ONLY
GOD
©
Morris Ruddick
“Till
the Spirit is poured out from on high, and the desert becomes
a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest, justice
will dwell in the desert and righteousness live in the fertile
field. The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of
righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever .”
Isaiah
32:15-17
An
email I recently received began with: “ ONLY God can bring
that kind of synergy, with the Body operating in community as
it should. ” The reference was to a statement I made about
the “exponential.”
God's
multiplication system triggers the exponential. For believers,
the exponential is that God-factor which multiplies the results
of our efforts when certain criteria are aligned. It is released
when our faith combines with His will and timing; in the context
of our serving with our combined gifts in community to advance
the Kingdom.
We
find our purpose and destiny in the grasp and proper application
of our natural and spiritual gifts. They in turn are combined
with entrepreneurial and community gifts. The entrepreneurial
is God's DNA: to create, innovate and build. When a diversity
of our individual gifts is operationally applied in community,
something then is released even more potent for us as individuals
...but more importantly, to us as a people of God.
So
it is, that as a “people of God,” we bring about His purposes
at a level that far exceeds even the best of our individual efforts.
Rightly aligned and applied, this joint effort is the catalyst
for the exponential.
However,
there also is an exponential that only God authorizes.
Tied to set-times, the alignment between our gifts and community
gives us a taste for and acts as the precursor to the God-actuated
exponential. While the exponential that only God releases
will be marked by times set by the Father's authority, the alliances;
along with the shifts in the alignment provide the process that
guides us into its pathway.
“
It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father
has set by His own authority .” Acts 1:7
Understanding
the Times
The
Isaiah 32 passage opening this post provides a unique glimpse
into a God-only event before us. It points to a monumental
global shift to be released in the Father's timing and authority.
It will be marked by God's sovereign intervention that begins
the process of restoration from the bondage of corruption.
With
justice in the desert describing the containment of evil that
has abounded in an unregenerate world; when God's rule and righteousness
is restored, the desert will be released to become as a fertile
field and those arenas where His righteousness already has root
will blossom to a level that will make the fertile fields seem
as a forest.
However,
the bondage of corruption referred to in Romans 8 continues to
run rampant throughout the earth. Yet, as this sequence in Isaiah
continues (Isaiah 33:1), it references a time when the destroyers,
plunderers, and the betrayers will meet an end for their treachery.
So, the expectation remains before us for the revealing of the
sons of God, along with the Isaiah 32 outpouring of the Spirit
…that creates such a shift that barren lands will be turned into
fertile fields and the fertile fields, a forest. It will be an
exponential shift.
This
Isaiah 32 shift coincides with the time mentioned in Isaiah 60;
the prelude to the final clash of all ages, as Israel is restored,
the Jewish people return to Israel in mass, with the Lord's intervention
and the countdown into the Messianic age.
“
Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness
the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will
be seen upon you. Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings
to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around,
and see: they all gather together, they come to you; your sons
shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your
side. Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall
swell with joy; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned
to you, and the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you .”
Isaiah 60:2-5
Capturing
the attention of believers across the globe, this passage in Isaiah
60 is at the heart of a major prophetic insight referred to as
the wealth transfer. The significance of this Isaiah 60 event
demands a more careful grasp of its context, in discerning
the array of prophetic glimmers being advanced.
The
Wealth Transfer
The
wealth transfer has certainly hit the charts. It has become an
accepted part of the lingo of today's pop Christian culture. While
the Lord reveals His secrets unto His servants the prophets, the
Isaiah 60 wealth transfer represents a throne-room agenda, which
must be approached with care and awe.
“
For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many
sleep.” 1 Cor 11:30
The
pattern with emerging throne-room agendas is that before their
full appearance, there will be both counterfeits and a mounting
of precursors setting the stage for the full manifestation of
its sovereign release. We do well then to better define what the
wealth transfer incorporates and what it does not.
Wealth
Transfer Distortions
The
Apostle Paul, explained in Romans 10:2 (Amplified): “ I bear
them witness that they have a [certain] zeal and enthusiasm for
God, but it is not enlightened and according to [correct and vital]
knowledge .” The zeal and enthusiasm for the wealth transfer
indeed needs to be enlightened and tempered, and based on a more
accurate understanding. To align ourselves with what the Spirit
of the Lord is doing and to avoid counterfeits and false starts,
we must recognize the traps that would distort it. The most common
misconceptions include the wealth transfer being viewed as a Western
phenomenon; of it representing a new slant to individual prosperity;
or it having the expectation of a gushing of divine benevolence.
