Dion Waiters skipped national anthem for religious reasons

On Wednesday, before the Cavaliers' game in Utah, those following Cleveland noticed Dion Waiters did not join the team during the pre-game presentation, including the singing of the national anthem. When asked by the Plain Dealer's Chris Haynes, Waiters attributed his absence to his religious beliefs:

Waiters informed Northeast Ohio Media Group that he is a Muslim and that he plans to excuse himself prior to the national anthem from here on out. "It's because of my religion," Waiters told NEOMG. "That's why I stayed in the locker room." Waiters says he is rededicating himself more to his Muslim faith. He appears to be in a happier state.

As Haynes explains, Waiters was absent not only for the anthem, but for lineup introductions -- a first because it was his first game of the season coming off the bench. In the Cavaliers' next game on Friday in Denver, Waiters remained out of the starting lineup, but did join his teammates for the anthem.

Waiters is not the first NBA player to forego standing for the anthem because of his Muslim faith. Nuggets guard Mahmoud Abdul-Raouf famously drew a one-game suspension from the NBA for his refusal to stand.

What do you think fair or foul?

Arizona Charter School Textbook Says Slavery Was Good for Blacks

Most historians agree that the enslavement of Africans for profit remains one the darkest religious periods of American history. So why is an Arizona charter school teaching students that slavery actually benefited blacks?

According to a lawsuit against the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools by the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, two books used by charters in Arizona, The 5,000 Year Leap and The Making of America by Cleon Skousen, teach Christian fiction and racist nonsense.

University of Baltimore legal scholar Garrett Epps told the Arizona Republic that The Making of America by Skousen are inaccurate.

“Parts of his major textbook, ‘The Making of America,’ present a systematically racist view of the Civil War. … A long description of slavery in the book claims that the state (of slavery) was beneficial to African Americans and that Southern racism was caused by the ‘intrusion’ of northern abolitionists and advocates of equality for the freed slaves,” Epps said.

The organization reached out to the charter school’s board to raise concerns about the school’s teaching of debunked and outdated information.

“Reading the text of The 5,000 Year Leap easily demonstrates that the book does not merely acknowledge the influence of religion in the nation’s founding, but actively promotes and endorses specific religious views and ideologies,” reads a letter from the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State to the charter school’s board, according to the Huffington Post. “For example, the fifth of twenty-eight principles taught by the book is that ‘All Things Were Created by God, Therefore upon Him All Mankind are Equally Dependent, and to Him They are Equally Responsible.’”

Here’s a bit of what your child will learn if they’re assigned to read The Making of America.

“If pickaninnies ran naked it was generally from choice, and when the white boys had to put on shoes and go away to school they were likely to envy the freedom of their colored playmates.”

Does the Bible Condone Premarital Sex?

by Bob Russell

Occasionally church leaders email me, asking for my opinion on various personal or church problems. This spring, I received a note from a church leader in another city. The location isn't important, because the situation he outlined is common across the nation. He wrote of how a number of members ages 25 to 35 had reached the conclusion that premarital sex is “OK.” Some even play on the praise team, teach in the children’s program, or film videos for weekly announcements. “The problem is that some of them will tell me that they cannot find anything in scripture that says that what they are doing, having sex with someone, is wrong,” he said. “I have taught on the subject, but they do not see a direct statement against premarital sex.”

Dealing with sin.

He asked for other scriptures he can use, as well as about the church’s stance. Should it allow them to continue leading ministries or bring them before the congregation and—as the Bible says—have nothing to do with them in hopes it will help them see their sin and return to Christ? “I know that Satan wants to get in and cause problems in the church, but I also know the need to accept them and love them,” he concluded. “But we also have to deal with sin, or Satan wins.” In my response, I pointed out that the Bible repeatedly instructs God’s people to “flee fornication.” For 2,000 years, the word translated “fornication” in Scripture has been understood to include the prohibition of sex prior to marriage. Webster’s dictionary definition is clear: “consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other.”

