Why Race Is A Lie!*

Unity is essential to being the Church, as Scripture defines and describes the Church. Paul wrote: "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph. 4:1-3). Paul goes on to reveal that every aspect of our belief is based upon a concept of unity: one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, "...One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." (v. 6-7). Jesus descended into the earth and ascended "far above all heavens", leading the captives of death out with Him, in order to "fill all things". In the same way, Christ gave gifts to the Church, some apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, who are all still called and functioning in the Church today, in order to teach, edify and equip the saints in the unity required to achieve the fullness of Christ. These gifts to the Church will remain until the goal is achieved:"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (v. 8-13). This fullness is necessary to prevent us from being tossed, carried and deceived by "every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (v. 14). We, however, speak the truth of unity: "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (v. 14-16). Divisions created by men, including divisions based upon false doctrines and deceptions, work against the goal of Christ for His Body, the Church. These false divisions play a role in end time events as prophesied by Jesus to His disciples: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Mt. 24:7-8). We are seeing these events taking place now, and with great intensity. However, let us look at the complete meaning of the word "nation" used here in this verse. The Greek word is ethnos, which means "a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together; a company, troop, swarm; a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus; the human family; a tribe, nation, people group; in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles; Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians". Jesus added: "And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations (ethnos - the human family); and then shall the end come." (v. 14). The human family on the earth today, of which Jesus spoke, has one origin: "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth...And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread." (Gen. 9:1, 18-19). God gave Noah and his sons permission to eat any food on earth, but they could not eat the blood, which contained the life of the flesh. Restrictions on food did not come until the Law of Moses. Though varying cultures may eat things that seem unacceptable to us, thus causing senseless divisions, they are acceptable under God's instructions to Noah. All of the human family that inhabits earth today came from the three sons of Noah, as they left the ark, and spread out across the earth. To them and to all flesh, God's everlasting covenant promise to never again flood the earth was accompanied by a sign: the rainbow in the sky (v. 8-17). No matter how else this sign ordained by God is used by men, the true meaning of the rainbow is as a reminder to God of His covenant promise to all flesh, without categories, labels, or divisions. Although the human family lived in unity for a while, division came soon after. All men spoke one language at the time. In this unity of language, men planned to build a city out of brick and mortar, and a tower to reach up to heaven: "And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." (Gen. 11:1-4). The LORD came down to see what the people were building. He saw that having one language, nothing would be restrained from what they set their minds to do. So He confused their language, and they could no longer communicate with each other (v. 5-7). They sought to empower themselves because they had feared being scattered, but because of their actions, what they feared came to pass, and the LORD scattered them upon all the earth (v. 9). They were confused and divided from each other only by language, not by race nor ethnicity. In the New Testment, as the apostle Paul brought the Gospel to the people of Athens, he brought the knowledge of God to them using one of their own monuments "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD" (Acts 17:22-27). Paul said to them, "...I declare unto you...God that made the world and all things therein...dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us." Using the Greek word for nations again, which is ethnos, meaning the human family, Paul made clear that we have all been made from one blood by the God of all who dwells, not in a physical building, but within each of us, his living temples. In the Song of Solomon, there are two who are loved by one another. We believe that the love relationship depicted here is prophetic regarding Christ and His Church. The man, called by the woman, "My Beloved", and the woman describe each other lovingly as beautiful. One lover says, "I am black, but comely...Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me..." Songs 1:6). She is also called "thou fairest among women". She says of the one she loves: "My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven...His eyes are as the eyes of doves...His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His legs are as pillars of marble..." (Song 5:1-16). These two people in the Song of Songs will be known eternally, not for any divisions as defined by race, but for their devotion to each other, and for their beauty in each other's eyes. The human family has divided itself, and abused and rejected each other based upon the lie of race. We see evidence of the unity of the human family in many findings associated with the Native Americans in this country. Many Native American petroglyphs have been found that contain writing in the ancient Hebrew language. The Los Lunas Decalogue Stone is a stone in New Mexico upon which The Ten Commandments, engraved in ancient Hebrew, was found. The West African Slave Coast, from which many people were shipped and sold across the ocean, was called on ancient maps, "The Kingdom of Judah". From this we may conclude that many former American slaves may have descended from the Twelve Tribes of Israel. It is written that upon the arrival of Columbus in the New World, Indigenous People greeted him reciting the Shema, the prayer of Israel. The human family was never divided by God by racial identity. The amount of melanin in the skin does not divide us one from another, but is an indication of where many generations dwelt geographically on the earth, and in relationship to the sun. Race is a lie to separate and destroy people. Let's be set free by the truth, and be healed. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 1/30/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.

