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A SUCCESS PRIMER FOR YOUNG BLACK MEN, PART 6

      Young man, what is the condition of your soul?  Do you have ‘good religion’?  No, I am not talking about ‘just going to church’.  I am speaking about having a firm relationship with the one who has bought and paid for the TRUE church with his body and blood—the Lord Jesus Christ.

      Now, at this point, there are those who will cry out that I am meddling in a topic that I should not tread.  Nevertheless, I will tread into this arena, for today, courage is the missing ingredient from men—especially young men.  Social media consumption does not contain much in the way of how young Black men can be upright young Black men—but rather how they can be thugs, illiterates, sports and entertainment stars, and masters of those things which do not build character nor mental sharpness.

      To become and grow as a wise young Black man, you need courage my young brother.  You get courage from good religion which is in the Word of God—and learning how to stand your ground in it.  The KJV Bible is God’s ‘Talking Book’ as one older Pastor taught me years ago during my days as a young, up-and-coming preacher. The more you invest in the KJV Bible, the more it will talk to you through the Holy Spirit and the more God will lead you into good things, and away from bad things.

      Further, there is more of you in the KJV Bible than you have been led to believe.

      My young brothers, we are living in a day where—thanks to Social Media—the Black ‘personality of the minute’ who shouts the foulest and has the most followers is the one who gets the most attention, even if they are 100% wrong.  Many of them have NO CLUE as to what the Bible and Christianity are all about.

      ‘Good Religion’ starts on Sunday—the Lord’s Day--and carries you throughout the week.  It is best to get it while you are young, and ‘walk it out’ day by day for the rest of your life.  ‘Good Religion’ in Jesus Christ will put joy into you when the world wants to beat you down and out.  Further, IF you really got it, your religion will control your mouth, give you the strength to help the fatherless and widow and oppressed and poor when you see the need, and will help you to keep your mind and your hands to yourself when others are running the streets and suites ‘buck wild’. 

      I’m not talking about ‘just going to church’.  Anyone can go to church, but the key question is: “IS the church in you?” Are you ‘just’ a talker or a partaker of Christ?  Are you IN his Word?

      Time to bring out the full disclosure at this point.  A Christian will NOT be perfect on this side of the grave.  Perfection does not come until we pass from this mortal coil; either through the Rapture (when Jesus Christ takes the Christian home) or via the natural process of death (Hebrews 9:27 KJV).  Heading further down the trail, a true Christian—one who is loyal to the Scriptures and the Christ behind them WILL have squabbles within his home and even within the church he attends.  I know that this might sound strange, but it DOES happen.  As a matter of fact, the Bible is the ONLY religious book that carries within its covers the warning of the persecution and downright hatred that Christians will face—especially as we get close to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Mark, Chapter 13).

      Those who make the decision to yield to AND follow Christ will suffer because He suffered.  Nevertheless, the young man who takes a stand in Christ is a NEW person—old things have passed away and he is a new creature (II Corinthians 5:17 KJV).  Other religions WILL leave you the same.  ONLY being in Christ will make you a new person, period!  However, you must be willing to stand IN your faith and not ‘run’ from it, when the pressure comes from family, friends, and your public circle—including school.  One does not have to ‘brag’ about being a Christian.  One’s own behavior will ‘tip’ people off that there is something ‘different’ about you.  The more time that you spend in your Bible and in prayer you will be able to explain what makes you different and WHO ‘sets you apart’ from other young Black men of your generation.

      We are living in an era where young men of all races who want to live upright lives are being pushed into mold after mold of wrong behavior.  It takes courage to stand on your faith in God, my young friend—and many times you will be standing ALONE.  IF you can stand for the Lord, other problems WILL seem small by comparison. Further, you will NOT be standing alone.  This is all foretold in the KJV Bible.  It is called ‘Bible Prophecy’.  Well, what about the ‘holy’ books of the other religions out there? NONE of them deal with the subject of prophecy.  Other religions are concerned mainly for what you can ‘do’ for them while you are here on this side of the grave, and, IF you pay them enough money or knock on enough doors, you ‘may’ be ‘allowed’ to come back as a flower or bug to live your life over again.

      My Bible speaks straight down the middle as to what was, what is, and what is to come. Jesus Christ IS coming back.  Does YOUR religion have such a claim?

      Ramey’s Recommended Readings for the month: “Meditations on Manhood: 100 Devotions from Charles Spurgeon.” by Charles Spurgeon.

      “Where I come from, folks don’t celebrate or have a big to do when a man acts the way he’s supposed to act.”

--Randolph Scott

--From “Decision at Sundown” 1957

       “There’s no other way for us to reach heaven without traveling through the enemies’ territory.”

--William Gurnall

       Mike Ramey is a Retired Minister, KJV Bible Teacher, syndicated columnist and Bible Prophecy Specialist who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.  “The Quick Scan: A Success Primer For Young Black Men” is one of a variety of his columns appearing and abounding in print and cyberspace, written from a biblical, business, and common-sense perspective since 1996.  To drop him a line—or a whine—the address is still the same: mgmikeramey@yahoo.com.  ©2024 Barnstorm Communications International. With this 12-part series on the major issues of manhood, we are celebrating 2024 as “The Year of the Young Black Man.”