A privileged experience.

God designed the physical union of a man and a woman as a privileged experience within the bounds of marriage. The Lord intended marriage as a secure environment for raising children and a uniquely meaningful union that symbolizes God’s committed relationship to us (Ephesians 5:32). If there was nothing wrong with premarital sex, then why was Joseph determined to divorce Mary when he discovered she was expecting a child prior to marriage? If there is nothing wrong with premarital sex, then one could conclude there is nothing wrong with having children out of wedlock.

Obviously, those who would suggest the liberalization of the biblical standard are ignoring the clear teaching of Scripture, conforming to the values of the world, and yielding to the desires of the flesh. As Jesus said, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

The church’s responsibility.

Just as I said to this letter writer, I say to all church leaders: The church has a responsibility to practice discipline in regard to flagrant, known sin.  This is especially true for those in leadership. We are to gently confront believers who are known to be living in sin and encourage them to repent. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus cautioned us not to attempt to remove a speck from someone else’s eye without first examining ourselves to make sure there is not a log protruding from our own. Later, He explained that if the person living in sin doesn’t repent, then the believer is to take two or three others to confront again. If the backslider still refuses to change, the issue is to be taken to the church (Matthew 19:16-17). The shepherds of the flock are then to confront in love and encourage restoration to Christ. If the offender still refuses to repent, he/she is to be treated as an unbeliever.

Removal option.

The Apostle Paul instructed the Corinthian church to remove from their fellowship a man who persisted in living in incest, warning, “With such a man do not even eat” (1 Corinthians 5:11). Now, I know such measures sound harsh in an era of super-tolerance, but I’ve seen them work very effectively—often in the first stages. God designed the church to consist of people who are “called out” from the world. We are to live separate and holy lives. Unless we practice some measure of church discipline, the church is in danger of simply reflecting its culture rather than transforming it.  In Matthew 5:13, Jesus said if salt loses its saltiness, it is good for nothing except to be cast out and trodden under men’s feet. This is the present-day danger all church leaders face. May we have courage to point others to the truth instead of settling for the path of least resistance. 

Teen Sentenced to 23 Years for Killing Police Dog During Burglary

After NFL quarterback Michael Vick’s career was almost ruined for taking part in a dog fighting ring, some observers wondered whether society valued the life of dogs more than black men. This conversation is bound to be reignited now that a 17 year old black teen has been sentenced to 23 years behind bars for taking the life of a retired police dog during a burglary.

Ivins Rosier, 17, and two other teens broke into the home of a Florida trooper and gunned down his retired K-9. The dog passed away several days after the  burglary.
Rosier was convicted in May for the break-in and shoοting the five year old German Shepherd named Drake.


Although Rosier was only 16 when he broke into the home of trooper Robert Boody in 2012, Judge Robin Rosenberg said sentencing requirements left her little choice but to throw the book at the teen In addition, Rosier’s history with police didn’t help his case any.

During trial, Boody wept as he described coming home to find Drake lying in a pool of bloοd  critically wounded. Drake’s injuries were so severe that he eventually had to be euthanized.

Rosier admitted to Palm Beach County police that he was the one who shοt Drake. “If you shoot that dog and he dies, that’s murder of a law enforcement officer,” Detective Philip DiMola told Rosier during an interrogation, which was recorded and played during trial. 

Rosier’s attorney pressed for leniency but the judge pointed out the teen’s history of criminal activity and that he was even wearing an ankle monitor for a previous burglary during this incident. Rosier was tried as an adult for burglary and animal cruelty and sentenced to 23 years in prison.

