No Man Can Curse You

Living by the Grace of God, Part 3

2009-10-10T00:26:00.001-04:00

Living by the Grace of God, Part 3

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The Blood of the Lamb

2009-03-25T20:22:00.002-04:00

Revelation 12:10-11: “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

Believers in Christ will not deny that the primary purpose of existence of the Church in the world is to witness to the saving grace of God in forgiving and cleansing the sins of all who come to believe in Jesus Christ as Saviour. A fundamental element of the Christian faith is the power of the blood of Christ to cleanse of all sin and unrighteousness. But the Holy Spirit often leads us into situations where we must confront the reality of whether we believe the Gospel we preach.

We show great zeal in going about telling sinners about the cleansing power of the blood and the mercy and grace of God to forgive them of their sins, forget their past, and make them completely new creatures. Then these sinners follow us to our church meetings only to hear us excuse our own ongoing vices as though by just joining a church and professing Christianity we obtain divine license to do the same things we ask them to repent of and told them the blood of Christ would cleanse them from. But that’s not all. And this is the issue being highlighted in this message.

If they stay around it does not take them long for the sinners we invite to join our churches to discover by the comments they hear us whisper about one another and the snobbery they see in our regards for one another that the cleansing of the blood is not all that significant in qualifying one for regards of trust and respect or recommendations for offices in the church. It becomes obvious to them that one’s faultless past and high social regards remain primary qualifications for treatments of respect and assignment to offices in the church rather than the cleansing of sinners by the blood of Lamb. In other words, to many professing Christians today, the ugly sinful past of others is never washed away by the blood of Lamb and buried in the sea of forgetfulness.

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children.

It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand. The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past.

As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be. He began to speak and his statement was this: "My fiancée's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?"

The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lamb of God. Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble.

When we dig up again the buried past of other Christians, snob them because of their past reputation, or even hold them in suspicion because of unfounded accusations, we are demonstrating our scepticism about the cleansing power of the Blood of the Lamb. In addition, we are joining with the devil “the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night.” We are warned in Hebrews 10:29: “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?”

Broken Reeds and Smoking Flax

2009-03-11T22:15:00.002-04:00

We read in Isaiah 42:3: “A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.”

Isaiah is referring to the mission of Jesus Christ to bring life and restoration. According to Isaiah, the ministry of Jesus Christ would be a ministry of life and restoration and not of death and condemnation. “A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.”

What are bruised reeds and smoking flax? A reed is a straight stalk of grass. A field of grass would have countless stalks or reeds. Obviously, in a field of grass the significance of one stalk would be minimal, and much less would be a bruised one which may likely wither quickly. Flax is a plant produced for its fibre. Smoking flax may appear useless for two reasons. One is smoke is a nuisance and may be a signal of unwanted fire. The other is if flax is being burnt for its heat, smoking flax may be a sign of smothered or dying fire and would be considered unnecessary. So for either reason one does not need smoking flax.

But why then would Jesus not break a bruised reed or quench smoking flax? While a bruised reed is just a faulty withering stalk of weed among many unscarred stalks in a field, it still has the potential to be restored to a healthy plant. In a similar way, while smoking flax is a nuisance it can be fanned into useful flames. Not to break a bruised reed or put out smoking flax is to demonstrate hope in the potential of the bruised reed to heal and the smoking flax to rekindle.

Now, what about the bruised reeds and smoking flax among us today? Bruised reeds and smoking flax are usually among the outcasts of religious establishments. Bruised and smouldering, their inner potential for life and restoration is completely dismissed. Their outward bruises and flameless cinders make them rejects by the Pharisaic standards of mainstream religions. This is usually due to two obvious reasons. One is that their bruises and suppressed spirits may be the direct results of persecutions from the cold and callous hand of loveless religious snobbery and authoritarianism. The other is that cold and callous religious establishments, void of the life-giving power of the Spirit to heal and revive, cover their shameful helplessness by shunning and condemning the wounded and the faint.

God, however, sees beyond the bruises and smoke which conceal the undying purpose and inextinguishable fire born of the Spirit of God in hearts of those who are His, yet are judged unfit by the uncharitable yardstick of men's religious traditions and arrogance. “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Usually, as history often shows, it is through the healing of rejected bruised reeds and the rekindling of discarded smoking flax that the ongoing move of the Spirit of God breaks out. Jesus Christ was rejected by His own people. Martin Luther, whom God used to provide leadership to the reformation movement, was thrown out of the Roman Catholic Church. The Pentecostal movement of the early 20th century was despised as fanaticism. The Latter Rain movement of the mid-20th century was shunned as heresy.

The history of God's dealings with mankind indicates that mainstream religious establishments seemed to have always failed to recognize the true direction of the move of the Spirit of God, and have had the tendency to reject those in whom the Spirit of God is moving even when they themselves have had their historical origins in similar radical movements. It seems so common for spiritual movements which were once aflame and empowered by the life of the Spirit of God to become settled in a stagnant pool of accumulated traditions and forms which refuse to flow with any ongoing move of the Spirit in life-giving truths and power. It is in these stagnant pools of religious traditions and forms that unyielding structures of positions and arrogance arise.

A usual unfortunate consequence is that they who once were persecuted for righteousness' sake become the persecutors of them who are moved in the newness of righteous living in Christ and by the ongoing flow of the Spirit of God. Limited now by a narrow view by which they see their past experiences as the beginning and end for all God does in the Church they have no regard or tolerance for the ongoing move of the Spirit of God in new areas. They easily embark on a crusade of breaking bruised reeds and quenching smoking flax.

Someone wrote to me these inspiring words along this line: “Christ-like mentality produces life; the Law only produced death. Let no man try to destroy the dreams that are produced out of the relationship between you and your Father. Those who live under the Law will try to bring death to all of the God produced thoughts that pour out of your belly like living water.”

