Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts

Monday, October 25, 2021

HAVE PINK SUITCASE - WILL TRAVEL: Short Story by Lorilyn Roberts


Hailey Becker was all of 79 years old. She lived with her doting, younger husband for the better part of her life, and they had two wonderful grown daughters who lived nearby. They were one of those families you couldn’t help but like. Hailey was the best cook this side of paradise, and Charlie could be anybody’s uncle—even the mothers-in-law who gossip too much. Charlie knew how to be polite and caring, and a pot of coffee was always brewing whenever I stopped by.

So when we heard about an upcoming surprise trip, everybody wanted to know the details. However, Charlie could keep a secret like no one, and Hailey—well, I’m not sure she knew all the details. 

A few weeks later, Hailey called me. “You must come by and see my new suitcase,” she said. “When we went to Cuba, our suitcases were too small for all the stuff we bought. We had to ship the vases back, and I worried for weeks when they didn’t arrive.”

I stopped in to see her bright pink new suitcase. What did her hubby think about the pink luggage? Knowing Charlie, he would say it was perfect.

“I wanted to be able to find my suitcase amongst the hundreds of others. You know, they all look the same when they pull them off the boat.”

I remembered when I went on a cruise and came home with somebody else’s luggage. And I didn’t even notice it wasn’t my bag until I opened it and found high heels stashed inside.

I laughed. “Sounds like a good strategy,” although I couldn’t imagine Hailey being like me and coming home with anybody else’s luggage. 

Several months went by, and Hailey talked about the upcoming trip on several occasions. I heard through the grapevine that her suitcase was packed. One day she said to me, "You know, I keep telling Charlie he needs to pack his bag. Mine is ready, but he hasn’t even started packing his. We sure don’t want to miss the boat. What can I do to get him to pack his clothes?”

“You know how men are,” I said. “They can pack in three minutes.” 

Hailey’s eyes twinkled. “Not me. I like to be ready at a moment’s notice. Unexpected things can come up, and it would be dreadful to miss the boat because I packed too late.”

 




I smiled. “Charlie won’t let you down. He’ll be at your side when you are ready to board that ship. I promise you.”

Soon signs revealed the trip was imminent. I heard that the suitcase was right beside Hailey’s bed, where she now spent most of her days. She was ready whenever the moment arrived.

Then I received word that they were on the way to the departure gate. Charlie reassured me he had her ticket in hand and her belongings were in the pink suitcase. He would make sure she was comfortable as she stood at the gate. I couldn’t wait to say goodbye to my friend.

When I arrived, Hailey’s bubbly personality enveloped me. She pointed to her bags, “I’m ready,” she exclaimed, “but I still don’t understand why Charlie hasn’t packed very much.” After a few minutes, she added, “I’m not going to worry about him. If he wants to wear the same clothes every day, that’s his choice.”

“He’ll be fine,” I assured my friend.

“When are we leaving?” Hailey asked Charlie several times as I sat beside her. “I don’t want to miss the trip.”

Charlie took her hand in his and locked onto her pleading eyes. "I promise, you won’t miss it.” 

I stopped by the departure gate several times until she made the trip to Glory. I heard her leaving was peaceful. And I also heard that she didn’t need the suitcase she had meticulously packed. 

I thought about all the things I’ve packed away, not only in my house but in my heart. Then I remind myself, it’s an all-expense paid, one-way trip, and we don’t need anything except our passport.

“She wasn’t one minute late,” Charlie reassured me, “and the smile on her face lifted my sorrowful heart.”

Who greeted her when she arrived? I’m sure it was a glorious reunion of friends, family, and Bible heroes. When it’s my turn, I know Hailey will be there to meet me.

Hailey Becker is not just my friend. She’s everybody’s friend. She is all those we’ve loved and said goodbye to too soon. And even though I know I won’t need a suitcase, like Hailey, I want to be ready at a moment’s notice. I find comfort knowing that my bag is packed—a bag filled by my Savior with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. I must remember to refill it from God’s Holy Book each day, so I’m always ready should my name be called. 

