A Call to Reset Our Affections

The Lord spoke this to my heart over a year ago, and I have carried this burden in prayer. Now, in this season of exposure and shaking, He says: "Release it. The time is NOW."

In this hour of unprecedented exposure in the church, look around and see what has been revealed. In sanctuaries across the nation, congregants rise not for the name of Jesus, but for the entrance of their beloved pastor. Social media feeds overflow with celebrity preacher quotes while Bibles gather dust. Conference tickets sell out for personalities while prayer meetings sit empty.

We have allowed human leaders to occupy the sacred space in our hearts reserved for God alone.

We buy their books faster than we read Scripture. We memorize their catchphrases while forgetting God's promises. We defend their reputations more fiercely than we defend the Gospel. We know their personal stories, their families, their struggles—yet remain strangers to the heart of our Heavenly Father. Conference auditoriums packed for human speakers sit in stark contrast to empty altars during prayer calls.

When did it happen? When did pastors, prophets, and Christian motivational speakers replace God's position with their own? How did we, as the ekklesia, allow man and woman to become the main object and focus of our affection?

We should all honor men and women of God. I am grateful and have a submissive heart to those who have gone before me. But I will not allow a highly anointed, miracle-moving, justice-fighting, righteous Christ-following man or woman of God to steal my heart's affection for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I cannot! We cannot!

So many questions flood my mind: What has happened? How did we, the eklessia, allow it? Who is responsible? Is it the fault of those who took a high position and stepped into a high place—a position and place that was never rightfully theirs? Are the followers to blame? Was ambition present? Did the worshiped climb upon the throne, or did the body place them there?

But none of that matters now. It was the woman, it was the snake—blaming has been present since the beginning, and it gets us nowhere. We are seeing the folly of it all! When we displace our affection, worship, honor, and allegiance for YAHWEH to mere men and women, doors open that were never meant to open.

We have allowed it. At the very least, we have tolerated it. The world has infiltrated the body of Christ—His church, His people. Yet we are called to infiltrate the world. This is nothing new. Same old story. History repeating itself.

I believe we all knew it was coming—a great RESET! A reformation! God will have a spotless bride, and He would start in His own household. What is hidden will be revealed. A cleansing is coming. It is upon us.

Now what?

We can take to social media and remind everyone we told them so. We can ignore it. We can judge. But what is your position?

Are you positioned on your knees, humbly crying out in worship for God's people, for your nation, city, neighborhood, family? What is your position? Are you in prayer for the fallen? Are you accusing and judging? We can be disappointed without hating. I imagine God has been in a similar situation because of my walk. I fall. He loves.

Could it be me? Could it be you? Could it be us? What's your position? You may not be amidst scandal, but are you innocent of sin? Are we?

This conviction that started in my heart must now become our collective cry:

Here's what we must do now:

Fall to your knees. Search your heart with ruthless honesty. Examine your social media follows—whose words do you share more: theirs or His? Check your bookshelves—whose wisdom crowds out Scripture? Listen to your conversations—whose names roll off your tongue with more reverence than Jesus?

Repent for misplaced affection. Return to your first love. Let God reclaim the throne room of your heart.

The spotless bride He desires begins with you. Today. Right now.

This is what the Lord requires in this hour. This is His call to His bride, the Church. The time for tolerance is over. The time for realignment is now.