The Kingdom: Manifested As His Life.

The Kingdom: As A Personal Government.

The Kingdom: The Goal of The Christian Life!

The Kingdom: A Practical Application.

 

January 26, 2016

One of the frustrating problems that confronts anyone who is sharing the Word of God is in trying to make the applications practical for the Christian life. Presenting the Kingdom as God’s Government within can only be in the information stage. However, nothing really happens to change information, into Life, until the hearers respond. How people who hear actually respond to the truth is beyond the realm or responsibility of ministry. To assume the “message” produces both cause and effect is foolish. No TRUTH within the “Kingdom ministry” can be enforced among believers! Only God can reveal His Truth to those He chooses.

In our presenting the reality of experiencing the Kingdom of God, we must still be focusing upon the eternal aspects of our great salvation and God’s Eternal Purpose. This is essential whether people respond or not!

This basic “Kingdom ministry” still begins by focusing upon the laying of the Christian foundations, as personal experiences, in every believers life. After the foundations become practical experiences, the effectiveness of these foundations will depend upon how each believer is responding to the inner changes that MUST take place. For example; Baptism without a genuine death, burial and a genuine experience of His resurrection Life produces nothing eternal in the believers life! Unless a “believer” then gets serious about the inner transformations necessary for us to fulfill His Eternal Purpose, no further Truth is received. It requires a certain obedience to Truth that we open ourselves to further Truth. Being willing to DO the will of God is essential for unfolding Truth. Casual believers are always confused about what to believe.

John 7:17 "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself.

The next level of Truth will teach us how He (God) will benefit from our lives. Why is that necessary? That is because the believer must TURN from self center to becoming God centered! Self-absorbed people become stagnant in inner growth.

Because of the strange way the “gospel” is shared today, most believers begin by assuming that salvation entitles them to ALL God’s blessings just because they believe something!

The first questions we hear is this; How can I get God to do and provide what I want? Now that I am “a child of God” shouldn’t He provide everything for His children? Most questions revolve around an entitlement attitude toward earthly things. This is the natural result of an earthly gospel and was promoted by the “Faith / Entitlement Movement.”

The Kingdom Gospel must focus upon those things that will begin to change and reverse the total effects of the Fall that began in Genesis 3. We must be clear that each change begins as a process, which is experienced in increments of change. Everything necessary to participate in the Kingdom does not take place immediately. This strange but popular gospel of today teaches an instant and full salvation when we believe something or do something, religious!

It may be later, by several years, that we discover the necessity of a full consecration to do the whole will of God, to experience a full and eternal salvation. For example; He saves those who obey Him. Well, brother, how is this “other” gospel different?

Very much of what we share about the Kingdom and God’s Purpose requires a personal responsibility before God to seek out Truth and respond to it by adjusting our lives to harmonize with that Truth. This is a process! Why? More Truth is only received following the personal way in which we acknowledge and experience the truths that we understand. Ignoring the Truth or refusing to obey the Truth, which we understand, is death to further Truth.

Expecting someone or some “ministry” to work out the personal details of that Truth for you ( or in your behalf) is not acceptable or practical in the spiritual realms of the Kingdom of God. Wy? That is because personal responsibility is necessary for spiritual growth. How do you know that?

After 45 years of attempted ministry it has become clear that “messages” do not mature people. No one comes to maturity except by personal involvement and responsibility to obey and change. No one of Adam’s race can come to spiritual Christian / Kingdom maturity by knowledge, attending meetings, listening to CD’s or by reading books or by personal counseling!

It was because I started from a flawed concept of “ministry” that caused my ministry to fail to produce Kingdom Maturity! Why? That is because a pulpit ministry, preaching accurate doctrines, does not produce Kingdom Maturity. Why? That produces knowledge without experience! I am NOT saying accurate doctrines are not important but that Christian Maturity is of another realm of ministry. To be specific; The “ministry” of Christian / Kingdom maturity is seen in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3. Here the High Priest, Christ Jesus, is “ministering to the Lampstand Church HE IS BUILDING. It is this realm of “PROVEN KINGDOM MINISTRY” that is preparing the “overcomers” to inherit all the Eternal Things.