New Creation Christians: All Things Are New

2009-02-09T10:47:00.007-04:00

2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

We will now examine the final characteristic of the new creation Christians described in 2 Corinthians 5:17. It reveals the complete newness of the new creation Christian. No other description of the new creation Christian is as impressive as this one. It defines the newness of the entire character of one who is in Christ – all is new!

It is important to note here too, like we have done before, the plainness with which the word of God describes the newness of the character of anyone who is in Christ. The Scripture passage does not mention a gradual process of renewal. It does not say, for example, some aspects of the character of one in Christ are new and other aspects are still old and the old ones are gradually receding. Nor does it say newness of character is gradually emerging while there are still some of the old things remaining to be dealt with as time goes on. The Holy Spirit makes a plain, comprehensive statement of an accomplished fact there – behold, all things have become new. Newness is thorough and accomplished.

Do you hear this positive Gospel preached today? If you are blessed to hear it, you have heard the word of God, spoken as the Holy Spirit has given it. And it certainly would have inspired your faith to know and believe who you really are, if you are a believer in Christ. If you are not a believer in Christ such a message would tell you the character you can miraculously become if you become a believer in Christ.

It is important for us to realize that, as the Scriptures emphasize, the real faith that produces real salvation comes from hearing and believing the true Gospel as presented in the Scriptures. We read in Romans 10:16-17: “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report?’ Then faith is of hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

When the Scriptures declare that God has transformed any one in Christ into a completely new creation, this is the Gospel that is to be preached, heard, and believed, and it will produce real salvation results. It witnesses to the truth that God does not produce incompleteness. Who dares find fault or impurity in that which God declares He has made new?

The newness of the Christian life is brought out convincingly in the Gospel’s description of salvation.

Jesus points out in Matthew 9:16-17: “No one puts a piece of new cloth onto an old garment; for that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do men put new wine into old wineskins; else the wineskins burst, and the wine runs out, and the wineskins perish. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved together.”

We read also in Ephesians 4:21-24: “If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

Paul is quite explicit about the termination of our old nature of sin and the bringing forth of a newness of life through our participation in the death and resurrection of Christ in the work of salvation. We read in Romans 6:1-6: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

It is clear to us that the message of the Gospel as presented in the Scriptures are radical in relation to some of what we know is taught by men as the Gospel. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of any medicine is in its purity. Men’s distortion and modification of the word of God to fit their reasoning will not produce the faith in the hearers, as well as the miraculous effects, that the pure word of God can. It is the incorruptible seed of the word of God that gives birth to God’s incorruptible children. Hence, it is necessary that, if we are going to benefit from the power of the Gospel message unto salvation, we accept the word of God as He declares it, believe it, meditate on it, agree with God, and let His word accomplish in us what He decrees it to accomplish.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

New Creation Christians: Old Things Passed Away

2009-01-28T22:25:00.005-04:00

2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

We will look at another characteristic of the new creation Christian. The Scripture passage points out, with regard to a new creation Christian, old things have passed away. Again, like we did previously, we must note the plain and assertive language the Holy Spirit uses in the Scripture passage to describe one who is in Christ. The Scripture passage does not say old things are passing away; nor old things might pass away; nor old things will pass away. It firmly states old things have passed away. It's an accomplished fact.

This is a marvelous work of God in the conversion of a sinner. God can both create and destroy. God creates a new creature and destroys the old nature of anyone in Christ. This is a spiritual phenomenon and may not be all visible to the natural eye, but we who have faith in God must embrace its reality. Old things have passed away from a new creation Christian. This is true of any one who is in Christ.

What are the old things that have passed away from a new creation Christian? The Bible identifies a list of old things which have passed away from a new creation Christian. The list includes both former religious customs and ungodly practices.

To begin with, the new creation Christian is not under the old covenant arrangement established between God and the people of Israel involving the Law of Moses. The old covenant vanishes in Christ. “In that He says, ‘A new Covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” (Hebrews 8:13).

Participation in the old covenant religious rituals contributes absolutely nothing towards one’s standing in Christ. Christianity abolishes all old covenant rites, ceremonies, and laws, and introduces a way through salvation by grace for all mankind alike to become the people of God. For instance, circumcision, which identified the Jews under the old covenant as God’s people, completely loses significance in Christ. We read in Galatians 6:15: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.”

For Gentiles who have become new creation Christians, old pagan religious practices such as idolatry and the occult passed away. New creation Christians have nothing to do with these vain superstitious practices of idol worship, sorcery, and the occult.

And finally, for all new creation Christians, who were formerly Jews and Gentiles, the old corrupt nature with its ungodly lifestyles in the flesh have passed away. We are exhorted in Colossians 3:5-11: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.”

The wonder of the death of Christ on the Cross is its power to effectively bring an end to our old nature which was under the control of the flesh and the old body of sin and death. The Bible teaches this truth, but so many lack the faith to accept it that we have had all sorts of alternative explanations that lack the boldness of faith to take God at His word. But the plain declaration of the word of God is new creation Christians are delivered from the ungodliness of the old carnal nature. “We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin” (Romans 6:6-7). And we are assured in Romans 8:9: “You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”

Therefore, for anyone who is a new creation in Christ, old things have passed away. Don’t look for them. Don’t accept them. Don’t identify yourself with them. Agree with God that the old things of your former ungodly lifestyle are gone!

Celebrate the Outcome of the Audacity of Hope against Social Prejudice: Barack Obama's Inauguration!

2009-01-19T21:36:00.007-04:00

Yes, I believe Barack Obama's historical election to the US Presidency and his celebrated inauguration on January 20, 2008 as an African American indicates clearly that the Lord rules in the kingdoms of men. In a country where discrimination against African Americans was formally insitutionalized in the society as recently as just about four decades ago and which has a Congress of only one African American senator among a hundred senators, it is an acclaimed astonishment that Barack Obama, an African American of socially insignificant background, has been elected as the first U.S. African American President from among a list of highly prominent white candidates.

God declared this plainly to a stubborn and arrogant king once in Daniel 4:17: "This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets up over it the lowest of men."

