The Mystery Altered

Anne Bradshaw • September 7, 2023

The Mystery Altered

Dear Reader,

A question was asked recently in a group setting, "What is to be done about the evils we see in society today?"

The following is my answer to that question.

Ephesians 3:8-12, Paul says,

To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to enlighten all people as to what the plan of the mystery is which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places, This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

God chooses to work through His Church. He doesn’t work through joe’s church or jane’s church. He works through His Church, His body which is not a building or an organization with employees and committee chair members. His Church that He is building is formed from living stones upon one foundation, that is Christ. The living stones are the saints, believers in Jesus, the family of God who are called as one Holy Nation to proclaim the truth that Jesus is Lord. With this proclamation is revealed the wisdom of God to the nations that Jesus taught regarding the Kingdom of God. It is through the administration of this Gospel among the nations that all who would believe are received and the ills of this world are healed. Creation itself groans for the people of God to take their place and administrate the Kingdom as Jesus taught and as was mandated to humanity in Genesis.

This Gospel revealed is not for a ticket to heaven, though it is true that eternal life is a part of this message. Neither is the Gospel a message of salvation only, though that message is foundational. But we cannot stop at salvation or heaven and assume that there is nothing more needed. It is the rest of the Gospel that is missing from the messages typically shared. Why? To put it simply, Nickles and noses. The unaltered Word of God for humanity to successfully live the abundant life of the Kingdom with Jesus as Lord may not line up with the agenda or sensibilities of the one communicating the message. Goodwill is promoted over good Truth. Why? Because (and I generalize here) offending the attendees on Sunday morning does not promote the generous giving (tithes and offerings) needed to keep the organization (church built by men/women rather than God) running or pay the electric bill and salaries.

Salvation is needed because sin is real. And only through proper initiation (repentance, baptism and infilling of Holy Spirit) can alignment with the Truth and sensitivity to What God is Saying NOW happen. Only through the one Door, Jesus, can one can successfully overcome the adversities and walk successfully in Destiny fulfilling the purpose of God upon the earth. The Gospel revealed is not for someday, somewhere out “there.” The Gospel is for NOW. It is for the living and the believing people of faith to be successful WORKING parts of the plan of God upon the earth for the good of ALL humanity and creation.

What was the mystery revealed? The church. His Church through whom He fulfills His work for the GOOD of all addressing evil and bringing an end to the influence of evil among us.

But as long as the church lacks identity as HIS and is divided regarding what is “truth” according to Scripture, His voice upon the earth can be distorted or silenced because of division and compromise affecting His body, the Church He is building. And this happens because we lack the understanding of the ENTIRE MESSAGE Jesus and the apostles preached. The church man has built has settled for Sunday morning group therapy sessions on the hardships of life instead of receiving the downloads of King Jesus and the marching orders of His Faith that has lasting effects on entire communities and nations.

Ern Baxter, in his message regarding Covenant said this: God’s word is final and non-negotiable. He has decreed what He will do in and through His Word. You can accept it, or you may reject it, but it cannot be altered. The ills of today, [the corruption and misalignment of truth and faith] have all derived from humanity altering [tampering/ adjusting] the Word of God to satisfy personal agendas and a personal sense of right and “wrong.” [my summary]

The world does not have the answers to Spiritual problems. They have to alter the word of God to convince the people of God that they know what they are doing. They don’t. And the church man builds, in its divided and distorted mess, is of course silent because they don’t know what to do either. Only the Living Stones among the rubble of man-made doctrines can see and hear the truth and they must be willing to rise up upon the firm foundation upon which THEY STAND and shake off the dust of tradition and codependent compromise declaring TRUTH unashamedly and confidently as David did when he faced Goliath. Only then, will the world see and line up with TRUTH and the answers will be provided to heal our land. This only happens through the mandate to the church Jesus is Building (of which the first Apostles were the beginning) in

Matthew 28: 19-20.

¹⁹Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

May the church Jesus is Building stand boldly before the throne and receive the marching orders for their assignment. May the stand for truth as Jesus and the First Apostles lived and taught, go forth to heal every nation, discipling each toward a whole and healthy place.

As individuals among the Body, living Stones upon the firm Foundation, may we have eyes to see our identity purpose and placement within the Body of Christ, the Family of God and from there fulfill our destiny as revealed through His Spirit within.

May we have ears to hear and heed the instructions sent forth from the Throne of Grace without altering the instructions to satisfy the level at which or natural self is willing to operate.

May we truly "Surrender All" for the Sake of Him Who Loves us most.

