Are you a KEEPER or a KILLER?
A challenge to life as did the One who laid down His life for us
Genesis 4:8-9 "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Able his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?"
The Romans were known to tie a murderer to the corpse of their victims. We in the African American community must recognize that many of the problems we face are from the fact that we have yet to recognize our role in keeping our brother. There is no middle ground. We are either keeping our brother or killing him. We remain tied to this corpse of a dying world. We cannot say we are not guilty--our sin condemns us all.
But Jesus has given us the remedy. He has loosed us from this bondage and taken away our guilt. But we must first admit guilt. Are you a killer or a keeper? Being tied to this corpse is killing us. We are sentenced to death (1 Cor. 1:9), but Christ has redeemed us from capital punishment. How can we tell the difference?
Are our churches full of killers, or keepers?
Keepers meet their brother's need (James 2:1-20). Killers feed their own greed (James 4:2). Our pleasures create our problems.
We don't have to look too far to see the problems of excess and gluttony within the African American community. We have a disproportionate amount of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney failure, colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and other intestinal ailments. We say we love our brother, but we are feeding our own bellies and appetites.
Rom 16:18 "For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent."
Php 3:19 "whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things."
In a world gone mad with technology and plenty of the few, we no longer look to the needs of our brother--and we have no sense of shame as he starves to death or dies of thirst. Oh, we all get shook up over it. But getting shook up is not enough. What good is it if it does not cause us to take action? Faith without works is dead. For many of us, the sad but true reason we desire Christ's return is to help us get out of debt--i.e., I won't have to pay my debt if Jesus cmes back soon.
Keepers don't focus on their own misery. Rather, they use their miserable state to bless others (Isaiah 53:1-12).
Killers excuse themselves from meeting others need because their own needs have not been met (John 5:7)/
In a world gone mad with entitlements, human rights, welfare rights, alternative sexual lifestyles, we must be very careful not to becme one more sounding brass or tinkling cymbal. God has given mankind the badge of suffering and misery for a purpose.
One purpose is that none should glory in the flesh. Another is that we find ourselves totally dependent upon Him. A third is that God could take this despised thing called the African and do great things. God did great things through Simon of Cyrene, who if he had showed up late (CP time), would have not been there to carry the cross of Christ. Satan might have had the victory because Jesus would not have been crucified but instead, died of dehydration and exhaustion on the streets of Jerusalem. God chooses the despised things, Keepers, those that are their brother's keeper, know this.
Keepers dream of unity (Gal. 6:4). Killers relish their own identity (1 Cor. 10:7-12). In a world gone mad with ethnic rivalry and tribal wars, we must be very cautious of embracing everything that is Afrocentric as a godsend (aka Kwansaa). At a minimum, we will isolate ourselves from white brothers. We cannot form the true church of Christ on the basis of Afrocentricity. God is bigger than this.
Keepers sow seeds (1 Cor. 9-12). Killers stow seeds (James 5:1-3).
We are malnourished in this nation. We have a rising AIDS rate which parallels that of any African nation (some communities in New York and Philadelphia reporting 15-25 percent). Our AIDS rates in neonatal units and orphanages are ballooning. Our illiteracy rates and drop-out rates in school are comparable to those of many poorer nations around the world. In Philadelphia, my hometown, nearly 25 percent in many black communities are functionally illiterate.
We have an infant mortality rate in most cities which is as bad as that of many third world countries. Our marriages are failing at phenomenal rates, like that family breakups in any poor country of the world. Our family traditions are folding and we are losing our history. We are not sowing seeds to help other nations. We are SELFISH in our giving and going, and no one, not even God, will intervene to give the farmer who does not sow a good crop.
If we want to correct these problems in our own homes and communities, we must be a part of correcting them elsewhere in the world.
Keepers dream and create for the Kingdom while they sleep (Gal. 1:12).
Killers just sleep and dream of the world. God sends a strong delusion to them.
The Lord promised us that we would do great things. We have gone to sleep at the wheel and are off course.
Keepers look at the world's chaos and imagine they can do great things. Killers look at the madness and mayhem and say, "Maybe they deserve to go to hell anyway; let me get some more sleep." Keepers look at the dead man Lazarus, wrapped in grave clothes; and say, "Jesus can raise him from the dead." Killers blame God and say, "If you had been here my brother would still be alive?"
Keepers look for solutions. They are ready for paradigm shifts--new wine and new wineskins (Luke 5:36-38). The unjust servant was wise in the ways of the world (Luke 16:8). We can accept the word of outsiders. We can learn from everyone.
Killers focus on problems. They keep doing things the old way, even when it doesn't work.
Matthew 15:9 shows we must break away from traditions. We must build a new vision of being our brother's keeper. We must awaken the traditional black church from its passive killing role and make it an active keeper.
We must all unite to strengthen the ties between the white and the black church in order to seek the unity in the bond of peace. Keepers use the wisdom of the world to make a difference.
