RE: A Call To Conscience Chapter Three– Give Us The Ballot

“Our aim must never be to defeat or humiliate the white man. We must not become victimized with a philosophy of black supremacy. God is not interested merely in freeing black men and brown men and yellow men, but God is interested in freeing the whole human race. (Yes, All right) We must work with determination to create a society (Yes), not where black men are superior and other men are inferior and vice versa, but a society in which all men will live together as brothers (Yes) and respect the dignity and worth of human personality. (Yes)”

–­Give Us The Ballot, 1957 Martin Luther King Jr.

Each time I read from King’s speeches I am startled by the boldness with which he proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ, the coming Kingdom of Heaven, and Jesus’ command to love and forgive our enemies without condition.  I’m convinced that the heart and action that King advocates isn’t possible to achieve by human striving alone.  Our striving to live as wise and righteous people is as filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6); instead we must be clothed in Jesus’ righteousness and filled with the Spirit of God himself.  Only when our actions are the overflow of  Jesus in us do we have any hope of acting in a way that will benefit our neighbors or bring glory to God (Romans 8:5).

Gospel for the Poor - 2nd Wednesday Of Lent

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

It's amazing how the 2000 year old words of Jesus stay current. Back in Jesus' day a lot of wealthy folks and religious folks had gotten together and these guys ended up deciding that their high position and easy lives were God's reward. They believed and taught that if good things happened to them it was because they deserved it. If bad things happened to anyone it was because God was giving them what they deserved. The Bible does not endorse this view but in every generation the wealthy still explain their wealth as a mark of God's approval. In medieval Europe this idea was called the “Divine Right of Kings” and in early America it was the “Gospel of Wealth.”

Jesus never preached that the downtrodden deserved their trials. He promised relief for all who came to him no matter where they came from. While the rich and powerful told the poor and mourning that they deserved what they'd gotten, Jesus preached a different message. In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus the rich man is left to suffer, and told, “In your lifetime you received your good things” but Lazarus, who suffered through life found comfort with God.

Challenge:

Are you one of the wealthy or one of the poor? If you live in the US, have enough to eat, and can read these words, then you're one of the most blessed people on earth. Do you act like you deserve it? If you do then it's time to repent. God loves you too much to let you live like you don't need Him.

RE: Psalms 20

God gives victory to his anointed(v6). The kings of the old testament were anointed with oil and afterward received power. The anointing of the new testament is not of oil, but of the Spirit of Christ. If you've put your faith in Christ then you too are God's anointed. This doesn't mean victory for each one of your plans but it does mean eternal victory over the devil, fear, guilt, anger, violence and every weakness in yourself.