I imagine Hailey received so many gifts upon arrival that she was glad she didn't bring that earthly pink suitcase. While we try to fill our lives with worldly wealth, the wealth in Glory will far surpass anything we could conjure up here. Indeed, I suppose all the pink suitcases in the world could not contain the treasures awaiting when we arrive.

 



 

I’ve also heard that I won’t need a winter coat or even any clothes. By all accounts, the weather is perfect, the land exquisite, the joy unspeakable, the citizens glorious, and the price exceptional—by that, I mean, it’s free to pass holders—bought and paid for a long time ago by Jesus Christ. Every day I make sure I’ve packed my pass. The truth is, it’s so big, so heavy, and so heavenly, no pink suitcase could ever contain it. And only Jesus Christ could carry it.


                              Second Place Flash Fiction/Short Story                                        


 Florida Christian Writers Conference 2021



Monday, February 22, 2021

THE GREATEST DUPE IN AMERICAN HISTORY - PART 2: Christian Blogger Lorilyn Roberts


As I have previously written, I was at the Capitol on January 6 of this year. When did things take a downward spiral toward violence? Sometime between 3:30 and 4:30 in the afternoon, men dressed in black holding long sticks emerged from the crowd on the east side of the building. They began banging on the Capitol windows. When a patriot took down one of the thuds, another thud would replace him, and another patriot would haul him to the ground. If it weren’t for the patriots, the damage to the Capitol would have been far worse. One of those brave patriots was a woman.

I saw police officers earlier in the day around the Capitol, but there was no law enforcement anywhere when the violence started. I saw one young man about 18 or 19 that had been pepper-sprayed. If the Capitol police were pepper-spraying trespassers, why didn’t they stop the attack on the Capitol?

There was an EMS tech standing next to me set up to help anyone who needed medical help. Was she part of Antifa? I don’t know. People brought the young man to her for treatment. My phone was out of juice by that point, and she offered to charge my phone.

The crowd was not wild as the media has proclaimed. A few smoke bombs went off. Some people were crawling up the sides of the Capitol steps. That was the only hint of anything amiss, not enough to cause me to be concerned enough for my safety to leave. Far more prevalent was the singing, the praying, the patriotism and outward demonstration of love for our country. I saw people witnessing and handing out tracts. Chinese attendees handed out pamphlets warning of the CCP.

There were old people, young people, children in strollers, men, and women. I did see a couple of weirdos, but the people for the most part appeared to be freedom-loving Americans who felt as I did—that the election had been stolen and God was calling us to stand in the gap with Trump on this critical day.



I never saw any violence except for the guys dressed in black in front of the Capitol. I videotaped as much as I could until my phone ran out of juice. I did not go inside the Capitol. However, the media has misled the public into believing every person there was committing acts of violence. And to impeach Trump on trumped-up charges of insurrection is insanity.

To the contrary, Trump supporters saved our Capitol. Again, I ask, where were the police?

There was also no internet service the entire day, from 7:30 in the morning until we left about 5:15 pm because of the curfew. Nobody knew what had happened inside the Capitol, at least no one to whom I talked. It was very late by the time I heard the proceedings had stopped.

The biggest issue for me is what the media has perpetuated—that the “rioting” and breach of the Capitol was Trump’s fault. Trump said nothing to incite violence on January 6 at the Whitehouse. NOTHING. Can I repeat it? Nothing.

As the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith,” Trump has inspired me to fight the good fight as a follower of Jesus Christ.

I’m sure nobody today would accuse Paul of inciting violence. However, if you know your Bible, there were instances when the crowds became a mob upon his arrival. And that’s because the Jews hated Paul. They wanted to discredit him, to destroy him, to send him away. Can I say it? They wanted to kill the Apostle Paul because they hated his message.

In the same way that the people who hated Paul made up stories about him, the people who hate Trump have conjured up that same hatred, accusing him of things they themselves are doing. It’s called projection. And, dare I say, in my opinion, these demonic forces are causing the Democrats (and some Republicans) to commit acts that are unpatriotic at best, and in my opinion, purely vindictive.

What other words can one use to describe the ridiculous impeachment? There is too much wickedness in all of this to call it by any other name. And since they failed to convict Trump in the second impeachment trial, they are on a witch hunt now to destroy him. The Democrats are even trying to pass a bill to prevent Trump from being buried in the Arlington National Cemetery. What would motivate American citizens to be so hate-filled?