So I ask you....Are you your brothers KEEPER or KILLER?
May God Help and Forgive Us All
In His Grip
Min. Scott
Genesis 4:8-9 "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Able his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?"
The Romans were known to tie a murderer to the corpse of their victims. We in the African American community must recognize that many of the problems we face are from the fact that we have yet to recognize our role in keeping our brother. There is no middle ground. We are either keeping our brother or killing him. We remain tied to this corpse of a dying world. We cannot say we are not guilty--our sin condemns us all.
But Jesus has given us the remedy. He has loosed us from this bondage and taken away our guilt. But we must first admit guilt. Are you a killer or a keeper? Being tied to this corpse is killing us. We are sentenced to death (1 Cor. 1:9), but Christ has redeemed us from capital punishment. How can we tell the difference?
Are our churches full of killers, or keepers?
Keepers meet their brother's need (James 2:1-20). Killers feed their own greed (James 4:2). Our pleasures create our problems.
We don't have to look too far to see the problems of excess and gluttony within the African American community. We have a disproportionate amount of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney failure, colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and other intestinal ailments. We say we love our brother, but we are feeding our own bellies and appetites.
Rom 16:18 "For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent."
Php 3:19 "whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things."
In a world gone mad with technology and plenty of the few, we no longer look to the needs of our brother--and we have no sense of shame as he starves to death or dies of thirst. Oh, we all get shook up over it. But getting shook up is not enough. What good is it if it does not cause us to take action? Faith without works is dead. For many of us, the sad but true reason we desire Christ's return is to help us get out of debt--i.e., I won't have to pay my debt if Jesus cmes back soon.
Keepers don't focus on their own misery. Rather, they use their miserable state to bless others (Isaiah 53:1-12).
Killers excuse themselves from meeting others need because their own needs have not been met (John 5:7)/
In a world gone mad with entitlements, human rights, welfare rights, alternative sexual lifestyles, we must be very careful not to becme one more sounding brass or tinkling cymbal. God has given mankind the badge of suffering and misery for a purpose.
One purpose is that none should glory in the flesh. Another is that we find ourselves totally dependent upon Him. A third is that God could take this despised thing called the African and do great things. God did great things through Simon of Cyrene, who if he had showed up late (CP time), would have not been there to carry the cross of Christ. Satan might have had the victory because Jesus would not have been crucified but instead, died of dehydration and exhaustion on the streets of Jerusalem. God chooses the despised things, Keepers, those that are their brother's keeper, know this.
Keepers dream of unity (Gal. 6:4). Killers relish their own identity (1 Cor. 10:7-12). In a world gone mad with ethnic rivalry and tribal wars, we must be very cautious of embracing everything that is Afrocentric as a godsend (aka Kwansaa). At a minimum, we will isolate ourselves from white brothers. We cannot form the true church of Christ on the basis of Afrocentricity. God is bigger than this.
Keepers sow seeds (1 Cor. 9-12). Killers stow seeds (James 5:1-3).
We are malnourished in this nation. We have a rising AIDS rate which parallels that of any African nation (some communities in New York and Philadelphia reporting 15-25 percent). Our AIDS rates in neonatal units and orphanages are ballooning. Our illiteracy rates and drop-out rates in school are comparable to those of many poorer nations around the world. In Philadelphia, my hometown, nearly 25 percent in many black communities are functionally illiterate.
We have an infant mortality rate in most cities which is as bad as that of many third world countries. Our marriages are failing at phenomenal rates, like that family breakups in any poor country of the world. Our family traditions are folding and we are losing our history. We are not sowing seeds to help other nations. We are SELFISH in our giving and going, and no one, not even God, will intervene to give the farmer who does not sow a good crop.
If we want to correct these problems in our own homes and communities, we must be a part of correcting them elsewhere in the world.
Keepers dream and create for the Kingdom while they sleep (Gal. 1:12).
Killers just sleep and dream of the world. God sends a strong delusion to them.
The Lord promised us that we would do great things. We have gone to sleep at the wheel and are off course.
Keepers look at the world's chaos and imagine they can do great things. Killers look at the madness and mayhem and say, "Maybe they deserve to go to hell anyway; let me get some more sleep." Keepers look at the dead man Lazarus, wrapped in grave clothes; and say, "Jesus can raise him from the dead." Killers blame God and say, "If you had been here my brother would still be alive?"
Keepers look for solutions. They are ready for paradigm shifts--new wine and new wineskins (Luke 5:36-38). The unjust servant was wise in the ways of the world (Luke 16:8). We can accept the word of outsiders. We can learn from everyone.
Killers focus on problems. They keep doing things the old way, even when it doesn't work.
Matthew 15:9 shows we must break away from traditions. We must build a new vision of being our brother's keeper. We must awaken the traditional black church from its passive killing role and make it an active keeper.
We must all unite to strengthen the ties between the white and the black church in order to seek the unity in the bond of peace. Keepers use the wisdom of the world to make a difference.
