I was tending to my few vegetables I have in our garden-esque back yard yesterday and began struggling with the weakness of the yellow squash vine and tomato plants. Through the recent rains they have grown substantially, and for the fruit to grow, their stalks and branches had to be propped up. Using wire and plastic plant rods – I was able to sustain them but had to deal with them so gently and carefully. A couple of the small branches folded, and I attempted to restore them so they could receive the nutrients and water needed. As I was pondering this before the Lord, He spoke to my heart – “you know son – some of My weakest vines produce the greatest fruit”.
Meditating on this I began to think about the situation the world is in; especially our nation – and what I believe is an attempt to undermine the church and everything Godly we still embrace. I also began to think about how many of our Spiritual leaders and fathers in the faith we have lost over the last few years, and that there remains few who will walk in the light without giving way to deceiving spirits. I think about a couple of examples like; Ravi Zacharias, who just went into heaven’s courts a few short weeks ago, right before the riots broke out. I think about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who took a stand in the church against Hitler – helping believers to discern between the common political narrative and truth; also aiding the hiding of Jews from destruction. He was executed only a few short days before Germany surrendered.
We could go through so many others in the faith who were martyred or gave their entire lives for the Kingdom and stood for what is right and truth during adversity. (Like the apostles themselves) Most of these believers were not pop-culture icons, nor held to a common narrative, but a unique one. In this day and time where Social Justice is becoming the norm both in the world and the church, facts, empirical data, actual history, and truth seem to be the fragile branches which are being snapped right before our eyes. The voices of those holding on to what is not only Scriptural, but pertains to a Biblical Culture are slowly distancing to the voices in the church which carry, in partial or full form, the common narrative of the world – allowing the world to dictate what is relevant and needs to be the message in the church. In every common narrative there is cognitive dissonance – a real desire to make sure a struggle or issue of contention exists, so a new, or renewed message contrary to God’s Word can be fostered to place in the public eye. Most of the time, these narratives spark fear in the masses – including the church – and responses from the people begin to create a change of paradigm – especially apart from the Word of God – which should be our bedrock of all sustainability – for He is our source for life and Godliness…
Examples of these type of messages in recent history are: Gay Marriage; Special rights for the LGBTQ community; Public health scares; Racism; Freedom of belief (notice I did not say religion); and Social Justice. There are many more, but most have an older date on them.
We need to agree on this premise: Regardless of what you think is happening politically, or how you want to be involved – issues of values and righteousness have been hijacked by the political spirit and machine, in order to attempt to bring a downfall to the voice of the church in public realm – It’s that simple. So when I hear Pastors on one hand declaring that we fight a spiritual battle, emphasizing the need to see in the spirit realm and deal with the strongholds at hand, while holding that we are to not to engage in the political side of things – yet use the terminology of the political realm which was designed by the world’s narrative to inflame society, and not discerning the times, I see an equivocation in their message and it has the sound of confusion. There is a truth in the Word of Truth for every societal ill.
Folks, racism is political term. What conventional racism means is that there is a cultural difference which is responded by actions of hatred and fear. Melanin has nothing to do with this issue. If I go to Germany today, I will be met with disdain, because right now politically – Germans do not like Americans. We both may have white skin – but if I am alone on the street, I may encounter a bad situation – simply for being an American. If a black American goes to Zambia or Nigeria and those native to that nation hear the accent that individual has (being from the US) that American may find themselves in a precarious position if found alone. Same skin color – different culture.
Anti-Semitism is the oldest form of this. In fact the black/white issue in the US today has drowned out the rising attacks against Jews worldwide – Jews which have many skin colors – from many parts of the world – yet the original sin in this is Cain against his brother Abel – we see this further on in the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael. This is an age-old problem – from ancient times, due to the fall of mankind. It is plain sin – period.
Politics is the histamine of society – and inflames an issue to the point of re-educating people against truth. This is how the world hijacks issues of righteousness, to try and own them and cause an alignment of all people – INCLUDING BELIEVERS – to their narrative. We need to be an antihistamine – bringing Shalom – WITHOUT caving to falsehoods – and that is a difficult thing to do.
The trademark model of how the enemy performs this in modern society was penned by Frederik Hegel in his dialectic form of learning. Create two opposing voices (a crisis) – inflame the crisis so it is heated to a boiling point – then form a new narrative (solution) which the majority will hold to – basic communism 101… The new narrative was always the goal – it was not a result of happenstance – it was planned – did you hear that – re-read it. This is not a linear situation – it is a schematic. Hegel’s dialectic is to start with the ending narrative and create the scenario to accomplish it– it is simply diabolical. It is satan’s plan, it is what is in academia; and has been there since Charles Darwin.
The church has been void of seeing this and has reacted to almost every crisis with a moving of the goalposts – pick any contentious issue – I can show you exactly how the dialectic worked – especially in the church.
Pastors and believers today must see this plan of the enemy and respond to the messages and crisis with an Issachar understanding – (sons of Issachar were those who understood the times). Do not engage and agree to the world’s terminology and narratives – bring the Word of God in every situation. I am not necessarily talking about a racial issue, but in all issues; Guard Your Heart with All Diligence, for Out of the Heart Flows the Issues of Life – Proverbs 4:23.
We start with worship and prayer – and allow the Holy Spirit to guide our mouths. Peter did this, Paul did this – remember when they persecuted Paul and he had to point out he was a Roman citizen – Paul used that for the advancement of the Kingdom. Peter was the biggest “racist” – he hated all gentiles (all other cultures but his own) until Acts 10 – when Jesus himself showed him that He was the Messiah for all mankind – there is one race – the human race. Peter got it and THEN was sent to his own people, the Jews. Paul – who would have been the Tom Brady pick to quarterback the mission to the Jews – was sent to the Gentiles. He dealt with their “racism” (pride against the Jews) in Romans 11:11-2 – “Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!”
What is happening today is not new folks – what is new is this – The race issue is being highlighted to bait as many people as possible to accepting a loss of freedom – especially belief – in the form of “love and acceptance” and a willingness to allow government to control us in great degrees – I am no way saying to ignore racism and violence by those in authority – I am attempting to paint a bigger picture of intent here. (Hegel’s model) Yes, we need to engage spiritually – we need to seek the heart and presence of God desperately– but we also need engage with our words. Let truth be silent no more! Isaiah 59:14 – So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter…There are those out here who feel like the squash plant or the tomato plant – You may feel like your branches are weak – but let me tell you something – your fruit will be some of the best if you engage what you know in your spirit to be right with the Word of God.
Later in Isaiah 59 – the Lord says this in verses 19-20 – From the WEST, people will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along. “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord.
I am believing that there will be an awakening – and here it says that “from the west…” – that is you and I – and right after – the Redeemer will come to Zion (Jerusalem). So, yes, I believe we are on the precipice of an awakening prior to the Son of Man – the King of Kings returning in all His glory.