The
wealth transfer is not, nor is it driven as a Western phenomenon.
The transfer released by the Father's authority will be a global
shift that pivots on Israel. As the apple of His eye is mobilized
as a people, there will be a transfer of power driven by Isaiah
58 that begins reversing the curse reflected by the bondage of
corruption. With over two thirds of the world with little or no
middle class and over half the world living on less than $2 a
day, the best intentions of the Church and Western humanitarian
efforts have fallen short.
While
the wealth transfer will certainly involve money and resources,
it is not about chasing money or becoming a member of a benevolent
breed of nouveau riche. The Western model too often carries a
subtle deception that big is better. The wealth transfer will
be about serving and bringing transformation through community
in a way that shatters the bondage of corruption for the oppressed
and persecuted. It is about the type of restoration that mobilizes
God's dominion among the “ least of these our brethren .”
The
wealth transfer is not about divine handouts.
It will not have its focus as a massive
food kitchen, but rather on globally mobilizing the oppressed
and afflicted to become the head, rather than the tail; as God's
people begin entering the arena of truly ruling over the work
of His hands. The Hebrew for charity is tz'dakah. It functions
on the basis of providing the help to enable one to stand on his/her
own feet. According to Jewish tradition, the highest form of tz'dakah
is helping one start his/her own business.
Wealth
Transfer Dynamics
The
key dynamics of the wealth transfer include a generational mantle,
a community operation and a Kingdom alignment. The
mantle for throne room agendas belongs at the generation level.
Incorporating a supernatural unity of purpose, amazing
things will unfold when entrance to set-times is made by a generation.
These amazing things will flow at the community level. The standard
set will break the mold and operate against the odds; as God is
glorified not only among His people, but among outsiders witnessing
the realities of God operating in their midst. The
alignment that results will set things in order that have been
in chaos and under the bondage of corruption. It will mark the
shift in which the Lord's dominion begins to be restored across
the earth as His people exercise His authority in both seats of
power and in community, to reverse the curse.
Elements
of the Wealth Transfer
The
key elements of the transfer that will be in evidence will be
tz'dakah, a combined top-down and a bottom-up orientation, along
with dominion. While tz'dakah is the Hebrew word for charity,
it also means “righteous,” as reflected in the proverb so often
quoted in Christian circles: “ Righteousness exalts a nation
.” Tz'dakah is the interaction of and entwining of charity
and righteousness. 1 Corinthians 13 at its highest level is the
righteous charity or charitable righteousness that results when
God's people are yielded to Him. It is the dynamic that will be
evident through community when God is at its center.
The
combined top-down, bottom-up orientation breaks the “big is better”
top-down orientation deception that has infiltrated and distorted
the foundations of the Western model. Without the appropriate
operation of the bottom-up, whether in community, economics, societal
transformation or the wealth transfer; there exists an imbalance
that undermines the exponential.
“
When the first came, they supposed that they would receive
more. W hen they had received the same, they complained saying,
‘These last men have worked only one hour, and we have borne the
burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered, ‘Friend, did
you not agree on this amount? Take what is yours and go your way.
I wish to give this last man the same as you. Is it not lawful
for me to do what I wish with what I own? Or is your eye evil
because I am good?' So the last will be first, and the first last.
For many are called, but few chosen.'” Matthew 20: 10-16
In
a post I sent out in April of 2005 I explained that: “From Genesis
and the Torah, the Psalms, Proverbs and the Prophets, to the parables
of Jesus and the writings of Paul are a multiplicity of scriptures
on the bottom-up component of the practical issues of wealth.
The Bible contains a richness of wisdom on entrepreneurial practices;
on operating a small business; together with principles on how
a business grows and prospers. One segment of the Torah in particular,
the book of Deuteronomy, is a treasure of principles on how you
run a God-centered entrepreneurial community.”
The
move of God in the marketplace will offer hope to those who have
no hope. Whether from those called as nation-changing Josephs
or from everyday entrepreneurs making an impact on their communities,
lives will be impacted by this demonstration of the Spirit of
the Lord in operation.
