Posts by John Burton
Blaming, Shaming and Avoiding: How Christians are Mishandling the Current Political Crisis
Love and honor have been abandoned by too many in this volatile political season.
It’s been said the two topics we should avoid around the family reunion dinner table are politics and religion. Of course, I disagree, but the point is well taken. It’s nothing new that people tend to be more passionate about their political and spiritual positions than they are about guarding the hearts of the people they are debating with. Sadly this reality has reared it’s extremely ugly head again and again over the last year.HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THE THREE PRIMARY REASONS WE ARE ALIVE?
I’ll give you a hint. It’s not to debate politics and it’s not to save America.“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37–39, ESV)One: Love God. Two: Love people.
“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”” (John 13:35, ESV)Yes, there are many expressions of love including both tough and tender, but we need to understand that blaming and shaming our enemies are excluded. Anger expressed toward the liberal left will never win them to Jesus, which, by the way, is the third primary reason we are alive.
“As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:5, ESV)
WE ALSO CAN’T AVOID POLITICS
Preachers avoiding politics from behind the pulpit and keyboard is like a police officer refusing to confront crime. It makes no sense. The police are authorized to make arrests and Christians are authorized to tear down strongholds. We as Christians have been granted a level of spiritual authority that few will ever grasp. When culture is steeped in wickedness, we have no option but to expose the darkness.“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11, ESV)Unrighteous laws, widespread corruption, the darkness of immorality and national evils must be dealt with, and Christians are those who are most authorized to do so. Silence by passive preachers is a violation just as a fleshly, carnal response is. There’s a way to move in love and honor while bringing dangerous political and cultural agendas to light. To stay silent, for example, on the issue of abortion would be inexcusable. To spew venom toward those who affirm or even administer abortion would be equally inappropriate for followers of Jesus.
THE GREATER SIN
While avoiding the spiritual clash in today’s deeply wicked society is unfathomable, my opinion is that the greater sin is a wicked reaction guised in high-minded righteousness by Believers in Jesus. We must be aggressive with issues and tender towards people. My heart is broken over the lack of revival in Hollywood, Nashville and Washington D.C. I think about people like Nancy Pelosi, Jim Carrey, Ellen Degeneres,Taylor Swift, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Alyssa Milano and hundreds of other influencers who are attacked non-stop by Christians because of their political positions. Will they feel love by our mean-spirited assaults of righteous indignation? No. I may write a separate article on this issue as it’s just wrecking my heart, but suffice it to say that I’m deeply grieved that so few celebrities and national leaders are falling in love with Jesus. Church, we are not handling their hearts well. Demonizing them will not win them.OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER
Rude, snarky and unloving behavior among Christians thrives on social media. The moment a Christian is condescending and divisive on a Facebook thread is the moment their credibility is shot. While I understand we are living in a different era, there’s a part of me that yearns for yesteryear when yes sir’s and yes ma’am’s were indicative of respect in our culture. Today it’s normal for followers of Jesus to attack, shame and ridicule anybody who disagrees with their viewpoints, especially when it comes to politics and religion. Many are unteachable, stone-hearted, immovable and more in love with their ideals then the people they are dialoguing with. At the end of the day, I don’t care who the President is if we can’t discuss and debate with love and honor.THE BLAME GAME IS STRONG THIS YEAR
Possibly the best litmus test for spiritual health and maturity when it comes to politics and culture is blame. If we lash out and blame and accuse and attack others who believe differently than we do, we are not in a good place. The moment we blame is the moment we create unnecessary division. We need to stop blaming President Biden, President Trump, teachers, parents and others who, in our opinion, are opposing our personal agendas or beliefs, no matter how righteous those beliefs are.“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” (Matthew 5:44, ESV)Don’t blame. Love. Pray. Don’t be an angry, complaining victim. Go low. Humble yourself. Serve. Contend for the souls of those who are making your life difficult. Again, be ruthless on issues, loving toward people. There’s a better way, friends. Being mean-spirited isn’t it. Blaming doesn’t help. Shaming is simply cruel. People are more valuable then positions and agendas. Our enemies should be blessed and prayed for more than our friends. The lyrics of a quirky and boldly honest bluegrass gospel song by Rhonda Vincent seem to fit here: Oh you don't love God If you don't love your neighbor If you gossip about him, if you never have mercy If he gets into trouble, and you don't try to help him Then you don't love your neighbor And you don't love God One more time, deal strongly with issues and go out of your way to make sure people feel the love of Jesus. As we do this, we can most certainly hate evil, love good and establish justice in our nation.
“Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate…” (Amos 5:15, ESV)You can submit a text or 60-second audio prayer for celebrities and influencers at www.prayerteam.tv. Photo credit: “Trump and Biden” by uwwvmzjh8 is marked with CC PDM 1.0 Originally published by The Stream.
Has the Judgment of Delusion Come Upon America?
From cancel culture to shadow bans to unbridled hatred for a man who makes pillows — a strange delusion has arrived on American soil.
“Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations, So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.” (Isaiah 66:3–4, NKJV)
Sounds about right.
Welcome to America, 2021.
HAVE PEOPLE TRULY GONE MAD?
Daily I’m watching or reading stuff that makes me wonder if people have gone crazy.
The Washington Post reports: On Twitter, one owner said that although he couldn’t throw away his pillows because they help him sleep, he would punch them daily “to show my anger . . . then will not buy any new ones.”
Of course, this is in reference to MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell promoting the claim that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump. Some, like the Washington Post writer, would call it a false claim.
This isn’t normal behavior. Someone is so upset that they beat their MyPillow brand pillow because the CEO holds to a common opinion that the election was stolen? Madness. Another customer threw her pillow in the trash and sent a photo to the company. Who does this? They are enraged simply because someone expresses an opinion? A strong delusion is hovering over our nation.
People have a right to boycott. However, it’s the strange emotional response that I’m talking about. People are getting strangely uptight about the most benign things. Who cares if Mr. Pillow questions the fairness of the election? In fact, any balanced, smart and wise person would at least entertain the possibility and consider the evidence.
The Bible passage above is about God’s response to Levites who were worshiping improperly. If God will send a delusion to them, it shouldn’t surprise us that he would also do the same to an openly perverse culture. Madness is upon us.
“…because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,” (2 Thessalonians 2:10–11, ESV)
SOCIAL MEDIA IS LEADING THE WAY
People actually believe it’s a heinous violation to suggest that the election was stolen. Madness. Such a consideration is low level, non-threatening, perfectly legal water-cooler banter. There's nothing immoral about it. Yet social media is banning such discussion and cancelling those who refuse to comply with their restrictions.
Yeah, I know, it sounds like I’m talking about China.
In a report from 2010 about Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, a democracy advocate imprisoned for seditious speech, we can see very quickly how America is beginning to look a lot like this Communist nation. Author Brian Palmer wrote, “Not every Chinese dissident who speaks out of turn winds up in jail. Other penalties include a stern rebuke, losing your job, brief detention, or re-education through labor.”
Speaking “out of turn” is costing many Americans when they promote ideas that run contrary to today's controlled narrative.
If our speech wasn’t being controlled, we should be free to openly communicate on social media. We should be able to lie, to share conspiracy theories, to challenge narratives, to go against the grain, to provoke people to think, to gather a following and even to spur on a healthy, legal resistance to ideas we disagree with. I'm not saying it's all good and healthy, but I am saying it's what free speech looks like.
The sky is green, aliens have infiltrated Arkansas, the earth is flat, Donald Trump is still the President and our nation is truly free — all perfectly acceptable conspiracy theories that should never be banned by social media.
BE CAREFUL WHEN BRINGING UP THE NAZIS — IF YOU ARE A CONSERVITIVE
The Walt Disney Company became the top trending topic on Twitter when they fired actress Gina Carano from her role on The Mandalorian for simply sharing an opinion. Literally, that’s all she did. She exercised free thought. Publicly. Like the imprisoned Chinese Nobel Peace Prize winner, she spoke “out of turn” by suggesting similarities between the hate-driven beliefs of the Nazis and the hatred many Americans have for those with differing political views. That’s all it took to end her Disney career. Cancelled. Shamed. Outed. Hated as if she were some vile criminal.
Ironically, liberal star Pedro Pascal used Nazi comparisons as well, yet he remains employed. In a now-deleted tweet in 2020, Pascal compared Trump supporters to Nazis according to a New York Post report.
The truth is, under Nazi rule, controlling the narrative was prime in their efforts of domination. They used propaganda to promote their beliefs about Jews in magazines, films and other media. They burned books and took over newspapers to ensure their message prevailed. How can you not compare what happened then to what’s happening now? No, millions of Americans have not been slaughtered (well, I take that back. #abortion), but we can’t help but to question the eerie similarities between the narrative controlling efforts.
It’s a good thing I’m not employed by Disney. I’d be out of a job after that last paragraph.
THE DELUSION CAN BE SEEN ON THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT
Before you presume this is an all-out assault on the left, I’ve been stunned at the level of madness on the right as well.
Many pro-Trump conservatives have become unglued this election season. I mean, many of them are nuts! They are often more triggered than many liberals when their beliefs about Donald Trump aren’t affirmed. I’ve witnessed many a “solid, balanced, mature and Christian” conservative go off the rails at the mere suggestion that Donald Trump is no longer our President.
On one hand I can almost sympathize with the liberals. Most of the strange, crazy conspiracy theories that are being promoted as right-wing propaganda are ridiculous. I’d love for the world to be eradicated of them too. (Yes, I know I just supported the right to promote conspiracy theories in the previous section, but whether it’s helpful or not is another question.)
The delusion is strong and we can’t presume that it's limited to those on the other side. If we have become resistant to what God desires, or worse, if we are erroneously suggesting our unrighteous, unhealthy desires are endorsed by God, we are ripe for a spirit of delusion to overcome us.
