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#379 Kingdom: The Kingdom IN The Inner Life


Psalm 78:19 Then they spoke against God; They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

Psalm 23:5 Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

1Cor 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

Heb 9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the Showbread; which is called the sanctuary.

Heb 13:10 We have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.

Our Inner Fellowship and Experience of the Lord’s Inner Presence begins in this “wilderness of the inner life.” Can God prepare a table for us in this “wilderness of our inner life” so that the New Inner Man may eat and be filled? But From What Altar?

I have now assumed that we can no longer trust “sermons and messages” to feed our inner man. From this time forward, in our personal experience, it is necessary that we eat from Christ ONLY. He said that He is the bread from heaven that came down to give life to the world. His flesh IS the true food and His blood IS the true drink. Unless we eat His flesh and drink His blood there IS NO LIFE in us. Both the “church” and the “ministries” are expecting too much from earth people with earth words “preaching messages” to feed, strengthen and develop His people.

Can God, once again, prepare a table in this religious wilderness we call church and feed His people with this “Bread of Life?” My theory is this; Unless He does feed us with Christ we will forever wander in this religious wilderness as “children of God” without the true food from heaven. It is clear that sonship is of another realm that requires different food than is available in this religious wilderness. For some the “sincere milk of the word” has run its course and many are hungering for the real food from heaven.

I have another theory. This “wilderness of the inner life” and the “Table prepared by the Lord” is not a corporate party set for the multitudes but is a personal place reserved for just two. You and Christ! The Lord’s Table has been treated as a corporate celebration to remember His death until He comes again. While that is accurate for what we call “communion” which is celebrated with the OUTWARD BREAD AND CUP, there MUST be a genuine experience of this more intimate sharing of HIS LIFE and HIS Living WORD in our inner being. Where will we find that Bread from Heaven that is not created from earthly grains? While I am speculating about this, there must be a “place” where we can fulfill John 6 as a personal experience.

Recently I have felt there is a great danger of seeing Jesus Christ in LESS than His Eternal position that we see in John 1, Ephesians 1, Colossians 1 , Hebrews 1, and 1 John 1. The danger is seeking Him in His earthly roll as Prophet, Teacher and Savior rather than as His roll as King of ALL other kings and the One New Man ( the Last Adam) that God has set over His Eternal Kingdom. How can we seek Him who is the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek? In His Exalted Position, far above all heavens, He is appointing ministries and walking among the Lampstand Churches in every age. He has been given DOMINION over both Heaven AND Earth. As the LAST ADAM, the Dominion is fully His alone but He appears to be willing to share His authority with those who live in the Kingdom realm who are members of His body. Too much “authority” has been assumed by man that was not given him by Christ from His exalted throne above all heavens.

This “INWARDNESS” that we are sharing is the personal place where His Dominion is recognized and submitted to out of the experience of His Inner Presence. In other words, this IS the PLACE of His personal Kingdom Government. I am guessing now that this “table” is the place of EXCHANGE of our life for His and the place where we can drink of His Life and consume from Him those eternal elements where we can become what He alone is. Eating just more things from earth is no longer satisfying. All this, of course, sounds like fantasy and much too mystical for the 21st century.

However, if this Is fantasy where will the new inner man receive the Eternal “Zoe” Life necessary to grow to full maturity? That means to the measure of the stature that belongs to the fullness of Christ. Man may, (possibly), give the sincere MILK of the word for primary growth but WHERE are we to get the meat for full growth? My theory is that Jesus gave us the answer to this question in John 6. Nevertheless, outward communion is certainly NOT the same as John 6. Outward communion is NOT about growth in Life and character and eating from that “bread from Heaven” but about remembrance.

1Cor 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same way He took the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." :26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.

That is why I am “assuming” that John 6 is about a different “table” set up in the Inner Sanctuary and points us to the Showbread. This inward “table” is limited to just two. You and Christ!

Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

This is Not a corporate table were WE corporately assemble but just a private place for He and I to “exchange” Life for life. If We save our life we will lose it. Only His Life is eternal. Evangelical preaching has substituted believing and confessing for His Life which is essential for eternal salvation which also demands obedience.

Heb 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,

John 6:53 Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat

the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

It seems rather tenuous to assure someone who is seeking God just to believe something when the Bible is clear that we must EAT and DRINK something. We can believe something intellectually without having any Life connected to what we believe.