But, brother, that ministry is far beyond our capacity! THAT IS CORRECT! However, that does not remove our responsibility to bring those, whom we are responsible for, through the Outer Foundations so THEY can make the transition to the Holy Place and become part of the Lampstand Church. Why is that important? That is because it is at that basic level of “maturity” the Jesus can begin to teach them. It is this realm that; AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT BY GOD begins!

Well, isn’t the “ministry” of disciple-ship training taking personal responsibility for a few others and counseling them and watching over them until they become mature and part of the New Covenant ministry? That was the concept of the Shepherding and Disciple-ship movement which destroyed the Charismatic Movement in 1985. Why didn’t that work? It is more complicated than a simple explanation but ego, flesh and counterfeit authority by leaders was the reason it failed.

Instruction or counseling by others can only offer you simple solutions to complex, inner spiritual problems. It was my experience, in attempting many “hours of personal ministry,” that we seldom helped anyone to develop any real value, help or maturity to their spiritual growth or real change in their Christian experience. Why? That is because the source of the difficulties that must be resolved originate in the “heart” or the deep recesses of the inner, old man. These areas are out of the realm of “ministry.”

Matthew 15:19 "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man.”

To reverse or even permanently modify these outward difficulties, it is the proper Christian foundations that must be checked to see if they were actually experienced. Why? That is because these nasty things originate in the heart and are not just intellectual, cultural or social. These “fallen attributes” are only removed by the incremental process inherent within the life changing foundations as they are experienced INTERNALLY! Example; Baptism with no internal change is NOT real baptism.

Therefore, we should clearly define the limits of “outward ministry” in our anticipation of making a personal impact upon individual lives by “our counseling ministry.” Why? It is dangerous for a “minister” to act as mediator between man and God! Why? He is usurping the role exclusively given to Christ Jesus, who is building His Church, in every generation.

We had people leave our assembly simply because we could not solve their problems by talking with them. Now, I understand that our time should have been spent checking their foundations and determine what was missing. We attempted to “minister in prayer” rather than explain the root problem to them and then lay the necessary foundations.

We thought we could pray and intercede with God in their behalf. This is what we were taught. In other words, we, as ministers, thought we should act as mediators between them and God. It was several years before we realized we were accomplishing nothing except “having religious church services.”

Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the

man Christ Jesus,

Heb 8:6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

Heb 9:13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

There are certain ministries in the church that have only been assigned to Christ Jesus. We see this practically in Revelation 2 and 3. For “ministries” to begin to act as “mediators” (as we still see in certain denominations) is a very serious problem and might be offensive to God!

It, also, seems obvious that the effectiveness of ministry varies, radically, depending upon whom is sharing. How do we know that? After participating in hundreds of “spiritual” conferences and listening to hundreds of irrelevant “messages” it seems clear that most were a waste of time. We can evaluate most ministries by the growth of their congregations rather than by the length of their message! Growth is evaluated by how the congregation is fulfilling the Purpose of God for their generation. We, actually, still judge our ministry that way. The result is disappointing!

Most can identify the failure of the five-fold ministry which is supposed to be equipping the saints to do “the ministry.” No one is really part of the five-fold ministry unless they are effective in fulfilling that specific ministry of equipping the saints to become ministers!

Our theme also points out the responsibility of the believers to participate in the “equipping process” through experiencing the basic foundations and the transformations included in those foundations.

It is true that some “believers” only hear with their ears but perceive very little in the spirit. Preaching a “practical message” to some may be helpful but cause others to fall asleep. Preaching the “vision of eternity” to some is helpful but to others that is too abstract and mystical.

In other words, the ministry of apostles and prophets and all others seem to be having very little practical effect upon the growth, equipping and the ministry of the saints. How do we know that? Just simple observation reveals the lukewarm, casual and comatose conditions of the visible church. There surely must be a solution to this critical failure of the present system. Of course there is a practical solution that also involves the responsibilities of the believers, themselves! However, if the “ministries” do not lay the foundations properly and experientially the believers will not be able to take that responsibility. It is for that reason that we teach that laying the foundations is the most important ministry we can do, in the beginning of the believer’s life.

I believe that the Scriptures are clear and that we must approach the Christian life and “ministry” as authentic, practical, rudimentary and with a potential function for every believer, both individually and corporately! Some of this “equipping” is to continuously point the believers to the existing and internal Kingdom Government of God as experiential, as present and as personal reality.

The purpose of this paper is to focus upon the practical Government within the “inner LIFE” of the Christian. Why? That is because it is the development of this “inner life” that precedes all effective ministry. In fact, Jesus warned His disciples not to commence any ministry until they had received the Holy Spirit. Why? Thousands ignore that commandment even today. Receiving His Life precedes receiving the Holy Spirit. We MUST, first, receive His Life that is embedded in the Living and Abiding Word of God, the Spirit of Christ!

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being by Him, ( the Word of God) and apart from Him (the Word of God) nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him (the Word of God) was life, and the life was the light of men.

This Truth is reaffirmed in First John.

1JOHN 1:1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life-- [2] and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- [3] what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

This mind numbing scripture opens up a different realms of “LIFE” and “Being” that we may not as yet have understood or experienced. Obviously John is speaking of the Living and Abiding Word of God that was with the Father “in the beginning.” Still, we assume, it was Lord Jesus Christ who John’s hands had touched, his eyes had seen and whose voice he had heard.

However, if we examine this clearly, it is obvious that John is not referring to anything natural or to the physical Jesus. John said that what his hands had handled, his eyes seen and his ears heard was “THE WORD OF LIFE.”

It was this “LIFE” that was manifested. This “ETERNAL LIFE” was with the Father and was manifested to us. What John experienced was “THE ETERNAL LIFE” that was manifested. It was the Eternal Word that was with God (the Father) and was God (the Father), which was manifested to John and the disciples. However, that WORD of Life that was incarnated in Jesus Christ, is this same “LIFE” that John experienced, touched, saw and heard. This seems incredible but what John spoke about “THE LIFE” is still very practical even though it is much too mystical for most to comprehend. Even though Jesus, the Man, was born, (about 2000 years ago) the Word of Life always existed and is Eternal Life! In that same way the “Spirit of Christ” always existed but was the Spirit that Jesus Manifested. Nevertheless, the Man, Christ Jesus, had His own spirit that He committed to the Father at Calvary. However, the Spirit that He breathed into His disciples in John 20 was the Spirit of Christ, the Living and abiding Word of God!

In 1 John, John is not speaking of the man, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was after the flesh that we see in John 1 but the reality behind the incarnation which is the manifestation of “LIFE.” John seemed to see “LIFE” as Substance. Still in John 1 and in first John 1 it is clear that there is much more than the man, Christ Jesus, in view. What is revealed is the Eternal Word and the Eternal Life! Let us review these Truths once again.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. [4] In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

JOHN 1:9 There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. [10] He (the Word) was in the world, and the world was made through Him, (the Word) and the world did not know Him. (The Word)

JOHN 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His (the Word) glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

It is very clear that the Word is eternal and had no beginning and no end. In verse 9 we see that the “True Light” preexisted (this restored Earth) and then came into the world. The Word was “The Word” before the Word became flesh or incarnate in Jesus Christ. The “Word” is referred to as “HIM” before HE was manifested in the Man, Christ Jesus. The “true light” having come into this world has now become the light of men. The world was made through HIM, “The Word,” long before the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, incarnate. ( In the Lord Jesus Christ)

Our thought is that John’s revelation of Jesus Christ was much more than seeing or touching the physical Jesus. As we pointed out in 1 John 1, John saw, heard, beheld and touched much more than Jesus after the flesh. He touched the Word of Life, he touched Eternal Life. We could say that John saw, heard, beheld and handled what the natural eye cannot see, what the natural ear cannot hear, he beheld what is beyond the capacity of natural man to comprehend and he touched what the natural hands of man cannot touch. In other words John touched the Source, The Substance, The Reality, the Word, that was manifested in Jesus Christ.

If we could divide the scriptures concerning Jesus Christ by the period before resurrection and the scriptures of Christ Jesus in the period after resurrection it might help us understand this paradox. Before resurrection Jesus Christ was the Word made flesh or revealed in a human body. After resurrection what John experienced was “THE WORD OF LIFE.” This “LIFE” that was manifested is what John identifies as “ETERNAL LIFE.” The first two verses do not mention Christ Jesus. John mentions His Son Jesus Christ as he relates to our fellowship. It is in 1John 1:6 and 7 John continues his comments about fellowship. However, we insist that this “fellowship” depends upon the first three verses. In other words; This fellowship is not having in a carry in dinner! This “fellowship” is not physical.

