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SCRIPTURE - GAL. 6:7-8                                                  FEBRUARY, 1997

BE NOT DECEIVED, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP

FOR HE THAT SOWS TO THE FLESH, SHALL OF THE FLESH, REAP CORRUPTION [DEATH]; BUT HE THAT SOWS TO THE SPIRIT [GOD], SHALL OF THE SPIRIT REAP LIFE ETERNAL.

SUBJECT - DEATH OF TUPAC SHAKUR

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It is very seldom, that I address a situation, concerning a particular individual, as far as messages from the Word of God. However, God has shown many of us ministers, as well as others, what we can expect, in these last days. We are beginning to see the fruits, or rather reaping, what we have been sowing. And as the subject verses state, God's word, is , has been, and will always be, true.

A few months back, a young man, by the name of Tupac Shakur, was fatally shot, by an unknown assailant. Now while this sort of thing goes on all the time, this particular shooting, has had some far reaching effects, in the lives of our young people, as well as some older folks. The reason being, that this young man, was looked on as being an idol to hundreds of thousands of our youth, especially in the black community. Even though they don't realize it, they had made him a sort of god. They literally worshipped this man. They bought his recordings, by the millions. His concerts were sold out, usually before the day of the performance. All sorts of items from, shirts, pants, jewelry, hair style, and the like, can be seen on our youth, everyday. On radio and TV, people are talking, even today, about Tupac. Just to interject something here, what they are doing about Tupac, is what some, or rather most Christians need to be doing about Jesus Christ. It is surprising, no, not really, that a lot of Christians, have more good things to say about this young man, than they do about Jesus.

Well, let's look at what this young man was doing to get all of this acclaim, and achieve god like status, in the entertainment industry, and our communities.

Tupac, was an entertainer, or that's what they say. His vehicle of entertaining, was 'rap' music. The particular type of 'rap' music that he specialized in, is known as 'gangsta rap.'

'Gangsta rap' has been described, not by those of us, that dislike it, but by the rappers themselves, as the reality of life. This reality that they are talking about, is, gang violence, drugs, death, and sexual activities, up to and including gang rape of women.

They say, that they are just presenting the reality of where they live. And this, in most instances, may be true. However, the idea of presenting it, in the package of entertainment, is strictly ludicrous. A better term for it, is programming, or indoctrination. Where have these terms been heard before??? They have been used, to describe what many people, including myself do all the time, preaching.

That's right. What these people are actually doing, is preaching.

So, Tupac, was a 'preacher.' And what was he preaching??? Sexual violence against women, rebellion against authority, retaliation against those that disrespect you, and just plain killing, all of which, go against what God says, is right. And this young man, had become a multimillionaire, preaching to our youth, all the ways they can solve their problems. Tupac, was sowing the seeds of destruction, for the sole purpose, of making money. He was sowing, as the subject scripture says, to the flesh. Now, the Word of God, says those that do that, shall of the flesh, reap destruction. And how did Tupac die?? By the same violence, that he preached (glorified).

You see, anytime you continuously talk about something, you are, in effect, glorifying it. You are giving it the preemminance in your life. In the case of Christians, Jesus should have the pre emminance in our lives, and we should be continuously talking about Him. If you talk more about other things, than you do about Him, then they have more importance to you than He does. Now when Jesus said, 'Go ye, in to all the world, and 'preach' the gospel ..., He was saying, that the only way people will be convinced to come to Him, is if you continuously tell them, that He is the answer to all their problems. In other words, you will glorify Jesus.

Well, by Tupac, continuously talking about what he was talking about, many of his fans, who listen to his recordings, day in, and day out, day after day, get convinced, that what he is saying, is the reality of life, and they need to accept it, and adapt their lives to the solutions that he presents.

