“…O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?  -Matt16:3
              
   One of the signs of the times (negative) is liberalism. Liberalism’s greatest tool of deception is ‘word manipulation’; which has two primary components:
            i.Creating new words
            ii.Changing definitions of words
  
   For example, by fiat, liberalism simply changed the definition of equality from: the state or quality of being equal; correspondence in quantity, degree, value, rank, or ability (Dictionary.com)----to “sameness.” In other words, the liberal re-definition of ‘equality’ means everyone should be the same; have the same access, or have the same amount. For example, if two people don’t have the ‘same’ amount of money, the liberal reason is because of income inequality.
   Applying this to marriage, by using the manipulated definition of equality, liberalism has been able to successfully contend that unless everyone can be married to whomever they want, it is marriage inequality.
   On the contrary however, there have always been stipulations on marriage—in every culture, religion, ethnicity, or nation. For example, because America has historically derived its standard of good and evil, and right and wrong from the Judaeo/Christian ethic, there are 5 fundamental marriage qualifications:
1.Gender.  Male and female.
2.Number.  One male and one female.
3.Age. Must be a certain age.
4.Relative/Blood kin. Cannot be closely related.
5.Marital status. Marriage is not allowed if you’re already married. 
 
However, there are at least two other qualifications which are assumed:
6.Human Equality. Must be human.
7.Health. Must be free of communicable disease
 
   These 7 qualifications were given by God to man for marriage…regardless of culture, religion, ethnicity, or nation. 
1.Gender. The reason for the gender qualification is the continuation of humanity (Gen1:28; Matt19:1-4). To ignore this violates the “Multiplication Mandate”(Gen1:28) and destroys the existence of mankind.
2.Number. The reason God restricts marriage to one male and one female is the “One Flesh Phenomenon”* (Gen2:24; Eph5:31). The violation of which is polymory.
3.Age. The reason God restricts age is obviously because children’s bodies are not prepared for reproduction (Is7:14;Mat1:23**). The violation of which is paedophilla and pederasty.  
4.Relative/Blood kin. Although this point was not true at the creation of man, one reason God
   presently restricts marriage in this area is health. Many mutations are passed genetically, therefore, when close relatives marry, bad mutations are more likely to align creating health complications in offspring. The violation of this is incest (Lev18:6-17; Lev20:11-12,17,19-
   21; Deut22:30; 27:20).
5.Marriage status. The reason God forbids marriage on top of marriage is strictly spiritual. First, is the “One Flesh Phenomenon”*. Second, God considers Himself married to His own  (Eze16:28; Jer3:1,2,21;Jer3:8,9), and the backslider (Jer3:14). For this reason God calls idolatry equal to adultery. The violation of this is adultery, idolatry, Polygamy or Bigamy.
6.Human equality.
a.Equality. The two marrying must be human. Equality among humans exists ‘solely’ because of the gift of the image and likeness of God.***
b.Animals. Marriage is restricted to humans (Lev20:15-16)
7.Health. Prevents the spread of communicable disease (Lu8:2-4; Lev14:2-32)
 
   These are clear Biblical guidelines that define marriage.  On the other hand, they also  elucidate how liberalism militates against the Judaeo/Christian ethic by re-defining marriage. Because liberalism is a doctrine of atheism, the more liberalism assumes control of the culture the greater will be Christian persecution…therefore, liberalism and Christianity cannot co-exist. To be candid, if America continues down the path of liberalism, the days of Noah will re-appear!
“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day”  -Matt24:37 (NLT)
    Liberalism does not come from God(1Tim4:1)!
 
 
*See part 2 of this series
**The Hebrew word for “virgin” is a young woman…not a child. The New Testament word for virgin (parthĕnŏs) means mature young woman.
***I repeat, the ‘only’ basis for human equality is the image and likeness of God(Gen1:26-28).  Evolution does not permit human equality.
  
QuoteBit
"If you want to know your past - look into your present conditions. If you want to know your future - look into your present actions." -- Unknown

    I love quotes—of all kinds! I have thousands of quotes, covering many areas of life, collected over several decades. One section of my quotes covers absolute truths, essential to inspiring, shaping, and building life. At least once a year, I offer a few of my favorite motivational quotes. This year I included several of my own.
 
-In the Christian life, “We must lose to gain; give to receive; be humbled to be exalted; become least to be greatest; and die to live.”                   
                         -Unknown
 
-A smile is instant encouragement.    -Derrick Jackson
 
-If a single man achieves the highest kind of love, it will be sufficient to neutralize the hate of millions.  -Unknown.    Jesus is the greatest example of this quote.