John had known Jesus after the flesh , now He knew Him no more after the flesh . John is not relating facts about the physical Christ but what was manifested by Christ Jesus which is the “WORD OF LIFE.” What John finally realized was that what he had touched, seen and heard was “ETERNAL LIFE.” To touch “Christ” today is not to touch arms and legs or hair but to touch and experience this “Word of Life” that John touched. Why is that important? That is because this “WORD OF LIFE” existed long before the physical Jesus! This realm of “LIFE” is both practical and mystical but it surely is not physical nor is it visible in the natural realm.

Bible scholars seem to agree that 1 John was written by the Apostle John in about AD 85. Most believe that the gospel of John was written between AD85 and AD 90 and the Book of Revelation was also written by the Apostle John in about AD95. The resurrection was in about 33 AD.

John’s revelation of Jesus Christ, in His glorified form, would certainly be radically adjusted by His appearance in the Book of Revelation about 10 years after he wrote in John and in 1 John. However, it could have been fifty years since they had seen the resurrected Christ Jesus and experienced His Person, eating and drinking and teaching them! It was obviously later when John had the revelation that Jesus Christ was “ETERNAL LIFE.” He somehow understood that what they had actually experienced was “THE WORD OF LIFE.”

When Jesus said “I am the Way the Truth and “THE LIFE” He was obviously referring to the “LIFE” manifested, experienced and witnessed by John. John 1:4] In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. We are certainly not saying the physical Jesus was anything other than the Eternal Word manifested in the human body of Jesus. What we are saying is that to experience the reality of the Eternal Christ we must touch more than “Jesus after the flesh.” We must touch the same Word of Life that John touched. We must see and hear that Eternal Life that was with the Father but that has been manifested to us. If that “LIFE” was manifested to John, would it also be possible to be manifested to us?

2 COR 5:16] Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

Even though the man Christ Jesus is seated at the right hand of God this “ Word of Eternal Life” is available to us now. Our experience of Jesus Christ, the King and High Priest, is our experience of this “ETERNAL LIFE.” John saw that it was this “LIFE” that was manifested that they saw, heard and touched. Even though this can be quite obtuse, I am trying to make this clearer and practical for us! This Word of Life is SUBSTANCE in the next reralm!

What they heard was this “LIFE.” Now if we apply this to what Jesus said, that the words that He spoke were spirit and life, it may make more sense. If this is a reasonable application of these words then the “ministry” is all about sharing “spirit and life.” If it IS Christ in us who speaks then what He speaks is “Word that is Spirit and LIFE.”

It is this “LIFE” that IS the light of men. We might say that this “LIFE” is an

inner revelation called “LIGHT.” Maybe we should make a basic application before we go too far with this. It is the application of the revelation that varies from minister to minister! While ministers are replaced, it is the WORD / LIFE / Light that is constant! This REALITY has also been constant since Pentecost nearly 2000 years ago!

When the corporate Body of Christ is living by His LIFE, there will be a corporate revelation, called LIGHT, that will require the whole corporate body to manifest in fullness.

I have been asked to write about the responsibility of the next generation, in the plan and purpose of God, and how they must advance to a greater level of “ministry” than this generation. This next “level of ministry” will be a functioning “priesthood.” This is what we speculate will produce another level of Spiritual ministry. What will that mean to the Church?

The importance of the “pulpit type ministry” may be very limited in the next restoration. This is because the pure Gold Lampstand Church, which is hammered out of one piece of gold, will be the heart of the “Priesthood ministry.” Looking at the practical aspect of this Lampstand Church, it is obvious that this IS the Church, which He is building! Why? That is because nobody else can possibly know how to build a Lampstand Church. It is THIS CHURCH which is becoming the Body of our High Priest.

If we make an application from John and from 1 John we could make certain assumptions about the Body of the High Priest! Also, the Lampstand is made from Living Beings that have been refined to the level of pure Gold. Why? This “pure gold” is the revelation inherent within the Lampstand!

This points to the fact that the Lampstand is Living and is manifesting both Life and Light. This “picture” could be comparable to the “temple” which is made of living stones.

The abundant teaching about the “body ministry” of the “body of Christ,” that we have heard since the early 70's, has produced very little “ministry change” in the last 45 years. The visible church is not advancing into maturity, even with all the messages, the books, the tapes, the CDs and the TV ministries? Why?

