Some interesting things are going on in the U.S. right now, and the news media is right on top of them. The Pope is visiting, and doing so at a time when our political arena is heated up over who will be the presidential candidate for next year’s election. As always, I observe, watch, and listen for whisperings of insight from God, for I am concerned about this election. I also have concern for those who already reign in their own kingdoms, regardless of how they ascended. But I want to understand what I am seeing, for only God knows. Only God is Sovereign. Only He is in control. So many scriptures speak of this sovereignty, and the book of Daniel says it well:
“The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.” Dan 4:17
“All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?” Dan 4:35 (NIV, both)
There is a great showing in the above scriptures about where Queen Elizabeth, Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Vladimir Putin, and Barack Obama got their “election”. It was an election from above, a preordained endowment. Dictatorships, monarchies, republics, democracies, et al, are carnal kingdoms, jurisdictions of the lower levels of a greater invisible Kingdom (invisible in that there are hidden meanings in the visible manifestations). All represent human government and are necessary structures for law to flourish in, keeping anarchy at bay, and our Creator dominates the outcomes. “We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.” (Prov 16:33, NLT)
Human dominion in its greatest showings still contain both good and evil, for natural government comes from that tree. And even as the Christ (Tree of Life) arises in secret, transforming people one-on-one into the 2nd Adam (spirit man), it certainly LOOKS like the 1st Adam (soul man) is running the world. But he isn’t. Oh no! The dictates of a higher Kingdom are always throwing wrenches in the mechanisms (so-to-speak), and there are never any surprises for God. He has ordained it all!
Now, concerning the Pope being here--or anywhere, for that matter. On a major national news channel, I beheld a mass being performed, a religious ceremony proceeding live on television in a church in Washington. What pomp and circumstance! There was the pope and his entourage of robed priests, going about their duties with fires, incenses, and all the other hoopla that goes with it. How amazing that these things are still considered relevant, when--in fact--they are totally lifeless (even though they thrill the hearts of innocent believers). Truthfully, in the natural, Babylon came to Babylon. Two ruling bodies for two levels of human government, religion being at the top. Religious Babylon (power & money) came to a natural Babylon (power & money). To say the least.
No disrespect is meant to the person who represents the Pope, and even though they call him the “Holy Father”, I know he is just a deceived, molded disciple of Catholicism. I know that any followers of the Pope or any other religious leaders--Christian or otherwise--do so ignorantly, and for different reasons. And it IS definitely a showing of what is hoped for: that God exists, and that we can touch some kind of a human who represents Him. And I believe it is important to note that there is more of the love and compassion of God showing through this pope--Francis. (He reminds me of Mother Teresa, a splendid role model! Both have received their "calls" through the format of a strong religious organization, but not so strong that God's passion for mankind can't overtake the status quo of legalism and dogma.)
While all callings are sure, they are represented in different levels of government (ruling). But being the Pope or being the President of the United States does not speak of spiritual callings. They speak of the results of the carnal Adamic man setting up his world with some semblance of law and order. Our religious natures rule and dictate to how we set up our structures, and we can be religiously anything. Atheists advocate that we should believe there is nothing outside of ourselves to believe in, and this belief speaks louder than anything else that proceeds from their mouths. The rich and powerful believe in their own power structures, fueled by the money market. Those who are obsessed with fitness and health are just exhibiting their personal belief systems. It’s all about what we have faith in, for we were created to have faith in something.
As the country grapples with who will be the next president, there is a clash of Christian values, Muslim values, and a lack of values. Evangelical Christians have believed we should get a believer--a follower of Christ--into the White House. But this kind of prospect can only go so far, dealing with a hostile congress, special interest groups, and lobbyists who will threaten or pay a price to sell their own beliefs. Also, each person who claims to be “Christian” is walking in their own personal aspect of it. Many persons have mouthed the name of Jesus, and have never met Him or even been drawn to him. And while this reality is not their fault, talk is cheap.
How many presidents have we already had who feigned believing in God? Have we had any atheists? Do we have a Muslim leader already? Spouting words or not spouting words is not the issue. The issue is that the religious arena and/or the political arena is not the spawning ground for spirituality. Those arenas have always been overtaken with the soul man’s mind and its polluted and corrupted perspectives: personal appetites, greed, ambition.(1 John 2:16) No matter how successful and willing a person may seem to be, that person would be torn to shreds in the ruthless and notorious world of power mongers. And if a person is truly on a spiritual journey, they will learn not to seek advancement in the markets of the world. God did not call them out for popularity or social acceptance.
Speaking of which, a spiritual calling is the result of a private election, a Divine appointment for a spiritual mission. This election will not be the outcome of anyone laying hands on anyone else. It is not the result of votes or tabulations. It isn’t even an answer coming from a prayer meeting. True prophets have been predestined, and mankind is excluded from the process. Jesus of Nazareth stood before the religious community a threat and an enigma. He didn’t brown-nose with any of their leaders. He didn’t attend parties thrown by Roman diplomats. He didn’t wear fancy clothes or robes and didn’t require payment from the “faithful”. He didn’t come to intimidate or entertain. He came to speak of inner things and heart matters. He came to expose the prowess of spirit over power. (Zech 4:6)
Not surprisingly, I feel no excitement about visits from “divine” persons, nor am I looking for the perfect fit for a person to lead our country outwardly. I know better. The real work is going on in secret, behind the scenes, within each soul and spirit expression. This is where the changes happen. Who will lead the outer movements of Christianity? Who will be elected President? Displays for these things may be superior looking in their spotlighted exhibitions, but they concern the temporal and are the best that carnal man can offer. Today’s “prophets” are unknown to the throngs of mankind, but they powerfully exist, nonetheless. While the deeper movements and callings of God are veiled from the network news, they are the firmly established outcomes of His personal elections.
