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#337 Kingdom: Shaking Everything That Can Be Shaken


I recently picked up an article from 1962 that was relating some of the same concerns that we feel today. We are confronted with the same old organized methods, same old stuff in the church system and the deadness of the meetings and the religious routines that the believer is expected to endure to be considered a active member. A revolution was predicted in 1962 or the church would fossilize. This was about 6 years before the Charismatic Renewal began and seemed to be prophetic.


The Charismatic Movement or “Restoration” appeared to be the total answer to the “problems” that plagued the visible church. Within 4 years every major denomination and most independent groups were affected. The “end time revival” was upon us and Joel’s army would soon arise. This was a time of tremendous expectation and excitement and end time prophesies were abundant. Still, by 1985 the wind had blown out and the movement died.


Since the last part of the 1980's several newer groups have began that said they were the next move of God. Great prophesies were hyped in news letters and publications. We heard prophesies that God was going to begin to raised the dead out of the graves in Mexico and revival would sweep Mexico. All this was just hype and the passing of wind.


In the last 25 years many wonderful things were proclaimed and spoke out as prophesies but the words fell to the ground. We have heard prophesies 20 years ago about the time has arrived for a great political, social, religious and philosophical shaking to immediately begin. The word was that this shaking would continue to increase until everything that could not be shaken would remain. Of course this appeared to be scriptural evidence for this “word.”


The problem was this scripture was in direct reference to the Kingdom in Hebrews 12 but was presented as another “revival” in the prophesies.


If we carefully observe the “philosophical appeal” of the past church outreach to the “unsaved”, we would see it was essentially selfish and self-centered and appealed to man for what he could receive from God so he could be more prosperous and happy. His business would prosper and his bank account would grow. We heard this hype continually in the Full Gospel Business Men’s group but many churches were built upon this premise that God would fill your pockets with good things. If you were God’s child He would give abundantly above all you could ask or think. God owned all the silver and all the gold and the cattle on a thousand hills and the devil had stolen it. However, now was the time we could take it all back. It was time to “name it and claim it.”


The “foundations” were laid for a whole church system that is built upon a “come and get” mentality. Come to our church and get something for yourself. We will show you how to get what ever you say by faith. If you don’t get it the first 10 times you say it, just keep on saying it until it comes to you. Believe you got it and THEN you will get it. To “get it” was the ultimate goal. Even in the better Charismatic Conferences that focused upon teaching there was a underlying theme that was “selfish and man-centered.” More profound blessings could be obtained for you AND your family IF you can break the curses that have come upon your life and finances through your ancestors. It is not that what they were proclaiming was false but the reasons were wrong. Of course we, or no one that we knew, recognized this then.


Mat 16: 23] But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling


block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” [24] Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me


My theory is that another revival based the “come and get” mentality will never succeed. But doesn’t God want His children to get out of poverty with a good testimony? The real question is HOW does God want to develop the church so they will be faithful and multiply what they were given?


Mat 6:31] “Do not be anxious then, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `With what shall we clothe ourselves?’ [32] “For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. [33] “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. [34] “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.


When the Kingdom is our starting point many of the scriptures that didn’t seem to work OUTSIDE the Kingdom will begin to work, INSIDE THE KINGDOM.. However, in the Kingdom EVERYTHING flows out of the Kingdom of God and not out of selfish humanism. Self-centered humanism has been the goal of past revivals and, to me, this explains the sudden demise of these “revivals.”


Because these shaking, crumbling and false foundations have been laid in the modern visible church, the Gospel of the Kingdom “demands” is not “good news.” Obviously, the solution is seen in Jeremiah 1:9 & 10.


JER 1:9 Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. [10] “See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.”


It seems apparent now that we cannot succeed in the next restoration if we try to build the Kingdom Message upon these crumbling foundations that are already shaking apart. Many people are abandoning these sinking ships with good cause. The sad part is that those who are promoting “the sinking ships revival” are rejoicing because the rats are jumping off. That is good riddance because those were the trouble makers! Still, when the rats abandon ship it signals a great problem ahead.


Any minister, that announces the Kingdom with the message that the visible church is beyond revival and gone beyond the possibility of repair, will be totally rejected. However, just trying to “reform” a counterfeit church system doesn’t seem to be an option. To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow FIRST AND THEN To build and to plant appears to be the only valid option. Obviously this will not be a popular approach to the next restoration!