Now, after his death, people are saying, he really didn't live like he rapped. He was a God fearing man, that was raised in a Pentecostal church. What they are saying then, is the man was a hypocrite. And he was doing what he was doing, strictly for the money. Preaching against God, 6 days a week, and going to church on Sunday. Friends, he might as well not go to church at all. His church going means nothing, to God. Jesus said, 'out of the abundance of the heart (spirit), the mouth speaks.' [LK. 6:45]. He also said, [PROV. 23:7] 'as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.' If you will look at the passion, with which this man performed, you will see what was in his heart. And it wasn't Jesus Christ. If it wasn't Jesus, then who was it??? Try the devil. Once again, Jesus said, '[MATT.6:24] no man can serve two masters, ...' The one that has preeminence in your life, is the one you serve. The other, means nothing (is despised.) Next, they say, look at all the good things he did in the community. The bible says, [EPH. 2:8-9] 'you are saved by grace, through faith (in Jesus), ..... not works (good deeds), lest any should boast.' Tupac, was striking out, all the way around. Unless this man repented of his sin, before he died, unlike what a lot of people want to believe, this young man, an idol to many, is in hell right now. Do you want to follow in his footsteps???

Who is responsible for the death of Tupac??? Four groups of people are responsible. First, he is. He sowed the seeds of his own destruction. He glorified violence, and he died by it. And he wasn't the first. The rapper E -Z- E, of NWA, or Naughty by Nature fame, glorified fornication and adultery, and he died of AIDS, a sexually transmitted disease. In other words, fornication, or adultery, killed him. God is proving that His Word, is reality. Second, is his fans. If they had not been spending all that money, showing their approval of what he was saying, then he would not have been encouraged to continue on that path, and get worse and worse. If you pay a person to act a fool, they will continue to do it. The worse he got, the more money he made. Third, is the leaders in the community. They stood by and defended what he was doing, giving people the idea that there was nothing wrong in it. Even a lot of women, that complained about the nature of this garbage, were looked on, as being silly, by other women. And we wonder why women are continually being raped, beaten and such. Fourth, is the preachers in the communities. If you read 'The Prostitution of the Church 1+2', [NOV. AND DEC. 1996] you will see what I mean. Every preacher that defended this young man, and said good things about what he was doing, is going to have to answer to God, for every soul, that ends up in hell, because of what this young man, and others like him, are doing. The only thing they are interested in, is the money and popularity they attain, from speaking good of them.

Tupac may have been a good man. And God, may have blessed him with a gift. But, he used that gift, not to glorify God, but the devil. The devil, provided the opportunity, and the money, and Tupac, went after it. Then, when the devil had him right where he wanted him, he killed him. This is what the devil will do to all that follow him. If you read, 'Know Your Enemy [The Devil] [JAN. 1997], you know that.

Many other entertainers, especially in the music business, are just as guilty as Tupac was. They were raised in the church, and had the ability to sing, or play an instrument. That ability, was given to them by God, to be used to glorify Him, and uplift His people. But, the devil came in, and flashed 'big money' in front of their faces, and they, being blinded to what they were doing, used that gift, to help the devil, destroy more souls. They are willing pawns, in the devil's hands, and look at the impact they are having. And I am not just talking about black entertainers, either. Elvis Presley, Madonna, Jerry Lee Lewis (cousin to Jimmy Swaggart), and many more, some dead and some still alive, are going down that same path. Jesus said, "broad is the path that leads to destruction, and many there be, that go in thereat: and narrow is the gate, and straight is the path that leads to life [eternal], and few there be that find it." [MATT. 7:13-14] The point is, that the devil, makes everything look so innocent, that people just flock after what these people are putting out.

The only true reality, is God's word. Tupac and the rappers sing about the reality in the 'hood.' Well, that is the reality of God's word, which says, 'the wages of sin is death....' [ROM. 6:23a] They are only proving that God's word, was, is, and will always be, true. Anytime you leave the path that God says for us to walk, you will suffer for it. Get back to God.

The reality of today, is that we are living in, what is known by 'true Christians' as the last days. That is reality. In these last days, it's a time when all hell will break loose. [2 TIM. 3:1-5] describes the conditions of people, and their attitudes toward God, and others. You think you are seeing trouble now??? Just wait until tomorrow. Things will get worse and worse. When I hear people talking about how we need to get together and turn this country and world around, I know they may have good intentions, but they don't know, or are trying to get around the reality of what God says. You must realize, if God said it, then that settles it. Tupac's death, should be a wake up call to all of us. Is it to you????


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