JESUS HAD TO RUN FOR HIS LIFE……. St. John 11 verses 54

INTRODUCTION

Oooooooooh la la, people seems I have opened a whole can of worms with this marriage thing. Let me at this juncture reiterate Je suis célibataire et aimer (I am single and loving it).  I have a permanent problem to which I am trying to find a permanent solution. I need a prayer partner. These days I am really not into the hairy fairy Christianity.  I have ran around the church and I have foamed at the mouth.  It is now time to work the principles of God.

We will seek to bring some balance to the discussion. There seems to be a plethora of material on YouTube. Two have stuck in my mind by Pastor Funke Felix-Adejumo.- 4 levels of Maturity before Marriage and another teaching about single ladies in the church.  In the latter, I was amazed at what single ladies do in the church since this has not been my own experience. In the video on maturity for marriage she suggested that the bride to be might want to suggest washing the plate that she ate from.  Immediately what comes to mind is one’s socialization.  This strategy might work in Africa but in the West Indies our socialization is very different.  I was thinking that instead of suggesting that one wash the plate we would ask the person clearing the table what was for dessert and if they could get us another glass of juice.

Our socialization is different you can’t use one brush and paint all.  Our ancestors came to the West Indies via the middle passage and we had to fight off oppression. A number of spiritual challenges are still hounding us.  Let me introduce you to this book written by Professor Errol Miller - Marginalization of the Black Male. In addition, I went to a prayer meeting over there at Hagley Park Plaza.  In those days, they had up the map of Jamaica on the wall because elections were on the horizons and elections are not something you play with.  I call it the Jamaican Reality Show held every five years.  (Just a brief mention here seems the USA has a new Vice President, keep it in the family, keep it in the family). Then I heard the Intercessor praying against ‘the spirit of the stud’.  I was taken aback and said what is that? Then I went and did my own research.  I suggest you do your own. 

What happened to the black male during slavery?  What is a stud?

I was praying with a lady recently and she was explaining her situation to me. I asked her one question and then at her answer we both laughed.  I said my sister I was just making sure you were from my part of the world. Then we prayed. She was not the first.

We also have this playing out in the education sector the number of female to male students in our institutions of higher learning is approximately two to one. Male/ Female Student Ratio Jamaica So who do you think should be asking for whose hand in marriage? We have people marrying just for the purpose of procreation. Isaiah 3 verses 12 and 16 speak to the haughtiness of the women. They will be walking with mincing steps.

Let us look at the experience of the Black American male in the United States- The Composition of the prison population Race Composition of Prison Population The Black American population is 12.2% but the prison population is 37%

We are going somewhere people let us now look at the divorce rate of the church versus that of the world. Divorce rate around the World Rate of Divorce -World

Divorce rate in the church  Divorce Rate Church- We have happy news people it being reported as approximately 30 percent and less in the church.

The reason I am reporting this data is because those Pastors on the different social media teaching on the blissful state, I would appreciate if you could state the rate of divorce in your sphere of influence.  I am glad that your marriage is happy and prosperous but I am more interested in the Jesus Principle how have you replicated yourselfves. How many persons are on their second marriage etc.?

Single people I am now zeroing on us, I noticed that in quoting the Apostle Paul everyone seems to conveniently forget verses 7 and 8.  People let me remind you of context, pretext and post text.  You cannot use one scripture to make a doctrine.  Here is the context: I Corinthians 7 verses 7-9

1 Corinthians 7:7-9King James Version (KJV)

⁷ For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

⁸ I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.

⁹ But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

I notice everyone jumps to the ‘burn part’.  Can you imagine if there was a Mrs. Paul just assuming she missed the stoning? When these Jews use their missiles of choice even the very mosquito in your house gets killed. Case in point Achan in the book of Joshua 7 everything in his household was annihilated. The lady would be from one jail to the next bailing out her husband and most times he would be gone for extended periods. He would be on his way home and the Holy Spirit would say “I want you to change your plans”.  God knows what he is doing.

Reminds me of a man of God I listened to on YouTube who had recently been divorced. The commentator asked him what would happen now that he no longer had a wife.  The Pastor replied ‘The men of God in the Bible such as Peter, John and Paul did you ever hear of their wives Mrs. Peter, Mrs. Paul and Mrs. John? Did they not do what they were called to do? I rest my case.

