We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Rom 15:1
March 12, 2024
Those that are truly called into ministry know they were called into service to others for the Lord in His stead. Jesus ministered to His disciples and to the multitude. After His resurrection, He left His empowered servants to do as He had done toward the helpless and needy of the land. Jesus first went about saving His own people while He walked the earth in a bodily form, but after resurrection He expected His stewards to continue the work as He had done. The Israeli saints were limited by their meager mode of transportation, money and communication, yet they eventually took the gospel worldwide.
Our generation has the benefits of modern science and can travel around the world, finance great evangelical efforts, reach the world in a matter of moments, feed the nations, and command a great following of believers. Why then are there such great sufferings in the world of people crying out for bread, water and protection from physical enemies determined to kill them one way or another? It is because the disciples of Christ today are busy pleasing themselves rather than the Lord.
After spending three years under the tutorage of the Savior, Peter saw his master crucified and was devastated at the loss of his hero and leader. His response was to go back to his occupation of fishing, and he took many of the fellow disciples with him. While enjoying catching fish Peter was approached by the Lord who inquired of Peter what he was doing? I love the patience the Lord showed in His inquiry. He first gave them a good haul of fish and sat down to eat with them before inquiring how much Peter really loved Him. He asked:
“ … Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?” Joh 21:15
Simon Peter had great love for the Lord as he had proven in following Him for the entire discipleship of Jesus; and he was a little disturbed that the Lord asked him such a question, but he responded:
“Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.” Joh 21:15
Jesus went through this process of asking Peter the same question three times and Peter answered the same. We know that when Jesus repeated Himself, it was for emphasis and importance of the words He was saying. It would appear to most of us that Peter should have known what to do after the Lord left but yet he was found fishing. Convicted of his failure to follow the Lord into the work and his misdirection in going back to fishing, Peter finally got the message as the Lord simply said, “Follow me.”
Many of us have gotten misdirection as well and thought the ministry was about us and how we could please our desire for wealth and recognition. However, the ministry Jesus called His ministers to was to serve others, not ourselves. With that in mind, I want to ask who will God hold responsible for the many hurting people who are crying out for food clothing, shelter and protection from the enemy? We are the Peter He called to answer that call.
Many of the “called” in our society have gotten the misdirection of seeking money to prove how successful they are to their peers. God does not care about that because church buildings will still be standing long after many of us are long gone. But what about the hurting people? How will they fare if we do not do the ministry He left for us to do?
I watched the news about the troubles of Haiti and my heart broke because it seemed there was no one to answer the cry of the people. I listened to objective observers and those directly impacted by the fighting going on and saw the problem: America.
Those spokespersons did not hesitate to state America’s role in the devastation they were confronted with. The people of Haiti resisted slavery and established Haiti as a black nation, but they have had constant interference with their governance. They have had the interference of both America and France in their governance and those nations have sought their own benefits from coming in as the strong man over them. The people understand their history as well and know that both America and France are at fault in their present troubles.
America, the colonizer of African slaves for hundredths of years, did come to realize the equal human quality of the slaves and set them free of slavery in 1865. However, the struggle for full equality is still a struggle in America, who wants to rule not only as colonizers but as superior beings. Neither have they fully forsaken the role of imperialists.
The Christian faith having come to full fruition in American whites with signs of spiritual gifts from God means that they had also the understanding of what God requires of His stewards as has been shown by some of them who went into foreign lands and hostile territories to take the gospel message of salvation. However, their backsliding back and forth into oppressive behavior toward black people means that their heart is not fully set on liberating black people to be their equal. God does not require man to be fully willing for Him to change evil circumstances for those in bondage.
The progression of time has brought into understanding the gospel message of Christ to the African American people who have come into knowledge, wealth, spiritual empowerment, and liberty to make a difference in their own lives and others. Their failure to get up and do the work is the same position as Peter was found in when the Lord came to inquire of him what he was doing. We have to ask black Americans who are descendants of the horrible atrocities perpetuated upon their ancestors who were forced from their land of Africa into the bondage in America but who have now received liberty and resources: What are you doing?
The cries of the Haitians and many other Africans of various locations require their brethren to do something. With the accusation against America of being complicit in the sabotage of their governance, African Americans are complicit as well because they too are cooperating citizens with American policies. What are we doing to our brethren? Are we standing up to tell American white leaders that you cannot sabotage our brethren in Africa, Haiti and other locations because they are part of us? Or are our black leaders willing to sit back and see America’s heavy hand crush our own blood under its power? What have we learned about Christ? Who will He hold responsible for the ruin of our people? The fault will not fall on white America alone when black taxpayers and voters participate in the decisions of America. We cannot be so caught up in our own pleasure until we forget that we are called to serve our brethren in need. We are now stronger than many of them and we have a responsibility to help those that are weak.
The Example of Christ
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Rom 15:1-7
Our African ancestors longed to have the type of authority that sits in the Capitol building and in administrative offices around the nation so that they could help their brethren who are suffering under a cruel hand, but many of their descendants cannot identify with that pain because of their pursuit of pleasure. Yes, God will hold the strong responsible for the sufferings of their brethren if they do not get up and make a change to support them from their place of power. How can we forget our own blood? Those in power must remember that God put them in places of power for such a time as this. They must arise as Esther did to save their people and not cooperate with the decree to slaughter all of them through prejudice. We cannot support the loading of bombs on the one hand and the off-loading of food on the other hand and call it just. Backsliding America nor greedy France and other Western nations cannot be allowed to destroy the opportunity for black people to have rest in their own land. It is the promise of God to His people.
Listen to the video reports below as I did and decide what must be done to help those hurting and in need.
Who to save Haiti? Gangs take over in America’s poorest nation •
Haiti PM Ariel Henry’s U.S.-Backed Gov’t Faces Gang Uprising as U.N. Set to Deploy Kenyan Police
Truth and Life Ministries of Christ with Apostle Joyce Reba Payne 