Finding our way through this “interior wilderness” is often disappointing and unrewarding because there are so few guides who are familiar with this unfamiliar place. Only the really “desperate” will persevere to seek the Great Shepherd in that lonely place. However, I assume that once He is contacted there, we will soon lose interest in the outward places of His Presence or in some doctrine of salvation.

Psalms 91:1 He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Trying to find that “place” outwardly and corporately is very confusing because we don’t know “where” to look. To just interpret this as another idealism or Christian fantasy is not satisfying to our consciousness. This is NOT presented as a “place” to visit but a “dwelling place.” Therefore, this “place” must be inward and found only in the inner life. It must be a “secret place” that becomes a refuge and a fortress and our real “dwelling place” within the New Inner Man, which we are identifying as the “Sanctuary.”

This “place” is NOT in the earth realm but is in the “heavenly realm” or that realm of the Kingdom that is NOT of the earth realm. The realm of His immediate Presence is now in our inward life or new creation person. If HE, His Life, does not abide there in our inner man can we be assured of eternal salvation? Trying to sense His Inner Presence through the 5 physical senses is not rewarding because this “place” is in a different realm in which the 5 physical senses cannot function.

The real effectiveness of the Kingdom in the Inner Life is experienced when we have the epignosis [true knowledge] of His Royal Presence and can read and interpret His Kingdom Laws that are written in that inner realm. My theory is that when we can sense His feelings and emotions and can hear His words within, His Presence in the New Creation Man { the Sanctuary} will be experientially real. It is my opinion that the Presence of the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit in the New Inner Man {the new creation} will create a new dominion authority similar to but more effective than was given in the first creation.

Adam was given authority over the living things on the earth and over all the earth in the first creation. The Last Adam has been given authority over both heaven and earth which is surely extended to the new creation man. We neither know of or have experienced this greater realm of authority that will be normal in the next dimension. However, God cannot give this authority to the natural Christian person who does not have the capacity or the integrity to use it in a Kingdom way. This realm is closed to the natural or carnal person that depends upon their natural abilities and human ego to “minister.”

The greatest hindrance to “living” in this Inner Kingdom Realm is the garbage in the recesses where the new embryo / man is trying to develop and grow. Cleansing ourselves from these “anti-Christ” things is essential for the development and maturing of the New Inner Man.

2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Eph 5:26 ----as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The “cleansing of the church from all filthiness” is a strange concept to those that only understand “forgiveness of sins” as salvation. They assume that forgiveness of sins is the same as cleansing from all uncleanness. Many teach that when your sins are forgiven you are as holy and righteous as you will ever be. They believe the “saved church” is the same thing as the “glorious church.” They believe that not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing is all handled by forgiveness of sins and no further cleansing is necessary. Many of these groups consider the “natural man after Adam” to be “saved” because of something he believes about Jesus. They seem to believe that a “confession of Christ” saves them.

Unless there is a “new creation man” whom is born from above, it is difficult to accept that believing some doctrine is Bible salvation. If believing in Jesus and a confession produces a new man born from above, I can accept that as the formation of an embryo, a new Life from God and the beginning of the process of salvation. However, it seems that Bible salvation and the birth of a new inner man are synonymous.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

This appears to be a fuller definition of “grace and salvation” than Romans 10:9 & 10. The whole gospel of salvation cannot be summed up in one or two verses any more that the whole Gospel of the Kingdom can be summed up in one or two parables. Only using Romans 10:9 & 10 as the requirements for Bible salvation has reduced “Bible Salvation” down to believe this doctrine and say these words. However, unless this “formula” actually produces a new creation man within us, whom is born from God and from that other realm “above”, that cannot be Bible Salvation. We might describe this kind of salvation as “so little a salvation” rather than “so great a Salvation.”

Heb 2:2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

Telling the natural man, who was only born after Adam, that he is “saved” because of what he believes has done very serious damage to the church. This ignorance MUST be overcome with His Truth.

It is my opinion that every member of the “church He Is Building” will ALL be born of God and will be of a totally new and different creation from the first Adam. They will be of exactly the same species as Christ and totally different from first Adam. The final Lampstand Church will be made up of New Creation Persons who have matured and developed into the very character and nature or image and likeness of Christ Jesus. They will have attained to the “pure Gold” of divinity. That means as much as the created can become like the Creator. The “created” can NEVER become the “Creator” but at least the created can become one with the Creator by His Life in us.

