Dakota Beacon

Why the Mess?

Pondering as to why the world and our nation are in such a mess, Gulliver comes to mind.  Here was a giant of a man, bound by numerous cords, few at first, then many as he slept on, eventually immobilized and powerless.

What other body is basically powerless, bound and having little impact on our society, culture and the world?  If your answer to this question is the 'CHURCH', we are on the same thought track.

What are the cords that bind the church? (defined as the totality of those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, and have accepted him.)

As I picture this giant bound by cords, the cords began to develop names:

1. religion                                                                 16. truth

2. denominations                                                       17.biblical truth

3. traditions of man                                                    18.the trinity of God and man           

4.baptisms                                                                19.kingdom building

5. diets                                                                     20. philosophy

6. abortion                                                                21.theology

7.gay and lesbians rights                                            22.sects

8.clergy who are gay                                                   23.error

9.doctrines of man                                                     24.the way and to where

10. music                                                                  25.died spiritually (Jesus)

11.apparel                                                                 26.believing

12.prayer                                                                  27.faith, doubt

13. tongues                                                               28.sin

14.prophesy                                                              29.theology

15. gifts of the Spirit                                                  30.unscriptural unions

Add your own, there are many more!

 A thoughtful and prayerful contemplation of Jesus' words (words in red in many bibles) shows two aspects of his message.  They are:   The gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news that brings a person to salvation.  The good news of the  kingdom (gospel) unhooks a person from the worlds system and their old style of living.  So what did he preach?  Mt. 4:18, from this point he began to proclaim, "Repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand.  He then proceeded to demonstrate the Kingdom, its dominion and authority, which Adam had lost, by healing the sick, casting out devils and proclaiming liberty. 

Liberty from what? The kingdom of darkness, ruled by an errant and deviate spirit, satan, dominating and attempting to destroy Gods creation,  mankind, which had lost its position, dignity, authority and revelation of God in the Garden of Eden.  I.e.: a spiritually dead man, needing to be born from above.

The church spends much of its time being for or against many things, debating and at times fighting about them.  What things? Abortion, gay rights, federal programs for the poor, its tax exempt status, tithes, etc..(See 1-32 above.)  In reality preaching everything but that which Jesus directed: THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN!

The church was designed and directed to be a body, army if you will, whose instructions were to, 'occupy till I come'.  A military term, meaning just that.  Occupy areas taken by conquest, by preaching of the gospel (of the kingdom), and demonstrating its reality!

How many messages have you heard about the Kingdom?  How many Kingdom works have you seen demonstrated: healing the sick, casting out devils, raising the dead, or dominion being exercised, in every area of life?  A typical believer will respond in several ways:  None, never heard of the kingdom, these things all passed away, God gave us doctors.  Our purpose is to get people to heaven (born again) etc.

Heaven is an interesting place.  It is the seat of the government of God. Christians are dying to get there, but few looking forward to the trip.  Consider this: mankind didn’t lose heaven when he sinned; he lost dominion over the issues of his life.  He fell from one of relationship with God.  He fell from revelation knowledge, to mental knowledge.  He fell from dominion to being dominated.  He fell from fellowship with God, to separation from God.

If heaven was the goal Jesus had, he didn’t preach it.  Matter of fact, he prayed 'thy kingdom come' that heaven would come to earth.  God is the beginning and the end, the alpha and omega.  He always ends at the beginning and mankind will end up where it started, here on earth.  The difference, however, is that God is now dwelling with us.

The kingdom Jesus proclaimed, stirred the hearts (spirits) of man so that they violently were forcing their way into it.  'The violent take it by force.'  Seen any church services lately where people are forcing their way in to get the message, much less get into this marvelous kingdom?

Probably not, most churches are struggling to maintain membership, finances, budgets and defending their doctrines.

Seen any churches with holes in the roof where a paralytic and friends made an entrance, to be healed?

Kingdoms are unique.  They are ruled by a king.  Citizens have no vote.  What the king proclaims is law.  Kings have absolute authority, and own everything.  A king's success is measured by the well being of his citizens.  One of his goals is to share his wealth with his citizens, meeting their every need.  The term is commonwealth.

Kings typically have a senate or governing body, designed to implement their word, which is law.  The term for this governing group is 'ecclesia', in Gods case, the church.  Heard that word before?  This ecclesia has failed miserably, in establishing the Kings Decrees and directives.  The Kings decree?  Proclaim the gospel of the kingdom to the whole world, with signs following.

All kingdoms have a constitution setting its standards.  The Bible is the standard/constitution of the church.  It probably is as unread and miss-interpreted as the US Constitution.  The bible is a book of the spirit for a spiritual people, believers, a book of blessing when believed and adhered to, a book of rules and regulations for the religious.

A pastor friend of mine said; "Religion makes you stupid. Christianity is about a one on one relationship with God and his kingdom members." 

Consider this.  Less than 18 percent of those who proclaim to  be Christians tithe. The tithe from the constitution is at least 10% of your increase.  God asks this to, operates his kingdom on earth.  Why, because he needs it?  No, its an avenue of obedience and increase for his kingdom members.  How does 10% compare with the IRS rates?  God is not broke, the US is.. nor does he borrow, nor is he in debt.  Must be a message in that somewhere!

So here we are, the most powerful force on earth, the Body Of Christ, the Church, the Kingdom of God in manifestation, here and now, bound..even worse the head of this body, the Lord Jesus Christ being limited, his body as Gulliver, all tied up..

What an opportunity we have to cut the cords than bind us, release and turn the church loose to proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom, and do Kingdom work as the sons of God.  All of creation is waiting for us.

The new world order, socialism, communism, one world government, fascism etc, will not be an issue, when the sleeping giant awakes.  The church was never intended to co-exist with and fight against the worlds (Babylonian) system, but to take it over.  How? By proclaiming the Kingdom of God, Jesus the King of Kings, following his directives and obeying his words.

Is it time to follow orders? Preach the Kingdom!!!

"Thy Kingdom Come."