“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1:28, ESV)
FEAR, DELUSION AND HATRED
…So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them…
God brings the delusions. God brings the fears.
You might be thinking that I’m using biblical principles simply to make a dramatic point. You’d be wrong.
I am literally suggesting that God may very well have sent a delusion to America.
I’ve never seen fear overtake a people like I have over the last twelve months. Hatred is everywhere. People are shaming others for not putting a piece of cloth over their mouths. Those being shamed are lashing out in anger and sometimes violence. A customer slapped a grocery store worker in the mouth after being asked to wear a mask. Again, who does this? What normal person gets so agitated by others who won’t wear masks and what normal person goes mad when asked to wear one? Normal people don’t do this.
The only solution is to deeply repent, to surrender our lives to Jesus and to abandon our own sinfulness. God isn’t playing games. His passion is for mankind to turn to him. There is an amazingly simple yet costly solution to the delusion:
Humble ourselves. Pray. Seek God’s face. Turn from our wicked ways.
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.” (2 Chronicles 7:13–15, ESV)
If we don’t do this, the delusion will only grow stronger and the madness will overtake our nation. Don’t ever presume you are exempt. The times are dire. God help us.
A Call To Reformation In The Broken Prophetic Movement
Extreme reform must come to the out of control prophetic movement.
I believe we must see a radical increase in authentic prophetic ministry. While there are issues and extremes in today’s prophetic movement, the truth is that most churches are woefully shallow or outright resistant when it comes to developing a prophetic culture.
An electric, supernatural and stunning spirit of prophecy should be energizing our church services. The Holy Spirit is moving powerfully and it’s critical that we tap into what he is doing and saying.
“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19–21, ESV)
A CALL TO REFORMATION
The famine of the Rhema voice of God in so many Christians and churches has been a burden of mine for decades. Unfortunately, it seems some have tried to fill that void with either unhealthy, unbalanced or outright unbiblical prophetic practices. Reform is needed.
NO MORE PROPHETIC GUARANTEES
Have you ever heard someone in church belting out a revelation that starts something like, “The Lord is saying to you…” or for some of our more traditional Pentecostals, “Thus sayeth the Lord…”
Yeah, this has to stop.
People are sharing prophetic words as if they are guarantees. They fail to consider the myriad of variables that come into play regarding a prophetic word. People are mortal. They can make mistakes.
Further, prophetic words are always conditional. People have a role to play. A failed response can result in a word that doesn’t come to pass.
Also, hearts can change. Someone can fail to measure up to the demands of the word. They can reject the word. They can fall into sin. On and on.
Prophetic guarantees can do great damage to people’s faith. I’ve known people who have made very costly life decisions because of a prophecy. They have quit their jobs, sold their homes, moved across the country, married the wrong person, and on and on simply because they received a prophetic guarantee. Like I said, this has to stop.
A better way to say it would be, “I sense the Lord is saying,” or “Be sure to pray over this and weigh it carefully. I feel God is saying…”
PROPHETIC WORD SHOULD BE SUBMITTED FOR ANALYSIS
“but test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, ESV)
The Bible clearly requires all prophetic words to be tested, weighed and judged.
“Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.” (1 Corinthians 14:29, ESV)
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…” (1 John 4:1, ESV)
It requires humility to invite a thorough critique when releasing a prophetic word. Instead of a prophetic guarantee, we should be submitting our divine revelation for consideration. We should invite people to analyze it, to pray over it and to judge it. If people did this with each word they communicated, it would remove much of the stigma surrounding the prophetic movement.
MINIMIZE FORETELLING, EMPHASIZE FORTHTELLING
Has anybody else grown tired of the circus-like, crystal ball-style fortune telling in so much of the prophetic today?
Understand, I absolutely do believe in foretelling, in revealing future events as the Holy Spirit gives the revelation. The Bible is filled with such prophetic information and authentic foretelling absolutely happens today.
That being said, there has become an unhealthy obsession with gazing into the future. It’s time for a fresh, anointed prophetic climate to emerge that is driven by forthtelling, by a Rhema revelation of timeless biblical truths. We need prophetic preachers who breathe fire as they release oracles from Heaven that erupt right out of the Bible. The Word of God must again be primary.
WE NEED TO QUIT LEANING SO HEAVILY ON PROPHETIC WORDS
As someone who affirms the need for a radical increase of true prophetic ministry, you might be surprised that I rarely get excited or uptight about a prophetic word.
This is true when the word is for me personally and it's true if the word is a public word.
Why? It's simple. Prophetic words take time to unfold. Also, they are often flat out wrong. If they are true, I need to discover what my role is and how I should steward the word. There is process.
It's not like winning the lottery or finding a genie in a lamp.
Does this mean I don't prepare if a prophetic word is given to warn me? No way. I prepare as the Lord leads, but I don't get spun out about the word or overly obsessed with the word.
Does this mean my faith isn't encouraged if a positive prophetic word is given to me? Nope. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. The Rhema, prophetic word of God.
However, you'd be shocked at how many positive, encouraging words I've received that have never come to pass. Good people were attempting to bless me but wrongly labeled their encouragement as prophecy.
Prophecy can be wrong no matter how convinced we are that God said something. We can interpret incorrectly. We may miss the analysis. We may not rightly steward the word. We might wrongly discern the timing.
The prophetic is less like a fortune cookie then many realize.
WE NEED BOTH GRACE AND ACCOUNTABILITY
The Old Testament “stone them if they are wrong” mindset needs to finally come to an end. In the New Covenant prophecy is markedly different. While a prophetic word can certainly be extremely weighty, it’s never complete. In fact, prophetic data comes not in the form of a bellowing, clearly heard and perfectly understood voice erupting out of a burning bush, but rather as abstract, nebulous impressions and sensations.
Consider dreams. They require interpretation. So does every other type of prophetic impression. Today, it’s not difficult to be deeply intimate with Jesus, living a life of prayer, humbly surrendered, wholeheartedly given to God’s call on our lives and also mistaken about a prophetic word. We need to give people grace when they miss it.
Yes, as I have already said, grace will be more easily extended when the prophets stop slapping a “thus sayeth the Lord” on every word they deliver.
And, yes, we also need a more solid system of accountability. What happened to those who prophesied that COVID would be gone nine or ten months ago? What about other failed words that go unjudged and are long forgotten? There’s a healthy way to handle this. Ignoring it isn’t the answer.
QUIT SHAMING THOSE WHO WEIGH AND JUDGE PROPHETIC WORDS
If you hang on to prophetic words without weighing them, and shame those who are in fact weighing, you have no idea how biblical prophecy works.
There is no medal of honor given to those who are unmovable regarding prophetic words. Scripture, in fact, requires that we are flexible as the outcome of prophecies can change depending on many different variables.
There has been a spirit of mean unleashed this past year by those who have white-knuckled grips on prophetic words about the election and other key issues. Dare to weigh the words, as the Bible commands, and question them in the slightest, and you better duck. Some uber-spiritual people will launch assaults questioning your faith, your spirituality and even your salvation. It’s disgusting.
REJECT WORDS NOT BIRTHED FROM THE FURNACE OF PRAYER
If the person delivering the word isn’t burning hot in the furnace of intercession day after day, their word cannot be trusted. Throw it out. If it’s truly a word of God, it will jump right back into play and it will be undeniable. However, I’ve found it to be quite rare that a prophecy can be truly trusted if it’s not birthed from the place of intercession.
There are other measures we can take to see the prophetic become healthy and effective, but if we can start with the above, the prophetic culture this nation so desperately needs will become vibrant, anointed and accurate again.
Big Tech Censorship: A New Social Media Game Plan For Christians
In an era of muzzled speech and shadow bans, it’s time for Believers to wise up.
We need to finally admit what has been true for years. Jack Dorsey, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, Jeff Bezos and the rest of the liberal tech and media decision makers control the narrative. These are leaders who have the right to promote or shut down activity that they deem appropriate or inappropriate for their respective businesses. The fact that their businesses are vehicles for our media makes no difference.
What they don’t realize, as unbelievers in Jesus, is that they are being used. They are puppets of a wicked, devious spirit that intends to mold society as it sees fit. They are drones being manipulated and navigated to fly high above the culture so as to capture and punish unsanctioned behavior. This is the world we live in.
My heart is grieved mostly because Jack, Mark, Sundar, Jeff and the others have not encountered the shock and awe of God’s overwhelming, indescribable, supernatural love. Yes, the restriction of speech in our nation troubles me deeply. Yes, the rapid decline of godliness in our culture is gut wrenching. Yes, the corruption in the media, whether mainstream or social, can’t be ignored. We are living in threatening times.
However, none of that compares to the reality of eternity. Heaven won’t be the same without Jack, Mark, Sundar and Jeff. I can’t imagine the horrors of hell that await any human that rejects the ridiculously generous, loving and completely undeserved offer of forgiveness and eternal life. We need to pray for an invasion of God’s love to overtake the hearts of our nation’s leaders.
WE HAVE A PROBLEM
I’m also troubled by the muzzling of Christians and conservatives.
Jack Dorsey recently made the decision to permanently ban the leader of our nation, Donald Trump, from Twitter. Stop and think about that. Such an act is unheard of in America. A citizen shuts down the President? You just don’t cancel the voice of the highest ranking official in America, and one of the most powerful people in the world. Is treasonous too strong of a word? Yes, but it sure smells similar.
Other recent bans include Focus on the Family for the following:
The Daily Citizen, which is a part of Focus on the Family, engaged in “hateful” rhetoric, according to the social media platform, when they tweeted January 19: “On Tuesday, President-elect Joe Biden announced that he had chosen Dr. Rachel Levine to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of HHS. Dr. Levine is a transgender woman, that is, a man who believes he is a woman.”
