Lord, in our pursuit of good, justice, and truth, keep Jesus at the helm so that our efforts will not be in vain.

“The killing for George Floyd was the tipping point that sent our nation into labor. Since his death, we’ve been experiencing the birth pangs of an America groaning from the pressure of something needing to be born. …We believe the American Church is being called to midwife in this pregnant season of upheaval – to help birth a reformation… ” 24-7 Prayer USA announcement on June 1, 2020, 24-7prayerusa.com.

Our nation is in upheaval.  COVID-19 and racial inequality have stirred up the nation AND the Church to a place of discord, division, and disunity like never before.  The disease — real.  Injustice — real.  FEAR – the driving force.  I am not for one moment trying to minimize the reality at hand.  NOT for a moment.  But, what I am asking you to do is to take a big step back and let’s see if we can determine the real enemy…

 Lord, even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have! You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way. Your authority is my strength and my peace. The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.  (Ps 23:4 TPT)

 Friends, there is a chasm in the Church and I don’t know if you see it, but it appears as if it is growing greater by the hour.

 The enemy is truly having a field day bringing yet another reason to wreak havoc and bring disunity and discord to the Church.  He WANTS us to be a HOUSE DIVIDED.

 There are so many things dividing the church – abortion, politics, LGBTQ issues, this present COVID-19 crisis, racial inequality…  While it was once how often to take communion, how to baptize, gifts of the spirit, sabbath, worship style… We have now hit the majors – real and present cultural issues – issues that can’t be “contained” within the building of church.

The issues we are facing today are more inflammatory than ever!

 What will calm the inflammation so we can clearly see the REAL issue?  How will we be given eyes to see through the chaos – the enemy standing behind his many smokescreens…

 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…  (Jn 10:10 NIV)

 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  (Eph 6:12 NIV)

 And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  (Mk 3:25 NKJV)

 We have to dismantle the colorful scaffolding of the enemy’s edifice. The “issues” have become his pillar of pride, the strongholds to which we are in bondage to.  The ENEMY is seeking to divide us – wanting the Church to look pretentious, fractured and weak – when what is needed now MORE than ever is for the CHURCH to rise up bold, strong, compassionate, resolute – with a VOICE that influences and changes culture!

 At the end of the day, the issues will still remain.  Change will not happen in a sprint, it will happen in the marathon.  It will not happen overnight, it will happen as we commit to the long-haul.  It will happen because our eyes have not lost sight of what matters most – His name is Jesus!

 Let’s peel back the veil. We have lost sight of the real issue and the real enemy.  Sin is crouching at our door (Gen 4:7); the enemy is looking for who he can devour (1 Pet 5:8)

 Sin, brokenness, and bondage keep us separated from the Truth AND from one another. Through the veil of darkness, we fail to see others or we misalign with where our hearts need to be set.  We impose our agenda and our own understanding rather than the Lord’s.

 We ARE called to serve those who are marginalized and experience discrimination and injustice.  Jesus saw each one – the Samaritan, the leper, the adulterer.  We are called to set out and follow His example!  But, we will fail (at least in part) when our eyes are fixated on anything other than the ONE who created each one of us, the ONE who spoke the world and our own existence into being.

 Let’s build bridges, but please ensure that those bridges have their foundational structure in Him!

 Apart from Jesus, it will be but a band aid.  For without an inward change, without an overhaul of self and the Church, we will continue to get in the way of the BEST He has for healing and resolution this side of heaven.

 Anytime we allow something to avert our eyes from Jesus or put all our energies and efforts into something that doesn’t keep HIM at the center, we will always miss the mark.

 The mark is Jesus – a life of falling more and more in love with Him – and this will simply OVERFLOW into everything else we do.  It will affect how we use our voice, how we love, and how we carry authority and His presence!

 Press into every place He calls you!  Speak life into every area He calls you to!

 But, a word of caution:  IF your pursuit of justice, religious liberties, or any other endeavor becomes life encompassing, rather than heaven breathed, the enemy will have accomplished exactly what he desired.  Pursuit of good, justice, truth without Jesus at the helm will keep our lives skewed.

 (Think about the many religious leaders we know who have ever so slightly averted their gaze, and fallen away.)  We will fall away from Jesus when we allow “the thing” to become our pursuit rather than Him!

 Let’s bring the Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven.  Keep your eyes on the “prize” and all our efforts will be Kingdom infiltrated and change the atmosphere!

 We carry the power and authority of change, of lives transformed.  We carry the NAME!  Let HIS GARMENTS and His armor be what we are cloaked in as we enter the battle.

 Let’s bring heaven close!

 Speak His life to the dry bones.  They are rising up!

Article originally published at IFApray.org as “Keeping Our Eyes On Jesus, a Word for the Church”