Chapter 3 Part 5

8) Violence

“Behold I am against you, says the Lord of hosts, I will burn
your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your
young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the
voice of your messengers shall be heard no more.”
Nahum 2:13

The epidemic of fornication has led to an epidemic of violence and lawlessness in our community. In our community, the value of life has never been cheaper. Our young men (young lions) are dying; for no better reason than a pair of sneakers or looking at someone the wrong way. This epidemic of violence and lawlessness continues to rise. It is not just in our major urban centers but has made it’s way into the rural communities. In addition, fornication reduces the value of a human being and turns them into an object. It no longer becomes murder to the predator, because we are no longer human. You are not a person; you are an object, a non-entity. Women become less than human and therefore are expendable. Through fornication and pornography, their status is sub-human in the minds of the sexual predators and can be disposed of with little or no remorse. As more of these predators are caught, they have given us insight into how these sexual sins have perverted their minds and their consciences. Granted these men represent the extreme of our society, but how much longer will that be the case? As we have become more insulated to these horrors, we become more accepting of these sins. The problem with sin is that it never gets harder to commit it always gets easier. The toughest sin to commit is the first one. The Bible says we are tempted not by God, but by our own selfish lust. The more we sin the more we want to sin. There is a reason we live in the most violent society in the industrialized world. I believe the main reasons are fornication and other sexual sins.

9) Loss of usefulness to God

“But I discipline my body and bring it into
subjection, lest when I have preached to others,
I myself should become disqualified. “
1 Corinthians 9:27

How can I give to others what I do not possess? How can I preach against what I myself am guilty of doing? The Bible says that in order for me to be used by God I must live a certain way. I must be free from the wickedness that I preach against. Jesus Christ did not sin though sinners surrounded Him. We are to bring the message, but not the mess. I have always been amazed at the “dope house” preachers. These are people who while in the “drug houses” getting high, want to quote scripture to you or the “drunk” who preaches, he can quote the Bible front to back, but cannot stay sober. There are going to be many surprised “so called” Christians on judgment day. They will think because they were in church, read the Bible, and other "saintly" things, they are going to be saved. They will not. Jesus Christ said that in that day not everyone who calls Him Lord will be saved.

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name,
and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will
declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you
who practice lawlessness!”
Matthew 7:22,23

According to Jesus Christ, what saves us is not what we do, but that personal relationship with God. If I read the Bible all that makes me is a Bible reader, if I go to church all that makes me is a churchgoer. None of these things will save me. What saves me is my personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Without that relationship all my deeds are worthless, no matter how noble the cause. If I am immersed in sin how can I hope to lead others or be used by God? I use to sell drugs. I wanted to be a good and fair drug dealer. I did not want to hurt anyone. I would even front to people and not “sweat” them too much if they were late. I still prayed and meditated every morning. In my mind, I was not hurting anyone. All my customers were adults; I was not forcing them to take the drugs. Everything was cool according to me. I was going to be a “Godly” drug dealer. Well guess what, God does not need drug dealers. See, I was selling poison to my brothers and sisters. Eventhough they were adults, what about there children, who counted on them. Who did get the things they deserved because the parent was spending all the money on drugs. Am I responsible for that? I think today that I am. There are those who would say if I do not someone else will and my answer is let him or her. I was ruining lives, not just the lives of the users, but their children’s, and my own as well. If someone had “jacked me” on the streets I would have had to make a decision on whether I would retaliate or get out of the business. Because if I did not retaliate then I would have had no respect on the streets and everyone would “jack me” or rip me off. I would not have been able to continue in that business. Whatever you choose to be, be true to it. If you are going to roll with the drug lifestyle then be true to that lifestyle. If you are going to roll with God, then be true to God. Choose you this day whom you will serve......

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