From where I am sitting one of the things that we as Hamites of the lineage of Cush should be praying on a constant basis is Daniel 9.  The Bible said Daniel understood by books the season that his nation was in.  It is not about the giving and taking in marriage.  It is about what God wants to do with a people.  There are many things that we need to be repenting about.  We are still selling out each other for a trifle.

REFLECTIONS

For several years I have not had a chance to read the Bible through in a year, I decided that the appointed time had come and I had to do it this year.  I got me a number of yearly Bible Plans and I am following like Matlock (for those of you who don’t know Matlock is a Criminal lawyer who solves murder cases). While going through the New Testament I don’t know but it came to my attention that there always seems to be a number of plots and conspiracies to entrap or to kill Jesus. Then the following scripture just literally jumped out at me

John 11:47-54King James Version (KJV)

⁴⁷ Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

⁴⁸ If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

⁴⁹ And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

⁵⁰ Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

⁵¹ And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

⁵² And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

⁵³ Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

⁵⁴ Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

I mean things got so bad that the Brethren had to just leave town.  I said to myself where did you get this sappy sappy Christianity. Gentle Jesus meek and mild stuff.  No wonder the Lord had to do a Nehemiah on you Nehemiah 13 vs 25.

I said to myself  La Bible est très dangereuse, très, très dangereuse. This Blog is not for the uninitiated. You don’t find this material on YouTube or Google. I suppose I could have written that ‘His time had not yet come’ but I had to lean to my creative writing skills.  The current topic is more C’est la vie (It is life).

This is meat to answer to the short sighted and narrow-minded people in your life.  Who has sin this man or his parents?  St. John 9 verse 2. Nobody has sinned it is all in God’s timing and for the glory of God.

You will also have answer for the Shimei’s who wants to stone you when you are down. II Samuel 16 verse 5 -13 – They will never say who the Lord loveth he chasteneth.

I stated in an earlier Blog that people are waiting on tables instead of giving themselves to prayer and the word of God resulting in the suffering of the sheep.  The water is stagnant and the pasture has dried up and the shepherds are flitting from pasture to pasture fulfilling their ever so busy schedule.

Remember people I am sheep! Sheep! Every time I write that I am reminded of a sister in Jamaica in those early days when we were in the formative years of the ministry.  This sister would get on everybody’s high nerve and then she would say ‘Unuh hav’ fi luv mi, if unuh nuh luv mi, unuh nah guh a heaven’ (You have to love me, if you don’t love me, you are not going to heaven).  I don’t ask that you love me.  I only ask that for your sake you guard your hearts and remain at peace with me.  That is the Bible, Be at peace with all men.

CRITICAL DEFINITIONS

Run – There is only one way you can describe run to show the action. 

EXAMPLES OF PERSONS WHO HAD TO BEAT A HASTY RETREAT

There are a number of persons in the Bible who had to go out so that they can come in again. There was Elijah, Jonah, King David before he reached the palace and after he inhabited the palace. Moses, the Apostle Paul and of course the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He who never harmed an insect had to flee.

The Prophet Elijah  I Kings 17 - 19

The Prophet Elijah just wrought a mighty victory whereby he had destroyed Eight Hundred and fifty priests and prophets of Baal up in the mountains.  He also got rain to fall.  He was having a real mountain top experience. Then the High Priestess of the religion in Israel sent Elijah a threat and he lost it and flee. Just goes to show the devil is not impressed at your mountain top experiences.  He is going to test every fiber of your being. Elijah also started believing in his own publicity.  ‘I am the only one left’.  God said no Elijah I have Seven Thousand others. Elijah also started believing that his case was unique.  There is no unique case.  The fact of the matter is that some of us are more naïve than others. The Bible says there is nothing that has taken you that is not common to man.

Unfortunately, Elijah’s destiny was cut short because he was intimidated and ran from a woman.  He returned just to train his successor and be taken out of the Earth in a chariot of fire.

Jonah: Jonah 1

Some of us God must do a Nehemiah on. God did not argue with Jonah. Be careful of God’s silence.  He just threw Jonah overboard into a living submarine with a GPS to Nineveh (I know you thought GPS was just invented). Let me draw your attention to the cloud by day and the fire by night.  They never got lost. Father we thank you for the next witty invention in Jesus’ name.

Jonah did his evangelistic work, the people repented and fasted. Even though Jonah was upset. The Spirit is still in the church people who are not going anywhere and is upset when your God is blessing you.

