Racelift: A Procedure to Die For

By Myron Guillory

The United States of America is searching for love, unity and peace within its borders, and she has attempted to manufacture it through her political and social experiments. Unfortunately, hatred, disunity and chaos still exists, and it appears to get worse with each waking moment. Human intellect has failed this nation time and time again in trying to rescue her from self-inflicted wounds. Racelift offers this nation a proven way to love and unify her people and remove chaos from her borders.

Racelift will introduce Americas citizens to the God of Love, Prince of Peace, and Spirit of Unity. The six-point procedure will help Americas citizens discover their purpose, values, and vision. This discovery will help America grow in cognitive fortitude, social responsibility, physical fitness, and spiritual discipline. America will love again, unite again, and experience peace again. As a result, America will be Great Again!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512778502

Myron Guillory

Myron Guillory is the director of an in-home personal care agency that assists elderly and developmentally disabled adults in Southwest Louisiana. He is a former collegiate basketball player and coach. Myron currently resides in Lafayette, LA with his wife, Courtney, and their two children. He actively serves at his local church.

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Copyright © 2017 Myron Guillory.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-7851-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-7852-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-7850-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017903564

WestBow Press rev. date: 03/23/2017

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1 What Is Racelift?

Chapter 2 Experience Victory – Shaping Your Identity Through Jesus Christ

Chapter 3 Step 1 – Enter The Examination Room: Identify Deadly Symptoms And Determine A Diagnosis

The Black Family – Symptoms And Diagnosis

Symptom 1: The Low-Count Father

Symptom 2: Marriage Phobia

Symptom 3: The Unisex Mom

Symptom 4: Parental Apnea

The Diagnosis: Family Impotence

The Black Community – Symptoms And Diagnosis

Symptom 1: Low Expectations

Symptom 2: Self-Hatred

The Diagnosis: Social Depression

The Church – Symptoms And Diagnosis

Symptom 1: Fear Of God

Symptom 2: Church Dropout

Symptom 3: Spiritual Indigestion

The Diagnosis: Spiritual Malnutrition

Chapter 4 Step 2 – Decide To Change: Proceed With Surgery

Chapter 5 Step 3 – Pre-Operative Care: Prepare For Surgery

Chapter 6 Step 4 – Surgery: Equip To Live In Victory

Phase 1: Purpose

Phase 2: Values

Phase 3: Vision

Chapter 7 Step 5 – Awaken To The New You: Become Aware Of Your Strengths

Chapter 8 Step 6 – Post-Operative Care: Follow-Up Care And Instructions

Instruction #1 – Eat Daily

Instruction #2 – Drink Living Water

Instruction #3 – Clothe Yourself In Righteousness

Instruction #4 – Pray Without Ceasing

Instruction #5 – Die To Self

Chapter 9 Concluding Review: Walk In Victory

Bible Citations

NIV -Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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AMP - Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

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NASB -Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

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TLB -Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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NLT -Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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MSG -Scripture quotations marked (MSG) are taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. of Davidson Press, LLC.

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HCSB- Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

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NCV -Scripture quotes marked (NCV) are taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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NKJV -Scripture quotes marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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ESV -Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are fromthe ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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CEB -All contents of the Common English Bible Web Site are: Copyright 2012 by Common English Bible and/or its suppliers. All rights reserved.

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GNT -Scriptures and additional materials marked (GNT) are quoted are from the Good News Bible © 1994 published by the Bible Societies/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd UK, Good News Bible© American Bible Society 1966, 1971, 1976, 1992. Used with permission.

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CEV -Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

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ESV – Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from the Easy-to-Ready Version of the bible, Copyright © 2006 by Bible League international.

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GW - Scripture marked (GW) is taken from GOD’S WORD®, © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

C ertain topics were difficult to write about due to the sensitive nature of the subject-matter. I was challenged to tell the truth in love. Thank God for giving me insight and courage to release a book that challenges core beliefs and behaviors of humankind. God encouraged me to go deeper in his Word so I could find answers to some of life’s challenging issues.

I am grateful to my wife, Courtney, and my two children for their patience and support. They endured countless hours listening to me read. They encouraged me to go on and complete the mission God set for me. We approached this project as a team. Our collective goal was to present a book where God’s Word would resonate louder than opinions and judgments of men and women.

I thank my mother, Hilda J. Guillory, for reading the manuscript and asking the tough questions. I brought her out of retirement from the school system to advise me on content and grammar. She and my father, Mack Guillory, Sr., paid close attention to theological references and challenged each. Their inquiries helped me dig deeper in scripture in search of the truth.

I also want to thank Majesty Christian for her beautiful work on the book cover design. She listened and then developed a concept that is unmatched.

It would be remiss if I did not thank my editor, Kevin Miller. He is blessed with a unique gift of bringing clarity to sentences. He paid close attention to the details, which enhanced the content of this book.

Thank God for allowing me to be a resident of this nation where I have the freedom to express God’s love to the masses. I pray that countless people receive a Racelift.

