledge) being noteworthy for standing his ground for his beliefs (d. 1895).  He rose from being a uneducated slave to promoting equal rights for all humans.  People can rise up out of not so good beginnings!

I feel that no matter what I say here, somebody will be upset but I asked the Lord go give me the words especially here.  Sally Hemming was a slave owned by Thomas Jefferson and by whom she mothered at least six children.  Jefferson is one of our nation’s founding fathers.  This item, of course was posted on Facebook in respects to “Black Lives Matter”.  Now, what I’m about to say is not condoning, but rather a statement of what was.  Egypt was ruled by both black and light-skinned pharaohs.  All who enjoyed mighty kingdoms built on the backs of slaves.  Question – because their empires were built upon the backs of slaves, should Egypt discount centuries of their history?   

I am Caucasian (white - OK, off-pink) and I consider the good things that have happened to me.  I thank God for blessings and favor.  As I was faithful to my Lord, on an 18 grade scale on the US government pay scale, He raised me from a GS4 to a GS12, without a college education!  GS13 and above were either supervisory or professional positions (college degree).   About half of my tenure with FDA, my supervisor was a younger black woman (also with no college degree).  Though our paths separated, we both experienced a degree of success with minimal ‘documentation’.

That was in the ‘secular’ world.  In the churches, until Father put me in the current church I attend and except for the Baptist preacher, whom Father used to lead me to Christ, I wasn’t as fortunate.  In that Baptist church, Pastor Hartsfield must have seen something as He offered me the opportunity to help others AND grow myself.  My wife and I had the task of teaching children who were bussed in and missed too much of their Sunday School sessions.  My wife and I taught these kids during church regular services.  Alas, Father moved me out of that church because they were not equipped to carry me to where Father was taking me (I’ve learned later).  On a regular basis, I’ve attended, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist (sporadically) and a large variety of Pentecostal churches (including the United Pentecostal – ‘Jesus only’).  For me, personally, I had limited opportunities for growth and even fewer for service – unless, of course, I was in the ‘inner circle’ (which I wasn’t).  Remember, I’m just saying what happened to me.  I’ve learned over the years that Father was putting me where He wanted me, when He wanted me, even for time where I felt there was not a church I could really fit into.  I do feel I have (somewhat) of an insight to rejection (from the church) but Father has brought me beyond that.  Understand that no matter where I was (or wasn’t) Father was teaching me.  All my experiences weren’t idle or unnecessary but He was showing me that there are indeed wheat and tares in the church.  And over the years, a thing or three about His love.

Now, though people may get angry with me and though I’ve not been in the exact same situation, I do feel I have some experience with being put down and not being permitted to better myself. At least being stifled by those whom I thought would support me.  Was I hurt?  My ego surely was.  Did I seek revenge?  Definitely not.  I did set those things behind me and continued to look for what Father had for me.  Some may say “That’s easy for you to say!” and they may be right, but what I am saying is don’t get mad and give up, but keep trying the doors.  Opportunity is there.  Find it!   And, yes, I’ve forgiven those whom I felt were against me.

Now, I’m not black, but my enemy has used people of all color to ‘keep me down’ (in the world’s eyes),  BUT God has used people of all color to build me up as well.

And as I was eating my breakfast, a third item caught my attention.  I watched the show “Touched by an Angel” (TBA).  When it originally aired, my wife & I watched TBA because their stories were always moving, having a strong ‘faith’ content.  The episode “God Bless this Child” was no different as Monica (an angel of the Lord) was encouraging a young black girl to hang on to her dream of singing while giving up her path into drugs.  Monica shared with ‘Charnelle’ the story of Billie 

Holiday.

The young black girl was angry with whites, mankind and (in general), even God for dealing her such a rotten hand in life. Having lost father, mother and even her brother, she was living with grandma.  Monica took Charnelle to the museum where they met with grandma.   The girl’s grandma shared with her how she had learned to forgive and to love through letting Jesus into her heart.  Talking about the various pictures in the ‘black history section’, grandma explained that in the one picture, it was her brother hanging from the poplar tree and two of the white people watching were a playmate and the playmate’s father.  Black history was personal for grandma and no longer being just an abstract image, history became personal for Charnelle.  Listening to her grandma, by the end of the show, Charnelle decided not to pursue the drugs, but to hang on to grandma, with whom she was living, and her dream.  And she figured that maybe God wasn’t so bad after all.  One has to see the episode to feel the power of love overcoming anger and hatred.    

Now, all this to say this - with Black Lives Matter, COVID 19, all the social unrest of today – Father has had me take a step (or two) back to look at the ‘big’ picture.  Yes, ALL of these things matter, but Father has taken me out of the physical realm and had me look with spiritual eyes.  Whether we realize it or not, we don’t wrestle with flesh and blood.  Unfortunately, that IS where we all wrestle (all too often) and that’s where we stand and fight.  And as long as we stay in the natural, it’s a losing battle.  We’re fighting more powerful forces than mere humans.  We fight against spiritual forces.  Wait a minute!  Wait a minute!  God will never leave us nor forsake us (Deut. 31:6, Heb. 13:5-6)!  Correct, but we also have to stay in God’s will and trust Him (Mark 11:24).  We have to continually seek Father’s guidance in all things.  When we don’t, we’re out there in our own strength.  Satan and his cohorts are stronger than us.  They are angelic beings (though ‘fallen’ as it is) which makes them stronger than us in the ‘natural’.  However, we have Jesus living within our hearts (Matt. 28:20) in the form of the Holy Ghost.  Through Jesus (who strengthens us – Phil. 4:13), through our faith, we have the ability to stand firm and overcome anything the devil may throw at us.  But we Have to trust the Lord (Prov. 3:5-6)!