This world is bound by prejudices which blind many and delude them into vain pride of themselves and unjust spite for others. With this they ignore the real values with which God endows a man and are caught by surprise when God makes His commendation and confirms His approval of His chosen.

In the true Church, among true and sincere members of the Body of Christ, such evil and vain thinking are banished because the Spirit of God makes us who we are or can be in the Body of Christ. He does it in a way that none is better than the other and we all need one another. Praise the Lord.

But if the oppressed and despised of the world will wait on God it's amazing how marvelously the Lord gives grace to the humble and brings down the proud. "Surely He scorns the scorners; but He gives grace to the lowly. The wise shall inherit glory; but shame shall be the promotion of fools" (Proverbs 3:34-35).

Barack Obama's inauguration is a celebration for all upon earth for generations to come of the audacity of hope and the working of the power of God on the side of the lowly. David would have celebrated with these words in Psalms 75:5-7:
5: Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.
6: For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
7: But God is the judge: He puts down one, and sets up another.

Our Father and God, You who rule in the kingdoms of men, we thank you for the grace and justice you have demonstrated, as well as the hope you have unleashed, to the poor, lowly, and oppressed through the raisng up of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States of America. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, give Barack Obama grace and wisdom, power and favour, to execute Your will in his rulership according to Your purpose for the welfare of the people of the United States of America and all the nations of the earth. Amen!

New Creation Christians: Transformed in Christ

2009-01-19T13:04:00.005-04:00

2Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold; all things have become new.”

This Scripture passage states plainly “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation….” The Holy Spirit clearly does not mean in the Scripture passage that one in Christ ought to be a new creation or is trying to be a new creation. He means, as the Scripture passage states, one who is in Christ is in fact a new creation.

In other words, the characteristics of a new creation make up and are manifested in anyone who is in Christ. Anyone who is in Christ lives the life of a new creation. The idea of a new creation means change has taken place from a former state. Thus, being in Christ produces a transformation which results in a new creation or a new being changed from the former sinful state which existed prior to being in Christ.

The word creation used in the passage denotes the result of a creative act. It is the same word used in the Bible to denote what God has created, produced, designed, or brought into existence (Mark 10:6; Mark 13:19; Romans 1:25; Revelation 3:14). And so, a sinner who comes to Christ is effectively assimilated into Christ and God makes of that sinner a completely new person. This implies there is an operation of the creative power of God in the conversion of a sinner in Christ to transform the person into a new creation.

The new creation in Christ is therefore not the product of human effort or genetic inheritance. It is the result of the creative work of God in Christ. John describes God’s sovereign work in producing this new creation in Christ as being born again solely of God. We read in John 1:12-13: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” What all of this says to us is that the conversion of a sinner who comes to Christ is the result of the powerful work of God alone through Christ without any input from man.

It is important that we understand the divine process of conversion and not mistake conformity to certain religious rituals and customs, joining churches, self-fostered change in behaviour, and social forms of rehabilitation for Christian conversion. Paul emphasizes the futility of these things in the transformation of a sinner in Christ in Galatians 6:15: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.”

New creation Christians are offspring of God, born anew of God. God by His grace through salvation has created us new creatures in Christ. If we are Christians, by faith in God we must define ourselves according to what the word of God says we are, and not according to our feelings or the opinions of men. We were once sinners, dead in sin and iniquity, but by the grace of God we now are converted and transformed by divine creative power in Christ.

We are not aspiring to be but are new creatures in Christ and we live and walk as new creatures in Christ. Therefore, let us stand on our faith in Christ and live fully the newness of life which we have in Christ in whom God has made us to be new creations.

New Creation Christians: Being in Christ

2009-01-12T15:27:00.012-04:00

2Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold; all things have become new.”

To fully appreciate who we Christians are, we need to grasp the true meaning and thoroughness of the change God produces in one who has become a believer in Christ. The Scripture passage, 2 Corinthians 5:17, plainly describes this change as a transformation from an old to a new creation.

The Scripture passage first identifies what is the fundamental root-cause of this change. It is being “in Christ.” One must be in Christ to experience this change.

The Scripture passage is plainly making a distinction between people who are in Christ and people who are not in Christ. It is good to note the distinction is not between people who belong to a religious organization or church group and people who do not belong to a religious organization or church group. The distinction is clearly between being in Christ and not being in Christ.

What does it mean to be in Christ? According to the Scriptures, to be in Christ is to be taken into Christ to become a vital part of Christ.

Jesus used the parable of the vine and its branches in John 15 to illustrate this integral connection between Him and those who abide in Him. In the parable, the branches of the vine are so united with the vine as to derive their existence and all their nourishment from the vine. The branches are sustained by the vine and share the life and substance of the vine.

Jesus explains in the parable in John 15:4-6: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

According to Jesus, as the branches of the vine have no existence and cannot function if separated from or outside the vine, so no genuine Christian can exist or function as a true Christian outside or independent of Him. To be in Christ means therefore to be in union with Christ and to be in absolute dependence upon Christ. Any one who is in Christ is sustained by Christ with the life and strength of Christ and shares in the character and Spirit of Christ.

Therefore, being in Christ is a necessary condition or fundamental basis for being a new creation Christian. "If any man is in Christ" denotes all who are in Christ. Hence, all who are in Christ are transformed into new creation Christians. It implies that this profound spiritual change of a human being is universally possible.

Any one from any culture, nation, tribe, people, and religion can undergo that Christian transformation. But the necessary condition is that they must be in Christ.

It Came To Pass

2008-12-29T15:43:00.013-04:00

An interesting phrase that occurs in 179 verses in the Bible is "it came to pass." A dramatic instance in which the phrase occurs is in Genesis 8:13: "And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry." This marked the end of a disastrous flood which had covered the earth for more than a year tragically bringing an end to all living creatures including mankind, except Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives, and selected pairs of living creatures, who were saved in an ark that floated on the flood waters. The flood was unleashed by God to put an end to a culture of evil and sin which increasingly pervaded humanity for centuries on the earth.