Dr. Boyce Watkins, author of the book, “The 8 Principles of Black Male Empowerment,” says that this case is indicative of how society has never seen black men as being human. “Think of it this way.  You get a quarter century in prison for killing a dog, but the killers of Jordan Davis and Trayvon Martin were not even convicted.  This very clearly and logically reminds us that the lives of black men are worth less than animals,” said Dr. Watkins. “You must link the psychology behind rulings like this to the fact that there are thousands of dead black boys all across the country who barely get a peep from the media, almost no serious police investigation and few repercussions for those responsible for the violence or the guns behind it.  If these boys were dead dogs, white people would be outraged.”

What are your thoughts? Post your comments below.

Floyd Mayweather Shuns Charitable Giving, Says He Makes Money For Himself

Late last year, radio personality Kelly Mac interviewed outspoken and undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather.  The boxer confessed that he has a “good heart,” but that he does not feel obligated to give to charities, specifically in Africa.

     
“[People] say ‘well, he got all this money, why is he not giving to Africa?’” starts Mayweather.  “Well, what has Africa given to us?  What has Africa came and gave to my children and to my family? Things work two ways.”

He then discussed the threat that he believes giving too much money to charity can cause.

“Everybody’s always talking about giving, giving, giving.  That’s the problem.  Everybody’s doing so much giving, at the end of the day, they may not have nothing.   Then they’ll say ‘why was he giving this to that person, and giving this to that person when he should have been saving?’”

Mayweather goes on to say that he should be able to do whatever he wants with his earnings, such as using it to provide for himself and his family.

“I never got involved in the sport of boxing to say ‘I’m going to fight and make hundreds of millions of dollars and just give it all away.’  If I’m gonna mess money off in a bad way, I’m going to spend it on myself.  I’m going to do what I want to do with my money.  You hear people talking about, ‘well, he should…donate to this or donate to that.’  No, I should donate to Floyd Mayweather, donate to Floyd Mayweather’s family.  Because that’s what it’s about.”

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Mayweather, 37, is worth $170 million. Mayweather also has a charity, The Floyd Mayweather Jr. Foundation, in which the foundation declares to help underprivileged youth in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Recently, Mayweather has been in the news for reportedly spending $50,000 for rapper Nicki Minaj to appear at his daughter’s birthday party.

Do you think Mayweather should be obligated to give to 

Africa and/or other charities?

Racism: Still Alive in 2014

 

On Tuesday, November 4, 2008 when newly elected President Barack Hussein Obama addressed his supporters at Grant Park in his hometown of Chicago, he boldly declared that a “change had come to America”. For many, the election of a man of Kenyan decent signaled that America had finally closed its dark chapter on racism and change had in fact not only come to America but to the rest of the world.

The mainstream media soon declared that America had reached the pinnacle of race relations and President Obama’s victory was proof the nation had entered a “new day”.

With recent comments by Cliven Bundy, a Nevada rancher battling the federal government’s efforts to restrict the land his cattle can graze on, and Los Angeles Clippers’ owner, Donald Sterling, it seems the change President Obama ushered in has worn out its welcome.

While talking to reporters covering his stand-off with the government, Mr. Bundy recalled driving by a public housing project in Las Vegas and seeing “at least half-dozen (black) people sitting on the porch, they didn't have nothing to do”. He added that they were “basically on government subsidy, so now what do they do?...They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton…And I've often wondered, are they better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things, or are they better off under government subsidy?”

Perhaps Mr. Bundy has forgotten this country’s past and the savagery of slavery. His warped vision of Blacks “having a family life” during slavery was quite the contrary. One of the abhorrent tragedies of slavery was that it constantly tore families apart. Children were sold off and separated from their parents; spouses were broken up and sold to the highest bidder. In “Help Me Find My People”, author Heather Andrea Williams uses letters, public records, slave narratives and historical documents to “recreate the wrenching scenes of separation that happened on plantations and farms, in marketplace and on auction blocks”. Slavery ensured anything but “having a family life”.

The impact of slavery continues to have a lingering effect it on society despite having ended nearly 150 years ago. Slavery is also thought to be the biggest blight in the nation’s history.

