THE LORD GOD OF SHEM

As a person that truly enjoys writing and teaching spiritual lessons I also often try and get people to understand this simple truth. There are those that will give all kinds of facts to prove out every point that they might make in the things they write. While I do like to give some simple facts as I seek to reveal Biblical truth, I also seek to allow God’s Spirit to be the one that actually opens the eyes of people to see the points I’m trying to make. Therefore, as I get into the things I’m about to write, consider God’s will and how we are seeing things unfold in the world we live in today.

Looking at our world today, without any facts to back what I’m about to say, we do see this: the average person in this world today, the majority will acknowledge that there is a God. The people that call themselves atheists are in the minority. And, I might add; there is not such things as an Atheist! The word itself is a word made by man to describe those that say they don’t believe in God. The problem with that is this fact. Any person can speak any words out of their mouth that they choose to say! I can say it: (I’m an Atheist)! What does that change about what I know inside of my being? Whether we will admit it or not, God breathed his breathe in Adam and he became a living soul! There is a part of God inside of every person. Every person has a (God Consciousness) within them. It cannot be denied! Consider this:

Romans 3:4

God forbid: yea; let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, And mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Does that not make any person that calls themselves an Atheist a liar? The only difference is that any person that calls themselves an Atheist is (of this world). At one time wasn’t every person that is now born again (of this world)? Now, as every born-again believer thinks back to before they actually asked Jesus Christ into their hearts, didn’t you know God? Wasn’t he there?

The worldly aspect of sin itself causes every person to be ignorant and say ignorant things; that because of the very nature of the sinful bodies we live in. Let’s consider something else; if I as a person will say that I believe there is a God but, I refuse to allow him to reign in my heart. On the other hand, someone calls themselves an Atheist, do we not both go to the same hell? To me, when I hear someone say that they are an Atheist I look at them like I would a two-year-old in the flesh. They do things that you know as an adult won’t work, it causes us to shake our heads and smile, hoping one day they will grow up and mature.

Most people, whether they serve the true and living God, or a false one, they seek leadership from a higher power than they see themselves as being. If we go all the way back to the Garden of Eden, we see this fact!

(Genesis 3:5)

FOR GOD DOTH KNOW THAT IN THE DAY YE EAT THEREOF, THEN YOUR EYES SHALL BE OPENED, AND YE SHALL BE AS GODS, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL.

If you’ll study this, you will see that this is what Satan shared with Eve tempting her to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Even in that very verse he acknowledges God! He was speaking to a woman that also realized that there was a God. So, is (by default) admitting that Satan is wiser that he or she is!

We see this all the way through scripture. We see the true and living God revealing himself in man. When this man, no matter who this man is; seeks to reveal the truth as given him by God, then other men reject that truth and walk away beginning to build their own way of, and things to worship apart from the true and living God.

As we leave the Garden of Eden, we see Cain rejecting the leadership of Abel and killing him. We see another seed of righteousness in Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve. He was that person in the flesh that carried on the will of God in this world. As we move forward, we see men moving away from that leadership all the way up until the flood when only eight people entered the Ark, believing.

As that Ark settles back to earth, this is where we really begin to see some important facts as it leads us up to where we are today. In those days God spoke to this world through Noah, So, let’s see what he reveals first. You can read in (Genesis 9) and see all the things that God revealed to Noah alone. However, if you will notice in (Genesis9:8) God begins to speak to Noah and his three sons revealing the covenant that he would make between him and mankind. This is a very important point. God spoke to all four men, showing grace and truth to them all. It was not left up to any one individual to know that truth! Another way to say it is that every son knew exactly what to teach his family. The choice to follow God or live in this world was their choice to make.

In (Genesis9:17) once again it appears that God is simply revealing himself to Noah. He is the very voice of God! We see that as things unfold, the revelation of God comes from him.

As we move a little forward, we see this in:

(Genesis 9:25-27)

AND HE SAID, CURSED BE CANAAN: A SERVANT OF SERVANTS SHALL HE BE UNTO HIS BRETHREN. (26) AND HE SAID, BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD OF SHEM: AND CANAAN SHALL BE HIS SERVANT. (27) GOD SHALL ENLARGE JAPHETH, AND HE SHALL DWELL IN THE TENTS OF SHEM. AND CANNAN SHALL BE HIS SERVANT.

