Subject: [Shoulders] SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #577 ---- 12/29/08

Standing Shoulder To Shoulder Together As We Fight the Good Fight of Faith A personal letter of encouragement to You, written solely to "lift up hands that hang down".
TO SUBSCRIBE send a blank message to shoulders-subscribe@associate.com . TO UNSUBSCRIBE send a blank message to shoulders-unsubscribe@associate.com . IN EACH CASE click "Return" when you receive confirmation request. FOR BACK COPIES go to http://associate.com/groups/shoulders . Get "HOPE4KYIV", a praise report and prayer request letter of the Tolliver's ministry as missionaries to Ukraine, TO SUBSCRIBE send a blank message to hope4kyiv-subscribe@associate.com. IN EACH CASE click "Return" when you receive confirmation request. FOR BACK COPIES or more information go to http://associate.com/groups/hope4kyiv. Get "PrayKYIV", a new informational prayer strategy letter for people wanting to pray for Kiev, Ukraine. TO SUBSCRIBE send a blank message to prayKIEV-subscribe@associate.com IN EACH CASE click "Return" when you receive confirmation request. FOR BACK COPIES go to http://associate.com/groups/prayKIEV. Website: www.praykiev.org (still in development but accessible)

"Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done" is more than a part of Christ's instruction teaching us how to
pray. It is God's singular agenda to which He is still committed. It should likewise be ours. T. Allen Robburts

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SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #577 ---- 12/29/08 Title: "Isaiah's Christmas Story -- part three, The Endless Kingdom

Dear Friend and Kingdom Venturer: It's hard to believe. Yes, it's hard to believe we are now living back in America after six years in Ukraine. It's hard to believe this is the final "Shoulders" letter for 2008. It's hard to believe 2009 is just three days away. It's hard to believe I've been writing "Shoulder" now for over eleven consecutive years. It's hard to believe that I've actually written more than 625 such letters. Yet, all of the above is true. A new year is dawning; a new chapter of ministry is emerging; a new kingdom is expanding. God is so very good. The phrase, "and of His kingdom there shall be no end" from Isaiah 9:7 (I memorized it in KJV as a boy and still remember it that way) is what triggered this brief series on the birth of Christ. The entire familiar passage in the NASB reads, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There

will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this." Isa 9:6-7). To be totally honest, I find myself totally bankrupt and inadequate to deal with what all this passage means. Two weeks ago we examined "The Promise" of this amazing prophecy . . . a light to the darkness would shine and bring hope to a suffering hopeless humanity held captive in the thick, clinging, blackness of alienation from their Creator/God. As the light dawned, imprisonment would end and chains would fall off of hearts held captive by oppression. Isaiah later prophesied that liberation in greater detail (61:1-7), and years later Jesus quoted portions of it to introduce His ministry and identify His calling (Lk 4:1-4). We also examined "The Process" of how that would happen . . . a child would be born by a woman, but The Son would be given by God Himself. He would be the offered foundation for all governing principles and processes. Last week, then, we followed up with "The Premier" as we examined His names . . . "Immanuel", "with us -- God!", . . . "Wonderful Counselor, the Omniscient One, . . . "Mighty God", the Omnipotent One, . . . "Eternal One", the Omnipresent One, . . . "The Prince of Peace, the Sovereign One. Today we conclude the mini-series with a look at verse seven, examining the Realm of His impact. If there was, indeed, to be a deliverer out of Zion Who would redeem mankind, set them free, and bring them into a totally new dimension and relationship, it seems appropriate for us to examine what that really means . . . at least partially so. I warn you up front, though, that we will barely touch the "hem of the garment" of the matter.