CENSORSHIP ALERT: Twitter banned @FocusCitizen from their platform. The crime? A tweet which identified Asst. Health Sec. pick Rachel Levine as a biological male. If stating the facts gets you banned, none of us belong here. @Twitter, we're wondering: #AreWeNext? RT to speak out! pic.twitter.com/Z1cUJrK0sZ
— FamilyPolicyAlliance (@family_policy) January 29, 2021
Twitter has also banned My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell:
Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow, was banned from Twitter Monday night, according to a Twitter spokesperson.
Twitter made its decision based on a new policy it enacted after the Capitol insurrection whereby people who repeatedly share election misinformation can be permanently banned.
“The account you referenced has been permanently suspended due to repeated violations of our Civic Integrity Policy,” the spokesperson told CNN.
Of course, Jeff Bezos’ Amazon along with both Apple and Android eliminated conservative leaning Twitter alternative Parler from their services.
It’s stunning that simply believing things and saying things can get you muted in our free nation. But, then again, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to discerning Christians. The persecution has barely begun, and we should have seen it coming.
THEIR PLATFORM, THEIR RULES
We need to remember, the decision makers for our nation are, by and large, unbelievers. They live by an entirely different code of ethics. What makes sense to Christians simply does not make sense to them. We need to understand this. Attempting to force our values on them will have no positive effect. Even if we are able to grab the reigns, their hearts will not be turned to Jesus by brute force. Their resolve to resist what we’d define as righteousness will only grow stronger.
Those who have followed my ministry know that I’m not adverse to dealing directly with issues. I don’t shrink back or surrender when the Lord is calling me to advance with unapologetic ferocity. Compromise is not an option. That being said, I believe it’s important to communicate something: Twitter, Facebook, Google, Amazon and the other businesses that have become largely indispensable in our daily lives make the rules for their own platforms. If we don’t like the rules, we can leave. Sadly, too many Christians are pouting and complaining about being singled out as they are poking the social media beast with malicious intent.
If I’m in a library and the librarian asks me to whisper, I whisper.
If I’m visiting a church, I don’t presume to be welcome to take the pulpit and preach.
The businesses we are visiting makes the rules.
If a restaurant doesn’t allow people to wear MAGA hats, they have that right.
Christian bookstores don’t have to order Harry Potter books for their customers and secular bookstores don’t have to stock Bibles.
Their business, their platform, their rules. Are their inconsistencies and lack of fairness at times? Absolutely. We have witnessed that several times, including a Christian baker's business being destroyed because they refused to bake a cake. We as Christians need to understand that the world will not be friendly or fair to us, and attempting to force them to comply may work at times, but in the end, we need to be ready for persecution.
But, as it stands, the laws of the land allow businesses to run things the way they see fit.
If Twitter doesn’t want certain things said on their platform, so be it. The same is true for Facebook and the rest.
Yes, I agree that such a position by a massive facilitator of communication does put our American values at risk. But, unless the laws change, they have that right.
Facebook can shadow ban, Twitter can suspend, Amazon can choose not to sell your book, Google can reject your app. They have those rights.
Again, their value system is radically different than ours. It’s humanistic instead of godly. It’s based on secular wisdom instead of divine wisdom as revealed in the Bible. It’s carnal versus spiritual.
A NEW GAME PLAN
Some consider me to be a bit provocative in my writing as I don’t typically hold back when communicating truth. Interestingly, while it may change at any moment, unlike many Christians on social media, I’ve never been in Facebook jail. I’ve never been shadow banned (to my knowledge). I’ve yet to be suspended from Twitter. Why is this? I believe it’s because I’ve attempted to use wisdom when posting while also refusing to compromise the message. I try hard to play by the rules of the platform I’m on. It’s their platform, not mine.
This is part of the new game plan that I’m suggesting. It does us no good as Christians to adopt the aggressive, bombastic and threatening disposition that so many on the political right (or left) have. The unnecessary conspiracy theories have to go. The mean-spirited accusations against our enemies (you know, the ones we are supposed to be blessing and not cursing) has to stop. The blatant rule breaking is unacceptable. We should be wiser. We can get the message across, in most cases, while honoring the place that gave us an opportunity to speak.
We are guests on the various social platforms, and they have the right to uninvite us at any moment. Using Facebook and Twitter and the others is a privilege not a right. Using these platforms foolishly will only cost the church in our nation.
Instead of feeding our addictions on social media by sharing every controversial, conspiratorial viewpoint that pushes you closer to the edge of a violation of their terms and conditions, why not play nice, stay inside their boundaries and advance the Kingdom of God? Preach truth. Exhibit love. Let that be what drives you instead of anger, complaining and vitriol over politics and other hot topics?
I think we need to tread carefully and use the media that's available to us responsibly. I'm not saying we cower or compromise. Never. I'm saying there's a wise way to deliver your message without going over the edge and triggering those who have the power to shut you down. Honestly, my personal opinion is that President Trump would have done well to follow this advice.
We should treat people well. Don't accuse. Don't be combative. Don't spread conspiracies. Don't ridicule. Exhibit the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (You know, be Christians.)
MANY of the opinions people are sharing really don't need to be shared, or they can be reworded in such a way that it's much better received. That is the goal, right? For people to receive what we say?
But, as I said, we don't compromise. We speak truth in love. We also choose our battles. Social media is most probably going to shut down all Christians at some point. We just need to be smart by not expediting the process.
Am I saying we are silent on the hot topics? No. I’m not saying that at all. I’m suggesting we play by the rules of the platform so we can continue to have a voice at all.
Am I saying we should not fight illegal policies or unfair censorship in social media? Not necessarily. If we take up that battle, it needs to be in the form of something other than complaining and sharing supporting videos and posts on the very medium you are taking issue with. In fact, the conservative website www.louderwithcrowder is suing Facebook. Candace Owens is suing fact checkers retained by Facebook and USA Today. This will surely be more effective than incessant posting about our disagreements.
Do I believe our speech as Christians will be ultimately restricted even further in the near future? Yes, I do. This is why we must come up with a strategy of advancing the Gospel that takes this into account. The underground Chinese church has done it. Other restricted and persecuted groups of Believers have done it. It's time for a social media underground movement to emerge. Until that happens, we need to tread carefully and respectfully on the surface.
LESS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER, MORE INTERCESSION, MORE STRATEGIC PLANS OF ACTION
Honoring the rules of the platforms we are on simply requires that we monitor what we are communicating. I’m personally less interested in using social media for ministry than I have been in the past. I wonder just how more impactful we can be if we put our energies into fiery intercession instead. Pray with passion for the Jacks, Marks and Jeffs of the world. Contend for their souls.
My primary outlets will continue to be writing on my site and on other platforms that choose to publish my articles. I'll still use social media, but I'll be guarded.
I believe the fact that so many choose to take breaks from social media (breaks that typically last much shorter than announced!) is an indicator that we may need to take this desire seriously. We are addicted as a nation to Facebook especially. I would suggest a serious shift away from social media. Don’t look for conservative replacements. Don’t just take a short break. Consider eliminating it entirely or minimizing it greatly. If we do use it, use with great caution.
Just take a moment and consider the possibilities of intercession. If Jack Dorsey got radically saved, the entire world shifts. The same is true for Mark, Sundar and Jeff. The enemy is zealously working to keep them from the truth of the Gospel. If they find Jesus, the enemy’s schemes are shattered.
Attempting to force them to comply with our standards, however, will only cause them to fight back all the harder. Which path seems more effective? Let’s pray for passion for these men, precious people being pursued with passion by the Spirit of God. He loves them.
PRAY FOR JACK DORSEY
The most recent post at www.prayerteam.tv is about Jack Dorsey. You can add a 60-second audio prayer or a text prayer on the site. Here’s the prayer I included there:
Jesus, Jack Dorsey is known by millions as the founder of Twitter. What is most important, however, is that he is known by you. God, I ask that you touch Jack’s heart as only you can. Absolutely overwhelm him with your love. I pray he’d fall to his knees and cry out to you and surrender every part of his life to your leadership. This is a remarkable man who has a powerful calling on his life. In the name of Jesus I declare that he will fall desperately in love with Jesus, will become a mighty instrument in God’s hand and will impact millions for the Kingdom! In Jesus’ name! Amen!
Photo credit: “Mark Zuckerberg” by jdlasica is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The Knowledge of Good and Evil is Killing America
Trump, right, wrong and a deeply divided nation
As Christians we have a sober responsibility to expose darkness, promote righteousness, preach truth and bring glory to God. Yes, when handled well, shining the light of truth on the darkness in our nation can bring positive results that will raise the water level of godliness. However, when handled wrongly it can bring death.
A bite from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil most certainly will empower one with data that can be used against their opponents. The prideful indignation feels pure and righteous as they are, after all, promoting what is good and true. What they fail to understand is that fruit can bring nothing but destruction. It kills.
If your emotional health is dependent on you being right and others acknowledging that you are right, you will not last. You will not endure. As our end-time mission intensifies, we will have every opportunity to be offended, or to advance with our beliefs and ideologies in such a way that offense of others is all that results. You may be right about whatever you are attempting to communicate, but your tainted heart infects the hearers with the same bitter fruit.
IT’S NOT A MATTER OF RIGHT VERSUS WRONG
As I said, as end-time Believers, we do have a mandate to expose wickedness, to sound alarms and to do all we can to rescue the perishing. Sadly, too often this noble pursuit becomes compromised when the heart of the matter (whatever our cause may be) becomes more important than the heart of people.
The news media, for example, provides an endless source of information that is fueled by the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The intent of most in the media is not to nurture, encourage and bless those who are watching, listening and reading. As we well know, fake news is alive and well as biased people attempt to manipulate the national narrative. The media isn’t in existence for our benefit, it seems, but for theirs.
This same spirit has infiltrated many in the church. Flip on over to Facebook and try to stomach a barrage of finger pointing and accusations against any and all who disagree with their views, especially when it comes to Donald Trump, masks and other recent hot topics.