And so, at last, this monumental disaster came to pass and with it an era of gross ungodliness among mankind upon the earth. A new era of opportunity for godly change stood before Noah and his family as they disembarked from the ark which had borne them over that fateful flood of mass destruction.

In the world we live in, things come and go. And so, very few things remain permanent. Experiences and events come to pass. History is an account of events which came to pass.

For instance, in the US election in November last year, a presidential campaign for change resulted in the first black US president, Barack Obama, coming into office in the new year, 2009. That world acclaimed political event demonstrated the possibility of socially fundamental change. A long social history of institutionalized black discrimination in the USA came to pass, at least in our awareness of political possibilities.

The thought that things change - they come to pass - gives excitement and hope. It's like sometimes the proverbial light at the end of a tunnel. It's a comforting hope for those who are in the midst of the gloom of sorrow, the pain of affliction, the torment of injustice, or the calamity of misfortune. It comes to pass. It is interesting that the moment at which things come to pass is also the moment at which things come to begin.

David wrote: "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5). For those of us who toil burning the late night lamp as students, grinding our nails to give the best in our jobs and careers, faithfully nurturing and tutoring our children, serving humanity and God in selfless vocations and missions, and in myriad of other wearisome callings in this life, David also writes in Psalms 126:5-6: "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Yes, indeed, times of tearful sowing give way to times of joyful reaping.

Another year has passed away. A new year is here. The events and experiences of last year are behind us. They came to pass. It's a relief. Let us embrace this timely opportunity of change and newness. However painful, shameful, and stressful it was last year, the New Year rings in with the declaration on the old year - it came to pass.

And so, with the dawning of the New Year, let us let the past pass away and let us press forward into the present New Year. Too often our experience or enjoyment of the new is impaired by our still preoccupation with the old. We must let go of the old and move on into the new.

According to Paul in Philippians 3:13-14: "One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

May the blessing and grace of God abound in you throughout the New Year!

Our Excellence Is Of God

2008-12-17T11:28:00.006-04:00

The awesome challenge that confronts us is how can we please God - to please one being to satisfy one's expectation standard.

God's standard is without dispute excellence in all dimensions. And to us on the other hand belong infirmities, weaknesses, and failures. But the Holy Spirit has constantly helped me to realize that in the face of this challenge and in the light of our frail humanity, we need not despair. Hallelujah! God who wants us to please Him - yes, to meet His standard of excellence - did not leave us in despair and frustration.

One of the Scripture passages that have brought great hope, faith, and comfort to me in this is Philippians 2:13: "It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Another is Hebrews 13:20-21: "Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."

These Scripture passages tell us if only we can allow God to work in us, if only we can depend absolutely upon God, then God Himself will produce in us and through us what meets His good pleasure in His standard of excellence. This is amazing but it is true.

The philosophy of living and achieving of the world is one of self-reliance. It is ego-centric - self esteem, self actualization, self help, and so forth. It is good for the world which ignores and rejects the supernatural resources of God. And so, they turn to themselves. Unfortunately, much of that philosophy is laced into our presentation of the Gospel and into our Christian life-style. This makes it hard for many Christians to truly and actually live by faith, which is living in absolute dependence on God.

Many professing Christians do not seem to appeciate that Christianity is a "non-me" life. Christianity is the life of Christ being lived in "me" (Galatians 2:20). This is contrary to the ego-centric philosophy of living. And so the extent to which the worldly philosophy of living directs our life-style we find that the "Christian" life we live is filled with apologies for our failures in terms of our human weaknesses or sometimes boastings for our successes in terms of our self efforts and cleverness, or even adulations of human heroes and despising of failed humans.

Paul overcame this worldly philosophy when he sought God with agonising apologies for his own human infirmities and asking God to take away these infirmities or the challenges he confronted. Instead God brought the human-centred Paul to the startling realization that it is not his human infirmities being taken way that will cause him to produce God's excellence but by Christ living in Him. Here is Paul's inspiring testimony in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10: "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

To know and do the good, acceptable and perfect will of God we will have to stop conforming to this world, especially in our mindset or philosophy of living, and let the Spirit renew our minds. Too many professing Christians accept and promote a humanist life-style of mediocrity and constant failing because their minds are hooked to the world's self-centred philosophy of achievement - I and Me and being just human. Salvation was designed by God as the answer to the cries and frustration of human failures and the solution to the sin or coming short characteristic of humanity. It was designed and presented by God in Christ to work effectively and it does if we will accept the mindset that God wants us to have of we being humbly and absolutely dependent upon the Christ who lives in us as Christians.

I love Paul's admonition along this line in Colossians 2:8-10: "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."

God wants us to please Him without Him compromising His standard of excellence. And He has given us the principle and power to do so. The divine working principle is faith in God practised as absolute dependence upon God. "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2 Corinthians 4:6-7).

If we will live and function according to God's principle of absolute dependence on the Christ who lives in us, then we cannot but genuinely meet God's standard of excellence and give God the glory in everything we do. Our Christian life will not be characterized by dismal self-efforts but the triumph life of Christ who lives in us. May God help us all to actually please Him in the standard of His excellence and glorify Him as the norm of our Christian walk inspite of our human infirmities.

The Lord Gives and Takes Away

2008-12-12T15:16:00.010-04:00

Stories of material success are often presented as the outcome of human cleverness, skill, and enterprise. At the same time, the less materially successful often are blamed or blame themselves for their lack of these human qualities and talents which are believed to produce material success. Arising out of these perspectives are usually boasting on one hand and scorn on the other hand. Without ignoring the importance of the virtues of human cleverness, skill, and enterprise in life here on earth, we must admit that the life's stories of men and women indicate material success is not consistently related to these admirable human qualities. There are many occasions when this sort of human philosophy does not explain earthly success and failure.