THE KINGDOM'S DEFINITION: This kingdom is described in verse seven as "government" and as "kingdom". At first glance this looks like a mere repetition, common in the Hebrew language for the purpose of emphasis. However, there are two different words used. "Government" is the Hebrew word, "misrah", and means an empire or a vast ruling system. It seems to deal primarily with a system or form of governing. "Kingdom", on the other hand, comes from the Hebrew word, "mamlakah", and means "the estate, country, or realm of royal rule". So, in the use of these two distinct words, we see revealed both the realm or vastness of the government, and the form of rule that is implemented. It may come as a shock to our systems to realize that this vast empire creates, rests upon, and functions both from, in, and out of the reality of peace. Repeating last week's definition, "Shalom shalom" literally means "a welfare that is healthy, prosperous, safe, free from danger in the midst of danger, void of fear, and secure, bringing us into a state of favor." If you are a born-again believer in Christ Jesus our Lord, you should gain great comfort in knowing you are part of an unshakeable kingdom while all the kingdoms of this world are in a turmoil that cannot be sufficiently described with words. Not only is this kingdom directly linked to peace, but likewise it is linked to the throne of David. And, this link creates confusion to many. Some believe, therefore, that this prophetic passage is exclusively for the descendants of David, namely the Children of Israel. On the surface, that might appear to be the case, but if you study the teachings of Jesus, the One who came to sit on that throne, it becomes clear that it includes far more. The world will experience the kingdom from the throne of David in Jerusalem. Keeping those words firmly in mind, then, we can conclude . . . + It Is A Kingdom: It's not a democracy, republic, or dictatorship. It is a pure kingdom in perfect form. In order for a kingdom to be a kingdom, it must have certain elements. It must have a king, . . . it must have undiluted authority, . . . it must have territory, . . . it must have rules and principles, . . . it must have possessions, . . . and it must have subjects. We know it has a king, because He is identified time and time again in Scripture. His name is Jesus Christ, and His authority is without question, though many fight against it. It has territory, both terrestrial and celestial. The territory of the kingdom is more than any human mind can fathom. There are laws, principles, and standards by which it functions. They are precise, perfect, and uncompromising. If someone violates one of the principles, it has its

consequences both to the violator . . . and to the kingdom itself. The kingdom is always being built, sustained, or diminished by how those principles and laws are obeyed. The kingdom also has possessions that belong both to the king and to the kingdom. The riches are indescribable. The economic and military resources are without comparison. The resources are vast both in type and quantity . . . inexhaustible, you might say. And, His kingdom has subjects . . . citizens and aliens. Some citizens are angelic, others are human. Citizenship in the kingdom comes only by royal decree based on the King's provision and the person's acceptance of that provision by faith. Aliens still benefit from many of the kingdom provisions, but are unable to experience the full benefit of total protection, privileges, and blessings. They live in the kingdom, but are not part of the kingdom. So, first of all, it truly is a kingdom with all the characteristics of a kingdom. God understand that, the angels understand it, the saints of old understand, . . . but many Christians apparently don't understand the ramifications of their salvation and their Savior being totally and forever kingdom based. Secondly, . . . + It Is HIS Kingdom: Perhaps one of the greatest failures of the Church to ever happen probably took place by the end of the Third Century, or the early Fourth at the latest . . . and that was to fail to understand the critical importance of the kingdom concept to the message of the Gospel. In spite of the fact that the primary message of Christ was about an unseen kingdom, and notwithstanding the fact that He often referred to such a kingdom in simple terms, the Church has somehow suffered a disconnect between one's personal relationship with Christ and the idea of kingdom participation. Take time to study the Gospels and see just how many references are made to His kingdom . . . more than 140 times, 65 times in Matthew alone. It is referred to at least another 36 times in Acts through Revelation. All told, the word is used nearly 200 times in the New Testament; that is more than almost any other single subject . . . and most of the time it is used to refer to His kingdom using the terms "kingdom of God", "kingdom of Christ", or "kingdom of heaven". The remaining occasions reference is made to either the kingdom of Satan or the kingdom/s of the world, as opposed to His. It is absolutely imperative, if we are to ever return to a full or complete understanding of the Gospel message, that we acknowledge not only that we're talking about a "kingdom" with a "king", but that this king is Christ, and the kingdom is His . . . and not some denomination or theological system that has tried to hijack it. It is HIS kingdom, and nobody else's. That means we have no right to manipulate it, modify it, merge it, or mar it. That is tantamount to an outright coup of rebellion and insurrection. Frighteningly, most such actions eventually become actions of terrorism. Third, then, . . . + It is an Endless Kingdom: The prophecy is clear. Empires have been built and have fallen. Kingdoms have come and gone. The pages of history are cluttered with the dead and dusty remains of cultures, dominions, and multitudinous forms of government. But, the kingdom of God is endless; it is endless because it is eternal. Eternal things never begin . . . they always are. Eternal things never end . . . they will always be. Human governments are built on things that decay . . . even the most brilliant of philosophies last only so long, and then they disappear. Think of all the different philosophies created by man in order to make things better; none of them have worked, and none have lasted. At best all you have left is the skeletal remains totally devoid of substance or success. The same is true with the various forms of government . . . dictatorships, democracies, republics, . . . all are flawed, and all last only for a season. And, lest we think we are exempt, even religions . . . even Christianity itself as a religion of concepts and systems collapses over time. The Kingdom of God, on the other hand, is timeless, eternal, . . . endless. In that Jesus Christ is eternal, His kingdom cannot be otherwise. Whether lived out in the spiritual realm or the human, it is endless.