As Christians, we have a choice, We can live off of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and be right about whatever battle we are fighting. Or, we can live from the tree of life where we still advocate for truth, but we do it from a heart of love and with a strong desire to bless others.
You see, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil masterfully pumps out the fruit of offense. It manifests often in blaming others for our ills.
I’m right, you are wrong!
You hurt me!
My pastor won’t affirm my ministry!
That politician is destroying America!
Those people are hateful!
This results in living as victims, professing that we are hindered because of the actions of another. The accusatory shout is, “You are ruining my life!” instead of blessing those who curse us and forgiving those who have offended us.
I’m dismayed by Christians who refuse to pray for President Biden, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nancy Pelosi, Kamal Harris or other Democrats. Instead, they seek to call them out, to ridicule them, to shame them and to blame them. The fruit they are eating results in them unable to see them as future children of God, brothers and sisters in the Lord, and people who God deeply loves. No, instead they want to snipe all who threaten their concept of righteous American political viewpoints.
Take a few moments and peruse various news outlets. Take note of how many articles, quotes and opinions include blaming others for whatever problems they are experiencing. You’ll be stunned. Or, maybe not. Then, take what you have discovered and ask yourself whether you employ the same tactics in your own life.
Wives do it to husbands, and husbands to wives. Employees do it to employers and vice versa. Conservatives do it to liberals. The left does it to the right. Students do it to teachers. Church members to it to pastors. Blame, it seems, has infected our entire society. The tree of knowledge of good and evil is our nation’s buffet.
In this world of blinded eyes, dull ears and hardened hearts, the life of God isn’t imparted according to formulas, facts and carefully researched data, but rather by dynamic, life-giving relationships. We can and should deal directly with problematic issues while dealing in a life-giving, honoring manner with people, especially brothers and sisters in Christ.
A person living in the tree of life loves and serves in the spirit of Truth (Jesus) while those living in the tree of knowledge of good and evil are fueled by facts. If we become enraged by situations in our lives and then seek to accuse and blame others for our troubles, we can know we have been poisoned by desirable fruit from a deadly tree.
I don’t question people’s desire to stand for truth by supporting Donald Trump. Their determination to expose darkness and any fraud and corruption is good. Unfortunately, few have discovered how to do so without blaming and accusing and with a heart of love. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is the quickest route to gathering facts and winning debates while losing the heart of God in the process.
THE DESIRE FOR GODLINESS
Much of the venom from Christians today is a result of their strong opinions about the election. Sadly, too many have not figured out how to stand for truth while also being life-giving in the process. Their heads are raised and fangs out when they come across anyone who isn’t in perfect alignment with their perspective on the outcome of the election.
Interestingly, most every time their aggressive retort comes in the form of facts, videos, conspiracy theories, interviews, prophecies and other supposed evidences. The goal is to shame their opponent with facts instead of honoring them as children of God.
Genesis 3:4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
Interestingly, Satan appealed to Eve's desire for godliness, but, while it resulted in knowledge, it was devoid of life. A form of godliness but devoid of power. Eve was pursuing godly knowledge! This is such a powerful truth that can easily be missed. The problem was that God knew mankind would not know how to handle the information with humility, love and surrender.
Their recognition of their own nakedness was correct, but it was different than the revelation that God wanted for them. They were suddenly ashamed instead of free.
He wanted them to be childlike, but now they didn't have that capacity.
When they ate of the tree, which provided absolutely accurate knowledge, they became servants to it.
This same poison has infected much of the church, and certainly most all of secular society. A desire for “rightness” has resulted in division, hatred, anger, blame and shame.
THE BLAME GAME
Many Christians live in the tree of knowledge of good and evil their entire lives.
John 5:39 “You diligently study the scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”
Remember, we should be seeking out truth, not facts. We should be blessing, not blaming. Adam was compromised immediately upon eating the fruit.
Genesis 3:11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”
Blame! Can you see it?
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil always causes us to point at somebody and say “I can’t, because they didn’t,” but living from the fruit on the tree of life causes us to proclaim, “I can, no matter what they do.”
This is a prime reason why I personally don’t get spun out because Joe Biden is our President. We as the church can advance the Kingdom of God no matter what policies a secular politician advances.
I’m not naïve either. I know it’s important to engage the secular, political system as light bearers. We should not stay silent. But, we shouldn’t be dismayed either. We engage, we love, we prophesy, we proclaim, we expose and we advance, but from a life-giving perspective. I absolutely can see Joe Biden and the rest as on-fire worshipers of Jesus! He doesn’t threaten me, we as the church threaten him with prophetic decrees of salvation, love and abundant life!
Someone called me a liberal hiding behind a pulpit because of my positive view about the election. I had to laugh. If anything, I’m not a liberal, BUT if my love for our new administration results in accusations of being a liberal, so be it!
Do you see the difference between being driven by truth instead of facts? The truth sets people free while facts have the power to imprison.
Jesus told us the truth must be written on our hearts, not our brains!
John 8:30-32 (NKJV) 30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Proverbs 3:3-4 (NKJV) 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, 4 And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.
Facts have the power to divide, but truth delivered in love, with mercy, as they are written on our own heart, will result in favor with man! It's a powerful contrast!
The tree of knowledge of good and evil just grows and grows as we attempt to figure out right versus wrong. Again, remember, we have a duty as Believers to expose the darkness, but being fueled by facts in order to defeat another with arguments and accusations only results in the darkness growing more impenetrable.
The blame game must come to an end. If it doesn’t, the consequences are dire.
Matthew 24:9-13 (KJV) 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Will you endure to the end? Will you be blameless? Will you refuse to complain and dispute?
Philippians 2:14-16 (NKJV) 2:14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
I feel impressed to invite many of you who are reading this to consider repenting for the way you have responded to Joe Biden’s election to President of the United States. Then, pray a heartfelt prayer for him, his family, his Vice President and the rest of the liberal left. Don’t pray a haughty prayer of rebuke. Don’t stop short by only praying for his salvation. Don’t pray manipulatively (God won’t hear you). But, pray something like this:
Father, I thank you for the next four years in our nation. I trust you to be the Lord and leader as we see your Kingdom advanced in unprecedented fashion. I ask that you would powerfully and mightily bless President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the rest of his team. I ask that you would visit him, speak to him and draw him close to you. Give him great wisdom to lead our nation. Touch his heart with your fiery love and transform him more and more each day. I pray the more he sees you, the more his leadership is modeled after the life of Jesus. I’m believing we will see this manifest in the years to come. I thank you for his life and I honor him as your established leader for this time.
This teaching has become one of my most requested. I’d like to offer the eBook, audio teaching and sermon notes for free when subscribing at www.burton.tv/free.
Joe Biden Is NOT My President! (Actually, He Is)
Hocus Pocus, Conspiracy Theory, Vigilante Christianity In A Post-Trump America
Post-Trump America. If those three words have you screaming from the depths of your agitated soul, “Joe Biden is NOT my President!” you have stumbled upon the right article. I voted for Donald Trump and I am quick to shout from the rooftops that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have teamed up to create a terrible disturbance in the force in our nation. The first several days in office have proven this as they are aggressively and without apology promoting the immorality and wickedness that the liberal left is so famous for. Christians should be deeply grieved, yet so many are actually celebrating the ousting of Trump and the establishment of our new President and Vice President. In fact, I’m sure many who are reading this are among those who are rejoicing over the new administration. I honestly am more troubled and grieved by professing Christians supporting such a devious political party than I am the fact that the left is now leading our nation. Based on what I’ve seen on social media, there are millions of professing Christians who are vigorously applauding Joe Biden’s election. I’m talking about radical Believers who are known to be deeply devoted to Jesus. I’m stunned. I don’t believe it’s a stretch to suggest that the blood of millions of future dismembered children will be on the hands of those who voted for a pro-death politician. As I’ve often asked, if a political candidate admitted they would promote legislation to make the killing of any child under the age of two allowable, would you vote for him or her? If they believed parents had the right to tear off their toddler’s arms and legs as they bled to death if caring for them became too inconvenient, would it be right to support their candidacy? Of course not. It would make both the politician and the supporter horrid monsters. This is why Christians (or any sane person) supporting a pro-death party simply makes no sense. This among many other disturbing “values” of the left including an alleged stolen election should be enough to make any support laughable.JOE BIDEN IS OUR PRESIDENT
It would seem, given what I have already written, that I would be right along side those who are plastering all over social media that Biden isn’t my President. I’m not. In fact, I don’t believe any honest Christian who lives a life of integrity can. The truth that cannot be debated is that Joe Biden is the President of the United States of America. He’s living in the White House. Donald Trump isn’t. You might argue the “clear and obvious” voter fraud, the corrupt courts and all sorts of other accusations of illegal activity, and you may be right (and you may be wrong). However, none of that has changed the legal outcome of the election. Joe Biden is our President. Left-leaning George Stephanopoulos said the following:No election is perfect. But there were 86 challenges filed by [former] President [Donald] Trump and his allies in court. All were dismissed. Every state certified the results.” He also insisted that former Attorney General Bill Barr even said that there was no “evidence of widespread fraud.”I’m personally disappointed by the #notmypresident mantra that so many Christians have adopted. Well, not adopted, it was borrowed from the left. Check out this from the Washington Post:
Hillary Clinton dismissed President Trump as an “illegitimate president” and suggested that “he knows” that he stole the 2016 presidential election…And, from another source online:
“They are clapping back with the trending hashtags #NotMyPresident and #ImStillWithHer, simultaneously decrying Trump’s win and showing support for his opponent, Hillary Clinton.”A post on Twitter summed it up:
I refuse to accept that a racist, homophobic, pig is going to be president. #NotMyPresident #ImStillWithHer — Brennyn (@UnicornsSlay) November 9, 2016To employ such a juvenile attack strategy by kicking feet, pouting and whining and slapping #notmypresident all over the interwebs is embarrassing, especially for God’s holy church. Christians, shame on you.