Someday, if America survives as a nation, historians will look back with disbelief at what these vile, wicked leftists have done. With God, there is always hope, but each day I see more and more stupidity. I can’t believe this is even America anymore. It’s not the one I used to know. It’s turning into China. Communism is coming. Wake up, America.

I won’t vote again unless the Dominion voting machines are examined by nonpartisan experts. Too much evidence has been uncovered that leads any thinking individual to believe that votes were switched from Trump to Biden. Many of the computers that changed votes had I.P. addresses in other countries like Italy and China.

Anybody who has looked at Mike Lindell’s docu-video entitled “Absolute Proof” has to ask the question: Is Biden a legitimate president?



Evil has a way of pricking souls and turning people into miserable creatures. Left to their own devices, the wicked Democrats and elitists involved in these shenanigans will destroy themselves. They will never have peace. Proverbs 5:22 states: “His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin.”

The biggest question in all of this is why God would allow what happened to play itself out the way it did?  If you look at all the evidence—which has not been examined by the Supreme Court, the media, the Washington pundits, the political left, and those who hate Trump—you might be surprised by what it reveals.

Why would God allow a usurper in the Whitehouse? Why would He allow the elitists, the media, the Democrats, and the cabal to suppress the evidence of Trump’s almost undeniable win?

Look at all the executive orders Biden has passed in the last month. They are anti-Christian, globalist-driven, and pregnant with Marxist ideology.

While some want to rewrite our rich history and treat our Constitution with contempt, pack the Supreme Court, and allow every illegal soul to enter our country regardless of what crimes they have committed except the most egregious, the vast majority of Americans didn’t vote for this.

As one looks at the Middle East—the instability already taking root because of Biden’s weak leadership/appeasement, a realignment of power in the Middle East points to the Ezekiel 37-38 War. Again, I ask, why would God allow all of this to happen?

God finally said to me, “For the same reason I will allow the anti-Christ to come on the scene and pretend to be the savior of the world.”

As I contemplated what God spoke to me, I would also add, I believe a reckoning is coming, a separation of the true believers from the fake ones. I believe a Third Great Awakening is coming, and we know the Ezekiel 38-39 prophecy must be fulfilled.

So there you have it. Since Biden took office, I’ve seen the demolition of America, one executive order at a time. I see a pack of wolves devouring our freedoms and silencing the voices of those who love our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I even see “Christians” who have been deceived and who have bought into the fake religion of political correctness, Black Lives Matter, Critical Race Theory, tribal prejudice, and socialism. Nominal Christians might as well be sheeple because of either their inability or unwillingness to “test” what they hear and see if it aligns with Scripture.

I urge Christians and those who are questioning what is happening—i.e., the censorship of conservative thought, the destruction of our national heritage by tearing down statues, rewriting American history that is skewed by an underlying agenda to create ethnic unrest, the violation of our Constitution (i.e., not following the election laws in several states), the indoctrination of our children in schools with godless ideologies, denigrating the family unit, confusion of gender, killing the unborn child even up to nine months, the worship of the planet instead of the worship of God, and the unwillingness or the cognitive inability to call evil, evil, and good, good—to speak out, to be bold, to be a witness for Christ, and to be fearless in the face of wickedness. If the Lord tarries, persecution is coming. And that persecution will be even sooner if we sit back and let what is happening to America continue. We are watching the erosion of what makes America great.

Are you kneeling for Black Lives Matter? Get up off your knees. Are you voting to support the right to kill a baby in the womb? Switch parties. Are you doing your own research to validate that what the media is telling you is true? Be a Berean. Are you reading your Bible every day? Are you praying for your country, for wisdom in high places, and for God’s truth to reach those who don’t know that truth?



Jesus Christ is the answer. Not tribal autonomy, not celebrating Black History Month, not drawing distinctions between African Americans, Caucasians, Chinese, or any other ethnic identity. Galatians 3:28 states, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

If everyone took this verse to heart, I guarantee you we wouldn’t have racial divisions or inequality. The answer to racial issues is Jesus Christ. If churches focused on that instead of apologizing for their whiteness, the country would be far better off. If churches would focus on Biblical principles that are not man-focused but God-focused with a Biblical worldview, we could heal our streets and land. 