How much do we really trust God?  Paul and ‘Silas were in stocks in jail.  As they demonstrated their faith by singing to God.  Father freed them (Acts 16:23-40).   Likewise, Peter was in prison when the angel came and brought him out of chains so he could return to the other disciples (Acts 12:1-17).  

The apostle Paul was willing to die for Jesus, if necessary (Acts 21:13).

As I said, we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood and that’s where Satan would like to keep us – fighting in the flesh.  BUT we fight against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness in this world and spiritual wickedness in high places` (Eph. 6:12).  In short, our true battle is with spiritual entities.  An angel, bringing an answer to prayer to Daniel was delayed as he fought a spiritual battle (aided by Michael – Dan 10:10-14).  Peter told Jesus that they (the disciples) would not let anything happen to Him.  Jesus then rebuked, not Peter, but Satan, who prompted the words (Matt. 16:20-23).  The root of our problems is spiritual and they must be addressed in the spirit or they will never be resolved. 

Satan is laying the foundation for the anti-Christ.  Satan is separating humans!  Keeping us apart and driving various wedges of separation deeper and wider. 

The Book of Revelation tells us that when the anti-Christ rises up he will cause people to take a mark (“666” – Rev. 13:11-18) on the hand or forehead and we won’t be able to buy nor sell without that mark.  A false sense of unity.  But in reality, we technically won’t exist without that mark.  Look at and think about what’s going on in the world today!  Credit and bank cards are convenient but cards are a part of the system and the system can be controlled by the push of a button or the flip of a switch.  Who sells on E-bay and Amazon?  Who buys from them or even from other stores on line? 

Hatred compounds the wars and rumors of war cited for the end times (Matt. 24:4:1-31 –v6).  The bible tells us they will be here until the end.  Think about the ‘mark’!  We’re quick to use our credit cards.  Like sheep, we’re quick to follow the crowd.  COVID 19 has us practicing ‘social distancing’.    No, we don’t want to spread sickness, but a little common sense should also be exercised.  Satan is using the situation as an attempt to isolate people.  He’s trying to isolate neighbors.  He would isolate families if he could.  There are already too many single parent homes and Satan wants to divide that even more.  Those who make the decisions are promoting home schooling via electronic interaction instead of the social, in person interaction which help us to communicate with others better as opposed to being our ‘own island’ – alone.  Not in unity (unless we take the mark)

In my lifetime, I’ve seen the struggles for integration and racial equality and now I see the ugly head of segregation rise up trying to drive a wedge into that progress.

I keep seeing how Satan keeps trying to take God, Creator of all things, out of the conscious mind of men.  “God’s dead”!  I don’t want my child exposed to religion (God) in the schools!  Keep the church and state separated!  We are a nation founded on God’s principles.  Now let’s ‘just’ cast God out?

Everything just happened – by chance.  Poof!  All these molecules just (by chance) happened to come together in the right sequences to create the various forms of life!  There’s no such thing as ‘intelligent design’!  God is a figment of ‘weak’ people’s imagination!  Even science tells us that the atoms and molecules coming together, as we see them today, has ‘bucked’ phenomenal odds – by the admission of even those same scientists. 

And yet we continue to fight in the ‘natural’ wondering why God let’s these things happen!  When things go wrong ‘how could God do this?  When things don’t go as we think they should, we wonder why God doesn’t fix it.  God has given us free will and through that we mess things up but, then expect God to fix it.  We want all the benefits without any of the responsibility! 

We say ‘God is dead’ yet we expect God to ‘not let things happen’.  God gives us freewill to make decisions.  We do reap what we sow!  When we make a bad decision we should repent. We need to make things right.  The Thomas Jefferson and Charnelle situations are examples of man making bad decisions, but also doing good things.  Yes, Jefferson owned slaves but he also helped found one of the most powerful nations on earth.  Yes, Charnelle was choosing (in her hurt) to do drugs, but in the end the made the right choice.  These examples emphasize the struggle we have with things in the ‘natural, but unless hearts change those conditions won’t.  And only God can truly change a heart.  

God is love and He will fill us with His love – if we let Him.  When this happens, then we will start seeing social issues change.  No matter who we once were, God’s love can make us who we are now.

Whether one agrees or not, God has made us all.  Satan knows this.  He also knows that there is strength in numbers and when we stand in unity (in Christ Jesus) it is his (Satan’s) kingdom that will fall.  We are more likely so succumb to the wiles of the devil when we stand alone.  We need to unite in ‘true’ love in Christ Jesus (our example).

Satan desires that no human join God in eternity.  But it is God who has opened the door to life.  That ole devil is still pissed that he couldn’t overthrow God so many (however man) millennia ago.  Father has given the devil certain leeway to prove men’s heart (read the book of Job), but it is the Father who has the final say – in the end.  We need to stand in unity with Jesus. 

I know a lot more could be said, but I pray this will get some to thinking about with whom we truly fight.

Yes, when we invite the Creator of all things into our heart, through His love, God is with us.   We discover that ‘yes’,  God is for humanity!     

Amen