If you will notice, every man is placed under the (Lord God of Shem)! If we will notice the events of what has just happened, we can’t see where Japheth done anything wrong at all can we? Nonetheless, he is commanded to dwell in the tents of Shem. As we move forward in (Chapter 10) we see that this didn’t happen, did it? We see that Japheth had a family, he built his own cities and so on. Ham done exactly the same thing!

You, the reader would have no way of knowing what I’m about to say. However, today is Thursday, February 17, 2022. I actually stopped writing here yesterday. As I sit yesterday starring at my laptop, wondering just how to proceed from this point, I just stopped and begin to ask (the Lord God of Shem) just how I should proceed.

One reason that these few verses and chapters is so challenging is because it reveals some very controversial things that we are still facing in our world today. As a matter of fact, it’s so bad that many even dare to talk or write about these things today. However, with that being duly noted the true problem is that we are so focused on the wrong points that are made.

I’d like to add this point just by way of teaching and that, even teaching myself as a student of the (Lord God of Shem). As I stopped writing yesterday and went about my daily activities a great friend of mine had given me five pounds of sausage a few days ago so, I decided to call him and pick it up. When I got to his house, he and his wife invited me in. Both of these people are godly people, when we get together, we almost always strike up a conversation about Jesus Christ and spiritual matters. As we began to fellowship, I started talking about this study and, in my mind the struggle I was having with proceeding with the teaching.

As I left their home after fellowshipping, something dawned on me! As we talked, we spoke of a few situations we knew about, some now and some years ago. However, in all that we said it had very little to do with me, my friend, his wife or, any one of the people we might have mentioned as we shared and fellowshipped. The center of all that we said was the (Lord God of Shem), period!

Now, just for the sake of moving forward, I’d like to say this. In this chapter in (Genesis) and the next couple of chapters we will see this. Out of this period of time the actual color of men changed and, the language changed across the complete world. So, let me ask you something. As I spoke of my friend and his wife, what color were they? what nationality were they? Did they speak more than one language?

I could go just a step farther and ask, what sins were they guilty of? Were they murders, thieves, homosexuals, adulterers, liars? As we stood there, if you have any wisdom, this one fact is clearly understood, all three of us were sinners in need of the (Lord God of Shem) and, that, in all that we said was the key focus point!

As we get back to the article I’m writing, let’s consider something. As Noah and his sons built the Ark there could be many reasons why most people didn’t enter that Ark. If we fast forward until today, we might put it this way. Many people clearly recognize themselves as sinners. As they consider Jesus Christ as their Savior, they think; I can’t live up to his expectations of me! With that thought in mind, we now know that both Noah and his son Ham did enter that Ark of Safety and when it settled back to dry land, they all stepped off. The question you need to answer within your own personal self is this. Do you realize that God knew exactly what they would do before they ever entered that, Ark? When the Ark settled, do you think any actions they did caught him (God), by surprise?

If we look back at:

(Gensis 6:7-8)

AND THE LORD SAID, I WILL DESTROY MAN WHOM I HAVE CREATED FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH; BOTH MAN, AND BEAST, AND THE CREEPING THING, AND THE FOWLS OF THE AIR; FOR IT REPENTETH ME THAT I HAVE MADE THEM. (8) BUT NOAH FOUND GRACE IN THE EYES OF THE LORD.

As we look at the fact that (Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord), exactly what does that mean? It means that Noah could see the same thing in the world that God seen but, Noah had made a choice to walk with and trust God, not being willing to be like the world. God spoke to Noah and told him how to build the Ark, not his sons. Therefore, it became the responsibility of Noah to convince his family and this world of the truth, given by God the Father. Noah’s wife, his sons and their wives believed the testimony of Naoh.

The problem then, as well as now is that many people that say they believe in Jesus Christ or, in the case of the Ark, believe a flood is coming doesn’t mean that they actually surrender their lives to the very will of God. Everyone that entered the Ark took their sins on board that Ark with them. When they came off that Ark, all of their sins came with them.

As these few verses and chapters relate to our world today and all that we see I’d truly like to take my time, showing patience to reveal all that God had shown me in these few verses. How we see these verses actually brings into play our language, our color, our culture and even our religion. If we, even as born-again believers can get a grasp of what we see here and, if we can relay it in a spiritual sense to this world it can change the very hate that we see in our world today.