I leave you with this thought. We know God ultimately wins, but in the looming battle, I see many casualties. Globalism doesn’t care about individual rights, freedoms, or accountability. The elitists care about power. The communists care about control. The socialists care about themselves. Anyone in their path which they can manipulate they will. They call the uninformed useless idiots. An idiot is somebody who doesn’t know what’s happening. If you are reading this, wake up.

Don’t be deceived. Don’t believe the lies of the left. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) is out to take control of this country, and if I were a betting woman, I bet they do it without firing a shot. They want our resources, and anybody who gets in the way of their political agenda is just collateral damage. They care nothing about you or me.

The man sitting in the Whitehouse right now is a Chinese puppet, bought and paid for with Chinese money. And when he’s no longer useful, they will get rid of him and put Kamala Harris in as the next president. Imagine the hoopla when the first black woman is in charge. Never mind that she’s a communist; she’s black, and she’s a woman with a Marxist ideology. Don’t believe me? Do your own research.

My hope is in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The one good thing in all of this is I believe Biden’s agenda will hasten our Lord’s return. I urge you, as you read this, to make sure your salvation is assured. If you have any doubt, pray this prayer:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I know I am a sinner. I want to repent of my sins. I believe your Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for my sins. I ask You to come into my life. Set me free from my bondage to sin and help me to live my life for You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.”


If you prayed that prayer and believe it with all your heart, you are now a Christian. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Get a Bible and start reading it. Join a church. And make it a priority to spend time in prayer with Jesus each day. Guard your heart against the evilness that is all around us. The Lord’s return is soon. Stay steadfast. In the spirit of Ephesians 6:16-18, keep looking up, and fight the good fight:

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints (Berean Study Bible). Amen.



Thursday, January 21, 2021

TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION: Christian Blogger Lorilyn Roberts


Now that the course has been set for the next four years, I want to say how thankful I am that God is for me and not against me. While I have been attacked and maligned, God has been my anchor and my strength. And for those who even questioned my salvation, rest assured, it is well with my soul.

I look forward to seeing what God will accomplish over the next few years. He is sitting on the throne watching over the affairs of men, and I am praying for the leaders of this great nation. A Third Great Awakening is coming. God's ways are not our ways, and perhaps persecution will awaken the church and bring people into God's kingdom in ways that would not have been possible if Trump had been sworn in as the next president.
I keep looking up, knowing our redemption draws nigh - perhaps sooner now that more end-time signs are manifesting. If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, don't wait. Today is the day of salvation.





Thursday, June 25, 2020

BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT - A CHRISTIAN FRIEND OR FOE: Christian Blogger Lorilyn Roberts





The round clock at the front of the classroom struck 9:00 a.m. Sunlight streamed through the whitewash blinds and fell on my wooden desk. I clasped the newly sharpened pencil. Did I dare look to the back of the room?

I bit my lip as I studied the kids around me. The girls wore brand-new dresses, and the boys were in their Sunday best. Boys didn’t care how they looked—except for the first day of school.

I glanced at the calendar—August 28, 1966.  My first day of fifth grade and the beginning of a new school year, a new classroom, and many new faces. However, it wasn’t like any other first day of school.

I eyed my new teacher sitting at her desk. Why didn’t she introduce the new students—the ones off by themselves? I supposed that would be awkward since other newcomers weren’t different from the rest of us. To point out those in the back would only draw attention to them—that they didn’t belong.

I stole a glance despite my conscience telling me I should quit staring. I was bothered by everyone who was ignoring the new kids in the back. The room was unusually quiet. I could only hear whispers. No laughter. No warm greetings. No jokes. Just—whispers.

I half turned in an attempt to see into the eyes of one of the two black girls who sat alongside a black boy. Could I read fear in her face? Could I sense shyness in her unwillingness to make eye contact? Or was it something else?

In a classroom of uncertainty and scorn, I knew what it was like to be the one who was different. Long-buried memories resurfaced—and I felt their discomfort, all alone in a sea of white faces.