THE KINGDOM'S DESCRIPTION:

+ It is both spiritual and temporal: This dual existence has caused many to be confused, doubting, skeptical, . . . and even negligent in pursuing the kingdom and living by its principles. That should not surprise us. Jesus' own disciples somehow missed the point, even after more than three years of hearing Him teach and watching Him demonstrate kingdom truth. Even after bearing witness to His unexplainable resurrection from the dead, they still asked a tell-tale question . . . "Are you going to set up this kingdom now that You're back?" (Acts 1:6). They still thought His final objective was to restore the Israelic kingdom. We must not miss this fundamental truth . . . first and foremost, the kingdom of God is spiritual. It originated spiritually, it is sustained spiritually, and its ultimate objectives are totally spiritual. Its nature and purpose are spiritual, while its expressions are often temporal. Look at how many times Jesus described this spiritual kingdom in temporal terms . . . a mustard seed, leaven, a treasure, a merchant, a fishing net, head of a household, a land owner, a sower, . . . We must never abandon the reality of the spiritual kingdom, but we must likewise never neglect the practical expressions of seeking and expanding the kingdom through temporal means. There is far more to the kingdom than imagining yourself sitting on some heavenly throne somewhere in the future ruling the world. There's more to it than seeing yourself seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. While the kingdom may be spiritual in nature, it is advanced through practical expressions among those around us. And, by and large, the Church has missed this truth. + It is both invisible and visible: You don't see the kingdom with the naked eye, though you can see evidences of it. In that sense, it is both invisible and visible. Since it is spiritual and eternal, the driving force behind it is invisible. It is the constant prevailing work of the Holy Spirit carrying out the will of the Father in drawing all people to Himself through His Son. It changes hearts and attitudes; it changes lives; it changes habits and values; it changes environments and human conditions; it changes attitudes and actions. The kingdom's presence can be seen, however, in the invisible world. It shows in how you treat the widows and orphans; it shows in what you do about sickness and homelessness; it shows in how you treat the environment which God created by the word of His mouth. It shows in how you bear witness of Christ's saving power to those who are without hope, still carrying the burden of their sin. The invisible kingdom which John declared was "at hand" shortly before he baptized Jesus, is now "among you". The invisible life-changing process of redemption will one day in the future be brought to full visibility when the Lion of Judah appears to set up another segment of His kingdom . . . one thousand years of visible, physical, political, cultural, and sociological rule that spans the entire world. During that time all people, either voluntary or involuntary, will acknowledge Jesus Christ as King and Lord of all creation. The kingdom, however, will not conclude at the end of the thousand years, but will rather enter a new and ultimate dimension . . . where past, present, and future converge into an eternal "now" . . . where visible and invisible become brilliant total reality, . . . where spiritual and temporal merge into perfection, . . . where we will spend all of eternity before the throne of our immortal, eternal, all-wise, sovereign King, and enter into the ultimate world of unbridled praise, adoration, and worship, while the rest of creation is cast into the Lake of Fire, never to be seen, experienced, or heard from again. + It is both current and expanding: Verse seven uses the word "Increase". "Marbeh" is the Hebrew word, and it means "properly and perpetually increasing and enlarging". Not only is it multi-dimensional, but it is also free from the constraints of time. One of the first things I concluded is that the Kingdom of God has always been. If the Godhead is eternal, preceding beginning and outlasting ending, then the kingdom must be as well. So, when you and I think of the kingdom over which Christ is king as being within a certain time frame . . . for example between His birth and resurrection, or between the establishment of the Church and the Millennium, we have grossly underestimated the enormity of the kingdom. It cannot be contained by any human measurement, and it cannot be hindered in its expansion by any human resistance. It is a living, dynamic realm of sovereign rule; even when it seems things are falling apart, they are not.