THE SINS WE SEE!

I’m going to say something here that we’ll have to admit is very seldom seen, if ever mentioned. So, let’s go back to Adam and Eve leaving the Garden of Eden. We know they both had sinned, we also know that God killed an animal, shed blood to make a coat covering for them, covering their sin by his mercy and grace. However, we can also say that by God’s grace they both had the ability to walk with God although they had left the Garden of Eden. They both were what we can call believers. At that time, they began to have children. We might say the rest is history.

So, let’s fast forward to the Ark. We have said and also know that each person on that Ark were believers. When that Ark became the saving grace of God to each person on board it then settled back to this earth. At that time, can’t we see the same picture again? Every person that came off that Ark were believers! If we look at this from a metaphorical aspect, we can say that Noah was the pastor, God’s spokesman in a brand-new Church.

If we’ll study (Genesis 9) we can tell that some time has passed because Noah says this: cursed be Canaan. That means that at that time Ham and his wife had a son. We see that Noah got drunk. That means that he had time to harvest grapes and make wine. Just how much time had passed, we don’t know. We know that, as I mentioned, this is exactly like the time that passed with Adam and Eve. It appears that the more time that passed, the farther both groups of people walked away from where God would have wanted them to stay. Isn’t it the same way now? Since the beginning of the Church aren’t we, as in this world walking farther and farther away from the place God would have us be?

Do you realize that, at that time, the time when Noah pronounced the curse, we don’t see where anything is mentioned about the fact, he got drunk? If you think about that statement, (being drunk) means that another spirit is influencing you other than God’s Spirit. Therefore, what did that bring to pass? The next thing we see is that; Ham seen his father’s nakedness. There are those that say (that act) was a homosexual act.

Let’s stop here for a minute. Common sense will tell us that sin was on the Ark, not only in the hearts of both these men but also within the hearts of every person on that Ark. It was even there before they went on the Ark. However, can you see how that when one spiritual leader allows himself to drop his spiritual guard it can cause a sinful chain of reactions? All to which will always be away from God! My point! If Noah, being a spiritual leader hadn’t dropped his guard then, Ham possibly wouldn’t have an opportunity to fall. Think about it! All these people were believers!

Again, Noah didn’t curse Ham, did he? He cursed Canaan his son! Although we mentioned the fact that Noah let his spiritual guard down, that doesn’t give Ham the right to drop his, does it? However, in most cases as humans that’s exactly what happens. Not only that but, it will always be the children that will be hurt by the sinful acts we allow ourselves to get caught up in. I say this often; because Noah, and his family believed, God’s grace is upon them but, what about their children? We can say the same thing about each believer today. If we allow another spirit to guide us other than God’s Spirit, we are protected by God’s grace but, what about our children?

When Noah said to Ham, cursed be Canaan, notice all he says:

(Genesis 9:25-27)

AND HE SAID, CURSED BE CANAAN; A SERVANT OF SERVANTS SHALL HE BE UNTO HIS BRETHREN. (26) AND HE SAID, BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD OF SHEM; AND CANAAN SHALL BE HIS SERVANT. (27) GOD SHALL ENLARGE JAPHETH, AND HE SHALL DWELL IN THE TENTS OF SHEM; AND CANAAN SHALL BE HIS SERVANT.

At this time, this is all that Noah, and his sons know. When we look at these verses it’s something that stands out to me. Noah says (blessed be the Lord God of Shem). Here, he’s not referencing Shem but, the Lord God he serves. Can we agree that it appears that Shem is already serving God, but his brothers are not? Shem has already made himself (a servant) to the Lord God! That Lord God is the very same God that Noah is already serving even though he isn’t perfect. The verse says that (a servant shall he be to his brethren). Can you see how Noah and Shem both became servants to their brethren in the spiritual sense? If you and I give ourselves to (The Lord God of Shem) don’t we then become servants to every person, we share the gospel to?

If we simply call what Noah said a message he preached as the spiritual leader at that time, I believe it’s very revealing. God sees the fact that Noah and his family are allowing themselves to begin to let sin rule in their lives instead of totally surrendering to seeking the will of God. In the message Noah preached, God is seeking to bring both these sons back to a walk with him just as Shem already has. One other point we need to notice here. When Noah pronounced this curse on Canaan, he had no idea that our colors would change, nor did he know anything about any change in language. As you read, you will see that both those things happened in later years.