Most teaching that we hear is just from the Outer Court and from the limitation and knowledge from the natural light. However, it is clear that the Lampstand Church is not in the Outer Court. This “church,” in the next dimension, is illuminated by the seven flames of fire which are the Seven Spirits of God. Seven indicates fulness! The church that He is building (pure Gold) obviously must be built from Him and manifest His Life. It is! That is why we used 1 John 1 in this study.

We know the Lampstand Church is built from Christ because it has no wood in it. There is nothing from this earth used to build it! Humanity after the order of first Adam is not included.

Another application is necessary because the Lampstand is stationary and holds the Seven Spirits of God, which provides the ONLY illumination for the Holy Place. However, it is the Priesthood Ministry that is the active ministry in the Holy Place. It is, also, the priesthood ministry that leaves the Holy Place to function in the Outer Court. This understanding of Priesthood must be seen in its fulfillment in the New Covenant priesthood after the Order of Melchizedec. This is why we call the Holy Place Function, “the Life, the Spirit and the Ministry” because 3/4 of the Priesthood Ministry is towards God and 1/4 toward the people. This is the proper ratio of ministry in the next restoration.

Everything in the Holy Place is focused upon this “division of ministry” which is carried out by the New Covenant Priesthood. The fulness of this level of Priesthood Ministry is understood in type, in the furniture, the Gold Boards, The Table for the Showbread, the Showbread, the Altar for the incense, the incense, the fire, the oil for the Lamps, by eating the bread and by the Three Cherubim on the third veil.

In other words, the total ministry in the next dimension is still mostly a mystery. However, this mystery is not disclosed to the Outer Court ministries. Why? This cannot be “seen” by natural light. This is why we are focusing upon John 1 and First John 1.

The continuing revelation, in the next dimension, is focused tupon the reality of “ETERNAL LIFE” or”THE WORD OF LIFE.” Everything that touches Jesus Christ touches this dimension of Life; The Word of Life, “the Eternal LIFE.” Why? He, this Word of Life, IS Eternal Life.

Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God and the fulness of God in bodily form. His purpose was to reveal the Father to mankind. There is, therefore, the God side of Jesus and also the man side of Jesus. To “know Him” must be to know the God side of Jesus or that dimension of Spirit, Word, Truth and Life that John saw, heard and touched. Just to know the man side of Jesus and His history is not the same as “knowing Him,” the Eternal Father of the new creation realm.

The Eternal Father was fully committed to Jesus, as the man, and the Man Christ Jesus was fully committed to the Father. This dual aspect of the Consecration Offering now should apply to us also, since we are called to the same order of Priesthood. We expect the Father to be fully committed to us and surely the Father expects us to be fully consecrated to Him.

Jesus Christ is the very “LIFE” of God, manifested, and the “LIFE” is the unbroken link between the Father and Christ Jesus. This is the uncreated Zoe Life of God. That is the Life, that is the substance, that John saw and touched. That Life was manifested in one man, the Lord Jesus Christ. However, there came a day, following Calvary, when God wanted to distribute His Life to all of mankind that would receive it. Still, no man of Adam’s decent could receive this “LIFE”. Also no person can receive this Life as another religious “thing” distributed by the church.

That Life is only available “in His Son.” To receive that “Life” we must receive the Living Word that was made flesh! That Life is in His Son because He IS that “LIFE.” Let me be bold and say “HIS SON is HIS WORD OF ETERNAL LIFE” which CANNOT die! Jesus died which separated Him from first Adam. What LIVED was THE WORD OF LIFE! Jesus even looked quite different after the resurrection and his disciples did not recognize Him.

John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. 7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."

Any man of first Adam’s species has much more than a sin problem. He has a death problem. God solved the sin problem by the blood and He solved the death problem though death burial and resurrection. We receive His Life when we receive His Living Word (Son) who IS “LIFE.” Then he who has the Son has Life and he who does not have the Son has no “Life, Zoe.” It is Baptism that solves the “death” problem and resurrection that solves the “LIFE” problem.

Thank God that He has fully provided for both our sin and our sins through Calvary. However, God has provided us Life through the Resurrection from the dead! It is this whole new “LIFE,” ZOE, the uncreated Life of God, which is exactly what we need to fulfill the purpose of God and bring joy to His heart. This “life” is also seen in type, in the Tree of Life, in the garden of God.