At the present time the Lord, Christ Jesus, is walking among the lampstands and He is disciplining, correcting, warning and instructing the leaders of the local church about every error and the shortcomings within that assembly. To “assume” that He is NOT walking among the Lampstand churches today because they are “saved” is gross ignorance. If He is NOT walking within the church today we can ONLY assume that this is NOT the church that He is building but just the ones that men are building.

To assume that He is walking among the half-converted or the old creation church ignores the clear revelation that the Lampstand Church {The one He is building } is hammered out of one piece of Gold and has become one with Him. The Truth of John 17 cannot apply to the half-converted or to the old creation church made up of natural men. We can find silver lampstands in the Bible but NO wood lampstands.

1Chron 28:15 and the weight of gold for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for the silver lampstands, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps according to the use of each lampstand;

Silver in the Bible speaks of separation or salvation. The first born were redeemed with silver.

Num 18:15 "Every first issue of the womb of all flesh, whether man or animal, which they offer to the LORD, shall be yours; nevertheless the first-born of man you shall surely redeem, and the first-born of unclean animals you shall redeem. 16 "And as to their redemption price, from a month old you shall redeem them, by your valuation, five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

Also there were silver sockets that separated the Tabernacle from the earth.The presence of silver lampstands in the sanctuary should also speak to us of

other kinds of lampstands than just gold. In Solomon’s temple there were 10 Golden Lampstands These silver lampstand churches are made up of “redeemed people” who have not grown up to the measure or stature of the fulness of Christ. They have not developed to the “Gold Standard” but they certainly have their place in the temple of God. The New Jerusalem has no temple! When We share on the Vertical Tabernacle the Silver Lampstands will be identified.

However, the New Jerusalem is held to the Gold Standard of the gold measuring rod. Rev 21:15 And the one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall.

Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; 13 and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle.

Rev 2:1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: 2 'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.

To suggest that Jesus is not concerned with all the carnality and false representation and hype in the church today because “we are saved” is ridiculous. He will certainly correct these things “in the church that He is building.”

Rev 2:5 'Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent. 6 'Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Removing the Lampstand out of its place means that the Holy Place Life and Ministry will go into darkness and the Seven Spirits of God will no longer illuminate the Priesthood ministry. In fact unless there IS a Holy Place Life and Ministry there really is NO Priesthood Ministry to stand before the Lord, Minister to the Lord and burn Incense.

When Eli and his sons let the Lampstand go out because they ONLY focused upon the Outer Court ministry, death and destruction was not far behind. The Ark of the Covenant was lost and the Presence of God departed. Nevertheless, Israel continued with their religious system in the Tabernacle of Moses up until the Temple of Solomon was built. During this time the Tabernacle of David was the place of God’s Presence.

The application today is this; The sanctuary of His Presence is now in the New Creation Inner Man. God dwells in man and walks in man. David’s Tabernacle has some fulfillment in our new inner man.

It is really amazing that the church has refused to consider all the warnings in the scriptures and then focus upon just the few verses that speak of God’s grace and mercy in the forgiveness of sins. Of course that also is important but to ignore the warnings reveals something about those ministries that is very suspicious. It seems to indicate a desire to build something fast but temporal with a “good news” that requires nothing but to believe something about Jesus.

This may be the reason the visible church has ignored the Kingdom message because of its demands, discipline, correction, rebukes, threatening, and its warnings. Rather than the Laws of the Kingdom, the natural man is promised salvation and complete freedom because of something called “grace.”

The new inner man seems to sense that something is wrong with this shallow message and is seeking for eternal truth. The message of “come and get something from God” and live the life of unlimited entitlements for the children of the King has been identified as just focused upon the natural man and His desire to have it all on earth.

Since the New Man is from heaven and has his source and life from there, his desire is to prepare for his return to that ultimate and eternal dimension as a full grown son of God that is mature enough to enjoy the Laws and restrictions of God’s Kingdom Government.

The carnal, natural man has no desire to understand or submit to the Absolute Sovereignty of God or to walk in obedience to His statutes, laws and ordinances. He is very comfortable when someone preaches on his total freedom in Christ. He has no interest to be informed that “freedom” means freedom from the laws of Moses but not freedom from the Laws of the Kingdom. The New Inner Man readily accepts the restrictions of the Kingdom and seeks submit to His Sovereignty and to understand and live by the Laws of God.

By this we can identify the natural believer from the Kingdom Christian!