So I ask you....Are you your brothers KEEPER or KILLER?
May God Help and Forgive Us All
In His Grip
Min. Scott
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Pastor T. A. Smith Sr on
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Minister Scott,
The truth you speak is deep and provocative! Thank you for having the courage to articulate it in a public forum.
God give us each the integrity and strength to stand up and be KEEPERS.
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Permalink Reply by Ava on
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Brother Scott,
I agree whole heartedly with you and I encourage you to spread this message. I am a firm believer that the body of Christ should come together, regardless of our differances, and seek to do more outreach ministry as the harvest is pentiful but the laborers are few.
I think that the many problems that African Americans face have been attributed to what we have faced as a people. We have certainly overcome many obstacles because of our faith in God, however, we still have a long way to go. If those of us who are sitting in air conditioned offices, checking our emails, and driving nice cars could just take a moment each day to give God praise and remember that God's grace brought us into these blessings. I truly believe, therefore, that we would begin to see an even greater move of God. We should be more apt towards being our brothers keeper instead of constantly being critical of our brothers and sisters who we view as not being "up to par." Society dictates to us how we should view ourselves but my God tells me that I am blessed and highly favored...more than a conqueror...the righteousness of God...and that I am marvelously made!
Let's come together and do more Kingdom building rather than tearing each other down. If people were encouraged and taught to believe what the word of God states about them then there would be far less "black on black crime." There also would be a lot less division amongst African Americans because we would know the TRUTH and the TRUTH would make us free!!!
"Jesus is the way, the TRUTH, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father except by the Son." AMEN!
Blessings & Peace To You Always!
Ava
You have my full support. 100%
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Permalink Reply by Scott R. Newman on
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Sister Ava
As usual you never disappoint. What a wonderful and sincere call for all of us, including myself to think more of God's Harvest of those who are living apart from Christ and who are dead in sins with a death penalty lingering over their souls.
As American Christians we at times forget how others are living, humbly living in abject and extreme poverty and are heavy burdened without God's Word, the true Seed of Christ who is the only one who can give us rest. No matter what we go through, we all know where we can turn for our help and we believe He's faithful even when we are not.
Its not good enough for us to eat at the table and receive a wonderful feast at the Lords table of His Word and His love, while others dine on mere crumbs who find themselves hopeless and alone and held captive by the strongholds of what besets them.
Joh 4:35 "say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white already unto harvest."
Sometimes I wonder why at times we suffer so and are constantly moving from trial to trial with not a sense of relief in sight. No one is despised more in America and in much of Europe like the African and those of Afican descent. We have a testimony to share with a world of people who feel despised and rejected. We cannot wait for someone else to take this responsibility. Our testimony of suffering does not belong to us. We have a peculiar mandate to share our worldview in a way no one can do for us.
I believe that the black man and woman and those of African descent are just as crucial and critical to Christ's return. I believe that somehow by not heeding our calling, we impede the Kingdom in more ways than we realize.
We cheat the world of a glimpse of Jesus the Christ when we ignore our calling to be His ambassadors to the world. We cheat the world of seeing how the bruised and battered servant can still fulfill His calling. People know our history. They will marvel at us if we can take Christ to them in the midst of our troubles. Anyone can share Jesus when they are on top of the world. Can we share Jesus when we are despised and rejected and dejected? Can we share the bruised and hated Jesus that Isaiah talks about? I believe we cheat the world when we ignore this calling.
The Apostle Paul declared, "Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel" (1 Cpr:9:16) and Jeremiah in 20:9 declared, "It was like a fire shut up in his bones." I believe that if we allow this fire to remain shut in our bones, it will burn its way through some way. Much of the pain we feel as a 'black church' is because we are allowing this corporate body to smother the flames of the Gospel in our lives. Much of the pain in our communities exists because we don't share our testimony with the world that needs the suffering Savior.
I can identify two groups within our community. The first has been too embarrassed of our past, has no future to be proud of, and find it difficult to emrace the safefy of the present. The seond group has idealized the past and sees no need to move towards the future or eternity because they've had so many glories in the beautiful motherland.
Whose call is it? No one can appreciate the oppressed people like those who continue to feel oppression. No one can speak to the suffering masses like the people who have suffereed en masse. Jesus is described as the suffering Savior in Isaiah 53:2, "He hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him." The bruised, hated, despised, ugly, badly beaten Savior can speak to a world of people who identify with Hm.
We represent a portion of the body that is held in dishonor. At times we forget that one of the fruits of the spirit is long suffering. But whatever season we find ourselves in, we are still commanded and mandated to preach in season and out of season, all for the upliftment and praise of Him who is exalted who we have an assurance through His resurrection, which reminds all of us, "Lo I'm with you always even to the end of the world".
God Bless you dearly Ava and your family. He's risen...Not dead.
Happy New Year and may you have an abundant year in Him.
In His Grip
Your brother
Scott
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