The dramatic account of Job's historic experience recorded in the Bible should convince us we should lay no personal claim on the material things of this life. Job was an icon of material success in his era. According to the Bible his material possessions were vast. The account boasts, "his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East" (Job 1:3). In addition, Job's character and reputation were impeccable. The Bible describes him as a man who "was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1).

Yet with immense wealth for possession and an underlying human character capable of rightly holding on to his vast wealth, Job lost everything in one day. Disaster and misfortune suddenly struck and plunged Job immediately into dire poverty.

This was an unusual catastrophe that had happened to a hardworking godly man. Like it would be today, many in Job's day would have produced their explanations for Job's sudden misfortune. And certainly not missing in the case of this obviously unexplainable disaster would be the spiritualistic speculation that some 'powerful' curse cast by an envious neighbour had struck this good man.

But we thank God the Bible did not leave us to speculate the true cause behind Job's sudden calamity. According to the Bible's account, the devil in an attempt to destroy Job had found that God had placed around Job a hedge which effectively prevented the devil or anyone else from destroying Job and his possessions. The devil approached God and accused Job of maintaining a godly life only because of the vast wealth God had given Job. He proposed that if God would take away the hedge He had placed around Job to allow him to destroy Job's possessions, Job would blaspheme against God. And so, God, being confident of Job's unconditional integrity and faithfulness, took up the challenge. He shifted the hedge around Job to allow the devil limited access to Job. The devil quickly took the opportunity and in one day unleashed extensive havoc on Job's property resulting in total destruction of all Job's possession and the death of his seven sons and three daughters.

What is of significant interest to us in this dramatic account is Job's keen spiritual insight in the midst of his adversity of the actual source of the wealth he had amassed and the calamity that had befallen him. The Bible tells us Job worshipping God declared: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21).

This mindset displayed by Job in the midst of such personal disaster confounds all human philosophy of prosperity and calamity. Where can we fit there the principle of positive thoughts and actions for achieving material prosperity or preventing adversity? To Job, his prosperity was not the achievement of man nor was his present calamity the curse of enemies. His deep spiritual insight into what was happening to him excluded wicked men and demons. He saw only God.

Job saw God in his prosperity and God in his calamity. Yet God remained to him one who is consistently good in all He does. "In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong" (Job 1:22).

This is the amazing essence of the Christian faith in relation to earthly prosperity and calamity. God gives and God takes away and in either way He remains blessed forever in the hearts of those who trust Him. The Christian's lot is maintained by God and is not left to the manipulations of men or devils. David affirms in Psalms 125:3: "For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity."

"The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; Blessed be the name of the Lord!"

Abominations of Nations

2008-12-02T17:15:00.006-04:00

The occult may seem to be highly regarded throughout the nations of the world today. But in the Bible the Lord declares it to be among the abominations of nations.

The Lord made this pronouncement in Deuteronomy 18:9-14: "When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you."

The Lord plainly forbade the Israelites to adopt any of the occult practices of the nations around them. These occult practices are called abominations by God. The occult practices which the Lord calls abominations have not changed in modern times since the time they were identified as abominations in the Bible. A look at the list of the occult practices identified in the Bible as abominations by God shows the practices are similar today.

Eight forms of the occult practices are listed in Deuteronomy 18:9-14. They are: (1) one who practices witchcraft (a witch or a warlock), (2) a soothsayer (a seer; a false prophet; a psychic), (3) one who interprets omens (a palm-reader; a fortune-teller; an astrologer), (4) a sorcerer (a witchdoctor), (5) one who conjures spells (a wizard), (6) a medium (spirit medium), (7) a spiritist (a seance leader), and (8) one who calls up the dead (a necromancer). Some of these practices in the list overlap. They are common practices today as they were in ancient cultures and remain abominations in the sight of God.

Apart from some aspects of the occult practices which are tricks, magic, and deceit, the occult consists of dark, sinister realities which are deeply involved in satanism and demons. Its popularity today, especially in once so-called Christian nations, is astounding. And it indicates the pervading influence of apostasy in modern Christian cultures.

Paul predicted in 1 Timothy 4:1, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons."

Widespread interest in witchcraft, astrology, psychics, and other forms of sorcery has made the occult a rich industry in modern times. Few people will go through a day without consulting their horoscope, or deal with the issues of life without inquiring from their psychics. Increasing numbers are attending seances, or are seeking to communicate with deceased loved ones. Satanist groups are competing today with Christian and other religious assemblies in membership and immense interest in demons is being generated among both Christians and non-Christians.

These practices, like they were in ancient times, are abominations to God. Instead of helping anyone, the occult practices weaken people and plunge those who adhere to them into sinister darkness and corruption. The Lord forbids His people to participate in them. The Bible declares them plainly to be the abominations of nations.

The Occult Weakens

2008-11-25T17:51:00.009-04:00

Anyone who thinks the occult brings help is deceived. According to the Bible, the occult weakens those who practise it. God made that plain to the children of Israel.

The Lord warned the nation of Israel in in Deuteronomy 18:9-12: "When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you."

God made it quite clear to the people of Israel that the ruin and downfall of the Canaanites were the result of their involvement in the occult. "For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you."

The Canaanites had appeared to be a formidable people to the Israelites. In fact, an entire generation of Israelites ended up perishing in the wilderness instead of going up against the Canaanites because of fear. As a preparation for advancing into Canaan, Moses had sent out spies to obtain intelligence about the condition of the land and the people. Most of the spies returned with a frightening report. "And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, 'the land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight'" (Numbers 13:32-33). The report paralyzed the people of Israel with fear and they refused to go up against the Canaanites.

Now a generation after, the Israelites were about to embark on the conquest of Canaan and the general atmosphere in their midst was one of immense confidence and optimism. And already the Lord was instructing them about their conduct of life when they would occupy the land of Canaan. So victory was divinely assured.

