The New Era

Proclamations of peace and exhortations of power, I declare over you today and into this glorious new era!

I pray that you have had a chance to watch (or re-watch) Sunday’s message because, as we go into this new era, the foundation of redemption and our new identity needs to be solidified in all of our hearts.

One hundred fifty nine years ago, almost to the day, a proclamation rang throughout the land. It was from our nation’s commander in chief to all the people in all the land:

“I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief … do, on the FIRST DAY OF JANUARY, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three … publicly proclaim … that … persons held as slaves … are, and henceforward shall be, free … And upon this act … I invoke … the gracious favor of Almighty God.”

This was a declaration of liberation from the highest authority in human government that eventually led to an America that is, “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.” I know that, when we look around, we do not see much freedom or bravery, but it is in our national heritage and, I dare say, it will be resident again soon! When President Lincoln sent the, “Emancipation Proclamation,” from, “sea to shining sea,” the response from the authentic and patriotic Christians was to ring the church bells for freedom. This was because the, “Liberty Bell,” was a national symbol of the American struggle for Freedom, Unity, and the equality of mankind. Many do not know this, but there was only one single inscription on the Liberty Bell declaring it’s formation and purpose. This is what it reads:
“Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all inhabitants thereof.”
This is a direct quote from Leviticus 25:

10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout [all] the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. 

12 For it [is] the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.

Think about the impact of this action and symbol through the lens of today’s “sissification” of the pulpit, the church, and society as a whole. In their day, they built churches with bells to let the community know that there was a place that would ring with the preaching of liberty, and raise up generations of Americans who would fight, and die, for defending and proclaiming that liberty. There were people who embraced holiness and a national (Godly) pride at the same time. These buildings were raising heroes that were emboldened and empowered by the Holy Word, the Holy Son, and the Holy life that propelled them to change the world with their lives.

I am seriously struggling right now with my “pen” because the parallels and applications are too innumerable to fully explore. I could break off and talk about how the churches are no longer built with bell towers because their pulpits no longer thunder with the proclamations of Liberty. I could expound on a generation so committed to Liberty that they were willing to forsake their lives, their families, their personal comforts, and their futures for the holy cause of freedom… and for another person of another color… not even their own freedom, but the freedom of another. I could easily expatiate on the Jubilee that we have crossed over into because of the Finished Work of the Cross and the transition that Jesus forged for all of mankind in Luke 4:18-19 where He personally declared the Jubilee. And I also have an internal compulsion to rail on about the need for actual, legitimate and authentic heroes in our new era. In my indecision of these topical launchpads, it would be providential for you to consider these things in your new life and environment while considering your part in becoming the change that our nation so desperately needs.

I will say this so there is clarity about going into this new era and as we press deeper into The Great Awakening… prepare to hear a common theme coming from the unified voices among the remnant churches and peoples, like Beloved Church. These themes will revolve around:

• Heroes: How sad and miserable is it that the young generation are forced to idolize cartoons, plastic, digitally constructed, and profoundly fake heroes. These blasphemous versions are destitute of character, useless to reality, and abysmal for any kind of humble imitation. There was a time when young people could read stories of historical men and women who did historic things that changed the world. Now, we have a green-screen-universe of fakery that our children look to… I have determined that we are going to start making and raising heroes again in America… join me!
• Jubilee: In my study, it has deeply impacted me to learn that there has NEVER actually been a jubilee for any nation or people in the full application. I know that Jesus is our jubilee and has redeemed us from the slavery of sin, the poverty of the lust for mammon, a satanic, oppressive tyranny of depression and mental anguish, and the death grip of sickness and disease. We have been annotating these truths incessantly for nearly a decade now. BUT… we have never seen the Church, the nation, the soul of humanity, the economic system (and the other mountains of culture) ALL be impacted at the same time like the scriptural Jubilee infers. I believe THE Great Awakening and the Jubilee is the culmination of divine purpose and the believers desire coming together in a radical explosion of the Grace of God!
• Holiness: We are entering an era of humanity that, “good enough,” will not be good enough any longer. There is going to be a pronounced separation of the authentic from the synthetic, the hypocrite from the genuine, the plastic from the real, and the Pharisee from the disciple. The large swath of folks who, “know to do good and do it not,” (as James says) are going to be faced with a choice, a painful decision for life or death… blessing or cursing. Not that God is going to kill or curse anyone, but because those morally weak people will submit themselves unto the destroyer who will happily wreck havoc on every area of their life and future. If you are secretly in this languid category, I implore you to elevate and choose righteousness and Godliness today.

“Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
1 Peter 4:16-18

“And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof].”
Romans 13:11-14

“For he says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
2 Corinthians 6:2

This is it, Beloved! Now is the time… this is the era… we are the people… and what a glorious time to live!

I pray that the ears of your heart are open to the Spirit as we go into this new year, new era, and new Awakening. I promise to minister with passion and fervency, holding the truth with a good conscience, and do my part to usher these truths into our world, our region, and your precious heart!

I love you greatly and deeply!
Steve