In the sense of a local Church today. If there are spiritual people sitting there hearing a very powerful message about surrendering your life to God’s will, it will have very little effect on the spiritual people but might draw great conviction on them that are walking away from their spiritual responsibilities. How those people react to that message depends on just how willing they are to surrender to (the Lord God) of those spiritual people. Within that, we can also see how it would have affected both Ham and Japheth in a very different way than it did Shem.

I’d like to make one other comparison here before I move on. In the picture we see both, Noah and Shem are servants of (the Lord God). They are not perfect, neither one of them but in all their failures they are seeking to walk with him. It could appear that the other two sons of Noah might have to bow at the feet of Noah or Shem in their minds as Noah is preaching the message, he is preaching but, that’s not true. I’ll give this as an example. In a Church setting my pastor one Sunday was standing up on a platform as his preached a very convicting message. That message convicted my heart, and I went down to the alter and, it might have appeared that I was bowing at his feet. However, it was not him I was bowing to, was it? Even as he stood there, even he understood that it was not he that I was bowing to.

If I could take it a step farther, I’d say that for a while after that Sunday I listened and was clinging to every word that he said but, it still was not he that I was listening to. Can’t we say the very same thing about Shem? If Shem was living a Godly life, wasn’t he able to instruct Ham and Japheth in righteous living? However, it wasn’t Shem they would have been listening to, was it? At the very same time, if Shem was teaching them spiritual lessons, wasn’t he (servant to them)?

My pastor, while standing behind a pulpit preaching, wasn’t he showing a willingness to be a servant, even to me?

At this time, I’d like to point out some scripture in:

(Romans 10;13-15)

FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED. (14) HOW THEN SHALL THEY CALL ON HIM IN WHOM THEY HAVE NOT BELIEVED? AND HOW SHALL THEY BELIEVE IN HIM OF WHOM THEY HAVE NOT HEARD? AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? (15) AND HOW SHALL THEY PREACH, EXCEPT THEY BE SENT? AS IT IS WRITTEN, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THEM THAT PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, AND BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!

As we look at these verses can you see just how special any person might be considered that actually helps you see (the Lord God of Shem)? We call him Jesus Christ! Noah never told either of his sons to be or become a servant to the other. He is actually instructing them to become a servant of the (Lord God of Shem). My pastor was instructing me to redirect my path and become a servant of Jesus Christ! If you will remember there was a woman that took an Alabaster box of ointment and washed the feet of Jesus. (Luke 7:37-39). She was showing just how thankful she was for the truth about herself that he helped her see.

THE PRICE WE PAY FOR THE CHOICES WE MAKE

As we move forward, let me ask you a question. Have you, as an individual ever looked at where you are now and thought, if I would have done this different, this wouldn’t have happened? Have you ever made choices maybe even spiritual choices that as you look back you realize things could have been different?

As we continue to look in Genesis, we already know that Ham had a son named Canaan. Let’s just say for the sake of argument the Canaan at that time was just a child, still under to complete control of Ham. As we get into (Genesis 10) we see that both Ham and Japheth actually went their own way.

I’m going to use this statement as an example of what I believe is being taught here. Not many years ago in the United States of America there were two candidates running for president in the same election cycle. One of them was a Democrat and the other a Republican, both call themselves (Reverends). A good friend of mine asked this question: why would any person that says they are called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ lower themselves to be the president of any country?

As we look at what is being said here, we can see a couple of points that we have to make about these few chapters in Genesis. First of all, we see that it’s very possible that the color of man actually became mixed as we go through these chapters. Second, we know that God made man begin to speak different languages. With that fact being true, when Noah said (cursed be Canaan) what is he saying? What would be the curse of Canaan?

We see in scripture here that these two sons of Noah chose not to submit themselves to (the Lord God of Shem). They both went about to build their own cities and the way they lived. Through scripture we actually follow the descendants of Shem all the way to Jesus Christ.

Let’s look at Shem first of all. The (Lord God) of Shem was handed down to him, so to speak from his father Noah. What that means is that all three of his sons had the very same opportunity to follow (the Lord God of Noah). It’s always a choice that is never forced on anyone. With that point being made, if anyone will allow God’s Spirit to direct their lives; what would be one of the first things that we might notice? It’s never about (Seth) (Self)! Both Noah and Seth understood this fact.