INTRODUCTION

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. (James 1:23–25, NIV)

T he United States of America was founded upon Christian principles, where freedom through a democratic system was expected to unite all people regardless of race, gender, class, or religion. Young America looked into the mirror (the Word of God), and she loved her reflection. She was a Christian nation; she was America the Beautiful. As she grew older, she forgot her founding principles, and she decided to re-invent herself. She received a full facelift, which replaced her humility with pride, her generosity with greed, her freedom with slavery, and her unity with division. The most important factor that united this nation was God and his powerful Word, but when America refused to submit to God’s authority, she was defaced with division and confusion. Instead of seeing her citizens as one, she divided them into races. This transformed her sense of community into a mindset of self-preservation, each race opting to take care of its own self-imposed agenda. As a result America began her transformation into a survival-of-the-fittest society.

Today America is divided by the color of her people’s skin, socioeconomic classes, political affiliations, and church denominations. Instead of America the Beautiful, she is America the Black, Brown, White, Yellow, Red, Rich, Poor, Democrat, Republican, Catholic, Protestant, Male, or Female. God did not intend for America to view herself in this light. As the Apostle Paul says, There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:28–29, NIV). No race, class, or gender is superior to the other. God shows no favoritism. He desires all people to live harmoniously as one body in Christ. America is free only when she pursues a relationship with Christ, not through her democratic practices.

For many years now, America has looked into the mirror and professed her Christian heritage, but as soon as she walked away, she forgot who she was. The mirror was the one source that showed her true reflection. The closer she got to it, the more revealing her image became. As she examined her reflection, she saw flaws and blemishes, because she was a nation of imperfect people. Nevertheless, she was encouraged to look harder and deeper, thus allowing her to see a unique and beautiful creation despite her imperfections. As time passed, she walked away from the mirror and began to focus on her flaws rather than her beauty. As her flaws magnified, insecurity set in. Her perception of who she was got distorted, and this false sense of who she had become persuaded her to avoid the mirror altogether. The longer she eluded the mirror, the more she forgot how she looked. Consequently, she sought affirmation of her identity from unreliable sources—intellectuals, secular godheads, political authorities, and reprobate nations. America lost her identity as she replaced the mirror of truth with these unreliable sources. Her image changed drastically, and it began to reflect a secular worldview. When America ceased to remember the truth, she blinded herself to her beauty, and she denied her true value. She became enslaved to her flaws and blemishes, all because she failed to look intently into the mirror of truth.

Racelift addresses America’s identity crisis by leading her citizens back to the source that always reveals the truth. The mirror (the Word of God) offers absolute truths that provide solutions to unite America’s citizens by restoring her identity. This is a complex process that only God can achieve. His grace is the solution to living in unity, and it is readily available for America and her races. All they have to do is look in the mirror, and God will help them remember why their nation was birthed. America is God’s daughter; she was founded to glorify him. Her purpose is to care for her people regardless of racial, ethnic, social, or religious background. She is to offer them access to her freedoms through a democratic government where they can gain access to the ultimate freedom that comes from knowing Jesus Christ. Her beauty comes from her faith in Jesus. She is a hub for Christianity. People from all over the world can freely receive the gospel of Christ on her land, where they are encouraged to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth. This is Jesus’ Great Commission. America must go back to the mirror and remember who she is so others can see Christ through her.

It is essential that the different races in America look intently into the mirror. They will witness God’s removal of their spots and blemishes right before their eyes. They will begin to see themselves as God does. Their image will reflect the image of his Son, Jesus Christ—holy and righteous, without spot or blemish. They will have a new identity in Christ, and their new beauty can never be taken away. As each race witnesses its beauty, America will begin to live by her motto, one nation, under God. She will no longer focus on her spots and blemishes; she will relish her true beauty in Christ.

Racelift begins by examining the black community in America. Although the African American race is in focus, the content of this book transcends color, ethnic group, and racial lines. Other races will be able to look beyond the outward appearance of African Americans and relate to the substance of that race’s life experiences. When one race grows in Christ, all races grow, because we are all unified as brothers and sisters in Christ. We are one body with many parts, each part with its own function.

After reading this book, you will gain a better understanding of a race that has endured many hardships in her land. Other races will have an opportunity to explore black culture and apply African Americans’ experiences to their own. As knowledge increases, fear and judgment lessens, which opens the door to trust and genuine compassion. In fact, many will see that there are far more similarities between America’s various races than there are differences. Racelift strives to dismantle ignorance and foster a spirit of benevolence among all races. As we study the African American culture, let us pray that the information gathered will generate a surge of change in this nation. The world will witness a stronger and more empowered America as her races accept and remember their identity in Christ.

As an African American, I am able to speak from the soul of a fascinating people. I humbly accept the platform of being a small voice for such a complex community. I hope that Racelift will help us achieve a spirit of unity and an identity in Jesus Christ our Lord.

CHAPTER 1

What is Racelift?