Blessings,

Anne

< Older Post Newer Post >

Get Ready

By Anne Bradshaw • May 29, 2025

Hear His voice, and Go

He Invites Our Participation

By Anne Bradshaw • May 8, 2025

Dear Reader, It has been on my mind this morning the incredible gift we have in Christ to be members of the Family of God, the Church Jesus is building, citizens of the Kingdom, joint heirs with Christ. We are in His Good Care, always. I’m sure you have also had moments when the appreciation for this gift seems to eclipse the momentary business of daily life. I’m sure you would have your insights as well to add. It is from this place that I am sharing today. My husband and I take time each morning to pray together for family, the Church and the nation. Today when we were praying for our nation and for the people of God, we prayed for those who hear His voice that they would choose obedience above the temptations and the insecurities that they may experience. We prayed for Congress, especially, to be focused on good stewardship of the office they are holding and accomplish the pressing needs of the nation rather than simply the “easy” stuff they can agree on. Our prayers were for those who are not being good stewards of the power and influence they have been given, would now make choices according to the Law of the Spirit of Life or be removed from their places of power and influence until they can fulfill their oath of office responsibly and faithfully. It occurred to me amidst the prayer time, that God really doesn’t need our approval to accomplish His plan. He doesn’t need anyone to be obedient. He invites it. He designed the covenantal relationship with us to not be dependent upon us because He is somehow lacking in something we have, rather He includes us because it is His good pleasure. When I say he doesn’t need us, I mean that He is God all by Himself. He doesn’t need anything from us in order to maintain His sovereignty and Grace and accomplish His plan for humanity that is already in the works. When I was young, I used to think that if I stopped believing in God He would simply vanish. It was quite a revelation to realize I was not that powerful and that whether I believed or not, approved or not, was happy, sad, faithful or disobedient, God was still God. He is faithful to His covenant regardless of my momentary lapses or victories. He loved me and wanted me to have the abundant life promised. Then I learned an even greater truth. It’s not about me. Never was. There is no personal plan of God for my life. It isn’t all planned out. He just knows what is in store and prepares me in advance with all the skills and ability I need to enjoy, endure or receive all that is ahead of me. He’s in my corner, but not for my sake… It’s for everyone. It’s for His kingdom, His righteousness working through me so ALL can have an abundant life promised. I just have a small corner in a much bigger purpose in which to work and follow His leading. It’s not about me... I find that incredibly freeing. I can’t make a mistake that messes up His plan. I’m not that powerful. I am free to choose. I am offered leadership and favor according to His good will for me, for all. If the consequences of sin are experienced, it is because sin carries its own punishment. And sometimes that punishment spills over to others. A drunk driver could have an accident and kill other people. The other people didn’t do anything wrong; the evil of alcohol abuse is at fault. But God still cares and is not defined by the accident. He takes care of His people, but that doesn’t mean we don’t experience the fall out of evil in our world. He promises to walk with us through it. He promises His justice. Evil wears out because it “eats its own” just as a wasting disease will “eat” the host until there is nothing left to survive, then the disease also dies with the host it destroyed. This is evil. God never designed our bodies to host wasting diseases. He didn’t design us to sin. We were meant for more. Evil things have been happening behind the scenes of our government for years. It is now being revealed. Pray with us that the evil will not only be brought to light, but that it will also receive the just judgment of God and His righteousness through His people who are even now, building impenetrable cases to process. We pray for them. We must keep the courts in our prayers that the just judgments of God would be able to work successfully. We must not be discouraged when judges make rulings that are prejudiced, excessive, biased and unfair. Why? Because our hope is in the Lord who is above all and sees all and is faithful to His Covenant with those who believe. God always wins. Those who confront the evil of death, doubt and despair, are not forgotten. The mothers and fathers who lost children to fentanyl, brought in and distributed illegally in our nation, are not forgotten. The people struggling to pay debts, to provide for family and be good stewards are not forgotten. What is needed is for the Church Jesus is building to realize the power of her voice among the nations to make a difference; speak forth the will of God, His one Will, His Just Judgments. What we have currently is a church that is praying in a dozen or more different directions. Because God has Chosen to work through us, is it not important that we steward that responsibility corporately with accuracy rather than personally? Is it a surprise that personal agendas are most likely not God’s agenda? If it is the Church’s mandate to push back darkness and administrate the principles of the Kingdom of God upon the earth, is it any wonder evil has gotten a foothold when we are so busy looking after “me, myself, and I” our own local church food banks and Sunday morning services rather than speaking as one with the whole church against the evil that is even making the food banks necessary? Here's a thought: Maybe those who run the food banks (for example) wonder what purpose they would have if the food banks were not necessary? (just a thought) Would they pray to end the need for something in which they are finding fulfillment? Could the concern for fulfillment, validation, and significance apply to any other Church-run organization made necessary because of the works of evil? I wonder, how many have read Matthew 23 lately? Maybe it isn't that. Maybe the sincere concern for others cannot see past the momentary need to the corporate power of the Faith of God and the one Church Jesus is building to confront the evil source and heal the root of the need. Something to think about, anyway... Grace and peace, my friends. Anne