Nevertheless, that is the reason the current system must be totally destroyed OR we must start out with all new believers that have no crumbling foundation already established. We are not speaking of destroying the “visible church” but the corrupt “church systems.” Only then can a new stable Kingdom foundation be laid upon which some new revelations can be unveiled. A new direction for the ministries to focus upon the inner Life of the Kingdom and new ministry toward God can begin. This Life and Ministry will focus upon God’s interests rather than man’s interests.


Under the old system our message was “COME AND GET!” The Kingdom Message is “COME AND GIVE” everything including your own life also. Take up your cross daily and follow Him so you may be His disciples and He can teach you, Himself.


Evangelical Ministries easily gravitate toward a man centered message that is focused upon man’s interests because this appears to be the best way to get people “saved.” The rebuke of Jesus to “Get behind Me, Satan” is shocking. After all, Peter only wanted the best for Jesus!


It is more exciting for everyone to stand up and stomp your feet and demand that Satan


release all the silver and all the gold and the cattle on a thousand hills. The pulpit cry is this; So with one voice now and all together let us shout at the devil. Now put the devil under your feet and stomp on him. He has your blessing so now we will take it back. Demand that Satan give back to you what he has stolen, pressed down shaken together and running over. God never provided all this wealth for the devil and his bunch but His provision is just for His children.


Rooting out of the church these man centered “truths” will not be easy. According to what Jesus said in Matthew 16, Satan was behind much of this phony gospel.


The Gospel of the Kingdom will expose and devastate much of the “gospel” of the last 35 years. Thousands of books that proclaimed “COME AND GET” and “Seven Steps to receive God’s blessings and God’s abundance” will become more trash for the land fill. [ garbage dump].


But, brother, isn’t that too harsh and radical? Not as harsh and radical as “Get behind Me Satan!”


It is my theory that all those who were born into the selfish and self-centered gospel of “come and get” and “fulfilling man’s interests” will need to be re-born into the Gospel of the Kingdom. The Gospel of God’s Government, within, and His agenda for the church will be shocking to most believers today. Of course, this is not the believers fault but must be laid at the feet of the MINISTRIES that promoted this deception. The error was not in announcing God’s provision but the fact that ALL God’s provision is in the Kingdom. Mat 6: 33] “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.


Much of the church attitude today is ; Lord, I am not interested at this time in coming into Your Kingdom and under Your Government but I humbly ask you to send out to me all Your Provision. But I promise that someday I will repent and submit to Your Lordship. Right now I don’t want you to reign over me! I just want to live by faith and grace so that nothing is expected of me!


Luke 19: 27] “But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.”


This is Christ’s response to HIS self-centered “slaves” who just wanted to live for themselves and couldn’t be bothered about multiplying what they were given. The carnal response to the demands of the Kingdom is; “This was just speaking of His Slaves and NOT of His children. I am His child so nothing is required of me! Where does this ignorance come from? It must be laid at the feet of the MINISTRIES who preached a different gospel than the Gospel of the Kingdom!


The selfish and self-centered “Christian” philosophy of the past decades must be replaced with a new Christian / Kingdom philosophy to lead the church into the next dimension of Holy Place restoration. It is reasonable that “successful ministries” that are packing in the crowds today and that are enjoying their 15 minutes of fame will not be interested in the Gospel of the Kingdom demands. However, there is another group emerging that are disgusted and disillusioned with their spiritual growth and experience in the status quo “churches.” My guess is that until the “believers” are brought into the next dimension where God will teach them through the inner anointing, they will remain unimpressed, critical and dissatisfied with the current church system.


1 John 2: 27] And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. [28] And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.


The fact is that UNTIL the inner anointing begins to teach the believers personally, we will need the “TEACHING MINISTRY” to bring the believers into the Spiritual Dimension where the INNER ANOINTING will teach them. The wisdom that is then required of the “teaching ministries” is to back off and let the “abiding teacher” do His work in them. When the “abiding teacher begins”, this is the time for the “teaching ministries” to search for new believers to bring into this greater dimension. As long as we create a system that always makes the believers dependent upon others for teaching, we short circuit the System that God has Designed.


We are not being critical of any one group or any kind of ministry but we are disturbed by the system that never brings people into the New Covenant where God begins to teach them. “And they shall all be taught of God” has become a lost truth in this current church system.


There is a hopelessness developing in the church of just remaining in this dead end system that is not feeding our spirit but is just informing our soul with more irrelevant information and Bible facts.


