As I was preparing to get back to writing and restarting Faith and the City, I thought it was going to be a hard task to find topics of conversation, since it's been so long that I have written and blogged. I found that to be quite the contrary. I was asking God to reveal to me how this would go and what I would be speaking about. The spirit of confusion is running rampant in the world and in all honesty, it trickled into some cracks in my own life. My time spent recently with God was a little frustrating, but necessary to fill those cracks because He was working on me to be still. Not something that I am use to doing. Especially with the world in disarray, there is something that is deep down in most every believer to "Do" something. It caused a fear of the unknown in me but cultivated a deep understanding and trust in God. I battled with this for some time until finally surrender came. At first I questioned this season's purpose since I wasn't use to the rest God had called me into. I thought I might be coming up short in my own walk and I didn't understand until now the reserve and the importance of the rest He was teaching me. I opened my eyes this morning to realize the Father had me in a place of covering and that He was resting me for purpose. Without this alone time spent with Him, the task ahead is way more than I could handle on my own. Fear arose in me when I thought I may not have enough room or time to do justice in speaking up on the injustice in the world today. However, God caused a change in that mission topic altogether. The topics of interests to speak on were endless with all of the tragedies going on around me; shootings, car jackings, home invasions, severe weather conditions, fires, detestable abortion laws, incapacitated rape victims, diversity, hate being camouflaged as human rights, terminal illnesses, evil masquerading as Christian lifestyle, the government shutting down, covid-19, political propaganda, and the list goes on and on. I realized that it’s nearly impossible to hit on everything by talking to the masses of what a biblical response to each individual situation would be. I questioned if anyone would really do anything about it anyway or just share it on social media, thinking they did their good Christian deed for the day. The rest was just throwing pearls to the pigs. Truth be told, what was to be done? This righteous indignation arises in me naturally and rightfully so. The bible is very clear about what is going to happen, so it shouldn't come as a shock to any true believer, but what are we to do? The prophecy of the scriptures is manifesting at an unbelievable rate. Just in the time that I am writing this blog post, the return of Jesus is closer. I think back in the days of Acts and the tragedies and the demonic/anti-Christ presence that was apparent even then. Is it that it has gotten worse? Or could it be that the veil that was torn with Jesus' resurrection found a way to deceptively regrow over the church's eyes? The issues seem to be the same injustices since the fall and even after the resurrection; persecutions, mass indoctrination, inhalations of entire groups of people, baby sacrifices, sexual immorality, severe weather disasters, racism, illness, political turmoil, and once again the list goes on and on. The point I am trying to make is nothing much has changed in the means of the evil in the world, maybe just more apparent to those that are truly walking in the spirit. With our fast paced lifestyle, the devil working in plain sight, along with the evolutionary forms of communication, to me it looks like humanity is just informed quicker. As the wise King would say, there is nothing new under the sun. It's not like other than before the fall, the world has ever been a pleasant place to be. The preservation of self and a comfortable life on Earth was not what I read about with the early Christians in the bible, at least not the version I read. Most Christians are missing the mark on what a lifestyle of a follower looks like and in truth looking more like the world. The biblical truths that God teaches us through His word are not just some happy thought injection to make us feel good for the moment and then go on with our self preserving lifestyles in hope of a new and brighter future for the next generation. The word of God is the actual proof that we are that very brighter future and that generation. Instead of broadcasting and glorifying evil on social media platforms, like national news broadcasts, it's time to fight the appropriate way. Those that are walking in truth know what is going on already, and those that don't know, need a Holy Spirit encounter to remove the veil. Giving the devil glory by highlighting his malicious evil deeds is non-conducive to preaching the gospel effectively. Fighting with fellow brothers and sisters and trying to prove some unrealistic role of teachers pet in God's eyes is a waste of time and a distraction from the calling on your life and divine purpose. The comparison in the church today is truly disheartening. Who's right? Who's wrong? Didn't we solve the issue of circumcision over 2000 years ago? Didn't God say if we do all