When we look at the fact that Noah got drunk. That simply shows that all of us are less than we should be as compared to the (Lord God) we serve. When we see Ham and his actions, we see a desire for self-satisfaction. It really doesn’t matter what he actually done to his father. The phrase (cursed be Canaan). What is relative about this? I believe, although I don’t that, we can prove it that Canaan was the first child born to Noah’s family after the Ark landed. Therefore, if we forget the name and realize that it’s the flesh that’s cursed! In the fleshly body of Canaan, he would never be pleasing to (the Lord God of Shem). It’s the very same picture we see within our own fleshly body. We must surrender to (The Lord God) if we ever desire to please him.

As these things are looked into, can you see what my friend was saying? What should be the main focus of any person that says they are following (the Lord God of Shem)? This is often where we lose our spiritual focus, even if we are born again. Again, I point that all these people came off the Ark. As believers today, do we not often do the very same thing that Ham and Japheth did? Do we not refuse to submit to the (Lord God) and set out to build something for our own satisfaction?

Now, let’s go back to what said in the beginning of his curse. He said (Cursed Be Canaan)! While looking at this, I’d like to point out something we see in scripture.

(Jude 1:11)

WOE UNTO THEM! FOR THEY HAVE GONE IN THE WAY OF CAIN, AND RAN GREEDILY AFTER THE ERROR OF BALAAM FOR REWARD, AND PERISHED IN THE GAINSAYING OF CORE.

If you will notice God’s spirit here is comparing people to individual names. Cain, Balaam and Core. Can’t we also add the name of Canaan to this list? You see, it’s not so much the name or individual that is being cured but rather the life he lives. The word (Canaan) in Hebrew means: (To Be Brought Down). As all this relates to Japheth and Ham and, we can even consider Seth. However, Seth chose to set his heart to do the will of God where the other sons chose to go another way.

The main thing we can see in the two names (Japheth and Ham) I believe to be this. Let’s just use the metaphor of a country that has a king which would be a man and court around him as being financially well off, in need of nothing. On the other hand, there those in the country that are poor, barely having the food they need to eat. Can you see how that in the eyes of God the Father, in the spiritual sense these two groups of people are exactly alike? If both groups of people chose to reject God, set up their own way of life then they both have been (brought down).

As all this relates to the two men that were seeking to be president, both in a sense of battling against each other, let’s look at this verse.

(Joshua 5:13-14)

AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN JOSHUA WAS BY JERICHO, THAT HE LIFTED UP HIS EYES AND LOOKED, AND, BEHOLD, THERE STOOD A MAN OVER AGAINST HIM WITH HIS SWORD DRAWN IN HIS HAND: AND JOSHUA WENT UNTO HIM, AND SAID UNTO HIM, ART THOU FOR US, OR FOR OUR ADVERSARIES? (14) AND HE SAID, NAY; BUT AS THE CAPTIAN OF THE HOST OF THE LORD AM I NOW COME.

Here, in these verses we see a picture of what I’m trying to say. If we continue to read here, you will notice that Joshua willing drop to ground and humbled himself, willing to do exactly what God desired for him to do. In our world today we see nation against nation, color against color, religion against religion, tribe against tribe. Should we go on? Children against parents, husbands against wives, wives against husbands. You can put any two groups that you like against each other however, are any of them even considering what God the Father, (the Lord God of Shem) might think?

(Cursed be Canaan) has to do with any people that choose to walk away from the will of God. There are those that take the fact that either a child or grandchild of Noah was named (Cush) which means (black). to mean that those people are supposed to be servants to his brethren. They never even consider what the same verse is saying about Japheth. The truth is that the will of God was then and, is now that all people submit to (The Lord God)! To which Shem was already trying to follow.

In a perfect world, if we just say that a man of any color, nationality or religion is truly seeking the will of God, let’s call him Shem. Then Shem has no desire at all to be a master or owner of any man or people. What his desire is that all men submit themselves to (the Lord God).

DO YOU KNOW YOUR PLACE?

So, when the Ark of Noah settled back to earth after the flood, it appears that men became different in color. As we move forward, we’ll also see where God changed the language that men spoke. We see that in (Genesis 11). Why did these things come to pass? These things happened because men chose to allow themselves to be (brought down). They chose to walk away from the standard that God set. No other reason! Can you imagine how things would be now if all three of Noah’s sons would have chosen to walk in the statutes of God the Father?