-Creativity is the offspring of caring and adversity.      -Derrick Jackson
 
-If you do more than you are paid for, the day will come when you are paid for more than you do!                                -Jim Rohn
 
-The end of education is not knowledge, but creative works.
                             -Derrick Jackson
​
- Opportunities often either arise or are revealed in failure; self-failure, or the failure of others.                          -Derrick Jackson
 
-Faith in God does not make life easier, but better.  -Derrick Jackson
 
-If anyone speaks evil of you, so live that none will believe it.  
                   -Unknown
 
-Skills are developed in solitude, but character is developed in society.
                  -Unknown
 
- Love tempers freedom (Gal5:13;1Pet2:16), and freedom releases love. Slavery, both natural and spiritual, slowly diminishes, and ultimately destroys love. Therefore, love cannot be sustained apart from freedom.                                    -Derrick Jackson
 
-Unforgiveness is willfully giving a memory of another control of your vision, which ends in the destruction of your potential.   
                              -Derrick Jackson
 
-He who wins a contest over other men possesses great strength; but he who wins the contest over himself possesses the greatest strength.           -Unknown
 
-Never make plans based on what you have, but based upon what God has.                            -Derrick Jackson
 
 -Learn to love, where you are not loved; care, where you are not cared for; and reach, where you are not reached for.                 -Derrick Jackson
 
-You cannot lift a person to a new level, you can only help them to their feet. If you try to lift a person to a new level, their mind will step them back to their former level.   -Derrick Jackson
 
-Reading makes a full man, writing a correct man, and speaking a ready man.                    –Lord Bacon
 
-To spend, and be spent, for the good of mankind.  -Dr. Benjamin Rush
 
-The circumstances of life, the events of life, and people around me, do not make me the way I am, but reveal the way I am!  -Sam Peoples Jr.
 
-You must find God’s Cause that you would rather die than give-up; and once it is found, that you will accomplish or die trying!       
                      -Derrick Jackson

  James Forten (1766-1842) represents one of the many great African-American pioneers. Incredibly, James Forten was one of America’s first Black millionaires!! You read that right…in the midst of a time when this nation enslaved Black people, a Black man rose above the evils of his day--and with the help of Almighty God—prospered unimaginably.


    Who is James Forten? An abolitionist, philanthropist, businessman, War for Independence veteran, inventor, and family man, James was born to Thomas and Margret Forten on September 2, 1766. James first wife, Martha Beatty, died soon after they were married. Subsequently, he later married Charlotte Vandine (1786-1886); and from that second union were born Robert Bridges Forten, Margaretta, Harriet, Sarah Louisa, Charlotta, William Deas, Mary Theresa, Thomas Willing, Francis, and James Jr.
   Incredibly, the grandfather of Thomas Forten—or the great-grandfather of James--worked to free himself from slavery! As a result of his efforts, both James and his father Thomas, were born free! James was educated at a Quaker school which Anthony Benezet built for Blacks.
   Later James joined the Continental army at 14 years old and was one of many Blacks who fought with George Washington to secure American freedom from Britain. He became a sailor for the American forces, and served on the Royal Louis. He was later captured by the British who made him a prisoner of war on one of their infamous prison ships, where over 11,000 Americans died. By God’s grace, he was involved in a prisoner exchange on the condition he no longer fight in the war. Upon his release, young James walked 100 miles from Brooklyn to Philadelphia to return to his family.
   After the war, with experience gained as a sailor in the Continental forces, he joined the crew of a ship which sailed for England. After a year of living and working in the London shipyard, in 1786 he returned to America and became an apprentice to a White sail-maker Robert Bridges. After twelve years of hard work, saving money, and self-sacrifice, James bought-out his boss, and became the first Black-owned sail-making business in Philadelphia; and more than likely all of America! He later invented and patented sails, and by 1832, employed 40 workers--both Black and White!!! Ultimately, James Forten’s financial worth surpassed $100,000 dollars!!! 
   On page 50 of their book ‘Doubting Thomas’ Mark Beliles and Jerry Newcomb wrote that in the day of Thomas Jefferson(1743-1826), $10 was worth $250 today, which is a difference of 25 times. Because James Forten was a contemporary of Jefferson, if we multiply Forten’s $100,000 by 25 we get 2,500,000! Therefore, in all probability, James Forten was America’s first Black multi-millionaire!
    How was James Forten able to do the impossible? If we return to part one of this series and examine God’s purposes for a nation, we will find wealth creation as one of those purposes(Deut8). Because America has adopted God’s purposes--God has blessed this nation. Rabbi Daniel Lapin puts it succinctly:
 
“Only two governments in the world have been governed by a covenant constitution—ancient Israel and modern America.”  -Rabbi Daniel Lapin
 
  Rabbi Lapin’s quote does not mean that God’s favor rests only Israel and America. On the contrary, God will bless any nation which taps into God’s great purposes(Ps33:12). Therefore, even though Blacks were originally brought to America in chains, because God turns evil into good (Gen50:20; Rom8:28), the Sovereign God determined to turn Black slavery into Black prosperity---using America as His tool!
   Two concluding magnificent truths that facilitated James Forten’s success:
   1.He tapped into the anointing of God upon America for wealth
     creation.
   2.James Forten is but ‘one’ example that America is great because God
      sovereignly created, called, and blessed her!
 
   I repeat, God did not bless America only for America’s sake. On the contrary, any nation can follow America’s example—for God sovereignly determined America to be a prototype! And furthermore, any American can follow James Forten’s example—because God is no respecter of persons! Therefore, it is absolutely clear that God sovereignly determined America’s purposes to include African-Americans!
 
 
 
Quotebit
Nobody can contribute to the best of humanitywho does not make the best out of himself.
-JOHANN GOTTFRIED VON HERDER (1744–1803), Literary critic and philosopher