these amazing things in His name but if we don't love our brother we are lying and don't love God? Is it that we have been following a ministry, or a doctrine, or a pastor, or religion for too long?, instead of following Jesus, reading the words of scripture in the purity of what they are, having an intimate relationship with Jesus and loving others into the Kingdom of God like Jesus demonstrated. If you don't know the heart of God and the things that grieve the Holy Spirit, that is the real issue to tackle. Paul and Jesus' other apostles did not teach the early followers to go around the world and preach the bad news to the nations, or to fight amongst each other about where they came from or previous injustices. If you read the gospels and have true revelation, you will see that despite their differences, Jesus brought together very different people but now ALL under a new covenant. That means that once in Christ, you know longer have the right to be offended or the option to identify with your old self, and quite honestly why would you want to? We are told to deny ourselves and follow Jesus. If you are made new in Christ, isn't your old man dead in the water of baptism? Why would anyone want to resurrect themselves as they were before Christ and hold on to the old life they claimed to be set free from? What is the good news about Jesus dying to set you free, but wanting to stay the same and not take residency in the Kingdom of God as a Royal Child of the most High King? Paul taught the churches to preach the Good News of the cross. If you have the Holy Spirit operating in you, then you embody the very spirit of God to act on your behalf, it's not about you anymore. Not about your race, ethnicity, childhood, financial status, worldly accomplishments, etc. It's not about anything but being a vessel of the Holy Spirit. When you gave your life to Jesus you laid it down for the Kingdom of God. When you were born again, you gave up your right to identify any other way but that of a soldier in the Army of God. If you are offended by things referring to your old self, then you have not allowed the true transformation of Christ to take place. The heaviness, title and badge of following Jesus is not something to be taken lightly, it's an invitation to War, and unless you understand and truly know how to use the power of the weaponry that you have been freely given, you become vulnerable to the enemy. Yes!, we celebrate from a place of victory, no doubt, however, it is a still a fight of faith nonetheless, and the weapon is LOVE. Not to be confused with acceptance, we don't accept all things. Jesus didn't accept all things, He loved all people, but there is definitely things He hated.
Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
If you truly have renewed your mind in Christ, these very things had better be detestable to you as well.
The duties required by each of us are specific and strategic to fulfill the ushering in of The New Jerusalem. The battles can be daunting at times, so it is vital that we stay at our posts, reading scripture and teaching others with our lives. We need each other, no matter what specific purpose in the body that you have been assigned, it is vital for you to fulfill it.
Please read 1 Corinthians 12
You are essential to God and you have a divine purpose. We are at war, and we must fight the appropriate way. Following Jesus is the same as being a solider, you become a part of the army of God. However, just because you have on a uniform doesn't mean you can effectively fight, unless you were first trained. The great commission given by Jesus in Mathew 28:16, was given to the apostles and is still relevant today. Jesus speaks to them about teaching and making disciples. A disciple means follower, therefore if Jesus was commissioning His apostles to teach and make them, we can confidently assume that there would be a process of training. The process of discipleship is vital to function and fight properly. The Holy Spirit is a personal mentor and God will bring fellow comrades along side of you during training and battle. The process of training requires time and experience, along with a surrendered and humbled heart eager to forever learn. God's mercies are new everyday and He will never leave you or forsake you. Jesus never bashed others, argued points, self promoted, or compared. He didn't give any attention to meaningless, time and peace stealing distractions. So neither should we. Jesus knew His blood proved legitimacy and covered over ALL. We need to know that too. The bible says we need to deny OURSELVES and follow Him. Giving truth to the fact that we can sometimes be the problem. Step fully into the freedom Jesus died to give you and be the warrior you are designed to be. Don't get sucked into the things of this world. You are unique and exactly who Jesus is looking to use. Humble yourself to Love today, because pride came before the fall and will continue to cause us to fall if we are not careful. Don't be a fallen solider, learn how to fight the appropriate way, and preach the Good News or you have the right to remain silent!
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