While many conservatives who formerly viewed Mr. Bundy as a “patriot” have denounced his comments as “vile”, several continue to support him and argue his statement is an attack on the federal government versus one that disparages African Americans.

It is a mistake to believe that race is no longer an issue in America. NBA team owner Donald Sterling’s views on race is a testament to the fact there is a ways to go before we can announce that change has truly been achieve in terms of race relations.

In a recording, Mr. Sterling allegedly scolded his girlfriend, who happens to be of Black and Mexican heritage, for taking a photo with Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame Magic Johnson and posting it to a social media site.  During the conversation, he went on to say:

-- "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people. Do you have to?"

-- "...Don't put him [Magic] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games."

Mr. Sterling seems to have overlooked the fact that his team’s roster is comprised mostly of the same people he prefers to not have an association with. It is on the backs of these same players that he continues to make his fortune.

Mr. Bundy and Mr. Sterling are just the latest individuals to share their racist viewpoints with the nation. Politicians have long spewed underhanded, subtle—and not so subtle—jabs at President Obama.

From Brush Ash, a Republican National Committee member, accusing the President of “shucking and jiving” to GOP Representative Doug Lamborn’s “tar baby” comment to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer photographed pointing her finger in the President’s face, the attacks have been relentless.

There have been numerous reports that President Obama may be the most disrespected president in the history of the United States. Recently the Democrats admitted that this may in fact be attributed to his race versus his policies.

It is naïve for us as a nation to believe that race no longer plays a role in our daily lives. Racism has not gone away and we must continue to have an open dialogue about race if there is truly to be a “new day” in America.

Racism is wrong on every level—regardless of who is perpetrating the act. It goes against God’s teachings. Galations 3:28 states that there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

What do you think the church’s response should be to racist comments, attitudes and actions?

Name It and Claim It!

Name It and Claim It!

Question: "Is 'name it claim it' teaching biblical?"

The “name it and claim it” or “prosperity gospel” is not biblical and is in many ways antithetical to the true gospel message and the clear teaching of Scripture. While there are many different versions of the name it and claim it philosophy preached today, they all have similar characteristics. At its best, this teaching comes from the misinterpretation and misunderstanding of some Scriptures and, at its worst, it is a completely heretical teaching that has the characteristics of a cult.

The roots of the Word of Faith movement and the name it and claim it message have more in common with new age metaphysics than with biblical Christianity. However, instead of us creating our reality with our thoughts, as new age proponents advise, name it and claim it teachers tell us that we can use the “power of faith” to create our own reality or get what we want. In essence faith is redefined from trusting in a holy and sovereign God despite our circumstances to a way of controlling God to give us what we want. Faith becomes a force whereby we can get what we want rather than an abiding trust in God even during times of trials and suffering.

There are many areas where name it and claim it departs from biblical Christianity. The teaching really exalts man and his “faith” above God. In fact many of the more extreme Word of Faith teachers teach that man was created on terms of equality with God and that man is the same class of being that He is Himself. This dangerous and heretical teaching denies the very basic tenets of biblical Christianity which is why the extreme proponents of the name it and claim it teaching must be considered to be cultic and not truly Christian.

Both the metaphysical cults and the name it and claim it teaching distort the truth and embrace the false teaching that our thoughts control reality. Whether it is the power of positive thinking or the prosperity gospel, the premise is the same—what you think or believe will happen is ultimately what controls what will happen. If you think negative thoughts or are lacking in faith, you will suffer or not get what you want. But on the other hand if you think positive thoughts or just have “enough faith,” then you can have health, wealth and happiness now. This false teaching appeals to one of man’s most basic instincts, which is one reason why it is hugely popular.

