Curry Blake on Humility, Boldness & Power of God

This was sent out in a newsletter last year from Curry Blake’s ministry at www.jglm.org.

It is lengthy, but please take the time to read it…especially if you have been offended or upset by the way that I present things at times.

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“When prospective students came to my martial arts schools, they came with one purpose, to learn to fight so they could win and never lose.  It was not until I started teaching healing, that I started hearing people (Christians) say things like, ” You win some, and you lose some”.

But in healing, when you “lose some”, you are losing someone.  I even heard some “Christians” say, “Well, you can’t expect to get everyone healed, if you did, you couldn’t handle the fame and you would become proud.” Well, it’s good to know that my humility is so important to God that He is willing to let other people die, to keep me humble. One problem I have with that is that God commands us to humble ourselves.

Today many “Christians” are more interested in how you do things than they are in the results you get.  I agree that we should do things in line with what the Bible says, but when people want to keep doing things the way they have done it before just because the group they are with does it that way, even after being shown that it is not right, not scriptural, and not as effective as the scriptural way of doing things, they are following in the tradition of the Pharisees.

A Christian should always be willing to change the instant they find out they are doing something wrong, or as soon as they find out that there is a more scriptural way of doing something.  That is another aspect of being humble.

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. ” – James 4:10
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” – 1 Peter 5:5-6, KJV

I have also heard people say, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” Usually it is the losers that say that.

In every human endeavor there are rules or laws that apply to that endeavor.

The person or team that practices right the most, usually wins. As many of you might know, I really like destroying the myths and sacred cows that the church has built up over the years.  I believe that one of the conditions that help propagate many of the wrong teachings we have today is that we always picture the people in the Bible (no matter who they were or what role they played in the Biblical narrative) as being somehow more spiritual and less sinful than people who live in the 21st century.

As long as we separate ourselves from the people of the Bible, we will never receive what they did, nor will we accomplish what they did.  When we look at Jesus and Paul, we would immediately be struck by their differences. But we might also want to look at their similarities.  Many people picture Jesus as a weak depressed person, even though they would never say that.  But the Bible says that He was anointed with joy more than all his brethren. The Bible also says that Jesus looked forward to the cross (or rather the results of it) with joy.  Jesus has been portrayed as a meek and humble person while Paul has been portrayed as arrogant and proud.  Some have even suggested that his “thorn” was his pride.

We are going to examine the lives, teachings and attitudes of possibly the two greatest people in Christendom.

We know that Jesus was humble, which by definition means that He was not proud or arrogant.

But, let’s look at some of Jesus’ statements.

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” – Matt 10:34-36, KJV

Jesus plainly says that He came to bring division (variance).  So much for the unity at all costs principle!
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. – Matt 11:29-30, KJV

Here Jesus says He is meek and lowly in heart. But it’s Jesus saying that about Himself.  Usually when someone says something like that about themselves, it has the opposite effect of proving humility.  Maybe our definition of humility is not quite right.

“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” -John 6:35, KJV

Here, Jesus has the audacity to call Himself THE bread of life and even goes on to say that if you come to Him, you will NEVER HUNGER and if you believe on Him you will NEVER THIRST. These are pretty bold statements and most would say that they were boastful.

Why don’t we believe this was bragging or pride? Because we know they are true. So one thing we find out is that if someone makes a true statement, it does not mean they are proud or arrogant or boastful. David Crockett use to say, “It ain’t bragging, if you can do it.”

Personally I believe the only way to be sure that it isn’t pride, is by judging the person’s heart.  I don’t know about you but my track record of judging other people’s hearts hasn’t always been that great. I have a hard enough time just judging my own heart.

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” – John 8:12,  KJV

Jesus plainly says that HE is the light of the world. Not Buddha, Not Mohammed, Jesus. That is mighty bold talk. But it is also true talk.

“Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” – John 10:7-10, KJV

Here Jesus says that He is the door and ALL THAT CAME BEFORE HIM were thieves and robbers.

Another tremendously bold and true statement.

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” – John 11:25, KJV

Another seemingly arrogant statement. It sounds like Jesus is wrapping everyone’s salvation in Himself.  It sounds like He actually believes that He is supposed to be the center of everyone’s life.  He sounds like He thinks He is God’s gift to the world.

“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. “- John 12:46-48,  KJV

Again Jesus says HE is the Light of the world. But now He also says something that almost no one believes even Christians.  He says that if someone hears His words and still doesn’t believe, He will not judge them.  So much for the “God’s gonna get you” type of preaching.  So much for the “God put that sickness on you because of His anger against your sin” type of preaching. (Don’t misunderstand me, there is such a thing as sowing and reaping, but it works just like a crop in the field, God doesn’t have to PUT IT ON YOU.

Most go out and find the seed of their own destruction.) Does that mean that people just get away with living wrong? No it just means that they are going to be held accountable to the Word of God, and shall be judged according to the Word of God in the LAST DAY (not Today).

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” – John 14:6, KJV

Imagine the audacity of a person telling all those religious Jews that NO ONE can get to the Father, NO ONE can get saved, except by going through Him.  He doesn’t just say He knows the truth, He says He IS the truth and THE WAY.  What I am trying to get across is that Jesus said all these things which don’t sound very humble as we define humility. So true humility is not putting yourself down, true humility is simply saying what the Bible says about you.

