March 24
Deut 2:1-3:29 | PS 67:1-7 | Prov 11:27 | Luke 6:12-38
Being "woke" is defined as being alert to injustice in society, especially racism. What is interesting is that a term is defined by someone or some group that does not necessarily have any validity to it, but society creates it and feels they have the right to push it forward as if it is truth. We have certain churches, pastors, and congregants all proudly standing under this banner of being woke. Let me state this as clearly as I can, God made you exactly as He did. He made you white, or a person of color. He made you male or female. When you are embarrassed of how God made you, you are essentially telling God, "No, thank You." You are being critical of the God of the Universe, letting Him know that He could have done a better job. Each of us will one day stand before God in judgment. You will not be held accountable for any acts committed by your race, gender, or nation, unless of course, you, yourself, committed these acts. You will answer for yourselves. History is being rewritten and pushed into the minds of the young and vulnerable (this means in universities, not just grade school). Agendas like the 1609 project, Critical Race Theory, are being pushed at every level, and I'm sorry to state it this way, but fools at every level are bowing their knees to it. Look in the mirror, creation of God. This is who God made you. Now take this truth, thank Him, and serve Him. Don't ask Him why, it is unnecessary to know this. Now take this reality and move forward in thanksgiving, and serve Him. Serve Him and not those who would lead you to believe that God made a mistake in how He created you.
Deuteronomy means "second law". Moses, through a series of lectures, is preparing the next generation, by reminding them of the truth of their history, the faithfulness and sovereignty of their God, the disobedience of their fathers, etc. to enter the Promised Land. I'm sure this next generation liked their fathers and uncles who perished in the desert wanderings, and it would be easy to get sentimental and create a false and sympathetic narrative that they were somehow unjustly punished, but Moses spelled out the truth in Deuteronomy 1:32-25, "Yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day. “And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying, ‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers,". They might have been good fathers, but they were disobedient to God, so God opens their eyes as to how others faced giants in the past in 2:11-12, "They were also regarded as giants, like the Anakim, but the Moabites call them Emim. The Horites formerly dwelt in Seir, but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the Lord gave them.)" As he continues his history lesson, and is on the brink of entering the Promised Land, we read in 3:21-22, "“And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings; so will the Lord do to all the kingdoms through which you pass. You must not fear them, for the Lord your God Himself fights for you.’"
Pastor Chuck Smith wrote "Fear is the enemy of faith and of obedience. Fear caused the children of Israel to disobey God and to turn away. Moses continually encouraged them, "Don't be afraid. Don't turn back. God is fighting for you." How we need that message every day of our lives." How true these words were from Pastor Chuck. Though he saw much, he had not witnessed the paralysis of fear in response to this new virus. He did not get to see this newest rewriting of history under the banner of being woke. He was never asked to be embarrassed for being a white man. I issue the same warning. Stop being afraid of who you are. God made you beautiful exactly as He fashioned you. He doesn't make mistakes. Do not allow history to define you or redefine you. Don't shy away from clearly stating this, even if others point their fingers at you and falsely label you as something that you are not. Being against being woke and the Critical Race Theory does not make you a racist, no matter how loud and threatening those claiming this might become. Stand your ground. These are not the times for cowardice. Yes, if you remain silent for fear of reprisal it is cowardice, not discretion. Just remember, as God's ambassadors, we should not speak forth angrily, but should speak the truth in love.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: