Devaluing and dehumanizing words and actions have built a cultural edifice one brick at a time. It is now in our power to dismantle that structure of injustice one validating blow at a time. The journey of everyday justice begins internally before it is lived externally. If words create thoughts, which are manifested in actions, we can rewrite our internal narrative as we confront every thought that would lessen the value of a human being in any way. Once we align our beliefs with justice—power used for good—it will become our automatic pattern of thought. This new way of thinking will be revealed by all that we do and with everyone that we meet. What can this look like?
There is a story in the book of Numbers when the Lord told Moses to send twelve men, one from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to spy out the land of Canaan, which is also known as the Promised Land. As I read about the giants in the land and thought about all my friends and ministers who are going through intense spiritual warfare, the Holy Spirit said: "It comes with the territory." Then He said: "Go and take possession, because I have made you well able to overcome."
When God is about to reveal Himself in a new way, He raises up voices, not celebrities. He raises up prophets, not performers. And before Jesus began His public ministry, God prepared a man—John the Baptist—to prepare a people. Jesus declared that among those born of women, no one was greater than John (Matt. 11:11). Why? Because John understood his assignment: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord" (Isa. 40:3).
Many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14). Ever wonder why? I enjoy trying to discern Father's call on people who don't know the Lord or are chasing the wrong dream. People resonate with what Father has written on their hearts. God has written destiny in all our hearts. Sonship is the identity shift that makes us feel chosen because our Father is speaking to us. Sonship starts with the intentional act of positioning ourselves to listen and engage in conversations in the Council. Righteousness is simply being on the same page with our Father, co-laboring on the same purpose.
I was processing with a group of intercessors last night and several were noting how many believers are facing tough spiritual battles in recent weeks. Sensing increased attacks on our health, our relationships, and our faith, we went to prayer. I then had a vision of Jesus holding a new wineskin in His hand. But it wasn't finished. He was sewing this new leather pouch by gathering up the sides to bring them together with thick thread. I was drawn to the needle He was using and His thoughtful work that required piercing every fold with this needle and thread in order to bring the sides together.
On my son's fifth birthday, I sat in a cancer center six hundred miles away, watching chemotherapy flow from IV bags into my body. I was battling a rare form of cancer, and my need for a clinical trial took me away from my husband and three young kids for several months. My worldly hope was gravely threatened. My good health was gone, and it took my energy, my hair, and my predictable future with it. Instead of caring for my family, my days were filled with waiting rooms, blood transfusions, medical tests, and naps. I missed precious milestones with my kids and didn't know if I'd live to see more.
Sometimes Christians get confused about predestination and free will, as if they are opposites. We must understand that free will is not simply a pagan concept, though the pagan conception enjoys widespread approval. Christians also believe in free will, but the free will that we believe in is not the humanistic or pagan version of it. One secular idea that has been pervasive in the church today is the humanistic doctrine of human freedom that says that our will, even in our fallen condition, remains indifferent and equally able to incline ourselves to the good or to the evil.
The Gospel is simple, but it's not simplistic. It requires our whole life but begins with a simple "yes" to Jesus. The power of the Cross isn't found in eloquent words or clever theology, but in the life-giving, world-changing truth that Jesus saves. In a world filled with noise, distractions, and complications—even in the Church—it's vital that we return to the simplicity and purity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The message of the cross is not complicated. It is profoundly simple, and yet simply profound.
Somewhere along the way, a lot of people accepted a role they were never assigned. They became the spiritual hall monitors—self-appointed enforcers of belief, behavior, language, and tone. Watching closely. Correcting quickly. Calling out publicly. All in the name of faith, truth, or being "biblical." The authority wasn't given. It was assumed. And the assumption has become normalized. In today's culture, especially online, moral and spiritual policing is often framed as courage.
The week before New Year's Day is a holy week for me personally. I have developed practices over the years to position my heart in the right place before I enter a new chapter of life. Just as I want to give thoughtful attention to closing a chapter well and opening the next one effectively when I'm writing, I also want to do the same in my life journey. One of the practices I have developed is to read through the book of Isaiah. As I read, I listen for God's invitations to me personally. Isaiah is such a great book because it encompasses the entire gospel and God's desires for us as His people.
Follow Up