However, it was important for the Israelites to know the basis on which they would over-run the Canaanites. It was not any superior military resources or strategies on their part. God was exposing to them the interestingly insidious destructive element which had already undermined the strength of the Canaanites. It had permeated the cultural sinews of the Canaanite society deceitfully weakening the people before the advancing Israelites. What had become the Canaanites' dominant traditions and culture, what the Canaanites had come to regard as instruments of mysterious power, were subtly a debilitating poison which had weakened them against their imminent conquerors. The occult was a dominant culture in Canaan but it had generated the Canaanites' eventual domination by a foreign nation.

And so, the Lord was solemnly admonishing the Israelites about the pervasive danger of such a culture and how important it was for them to keep extremely far from it, if they were to maintain their position of strength in the land they would conquer. "When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.... For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you."

It is today a tragic reality that in our modern enlightened era this over 3, 000 year-old warning about the occult is as relevant as it was then. Many are today turning to the occult deceived, like the Canaanites were, that it is just culture and it provides power, protection, and fortune. But the fact is the occult remains a subtle infectious custom that will weaken and destroy any individual or people who get involved in its practices.

Voice of Truth

2008-11-19T09:54:00.005-04:00

Jesus said this: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).

Whose voice are you hearing and believing in your present situation? There are many voices out there in this noisy world of diverse advices, opinions, and judgments. They call out to us everywhere we go, whatever we do or even don't do. They whisper, they request, they entice, they shout, they command.

They want to capture our attention. They want us to hear what they say we are; what they say we can or cannot be, and can or cannot do. They want us to hear what they say we must do and must not do, where we must go and must not go. Sometimes it is just incomprehensible noise, but there are times they catch our attention. And then we hear.

The danger is that not all voices that seek our attention tell us the truth. Many today are victims of hearing and believing voices of lies and deceits. Voices that have crippled them. Voices that have extinguished their ambition. Voices that have melted their true potential and discounted their esteem of who they really are. Voices that have dampened their joy and inflamed pain and sorrow. Voices that have disturbed their peace and kindled guilt, shame, and condemnation. Voices that have banished love and stirred up hatred and bitterness. These are evil voices which they should have never listened to. But these voices are out there and they are relentless. We all must beware.

Paul warns us, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons" (1 Timothy 4:1).

But among the negative voices of evil and danger is the voice of truth. It is really the voice of God. The voice of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. It is good, positive, healing, comforting, and powerful. It makes us strong and bold.

This is the voice of truth. To hear it we must belong to God. We must be sheep of the Lord's fold. And when we hear it, we hear the truth of who we are, what we can be or do, and which way we must go. It dispels the cloud of depression and hopelessness. And it breaks the bondage of paralysis and sets us free with unlimited power and hope, giving us faith to believe we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

You will find the followiing words of Mark Hall in the song, Voice of Truth, very inspiring:

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand.

But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed.
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again, "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

But the voice of truth tells me a different story.
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the voice of truth says, "This is for My glory."
Out of all the voices calling to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.

Why the Idea of a Curse?

2008-11-12T08:44:00.017-04:00

It's interesting how much influence our mindset has on our lives. Our mindset is the way we perceive or see things; what we believe. It is our entire process of reasoning. But is our mindset always true?

An important question in understanding our mindset is what informs or shapes our thinking. We need not dig into the depth of psychology to realize our mindset is shaped by ideas we have come to accept or believe. From the cradle to the grave we are loaded with information which we process and somehow come to accept or believe. And so it is necessary to examine or identify the nature and sources of the information and ideas we receive if we are to assess the soundness of our mindset.

Our mindset is usually framed by dominant ideas. Dominant ideas consist of information which has become established as truth or fact. They may be established as truth or fact not by our own personal examination of them but because others whose opinions we accept without question have accepted or declared them as truth or fact. Therefore, a dominant idea is generally a popularly accepted idea. This is why it is necessary for us not to be afraid or reluctant to examine the truthfulness of information which shapes our mindset.

Not all information that has become established as truth or fact is actually truth or fact. It may seem unbelievable to many today, but there was a period in time when the earth was considered flat. And it is even more unbelievable that with all the evidence now available about the earth being a sphere there are still people who will argue that the earth is flat.

The idea of a curse is a dominant idea which has existed in varying forms in nearly all the cultures of the world. With power and wealth being factors which have always been sought after universally, it can be understood why the idea of cursing which claims to offer both power and wealth has remained a dominant idea in most societies. But it can be argued the idea that any man can successfully invoke a curse on another is a real phenomenon begs for sound evidence and facts.

A curse is considered to be any kind of adversity thought to be inflicted by a supernatural power by means of a prayer, a spell, a spirit, witchcraft, or a god. Those who accept the idea of a curse use the idea to explain apparent misfortunes or adversities and to threaten their enemies. They believe that some people have power to impose adversities on others by invoking curses.

In most cultures the method used for invoking curses is the use of effigy, which is an image of the victim, or the person expected to be harmed. Effigies made with wax were common in ancient Europe, the USA, India, Africa, Persia and Egypt, and currently are still used. Effigies are also made of clay, wood and stuffed cloth (poppets). It is thought that the closer the effigy resembles the victim, the more the victim will suffer when the effigy is harmed or destroyed. The idea is as the effigy is harmed or destroyed, so the victim is harmed or destroyed.

It is clear that cursing involves some very weird practices with unproven success. Yet, there is no doubt that the concept of a curse is a dominant idea. But how real or true are curses invoked by man? In examining the truth of the concept of a curse, we need to ask if there is any evidence that anyone has successfully used curses to harm others. It is very unlikely that such evidence exists.

In a world where rich countries spend large sums of money to obtain weapons of destruction, and hatred among people is common, any such person with the power to do harm by means of a curse would be in high demand. And it is easy to imagine how swiftly hated dictators, unpopular political leaders, the disliked and even the envied would be eliminated.

Certainly, the nations of the world would have been showcasing their powerful witches rather than their military might. And in societies, sorcerers and not police would be dealing with criminals. People who claim to have power to inflict curses to do harm would not be operating in back alleys and dens but in lofty offices on main streets. And, of course, the inevitable problem would be to protect these evil practitioners against destroying each other.

