July 2015
As I was praying today I was able to see in the spirit some important things over our nation. I saw what I believe is our nation's great angel named Union, and he was active, arising, and huge over Washington DC. I saw he had the colors of the American flag over his chest, and he was immense; as in he dwarfs skyscrapers. The imagery of size, strength, and power was profound.
As I was seeing this I began to sense other things. It is true that Washington is out of control. It is true that the Supreme Court has overstepped its bounds on several fronts. It is true that there are major conspiracies and plans of the enemy against our nation. It is true that the economy doesn't have sound underpinnings. It is true multiple terrorist organizations are desirous of inflicting maximum damage on America.
It is true Satan himself is trying to destroy America from within and from without. It is true that he is working at it from all 7 mountain avenues. He has a governmental angel, an economic angel, a family angel, an education angel, a media angel, an arts and entertainment angel, and a religious angel. If you were to look at what Satan has been working at for years and years you would join in with all the voices of "we are doomed".
But here is what I saw and what I know. It is God Himself who is preserving us and He has sent massive angelic firepower to make sure we don't disintegrate and we don't collapse. We are not being preserved by our own righteousness, as our nation has many laws and ordinances that are below righteousness standard. We are not being defended because our churches are so full of God. Many of you correctly see that based on our righteousness level or our church level we could be destroyed. What most of you have not seen, is that we will not be destroyed. Not only will we not be destroyed, but we will be brought through into a great strengthening beyond anything we have experienced as a nation. We are about to experience a transformational national renaissance.
This is part of a sovereign design of God for this age of restoration of all things and He is working with the minority. He is working in conjunction with the few prophets of His who are able to see Him and what He is doing. Many of His prophets have become stuck and struck, seeing into the second heavens and all that Satan has said he will do. Many are terrified and it is coming out in their words and in their writings and in their videos. However, 99% of what Satan has been plotting, and planning for the destruction of America WILL NOT HAPPEN. In most cases, he doesn't know he won't be able to accomplish his plots, but he is about to go through a series of startling and humiliating setbacks. He is going to be humiliated in the eyes of his own powers and principalities. They have again underestimated the King of Kings and will suffer accordingly.
We are about to go through a great national renaissance that will defy even most of our possibility thinking. The great angels being sent are much more key to that work than the present state of the American church. I saw that angels have been seen to block the power of words from the mouth of many Christians. Right now the enemy has deceived many believers into cursing America, and our Father has sent angels to block the effect of these words. I saw angels catching a gray slime and was instructed that this was the words they were blocking. It was gray because it came out of gray matter, which was the mind processing things outside of God's perspective. When we do even what seems like brilliant logic is just slime.
The time of the Gideons is upon us now. God is going to use a very small, courageous, and hope-filled minority, even while the bulk of His church is either asleep, fighting on wrong battlefronts, or defending ridiculous doctrines and positions. These Gideons will soon have the enemy in so much flight that the rest of the church army will adjust and join in. Even as in Gideon's day, when the majority saw that just 300 were chasing hundreds of thousands and decided that victory was possible, so too will we set that today.
The 300 are those who run now to the beat of another drum. They are immune to fear, immune to hopeless reports, immune to reasonable caution, immune to influential religious voices- of doubt, they are all in on a Pollyanna narrative that sees things entirely different than anyone else. These 300 are driven by crazy, radical hope. They have committed to seeing either the greatest victorious days in their lives or being crushed in their "foolish" attempt to make that happen. These 300 who are "all in" and are running with God's great renaissance narrative for today. The invitation is for many to follow this crazy trumpet sound- and if you could but see our side- you wouldn't hesitate but you would arise and exterminate the fear.
Congratulations USA Women's soccer team for a most enjoyable 5-2 win over Japan to win the World Cup for the 3rd time! Here are some quick prophetic parallels from this win. With Hope Solo (name of USA player who won the award for the top goalkeeper in the world) in goal, you can stop the enemy's attempts to defeat you. In Spanish, solo means only. Hope is the expectation of good from God, in every area of life. Play with Hope as your most important defender, America and you will have a great victory. With Hope in goal, USA scored 5 against the opposition. 5 is the number of grace and it allowed the USA to complete being a 3-time (number of completeness) World Champion. As people of Hope refuse to allow the enemy to score with its lies, a grace get's released to defeat the enemy. The USA will now enter it's 3rd and complete stage of destiny. The World Cup result has prophesied this reality and so it is a sure thing.
THIS SUMMER WATCH GOD AT WORK AMONG THE NATIONS
"The Lord is high above all nations." Ps. 113: 4
" But why should the nations say, Where now is their God? But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. Ps. 115:2,3
"Ask of Me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance. And the ends of the earth for your possession." Ps. 2:8
These three passages are meant to be a word of encouragement for those serving the Lord in all the nations of the earth. I have been speaking much into the destiny of the United States but the Lord began to speak to me about His heart for His kids in all the nations of the earth.
I saw a picture of the Lord holding the earth as a Rubik's cube as He was working combinations that would eventually fast forward the advancement of the kingdom of God across the whole earth. Satan has deceived himself as well as others that he is free to rule and reign among the nations with his havoc and destruction. He is personified in much of what ISIS has been doing and sowing in the Middle East. The Lord would have His kids everywhere know that He is HIGH above all nations and in the midst of what looks like chaos He will answer the question, "Where now is their God?".
The Lord began to speak to me that He is paying very close attention to His sons and daughters in all the nations around the world. He is particularly in tune with very unknown and humble but courageous men and women who have had years of faithfulness to Him in prayer and service. He wants you to know He will move heaven and earth on behalf of what you will ask Him for your nations. If there ever was a time when He was saying, "Ask of Me the nations" that time is now. Your nation is not going to earn favor with God by correct legal rulings. Your nation is not going to first become more righteous before He helps. Your nation is going to be impacted with heaven because of you who love Him and who carry your nation in your heart. He is overall the nations and He is here with great armies to help now. If you are a friend of God your nation has hope. He is greater than the dumb idols of your nations and the season for proof of that is now.
I saw that the Lord is even now greatly at work in many nations doing wondrous things, and preparing wondrous things to happen. Venezuela is greatly troubled in many ways, but God's fire is growing throughout that nation and thousands upon thousands are coming to the Lord in this difficult time. I saw God moving mightily in India and especially working with His friends proving to all that the idols are deaf and dumb but that God in heaven is mighty and powerful. He is at work in Iran, raising up a mighty army for such a time as this. He is all over the Middle East setting the captives free. Asia is on fire with His love and China will go to yet another level of revival. Japan has a major spark He is working with. He is truly active all across the globe and He wants His kids everywhere to know- "You have never had more firepower to work with than now." The great angels assigned to every nation are working with the heirs of salvation and the kingdom age is ON as never before.
I see great fires of God in Australia. Something powerful of God to touch all the nations of the world is coming out of her. England is awakening, and there is hope for all of Europe. Do not count your nation out no matter what trends you may think you are seeing. God is greater! Again, I see Him encouraging the small but godly in nation after nation saying- "You are the authority of your nation that we are looking to partner with. Step into your royal authority and let's partner for big things."
All across the world let all His people break out in song to He who is high above all and carries the rod of authority over all nations. Our God reigns! Our God reigns! He is going to showcase that not just in church but among the nations themselves.
You know, no matter what level of breakthrough that you may have experienced, "breakthrough" can still feel fairly hollow if you haven't learned to cultivate gratitude. Ultimately, gratitude comes not because good things have happened to you. Gratitude comes from the discipline of recognizing and acknowledging the good things that are happening to you. The most joy-filled people I know are not first "successful" people, they are grateful people. It starts as a discipline (i.e. don't go to sleep at night without having identified 5 things of that day to be thankful for) and then becomes second nature. This is how you step into "abundant living".
I continue to receive multiple inquiries as to my thoughts on a potential coming economic collapse. I will continue to say, it is not going to happen-- though that does not means economic changes aren't coming.
Here however is the main thing to prepare for because it has already happened. INVASION. This is not the invasion of Isis, this is not the invasion of Russia, this is not the invasion of illegal immigrants, this is not the invasion of whatever people, group or army is the fear du jour of the day. The invasion that has already happened has been the hosts of heaven. It is massive and it is so game-changing that we don't have any grid for it.
This Rosh Hoshana the finance army of heaven also invades and I am sure it will shake some status quo matters as well. However, they are coming not to allow the world to go into economic disintegration but to bring the order of heaven. They are coming to greatly assist in the advancement of this kingdom age of the restoration of all things. They will come in order to make room for heaven's economic patches for this time.
The one thing we must totally abstain from is fear. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ you must be ruthless with your fear and your anxiety and just make no room for it. You have to stop listening to the news, talk shows, and even ministers who are feeding your fears. Stop talking to people who stir your fears. Listen to people who strengthen your courage and your hope. You do not need the "balance" of good news and bad news. That "balance" is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil- and its fruit is death.
If you are eating from the Tree of Life you will have no fear, no anxiety- and be crazily hope-filled and optimistic because this is what your Father wants of you at this time. Chose your dwelling in the secret place of the Most High and stay there through frequent worship and praise. Do whatever it takes to get closer to the Holy Spirit. He is such a source of truth and comfort and will keep you out of the pits of despair. This is the most privileged time ever to be alive and let's not waste it on continual speculations of worst-case scenarios. The world is about to explode with multiple best-case scenarios and that is what we should all be joyfully anticipating. His Presence is about to overwhelm us and pockets of it are already breaking out all over. Say YES to the only relevant INVASION.
My daughter just sent me a widely spread FB post by a deeply stirred young man who was sharing on the recent revelations of the horrific things Planned Parenthood has done with aborted body parts. He was properly outraged by what is taking place in our nation but he went on the say how he could no longer say, "God Bless America" but rather had to say "God Judge America." Thousands and thousands were liking that comment.
I think where we are getting confused is in not understanding what "God Bless America" would look like, and overrating the positive effect should God "judge" America. Is it that we think if another hurricane would level several cities and flood a major city, that it somehow would translate to mass repentance and behavioral improvement? Well, we already had that with Katrina- and it didn't really work. Is it that if we had a 9 + earthquake with deadly tsunamis that righteousness would be its fruit? Well, that didn't really happen in Indonesia, or Japan, or even Chile- who followed that big earthquake by voting in an atheist as President. Do we need a judgment of a collapsing Wall Street where we lose like trillions in one day? Well, we already had that in 2008 and we didn't seem to improve or get more holy after that. So what is it that many are looking to happen- if God honored their request of judging America? I will tell you this- it would not be good.
If it just strikes your spirit as wrong to ask God to "bless America" when we are doing so many wrong things, then I can say I do understand what you may mean. You don't want us to get an "atta boy" from God when we are doing sinful things. However, God blessing America does not mean "keep doing what you are doing, I support everything you do." When God blesses America, a major part of that blessing is a blessing of conviction. Romans tells us that the kindness of God leads us to repentance. Disasters often scare people into running to God as a survival reflex, but historically those people don't connect to God relationally and so usually the "repentance" is short-lived as we saw after the 9/11 tragedy. The churches filled for a couple of weeks and then all went back to normal.
2 Cor. 5:19, commands us to be ambassadors for Christ, as ministers of reconciliation- being as Jesus was- NOT imputing to the world their sin. To say "God Judge America" is to do the opposite, no matter how passionate or holy we feel doing it. It is rather putting a bullseye on our country and saying, "God my country is sinful so go ahead and blast them for it." This is a foolish passion, though understandable passion.
When I plead and say, "God Bless America", I am saying "God would you so invade us with your kindness and goodness that our hearts would be turned towards you. Would you release so much grace on us that we are stirred and moved to be who you called us to be." Now that is a most incredible blessing. Accompanying that blessing I would like there to be employment, and prosperity, and peace, and joy- but all that is just heaven culture as well and seems to go with "Your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Do we really think that in heaven, the United States is being battered with major hurricanes, earthquakes, plagues, droughts, economic ruin? Is that Papa's Jer. 29:11 heart for America? Well, if not we need to all get in synch and unanimously cry out, GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Donald Trump’s Political Appeal: The Epitome of What God is Presently Judging in America and in the Church
I believe we are witnessing a phenomenon in the present political landscape, as Donald Trump is directly appealing, to what I sense God is presently judging in America- white male pride.
A major focus of what Donald Trump continues to be vocal about represents the epitome of what God is presently judging in America, in the Church, and even in many prophetic voices. There are people declaring judgment over America for so many different reasons, but what I sense from the Lord is that He is actually confronting and judging our white male pride (WMP). This is a kind of pride that blinds you from realizing that it is God Himself that has drawn a line in the sand and determined to bring a necessary correction. You can be a white female and also be affected by this pride, but I believe it’s primarily something that a significant portion of white males deal with. God is not judging white males. He is judging white male pride- and this is an important distinction. As I’ve been praying about this, God showed me that WMP is as rampant in the Church as it is anywhere else. When we don’t repent of what He is judging, we then preach, minister, and prophesy out of the very distortion God is pointing His finger at. This is a very serious thing and leads to all sorts of misrepresentations of who God is.
Donald Trump has stirred and blown a trumpet that is awakening WMP on a mass scale. His political platform has been horribly divisive and polarizing, yet there is a fascination with his message by those who erroneously think that what he stands for can or should go mainstream. Trump, up until this point, has had one central message and my perspective is that it’s a wrong message for our country. He is being used by the enemy to stir up latent fear and therefore promoting a related pride. We may or may not need some level of advanced border control, but the idea of making it a national priority to have a fence built between us and Mexico is wrong on so many fronts. First of all, as we just saw with the escape of noted drug lord “Chapo” Guzman, a tunnel can be built under anything and can span longer than a mile. A fence may slow down illegal immigration, but it would not stem it. Secondarily, Trump has engaged in fear-mongering and perhaps even race-baiting with his rhetoric associated with sealing the border. His talk of the Mexican government intentionally sending their “rapists” and “murderers” as well as “not their best” is insulting both to Mexico as a nation, as well as to the Mexicans that live here. He has, in effect, cast aspersions on all Mexican born immigrants by painting with a very broad brush.
The implication that we have more rapes and murders in our country because of “illegal immigrants” is not born out by the violent crime statistics of our land. Rape is down 58% since 1995 and is down a whopping 85% from 40 years ago. Furthermore, murder/homicide rates are their lowest in over 50 years, with an above 50% drop since 1992. In fact, all violent crime is dramatically down since 1990. To initiate a scapegoating of a people group regarding a societal marker that is drastically dropping is just wrong and divisive. I believe this distorted message has found an audience among a people group (especially white males) who can see their influential dominance waning. At minimum, it seems there is a subconscious blaming of the influx of Hispanics.
As I’ve been seeking God’s heart concerning these matters, what’s clear to me is that- as white males- we tend to obsess with a handful of matters that we personally care about, while grossly ignoring more pressing societal needs that I believe the Lord is more focused on than we are. We are highly insensitive to the plight of Hispanic immigrants- whether they are legal or not, their lives matter to God and should to us as well. We are also highly insensitive to the plight of urban America, both as it relates to the communities themselves and the criminal justice/prison reform matters that are so closely related to the tragic cycles generations of African-Americans are trapped in. Can I tell you that the God that’s revealed in the scriptures is one who is much more sensitive to the rejected, downcast, and forlorn than He is to those who are concerned about getting to keep all the taxes they feel they have a right to. I’m not saying it's wrong to desire to be spared excess taxes, it’s just less of a priority in the eyes of God. We have imprisoned more blacks and Hispanics at rates that exceed any other nation’s imprisonment rates. The punishment we have applied for the societal sins they’ve committed is truly cruel and inhumane. You can be mad at President Obama for many things, but his recent speech on how our criminal justice system must change and how our prisons need reform is something that he’s clearly in alignment with the Lord on.
I believe white male pride has us consistently running to wrong battlefronts, even as Christians and as prophetic voices. We do so, being blinded by assumptions of the pride that we have been carrying. Our next President will not be one that strengthens this WMP. Those who carry this white male pride will be our greatest source of national disunity and even terrorism in the future, if the Church doesn't come into synchronicity with what is the priority of our Father’s heart.
It was no mistake that President Obama won the last two elections. The “enemy” didn’t win. God won- again. While many of us were sure we knew what was on God’s list of priorities, we failed to see His order of priorities. I believe that in our nation the plight of minorities is at the top of His list for this season. He has heard the cries from the African-American community and He has heard the cries of the Hispanic community- including the 300,000 kids that go to bed every night because one or both parents have been summarily deported. He’s also looking out for women to have their rightful role in society as well. While we are fighting utopian battles for the sin issues of our choice, God has actual sequential priorities that He’s showing us by who He allows to win our elections. This will continue to happen even though we've failed to recognize what He’s doing and align our hearts with His.
While my goal is to speak from a prophetic perspective as often as I can, the demographics related to the societal evolution of America speak for themselves. We are in the midst of a shift away from white male domination that most haven’t come to grips with yet. A hundred years ago we were almost 90% white as a nation and women could not yet vote. Now just on the gender matter, there are 7 million more women than men. In both of the last two elections, it was the white women’s votes that brought in the first black President in American history. If they had voted as their white male counterparts had, we would not have made that shift. Currently, there are even greater shifts taking place. 50.4% of American children under age one, are now minorities. Most of this statistic comes from Hispanic births. In the lead domino state California, Hispanic first graders now outnumber all other races. This means that this is what our future America looks like. By 2050 one third of all US households will be Hispanic. Furthermore, Asian Americans have now reached 5% of the population and number just over 15 million.
This nation is going to consistently be electing Presidents, Congressmen, Senators, Governors, and Mayors that are looking out for the unique needs of African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, as well as women and all minorities in general. This is not a bad thing for America- this is a good thing! A more compassionate, balanced national reality will come from this as we better fulfill our call to be a “melting pot." These immigrants will actually provide America with many of the needed upgrades that America and the Church have been praying for. Generally speaking, African-Americans are our most spiritual and highest church-going people group. Hispanic-Americans, by nature of their cultural values, bring an upgrade as it relates to family. Statistically, they divorce much less than white America and value family and community far above white America. Asian-Americans have the highest statistics of staying faithful in marriage and being disciplined and honoring in their day-to-day lives. We don’t lose by being a more diverse America.
Furthermore, these other people groups I just highlighted all seem to be more sensitive to the work and moving of the Holy Spirit. Much of the restriction of the Holy Spirit in churches and denominations is directly tied into WMP-- and I could write another entire article on that. Please don’t think I'm taking a pot shot at you if you’re a white male. I am one as well. What the Lord is addressing in us is the blinding pride associated with being a white male- that is inherently possible in all white males. Of course, there are many other racial and gender prides that exist, but God is inviting us, as white males, to lead the way in embracing humility. Perhaps the first sign that we are making the adjustment is when we seek to listen and understand before being so eager to speak our opinions and defend our rights. Specifically, we must learn to listen to the words and the hearts of the above-mentioned minorities and seek to understand how they are experiencing the America that we love.
“The Donald” appeals to the WMP in many of us who have become increasingly more uncomfortable with the shift in America— a shift away from only our opinions mattering towards other’s opinions mattering equally. We love his braggadocio “going to take America back and send the rest of you away” rhetoric, and are blinded to how that makes anyone else feel. It’s simply not Christ-like to live and talk like some lives matter more than others do. But we’ve become desensitized to how this sounds because we are so focused on protecting our idea of America and fearful of losing our ideal way of life— so self-focused that we have no capacity to think of and live for those around us. We are so afraid of sounding liberal or socialist that we no longer sound like followers of Christ who live to lay our lives and rights down for others.
We despair that we can’t just rubber-stamp into office one who will keep OUR most pressing priorities at the forefront. Of course, we attach religious jargon to our loss of influence and this is effective in feeding our deception and blinding us. Just because we are right that abortion is wrong, doesn’t mean that we are right to blame black America for the inner city plights they find themselves enmeshed in and unable to extract themselves from. Just because we can voice loud and clear our opinion that marriage is only between a man and a woman, doesn’t mean that we are right on our intolerance towards legal and illegal immigrants. This erroneous way of reasoning is similar to the man who just shot up a Louisiana theater killing and injuring many. Apparently he was anti-abortion, anti-pornography, and technically what we would consider right on other “holiness” issues, yet the pride he harbored in his own heart had him leaning towards nazi-like thinking that resulted in murder. Same with the young man who recently killed so many in the black church in South Carolina. These two cases are evidence of what we will see more of if Christian white males (especially speakers, prophets, and those with influence) don’t lead the way in diffusing the racial polarization that is taking place. The language that I hear espoused by many white male leaders towards immigrants and our President tells me we are presently not getting it.
The good news is that God Himself is going to shepherd us through this transition in America. He has never been limited to our prejudices and preferences and, for the sake of what He’s accomplishing across the globe, He will bring America through to become who she is called to be. He has already put the voices of advanced reformers into place who will trumpet that which is in sync with what He is presently saying and doing. Watch who He allows to win the Presidency of our nation-- and in that you will see what He’s working on and addressing next. Like a good parent who patiently trains His sons and daughters into greater maturity, our heavenly Father is never going after all of our “issues" at one time. He always has His NEXT. When we don’t discern His NEXT we end up being like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, finding a “holiness” issue of our choosing and trying to force it on society-- or even forcing it on Jesus to address (i.e. woman caught in adultery). I exhort you to pay attention and ask for Holy Spirit discernment if you find yourself drawn towards Trump’s recent divisive rhetoric. Of course, he is not the enemy, but truly is speaking words that are a test for our hearts. We don’t want to be found in agreement with that which is being exposed and judged at this time, but rather found aligning our hearts with God’s heart of compassion, unity, and kingdom solutions from heaven.
