Sadly, it seems that we forget so easily what we have and are in Christ.  And when we do, we lose not just a little progress in grace, but it seems, we lost whole bunches of power and spiritual impact that we could have had if we just did what our Spirit-wrought DNA has supplied for us to do.  How quickly we are drawn away from simple obedience to the L-rd and His very simple call to "follow Him" and do what L-rd of heaven says, after all, He is the One who bought us with His blood, not just so we can hang out here and live the rest of our days on a couch in spiritual Babylon.  

 

How we so easily are absorbed into the material world all around us.  Without really seeing and realizing how far we are from our confession of “Jesus as Lord”.  One day, if we are found faithful, we will have His Name permanently branded on us, we will be sealed forever.  That very same Name that shocked the world on the day of Pentecost, a simple Jewish ritual and feast to celebrate the early harvest, yes, this regularly attended as a feast of Pentecost flipped human history upside down.  How, by virtue of the outpouring of His Spirit from heaven, that has so passionately put forth a declaration, "I'm G-d, and you’re not!"   

 

In Rom. 12:2 we are commanded to, “not be conformed to this world but rather, we are to be daily transforming our minds by the renewing of our minds in God's word.

 

So I believe that we must keep our plans very simple.  Even at the risk of being accused of being overly simplistic, I would say, any elaborate scheme that includes any presumptive view of the old criteria of finding career and business development would fall short of its intended goals.

 

We must recapture that word “repent” and “being saved” that has in view the desperation of our times.  That same experience that our apostolic forefathers faithfully preached on the day of Pentecost and continued to preach through the dark days of Jewish and Christian persecution under the Roman Empire.  

 

In Acts 4:12 we have their powerful and uncomplicated message summarized with these simple words, nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  

 

These words were boldly proclaimed to the religious power brokers of their day, the men who assigned themselves the title as “keepers of the truth”. They assumed the role of magistrates of justice and equity in Judea, presently under Roman rule.  They were spoken by common men, some just Galilean fishermen, to an august and regal council of 70 very well educated and properly birthed men, known as the “Sanhedrin.”  The same council that sentenced Jesus to death as a blasphemer.  

 

Note the peril in any time of restoration or revival of the ancient work of repentance and renewal of G-d's covenant with men.  When the remnant returns and comes back into power, that in any religious community that loses its saltiness, it will seek to destroy the work of of this rising remnant of the L-rd's people. 

 

So we learn that whether it was Gideon's moment to shine and stand against idolatry, or the prophetess Deborah turn to defy Sisera, or our friend the sheepherder and farmer, Amos, who unashamedly approached Samaria with a clarion call to “repent or perish”.   So we learn again and again, there is no new thing under the sun!

 

All true believers who have embraced at face value the reality of our salvation, have all been truly saved from certain destruction and impending doom.  But somehow, when we times are good and our faith is not publicly challenged, we naturally allow complacency and dullness to sneak in, so subtly, back into in the fabric of our distinctive “Jesus” and “kononia” brand of genuine christian fellowship.    

 

It doesn't matter what denomination or non-denominational church you join, most, if not all, have been apparently inseminated from the same vile or wicked poison that infused the culture of Israel 3000 years ago.  This invusion leads straight to dullness and eventually out and out idolatry.  The modern day culture of “church” has been deliberately designed by the angel of light himself, Satan, to put all of us into a nice spiritual “sleep” so that we distance ourselves from our calling in Christ to be the light-bearers of the world and salt of the earth we were called by Jesus to be! 

 

Jesus didn't save us to become a distinct political entity that brokers deals at the political conventions.  Or to protect a set of moral values in our particular nation.  No, Jesus is not a political party, but if we did out part back in the post WW2 era, we would have not seen such a slide toward Gomorrah as we have experienced.

 

Whenever the church becomes political, it has already lost its power and will become more and more worldly.  As she becomes dull to G-d and alive to culture, she loses her sharp edge and her original love of the message of a crucified and risen Savior.  

 

If we have forgotten, the original mandate given to us by heavenly Father was to present Jesus as “Lord” and soon coming “King” over all nations and authority.  That message gets most assertive believers in Yeshua killed.  So to keep from dying we adopt a more friendly and worldly style of existence.  Just like our Israeli forefathers, who wanted to blend with the Sidonians and in turn adopt their worship and practice of Baal worship, we are lost and at the point of no return.  It all starts with the individual person, who Jesus through His Spirit calls, equips, trains, sets apart, and then most powerfully sends to their community, their region, their state, their country, and most assuredly their world!! 