HOCUS POCUS PROPHECY
As a Charismatic Christian who strongly believes in the importance of embracing legitimate prophecy, it’s easy for me to admit that we need reformation in today’s prophetic movement. So much of it has become bizarre hocus pocus released by unleashed ministers without any of the weighing and judging that Scripture demands. You might be shocked at the personal attacks I’ve experienced simply because I am doing what the Bible mandates we do by weighing and judging prophetic words. One lovely Christian told me that God has turned his face from me. Others have accused me of not having faith. Some have let me know that I don’t know how to stand in the midst of trial. Someone called me ignorant and accused me of perpetuating the lies of the left. My agreement with the Hell’s agenda makes me complicit, said another. Why is there so much vomit coming out of the mouths of Christians over this election? An intense, negative reaction to the results of the election should terrify you. It reveals where your hope rests. It exposes your lack of readiness for the end times. It opens the door of your soul to the anti-Christ spirit and, in the near future, the anti-Christ himself. Understand, I'm not talking about being passive or not being aggressive against the enemy. I'm talking about triggered people. Depressed, angry, mean, rude, divisive people. Those who have become unhinged and nearly hopeless. Those who will shame, assault and divorce anyone who doesn't join them in their emotional crisis. In fact, I’ve called people to pray for our new President, and I’m so disheartened by many people’s replies. Some refuse outright to pray for him as he’s an “imposter.” Others refuse to pray anything but God’s judgment on him. It’s madness! The state of the church must be very bad indeed if this type of response to a call to lovingly pray for someone is so common. I believe a key reason for this intense, unrighteous reaction is partly due to the unbalanced, unrestrained prophetic movement that had such an influence on gullible people during the election. Remember, I’m a promoter of healthy, biblical prophecy. We need more, not less of it. A holy prophetic spirit must emerge in the American church if we have any hope of surviving the vicious wickedness that is both here and on the horizon. But, too much of what has been labeled prophetic in this current season is either flat out wrong or it was handled wrongly. Mario Murillo said:“There were true prophets and false prophets. And, while their messages about Trump seemed the same, there was a stark difference. The true prophets rightly coupled the promise of Trump’s victory with a call for the Church to repent. But the false prophets spoke as if we were entitled to an automatic victory.”Mario’s point is extremely important. Prophecy is conditional. It must be presented with the conditions so the hearers know how to respond. This is part of the prophetic reformation that is so necessary today.
CONSPIRACY THEORISTS AND CHRISTIAN VIGILANTES
Has anybody else noticed the morphing of recent prophetic words about the election and the QAnon style conspiracy theories? In one breath someone is declaring they are standing on the words of the prophets about Donald Trump’s reelection, and in the next they are attempting to prove their positions by sharing various videos and left field news stories. Am I saying all of these reports are false? Of course not. Do I believe there is no fraud, secrecy, corruption or illegal and unconstitutional activity surrounding the election? I actually believe there may be. The problem comes with the way Christians are handling their suspicions. Does that mean we can't keep hunting for fraud? No. Does that mean we can't be hopeful for a dramatic, miraculous turn of events? No. But, let's do so honestly and with integrity. Joe Biden is our President. Saying he's “not my President” is simply false and those who are saying it are surrendering their credibility. All you have to do is consider what is required for someone to be legally elected President of the United States. Joe Biden fulfilled every obligation. Many of you remember the trial of the century as OJ Simpson was accused of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Many (most?) would argue that the evidence that OJ Simpson was guilty was absolutely overwhelming. In fact, some would suggest you’d have to be a fool to believe he didn’t kill them. However, in our nation, in our judicial system, little matters other than the verdict. The verdict is superior to the facts. No matter how convincing the evidence was, OJ Simpson was found innocent. Not guilty. That was the judgment. He was a free man. It doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not or whether he did it or not. It doesn’t matter what the evidence was. He was free and he could never be tried for those crimes again. It was settled. The same principle applies with the election. Once the verdict has been delivered, the evidence doesn’t matter. What we believe doesn’t matter. The suspected fraud doesn’t matter. The courts refused every single case. Of course, you might argue that the courts are biased or even corrupt. You may be right, but it doesn’t matter. The decision of a biased or corrupt court is still the only decision that matters. All we can do is take it to a higher court. And, as Christians, it sure would be nice if we stormed the courts of heaven over this instead of hurling accusations against everyone who doesn’t dance to the drum the conspiracy theorists are incessantly beating. The vigilantes are out in force. Cross them with any suggestion that we should move ahead under the leadership of Joe Biden and his administration and you will be outed, mocked, shamed and assaulted with all sorts of conspiracies and supposed proofs. Get ready for your Facebook Messenger to be flooded with stories and videos that prove their point. This is no way for loving Christians to act. Remember, I believe there may have been some improprieties, I agree there may have been fraud. But conspiracies and goofy prophecies have hijacked too many people. They drank the Kook-Ade (I meant to type Kool-Ade, but I think I’ll leave it as I wrote it) and they have lost their balance as if what they were drinking was spiked with an intoxicating and wicked potion. Dr. Michael Brown wrote regarding the failed election prophecies:What you prophesied did not come to pass. There is not an alternative, spiritual reality in which Trump is still functioning as president. Nothing is going to change in a month or a year. It’s over. Even if there was massive electoral fraud, the results of this election will not be overturned. Donald Trump will not serve a second, consecutive term. Face the facts, be accountable before God and man, take the hits that will be coming, and humble yourself before the Lord and His people. This is not the time for excuses. This is not the time to concoct spiritual myths. And this is absolutely not the time to blame others. If you prophesied falsely, you and you alone are to blame.More than any other Christian voice today, in my opinion, Dr. Brown brings wisdom and biblical balance to this volatile situation. He also said:
So many of God’s people are hurting, and the world is mocking us, thinking that our faith in Jesus is just as false as these failed Trump prophecies.He’s right. Leaders like Mario Murillo and Dr. Michael Brown are needed more than ever today when conspiracies and divisive Christians are multiplying every moment. Sadly I’ve heard Christians proudly declare they have stopped following Dr. Brown because of his stance. I’m sure many will unfollow or block me too. Oh, and by the way, if the conspiracy theorists are correct and the election is somehow overturned and Donald Trump is restored as President. I’ll celebrate, but sadly too many of the Christian vigilantes will be filled with pride, pointing fingers and puffing themselves up as spiritually superior. How do I know this? Nonstop I’ve heard from them predicting their victory in this strange, divisive battle. “You’ll see!” “Your faithlessness will be exposed!” “Just wait, the prophets are right!” Well, I hope those who are prophesying God’s heart are right. I’m ready to celebrate with my vigilante brothers and sisters in Christ. Break out the confetti. Photo credit: “Lunch with Joe Biden” by jurvetson is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Originally published by The Stream.
Why Christians Must Support “The Right To Offend”
Free speech isn't the only liberty at risk—the Gospel message itself is being threatened.
‘Freedom only to speak inoffensively is not worth having.'
My approach in this article might be considered a bit strange since it's coming from someone who has a high value for holiness, love and honor of others. The right to offend opens up the floodgates for all sorts of cruel, immoral, hateful and ungodly behavior. In fact, we as Christians should never desire to cause others to fall into the prison of offense by our unrighteous words or actions.
I've written and taught on this critical topic for several years, and it's quite possibly the most feeing message I've ever delivered.
If you'd like a free copy of my eBook Becoming Unoffendable, you can dive deeper into the power of a life lived free from offense. Check it out HERE.
The Bible tells us that in the end, love will grow cold. Offense overtaking a culture is a key indicator of the arrival of the latter part of the end times:
“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” (Matthew 24:7–10, KJV 1900)
If we are going to survive and avoid falling away, we must live a life free from offense. We must be unoffendable. The moment offense takes root is the moment we have adopted the identity of a victim. We point fingers at others and blame and complain and allow their actions against us, beliefs about us and words said about us to define us. Instead of laying down our lives, loving, forgiving and blessing those who curse us, offense causes us to strike back. Imagine if Jesus did this as his haters were mocking him as he was dying naked on the cross.
This is why the vile sin of gossip is so destructive. Gossip erupts from the soul of an offended person. It's a form of hatred and revenge, and it is a powerful and wicked weapon against those who oppose us. Further, gossip breeds even stronger offense as it seeks to destroy, shame and manipulate.
With this in mind it's critical to understand that we have a dire responsibility to love with such passion that the unapologetic truth of Jesus will touch as many people as possible. We don't want people to be offended. Why?
“A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: And their contentions are like the bars of a castle.” (Proverbs 18:19, KJV 1900)
If we, through mean spirited, arrogant or unloving words or actions cause people to be unnecessarily offended, we imprison them. It's next to impossible to win them to Jesus.
So, I understand how it might seem a bit bizarre that I'm promoting “the right to offend.”
A CALL TO REPENTANCE IS POSSIBLY THE MOST OFFENSIVE MESSAGE MANY WILL EVER HEAR
The Daily Mail, a British publication, reports, “Judges have insisted that freedom of speech includes the ‘right to offend' in a landmark ruling which could help to turn the tide on ‘woke' intolerance…”
Presiding over a case in the Court of Appeal, Lord Justice Bean and Mr Justice Warby said: ‘Freedom only to speak inoffensively is not worth having.'
They added that ‘free speech encompasses the right to offend, and indeed to abuse another'. The judgment from two senior members of the judiciary will set a precedent for future cases involving freedom of speech.”
The reason Christians must support the right to offend is simple: the message we have been mandated to deliver to the world is by nature offensive to those who reject it.
According to the Bible, the cross of Christ is offensive. We can't avoid that. We can't soften it. Jesus offended to such a severe degree that people tortured and murdered him. Yet, he loved and forgave.