Johnny Enlow
July 27, 2015
(I am posting a comment I just made to my post from yesterday that hit a unique nerve generating a lot of interesting conversation. To see that go to my homepage and access that word, those this still have stand-alone value)
I am being asked a lot about prophecies that Kim Clement, Lance, and others may have given that seem to show a purpose for what Trump is doing. You should know that my prophetic word is not any kind of rebuttal to them as I did not read them ahead of time. Now having read at least some of what they are saying- thanks to you, faithful posters :) , let me comment on that.
Nothing that I have read says or implies that any have seen prophetically that Trump would become President of the United States. They spoke of God using him for His purposes in some way through his messaging and perhaps through what he exposes. I don't necessarily disagree with that. In fact, the matter I have brought up of white male pride might be issue number one. My word was to beware of rallying behind a sound that has you looking down at Hispanics, or Mexicans specifically- in any way, as that messaging of Trump is resonating with something that God is not behind.
Now I also just heard Trump blast the Iran deal as being a bad deal and that is something I concur with. He is now beginning to address enough issues that I am sure he will have some viable ideas if he is not just speaking about the immigration issue. He sounds like he wants America to be strong militarily and I also agree with that...Someone had a word about Trump being like a "bull in a china shop" so to look at how God used him but also be aware of that factor. I think that is a good picture of his presence on the political spectrum.
There is an aspect about him that is refreshing in that he is not a politician, he is not sold out to special interests group, he is running on his own money and he is blunt and you know where he stands. He could very well be used to bust up the whole election process with forced honesty for all.
Now as to being Presidential that will only happen if he does some backtracking and makes some amends where he has overstated matters. Presently I think he has alienated perhaps 99% of the Hispanic community and he is not electable without changing that ratio. If the Lord got a hold of him in the right way and he began to realize he needs to have a message that is all-inclusive then anything is possible. People are tired of politics as usual...My prophetic word and commentary were designed to stay apart from Trump being the focus of it. Boil it down to its barest essence and it is "whites can we be humble enough to listen to how to make America better for minorities?" It was not a referendum on Trump, nor President Obama, nor politics in general. It was not asking you to feel guilty for being white. It was repent of not caring about these others- if you have not been caring, and then as a sign of caring-
listen. When you have listened long enough to experience American life through a Hispanic or African-American grid, then be a voice for the needed reforms. If you don't know the needed reforms- it means you haven't yet listened.
White male pride. By bringing this up in a post two days ago I hit quite a nerve that kind of proved the very point I was making. Though my post was kind and obviously included myself as a white male, it received some significant angry backlash. I have been cussed out and unliked and unfollowed, mixed in with respectful disagreement- sometimes over secondary tenets of the post. Beyond that, the silence from many of my normal positive responders tells me that many more of you are struggling with my post. So I am going to stay on theme :) Perhaps the difficulty with accepting this diagnosis for many that carry this white pride is that it doesn't feel like pride, and therefore there is denial and even anger over the suggestion of it (though I made a clear distinction between being a white male and having white male pride). Number one you should know that if you were or are a truly humble white male (or female for that matter), then you would not have an anger instinct to my post. You would recall the examples I gave of the two recent white male shooters and acknowledge that yes we do need to make sure that a racist white taproot is not being fed at this time.
Beyond the actual white racism is a white pride that is a pride of presumption. It is a blindness that doesn't even recognize that you have lived from a position of racial privilege- because you too have problems. However, when you are the default majority race- a whole society has been scripted around your priorities and around your wants. Now that there has begun an internal move and mood to recognize in some measure, the plight of minority races, many of you are squawking in an almost embarrassing way complaining that YOU are now the one being discriminated against. Someone put that in a post yesterday a picture of a sign complaining "you are free to live as you want unless you are white, male, gun owner" or something to that effect. Appropriately enough the sign was under a confederate flag which is basically to blacks what the nazi symbol is to jews.