While we consider this, we also need to recognize that we can’t even force our own children to walk in the statutes of God, can we? Just like the sons of Noah, our children also have a mind of their own. All we can do is do our best to let our lives reflect the (Lord God of Shem) and ask God’s Spirit to lead our children.

As the (Lord God of Shem), God’s Spirit speaks to me here, I’d like to make another point about men, spiritual leaders that we often don’t even consider. Are we a lot like Noah? Do we find it much easier to pronounce a curse on our children than we do to see our own failures? The Bible tells us here that Noah planted a vineyard and be became drunk of the fruit of that vineyard. I said a while back to Noah was being led by some other spirit other than the Spirit of God, bringing about what happened with Ham.

We don’t see where Noah ever says anything about his own personal actions do, we? However, we see where he realized the actions of his children and said (cursed be)! Do we, as spiritual leaders too often set ourselves up to our children as someone that can see their failures but, never mention our own? Here, I’m going to use myself as an example. While I took my children to Church, sought to teach them the spiritual aspect of life, was that what I focused my life on or, was I drunk on the fruit of my career? I am an electrician by trade. What did my children see me focusing my life on? While I set myself us as their spiritual leader, often announcing a curse on the failures I seen in them, did I ever point out the failures they might have seen in me? Would I allow them to point out anything to me?

We noted that some time had passed when the events in (Genesis 9-10) took place. Often time has a way of causing each of us to become relaxed in out spiritual walk. It it possible that Noah had that problem? Did his children pick up on that?

We hear a lot about race and color today. In a spiritual sense, God cannot see color or race. It becomes a moot point as far as our walk with Jesus Christ is concerned, wouldn’t you agree? However, no matter what color, race, nationality or creed you might have, has that become the main things you teach your children to focus on? Again, if we go back to the two men running for president, when did the cares of this world become more important than the simple gospel of Jesus Christ and, the preaching thereof?

The man that shared the story about the two men running for president also told me this. He said that he very seldom went to his own Church or to Sunday School. He often would be preaching at another Church. However, on this morning he attended his Sunday School class and was sitting there listening to his Sunday School teacher. He said that the whole message that morning was about getting behind a certain candidate for president. That was what brought about his statement.

He said, at the end of the lesson the teacher asked them if anyone had anything to say. My friend raised his hand. When he was given the floor, he told the class the man wouldn’t be getting his vote because he couldn’t understand what any man that God called to preach would lower himself to become president of the United States.

When we look back at the Ark and note that every person on that Ark (believed)! Can you see how little time it takes for the weakness of our flesh to begin to change our true spiritual perspective if we are not tuned in to the very spirit of God? When this happens, we, as believers become our own worst enemy destroying the very children, we say we love!

A WORD TO THE WISE

I started this by saying (just a word to the wise). The word of God puts it this way:

(1 Corinthians 1:20)

WHERE IS THE WISE? WHERE IS THE SCRIBE? WHERE IS THE DISPUTER OF THIS WORLD? HATH NOT GOD MADE FOOLISH THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD?

I’d like to be seen here as a disputer of this world. Do you remember the man that stood over against Joshua? The man that said, (Nay), but I come representing the Captain of the Host? As we try to make sense of all that we see, first of all in our country now and, also the world, why can’t we simply get back to bowing to the man that represents the Captain of the Host? I live in the United States of America. The motto of our country is (IN GOD WE TRUST). If that’s the case, then why do we need two or more political parties? Why then is it so much talk about equal rights for men and women? Why do we even speak or ever bring up color or one group being a minority and the other a majority?

When we have so many different denominations, are we all serving different gods? Is there more than one truth? When we hear the term (white supremacy) ( black panthers) or (black lives matter); how about the (Latino caucus) or any other name that might be given a certain nationality of people, is that found in the wisdom of God, or do we have to say that it’s the wisdom found in the minds of worldly people?

The word of God says this:

(Romans 3:4)

GOD FORBID: YEA, LET GOD BE TRUE, BUT EVERY MAN A LIAR, AS IT IS WRITTEN, THAT THOU MAYEST BE JUSTIFIED IN THY SAYING, AND MIGHTEST OVERCOME WHEN THOU ART JUDGED.