 

Our simple minded yet Holy Spirit filled apostolic forefathers were not too concerned about the title of their leaders or their names, all they wanted to do was preach and live the message of heaven's invasion of earth in the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.

 

Do you know that the same Sanhedrin that sentenced our Lord to death as a “blasphemer” was also a very powerful political entity within the life of times of pagan Rome?  They had their own police force, they had many political lobbyists, as a distinct culture and people group they were able to curry the favor of Herod to rebuild the Temple after the order of Solomon's original.  As a political entity they had power to bless or curse Rome's choice of governor in their provinces.  As a political entity that had to protect their position within the fabric of government by the reception of bribes. Can we learn today that political action doesn't work, especially now!! 

 

The Roman government cared what the Jewish Sanhedrin was doing and planning because they could assist the Romans to keep order among potential adversaries.  They were accomplices in establishing and selling Rome's political plans to the Jews.  This high level religious society was politically important to the Herod's because they were effective at keeping the empire intact and at peace.

 

While the Sanhedrin who ruled over their Jewish citizens, sought after, and kept intact, the favor they so much enjoyed from the Roman government, also were able to maintain their influence with Rome by their ability to get things done in Jerusalem. 

 

Does this revelation reveal anything to you today?  Take the time to look through how our religious leaders have operated over the last 30 years. Examine how our christian leaders have handled their position of authority in our national presidential and congressional campaigns.  

 

When we were sleeping the antichrist system was taking over the public educational system at every age level.  They were penetrating the science communities and planting their Darwin disciples deep into the leadership positions with their faculties.  They took over judicial landmark cases and in particular were able to get the Roe v Wade to simply Case become a rubber stamp. The woman's liberation movement while important to the rights of women also was championed by women who were not believers in Yeshua.  Our social moorings were being destroyed right under our eyes.

 

Rather than advancing a Jesus based move as was starting to take shape in the 70's, we allowed some money to influence our leadership and favor at the highest levels of our government, and “poof” away went our moral underpinnings.  Our leaders with our support used their political clout with presidents, senators, and congressmen to preserve what? We got so-called believers in office but things continued to deteriorate on every level.  We started christian schools and colleges, launched christian radio and TV programs to bring attention to the moral issues of our time.  But we kept slipping into the moral and dark malaise.   

 

Had their high positions within the life and times of our nation really make that much of a difference?  Or did we just attempt things that we assuage our conscience, but didn't really show the world who “Jesus” is and was.  I hope your beginning to feel with me that we need a different approach!  

 

To call our brothers and sisters back to authentic and vital christianity, is not my responsibility, ultimately, its G-d's work, but it will include all of us.  We need to “take back” our life first in Christ before we can help another person.  We need to know Christ, and that is ascertained by reading personally and deeply His Word, not allowing the indoctrination of men but by the simple and faith-filled reading of the Holy Word of G-d will be very powerfully used to reform and bring the L-rd's people back to His ways and His laws.

 

Now that we have seen that both entities, the government and the religion leadership, done their share of scratching each on the back, we need a new order to rise up and “take back” our homes, our places of worship, and our world.   We learn from the book of Acts, that no matter what the power brokers say and do to us believers in Jesus, they cannot stop G-d's Spirit from moving them out of the way.  His Spirit and Heaven's power can and will move entire cities who have been transformed by the message of Jesus spoken by us, common men and women.  

 

All of our political concerns must be put aside, we are not on this planet to be involved in politics as a major part of our deliverance from evil and its trouble.  Where do we find Paul or Peter playing politics in the New Testament?  I can't seem to find any political action anywhere in the pages of the New Testament.  

 

So I believe that it is time for a grass roots movement of Christ's real and raw power that resides in the common believer who is actually born again and is really filled with Spirit of G-d, so that we can really impact our communities.  This will happen where He is being presented as Christ and King of all men and cultures.  It is in these places that a holy restoration of Jesus as Lord that an energy of real and lasting change emerges.

 

When Peter, James, John, and Paul were brought before the political authorities, they were not concerned about how to say Jesus is L-rd of all things, no, they represented Jesus, openly, and declared, under the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, stated, “Jesus, Lord of the nations.”  Ruler of Heaven and earth. 

 

What do you think would happen if one of these “Jesus” preachers were to go before Congress today?  What if was called to meet with our politic leaders to discuss the matters of morality and political concern for christians in our country?  Would they care so much about the politics of the situation?  No, I believe with great unction, they would declare Jesus as Lord through their words and their willingness to die for believing these words.

 

We have no other “life” or “way” but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I Cor. 2:2-4.  So in order to recover the ancient paths of our apostolic forefathers, we must move and think like them.  We slip back into a soulish and man-centered method filled with carnal fear. 