While the prosperity gospel and the idea of controlling one’s future with his thoughts or faith is appealing to sinful man, it is insulting to a sovereign God who has revealed Himself in Scripture. Instead of recognizing the absolute sovereign power of God as revealed in the Bible, the name it and claim it adherents embrace a false god who cannot operate apart from their faith. They present a false view of God by teaching that He wants to bless you with health, wealth and happiness but cannot do so unless YOU have enough faith. Thereby God is no longer in control but man is. Of course this is completely antithetical to what Scripture teaches. God does not depend upon man’s ‘faith” to act. Throughout Scripture we see God blessing who He chooses to bless and healing who He chooses to heal.

Another problem with the name it and claim it teaching is that if fails to recognize that Jesus Himself is the ultimate treasure worth sacrificing everything for (Matthew 13:44) and instead sees Jesus as little more than a way of getting what we want right now. Jesus’ message is that a Christian is called to “…deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul” (Matthew 16:24-24). Contrast that to the message of the prosperity gospel. Rather than being a message of self-denial, the prosperity gospel is one of self-satisfaction. Its goal is not becoming more Christ-like through sacrifice but having what we want here and now, clearly contradicting the words of our Savior.

The Bible teaches that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12), but the name and claim it message is that any suffering we undergo is simply the result of a lack of faith. The prosperity gospel is completely focused on us getting the things the world has to offer, but 1 John 2:15 tells us we should not “love the world or the things in the world” and, in fact, those with a fondness for the things of the world become enemies of God (James 4:4). The message of the prosperity gospel simply cannot be any more opposite of what the Bible really teaches.

In his book Your Best Life Now, prosperity teacher Joel Osteen says that the key to a more rewarding life, a better home, a stronger marriage and a better job is found in a “simple yet profound process to change the way you think about your life and help you accomplish what is truly important.” How different that is from the biblical truth that this life now is nothing compared to the life to come. The message of the prosperity gospel is focused around the “treasures” or good things we want and can have now, while Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Jesus did not come to give us health, wealth and happiness now. He came to save us from our sins so that we can have an eternity of bliss with Him. Following Christ is not a ticket to all the material things men desire in this life but a ticket to eternal life. Our desire should not be to have our best life now but should be that of the Apostle Paul who had learned to be content “in whatever state I am” (Philippians 4:11).

The Rich Gospel

If you are not rich, is it because of your lack of faith?

Question: "What does the Bible say about the prosperity gospel?"

In the prosperity gospel, also known as the “Word of Faith,” the believer is told to use God, whereas the truth of biblical Christianity is just the opposite—God uses the believer. Word of Faith or prosperity theology sees the Holy Spirit as a power to be put to use for whatever the believer wills. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a Person who enables the believer to do God's will. The prosperity gospel movement closely resembles some of the destructive greed sects that infiltrated the early church. Paul and the other apostles were not accommodating to or conciliatory with the false teachers who propagated such heresy. They identified them as dangerous false teachers and urged Christians to avoid them.

Paul warned Timothy about such men in 1 Timothy 6:5, 9-11. These men of “corrupt mind” supposed godliness was a means of gain and their desire for riches was a trap that brought them “into ruin and destruction” (v. 9). The pursuit of wealth is a dangerous path for Christians and one which God warns about: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (v. 10). If riches were a reasonable goal for the godly, Jesus would have pursued it. But He did not, preferring instead to have no place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20) and teaching His disciples to do the same. It should also be remembered that the only disciple concerned with wealth was Judas.

Paul said covetousness is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5) and instructed the Ephesians to avoid anyone who brought a message of immorality or covetousness (Ephesians 5:6-7). Prosperity teaching prohibits God from working on His own, meaning that God is not Lord of all because He cannot work until we release Him to do so. Faith, according to the Word of Faith doctrine, is not submissive trust in God; faith is a formula by which we manipulate the spiritual laws that prosperity teachers believe govern the universe. As the name “Word of Faith” implies, this movement teaches that faith is a matter of what we say more than whom we trust or what truths we embrace and affirm in our hearts.

