DANGEROUS TIMES – BUT THE END IS NOT YET.

DANGEROUS TIMES – BUT THE END IS NOT YET. (A rare Lance Blog. It’s easier to rant than write.)

Check your lenses and look again.

It’s time for us to understand the real threat before us. The intelligence apparatus of the state (DOJ, NSA, FBI, CIA) has become a tool of politics. This in combination with party controlled media creates what we rightfully dread most about Russia, China and North Korea, an unrestricted capacity to propagandize with narratives that paint ordinary citizens as the enemy of the state – and then target and punish the supposed enemy.

The strategy is to pray fervently and with faith that the truth will be manifest and the populist move will not back down on the audits. Each state now is its own laboratory of prayer. Focus on your state and press into the battle in the heavens.

BE BOLD
The fear and misinformation surrounding November 3rd, and the unexplored questions of January 6th, to say nothing of the now obvious misinformation about the origins of the virus are evidence of what happens when American journalists do what the Apostle Paul described as “suppressing the truth in unrighteousness.” (Romans 1:18) At first pass they merely seek to deceive but gradually they are given over to deception and believe a lie. (2 Tim 3:13. Check it out). Boldness will reward you in the day’s ahead.

WHATS HAPPENING NOW
Arizona audit results will start being drip fed Monday. The myth of a secure and honest November 3rd election will begin to look skimpier than a Kim Kardashian wardrobe change. What won’t get skimpier is the reformation coming to the American church. There will be increasing debate about how Christians engage the battle for Western Civilization, especially if the press slanders the faithful. Spiritual pacifists will complain that the believers on the front lines of this new chapter are a bad witness and do not speak for them.

The pastors and preachers who get this right will be promoted in this next move of God in America. There’s 20 million souls out there that love America but have never heard the gospel. Those revivalists who seize the flag in order to lead souls to the cross will meet with unexpected success.

It seems laughable that Christian leaders worry more about the church being inappropriately engaged in the political battle for democracy than they are in the loss of their own religious freedom. Let’s be ruthlessly honest. Since Wuhan, George Floyd, the nationwide riots, and the election we have not been exactly winning. We had a moment of potential in Trumps brief period in office but we didn’t know how to prolong or protect it. Donald Trump was a Christian leadership discernment test. The state of the nation today is our report card. Oddly, those who failed the test last time are doubling down on failing the re-test. That being the case, it should not surprise you that there is a great shaking yet ahead for the church. It’s all good.

DOMINIONISM
Every now and then I get slandered by the word “dominionism.” I am not a dominionist. I don’t even think anyone exists in this dominion space anymore. Christian “domionist’s” are like Bigfoot. He doesn’t exist but that doesn’t stop preachers from looking for him. Best as I understand, a dominionist is a believer that thinks Christians should strive to dominate culture and enforce Christian values like the Popes of the Middle Ages. Of course, the idea of an American Christian Taliban is as absurd as it is comical. Having said that, the problem is not the end (culture aligned with Biblical values) but the means. Dominion isn’t bad if the dominator is competent, just and benevolent. After all, JESUS IS A DOMINIONIST! He fully plans on ruling the planet when He returns. The problem is that the church in this era is NOT called to take over the worlds governments. Yet we are called to impact governments. As Jesus said: “You will stand before rulers and governors,” but this is in the role of a witness.

I AM GUILTY OF THIS
While we do not employ the weapon of compulsion we do deploy the weapon of PERSUASION. We don’t seek to rule over people, but we do resist the devil and upend his dominion wherever we’re called to do so. Like our apostolic fathers we persuade kings and rulers and yes, governments and the people under these governments and that makes us historically a threat to dictatorships and rulers of all types. Martyrs of the Reformation in the 1500-1600’s tesrify to this fact as do the 100,000 Christians killed every year. We pray for rulers. We strive to live peacefully with all men, but we do end up on a collision course with evil and corrupt regimes, even those operating under the false veneer of democracy.

Christians can and should shape culture in EVERY sphere. Our weapons are spiritual and their manifestation is the power of persuasion. Sometimes mass persuasion.

YOU ARE AUTHORIZED
I believe that the nations are shaped by the influencers that dominate the high places of culture on seven mountains. What part of the seven mountains of culture is a Christian supposed to engage? Or rather, which parts would Jesus have is neglect or ignore? Education? Media? Government? Business? Arts and Entertainment? Your Family? Church? You cannot “go into all the world, teaching and making disciples of nations” without intersecting or making a living in one of these domains.

What exactly does it mean to be “salt and light” in these circles? Or perhaps more importantly, what did Jesus mean when he warned us that a loss of “saltiness” could lead to our being “trodden under foot of men?” Evidently we should avoid being stepped on.

HOW DO WE OVERCOME?
Perhaps you share my sense of the danger of this moment. We need to talk. How are we at this time to overcome evil with good? Certainly by persuasion but also by serving and electing righteous people to office in 2022.

Are we willing to suffer for doing good? How exactly are we to let our good works shine before men? How are we to restore salt when we are near the point of being trodden under foot of men? This is what I’m asking.

FREE RADICALS
It starts with a return to our radical roots. The word “root” is the latin origin of the word “Radical.” The First Great Awakening was catalyzed by radical preachers and radical preaching. Radical praying. Radical witness. Radical conversions. And as a byproduct these Awakenings produced a radical dislike for the overreach of King George and a new idea in history – a people free from government tyranny and the rule of elites. Thats the United States. Democracy and due process, freedom from the fear of government and freedom of speech were a new idea. Radical.

Happy July 4th!