Nonetheless, while there is a lack of evidence to support the idea that someone can do harm to another by the use of a curse, the evidence is those who believe in curses seem to be convinced about the effects of curses. What has shaped this unsubstantial mindset? Is this a case of turning a blind eye to contradicting evidence and focusing on mere coincidence to maintain one's belief?

Francis Bacon wrote: "It is the peculiar and perpetual error of the human understanding to be more moved and excited by affirmatives than by negatives." Psychologists refer to this error as confirmation bias. It is the tendency for people to take note of or look for what confirm their beliefs and ignore or set aside what contradict their beliefs.

For instance, one who believes in curses would ignore the many instances when people without being the object of curse rituals experience adversities, or people who are objects of curse rituals remain unscathed, but would take note of the relatively few coincidences when people who they know to be objects of curse rituals experience adversities. When we become blinded to evidence that refutes our beliefs, we become pitiful captives of superstition. This sort of selective thinking is the basis for most beliefs in psychic powers and the occult. And it is without doubt the basis for the idea one can do harm to another by a curse and the reason why the idea is a dominant idea in the mindset of so many people.

Since curses are thought to relate to the supernatural, the Bible should provide us sound information to frame our ideas about curses. The Bible contains numerous references to curses. But the Bible provides no reference to or support for the idea curses can be invoked by any one against another. What is clear in the Bible is no one can curse whom God does not curse.

Only God can curse. He reserves the power to curse to Himself. The evil and malicious intent of those who would use curses against others makes it obvious that God will not give such a power to any man over another, especially to evil, dark-minded people like sorcerers and witches. Balaam the sorcerer admitted: "How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced" (Numbers 23:8)?

People will continue to practice and believe in cursing. But the fact is cursing someone is a vain practice. It is based on deceitful information and a misguided mindset. The only reality about it is the misery belief in it inflicts on people who think they are cursed.

The truth is adversities are not synonymous with curses. It is those who are misguided by the idea that man has power to curse see every sore spot in their and others' lives as a curse. If we will count our blessings it will surprise us how even apparent evils and misfortunes are blessings in disguise.

And so, it is really the mindset - how we see things. But we can't go wrong by allowing our mindset to be framed and shaped by God's truth. The word of God informs us to see the good in everything. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Furthermore, we are called upon to ponder and reckon properly and allow our mindset to be shaped by truth according to Romans 8:31-39: "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Truly He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he condemning? It is Christ who has died, but rather also who is raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, "For Your sake we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep of slaughter." But in all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Whatever your lot today, why define it as a curse? Why the idea of a curse when God defines it all as blessings? If you are blessed by God, no man can curse you.

For all who have come to believe in Christ, we have the assurance God "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).

Read the book, G.A.N. James, The Myth of the Generational Curse (Xulon Press, 2007).

The Election of Barack Obama Exposes the Myth of the Curse of Ham

2008-11-05T14:36:00.009-04:00

In the last post, the question raised was whether the curse of Ham would prevent African American, Barack Obama, from becoming a US president. Well, we woke up this morning on Wednesday 5 November to see worldwide jubilation that Barack Obama won the election by a wide margin over white contender John Mc Cain to become the first US African American president elect.

What does that do to the curse of Ham idea? It exposes it as a myth. It demonstrates the so-called curse of Ham is a figment of vain human imagination fuelled by superstition and racial prejudice.

The so-called curse of Ham states all black people are destined to be slaves. This implies black people lack leadership qualities and are confined naturally to servitude. Of course, no evidence has ever supported the myth. But the myth was used to justify the inhumane enslavement of African people by whites in times past and exists today merely in the pitiful minds of bigots.

The election of Barack Obama to lead the US and the subsequent jubilation by the world citizens who welcome him as a world leader add to the indisputable evidence that blacks can be effective leaders. This is particularly so when, in terms of the US election, Barack Obama had to contend with several well-qualified white aspirants to win the election.

So we congratulate Barack Obama on his election to the US presidency. The American people overwhelmingly showed they recognize his leadership ability to be far above that of his white contenders as they observed him closely in the run of the two-year campaign leading to the election. In so doing, they have exposed once again the myth of the curse of Ham.

This is God's doing. It demonstrates that no man can curse whom God does not.

In David's words in Psalms 75:4-7: "I said to the boastful, 'Do not deal boastfully,' and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up the horn. Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck.' " For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another.

Read the book by G.A.N. James, The Myth of the Generational Curse (Xulon Press, 2007)

Barack Obama and the Curse of Ham

2008-10-29T09:17:00.013-04:00

It is interesting that in our modern world of information technology that a web search on the topic, the curse of Ham, would bring up something like this: "The Curse of Ham: Why Barack Hussein Obama Will Never Be President." What is even more interesting is that this post is in a so-called "conservative Christian" blog which declares that "all people of dark skin carry the curse of Ham."

This demonstrates erroneous information, like the lack of information, perpetuates ignorance, and that the modern world's boast of the abundance of information made possible by phenomenal advances in information technology is not equally a boast of increase in enlightenment.

The myth of the curse of Ham states that according to the Bible Noah pronounced a curse on his son, Ham, whose descendants include all black people. The curse is said to have made Ham and his descendants black and confined them to perpetual slavery. The myth of the curse of Ham is a misinterpretation of a Biblical account of Noah pronouncing a curse on his grandson, Canaan.

According to the Bible, Noah once became drunk and lay naked in his tent. Ham, one of Noah's three sons, saw Noah drunk and naked and informed his two brothers Shem and Japheth, who went into the tent backwardly and covered Noah. When Noah awoke and was told what happened he made these pronouncements: "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brethren.... Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem; and may Canaan be his servant" (Genesis 9:25-27).