FINALLY: My friend, this entire text is so comprehensive and detailed that it would take pages and hours to cover all of the

intricate weaving that is tying God's eternal kingdom to a human kingdom set up in a Judean village some 2,000 years ago. We are viewing a concept that, frankly, no human ingenuity could ever create, and no human mind can ever fully understand. Like Paul, we will find ourselves "beside ourselves" over every futile attempt to explain this indescribable concept. Suffice it to say, there is an eternal kingdom . . . divine in origin, nature, purpose, and consummation. There is no other kingdom equal to it. It is a kingdom pulsating with peace, justice, and righteousness, none of which any human government will ever attain. It is a kingdom that found its way by divine design from the realm of spiritual reality into the human plane of existence. It is a kingdom driven by the intentional zeal of God Himself to bring it to perfect fruition. And, it is a kingdom that, whenever it actually entered the human race, has virtually no end . . . ever. And that, my friend, is what Isaiah was trying to articulate to us from his perspective of the birth of our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who walk in darkness will see a great light; . . . they have. A virgin will bear a child; . . . she did. The Father will give a Son; . . . He did. The Son will be called Immanuel, wonderful counselor, mighty God; Eternal Father; Prince of Peace; . . . He Is. The government will rest upon His shoulders; . . . it does. His Kingdom will never end; . . . it won't. If the Christmas story doesn't include the kingdom, it's not the real story. Note the words of Emily Elliott in her well-known song: Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown When Thou camest to earth for me. But in Bethlehem's town there was found no room For Thy Holy nativity. Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang, Proclaiming Thy royal decree. But in lowly birth didst Thou come to earth And in great humility. Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word That should set Thy people free. But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn, They bore Thee to Calvary. When the heavens shall ring and the angels sing At Thy coming to victory, Let Thy voice call me home, saying, "Yet there is room, There is room at my side for Thee." What else is left then, for you and me, but to pray as Jesus did, "Your kingdom come! Your will be done! . . . here on earth, as it has come and has been done in the heavenly realm!" Rejoice! The kingdom is here! Now! In His Bond, By His Grace, and For His Kingdom, Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11 Copyright December, 2008 Life Unlimited Ministries lifeunlimited@pobox.com http://community.webshots.com/user/KievIBC?vhost=community -- Info about KIBC http://www.praykiev.org for our city-wide prayer strategy. If this letter has blessed you, feel free to forward it, with proper credits, to any and all you wish. Please do NOT hit reply to this letter. This is an automated unmanned system. If you want to write Bob, send directly to lifeunlimited@pobox.com. Replying to "Shoulder To Shoulder" mailer gets you nowhere.

REMEMBER ---- "God's Work done God's Way never lack's for God's supply." (George Meuller) It's our desire to provide you links to helpful resources. However, the contents of these sites do not necessarily represent the views we personally hold. These are sites we have found helpful in the past for various topics, and want you to know about them. Use at your own discretion.

Websites Crucial For Today:

Consider these special websites that are particularly important in light of world conditions. www.onenewsnow.com -- an excellent news website giving you more thorough news reporting. www.cnsnews.com for daily world news without a liberal, godless bias. http://www.leadershipletters.com/ an outstanding resource for anyone wanting to become or help raise up a great leader. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page -- excellent on-line encyclopedia on almost every topic, usually unbiased. http://prayercentral.net/baghdad/today -- to pray for troops in Iraq. www.wallbuilders.org -- Tools for understanding and responding to America's moral decay. http://www.aish.com/search/article_search_results.asp?article_author=Rabbi+Ken+Spiro&title_text=&date_amount=&date_option=year -- one of the most COMPREHENSIVE HISTORIES of Israel I've ever seen, written from a Jewish Perspective. A Profound resource for those interested. www.bible411.com/nationofmiracles/index.htm -- excellent website on Israel http://favorminded.com/pray/3300israel.html -- excellent website on Israel www.sidroth.org -- excellent website on Israel, especially evidences of God's supernatural intervention www.hallindsey.org -- current events as relating to Bible prophecy www.christiantrumpetsounding.com -- excellent source of articles on Israel and Bible prophecy and other topics www.levitt.com -- strategic newsletter, reports, resources, particularly on Bible Prophecy www.multilanguage.com -- a great source for resources for language ministries.