John 12:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

John 12:24 then is not about sin or sins but about bearing fruit that is acceptable to God. It is about falling into the ground into “death.” Why? To finish with the first Adam and his created life! Then the New Creation Man must grow by receiving the resurrection Life of Christ. It is only out of that Life that we can be fruitful. Receiving this new “LIFE” is the basis of the new creation or the new species of men that are called “Christian.” No one is actually Christian except those who have received the New Life and become a New Species, to begin a new creation.

Whatever is of the first creation is of the old species and should not be called “Christian.” Why? That is because this confuses the whole issue of what a “Christian” is. A person is either a new creation or he is of that realm that is lost. To be perfectly clear, that person is lost, even if the person believes something about Jesus. It is ONLY the new creation that is Christian. Waiting for the “death bed” to become “Christian” is a big mistake!

To preach a practical “fruitfulness” we must preach more than some outward activity. True fruitfulness is the result of a union of life with the Vine. The real source of the fruit that is acceptable to God is from the Vine and not attributed to some “outward work” that is designed and motivated by man. That “work” is religious work that is not eternal fruit.

ISA 5:1 Let me sing now for my well-beloved A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill. [2] And He dug it all around, removed its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the middle of it, And hewed out a wine vat in it; Then He expected it to produce good grapes, But it produced only worthless ones.

The worthless fruit is the work of man working independent of God and NOT in conjunction with the Vine! The “good Vine” is Christ. A good tree doesn’t bring forth bad fruit and the “good Vine” is the source of the “good Grapes.” The worthless grapes is the absolute best that natural man can produce.

In Isaiah 5 the vineyard and the fruit is addressed and God’s expectation of good fruit is addressed. However, in Psalm 80:8-13 Israel is still confused and asks why God broke down the hedges and let the hogs in. The problem was that the grapes / fruit was wild and not the cultured fruit from God’s vine. In other words any old “fruit” is not what God is looking for! Quite often some natural ability is thought to be the “good fruit” or even members of a congregation are called “fruit.” Still, God may judge everything as wild grapes / fruit and reject everything.

In John 15 the fruit is practical but the source is mystical. To insist that only simple, clear and practical messages can be preached to produce “fruit” is not supported by scripture! Even a “good message” may not be understood by the natural man simply because he is not equipped to understand even a simple spiritual message.

If only simple, clear and practical messages are acceptable in the church, then Jesus made a terrible mistake by sharing John 6. Some disciples thought this was something that could be understood by the natural mind and were offended. They thought He meant to eat His natural flesh and drink His actual blood, which was offensive to any Jew.

The natural man will generally be offended by a spiritual message because he has no idea what was said. The question is this; Should we dumb down the message so it is acceptable to the natural man? While this may be acceptable for the Evangelist, the church ministries should be able to hear and preach something beyond what comes into the ears and the natural mind can understand. Much of what Jesus preached about the Kingdom was not understood and was beyond man’s natural ability to understand. That is still a big problem today.

Jesus Christ is the incarnation of the Living Word of God. He was filled up to all the fulness of God. His life, purpose and goal was to reveal the Father. We see that God was fully committed to Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ was fully committed to God, the Father.

John 5:21 "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22"For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son.

The common link between the Father and the Son, Christ Jesus is that they share the same “LIFE.” It was because Jesus, (He) is the Son of Man, that God gave Him the authority to execute judgment on this earth. Why? That is because He is the Last Adam, the second man. Jesus begins the “NEW GENESIS” with authority over both heaven and earth. This is a step up from the first Adam who only had authority over earth.

John 5:[26] "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; [27] and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.

This “life” is what John saw, heard and touched. The day came when God’s purpose was to distribute this “life” to mankind. How do we know that?

John 5:21] "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes

If we can just lay aside “the sin problem” for a moment we can focus upon the death problem. After the Genesis 3 disaster, the sentence of death was upon all men for all had sinned. Forgiveness of the sin is one thing but the restoration of life, and that a higher Life, is quite another. It is that “life” which we now associate with the Tree of Life.

However, this has nothing to do with a renovation or a repair of the old life of Adam. To be Christian every believer must be indued with a brand new “Life- in Greek Zoe.” This “Zoe” is the Christian Life! It is this “ZOE” which is the “eternal life” spoken about in Scripture. The Christian Life is now the resurrection life of Christ Jesus. This “LIFE” has ALREADY passed through death. Contrary to popular belief, God is not repairing nor renovating nor rebuilding the old life of first Adam and give that life a second chance to obey God.

