Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
9 27 2023
Was Jesus a Republican or Democrat?
I want to begin today by asking you to pray fervently for those affected by Hurricane Helene. The Bay of the Holy Spirit, Tampa, is spared another huge catrastrophe. Please pray and help in any way you can.
I probably watch too much news pertaining to the upcoming election combined with a lot of prayer. I am convinced it is the most important in my lifetime. But, I am astounded at the division in our so called United States. I mean, downright hatred and contempt for the other side. People lose their patience and the remaining grace that was in them, and their faith looks more like a religious wall plaque over the bathroom commode.
I read this blog from Frank Viola and thought it was so on point; I just needed to send it for you to decide. My goal is to grow in God and use the gifts He has given me to hopefully and prayerfully help you do the same. I have no aspirations of being more than I am except to be a Jesus Christ influencer and discipler in everything I do and say. Let me know what you think. I would love your thoughts. Blessings
Now for today’s article. “Here in the USA, land of the free and home of the perpetually ticked off, it’s election season again, which means it’s time for everyone to lose their minds and forget how to behave like decent humans.
Let’s face it: My country is not the United States anymore. We’re the Divided States of America, where everyone’s too busy screaming at each other to realize they’re (very often) acting like spoiled toddlers.
This division is tearing apart families, friendships, and even churches.
Yeah, you heard that last one right. The folks who are supposed to be all about love and forgiveness are busy mimicking the worst behaviors of the culture they claim to reject.
Not too long ago, I wrote a book called ReGrace: What the Shocking Beliefs of the Great Christians Can Teach Us Today to address this nonsense. It’s about how even the greatest Christians in history had some pretty wild beliefs, viewpoints that you and I would disagree with. Strongly.
Yet God used them. Greatly.
But hey, most Christians haven’t read it yet. They’re too busy arguing on Facebook about whether Jesus would vote red or blue and having meltdowns on X as to which candidate is the Antichrist.
Here’s a shocking revelation: Jesus didn’t nor doesn’t fit into our neat little political camps. He’s not a card-carrying member of any party. The Lord managed to tick off both the ancient conservatives (Pharisees) and the ancient liberals (Sadducees). Constantly. He was an equal opportunity offender.
Read the Sermon on the Mount, and you’ll see some hardcore conservative values.
But then watch how He treats the societal outcasts — the adulterers, the “loose” women, the permanently disgraced, the failures – and suddenly He looks like a bleeding-heart liberal.
The truth is, Jesus transcends our petty categories. And if you’re really following Him, you do also.
Every election season is a test. It reveals whether we’re more committed to a political party or to the kingdom of God. It shows whether we’ve bought into nationalism or globalism, both of which are just different flavors of the same worldly power structures.
Those who’ve truly joined the Insurgence – this radical way of living that Jesus introduced – are part of a whole different civilization. And we’re inviting everyone, including those who claim to “believe in Jesus” but have gotten sidetracked, to give their full allegiance to Christ and His upside-down kingdom.
One sure sign that you’re really following Jesus is that you draw the same kinds of people He drew while He was on earth and you anger the same kinds of people He angered.
“Much of the LEFT wants government to do the work of the kingdom, and they don’t want the King. Much of the RIGHT wants the King, but reduces the kingdom to the afterlife. The first-century Christians wanted the King and His kingdom, which is an alternative civilization in the midst of fallen society and corrupt governments. The kingdom is the SUBLIME within the MALIGN, and it cannot be separated from the King Himself.”
The choice is yours”. You can keep playing the game, picking sides, and shouting into the void.
Or you can opt out and choose to be part of something bigger, more enduring, and infinitely more profound than the latest political squabble.
The invitation is open. The world is waiting.
What will you do?
I pray this gives you something to think about. Matthew 5:44 says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. That’s part of the sermon on the mount. Perhaps we should read it more often.
Matt West Don’t Stop Praying