Now I am fully aware that there is racism all across the board. I have several very good friends who are African-American leaders of significance. One was telling me that he believed that almost all black preachers over 60 were stuck in racism and bitterness because of what they had experienced and not been able to find forgiveness for. Whether that number is true or not I don't know, but it was the perspective of a significant black leader who had interacted with many national bishops, pastors etc. These African-American church leaders have thanked me for my post saying they view it as the truth and are almost shocked a white leader can see it. It is of no use for them to run with that message because they know they need to take care of their own hearts and be forgiving and understanding. The message they tell the people under their influence is "quit blaming the white man and take responsibility for your own life". This is a healthy message for them to tell people of the same race. If not they would just be feeding racism and bitterness. However, we also have a message we need to speak to ourselves.
These black leaders have spoken to me of "white privilege" and that is what they call it instead of "white pride". White privilege covers many things, but a part of it is when you assume all view life the way you view life. It is when you are certain you hold all the trump cards on God's priorities of righteousness and therefore don't even need to listen to the less informed and "deceived" minorities. They are crying for things like "justice" when your position on "pro-life" clearly is the only position that really matters. You will carry 100 pro-life banners before you consider one time carrying a "black lives matter" banner. Or even making one Facebook comment that acknowledges that there is something seriously wrong with a system that will leave 300,000 Hispanic kids without one or both parents because they were summarily deported. "Deport these illegal lawbreakers" is your mantra, though very possibly many of your own grandparents or great-grandparents came over under similar "illegality". You are champions of the unborn but ignorers of the already born- and yet you feel more holy and "informed" about your passion.
White privilege is an inoculation of insensitivity. Once you decide your priorities are right- you no longer need to listen to anyone else. You dominate church settings and conferences and charitable organizations with your narrow definitions of righteousness and rather than give a platform for expanded perspective on justice matters- you instead plead with your black Christian leaders to come and support your righteousness priorities while still not listening to what their communities are being daily devastated by.
My post is not designed to make another call to "white guilt". I think whites so can't handle that, that this becomes a reason for the extreme overreactive responses. White guilt is not what is needed. We don't need to apologize for slavery again. We didn't do it and almost no one affected directly by it is still around today to apologize to. The problem today is not just past grievances. The problem today is that Hispanics and blacks are both being underrepresented in fairness in everyday American life. If you consider yourself one who cares about America you will do your part to begin to care about that.
There is a moral obligation of the leaders of a majority race to ensure that the minority races are experiencing a similar privilege as they are. This is particularly true for Christian leaders. The Matthew 25 separation between sheep and goat nations wasn't over official stances on gay marriage or abortion. It was over how care was give "to the least of these"- literally "to the minorities". Of course, a "pro-life" stance is good as well, but we must see that abortions have gone down almost 50% since 1992 (and the lowest since the year BEFORE Row vs. Wade) and that without laws changing. Abortions can go down through hearts and minds being sensitized. Justice issues require changes in the law. Laws change when the majority race recognizes an imbalance in justice and is moved to reform it. There is a burden on us as majority race when there are proven racial discriminations. It is cruel and unjust to expect those affected by the wrongs to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. That does work once all the laws and ordinances are equal and is why it works for us whites. Yes, blacks are no longer forced to cross the street for their water fountain but there are yet laws and ordinances that need amending. Furthermore, white kindness and compassion- even if, heaven forbid, it is excessive and unnecessary- might also work towards helping those blacks that are still struggling with their own racism to more easily forgive.
The next move of God we are waiting for is really not just another revival of emotion-filled meetings. It is nice to have exciting Holy Spirit infused meetings- but historically those have not translated into also caring for "the least of these".The next move of God is a move of reformation of society. Many whites like myself will continue to awaken to our part in the quotient of a visitation from God that will surely hit us as we step into His agenda. I will tell you, I see a soon-coming day where black, Hispanic, and white Christian leaders walk hand it hand jointly carrying the heart of God for our hurt and wounded societies. I tell you many, many black leaders are ready to do this. What is needed now is some white leadership that is willing to defer on THEIR issues of priority and cross over the racial divide and say both to black and Hispanic leaders, "hey I am here to help, what can I do". When something close to that sounds appealing to you as white- then know you are on the path of being healed of any white pride that you might carry. To the degree it infuriates you to consider that, to that degree know you are affected by the very pride you deny.
The good news is the next generation is more than ready to move forward in this harmony, and in America, we will see a better fulfillment not just of MLK Jr.'s dream, but the dream God had for America when He thought her up. May we accelerate a national renaissance by humbling ourselves and joining in with what is on our Papa's heart. Renaissance is here now.