Our attitude when serving the message to our audience should never be offensive. We must preach with fire in our veins and tears in our eyes. Our hearts must be broken over the pain and hopelessness of the world. The moment we start shoving our favorite Bible revelations down the throats of the lost is the moment we started teetering on the verge of losing our own salvation. This is abhorrent behavior to say the least.
However, while the Gospel message is the greatest revelation of love the world will ever know, it is also threatening, corrective, invasive, unmoving and, yes, offensive.
“So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.” (1 Peter 2:7–8, ESV)
The Gospel message invades the private spaces of those who have rejected God. The Holy Spirit will confront the rebellion and the pain and the confusion in an attempt to reach the deepest places of their hearts. Many of you who are reading this know exactly what I'm talking about. It's quite possible, normal even, to be offended into the Kingdom of God!
The resulting collapse to their knees as they cry out to God for the first time in their lives is evidence of the power of sanctified, holy offense that the Holy Spirit is perfectly skilled at delivering. When the message offends, God can transform lives powerfully. However, when the messenger offends, ears are shut and hatred results.
THE RIGHT TO OFFEND GOES EVEN FURTHER
Let's bring this topic into the natural, secular realm.
The justices on the other side of the ocean are on to something. A nation becomes weak and liberties are threatened when its people become easily offended. The snowflake culture is more threatening to the strength of our nation than we know.
Does it make any sense that certain affinity groups would have a right to be protected from what others are saying while the rest of civilization does not? Why would those who have adopted a transgender lifestyle (which was the focus of the Daily Mail's article) have a specialized right to not hear what others have to say while the rest of the world has no choice but to have cruel, hateful vomit spewed all over them?
I was so saddened when I was watching a TikTok video the other day. A wonderful special needs adult who has a large following on the platform was attacked by a troll. This terrible person said it's “cute” when special needs children are on display on social media, but adults? They should be euthanized.
I was sickened. This was hateful speech. In comparison to an individual refusing to refer to a transgendered person by their preferred pronoun, well, there is no comparison.
Anyone who spends any amount of time online will see the most heinous people in our nation freely hating, attacking, trolling, bullying, mocking, canceling, shaming and attempting to wound anyone they disagree with. It's everywhere. So, again, the question is, why would certain affinity groups be protected from free speech while the rest of us are not?
My wife and I have a travel channel on YouTube. We are privileged to have a great community of people who are pleasures to interact with. However, there have been several who have been hurtful. Guess what? They have a right to say what they want. They can attack. They can hate. They have that right. I will defend their right to projectile verbal vomit all over me.
Comedian Dave Chappelle unleased absolutely disgusting, vile, unfunny and hateful language in the direction of conservative activist Candace Owens. I won't come close to sharing what he said here, but I will share the shocking and refreshing response from Candace. She tweeted:
To every Democrat tweeting me the clip of #DaveChappelle insulting me: I’m not a leftist. I have a sense of humor & I think comedians SHOULD make fun of people. Dave Chappelle is one of the greatest comedians of all time and I made it into one of his specials. That’s POWER!
Whatever the opposite of a snowflake is, that is Candace.
When Congressman-elect Luke Letlow recently died of COVID-19, many truly sick individuals started launching I-told-you-so attacks against him (regarding his more right-leaning beliefs concerning the virus that ironically took his life). The hatred that flooded Twitter and other social sites is protected free speech, but people become enraged when their affinity group isn't affirmed? This offensive, demented and loveless barrage of missel strikes on Luke Letlow has most certainly devastated even further his precious wife and children who are in mourning.
Of course we know Christians are often targets of hate. Where is the outrage?
The Daily News reports:
On New Year’s Eve, left-wing journalist and New York Times bestselling author Kurt Eichenwald wished “pain & misery” on Republicans and said that he wants to find an “antimasker” and “beat them to death.” During the volatile rant, Eichenwald also scolded alleged “anti-mask” “F***ING ‘Christians’ who preen about God saving [them] from COVID,” claiming they are who “Jesus condemns.” “I have so much hate in my heart tonight.”
With all sincerity, I pray God touches Kurt's heart and heals his pain.
Again, on TikTok, a creator was greeted with a comment that said, “I really hope this is a video of you having a stroke that will end your life.”
And, again, that hate speech is perfectly okay? Understand, comments like this are flooding the social-sphere night and day. Innumerable people being sniped by innumerable commenters with unfathomable hatred. Well, of course it isn't okay, but it's legal, and it should be. Voicing opinions, no matter how politically incorrect, evil or personal is protected in our nation. It's called free speech.
The saying goes, sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me. Of course, that's untrue. Words hurt. But, in our nation we are free to use hurtful words. We are free to use hateful words. Spend ten minutes outside of your Christian bubble and venture into the real world of public opinion. Every form of vile language and unrelenting hate-filled assaults are non-stop when it comes to politics, abortion rights, gay rights, masks, lockdowns, sports, parenting and pretty much every other hot topic in our culture.
Please tell me why this hate speech is protected but other hate speech is censored, rooted up and out. While you are considering that, let me know why some lies are affirmed while other lies are banished from social media.
THE RIGHT TO LIE
Okay, this is getting downright blasphemous. A Christian author supporting the right to lie?
It's not blasphemy. Honestly, it's common sense.
Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites have emerged as today's thought police, independently becoming arbiters of truth. They are either attaching disclaimers to “deceptive” tweets and posts or completely deleting them. Entire conservative accounts being deleted has become quite normal. In a nation that not only celebrates but was founded on free speech, alternate viewpoints (conspiracy theories) and even mainline, honest evaluations have become flagged as deceptive.
No longer can we question the election, share our beliefs regarding biology (science) when it comes to questions of gender or debate many of the liberal ideologies of the day.
Here's why we must support the right to lie. You will agree that it is common sense. The truth of the Word of God is already being rejected as a lie. If we don't support the right to lie or to hold positions that differ from secular society, our freedom to preach truth will be stripped.
Facebook, Twitter and the others: stop the moderation. You can't sanitize your platform of the truth you call a lie. If people want to promote belief in aliens, so be it. If we want to discuss election fraud, surely we should be allowed to. Our President surely should never be censored. (I'm talking to you, Jack Dorsey.)
But, friend, we have to know that as the end draws nearer, truth will be called a lie and lies will be called truth. This is why we must support the right to lie. We as Christians must be unmuzzled, free to spread “lies” that will set the captives free.
“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator…” (Romans 1:24–25, ESV)
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20, ESV)
WE MUST BE UNOFFENDABLE
If we are unoffendable, we will remain full of life, joyful and victorious no matter what people say to us. Yes, words hurt, but they should not debilitate.
Both in the spiritual and the natural, we must discover this strength. Our churches and our nation will become stronger, healthier and enduring when we refuse to melt when the verbal (or written) attacks come.
The Daily Mail continued, “Mr Justice Warby explained that the relevant parts of the Communications Act ‘were not intended by Parliament to criminalise forms of expression, the content of which is no worse than annoying or inconvenient in nature'. Mr Justice Warby also suggested that the prosecution had been an ‘unjustified state interference with free speech'.”
Please hear me. I have already made the case that we should never desire to offend, but when we as Christians stand for truth, offense will come. There is a careful, Spirit-led balance that must be discovered. There is a time to avoid offending people, as Jesus made clear:
“When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”” (Matthew 17:24–27, ESV)
There's also a time to stand for what is right, defending the liberty of society, even though those who aren't willing to be graceful may strike back. It makes no sense that it's okay to call for a special needs adult to be killed but it's a crime for someone to call someone a he instead of a she. A spirit of offense truly is overtaking the world, and we cannot allow it to dictate laws and culture.
I'll conclude by requalifying and clarifying my position on personal holiness. We as blood-bought Believers must be spotless, rejecting a life of sin and driven by the love of Jesus. We should not lie, hate or intentionally offend. Our passion must be the transformation of those who God so deeply loves. The world needs to see us as an unoffendable army of lovers of our mighty God. We must stand for truth even when it's determined to be a lie. We must deliver the offensive truth of Scripture from a pure and unoffended heart. We must love so deeply that those who vehemently resist it lash out and call us haters.
Simply, get ready for persecution that living a consecrated life will bring.
Originally published by The Stream.
Yes, Nancy Pelosi, Faith Trumps Science
The science argument has neutered much of the church's potent, supernatural message.
“(Nancy Peolosi) suggested that some government officials and members of Congress were anti-science because of their faith.” ~The Blaze
Nancy, I'm sorry I used a trigger word in the title (trump), but I had to jump at the chance to address something you said. You were dismayed by “faith oriented” members of Congress who put more stock in God's healing power than in man's scientific advances. As a leader in this Christian nation, I'm stunned that you would have such a viewpoint. Sadly, many Christians have adopted similar faithless ideologies, straying so far from the wonders of supernatural, miraculous, shock and awe faith toward a natural, godless version of spirituality (if such a thing were possible).
The bible calls it a form of godliness. The problem? This style of religion is devoid of power. It's atheistic at its roots, only dressed up to appear just superstitious enough to pass as spiritual.
We are in the last days, and this issue makes it onto a very sobering list:
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1–5, ESV)
Lovers of money. Proud. Arrogant. Heartless. Lovers of pleasure. To top it all off, an appearance of godliness and a denial of God's power.
Avoid such people.
As followers of Jesus, we should be living in the miraculous realm every moment of our lives. It's disheartening that so many professing Christians have fallen for the delusion that science is superior to faith. Scientific fact is the ultimate litmus test. If science proves something in Scripture to be wrong, then science is the clear victor. Nonsense.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MIRACULOUS CHRISTIAN LIFE?
People have attempted to use science to silence Christian zealots for centuries. Christians have stumbled over their own arguments by attempting to agree with the opposition. Their debate is fueled by the thesis that what is found in the Bible will always affirm science. They declare that biblical truth will always affirm scientific fact. This argument is doomed from the beginning.