The Bible says not to think of yourself more highly than you ought.  But you are also told to have the mind of Christ and to let his mind dwell and live in you. Paul, as I said before is also looked at in ways that are contrary to the scriptures. We will look at his life and ministry in a moment.  Most people that know me personally, know that as far as my basic personality and beliefs, I am exactly the same person behind the pulpit that I am when I am sitting around a dinner table fellowshipping. When I am behind the pulpit I can be a little more direct and strict, because I am not speaking to any one person in particular, but to all in the congregation in general.

If I spoke to an individual the same way I say things from the pulpit, I would definitely hurt their feelings and if anyone else was within range to hear me, I would also embarrass the person in front of others.  The Bible says to rebuke people publicly, but this is referring to those that have already been confronted in private and then with one or two other witnesses.  Rebuke, reproof, and correction, whether in public or in private is for the purpose of restoration.  It should have nothing to do with personal vindication.

The reason I say this is because I have had people bring up the fact that I do not like confrontation.  This may sound strange if you have heard my preaching but we must remember that when I am preaching, I have no problem confronting a wrong doctrine or naming those who practice or preach wrong doctrine. That is because I only do it for the sake of the Body of Christ.  It is not personal. I have made a personal decision not to defend myself.  I will defend my doctrine, because I believe it to be the teaching of Scripture. Some have even commented on my lack of publicly confronting an individual as a weakness.

I would in no wise compare myself to the Apostle Paul, but, some people have said some things about me that brings some of Paul’s statements to my memory.

“For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:  That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. ” – 2 Cor 10:8-12 8, KJV

Here Paul says that the letters he wrote were very strong but in person he was much softer toward people, but not to let that fool them, he could be just as strong in person, if necessary.

“Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.  But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.  For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?” – 1 Cor 4:18-21, KJV

In this verse Paul specifically tells them that when he comes he will be as strong toward them as necessary and that the only way to solve their situation was to see who could actually produce the power of God, because the kingdom of God is not just in words, but in power and in demonstration of the Spirit of God.  Notice the use of the word “demonstration”.

This reminds me of something I told my wife recently.  We were discussing how it seems that in modern Christianity, anyone can say anything they want and there is actually no one to stop them or “police” them.  Even watching their prophecies not come to pass, doesn’t seem to be enough to get people to quit following them.  I told my wife that I wished it was proper to confront or even challenge these “pillow prophets” that prophesy out of the vanity of their own mind.

But in today’s Christianity, not only is it not proper to challenge them, it is not even proper to expose them or even mention them.  If you do it is called being “divisive”.  Back when I was in martial arts, I would sometimes run into a person that wanted to make a name for themselves so they would challenge me to a fight, or they would want to insist that their art or style of martial art was superior to what I taught and practiced.

Usually they would call me on the phone and start bragging about their style and putting down my style.  I would talk with them for a while and try to logically convince them of the merits of what I taught, but sometimes they would just get under my skin and I would finally just get tired of talking and say, “Look, why don’t you just come on over, we’ll get on the mat and cross hands (a common way of saying that we would duel).”

I was confident that I would prevail, but I figured that even if I lost, I would learn that there was a more effective style of fighting. I taught the same thing for almost 30 years.  Some of the people that say they want me to be more confrontational don’t seem to like it to much when decide to confront them.

In my position, I will usually have someone else confront the problem, because I have found that once the leader confronts a person, they usually have a hard time staying around because they have lost face with the leader they were trying to attach themselves to.  I really did not set out to lead an organization.  I was just trying to share what I had learned that I knew could keep dying people alive. Now I have the task of leading in international organization that is planting churches, starting Bible Schools, conducting regular training seminars that activate the power of God in those that attend, and lead mission trips into countries on every continent.

Those that desire to do the works of Christ (and greater), are welcome to join with us.  Those that are looking for someone to hold your hand every step of the way will become very disappointed with me because I just can’t do that, but I will try to help you connect with those that can. At this point in our organizations growth, I have to spend time with those who are actually going to take some responsibility and will put into use what I can teach them. The church has perfected the art of feminizing men to a point that most men want nothing to do with the church.

There is protocol and customs that should be observed, but there is also a need in the church to teach men how to be true men, which can only be seen when men become men of God.  Paul would not be considered “humble” by today’s Christian standards.  He would be called rude, boastful, and proud.  Why, because he knew who he was in Christ and talked like it. When he had to exert his position as an apostle, he would give a list of what preaching the gospel had cost him; shipwrecks, beatings, whippings, stoning, hunger, etc. But he would also emphasize his apostolic position based upon God’s will and not his own. He made it clear he was what he was by the grace of God.

He would say things like, “You are forcing me to talk like a man.  I don’t want to but you make me.” (Curry Blake paraphrase)
I have determined to be as gentle as possible but also as forceful as necessary to help establish the truths of the Bible in the Body of Christ. If those that hear this message have ears to hear, they will grasp it and run with it.  Those that don’t will force me to say it in ever stronger words.

The thing to remember is this, the essence of Christianity is to die and let Christ live through you.  If I say something that bothers you, check it out in the scriptures, when you find that it is true, change. Don’t whine about and fight me over it, just change. That’s the dying part. Now let’s get busy and do something great for God.”

-written by Curry Blake – www.jglm.org-