*~*~*~*





The above story was my personal introduction to desegregation in Cobb County, Georgia, just north of Atlanta, in fifth grade. Much progress toward racial equality has been made in the years following. However, I fear the Black Lives Matter movement threatens to undermine what's been achieved. The founders spearheading the campaign have added an underlying agenda that has nothing to do with the core issue.

I’m not going to minimize the problem of prejudice and racism. I know it exists, but I genuinely believe it is a people problem and not a country problem. If one takes a hard look at America compared to other countries, racial equality is more substantial here than anywhere else. We are a rich and vibrant culture—mainly due to the vast number of people who have immigrated here. The truth is, except for the Indians, we are all immigrants.

For a moment, though, I want to focus on African-Americans. I was as disturbed as everyone else to witness the murder of George Floyd at the hands of three white Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020.  What happened was pure evil. Regardless of what preceded such an atrocity, to hold a helpless man down on the ground for almost nine minutes and stand by and watch his life leave him was inhumane. It makes me wonder if those police officers were psychopaths. I hope all three of them are punished to the fullest extent of the law. In my mind, they should receive the death penalty.

But this is where I draw the line: Because three officers in Minneapolis used poor judgment cannot be used as a basis to judge all police officers. 

One cannot use one injustice (killing George Floyd) to fix other wrongs (e,g., defunding the police), which would have a disastrous effect on society. To riot, set buildings on fire, create autonomous zones where police are forbidden to go, or to embrace and give credence to a movement like Black Lives Matter is only perpetuating evil.


I captioned the local news in Santa Monica when rioters were stealing and robbing from stores. The police stood by and did nothing. I am a single mother, and I found this appalling. It makes me consider that I need to arm myself and know how to shoot like a pro. Who knows when I might have to defend myself or my daughters because the police can’t or won’t. We live in dangerous times. If we continue on this path, we will have anarchy.

Is that justice? What do people think when they say they want to defund the police? Look at what happened in the Chaz Zone (Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone) in Seattle this past weekend. The area was off-limits to Seattle police. There were two shootings within forty-eight hours. One person was killed, and another was critically injured. I captioned Fox News last week, where businesses in the Chaz Zone were destroyed, and the police did nothing. Who knows how many rapes and assaults have taken place. I want to give these people the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they are well-intentioned, but they are sorely misguided to come up with this ill-concocted solution. One person is needlessly dead and another critically injured.

These demonstrators, emboldened by the Black Lives Matter Movement, have exchanged God’s moral law or standard for one based on a tribe’s governing rules. Whatever the tribe says is right. If you have a different set of standards, then you are part of the problem. That makes what’s right and what’s wrong morally relative. What does that create? Lawlessness.

In Matthew 24:10-12, Jesus told his disciples, when they asked him when the end of all things would be: 

...many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 

In 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 (NKJV), the Apostle Paul wrote to the church:

...And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 

And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The Black Lives Matter Movement is dangerous. Their platform shreds the Bible—God’s moral law—and replaces it with the #BLM tribal standard. Sadly, many well-meaning organizations, Christians, and churches have bought into the Black Lives Matter agenda without carefully considering their real motive or platform.

The Bible predicted these events thousands of years ago. Those who know Biblical prophecy recognize what is happening now are the very things Jesus and the Apostle Paul predicted.

If the reader would like to read the platform of Black Lives Matter, CLICK HERE.

For those who don’t have time to read all of it, I will post a few excerpts.

*~*~*~*

We are guided by the fact that all Black lives matter, regardless of actual or perceived sexual identity, gender identity, gender expression, economic status, ability, disability, religious beliefs or disbeliefs, immigration status, or location.
We make space for transgender brothers and sisters to participate and lead.
We are self-reflexive and do the work required to dismantle cisgender privilege and uplift Black trans folk, especially Black trans women who continue to be disproportionately impacted by trans-antagonistic violence.
We build a space that affirms Black women and is free from sexism, misogyny, and environments in which men are centered.
...We dismantle the patriarchal practice that requires mothers to work “double shifts” so that they can mother in private even as they participate in public justice work.
We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families...
We foster a queer‐affirming network. When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking, or rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual (unless s/he or they disclose otherwise)[i]
*~*~*~*