Are You Preparing?

 

The Lord Jesus gave clear instructions and warnings, concerning the signs of the end times, and pertaining to His coming. As we see the signs occurring more and more frequently, it is very likely that Jesus' words apply to our generation more than any generation that has come before us. The nearer we draw to His return, the more important it is that we heed His instructions, and prepare ourselves accordingly. When speaking of these end times, Jesus referred to the fig tree in parable. Many believe that the fig tree represents Israel, and its place in end time events. We will also see how it is an important sign for the Church, even from the Old Testament.

After warning of tribulation, false Christs, and referring to the catching away of the Church, Jesus continues:

"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only...Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."

                                                                                          Mt. 24:32-42 (excerpt)

Jesus described the behavior that should accompany this uncertainty regarding the exact moment of His coming. He tells of how a good man, or servant, of the house, if he knew the moment of the coming of a thief, would make sure to have kept watch for it.

He instructs us to keep the same kind of vigil, so we will not be caught unprepared for His sudden coming. It will come at the exact time that we think it won't come. He warned, "Therefore be ye also ready."   Mt. 24:43-44

Not only are we to watch, but we are to be found doing the work at His coming that we have been called and purposed to do. If we are doing that work, we will be blessed and rewarded.  What is the work that the Lord should find us doing upon His return?

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?"  Mt. 24:45

We are to be occupied in the work that He has purposed us to do-providing spiritual meat for all called to the household of God. The "meat" to be provided is the uncompromised Word of truth, and the works of ministry in the name of the Lord, and the making of disciples.

At the same time, Jesus also told about the evil servant, who, based on his belief that the lord of the house would not be returning soon, not only did not perform the duties expected of him, but abused the others serving in the household, and spent his hours in sinful activity (v.48-49). Jesus warned that the consequences to this servant will be devastating:

"The lord of that servant...shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (extreme anguish and utter despair)....and will appoint him his portion with unbelievers"  Mt. 24:50-51, Lk. 12:46
This is the same judgment that was determined for the guest at the king's wedding banquet for his son, who was not attired in the proper wedding garment. The king ordered that guest to be bound and cast into the outer darkness (Mt. 22:12-13). Jesus concluded with the chilling statement:
"For many are called, but few are chosen."  Mt. 22:14
There will not be time to prepare or to be ready when the moment of His coming arrives. The Lord instructed to have our loins girded about (out of bed and dressed), and our lights burning, even in the middle of the night, when others have gone to bed thinking the master is not about to return. At the sound of His knock, we are to be ready to open the door to Him immediately (Lk. 12:35-36). Like the servant, this is the Lord's expectation of us, this is part of the "duties" that have been given to us:
"For the Son of man...gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch...Lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say to you all, Watch."  Mk. 13:34-37 (excerpt)
In the Song of Songs, the bride lost her opportunity to go with the bridegroom because she was not prepared for his knock, though the signs and seasons pointed to his soon arrival:
(The bridegroom is speaking) "The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with their tender grapes give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away." 
                                                                                                     Song 2:13
(The bride is speaking) "I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?"  Song 5:2-3
The bride had already undressed and gone to bed. She was not prepared to open the door immediately to the bridegroom. By the time she got to the door, he had withdrawn (turned away). She went out into the streets looking for him, but couldn't find him. She called out to him, but he didn't answer. The watchmen and the keepers of the wall beat her, and took her veil away from her. The protectors of the city would have judged her to be a harlot, belonging to no one, out in the streets at night (Song 5:6-7 ).
In all of these parables and prophetic pictures, excuses were not accepted for not being prepared properly, for not being found performing the assigned work.
We need to understand and heed the signs of the times, and we need to know and be in our proper places in the Body of Christ, doing the work that has been purposed by the Lord for each one: awake, watchful, and prayerful, fully prepared for His coming at a moment when we might least expect Him. Peter told us that in the last days, the world will scoff at the idea of the Lord's imminent return (2 Pet. 3:3-4). However, we are to be prepared. Every indication we have points to the fact that He is coming soon.

To Contact/Submit a Prayer request/Support the Ministry/To Order the new book, "NAZAH":
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
http://endtimeschool.com/
To Watch the Complete Message:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10211854355416118&id=1287453776

Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:
Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, and also fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.