In that one verse, am I not seen as a liar? Am I not one of every man? In reality my friends, we all are seen as members of only three families upon this earth. You are either a part of the family of Ham, the family of Japheth or the family of Shem. They were all sons of one man, Noah! Noah recognized the (Lord God) of Shem. He also recognized that his other two sons were not following, being servants to that (Lord God)!

I say those things to make this point. Noah knew the (Lord God). He knew him well enough to see him in other people such as Shem. Wise people are able to do just that! They are able to (know God) and teach others his will.

Have we lost that ability? A man of wisdom will always humble himself, making himself a servant to those around him. If he is ever lifted up it will be by other people, never himself.

If we are wise we will learn to humble ourselves to those that can teach us truth. That truth will never be about exalting any person, place, thing, color or nationality. That truth will always point people to Jesus Christ and him crucified. It will always be about allowing God’s Spirit to be born within our hearts.

Let’s consider something. When we choose to be (brought down) such as following something less than (The Lord God) does it not always end? We see, what we consider by the standards of this world, great men and women. Where are they now? They’re all dead, only alive because we allow them to be in our minds.

Can we also say that one man’s hero is another man’s enemy? In that case, are we both serving the wrong god?

For instance: let’s say there’s a court house in a city with statues of two well known men in front of them. Both statues represent a time in history the two separate groups either support or appose. Your group desires to tear down my group’s statue and, my group desires to tear down you group’s statue.

Are not both groups being (brought down) actually serving two lesser gods than the true (Lord God)? Aren’t both of those statues a part of this world and not part of what people that believe in (The Lord God of Shem) should be concerned about?

Let’s go back to the two reverends that desired to be president. Since they were preachers, what did they truly desire to preach? Let’s say you say you are born again. You have a desire to be a Senator or a member of Congress. Why? Are you going there to be a witness for Jesus Christ? What’s your motive?

The wisdom we receive as born again believers will always cause up to separate ourselves from the things of this world! It will also give us the wisdom to know the difference between worldly wisdom and the wisdom that flows from (The Lord God)!

In closing, in the last century there was a preacher that was very well known to most people that are my age. He could fill up a vast arena with people when he preached. However, wasn’t he just a man? While I’m not a judge, doesn’t it stand to reason that without Jesus Christ in his heart he went to hell when he died?

He, in that sense was no different than Shem. It’s not the man but (The Lord God) we serve, we all become servants to! I mentioned that (all men are liars) that is a common trait in all of mankind! So, let’s consider something, if we put up a picture or a statue of any person are we not recognizing a liar, a common sinner? If we, the people of the United States of America are going to use the motto (In God We Trust) why don’t we take down every statue of every person at every courthouse and replace it with a statue of Jesus Christ? If we are members of a Church that has pictures of our former pastors, aren’t they all sinners? All I’m saying is that we far too often get caught up in the affairs of this world, leaving (Our Lord God) on the sidelines of our lives.

I heard a story once about a missionary that had spent the majority of his life in a foreign country. He was now retiring and returning home after a life of service to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. On the same plane he came home on was a well know rock band.

When the plane landed at the airport there were thousands of people there to welcome the rock band home! However, not one person to greet the missionary.

As the missionary went to get his luggage he thought, Lord I’ve given my life for you, look at this, all these people to greet a rock band and no one to meet me! All of a sudden the Lord opened his understanding and he thought ( I’M NOT HOME YET)!! This world has its reward! However, to any person that has refused to go the way of Ham and Japheth but humbled themselves and became a servant to (The Lord God of Shem) one day when our journey is over and, we’re home with our savior Jesus Christ, we will then have our reward!

My dad was not educated, that is as far as the worldly standards we see. However, he once left a Church because of certain situations that had transpired there. He made this simple statement: I never fall in love with any man or building, I seek to walk with my Lord!

There’s a great lesson in that one simple statement! To whom do you serve? Do you know enough about (The Lord God of Shem) to distinguish him from the things of this world? Do you love him enough to turn away from the things of this world and serve him only?

As God the Father looks down from heaven he doesn’t see color, denomination, religion or any other worldly thing we might mention. He only sees truth and that truth is only revealed through Jesus Christ. He, the Bible says, is the way, the truth and the life. There is no other way to the Father but by him! A word to the wise, seek him and turn from all the things this world puts before him! Fill your heart with his love and all hate will have to leave!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7