On January 15, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday and his achievements; but in 1956, he almost quit the struggle. During the Montgomery bus boycott, his phone rang late one night and a voice said, “If you are not out of town in three days, we are going to blow out your brains and blow up your house.” Afraid for his family, Dr. King fell to his knees and asked God for wisdom on how to quit. But an inner voice said, “Martin, stand up for righteousness, for justice, for truth and I will be with you, even unto the end of the world.” That voice, along with recalling how people with tired feet met each night to pray and give thanks, inspired him to keep going. Years ago, King Nebuchadnezzar tried to squash the faith of three Hebrew boys by throwing them into a fiery furnace. But later, peering into the furnace he saw not three, but four men, and the fourth looked supernatural. After ordering them to come out, he found “not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched.” God kept them. God does not always keep us from trouble, but He assures us of His presence as we pass through them.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