In contradiction to Biblical teachings, the last statement is disturbing: “We foster a queer-affirming network.” Nowhere in the Bible does God promote a “queer” lifestyle.
The definition of “queer” in Merriam-Webster is 
1. a:  Worthless, counterfeit - queer money; b: Questionable, suspicious.
2. a: Differing in some odd way from what is usual or normal; b: (1): eccentric, unconventional (2): mildly insane; c: absorbed or interested to an extreme or unreasonable degree; d: Often disparaging + offensive. (1): SEXUALLY ATTRACTED TO MEMBERS OF THE SAME SEX
3. Not quite well
As I wrote above, I remember my first day of class in fifth grade when three black students were seated in an all-white classroom. I became good friends with one of the girls. She was a B+ student and a kind person.
However, at that time, my parents were not comfortable with me bringing her home with me. My mother’s comment was, “What would the neighbors say?” That was almost fifty years ago. Most people, including my mother, today, would think nothing of it. Things have changed despite the fact some want to stir up hatred and prejudice.
I ask the reader if you embrace the Black Lives Matter platform, what will God say to you? If you kneel for George Floyd or anyone but Jesus Christ, what are you saying about your faith in God?
My mother has long since admitted her response was racist, and she is no longer like that. Most people aren’t. Just because a few rotten apples are racist should not taint the rest of us who are white, hard-working, pro-Trump supporters. I don’t know of anyone personally who has a predisposition to dislike anyone who isn’t white. However, we still need to talk about our differences in a constructive way.
One afternoon at a writer's conference, I went over to sit across the table from a black author whom I respected. I told her I wanted to talk about racial relations and get her thoughts. When I told her that I didn’t see color, she said that it was a racist comment—that I should see black because black is beautiful. Her response was not what I expected.
I have a daughter who comes from another continent who looks nothing like me and is not Caucasian. I don’t see her skin color. I don’t see her physical differences. I see my daughter. Why should I consciously try to see her as anything else? I disagree with my black author friend’s observation, but I respect what she said. I’m learning and listening. That’s the first step toward reconciliation.
In the twenty-plus years since I adopted my daughter, I have never heard a racist comment about my family. People have asked if we go together. But considering my daughter was born in Asia and I’m about as white as they come, it’s a legitimate question.
Perhaps my author friend was right; I should see black. However, when you live in a diverse community (my community is more diverse than hers as she lives in another city), everyone blends in. The first thing I notice when I look at someone is not their skin color. I wonder if they are a Christian. I look at them as someone I might like to know better or as my sister or brother in Christ.
I don’t believe the Black Lives Matter Movement is based on racial reconciliation as they want us to believe. Demonic forces in high places are at work, stirring up the #BLM Movement (and Antifa) to cause strife, unrest, and hate. 
Tearing down statues of iconic figures from the past—people like Winston Churchill of England, Matahma Ghandi of India, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other American heroes—does nothing to help the more significant cause of promoting reconciliation and racial equality. Were these men perfect? No. But there was one man who was—Jesus Christ, and some now want to tear down statues depicting the only perfect human being who ever lived.
Jesus Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life. There is a song I love to sing, They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love, and the words go like this:


We are one in the Spirit.  

We are one in the Lord.  

We are one in the Spirit.

We are one in the Lord.

And we pray that all unity

May one day be restored

And they’ll know we are Christians

By our loveby our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians 
By our love.