From cover to cover in Scripture we see science defied. It's everywhere.
Jesus walked on water. Science defied.
Lazarus rose from the dead. Science defied.
A sea split in half. Science defied.
A paralytic walked. Science defied.
The sun stood still. Science defied.
Thousands fed with a few loaves of bread and a few fish. Science defied.
An iron axe head floated in water. Science defied.
And, the Savior of our world was conceived without his parents having sex. Thank God, science was defied.
WHERE ARE THE AUTHENTIC CHRISTIANS DURING THIS GLOBAL CRISIS?
In an article I wrote titled Christians are Being Embarrassed By The Coronavirus, I dealt with the mostly natural, scientific approach so many followers of Jesus have defaulted to:
Are you taking the opportunity to show the lost you are fearless, full of faith and joyful? Or do they sense your anxiety about coronavirus?
A crisis of faith has been exposed. Coronavirus is embarrassing the church.
Have you noticed any difference at all between the godless world and those who are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, the Healer? Bold decrees of faith, not confessions of fear and worry, should be exploding out of our mouths!
Instead, Christians are hiding in caves, running from the battle and trembling not in the fear of the Lord, but the fear of the enemy.
Sure, take precautions, but don’t cower. Don’t respond like the world. Don’t allow the enemy to impact your life. Live! Be free! You are covered by the blood of Jesus!
An unmoving devotion to belief, to faith, to confidence that supernatural, divine healing is our portion should be the mark of every Christian. Faith trumps science.
In fact, when we gain more confidence in vaccines and other medical measures than we do in God's desire and ability to heal, we set ourselves up for judgment.
“In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but sought help from physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first year of his reign.” (2 Chronicles 16:12–13, ESV)
King Asa's devotion to doctors to the exclusion of God resulted in his judgment. Death.
To be fair, what Nancy said isn't completely untrue:
“People say around here sometimes, ‘I'm faith-oriented so I don't believe in science' and I said, ‘Well you can do both. Science is an answer to our prayers and our prayers have been answered with a vaccine,'”
To be clear, I doubt the people around her who live by faith actually said that they don't believe in science. Gravity is real. So are germs. So is medicine. Nobody would debate any of that. My guess is they were saying that faith trumps science. That is what I agree with, and apparently what Nancy disagrees with.
However, she did point out that both faith and science can work together. Scientific discovery can be the answer to prayer. I agree with that. What I disagree with is that faith must align with science. If our faith must come under submission to scientific fact, then we'd be nothing more than full blown athiests. A people who deny supernatural wonders whenever they contradict with scientific proof. These people are rejecting the power of God and the Bible commands us to have nothing to do with them.
NANCY, I IMPLORE YOU TO REPENT AND TO DISCOVER THE GLORIES OF SUPERNATURAL LIVING
By giving science and the natural realm more credence than the invisible realm, we imprison ourselves to its restrictions. This is a terrible, disappointing and powerless way to live.
When we live our lives not by sight, but by faith, everything changes in a moment! Miracles are common! The impossible becomes probable! The presence of the Holy Spirit radiates all around us!
We can't live like King Asa, running to the physicians, the scientists, the logical intellectuals in search for answers. Our first and continual focus must be on our omnipotent God and his plan to work miraculously in our lives. From that place we can certainly take advantage of natural remedies. But, our faith must be extreme and it must be in a God we cannot see and his abilities that are far greater than any scientist that has ever lived. Yes, Nancy, faith absolutely trumps science. Every day of the week.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5, ESV)
Photo credit: “Nancy Pelosi Introducing Obama in SF” by jurvetson is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Originally published by The Stream.
2020: The Year Hate Made the World Go Round
Hate has become the emotion of choice for a lot of people this year – including a whole bunch of Christians.
It’s more evident than ever just how toxic our culture is. 2020 has been quite the litmus test for love and civility.
I was recently interviewed about a recent article I wrote for The Stream titled Is Today’s Prophetic Movement Fake News? In the midst of a discussion on the unhealthy nature of much of today’s prophetic movement, I noted that I’m concerned that the church has wasted the opportunity that 2020 has provided us. The church’s often volatile reactions to the pressures of this season have been telling. People from all sides, the left, the right, the saved and the lost have been spewing poisonous personal revelations about everything from masks to freedom to Trump to equality. No, there’s nothing wrong with holding to a strong opinion on important matters. We’d be socially dead if we didn’t. However, the moment we villainize, attack, shame, cancel and blacklist those who disagree with us is the moment our true, dark hearts are revealed.
WE WEREN’T READY FOR 2020, AND WE AREN’T READY FOR 2021
I wrote an article for Charisma Magazine on January, 2nd 2020, just as the year was beginning and well before true concern for COVID-19 had arrived. Few knew about the coming pestilence, or at least the severity of it. I re-read the article and got chills. The call was clear: adopt humility, fervent prayer and a radical devotion to holiness in our pursuit of Jesus as the plagues and pestilence visit us:
2020 is here. Does God have good plans for His true, remnant church? Sure. However, His true church isn't primarily concerned about that. Those aren't the words they want to hear. They are in tune with the assault of the spirit of the age, with the immorality in the land, with the abominations that both the world and the church are in alignment with and with possible judgment and wrath that can strike our nation if we don't turn. They are crying out for God to prophetically speak about this stuff. They want to be warned, and they want to share those warnings with the world.
I'm not saying the following passage is a prophetic word, but it sure is a much better exhortation than many I'm reading concerning the new year. I propose we do this:
“When I shut up the heaven and there is no rain, or when I command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence on My people, if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer of this place (2 Chron. 7:13-15, MEV).
I’d encourage you to read the entire article here.
On December 19th, 2019, I posted to Facebook:
So much of “prophecy” today is utterly useless, a distraction and often dangerous as it leads the immature and those who can't discern into false hope and down wrong paths.
I don't know how often I read prophecies on Facebook that cause me to say, “My time was just wasted. I didn't need to know that, even if it is true.”
While so much of prophecy today is an embarrassment, we must respond to the true call of the Spirit of God in this hour. Humility, love, prayer and holiness are most certainly part of that call.
In the face of the greatest global chaos in any of our lifetimes, the church should have been leading the way by calling for solemn assemblies, heart-wrenching prayer meetings and whatever else must happen to see a move of God overtake us. Instead, too many have become enraged, offended and puffed up at political leaders for restricting their freedoms and shutting down the churches. Why? So they can get back to their tired, predictable and mostly powerless 90-minute karaoke sing-a-long’s and story telling sessions?
“Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.” (Joel 1:14–15, ESV)
Before you become unglued (yet again), allow me to make a point. I too have opinions and strong beliefs. I firmly believe the Bible out ranks our governmental officials. When God in his Word commands us to meet together, we meet together. We should do it safely and with wisdom, but, in my opinion, I am convinced that we should be gathering together. However, if we rise up in pride against supposed tyranny just so we, in a spirit of independence, can have our way (in the guise of protecting our Constitutional rights) then we have failed. Rebellion can never be a Christian’s weapon against our oppressors. Today we have companies of arrogant, spiritualized rebels, defying authority in the name of God, as God himself resists them.
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…” (1 Samuel 15:23, NKJV)
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6, ESV)
FIGHTS, ACCUSATIONS, DIVISION AND HATRED
2020 is the year of losing friends, or at least a time when we learned just who our true friends were.
Social media has allowed for the unleashing of all types of self-important proclamations. Don’t dare have an opposing opinion about masks, our President, racial issues, our freedoms, the Constitution or pretty much anything else unless you want to be assaulted in the comments. It’s disgusting. No matter how righteous your pursuit is, handling it without love, honor and respect will nullify it.
I’m stunned most every day at how rude blood-bought Christians can be, especially on social media. Have you not encountered the love and the fear of the Lord? I mean, really had an overwhelming encounter where our omnipotent, holy and all-consuming God laid you out? If not, I propose you cease all of your attempts at heroism in our social fabric and hit your knees. Cry out to God with raw, guttural groans. Repent. Yearn for his presence and his glory to saturate you. Ask for your hip to be taken out and for a tongue of fire to ignite over you. Honestly, little else matters.
That brings me to those of you who have had such encounters, yet you still don’t know how to love. Stop everything. Learn to love. I’m not talking about the sappy, passive, new age, beta-male style “kindness” that is being promoted (mostly by unbelievers) all over the world. In fact, check out one of my most popular articles, The Great Love Deception, to understand just what I mean and what I don’t mean when I mention the world love. False love is truly on the rise and we must expose it and promote true, biblically defined love.
From the article:
Philippians 1:9-10 (MSG) 9 So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings 10 so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of…
We are to learn to love appropriately. This scripture is a critical exhortation! Why? It means there are inappropriate ways to love. There are deceptions that feel right, but are poor representations or even counterfeits of truth.
As God’s love begins to manifest in such amazing, deeper ways at the end of the age, we have to be aware that the enemy will work hard to redefine, misrepresent and twist true love. He has a castrated version to offer us.
I’ve run into several people, many who were once grounded Believers, who have bought into this supposed new revelation of love, and the stench is putrid. Supposedly Donald Trump is the candidate of arrogance, division and hatred while Joe Biden promotes humility, unity and love. People who wear masks are the poster children for true love while those who are anti-mask are selfish and hateful of others. Those who make such claims are delusional beyond belief. (On the contrary, those who refuse to wear masks when required and pout like children when pressed on the matter have no idea what love looks like either. Neither do those who cancel everyone in their lives who don’t support Donald Trump. I could go on and on.)
Love can (and often should) be very direct, unrelenting, unapologetic and aggressive. However, it must be done with grace, honor and respect. The alternative? Well, 2020 has taught us that anything from riots to destroying people’s lives when we disagree with them is on the table.