A favorite term in the Word of Faith movement is “positive confession.” This refers to the teaching that words themselves have creative power. What you say, Word of Faith teachers claim, determines everything that happens to you. Your confessions, especially the favors you demand of God, must all be stated positively and without wavering. Then God is required to answer (as though man could require anything of God!). Thus, God's ability to bless us supposedly hangs on our faith. James 4:13-16 clearly contradicts this teaching: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Far from speaking things into existence in the future, we do not even know what tomorrow will bring or even whether we will be alive.

Instead of stressing the importance of wealth, the Bible warns against pursuing it. Believers, especially leaders in the church (1 Timothy 3:3), are to be free from the love of money (Hebrews 13:5). The love of money leads to all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). In sharp contrast to the Word of Faith emphasis on gaining money and possessions in this life, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). The irreconcilable contradictions between prosperity teaching and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is best summed up in the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve both God and money.”

Is pleading the blood of Jesus biblical?

"I Plead the Blood of Jesus over…”

Question: "Is pleading the blood of Jesus biblical?"

“Pleading the blood of Jesus” in prayer is a teaching that can be traced to some of the early leaders of the Word of Faith movement. When people speak of “pleading the blood of Jesus,” in prayer they are referring to the practice of “claiming” the power of Christ over any and every problem by using the phrase “I plead the blood of Jesus over _______.”

“Pleading the blood of Jesus” has no basis whatsoever in Scripture. No one in the Bible ever “pleads the blood” of Christ. Those who “plead the blood” do so as if there was something magical in those words or as if by using them their prayer is somehow more powerful. This teaching is born from the misguided and heretical view of prayer that prayer is really nothing more than a way of manipulating God to get what we want rather than praying for His will to be done. The whole Word of Faith movement is founded on the false teaching that faith is a force and if we pray with enough faith, then God guarantees us health, wealth, and happiness and will deliver us from every problem and every situation. In this view, God is simply a way to get what we want instead of being the holy, sovereign, perfect and righteous Creator that the Bible reveals Him to be.

Those who teach this Word-Faith falsehood have an exalted view of man and our “rights” to plead what we want and get God to respond the way we want. This is in opposition to true biblical faith exemplified by Paul’s life and his approach to suffering and trials. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). But Word of Faith teaches that if we suffer or are sick or struggle with sin, it is because we do not have enough faith or that we are not pleading the blood of Jesus to claim what is rightfully ours. But we do not see Paul pleading the blood of Christ or claiming what is “rightfully his” when he was faced with trials and persecution. Instead we see his unwavering faith in Christ no matter what the situation: “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day” (2 Timothy 2:12).

 

Paul had “learned in whatever state I am in to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13). Paul’s faith was in Christ alone, and he could say with conviction “the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever, Amen!” (2 Timothy 4:18).

“Pleading the blood” as it is commonly practiced has more in common with mysticism—reciting a magical formula and hoping it works—than it does with biblical prayer. Saying certain words does not make our prayers magically more powerful. Furthermore, “pleading the blood” of Christ is not needed to defeat Satan. He has already been defeated, and if we are truly born-again, Satan has no power over us other than what God allows for His purpose and glory. Colossians 1:13 makes this perfectly clear: “For He has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins.”

Rather than “pleading the blood” of Christ for protection or power, Christians should obey the command in James 4:7 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Rather than practicing an unbiblical model of prayer, we are to follow the simple precepts of Scripture—leading a pure life before God, taking captive all our thoughts to avoid giving sin a place, confessing our sins when we fail those first two precepts and putting on the full armor of God as outlined in Ephesians 6:13-17.

The Bible gives us numerous instructions in victorious living in Christ, and pleading “the blood of Jesus” is not one of them. We have been cleansed by the blood of Christ and He is our High Priest and mediator who “always lives to make intercession” for us (Hebrews 7:25). As His sheep we are already under His protection, we simply need to live day by day trusting in Him for what He has already promised and provided.