John 11:11] This He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awaken him out of sleep. [13] Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.


The “church” may just be sleeping and possibly we can shout and dance and wake her up before death becomes permanent. Even those in long days of sleep have to have food or they die. They at least feed comatose patients to keep them alive. There appears to be no spiritual food for the comatose church!


We do not anticipate a sudden awakening, then a rectification and sudden change in the church system as it exists. Now believers are pushed, led, taught into a system that is not easy to escape from. It is a little like the polygamist cult in Utah that teaches young girls that their salvation is tied to having sex with old men and obedience to the prophet.


Of course the church system we are speaking of is not like that but it is trapped into irrelevant activity, dead end programs, and routine church services that are without life or purpose except to promote the system. To deliberately become a Non- Conformist to this political and religious system is social suicide among ministers. Preaching prosperity and human satisfaction and how to get God to do what you want Him to do, will assure popularity among ministers that are looking out for their own well being.


Several years ago we learned how worship could convince God to supply our needs. Books like “Answers to Worship” and “Answers to Praise” were very popular. How to get God to serve us was always a popular conference theme. All this carnality is like manna that has rotten and turned putrid.


If we could just adjust our thoughts and priorities toward God and His Absolute Sovereignty, in His Absolute Kingdom and view mankind under His total Government, it would revolutionize man’s life and activities away from himself and refocus them upon God and His Eternal Purpose.


Reasoning from God as source down to man who has needs, is the Kingdom way. His Kingdom should adjust our focus upon God as Divine Cause and man as the effect. When “Divine Truth” is interpreted from this “Kingdom vantage point” it “CHANGES US” so we can perceive Divine Truth. It is my opinion that new restored truth must be interpreted from this adjusted viewpoint. Just to rehash truth that has already been restored many years ago is the popular ministry today. Re-inventing Old Truth and new ways to say the same thing is called “theology.”


John Calvin restored this “re-focus” of thought that begins to reason from God and His Sovereignty down to mankind in the 1500s. Before Calvin, the concept was to start with man and then reason up to God. Because of other doctrinal emphasis, some “present truth” restored by Calvin was rejected. Then reasoning from man up to God became the normal method of understanding “truth.” Man became the center and God was thought to revolve around man and his needs, benefits, blessings, provision and prosperity. This reasoning from a man-center up to God probably mutated into this “gospel of come and get” that is normal today.


Because Jesus Christ died for us it is assumed that man was the absolute center of Calvary. “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us” seems to promote this idea so we create a slogan that says “He was born to die.” While this is partially true, the focus is still upon man and his need of forgiveness of sins. When we reason from God down to man we see other scriptures that focus upon the Eternal Purpose of God. For Example:


Luke 4:43] But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”


2 Tim 1: 9] who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,


He didn’t “save us” just because we needed “saved” but SO THAT we could fulfill His


Eternal Purpose. This is reasoning from God and His Eternal Purpose down to man! In the


Kingdom, God is the center and NOT man. The Kingdom message is alive in much of Paul’s understanding and what he shared.


Rom 14:7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; [8] for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. [9] For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.


2 Cor 5: 14 For the Love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; [15] and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.


Why do we see such a variety of interpretations of truth from the same verses in the same Bible? Because we are unable to accurately “interpret restored truth” from man’s viewpoint. Each man interprets according to his own vision and understanding. The ultimate issues of eternity can ONLY be interpreted by an adjusted view from a Kingdom Perspective. My theory is that real current revelation will only come from that dimension of the Kingdom Government of God. It is possible that much present truth cannot be accurately interpreted simply because our perspective is wrong.


I am tired of hearing how God is going to do exploits through a carnal and self-seeking people that have fixed their thoughts upon an earthly ministry that is going to gain them name and fame and will take them around the world.


We can forget about all the irrelevant things we have learned or heard about! Too much of that was focused upon man’s interests and his happiness and turn our attention toward God’s Eternal Purpose and The Kingdom Government of God as “present truth.” Of course this has been “present truth” in every generation since Jesus presented the Kingdom 2000 years ago. The Kingdom is not “new to the Bible” but is new to the church that has ignored the Kingdom for centuries.


