#479 Building – but on the Wrong Foundation

No Other Foundation CAN Be Laid.

Identifying an Acceptable Foundation Upon Which We Can Build.

Why Does A Life’s Work Crash And Burn.

For the last 100 years or more the church has focused upon what God has done and will yet do for man. Jesus Christ died for me and for my benefit has been one focus. For several years we have tried to raise a voice of disgust against this selfish and self centered approach to the gospel. We thought the emphasis upon the Kingdom of God and its demands would turn the believers from “what God can do for me” to “what God has purposed for Himself through man” to meet His divine need. Both the church and the ministries have been bent on trying to use God for their own purposes and to learn how to get God to do their will. The emphasis upon God serving man and his needs and desires, as man’s servant, is such a perverted idea that we wonder how it could be accepted. They seem disappointed if God does not immediately respond to their requests. Prayer is centered upon man and his needs and how God is expected (by faith) to give me whatever I need. The ignorant call this kind of prayer “incense.”

Popular scriptures for this man centered approach to the gospel can be easily found.

John 14:13 “And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

John 16:23 “And in that day you will ask Me no question. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My name.

John 16:26 “In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that

I will request the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father.

Luke 11:9 “And I say to you, ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. 10 “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened.

This appears to be an iron clad guarantee that we can get whatever we want just by asking in the name of Jesus. This assumes that God is focused upon man and that every thing is designed for man’s blessing! A selfish and self centered Christian will naturally assume that there is nothing too big to ask for because our God is the Great King who own everything. He owns all the silver, all the gold and all the cattle on a thousand hills. It is His great joy to give us whatever we ask for! He wants to share His wealth with me.

It seems perfectly legitimate to expect to get whatever we ask for every time we ask. During the faith movement this was emphasized as the Normal Christian Life because God wanted each of us to prosper and be in health. Out of our abundance of things the world would know that God had sent Jesus. This doctrine was very difficult to deny because of these very clear scriptures. These man centered concepts has been the foundation upon which several movements were established. These include the Charismatic Movement, Full Gospel Business Men, the Faith movement, the Prophetic movement and lately the Apostolic movement. These in turn have affected many other independent groups with this man centered gospel. It is little wonder that these movements have crashed or soon will crash. Why? The are simply built upon a wrong foundation.

At the time these movements appeared to be right where the action is and the direction that multitudes were going. However, deep down inside we knew that there must be some adjustment in our viewpoint so we could begin to see everything as it related to God’s Purpose, to His pleasure and satisfaction and to His wisdom and glory. It was not until we began to see from the invisible realms of the Holy Place that the adjustment actually came as reality. From the Spiritual Light of the Seven Spirits of God it became clear that it is God who lifts us up into His Eternal Viewpoint and that adjusts our vision from man center to a clearer God centered viewpoint. This has nothing to do with doctrines or finding a verse to support our desires but in this heavenly viewpoint everything is superceded by what God has intended for Himself in the creation. Can you prove that with scripture? No! But within I know that is the ultimate goal of being a true Christian.

It is now my opinion that it is in the transition from the Outer Court dimension to the Holy Place Dimension that this radical change of viewpoint takes place. This is activated by the Consecration Offering when the vestiges of the natural man is consumed in the fire of God’s Love and our inner eyes are enlightened so we can see the purpose of God from His Eternal and Divine Viewpoint.

Does that invalidate the written Scriptures? Not at all but now the scriptures begin to be interpreted from the invisible dimension of ingesting the Showbread rather than from the viewpoint of the Laver where there is the Washing of Water with the Word as preparation.

Is the Outer Court viewpoint that is focused upon man and his blessings wrong? Not at all but at the preparation stage it is clear that God is for us and not against us. He wants the best for us which is our full preparation and participation in the Priesthood Ministry. The problem that is evident is that all this is interpreted as things and health, blessing and prosperity, ministry and man being used by God, rather than actual inner life experiences essential for our full preparation that will at last enable us to move into participation with Christ in His Lampstand Church. If we ask for these preparatory things it is certain that God will respond. It is not that the scriptures are wrong but that our viewpoint and interpretation is wrong. This only reflects our fleshly desires and carnal viewpoint simply because we have not made the transition into the Father’s Viewpoint.