From the Scriptural account, it is true that Noah for reasons not given in the account cursed Canaan, Ham's youngest son, but it is not true that Noah cursed Ham or Ham's three other sons. In addition, there is no evidence God sanctioned Noah's curse and Canaan and his descendants were enslaved by Canaan's brethren and their descendants, according to Noah's pronouncement. We must always remember that no man can curse whom God has not cursed. A fulfillment of Naoh's curse on Canaan would mean that Canaan including his descendants became enslaved to his "brethren" who would be his three brothers, Cush, Mizraim, and Put and their descendants. Nothing in anthropology and history provides such evidence.

Moreover, Noah's pronouncement in the rest of the Biblical account is ambiguous when examined closley. You need to review Genesis 9:26-27 to follow this argument. It is not plainly stated in Genesis 9:26 whether Noah's pronouncement meant Canaan and his descendants would be servants to "the Lord, the God of Shem" or to Shem and his descendants. The "his" in that passage may refer to either the Lord or Shem. Similarly, it is not plainly stated in Genesis 9:27 whether Naoh's pronouncement meant God would enlarge Japheth and "he" (God) would dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan and his descendants would be "his" (God's) servants, or Japheth would dwell in the tents of Shem and Canaan and his descendants would be "his" (Japheth's) servants. It is unclear to whom the personal pronouns refer in that part of the Scriptural account. And so, it is not plainly stated in the Bible if Noah was declaring that Canaan and his descendants would become servants to Shem and Japheth and their descendants in addition to their enslavement to Canaan's brothers and their descendants.

Anthropology and history seem to situate the descendants of Ham mainly in Egypt, Ethiopia, Lybia, and the rest of Africa. The Canaanites in particular settled in Palestine or Canaan and, according to the Bible, were subjugated by the Israelites who invaded Canaan killing and driving out most of the Canaanites. The Israelites who eventually subjugated the Canaanites were not descendants of Canaan's brothers but were descendants of Shem. And this happened after the Israelites themselves were enslaved in Egypt by descendants of Ham for about four centuries.

Clearly, the idea of the curse of Ham is not derived from a proper interpretation of the Biblical account. It is a myth which unfortunately was used to justify the brutal enslavement of African people and continues to be used in modern times to oppress and discriminate against black people.

The message of the Gospel presents God's salvation and equal entitlement to the blessings of God to all nations through Jesus Christ. It is a shameful contradiction to Christianity and a display of pitiable ignorance that so-called Christians would dare seek to cheat and rob black people of their human dignity and potential achievement on earth on the basis of the myth of the curse of Ham.

To introduce the myth of the curse of Ham into the politics of United States of America, the proclaimed standard bearer of democracy in the world, is embarrassing. Barack Obama, who has nobly distinguished himself for the past two years in his political campaign to become leader of the Democratic party and as of date a strong contender for the presidency of the US, celebrates the fact that good leadership is a potential which is not confined to any particular race of human beings. And this so-called "conservative Christian" group of people who dare to misguidedly propagate that Barack Obama is disqualified to become president of the US on the basis of the mythical curse of Ham shows how far backward we are from true enlightenment in America despite our information technology advances. They need the prayers of all sincere Christians everywhere.

Read the book by G.A.N. James, The Myth of the Generational Curse (Xulon Press, 2007).

When God has blessed....

2008-10-25T21:08:00.006-04:00

God's blessings always prevail. It is the light that dispels the darkness and the good that overcomes evil. Yet the idea of the power of cursing continues to seduce the minds of man everywhere.

It's perplexing that so many people find it so easy to resort to the powers of darkeness and evil for help. And somehow it seems so difficult to convince them that exceedingly greater is the security and safety God provides freely. It seems to be the tendency of humans to embrace illusions.

But it is even more daringly presumptuous when some think that they can conjure up curses that can diffuse the power of God's blessings.

The Bible tells of such a man who hired a sorcerer to curse a people God had blessed so that he could defeat them. He was Balak, king of the people of Moab. He became intimidated by the might of the people of Israel. He sent for Balaam a sorcerer, who was well known among the nations around. He urged Balaam, "Please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed" (Numbers 22:6).

In this account the Bible gives us an interesting insight into who really has the authority and power to bless and curse. King Balak sent his emissaries to Balaam with "the diviner's fee" up front. When they got to Balaam's home they delivered the King's message. Balaam's immediate reply to them was "Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me" (Numbers 22:8).

Balaam was unashamedly acknowledging his helplessness in the craft that he was well-known for and was declaring only God indeed has the supreme power to bless and curse.

Balaam did not receive permission from the Lord to go to King Balak and he informed the King's emissaries. The King would not accept Balaam's refusal and sent more influential emissaries to persuade Balaam to come and curse the people of Israel. Balaam eventually conceded but not without informing Balak's emissaries that "though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more" (Numbers 22:18). Balaam the sorcerer was admitting the truth that no man can curse.

Even when Balaam arrived in the city of Moab and was brought before the King he again asserted to the King "Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak" (Numbers 22:38).

King Balak, however, convinced that Balaam the sorcerer could have cursed the people of Israel for him, insisted that Balaam proceed with the sorcery. Balaam complied with the King's request only to return to the King in despair afterwards with what became the well-known oracle declaring the futility of human sorcery: "Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east. 'Come, curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!' How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced" (Numbers 23:7-8)?

To the King's astonishment instead of cursing the people of Israel Balaam went on to pronounce blessings upon them. "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!" King Balak said. To this Balaam replied, "Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth" (Numbers 23:11-12)? Yes, indeed! No man can curse.

But King Balak, like many today, still could not be convinced that no sorcerer, even one as prominent as Balaam, had power to curse. He therefore insisted that Balaam try again. Balaam did, but again came up with even a sterner statement of God's supreme power and authority to bless and curse. "Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor! God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.... For there is no sorcery against Jacob, nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'Oh, what God has done!'" (Numbers 23:18-23).

Both Balaam and King Balak eventually gave up on the futility of the practice of sorcery against the people of Israel and realized that no man can curse whom God has not cursed. When God has blessed you, there is neither sorcery nor any divination that can prevail against you.

Read the book by G.A.N. James, The Myth of the Generational Curse (Xulon Press, 2007).