 

We need none other than a “Jesus” owned and operated restoration of all things, a revival of true religion in the land.  We may never see with our own eyes the nation ever again under a truly christain banner if it ever was.  But we see cities and regions conquered just in time for the really bad days that lie ahead for the entire world system.  

 

Just as it was 2000 years ago, I don't believe that this restoration work will happen in the organized church.  They will say and have said a resounding “no” to His invitation to join His magnanimous Wedding Feast which soon approaches for those in love with His appearing.  To join inexorably with the heavenly throngs of angels to celebrate with Him and His Bride the marriage supper of the Lamb of G-d – How unbelievably awesome!  

 

So as many of you who know, I believe this next major move of G-d will happen out in the streets and on the highways and byways of every day American life and culture.  Our G-d is a public G-d.  When He moves, He puts on a great show! 

 

Our preaching must go to the streets, parks, marketplace, and schools that make up our town and cities in America.  Where men and women respond to this call, they will see salvation come and revival will set in, where the people of G-d are scared and reticent to move outside their comfort zone, there will be no move of G-d.  The Holy Spirit filled our forefathers with boldness to declare a resurrected Jesus to a world who thought Him dead, which by the way, was for them, political suicide.

 

When we by inspiration of the Holy Spirit declare “all men as sinners” condemned and without hope in this world, overwhelmingly estranged from the way of righteousness, positive change will visit our culture?  By taking this message to the streets, parks, city halls, and corporate settings that give us the most prominent public stages; we will bring positive results and real change in our world because this is the Way of Christ. In the reality that the Truth of a self-denying disciple of Christ has already been established.  Firmly encased in the knowledge that our Life is already secured by the L-rd Jesus Christ who rose from the grave to emancipate His people, those who receive His Words from the fires of a very real hell.  

 

We can't afford any more carefully measured out plans of a calculatingly self-terminating way.  No, we are at the point where nothing but the a passionate and very real execution of the raw spiritual power of G-d's Grace must be released into the depths of our hearts to bring real and true revival and restoration to the land.  

 

Do you want to see thousands and thousands of souls saved?  Then I exhort you to put out of your mind any political action, and put in its place, an unvarnished devotion to preach and live Jesus in public way.  Unashamed! And let's create a stir that will put us in front of the judgment bars of governmental leaders all over the land.

 

Your confession of Jesus as Lord launches you into the wildest adventure of your life, all bets are off, you will get lots and lots of comfort and lavish riches in the world to come.

 

You belong to Christ, you have been purchased at a great price, and we all need to act like we are worth the prize.  We are not gonna be content to sit and simply change your voting class and culture.  No, you and I have been saved to press forward the kingdom of G-d in our world.  You and I have been delivered from a very real death, to “trust” that our life in the in the hands of an incredibly Loving G-d in the face of Jesus Christ.   

 

We are already seated with Christ in heavenly places.  On this earth we are recognized as aliens and sojourners.  We really own nothing, we are not called to own or possess anything here.  As Jesus told the rich young ruler, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me.”

 

Our assignment is to follow our Lord as He guides our feet to “do” whatever His Spirit leads us to do in the context of the confession of our own lips, “Christ is my Lord.”  

 

Peter's bedrock confession and Jesus words that commended Peter's confession have not been altered since they were uttered in the Hebrew language two millennia ago.  In his confession, “You are the Christ, Son of the Living God!”  Peter set forth the core truth of the entire gospel message.  Peter's confession represents the truth that has and will always be the chief cornerstone of the foundation of Christ's church.  The Christ has power to raise up and put down.  The Christ has power to save an man, woman, or child from His eternal judgment.  The Christ is the powerful cornerstone that Jesus said would not be moved, “even if the gates of hell should mount all its power to prevail against her.”  

 

We are called to proclaim the message, the results of our public declaration are safely in G-d's care.  So let's determine today to do just as our apostolic forefathers were able to do 2000 years ago.  The Lord selected and trained twelve very ordinary and untrained men to do an impossible job.  

 

Can we agree with me today that it's time for Messiah to come and do the same kind of work on the earth as He accomplished then?  The scriptures teach we are in the time of the latter rain, though ultimately this pertains to the promises to Israel, we have to believe that a harvest of souls looms on the horizon. 

 

No more listening to talking heads with Bible-speak on the lips.  No, we are here for no other purpose then to proclaim a crucified Savior to a very needy and broken culture. To follow the “Jesus” way, to become the servant leaders who do “gospel” work in the way of, and in line with, the real, vital and livingness of the first century apostles and saints of G-d. 

 

 

Many Blessings,

 

Jonathan