The degrading of the created being or natural man that is popular within the ascetics is not the same thing as seeing the ultimate viewpoint of God’s Eternal Purpose for man. One is a negative viewpoint and the other is seeing everything from the possibility of fulfilling the Purpose of God and living to bring joy to His heart. The tremendous transformation that is necessary is not a stumbling block because from God’s Viewpoint all the provision is already provided. All we have to do is ask and we shall receive. If we ask anything in His name it will be given. Why? So we can fulfill God’s Eternal Purpose and begin to live in the Eternal Viewpoint. Giving things to the natural man to encourage him to remain carnal and natural does not even make sense now.

It becomes more and more disgusting when we hear “ministers” interpreting everything from the human viewpoint and from the temporal concerns of earth because they are afflicting others with their perverted viewpoint. Of course everyone who is only seeing from the human viewpoint will be in full agreement with the earthly viewpoint and assume it is Christian. Of course it is just humanistic and not Christian even if it is clothed with religious garments.

My theory for this study will be that in too many cases the wrong foundation has been laid that can affect how we see God’s Purpose and the viewpoint by which we see the Christian Life as it relates to His Eternal Purpose! The human viewpoint is that everything is related to me and my blessing.

1Cor 3:10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

The foundation of Faith, or Baptism, or the Baptism in The Holy Spirit or Consecration or Ministry or Marriage or Tithe or a hundred other foundations we have heard over 41 years are all invalid. What does that mean? That God will NOT let you build anything eternal on the wrong foundation. You may respond that we have scriptures for each of these other Foundations so, therefore, they are valid. That may be true but from God’s viewpoint any other foundations are not correct. He may not stop you from building but He will not permit you to build ANYTHING eternal. Jesus Christ is the ONLY foundation that God will accept. Even building upon Jehovah is not acceptable.

Of course just defining the acceptable “Foundation” creates a multitude of different doctrines and each of the groups are certain they are correct in their interpretations. It seems clear that we either accept this foundation of JESUS CHRIST or we are laboring in vain. Either men “see” this foundation or they don’t but few can be convinced their foundation is wrong or inadequate for what THEY are building.

Even this “foundation” of Jesus Christ is considered such a common doctrine that everyone knows all about it! In fact our church teaches that verse. The problem with this “foundation of Jesus Christ” is that it is wholly within the invisible dimension. Therefore, it cannot be a common doctrine! How do we know that? Because flesh and blood CANNOT reveal it. This revelation can ONLY come from the Father.

Mat 16:15 He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. 19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

The revelation of the Christ, the Son of the living God is the foundation upon which He will build HIS CHURCH! This “eternal fact”creates a problem and is the unveiling of the difference between what men are building and what Christ is building. Only ONE Foundation is adequate for the Church He is building but about any foundation is acceptable for the church men are building. Men can build their churches upon faith, love, light, life, truth, evangelism or youth ministries. Some can build on a powerful music ministry. Some build upon having large independent meetings in non religious settings.

Even “the keys to the Kingdom” depend upon building upon this one unique foundation or the “keys” will be ineffective. Some are searching for the keys that will open up a new building program. Some are searching for keys but have no idea what they fit.

We have “foundations” that are laid on Jesus, the Savior, or Jesus, the Servant or Jesus, the Lord or Jesus, the Healer or Jesus, the coming King. The Father’s Revelation is of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.

If there is a Son there must also be a Father so the Primary revelation now has other aspects that enlarge the vision of the Primary revelation. He is the Son of the Living God. Maybe, to truly know the Son we must also know the Father who bore the Son. Maybe we should know His origin and how He was born. Maybe, there are other Sons of the same Father who were born the exact same way. Still, in all this speculation there is ONLY one suitable or acceptable “Foundation” that can be laid and that is upon Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God!