What can we do as Christians to combat racism and prejudice? As a starter, don’t support Black Lives Matter. Their platform is divisive, and it goes beyond promoting racial equality to the point that it discriminates against heterosexuals and the traditional American family, among other things.
I also want to point out one other important thing. Nowhere in the BLM platform is there any mention about abortion. The fact is they do nothing to condemn it. Like Stacey Abrams from Georgia, who served in the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017, many leaders are pro-choice advocates and promote the #BLM agenda, including abortion. The Planned Parenthood Oregon website touts their commitment to Black Lives Matter in the article, “Our Commitment to Black Lives Matter.”[ii]
If they cared about black lives, shouldn’t they care about black babies? Do the lives of black babies not matter? The hypocrisy is sickening. How can  #BLM advocates march (even peacefully) when they condone the killing of their black children? 
According to the Arizona Capitol Times, in an article entitled: “Abortion: The Overlooked Tragedy for Black Americans,” the leading cause of death in the African-American population is abortion. Don’t Baby Black Lives Matter also? If so, then why do they promote abortion? The article states: “At a ratio of 474 abortions per 1,000 live births, black women have the highest ratio of any group in the country”[iii]
We will never have good racial relations in this country as long as African-Americans play the “race” card and continue to see themselves as victims. If they are victims, oftentimes, it’s because of their own choices. If they remain victims, I have to ask why. In America, out of all places, citizens have the freedom of upward mobility. That’s what makes America great. Travel to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa—you won’t find a single country where people have as much opportunity to improve themselves and their families as you do in the United States.

Most people don’t realize the history of slavery. Slavery was an acceptable form of bondage that dates back thousands of years, even to before the time of Christ. Of the millions of Africans sold into slavery around the world, only 5% came to America, and they were the fortunate ones. Muslim countries relied heavily on slaves and castrated them and turned them into eunuchs. When the black slaves outlived their usefulness, they killed them.

The five percent that came to America married, had children, and formed their own culture. Many left paganism to embrace the true God, Jesus Christ, and became believers themselves. They wrote spirit-filled hymns and were allowed the freedom of worship.

Our country fought to end slavery in the Civil War. When that happened, we set the standard for everyone else to follow. Many countries did end slavery in the years and decades following. Our abolishment of slavery set a new worldwide standard. The last nation to outlaw slavery was Mauritania in 1981.

Again, as long as African-Americans see themselves as victims, they will never achieve their full potential as a distinct race with God-given creativity and potential. However, much progress has been made. Let’s not condemn the excellent work that has been done because a small number of people in the United States want to create division and chaos. We’ve even had a black man to serve two terms as President of the United States. That means there is no level of achievement that an African-American cannot attain. When you think about it, considering their humble beginnings in America, that’s pretty remarkable.

Hundreds of black athletes in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and other high-profile sports make millions of dollars each year. I doubt that any of them would have achieved their dream if they had not worked hard. Playing the “victim” card wouldn’t have earned them a spot on any team roster. Hard work, talent, and perseverance prevailed. There was a time when it didn’t, but that’s not true anymore. Team owners want the best athletes, and they will pay to get the most bang for their buck. 

I can’t think of any profession in today’s world where African Americans have not contributed their gifts and talents in pursuit of the American dream. It’s there for the taking; my biggest fear is that our young people will settle for mediocrity rather than work hard to rise to the top. Socialism threatens to destroy the capitalist system, which is what has made America great. Those people who tout socialist virtues might not like it so much when Uncle Sam takes 90 percent of their paycheck. That’s socialism. Socialism is legalized theft through taxes.  

Like so many others, I had a DNA test to find out where my roots lie. I discovered I have African ancestors. One of my relatives on an ancestry website, who I share DNA links with, claims to be the first black postal worker in America. 

The truth be told, we are all inter-related. We all go back to Noah and his descendants. There is beauty in diversity, and there is unity in Jesus Christ.

One day last week, when I returned home, I saw my African-American neighbor pulling my trash bins from the road and depositing them at my house. She didn’t have to do that. It was kindness.

I called her over and told her as I leaned out of the car window, “I don’t care what happens in the world. You will always be my friend and neighbor.” I ended the conversation by saying, “God looks at the heart, and you have a good heart.”  I thought she might burst into tears.

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;” and, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27 NIV).

Who is your neighbor? It’s anyone in need. Just open your heart, and God will show you.





[i] “What We Believe,” Black Lives Matter,”  https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-we-believe/
[ii] “Our Commitment to Black Lives Matter,” Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, June 1, 2020, https://www.ppaoregon.org/2020/06/01/our-commitment-black-lives-matter/
[iii] “Abortion: The Overlooked Tragedy for Black Americans,” Arizona Capitol Times, February 25, 2020, https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2020/02/25/abortion-the-overlooked-tragedy-for-black-americans/