The “revelations” of the natural man are not to be trusted. These relate to little more than a philosophy from the lower nature. Philosophy in the Greek means “the love of wisdom.” Since there is a “wisdom from below” AND a “Wisdom from above” we want to reject the “lower wisdom” and seek earnestly for the “wisdom from above.”


philosophy >noun) 1 the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. 2 the theories of a particular philosopher. 3 a theory or attitude that guides one’s behavior. 4 the study of the theoretical basis of a branch of knowledge or experience.


-ORIGIN Greek philosophia ‘love of wisdom’


It is my opinion that too much of the “ministry of personal prophesy” produced victims of the “philosophy of the lower nature” and Not the philosophy or Wisdom from above. The Kingdom Philosophy IS the philosophy from above. When we blindly follow the wisdom or philosophy from below we eliminate ourselves from the “progressing truth from above.” Measuring “truth” from our own self-center will result in all this diversity of “truth” that has attached itself to various denominations. The effect has been “a loss of present truth” and like the “lost coin” and the “lost sheep” we should drop all this irrelevant activity and search out what was lost. Lost sinners are one thing but LOST TRUTH is quite another. Finding the last sinner will benefit the sinner but finding LOST TRUTH will benefit the whole church if they have ears to hear.


There obviously are many things that God will shake until only that which is unshakable will remain. The thing we are focusing upon in this study is this false center that has taken many believers captive. Our job is to shock the church back to a God, Christ, Kingdom center! This will require a destruction of all false centers and emphases so that God can be all in all AS OUR EXPERIENCE!


Over the past 30 years I have used the “Consecration Offering” to shock the church out of its comatose state. This has been much less effective than I had hoped. I have wondered why? I assume the answer is that the center of the lives hasn’t changed. We “Consecrate” because we think it will benefit us! Some may have “consecrated” just to see what would happen. We may have a genuine desire to “go on with God” and “consecrate” as another “method” but our center may not have changed and “consecration” is just another thing that revolves around “ME.” Trying to shock a comatose believer with a “doctrine of consecration” has not been effective.


My theory is that if we continue to stir around in these same surface issues and irrelevant activities for another ten years we will change nothing. Why do we feel this strange emptiness, frustration, disappointment and discouragement in the frenzied church activities that seem to change monthly? I think it is because it ignores the Kingdom Government of God and promotes the independence of our inner life.


I wonder why there is so much criticism of the leadership in the churches. It is probably because the believers feel so much frustration about their own lack of spiritual growth and lack of development of their inner life. If they are not “growing” it must be someone’s fault.


Also the “system of church” that we use has become so routine and predictable and its dead end projects are without Life (Zoe). The vision of the visible church is still earthly instead of heavenly. It is temporal instead of eternal. What can I receive today, tomorrow has its own needs!


This is NOT a condemnation of all churches because I was going by a church on Saturday that had a lot of cars and activity and everybody seemed to be happy and excited. There is a church that is having an antique automobile show this week end. This is very exciting. It required much planning and activity and outreach to invite a wide variety of people to show their automobiles. Of course many strangers will come to see the show!


Some of us, who are referred to as the “Christian Revolt,” are not revolting against Christianity! We are revolting against the senseless projects that produce NO spiritual results. These are the activities that cannot feed the inner life or satisfy the inner longing for eternal reality. These senseless “projects” are not transforming the believers into Christ-like-ness but into robots to support the system that is sinking into oblivion. The thought is this; if we can get more people on the sinking ship to bail out the water we can save the ship. This is what we are calling the “sinking ship revival.”


Even the human personality of the unregenerate person cannot survive in an empty and meaningless society that has no goals. This is a tremendous problem in prisons where violent people are locked up 23 hours a day. This is supposed to rehabilitate the violent but it produces worse offenders than before. Why? Because their life becomes a dead end routine.


Even the new Christian born again person cannot survive in an empty and meaningless society that has no eternal goals. This is a tremendous problem in the church where believers are locked up in a dead end system that cannot grow the spiritual vision or the spiritual life.


Therefore, let us start a project so every member can get involved. Let us build a tower that will reach into heaven. We will gather all kinds of man made materials and begin to build. This will impress all who see our zeal and how we work together in unity. Others will want to join us and we can add to our number each day. We can get on television to give others the opportunity to give to our project. We will call them “partners in the work.” Help us preach the “gospel of the great tower.” God has told us that if you will support this great work that God will pour back into your coffers multiplied, shaken together and running over.