This Revelation ONLY comes from the Father and centers on the Son. The lack of revelation is probably the reason we have so many different man made foundations and so many irrelevant churches. It is absolutely certain that God will accept NO other “Foundation.” However, we know that much preceded the “foundation” that is essential for us to truly know Him, who is the “Foundation.” However, none of these preparatory things can be “foundational.”

Over the last few years we have emphasized or over emphasized the Living and Abiding Word of God which is the Sperma, the Seed or the Semen of God ( as the Spanish Bible margin says). The Son has His origin in the Eternal Father and He came forth from the Father.

John 16:27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father.

John 16:28 “I came forth from the Father, and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again, and going to the Father.”

It is true that the ONLY foundation is in the Revelation of the Son that is given by the Father of His only begotten Son. The Father truly knows the Son but no one has the ability to know the Son except the Father reveal Him. There is an exclusiveness between the Father and the Son and no one can penetrate that exclusiveness except by revelation. This eliminates the natural man because he is not of the right species to receive that revelation. Therefore, there are hundreds of foundations that have been laid that are spurious and completely unacceptable to the Father and whatever is built upon them will be rejected. Maybe a complete life’s work is rejected simply because their work was laid upon an unacceptable foundation.

Luke 10:22 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

In that same exclusiveness, no one knows the Father except the Son and only those to whom the Son wills to reveals Him. Now we can make a statement based upon this truth. No preacher can reveal the Father or the Son by their preaching or teaching. If there is no revelation given by the Son or by the Father all we have accomplished is more preaching or more singing or more fellowship. This is not wrong but it certainly can be a big waste of time if we are building on the wrong foundation.

Then in addition to the proper foundation there is the proper building, built upon that acceptable foundation that is constructed with the proper building material. Why? Because God may reject a life’s work if it used the wrong building material that is unacceptable to the Father. Building in a slipshod way is a terrible waste of time and energy. Some men who have spent their life building with wood, hay and straw are getting discouraged now but don’t understand why they feel alone and that they are accomplishing nothing eternal. God is trying to salvage something from their lives so they don’t pass into eternity with nothing to show from a lifetime of human labor. The confusion revolves around the fact that the Father will accept NOTHING but Silver, Gold or Precious Stone on the ONLY acceptable “Foundation” which IS His revelation of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Over the years we ourselves (and we have seen others) who started churches because of their own ambitions or we wanted to do something “for Christ” with the wrong motive. He has done so much for me that now I want to do something for Him. The fact that our labor was centered in Romans 7 didn’t seem to matter because we just wanted to do the will of God. Working in the energy of the flesh didn’t seem to be a big problem because we were “serving God!” In all this “work for Christ” we were really just designing a private kingdom for our own satisfaction. We were of the group that set out to do exploits for God so what material we were building with didn’t seem too important. We were working but without revelation. We were associated with a group that gave us their full approval and they even gave us a ministry card from their group.

If we consider how many different groups are building on an unacceptable foundation because they are working without revelation, it is very disgusting now, after we saw our own work crumble, because now the scripture seems so clear. After we see what an acceptable work of building is from God’s viewpoint it is amazing how many other scriptures fill in the details. Remember, we are investigating what God purposed for HIMSELF in the creation and not just what man is willing to do for God.

1Peter 2:4 And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture: “BEHOLD I (the Father) LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” 7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, “THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,” 8 and, “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. 9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Isa 28:16 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed. 17 “And I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the level; Then hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters shall overflow the secret place.

I (the Father) am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. This is the Rock upon which He will build His Church. This is the foundation that is laid in Zion.

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices

However, this is not an ordinary natural foundation stone but a Living Stone. Also we can only build upon that “Living Stone” with living stones. Why? Because these living stones must be built into a living and corporate spiritual house. What is that Spiritual House? It is identified as “a holy priesthood.” From past studies it is clear that this “Holy Priesthood” can ONLY be after the Order of Melchizedek.