King David

It would be easier to say what did not take place in the life of King David from he came on the scene at sixteen years old life has not been the same. Anointed King by the Prophet Samuel at sixteen.  King Saul his predecessor realized that he was his successor chosen by God tried to kill him.  He had to flee for his life and along with his four hundred distressed, discontented and indebted followers had to live by instincts while in the wilderness and being relentlessly pursued by King Saul.  During all the time, He was being hounded by King Saul the Bible said he behaved himself wisely. After thirteen years he became King over Judah. Then he became King of the whole nation of Israel.

He then became relaxed when he should be at war he was watching a lady take a bath. Commiting adultery and then manslaughter. This caused God to add something to his household which ultimately lead to his son deposing him as king. When he was fleeing his son Absalom that is when Shimei decided to curse him.  He was later dealt with by King Solomon King David’s heir and successor. Be careful what you say to a man when he is down.

The moral of the story was that King David was a young man when the powerful King started pursuing him.  He did nothing to King Saul.  However, the enemy wanted to abort the plans of the Lord.

The devil is always after the significant seed. It is all written in the Books of First and Second Samuel.

Moses

The Prince of Egypt grown up in the house of the Pharaoh, of Egypt. When he came of age he wanted to identify with his people. Observed an Egyptian ill-treating a Hebrew and retaliated killing the Egyptian so he had to flee for his life from Pharaoh who wanted to kill him. He spent forty years in the wilderness.  Things could not have been so bad in the wilderness he got himself a nice African daughter and had children.  However, the Israelites spent thirty extra years in slavery.  Then the Lord decided to pay them some attention because their cry came up unto him.  Devil in this season I will not allow my mouth to be silent in Jesus’ name. Moses who left Egypt as a murderer returned to annihilate the super power of his era. The feats of Moses are recorded in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

The Apostle Paul  Acts 23 verses 12 - 35

This gentleman became a basket case. He had to be let down through a window in a basket to save his life.  Then he had to be escorted by soldiers in secret out of the city. All this did not stop him from preaching the Gospel and writing most of the epistles..

HIS TIME HAD NOT YET COME

I had to go through all of the eighty-nine chapters of the Gospels St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John to extract this information. I will list all the scriptures so that you can read them. Some of the lessons we learn from the life of Jesus are:

1.      Keep focus

2.      Know your purpose

3.      Keep your eyes on the assignment

4.      Know who you are because if you do not then the devil will define you

5.      Know your source

6.      Be in constant contact with your source

7.      Love people you will be mediocre if you do not work out of love

8.      God does not use what He has not tested (It is written)

9.      You need to know your times and seasons

List of Scriptures speaking to the plots and conspiracies of the Scribes and Pharisees:

St. Matthew 12 verses 13-15

St. Matthew 19 verse 12

St. Matthew 21 verses 45 -46

St. Matthew 22 verses 15 - 46

St. Matthew 26 verses 3 – 5, 14 – 16, 56

St. Matthew 28 verses 12 – 13

St. Mark 3 verses 6 - 7

St Mark 7 verses 6 - 24

St. Mark 12 verse 12

St Mark 14 verses 1 – 2

St. Luke 4 verse 29

St. Luke 11 verses 53 – 54

St. Luke 20 verses 19 – 20

St. Luke 22 verse 2

St. John 5 verse 16

St John 7 verses 1 – 13, 30

St. John 8 verses 20, 59

St. John 10 verses 31, 39 – 40

St. John 11 verses 50 - 57

CONCLUSION

In concluding, I would like to take this opportunity to remind persons that we need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.  We all have one Holy Spirit that is able to lead us into all truths. However, anything in life that one desires one must take the necessary steps to achieve.  The other things are going to be tested by fire and only what is done for the kingdom will last.

We have to keep our eyes on Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith likewise for the prize that has been set before us we have to keep moving forward.  These days it is about maturity and keeping focus because everything that can be shaken will be shaken.  There is only one firm foundation and that is God and His word.  In Him there is no variableness neither is there any shadow of turning.

Those of you who are already in the kingdom stay in.  Jesus went through it and show us that it can be done stay focus.  Those of you who are not in what are you waiting for?  There is no greater salvation.

Once again, this is me Lillene’s baby girl coming to you from up here in the true north.

À bientôt!