What in the World is God Doing?

Jim Bradshaw • August 22, 2021

Or, what the heck is going on in America?

Any comparison of the United States to the Israel of the Hebrew scriptures is very misguided. The Israel of the Bible was established as a holy nation by God under the Mosaic Covenant. That Israel no longer exists as the Mosaic covenant ended in 70AD with the destruction of the Temple, the results of Israel’s leaders rejecting the Gospel of the Kingdom. The United States has no such covenant. So, believing such a relationship exists between God and the United States is based upon a pretense.

Now, I do believe the United States has had godly influences in its history that demonstrated great benefits of freedom, and thus is unique in its existence in that manner. And, I believe some significant leaders in its history have called upon God to help the nation be good for all people. While there may be some kind of “covenant” that individuals made with God for this nation, make no mistake we are not talking about a covenant as found in the bible concerning the nation Israel.

Furthermore, the reality that the United States has had some dreadful influence with ungodly decisions does NOT excuse us to pray for the United States, its leadership, and its people. The “experiment” known as the United States has had great heights and lows. To believe God has not engaged with the existence and continuance of this country is also misguided. So, praying and believing good for the nation is not wrong, even while the judgments of God expose the short-sightedness of almost everyone who has United States citizenship.

Beyond the United States, there are all the nations of the earth to consider, and God does not love one nation more than another. The problems of the earth affect them all, some more than others. God has raised up a solution to the evil we see in the world that make the people of all nations cry out for help. Please note that this solution is NOT the United States. While God has used the United States at various times to be a great help to other nations and with our prayers may continue to be so, it is not God’s solution.

With Jesus Christ as its foundation, God has raised up His Church to be One Holy Nation (Old Covenant Israel is its shadow) to declare to the nations the Gospel of the Kingdom. This Holy Nation with this holy mandate from the Lord Jesus is to be the solution to the problem of evil among the nations of the world.

So, the biggest problem on planet earth today is NOT evil. It is a divided church. A divided church does not address the problem of evil in the world effectively, as the problem of evil runs rampant within it. We could say that all this shaking of the nations of the world with all the problems they are currently facing is ultimately to shake the church as we know it to become the Church Jesus is building it to be for the sake of all nations!

Now some will say the church has always been divided. They say look at the Corinthian Church as found in the Apostle Paul’s epistles. However, that example reveals a lack of understanding of the Church Jesus is building (Jesus is not building a local church here and there but one Church coming out of heaven). In John 17 Jesus prays first for His original Apostles to be One, like he and the Father are One (The Unity of the Spirit that the Church is called to maintain exists eternally in the heaven of the heavens). The Apostles (and Prophets) are the foundation of the Church with Jesus Christ as the Head Apostle and Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). Soon after 70 AD the calling to be apostles became an ecclesiastical calling to be bishops (elders and bishops were no longer synonymous), thus losing the true gift that comes with the true calling. That right there is how the Church started to become a divided church with the infusions of the doctrine and religious practices of men (and I mean men masculine here… can’t blame women with this!). You could say rubble started to gather upon the true foundation, upon which we must sort out with 2000 years of church history in order to re-discover and recover the authentic foundation of the Church Jesus is building.

So, what is God doing today? He is calling the Church of His Son who is the Firstborn from the dead, to awaken to its True Identity, Purpose and Destiny. While there are too many misguided leaders calling themselves an apostle and/or prophet today, there are a few authentic ones. The Truth is God is awakening believers to discover their true calling in life and proper placement with the Body. You can tell by their humility, not motivated by riches or fame, but by The Truth of the Gospel revealed to them as found in the scriptures. True Apostles have the keys of the Kingdom, the revelation of the Mysteries of Christ, His Kingdom and His Church, and given evidence of such with the demonstration of the Spirit and signs and wonders as they preach the Authentic Gospel of the Kingdom. This Gospel does not present a truncated “Jesus is your personal savior so you can get to heaven.” Rather, this Gospel presents Jesus, crucified and risen, as both Lord and Christ. This gospel is more command than invitation: Bow your knee to the King of kings! This gospel reaps disciples who hate nothing but sin and love nothing but God, willing to lay their treasures at the apostles feet for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom on earth.

So, have you heard the authentic gospel? The truth is that most believers have not. The scripture outline for this gospel can be found in Acts 2 and 13, with elements found throughout Luke's other recordings of preaching in the book of Acts. You can also find the substance of this gospel throughout the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in Jesus’ proclamations. Please note, in those gospel writings the Kingdom is at hand. With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Kingdom is now here as Jesus has been inaugurated as King, Lord of heaven and earth, sitting at the right hand of the Father, from where He pours out His Spirit upon all flesh. Through the foolishness of preaching, people may be dynamited out of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light as they repent, are baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Such new believers discover their identity in Christ through the Church that Jesus is building and find their integrity as true disciples within their spiritual family (a particular allotment of believers).

In conclusion, while there is “a whole lotta shaking” going on in the world, God is not asleep. He is calling His Church to the center stage… to fulfill its identity, purpose, and destiny for the cause of Christ among the nations that belong to him. He is calling the saints to overcome evil by the word of their testimony, the blood of the Lamb and the willingness to love not their lives against the threat of death. Let us then pray Psalm 2 and other governmental like prayers (See the Acts 4 prayer that alludes to Psalm 2). Let us learn the Christ from the scriptures that reveals him to be both Lord and Christ. Don’t put off for tomorrow what needs to be believed and practiced today, for the sake of the nations of the world starting with our own.

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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