1Peter 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

This scripture refers us back to Mount Sinai and God’s purpose to make all of Israel a Kingdom of Priests. Now within the New Covenant God is obtaining His unique Kingdom of Priests. However, we must not ignore the clear descriptions of this Holy Priesthood as a Spiritual House made of Living Stones. The first Foundation Stone is a tested Stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation.

We may now speculate that EVERY stone that is laid upon this Tested Living Stone must also be a “tested living stone.” Why? Because this is what is built into that Eternal Spiritual House which is a Holy Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek who are set on Zion.

Everyone who has been tested, tried by fire, and approved will find themselves as living stones who are living in a continuous state of revelation. Why? Because, where the Father dwells ( behind the third veil) is an open revelation! He gives the Revelation of His Son to those who have ascended to Zion.

Since this Living Foundation Stone is laid in Zion it seems obvious that every living stone that is laid on that Stone MUST also be laid in Zion. From this we learn that the Royal Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek is built upon Zion.

1Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

It is by the revelation by the Father that causes an enlargement in the inner man to embrace the revelation within the inner life. Experiencing this reality causes the growth of the inner man. In the Holy Place Life and Ministry, the continuous revelation by the Seven Spirits of God, provides the food and substance for the additional growth of the New Inner Man. Why? Because, there will never be a greater outward ministry than what has been built as Life into the inner man. Our REAL outward ministry can only experientially be a manifestation of our inner life. This is why we say that ALL outward ministry (Outer Court) BEGINS in the Holy Place and the Holy Place is the New Inner Man.

Attempting to train ministers that are not experiencing an enlargement in the inner life / inner man should be seen as a waste of time. Why? Because, God will not permit us to build with dead stones. Also what we are building must be within the Kingdom of Priests or within a Royal Priesthood. However, if we are trying to build without the Revelation of the Son of the Living God, only a visible and temporal church is possible.

The confusion comes because God may permit our work to appear successful for a short time but if we are His chosen builders He cannot permit us to waste our life working with something that will be destroyed by the fire that is sent by God to test our work and its quality. When our life’s work is destroyed, it alerts us to the fact that God is concerned about us wasting our time and labor building in the temporal realm. Work built by human energy and not by the direction of the Holy Spirit is just assembling a pile of unacceptable material. God’s blessing is that He sends the fire to alert us to the fact that we are wasting our life building something that God cannot accept. However, the serious mistake is seen when someone who has had their life’s work destroyed turns around and tries to rebuild with the same quality of material that was destroyed. Why would anyone do that? There is No Revelation of what God will accept into His eternal dwelling places. There seems to be some foolish notion that if I build it God must accept it because these people are saved. “SAVED” wood, hay and straw is a serious mistake that can cost you a life’s work. These “sand foundations” are a big waste of time!

Either the foundation may be wrong or the building material was wrong or it was just built in a slipshod way that will not stand the shaking. Maybe, the measuring line was ignored or it was not built with a level or the plumb line was ignored and the building was just thrown together to produce something impressive to the carnal observer. That means there is no revelation of God’s Eternal Purpose or what God is doing in our day or what God has purposed for HIMSELF in the creation.

Isa 28:17 And I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the level; Then hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters shall overflow the secret place.

This is a good time to break out the wieners because there may be plenty of fires ready to roast them. If we see this as God’s blessing, the fires can be a festival of celebration and a place to rejoice. The really sad outcome is if we continue to build with wood, hay and straw and God DOES NOT DESTROY IT. Why? Because, that means He is not even interested in what you are doing and He probably never called you in the first place! That means your whole work is irrelevant!

In the next document we will try to define what is acceptable and what is irrelevant and why so many ministries are wasting their life in building a little irrelevant kingdom for themselves. When one group sets itself in competition with another group it is evident that the Unique foundation of Jesus Christ, The Son of the Living God, has been ignored.