Several years ago we saw this “Tower of Babel Building Revival.” However, confusion set in and misunderstanding arose and many of the projects were abandoned. But, brother, if we don’t have a specific project to promote we discovered that people quit giving. Therefore, we must hype the project and call it “Kingdom building” to hold the interest of the believers. They have to think they are accomplishing something “for God.” As long as we have “activity” the believers will quit complaining about the lack of food for their spirit or an eternal goal for their life. We can set up these counterfeit goals and deceive the people into thinking they are serving God. If they sow into this fruitless field they will reap an eternal harvest. Therefore, what we are really doing is provide a way for believers to lay up treasures in heaven that will be waiting for them when the go to heaven.


We simply ask the question; Was God pleased with those who set out to build a tower into heaven? Did they lay up treasures in heaven that was waiting them when they got to heaven? It seems that God’s people are so naive that they will believe any scam artist that will call himself a Christian and offer them something that will benefit them.


Years ago you could invest all your savings into a church system that would pay you back a monthly check, each month as long as you lived. All the time your money could be working for God and building the Kingdom [that was already built long before the world was.] When you died all your savings that remained would be left to the church system that was promoting the project. They would invest your money and pay you the interest each month plus a part of the principle. This would meet all your monthly needs and be laying up treasures in heaven at the same time. It was a win, win situation! Since you can’t serve God, give us your money and we will serve God in your place and you can get the credit without lifting a finger.


It has been assumed that the “believer” is not capable of serving God himself and only called and ordained persons who have been trained for the ministry are qualified. The “believer” participates in the “body ministry” by helping the ordained minister fulfil his ministry and calling. In other words, the ordained minister serves God in the place of the believers but if the “believers” faithfully support the ordained minister in serving God, that service is accredited to the believer.


This modern concept of serving God by proxy is part of the dead end church systems that replace the Kingdom of God in our practical experience. How, then, has this church system deceived the believers into believing a lie? By reasoning from man to God instead of reasoning from God to man. This “reverse reasoning” uses human wisdom instead of the Wisdom from above!


2 Cor 5: 10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.


The “ordained minister” will not be permitted to stand before the judgement seat of Christ in your place and present his works to God as your proxy. Each person will stand before God and answer for himself. The “ordained minister” will have to answer to Christ for himself and for whatever deception he used to further his own ministry or fill his own pockets. This will be a terrifying time for each of us that depended upon some “ministry” to serve God in our place.


The thought is this; How can mortal man (believer) possibly deal with the complexities of serving God in ministry or deal with the complexities of Theology. There seems to be two avenues of doctrine and thought. It is true that the human perception is quite limited when dealing with eternal realities. It is also true that man by thinking can never find God. On the other hand the person who doesn’t bother to think will never discover anything. Still, truth comes to us when we meditate upon God and upon His Word. The avenues concerning this concept of receiving from God is that only those who have been called, prepared by other men, and ordained are qualified to think in “religious terms.” Those, then, are qualified to “think.” This camp only trusts in human intellect and its ability to understand theology. The other “method of ministry” seems to distrust ALL thinking and just trusts in the anointing to give the words when needed. Both of these concepts lack credibility. Neither of these methods include the “body” in its concepts of Christian ministry. [priesthood / sonship]


The difficulty is in shocking the pew sitter into the consciousness of his responsibility before God. The “old method and foundation”of the believer just sitting without thinking must be rooted up and destroyed. The ministry in this present restoration must begin to teach the “believers” HOW TO THINK. Otherwise how will the next restoration include all the believers into the Holy Place Priesthood and Ministry.


With this present religious system, the Kingdom of Priests is just another Christian cliche. That can never happen within this failed system of “having church.” The “restored system” must be the assembling “of the church.” In “having church” the believer is expected to sit quietly and not cause any interruptions. In the assembling “of the church” [Lampstand] one has a hymn, another has a prophesy, another has a tongue and another interprets and everything is done! There will be testimonies, sharing, participation and scripture explanations. Questions can be answered and advise given. We might confess our sins to one another that there could be healing for our bodies.


If the mysteries are predestined to be revealed through the church according to His Eternal Purpose, it assumes that “the whole church” is seeking out these mysteries. Not just the pulpit ministries! If we could just remove Jesus’ “disciples” from the pulpit we would see how the church was designed to function. Somehow, every time we see the “disciples” ministering we think they are standing in a pulpit. Were Peter and John carrying a pulpit to the gate called Beautiful? Did Peter carry a pulpit to Cornelius’ house? No! This IS just the church functioning!