When
tz'dakah and the combined top-down, bottom-up orientation are
aligned, the exponential wealth transfer will reflect and release
the momentum to restoring the Lord's dominion across the earth.
As the pivotal factor for the Kingdom to function as it was designed,
dominion reflects the unencumbered rule of God's authority.
In
the same way that the bottom-up economy is the foundation for
the top-down economy, so it will be for the wealth transfer. The
array of popular top-down wealth transfer venues will be nothing
more than a trickle until the bottom-up transfer is fully in motion
globally. The exponential wealth transfer described in Isaiah
60 will be actuated at the time the bottom-up transfer has become
a grass-roots movement.
“Every
man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every
man's work of what sort it is.” 1 Corinthians
3:13
The
Process and New Mind-Sets
While
the eager fervently seek to enter the place of the wealth transfer,
there will be no forcing of issues. The process should be recognized
for its own value and then refined as God's perspective on the
end result is brought into greater clarity and focus.
Far
too frequently, the Western expression of the Body is stymied,
due to the trappings of its 21st century mind-set. There is a
need to break the mold to enter the fullness awaiting us. We would
gain much by pausing from the momentum and focus of old mind-sets
and past successes, to gain a greater clarity in understanding
the times that we may better know what to do. We must embrace
the mind-sets that support the biblical foundations of community
and the entrepreneurial.
We
likewise need to attain a Hebraic mind-set that is so foundational
to the truths of scripture. In short, a Hebraic mind-set has a
greater orientation to the spirit compared to the intellect. It
is far more process versus program oriented. It places greater
value on age and wisdom than on information and oratory. It reflects
leadership that is relationally driven. A Hebraic mind-set is
community-directed, with a true grasp of covenant, as a people.
Within that framework, it embraces a cooperative, participatory
planning and execution of activities; with an emphasis on the
spiritual gifts, service and a charitable focus.
The
Exponential Shift
The
process toward the wealth transfer is directly tied to the Body
coming into the full knowledge of the Lord and operating in unity.
Only God can bring this kind of synergy, with the Body aligned
and operating as it should. Yet, only through God will it
happen.
“You
have not passed this way before. So, consecrate yourselves, for
the Lord will do wonders among you.” Joshua
3:4-5
While
the process will align and actuate the exponential in a way that
exceeds our expectations; the exponential of the coming shift
will be beyond our ability to measure. While even the process
will be laced with awe, the global exponential power shift to
be released by the Father's authority will bring forth a shaking
of the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. It
will shake nations.
“
He is about to shake the heavens and the earth and to overthrow
the thrones of kingdoms; He is about to destroy the strength of
the kingdoms of the nations and overthrow them.” (Haggai
2:20)
While
we as a people of God have entered an arena of bringing about
His purposes at a level far beyond our individual efforts; as
we globally mature and come together in unity, we need to recognize
and correct the gaps in the alignment that will mark the time
and the season for this exponential shift.
The
move of God underway that extends into the business and community
arenas is bridging that gap, as the Body unites and begins dealing
with the real issues involved with “being about His business”
and in advancing God's Kingdom. The wealth transfer is about a
mobilization and power shift that will lead to the greatest time
of transformation …and conflict, that the world has ever seen.
“
Yet I will lift up My hand to the nations and set up My standard
to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosoms,
and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. Kings will
be your guardians, and their princesses your nurses …and you will
know that I am the Lord .” Isaiah 49:22
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Morris
Ruddick has been a forerunner and spokesman for the call of God
among business leaders. He is author of “The Joseph-Daniel Calling”
and “Gods Economy, Israel and the Nations,” which address the
mobilization of today's top-down and bottom-up economic and community
dimensions of Gods Word. They are available from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com
and other popular outlets.
Mr.
Ruddick is also the founder of the Global Equippers Entrepreneurial
Program, which imparts hope and equips economic community builders
where God's light is dim. To schedule a speaking engagement, sponsor
a workshop, make a donation or to get more information on how
you can help, contact Global Initiatives at 303.741.9000.
2008
Copyright Morris Ruddick — response@strategic-initiatives.org
Reproduction
is prohibited unless permission is given by a SIGN advisor. Since
1996, the Strategic Intercession Global Network (SIGN) has mobilized
prophetic intercessors committed to targeting strategic-level
issues impacting the Body on a global basis. For more information
on SIGN, check: www.strategicintercession.org
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