Each one of the came to the table. They had each been plotting against the company. They had been exposed. Brought out into the light. Their deeds had gone unnoticed for a very long time. One of them was the son of one of the executives. Life sure looked different from their end of the table. The local TV station was covering the end of their underhanded deeds. The company immediately saw their stock rise and their morale change.

The guilty men had for a long time worked behind the scenes performing acts of destruction and bringing pain to the company. Their reasons were many, but for the most part they “could” and that fueled them. As time had gone on what had begun as a game to see if they could get away with small pranks became a “no holds barred” war against the company.The preceding paragraphs were from a dream I had last night. When I awoke I knew immediately what was being said. Like many I have been frustrated with what is going on in our country. I am not frustrated with our country, but I am with our slide in so many areas. Here are a few quick ones.

• Reduced “business” friendly climate.
• Increased unemployment numbers.(Lack of jobs)
• Increased cost of living. (Inflation)
• Division between sides. (Polarization)
• Shrinking economic indicators.

I think a lot of it is related to an agenda of destruction. (Yes, I do believe there are forces of darkness and agendas of men and women that must be exposed. Just probably not the same ones you see.) But I also think Christianity abdicated here positions in key places.

Before anyone thinks I think Christianity is headed the wrong way, I do not. I think we are seeing increases in so many areas. I believe the message of grace is carrying by leaps and bounds. I believe the church is seeing the return of the prodigal, the calling in of the unsaved and a renewed understanding of who we are in Him.

Let me be upfront about a few things, lest anyone think I am soft on things. I believe in dialogs. I believe in conversations. One of the greatest hindrances to change is our inability to talk to one another. The “haves and the have not’s” is often fueled by side taking, unrestrained monologues and polarization. (Over the last few days I watched two men one from the liberal side and one from the conservative side recognize publicly their stances about issues had fueled polarization. Your prayers are working.)

The abdication of the public place by believers. Look, I get we are a chosen people, a peculiar people. I believe it. But the “hunker down, it will be all over soon” message has just caused us to hide and wait. I know because I had people who hid out during Y2K, pulled themselves out of life and thought anything not Christian in its cause was not worthy of their time.

I believe that babies should be born. That marriage is a man and a woman. That there is one way to Him.

Let me give you a formula for destruction. Never spend time with your spouse and family. Relegate the teaching of “sex education”, government and money to a school. Do not participate in PTA’s, school boards and community politics. (Don’t vote-it will not count.), Teach your children they can have everything. Do not require them to work. Choose a college for your children, that you do not believe in and cannot afford. Wonder why they do not believe in church, God or a lot of what you grew up with.

I know what I grew up with. I grew up in a family with parents who canceled each other’s votes. My mom a liberal, my father not. I went to a school that had speakers who Timothy Leary and William Sloan Coffin. One of my fellow students oversees the Office Of The Surgeon General and believes in international law.

When I became a believer we were in “hunker down” mode. We were stepping aside.

Even growing up in the protest 60’s and 70’s and overturning everything, many of us walked away. For many it has only been the last 10-15 years we have begun to look around and say “wow” not recognizing where we live.

I looked at that dream. I can tell you it is coming. We are changing things in our nation. We need people in places of authority and influence. We need to begin at home. I read Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” To me, our Jerusalem is our home front, our neighborhoods even. (Long ago I said “if it’s not working, don’t export it.” Get your home front secure.) Then we can move to regions and states.

For a long time I have been speaking of a nation restored. I include a few of those links here. In June of last year I saw people being moved. Nearly 4 years ago I saw 10 years of change.

I believe we have some areas of change to look at. This list is not conclusive nor applicable to everyone. But I do think it is important.

Family-we need the restoration of family. Husbands and wives-much of this begins with you. Children need to know your love that they might know His love. Only then, reach beyond.

Dialogue & Conversation-We need a revival of dialogue. I am not talking about name calling or pointless arguments, but I am talking about as Paul called it a “reasoning together”. Finding common ground and working from there.

Communities-Take an interest in your communities. The history, the politics, the schools, its growth. Participate. What can you change where you live? Learn about it.

Build on your gift-Everyone has a gift, a calling. Each one of these has “world changing” potential. Most of these happen where you live.

Learn what works-As simple as it sounds, not everything works. Many find answers from their elders, history or the Bible. Not everything works.

Learn the truth-The sooner you explore the depths of issues, whether history, the Bible or the workplace, the sooner you will see change come. Once you learn the truth-be brave-face it.

The Church-Needless to say I think the church is the fastest growing adventure there is. Participate in your local fellowship. Be willing to be used by God.

We have been in a lull. But people are opening their eyes, renewing their minds and changing their speech. We are seeing the prayers, the decrees and the declarations of the saints changing things. In our home fellowship we are seeing people move here to participate in what we do, but also to live out what they are being called to and asked to do.

Tonight we prayed. Do we recognize that it is our job to declare and decree, that God has a couple of things He has shown us to do. One, He is not coming back until all His enemies are made a footstool. Who’s job is it to see that come to pass? He has told us to pray that it would be “here on earth as it is in heaven.” Our job is not to say what we see here on earth but to say what we see here in heaven. What happens on earth is in our hands or the hands of the enemy if we allow it.
Something to think about the next time things don’t go your way….

The dream indicated to me the power of our mouths speaking, light, life and liberty over people and situations. The exposure was not because there was a prayer to expose, but in fact because light was brought into the circumstance. The light revealed or “exposed” the situation by its brightness, allowing the person to see their deed, their need and to heed. Exposure without light leaves no room for change. It is condemnatory by its nature. When you speak “you’re caught” and there is no vision for restoration or redemption…well, you see the dilemma.

It also revealed a change in the media and how they do things. (Interested in changing the media? I have some suggestions.)

From the inside out. This struck me the strongest. These people were on the inside. And here we are with the simple thought. It is not about getting away with something, but usually about getting attention. Some of the greatest treasures in the kingdom are right before your very eyes. I recognize they are not always the best when it comes to social graces or toeing a party line, but God has gifted them. For this season. Not paying attention to them may cause them to go off the rails. Why? “Isn’t that irresponsible? Sinful?” Let me ask you a question. Do you think the expectation that everyone has to do it your way is the right way?  Only you can answer that.

There are people right next to you in church fellowships who have the potential to change a community or a business. And yet, if they do not manifest something Godly during our two hours of services they are not a player or spiritual. We need to change that.

America-we have a great history and a better future. It will not necessarily come about by new revelations, (For there is spoken the idea that there is nothing new under the sun. I do challenge that. Certainly there was no Facebook during Solomon’s time.) but by the ability of people to simply do what they do best. For some that might be garbage collection or engineering. For another being a police officer or a fireman. Whatever it is, do it well. Each one of us has world changing capability. But sometimes to accomplish a lot you need to see the value of working with the least.

I am not looking for a return to “Leave It To Beaver”, B& W TV or Flintstone technology. I am however looking for the fullness of God in all that we do.