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May I Recommend . . . .
If you have a heart for God and would like to be encouraged in your life and ministry, and you have a burden for your church, your community, and the world, then you may want to receive . . . http://nighttimethoughts.org ---- a wonderful devotional site to quiet your racing heart. http://www.answersingenesis.org/ ---- one of the best Creation websites I've ever seen. http://frangipane.org ---- for excellent brief words of encouragement from one of America's premier evangelical writers/thinkers. www.worldprayerteam.org ---- A world-wide network for praying together. www.watchword.org ---- excellent resources on revival, prayer, missions. www.waymakers.org ---- resources on prayer, evangelism, etc. www.missionvisionnetwork.org ---- resources on prayer & missions www.global-prayer-digest.org ---- resources on world-wide prayer www.theworldprayercenter.org ---- resources on world-wide prayer http://www.nppn.org ---- "National Pastors' Prayer Network" newsletter. ~ email: phil@nppn.org. Register your PPG: http://www.nppn.org/ppg/ . www.LifeAction.org ---- "Life Action Outreach". www.missionamerica.org ---- "Mission America" .

Valuable Resources on Islam:

www.muslimjourneytohope.org filled with testimonies and resources. http://bibleprobe.com/islamapostates.htm ---- fantastic website on ISLAM (amazing testimonies and excellent resources) www.johnankerburg.org ---- excellent resources of facts, testimonies, and tools http://cbw.strang.com/c.cgi?ProdID=8847&Source=CNSITE www.elam.com ---- source of testimonies and resources www.ethnicharvest.org ---- resources www.answeringislam.de/main/farsi ---- resources www.persianchristianity.com ---www.farsibible.org ---- Bibles

Valuable Resources on Israel:

www.jewishsoftware.com excellent Jewish sources on Hebrew language, Jewish history, beliefs, practices. http://www.4922trust.org/ -- an excellent site on Christian relationship to Israel. http://www.ajhs.org/ American Jewish historical society. www.israeltoday.co.il Israel today news and resources. www.jpost.com Jerusalem Post newspaper. www.jewishvoice.com Jonathan Burness ministry with excellent info and resources www.jerusalemconnection.org good Jewish culture/beliefs source www.favorminded.com good source for those supporting Israel www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org exceptional sour of information on Israel, ancient and modern www.aish.com comprehensive site on Jewish history including famed "Crash Course In Jewish History" www.israelimages.com hundreds of excellent photos, old and new, of Israel and her people. www.jerusalemshots.com/en another great source of pictures. www.technorati.com/tag/antisemitism a sobering source of anti-Semitic photos. www.yadvashem.org martyrs and heroes of the Holocaust www.favorminded.org excellent historic and contemporary information on Israel

Other Great Resources:

www.sermonindex.net for access to over 3900 downloadable audio sermons. Exceptional site.

www.bible.christianity.com an excellent general source for quality Bible study tools and other things. Links to other great sites. www.illustramedia.com a great site for video on creation and evolution. www.livinit.org a super source for Christian extreme sports witness to youth www.creationscience.net an excellent source for dealing with evolution and creation www.crosstv.com a great site for video on creation, evolution, and apologetics www.onechurchsource.com a good site with links for many resources. www.biblemaster.com for great Bible resources and downloads. Exceptional site. www.e-sword.net ---- one of the best free download Bible study sites I've ever seen! http://www.discipleshipdirect.com/ for new and fresh evangelism & discipleship materials. http://associate.com/camsoc/ctt/"Christian Communications Toolkit" (using internet wisely) www.associate.com/camsoc/crs/ for church related software from CAMSOC.

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