(Part II)

At some point in time, we all need to make a choice...which kingdom is going to be preeminent in our hearts; and then pursue that kingdom wholeheartedly without looking back; and for many...this will be painfully difficult to do. Jesus was quoted, reminding us that: “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62) And can we place the emphasis there on ‘whose’ kingdom it is, please?

Shortly after Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, died... and then was raised from the dead by Jesus, (John 11:44)... we’re told that “many of the Jews who saw these things Jesus did... believed in Him” (45). And this created a dilemma for the ruling religious class of the day. It prompted a council gathering of the chief priest and the Pharisees who were asking: “What shall we do? If we let Him (Jesus) alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (45-48). You might want to read that last sentence again.

The religious leaders expressed ‘concern’ (fear, maybe of losing control?) that they would lose ‘their’ place (presumably the Temple) and ‘their’ nation, and it would be those dastardly Romans who would seize control and power, even more so than what they already had at the time. Israel was of course, under Roman occupation then and they were miserable and ready to be done with their oppressors. This was even more of a reason why the people who were looking for and anticipating the coming Messiah had deep hopes that He would bring deliverance to the nation and overthrow their oppressors.

Friends...Jesus did indeed come to deliver all of us from our ‘oppressor’, but it was NOT the Romans or the Communists or the ‘Left-Wing-Liberals’ that we needed 'deliverance' from.

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38)

And here’s a *Newsflash* for anyone who professes to be a follower of Jesus- We were supposedly ‘anointed and empowered’ to continue on with this same ministry (John 20:21).

John reveals to us that this ‘whole world has been under the control/influence of the wicked one’, (1 John 5:19); and Paul explains in great detail how our conflict is NOT....with ‘flesh and blood, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12). He would also write to the Corinthians exhorting them to keep in mind that even though we ‘walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh’ (2 Cor. 10:3) and how we have ‘mighty weapons’ at our disposal for the pulling down of spiritual strongholds’ (4).

I don’t know about you, but I am thinking those ‘mighty weapons’ have much more ‘power’ than ‘voting blocs’ and/or ‘political systems’.

In yesterday’s post (which I hope you read before this one), I mentioned at the end...some of my confusion I had with the 2016 Presidential election here in this country. The passion and fervor that swept through much of the American ‘church world’ as they unabashedly jumped on the ‘Trump Train’ was bewildering to me, not to mention to the majority of admitted ‘unbelievers’ out there. One could have easily been led to think (or imagine) that God was anxiously pacing the golden corridors of heaven, wringing His hands nervously wondering how would He ‘Make America Great Again’...if enough of His people failed to go vote for the Republican Candidate.

Since when...do the political systems of sinful men determine what God can do or not do ...given the fact He is the Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth?

First of all, we are told that it is God who ‘removes kings and raises up kings’ (Dan. 2:21), and that the ‘king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, and like the river of water, He turns it wherever He wishes’ (Prov. 21:1). Were you aware that in Israel’s history, they had 42 kings and one queen, and the overwhelming majority of them were ‘bad kings who acted wickedly’ as they led the people of God further into sin and darkness. And guess what?...it usually brought God’s judgment on the people as their hearts followed after them. Oh, and let’s not forget the point I brought out in yesterday’s message...how it was never God’s plan for His people to ‘have a king like all the other nations’, but they clearly wanted one, ‘refusing to have the Lord to reign over them’. (1 Sam. 8:7)

Where am I going with all this, you may be wondering? Friends...there is a ‘trap’ or snare being laid for many sincere but misguided ‘believers’ today. This idea that God is wanting to ‘save the world’ through the planning and devices that men have dreamed up...is the trap. You may or may not be familiar with all this ‘Project 2025’ talk, and I am not here today to delve off into all that; on the contrary...my heart is simply being compelled to warn many in the church world today to ‘set your minds and affections on things above, and not on the earth’ (Col. 3:1-2)

If you want to vote, by all means - vote...and vote for whomever you choose (or feel led to). But we better pull the reigns back on just how deeply we immerse ourselves into a ‘system’ that may look good on the outside (sheep’s clothing) but ulterior motives are ruling within.

No where in scripture will you find Jesus leading people to get ‘politically involved’ with various social/political issues of the day. And when it came to their ‘physical oppressors’ (the Romans), what was the advice Jesus offered in Matt. 5:39-48? It sure was not to ‘demonize’ them.

Yes, we are exhorted to ‘pray for all men, for kings and all who are in authority...so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence’ (1 Tim. 2:1-4). Peter admonishes us to ‘Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, and to honor the king’ [REGARDLESS...of what political party they belong to]. (1 Pet. 2:17). That word ‘honor’ means to treat with high regard, to revere or place value upon’ Again...nowhere are we instructed to demonize anyone. 

 How quickly have we forgotten that we were All ... puppets/prisoners of the ‘wicked one’ (1 John 5:19; Acts 26:18; Eph.2:1-3).