Give me Kingdom and Government
Not religion and politics
Last week I watched President Trump host his first cabinet meeting. I watched him invite his Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner, to open the meeting with prayer. I watched an open update and discussion, including answering questions from the media about the current state of our country. I watched a room full of governmental leaders’ dialogue with creativity and energy and genuine love for this country about possible solutions to get us back on track. I watched the whole thing! The experience left me feeling hopeful and lighter.
But why?
What has been on me, that I now feel free from?
Religion and Politics, a crazy combination.
Jesus warned His disciples (and warns us) of what He called the “leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of Herod.”
Leaven is yeast. The purpose of yeast is to be a fermenting agent that “permeates” or “influences” the flour in the baking of bread. In warning the disciples, He is telling them, and us, that there is an influence (leaven) of the Pharisees (religious leaders of the day) and an influence of Herod (political leaders of the day).
Mark 8:15 “And he (Jesus) cautioned them, saying, ‘Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
Religion and Politics, a historical combination.
Yet, Jesus does not level a warning against people in a political or religious realm, he warns us to be AWARE of their leaven…their influence. We need and must have leaders in all realms of society, political and religious alike. May these people be intelligent, gifted individuals who lead with wisdom and care for those in their charge. But what happens when evil men/women rule?
“Beware the leaven…”
How does that happen?
It is the old story that if you put a frog in boiling water, it will jump out immediately, but if you put the frog in cold water and turn up the heat slowly, the frog will boil to death. The ratio of leaven to flour is small, but the effect of leaven on the flour is exponential. The political/religious leaven that Jesus warns us about behaves the same way. There is a small, insidiousness about its influence that sneaks up on humanity, preying on their trust and/or ignorance. Slow, incremental legalistic movements sold as security to an insecure population to keep them in bondage to expectations and oblivious to the freedoms they are losing (or don’t know they have.)
Jesus said, Beware!
For several years, the chatter of the “Crazy Conspiracy Theorists” and the “Crazy Church Prophets” have been singing similar tunes. It really ramped up after Covid and the 2020 Election, and in the last year and a half the sound has been one of unity.
Religion and Politics, a burdensome combination.
I think that is exactly what the prophets and conspiracy theorists have been doing, calling out an awareness, sounding the alarm, and making us really take inventory of what has permeated our culture. What influence has been ruling our nation and for how long has this been going on? Do we really know what it feels like to be free, or are we just ignorantly born into the land of exile? How close have we been to literally boiling to death?
Kingdom and Government instead…
I feel freedom in the air…
What I saw in that Cabinet meeting was unique individuals who are neither influenced by politics nor religion, but who are unique expressions of humanity in the employ of the call of God on their lives. I saw hearts and minds at work in a creativity of purpose to bring our nation to excellence for the benefit of its citizens. What I saw, and felt was the prayers of the saints being answered.
A new day has arrived. Political expectations and mandates are losing power, and the days of true government are gaining strength. Legalistic oppression over the minds and hearts of humanity is breaking, and doctrines of separation are yielding to the Kingdom of our God and His redemptive plans.
What is our response?
It is not a time to step out of the fight, or back into the comfortable ignorance we have lived in for so long. It is time to take inventory of what influences we submit to? Its time to find clarity our identity in Christ and allow ourselves to be positioned for His purposes and His Glory, not your own. It is time to press into deeper trust! It is time to take courageous steps of faith for The Great I AM has a plan and a purpose for you in His Kingdom.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke I easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
You, Yes You, are called by God to participate in the Kingdom of His Son. Do what He says, when He says, how He says. You will be called higher, it will be scary, go anyway. You will be called deeper, it will shake you, go deeper anyway. You will be asked to let go of those things that influence your identity and embrace how He sees you, it will be painful, do it anyway!
Breaking free from the leaven of political/religious influence by our obedience for His Glory brings our hearts and minds supernatural peace. Enter into the promised ease and rest for our souls as we partner with the King of Kings.
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19.
In Faith,
Kammy