THE WORLD IS WATCHING
Yes, we as Believers are watching the world, and weeping. The vaccine has arrived, and now people are shaming whoever their political enemies are for being among the first to take it. It’s yet another opportunity for them to accuse their foes of killing grandma.
Both the left and the right, and Hollywood and Nashville, and every other sphere of influence in our nation have been guilty of hatred. The right assaults Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Alyssa Milano and many others on a daily basis. Of course, the left attacks with vengeance Donald Trump and anyone who even whispers a minute amount of support for him or his policies.
Yet, more sadly, the world is watching the church. And, with some notable exceptions, I believe the church has failed miserably this year.
Where is the anointing? The power? The undeniable, supernatural love? Too many of today’s Christians have chosen social justice over holy justice. We need an other-worldly move of God to absolutely crush our nation. Where are God’s people who are truly repentant (and repenting), who are rending their hearts, who are interceding for their enemies instead of bashing them?
Where are those who are more interested in the salvation of Washington D.C. and Hollywood then they are in campaigning for the restoration and protection of their personal freedoms? Are there any who, while still maintaining concern for the direction of our nation, will focus mostly on contending for their enemy’s souls?
Can you imagine what would happen if some of our nation’s influencers had a genuine, undeniable, supernatural, life-altering visit by a holy, burning God?
I suggest the following passage of Scripture would make an excellent focus of intercession for those who have yet to experience God in this way:
“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,” (Revelation 1:12–17, ESV)
An encounter like that would fix, overnight, the tyranny in California and New York. It would change politics, media and the landscape of our entire nation in a moment.
More than fighting our oppressors, let’s truly pray with passion for them. Let the tears flow. Cry out. Pursue love. Go hard after legitimate revival. Start a revolution.
If you'd like to kick start your intercession, leave a 60-second prayer for Alyssa Milano at www.prayerteam.tv.
Photo credit: “File:9.12.15AlyssaMilanoByLuigiNovi1.jpg” by Luigi Novi is licensed under CC BY 3.0
Originally published by The Stream.
Is Today’s Prophetic Movement Fake News?
No matter what ultimately happens with the election, we need reformation in today's prophetic streams.
I've hesitated writing this article for several weeks. The reason? I'm placing myself right in the crossfire of the prophetic zealots (of which, ironically, I am one) and those who are fed up with the mystical, self-serving foolishness that's rampant today. I'm in that group too. Truly, it's a no-win situation. However, ministry isn't about winning. Ministry is about communicating truth so the Kingdom of God can most powerfully advance. So, onward. It's important for you to understand that I have been embracing the prophetic for years. My entire life has been marked by strange and glorious supernatural occurrences. God's leading has been nothing short of remarkable and miraculous. I'm humbled and in awe. I believe that God speaks, moves and interacts with every Christian who has an ear to hear. The wonders that so many experience on a consistent basis are not only dramatic, but they are required if we are to move in the direction the Spirit of God is leading us. Without hesitation I admit to endorsing the often bizarre, sometimes confounding and always stunning biblically-based prophetic ministry. Honestly, it would be impossible for me not to. I've written about my personal, humanly impossible, logically indescribable prophetic happenings in several of my books. I can't doubt.FALSE PROPHETS!
With that, I'm also disturbed by the butchering of prophetic ministry today. Before you attempt to offer me a high-five in celebration of finding another who is bent on exposing today's false prophets, you need to hear me. Let's deal with the elephant in this article. Several high profile prophetic leaders have boldly predicted another four years for President Trump. You need to understand that I personally know some of these people, and I've been following the ministry of several others. To call them false prophets based on the current state of our nation's affairs alone would be ridiculous. These men and women of God are so pure, so passionate about Jesus and radically locked-in to God's heart. They are also imperfect. Let's settle something right now. Missing a prophecy does not deem one a false prophet. As I stated above, that is ridiculous. There's a difference between false prophecy and poor prophecy. False prophecy is demonic while poor prophecy flows out of imperfect children of God at times (just as poor teaching, poor pastoring and poor evangelizing does). Of course, at the writing of this article, the election isn't settled. President Trump could very well be re-elected, even at this late stage in early December, 2020. This would, I suppose, vindicate the prophets. But do they need vindication?NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECY
Old Testament prophecy and New Testament prophecy are markedly different. In the Old Covenant, a small handful of prophets received occasional, clear, precise messages from God. In the New Covenant, every Believer in Christ, including those who hold the office of Prophet, can hear God's voice. However, while Old Testaments prophets received messages, today we perceive God's messages. Today, prophecy is intuitive, often abstract and, in most cases, it must be learned. Quite often, prophetic signs, dreams, visions, impressions and other spiritual data must be interpreted. It also must be weighed, analyzed and prayed through. The Holy Spirit brings the understanding to the precise parts of the divine message entrusted to us. That process can result in accidental errors. Prophecy is tricky. We need to exhibit both faith and humility. Admitting there is a chance we might be wrong either partially or completely isn't exhibiting a lack of faith. I don't believe we should ever give a “thus sayeth the Lord” when prophesying. We should say, “I sense the Lord saying,” or “I have a strong impression that…” Why? We can miss it. Prophecies in Scripture are absolute. Prophecies today are not. Further, prophecies not found in the Bible are conditional. We have a role to play in the outcome. All of this is why I believe declaring a prophecy that is not found in Scripture to be one hundred percent certain to come to pass is inappropriate and irresponsible.FAKE NEWS PROPHECY
This brings us to the necessary reformation. Are there foolish, self-satisfying people growing a pseudo-prophetic ministry that's fueled by the enemy? Absolutely there are. Are there others who are immature in their understanding of the prophetic, and as a result are out of step with true biblical prophecy? Yes. Has the prophetic become way too dominant in some people's lives, to the exclusion of basic, orthodox, historical Bible truths? Most definitely. (Though I'd suggest there are way more who have excluded a true, biblical, prophetic lifestyle in favor of dry, dead religion.) Simply, is much of today's prophetic ministry that's flourishing all over social media fake news? It is. I'll introduce some sub-points that should at least get us thinking:PURPOSE
Predictive prophecy (foretelling) often leaves me asking a question: why was it necessary to share that message? What is the purpose? Understand, it's just a question. There may be a legitimate answer. Of course, Scripture is filled with predictive prophecies. Yet, there must be a reason God would reveal this information to us. Why did we need to know that President Trump would supposedly win the election? What is that purpose? On one hand, it could be to bolster a prophets resume of successful predictions. Is there another hand? Maybe. But we really need to know what's in that hand. What is our role in response to the prophetic word?STRATEGY
I personally believe all prophecy not found in Scripture is conditional. I believe it was designed this way by God as a catalyst to rally the troops. For example, if the prophets are revealing that Trump was God's choice, what must the church do to advance that agenda? Prophecy that is devoid of a strategic call to action is at least suspicious. Prophetic messages should provoke a response, whether it's a warning or revelation of God's heart or an uncovering of the enemy's plans, we as hearers of the word need to know how to proceed.FORTHTELLING VS FORETELLING
Personally, I am significantly more impressed with prophetic preaching, forthtelling, than I am with foretelling, revealing future events. Understand, I affirm and value both, when handled well. But, give me a Leonard Ravenhill any day over one of today's pop prophets. Forthtelling always has a fiery, urgent and unapologetic call to action. Unfortunately, too many of today's foretellers are more excited about their ability to craft the perfect fortune cookie message than they are revealing the depths of God.THUS SAYETH THE LORD
I dealt with this above, but I wanted to put it in the list of thought provokers. When I hear someone declare that “God said” and that what they heard is perfect, complete and guaranteed to come to pass, I change the channel. We prophecy in part. We see in part. We understand in part. And, guess what? We are fallible humans. We can miss it. Again, New Testament prophecy is intuitive. I'm not saying it can't have a measure of clarity. It absolutely can. I'm not saying it can't be overwhelming, weighty and convincing. It can. In fact, we need to live in the realm of the weighty much more than we do today. The prayer rooms should be soaked with sweat and tears from the brows of the prophets. However, we aren't privy to an unmistakable voice booming out of a burning bush. The Holy Spirit is the one brooding and impressing upon God's people mysterious and often illogical messages that require discernment, prayer and interpretation to grasp.PROPHECY IS CONDITIONAL
I posted the following to Facebook recently: What percent chance do you give Trump being reelected at this stage of the game? (If you say 100% or 0%, you are delusional. I'm sure you are nice, but still delusional.) Needless to say, a bunch of delusional friends responded! (I say that with a friendly smile on my face.) There are so many factors at play in the prophetic that we can rarely if ever proclaim that a prophetic word is certain to come to pass. Remember, prophecy not found in Scripture is conditional. It's an invitation, not a guarantee. Several promoted the idea that thinking anything less would be a violation of faith. This is not true. We have a part to play. This is what happens when “thus sayeth the Lord” style prophecies are accepted as the norm. They can seduce people into a false sense of comfort as they sit back and wait for it to come to pass.THE ENEMY
Anybody who has adopted a prophetic lifestyle knows that prophetic words must be warred over. Simply receiving and believing is far from enough. Satan is exceptionally skilled at disrupting the plans of God in our lives. When we simply receive and believe, we are playing right into the enemy's hands. We must go to battle! Presuming a prophecy will come to pass without a sword in our hands is akin to wishing upon a star.FINAL THOUGHTS
There are many other factors at play including timing, sin in the lives of the prophets, fear, doubt, presumption, etc. I feel some great first steps in reforming the prophetic would include:- Prophesying from a place of fervent, Spirit-driven intercession.
- Considering the purpose of the word.
- Majoring on forthtelling, minoring on foretelling.
- Communicating prophetic strategies, not just a prophetic word.
- Inviting the word to be weighed.
- Admitting when you missed it.
- Giving grace to those who missed it.
- Avoiding presumptive prophetic guarantees.