The church must have nothing to do with the old life of Adam because it is NOT Christian nor can it every be. Unless the former life of first Adam is dead and buried in baptism, it will be a plague to the church by seeking to lead and make spiritual decisions. This life is the source of carnality in each assembly. Why? That is because “baptism” has become a ritual rather than the old life being carried into death and burial.

John 12:24] "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. [25] "He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.

The focus here is not upon sin or sins but upon fruitfulness. Fruitfulness is not just some work we do for God but the outcome of falling into the ground and the death of the old life. Why? God is not interested in receiving “wild fruit” from the old life! ALL of that fruit is rejected.

We could say that the Outer Court, brass altar, is about sin, the old creation and death. The Holy Place is about new life, new spirit, new purpose, new vision, new function, new cooperation, new union, or a total new experience of Spirit, Truth and Life. This, next experience, is the source of God designed and acceptable fruitfulness.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John focuses upon the manifested presence of God in one man, Christ Jesus. His purpose was to reveal the Father. The Acts and the epistles focus upon the manifestation of the Word of Life in the corporate man. This ONE New man, Head and body, is the church which He is building. It seems that God has no greater plan than to manifest Himself through the One NEW Man in the Lampstand Church but seen in the Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek.

For the last 450 years God has revealed himself through “ministers” or leaders or persons whom have received His Life! Example; God used Martin Luther in 1517. Then, at the beginning of the 20 th century(1906) , God manifested Himself through Oral Roberts, Kathryn Kulhman and many others! However, this revelation of Himself was through astounding miracles, signs and wonders. That was good for that time period.

He has also revealed Himself through signs, wonders, healing, miracles, consecrations, martyrdom , sacrifice, preaching and selfless service through many mature saints and from different dispensations. Now it seems reasonable that He will manifest Himself through the corporate body of the High Priest and the Holy Place Priesthood! How? We believe it will be this “WORD OF LIFE” that John speaks of.

We have shared about a corporate consecration which will bring in a corporate manifestation of the Eternal Christ. That means the “ WORD OF LIFE” manifested in a Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek. Of course that involves a corporate falling into the earth and dying to the old life, the old self and the old ego, the old selfishness, the self serving ME centered ministry and the works of the flesh that is the manifestation of the Old man.

Many complain that they consecrated themselves several years ago and nothing happened. Of course that cannot be true. The problem is one believer here and one there Consecrating themselves is not yet a Lampstand Church. Of course, a corporate consecration begins with one person here and another one there. Any corporate Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek will minister only after the Power of an Endless LIFE!

The lack of an expected manifestation of “THE WORD OF LIFE” after giving yourself as a full Consecration Offering to God is generally the result of refusing to fall into the ground and die. The excuse given is that in Roman 12 what is offered is a “living sacrifice.” However, this Living Sacrifice” is NOT living by the old fallen life of first Adam. By the time we come to Romans 12 we have already experienced “the foundations” of Roman 6, 7 and 8.

The purpose of full consecration is so the church will no longer hinder God from coming forth in full manifestation to reveal Himself. Also, the Lampstand has no wood which leads us to the practical application of the personal Consecration Offering, eliminating the natural man from the “ministry.” This MUST happen before beginning another level of preparation, and function and the manifestation of the “New Covenant ministry” through the Christian minister by the “WORD of LIFE.”

Nevertheless, the gold Ore, containing a lot of dross, waits before the fire of God comes and separates the dross from the Gold. This “waiting” is a popular thing. Still, that cannot qualify as Lampstand Gold. Why? That is because the Pure Refined Gold precedes the “hammering” into one piece to form the Lampstand Church! This completed Lampstand is from another realm.

Gold ore contains both dross and gold while the Lampstand is made without the dross and ONLY with the pure gold. Consecration is not complete until the dross is removed in the fire of His Love. This requires the whole burnt offering! Consecration should end the flesh, the self life, the “me” center, the ego and all reference to “my successful ministry” and then the removal of the rest of the dross. What emerges from the whole burnt offering is the resurrection life of Jesus Christ. This is what we are referring to as “THE WORD OF LIFE.”