But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into his very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:16–18, AMP)

R acelift is a six-step spiritual procedure that exposes a race’s carnal nature by identifying symptoms or habits that wreak havoc on the race’s psychological, social, physical, and spiritual being. The procedure encourages members of that race to examine themselves by looking intently into the mirror (the Word of God). The mirror always reveals the truth. The truth is God’s perfect will, and since no race is perfect, blemishes will show in each race’s reflection. I mention the word blemish frequently throughout this book. Please note that blemish is synonymous with symptom, deadly habit, flaw, or sin. The discovery of blemishes will help each race understand that it is imperfect and needs help from the perfect God.

To receive a Racelift, members of each race must admit that they are sinful and then repent from their sins. It is in this state of humility that God will reveal himself to each member of that race and unveil its new identity. They will awaken to their God-given strengths and will use them to glorify his name. The entire race will experience a renewed existence, one that reflects God’s glory. It will be free from blemishes that once corrupted its culture, and it will live a beautiful life of victory in Jesus Christ.

Racelift encourages each race to evaluate its existence and raise its standard of living to one that conforms to God’s paradigm. To know God and his will, members of every race must first know his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus’ life is the perfect example to follow to be victorious over sin, which leads to death. The one book that best describes Jesus’s life is the Bible (the Word of God). This is where each race must go to truly know him. Racelift encourages each race to look hard and deep into the mirror, where it will discover heaven’s mysteries, which are hidden from this world. In the mirror, each race can discover its new identity and its new way of life. The race that accepts the Word of God as its standard and obeys its message positions itself to win in all areas of life. Whether at home, in the community, or at church, each race can achieve victory as it models the life of Jesus. Victory is God’s gift to those who choose to believe in his Son and follow the instructions found in his Word. God will fill all areas that are lacking as each race seeks him with an open heart and an obedient spirit.

Racelift gives practical but godly solutions to prevent people from forgetting who they are. It is comprised of six steps that are essential to living in victory:

1. Enter the Examination Room: Identify Deadly Symptoms and Determine a Diagnosis.

2. Decide to Change: Proceed with Surgery.

3. Pre-operative Care: Prepare for Surgery

4. Surgery: Equip to Live in Victory

5. Awaken to the New You: Become Aware of Your Strengths

6. Post-operative Care: Follow-up Care and Instructions

To receive the desired results of victory, each race must take full responsibility for its actions. Racelift eliminates victim qualities, such as excuses, blame, and entitlement.

Racelift eliminates victim qualities, such as excuses, blame, and entitlement.

Winners see past obstacles. Barriers are looked upon as opportunities to strengthen each race as it competes in the game of life. Winners focus on developing and strengthening themselves to conquer challenges. Losers detest challenges and tend to focus on obstacles set up to deter forward progress. By blaming others or situations for lack of progress, races give themselves an excuse to fail. They can feel better about their plight, because the system controls their destiny. As personal responsibility lessens, finger pointing intensifies, but this goes against the way of Christ. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye (Matthew 7:3–5, NIV).

Every culture has its share of bad habits, ill behavior, sin, spots, and blemishes. Only God can provide the resources for change to occur. God will entrench his winning qualities within each race to overcome their sin nature. As we examine the African American community, we will notice the strengths and weaknesses of a fascinating people. This race survived over 250 years of slavery and segregation, but it has allowed the remnants of those eras to affect its identity and destiny. The residual effects of past scars linger in the culture today. Envy, anger, and hate, once targeted at others, now manifests among members within the black community. African Americans are searching for redemption from past and present circumstance. They are seeking alternative ways to improve their living conditions. Impoverished and crime-infested neighborhoods, inadequate school districts, and dysfunctional homes afflict many black communities. These conditions plague their psyche and their core values.

There is no denying that past events, such as slavery, and present circumstance have made it quite easy for society to propagate insults toward a vulnerable people. Unfortunately, African Americans have embraced the insults, and they have allowed society to shape their culture through a stereotypical reconfiguration of their identity, intelligence, morality, and ambitions. For over a century, society has labeled African Americans as unintelligent, promiscuous, and unmotivated. Black people have chosen to listen to society’s voice and echo society’s wrongful depiction of their race. To revitalize their self-worth, African Americans have searched for their own identity through position, popularity, possessions, and performance. They are experimenting with these empty sources to find their identity, but such temporary fillers have left them feeling lost, empty, and uneasy, all because they do not know who they are or what they believe. The unknown can fill a race with false precepts and generalizations that harm its self-image and self-worth.

When emptiness sets in, it is harder to concentrate efforts toward a path that brings personal and collective fulfillment. Goals and objectives are skewed, and clear thought is compromised. African Americans are chasing the American Dream with misdirected thoughts. They have not sought wise counsel, and they are arrogantly relying on their own inclinations to walk through life. Many members of this community have developed lethal relationships with sex, drugs, hip-hop and gangster culture, and prison life. These dysfunctional affiliations bring confusion and dissent to a delicate people. A race that suffers from an identity crisis frequently makes unhealthy and irrational decisions. In some instances, deadly relationships are accepted and even valued. The miscue of thought and