Slavery – Part 2

Good day to you reading this column and do hope that each of you have received God’s blessings and thanked him for all things great and small that he has done for you.

Before we get to the topic, Have you given thanks to God? Have you taken the time to thank God for the air that you breathe? Have you considered how long eternity is? Have you wondered what the new kingdom will be like when Jesus returns? Out of all the people in the world today, How were you chosen to be one of God’s own?

Ponder these questions if you will for a few moments for only you can answer these questions. As you awake, What is the first thing that you do? Before you go to work, do you pray? Before you get dressed, do you pray? Before you get your cup of coffee, do you pray? Before you jump into the shower, did you pray?

Turn, with me to Psalms 5:3 (NIV) In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. As you awaken, I encourage you to start your day with prayer and to end with prayer before you go to sleep. Lay your foundation and be thankful as you awaken, and I know your day will start off on the right foot.

Slavery is a major topic in the USA and around the world as we have seen monuments destroyed, history changed and the Black Lives Matter movement in our cities. On television, I have seen people of all races involved in peaceful demonstrations, riots and looting retail stores. It is one thing to be involved with a peaceful demonstration, but to riot and to loot is wrong! Stealing is wrong. Here is a quote from Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones that argued that the looting in New York wasn’t really violence and that theft was more like a “symbolic taking.”

Fellow Christian, wake up—Stealing is stealing—Wrong is wrong and our police should be enforcing looting laws. How can a person justify stealing or looting as “symbolic taking?”

I must wonder and dare I conclude that we are in the Laodicean period where right is wrong and wrong is right. If I was looking from the outside toward the USA, I would wonder if the minority has the greater say and is running the country. Here is the challenge—We have heard that Black Lives Matter, White Lives Matter, Latino Lives Matters, and All Lives Matter but what about God? Has anyone in the press brought up that God created each and every one of us and regardless of race, here is what God said: All lives matter for God gazed upon all that He had made, and it was very beautiful. Thus the close came, and the dawn came of the sixth age. Genesis 1:31 (FF).

God answered this question about lives a long time ago and no one in the press is bringing this point up. All lives matter period. There should be no debate, but the laws of God need to be enforced. Perfect laws for the ideal time in our society.

How do we fix the problem of race relations? How do we rid ourselves of the COVID-19 Virus? How do we stop the protests, riots and looting? How do we stop the senseless murders, rapes, stealing and the breaking of the Ten Commandments?

Do I have the answer? Yes, it was always there—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 will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

We say we are Christians and we say that the USA is a Christian nation and yet much of the time act like a heathen nation. We say we are appalled at looting, at police killing innocent people, children being molested, callous murders, lawless America, abortion, rape, stealing and the breaking of the Ten Commandments.

Yet, the Christian voice is not being heard and why? 2 Chronicles 7:14 says that we, as Christians do three things: Humble ourselves, Pray to God, and Turn from our wicked ways. Break it down and don’t be stiff-necked for with God, All things are possible. We don’t need to protest, riot, loot — We need to humble ourselves, pray to God and turn from our wicked ways – If you notice in 2 Chronicles 7:14, we are given a criteria of three things that we (if my people) fellow Christian– Humble ourselves, Pray to God, and Turn from our wicked ways then God will hear from heaven, forgive our sin, heal our land.

But the key word in this verse is IF, and only if we, as Christians, will do exactly what the verse says then God will do his part. God did not put us where we are today—We did that—Yes, Christian, because of our stiff necks, weak faith and the removal of prayer, Bible reading and the Ten Commandments, this is the result. Instead of saying “NO” to the removal of prayer, Bible reading and the Ten Commandments in public places, we have allowed the enemy to win.

God has never left us—Our Israelite countries have left God—We deserted him! Believe me, we are no different than the Israelites walking about after crossing the Red Sea. Take the time to read Exodus 15: 22-27 to see how the Israelites grumbled and how God took care of the Israelites, never leaving them nor deserting them.

All thru Exodus, you see that God never left the Israelite people, but that the Israelite people left him. Are we any different? We grumble, moan, and complain because things don’t go our way and complain to anyone who listens and then take our complaints to the leader to fix things. This is what the Israelites did to Moses.

Please take the time to read Exodus—Don’t watch the movie—Read the Book—The people of today who protest have nothing on the Israelites—Did the protesters experience the plagues? Ten Plagues and yet Pharaoh said no to letting the Israelite people go.

After the tenth plague was complete, Pharaoh let the Israelite people go and God led the Israelite people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. As you read Exodus 14, you will see that God never deserts his people, even when the going gets tough and he is always true to his word that He would never forsake us nor leave us.  

When the Israelites were in danger of being killed by the Egyptians as they crossed the Red Sea, God delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians. When the Israelites were complaining of bitter water, God delivered again with twelve springs and the promise of no diseases if the Israelites would pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees. Again, the Israelites grumbled about lack of food to Moses, so the Lord rained down bread from Heaven and then after further grumbling to Moses about lack of meat, the Lord supplied meat at twilight and bread in the morning. Again, as the Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, they quarreled with Moses about lack of water. Again, God delivered by giving Moses instructions to strike the rock at Horeb for the people to drink. Finally, in Exodus 17:8-15, the Amalekites attacked the Israelites in Rephidim and again, God delivered victory to the Israelites.

Do you see a pattern here? God delivers his people always—the same cannot be said for his people. We, as Christians, have a voice and we know that we can do all things through Christ.

As we fast forward to the present, God has never left us, but we have left him. No, not all, for there is a remnant of people who abide in his commandments, laws and statutes.

So what does this have to do with slavery? I am proud to say that I, like Paul, am a prisoner or slave of Christ. It is my belief that God is in control of all that happens to me. As a Christian, I was bought with a price, the greatest price of one who laid down his life for mine. Each of us are slaves to sin until we commit our lives to Jesus Christ who alone can conquer sin’s power. Sin, pride, and fear no longer have any claim over us, same as a slave owner has no power over the slaves he has sold.

As we bring this lesson to a close, 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 will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV).

Christian, we have a choice—A simple choice of being a prisoner or slave for Christ or a slave for sin. Christ said the following in Matthew 7:13-14 (FF) “Enter through the narrow gate; because the gate is wide, and the road well paved, that leads to destruction; and through it the majority go. How narrow the gate, and difficult the path, that leads to life! And they are few that find it!

Until next time, may God Bless you and May you bless God in all things.

Jeff