A counterfeit and wild grape, “church” that is both flesh and spirit is not what God will accept. The pure Gold Lampstand Church, hammered out of one piece of Pure Gold, is acceptable and is very practical!

It may be our own carnal concept of what is a practical and spiritual ministry that must get adjusted to a new reality at the time of Consecration.

We are certainly not trying to disrespect the authentic and a practical message about the forgiveness of sins, the regeneration of the inner man, the emergence of a new species of man, and the other foundations. Why? That is the “ministry of the beginnings” and is necessary. This is, certainly, a much more practical solution to beginning the Christian Life than teaching people how to accept Jesus as personal Savior! Teaching unsaved people to honor their father and mother, start tithing, to stop stealing and abstain from fornication is in the wrong sequence. Until the proper foundations are laid, experientially, these other messages will produce very little (nothing) in the lives of the hearers. Of course there are other messages that are valid AFTER the foundations are laid.

If we get the inner man right, these other things like tithing and stop stealing and quit fornicating may just disappear as the result. Why doesn’t instruction and counseling remove these things? That is because what defiles the person is what comes out of old the inner man, the heart. Change the ‘inner man” and you change the evil expressions.

Mat 15:16 And He said, "Are you still lacking in understanding also? 17 "Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? 18 "But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 19 "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 20 "These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man."

This teaching by Jesus, to the Jewish nation, was revolutionary and conflicted with everything, of a religious nature, that they believed. The only way to fix the old man was with a whole new man. This had to be a completely new explanation for evil things. "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” Even though some of these things are still present in the ministry and in the visible church, this explanation tells us why! They don’t get solved by theology but by the inner workings of God!

These defiling things, that are manifested outwardly, have their source internally. Now, it is clear why the New Covenant begins with removing the “heart of stone” and replacing it with “a heart of flesh.” As long as the old “heart / inner man” remains, there is no solution to the defilement. Why? All these things manifest out of the “old man / flesh / heart.” If we can change the old “heart / stone,” we can change the evil manifestations, IF we get a new clean heart / man.

The Greek word “kardia; translated as heart” actually says “out of the middle.” That is

where we derive the concept of “the old Inner man.”

The Lukewarm, the casual Christian, the unconcerned and uninformed reject the transformations inherent within the foundations and try to live “the church life” with the old inner heart / man. A religious system is the result!

In the Law of Moses, to eat with unwashed hands was a serious thing. The Law of Moses was for the natural man and for the natural, outer man to eat with unwashed hands could lead to serious health problems. Was that Law wrong? Certainly not! Then why was Jesus explaining it away?

That is because a New Covenant is coming and “defilement” is in another dimension. The Old Covenant was not able to “change the inner man.” Therefore, evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders could NOT be removed from the person.

Paul calls these things “the works of the flesh” and warns that those who practice these things shall NOT inherit the Kingdom of God. Permitting these “works of the flesh”to remain in our lives can affect our eternal destiny. The doctrine that “GOD LOVES ME JUST LIKE I AM” is a terrible deception but is preached from some pulpits each Sunday. Why?

That is because this “strange gospel” starts with man’s interests and needs and his reconciliation to God. The Gospel of the Kingdom begins with God and His Absolute Sovereignty and then reasons down to man. God is not really concerned with man’s need until man is concerned with God’s needs and His plan for man to fulfill God’s Purpose! That is the history of Israel! That is exactly why the real Gospel IS the Gospel of the Kingdom.

God is NOT here to serve man but man is here to serve God. God tells man what to do rather than man telling God what He must do to bless man and make man happy. If man doesn’t make God happy, man has missed the whole point of salvation. When man just sits in some religious atmosphere, doing nothing to change and conform their life to harmonize with Christ’s Life, that man is a total failure! Even if he believes in Jesus and tithes! Adjusting this religious system, that has emerged over the last 1400 years, is not an easy task. However, the commandment to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to every nation has not been canceled or annulled.

For that reason, it is my opinion that Jesus will not suddenly appear until THIS COMMANDMENT is obeyed. Why? That is because The Kingdom Of God is our Present, our past and our future. Why? It IS eternal and IS the Government of the World yet to come. To suddenly spring this fact upon those at the judgement seat of Christ doesn’t seem right, since they were never informed that the Kingdom was central to their salvation!