Partnering with God

As the dichotomy between good and evil on the world stage has intensified, the issue of partnership has seen greater deployment. Ranging from military alliances, economic agreements and ventures in technology-development, the wisdom extends from “I’ve got your back if you have mine,” to shared initiatives.

Yet, nothing is new under the sun. Few believers would quibble with the issue of partnering with God, although from a Twenty-First Century stance, in practice, for most, this largely comes down to: “I’ll make the decisions and do the work, if You will bless my efforts.”

Yet, at the time of the Garden this partnership with the Creator was far more. While no doubt reflecting more responsibility in establishing God’s order, assignments focused on man’s stewardship and bringing increase to what God had created.

Following the Fall, fast forward to the time of Moses and the Exodus. A major turning had occurred from the digression from the days of Joseph …. and the Egyptian fear-response to the Hebrew influence on Egyptian society. Outside unique circumstances, the identity with God seemed to engender backlash.

So, with the Exodus, partnering with God hit a new level. Then the Torah was given, establishing the framework for a society of God’s people. In reality, these principles are the outline for operating a society of leaders …. whose role beyond the micro of wisely stewarding their own economy and culture; in the macro, carry the task of influencing the dynamics of the surrounding cultures and societies.

Establishing a Society to Demonstrate God’s Light
In other words, God’s people were entrusted with the principles to be a light in the midst of a dark and chaotic world. To model how, with God and His ways, that their pathway and achievements would be distinctive. THAT was the intent from on-high for God’s people …. partnering with God.

No doubt, when viewed from this perspective, the bar has gone higher …. the assignment being a more interactive and cooperative effort, one that depends on God doing His part as a result of the community doing its part.

The beauty of God’s Word is that if you’re paying attention, you’ll get a better glimpse of these dynamics … that result from partnering with God and following His ways …. in everyday life.

The Subtleties of God-Dependence as a People
On the other hand, within the context of a fallen world, the influence of the godless and ungodly on the spiritual atmosphere should not be treated lightly …. as unchallenged this influence spiritually bleeds into the natural atmosphere. Agricultural sectors of societies are more in touch with this reality than what is evidenced in the sophistication and superficialities of the urban sectors of society.

Aside from the dependence on unpredictable things such as climate and weather, the agricultural sectors of society tend to be more hands-on, self-sufficient and entrepreneurial than those who depend on the system, that being the infrastructure operating in urban areas. Interesting also, is the tendency within the more self-sufficient ag arenas to be more God-centered.

Much by way of the principles and examples given within the Word of God come from this perspective …. illustrating the conflict between those who are God-dependent and those whose trust is in the system. One of my favorite illustrations that punctuate this distinction between those who serve God and those who do not is the story of Isaac.

Economic and Cultural Dependence on God
This story pivots around a time of famine. Keep in mind that Isaac inherited the contingent of workers, herds and fertile farmland from his father Abraham. With the clue of Abraham taking over 300 of those he had under his charge to go into battle in the rescue of Lot, it can be assumed that in the years following that the numbers of his workers, herds and pasturelands had increased.

After Abraham’s death, there were eruptions, sparks of small-scale conflicts with the godless …. who scripture indicates, among other aggressive acts of hatefulness, were filling up the wells that had been dug during the days of Abraham.

Then within that spiritual atmosphere came famine. It must have been pretty severe because Isaac was making plans to move his whole contingent …. family, workers, herds, belongings …. to Egypt …. to more fertile ground with the needed rain and water. However, the Lord intervened and spoke to Isaac telling him to stay put where he was and that He would be with him and He would bless him. This was the land of his heritage promised to Abraham.

So scripture goes on to reveal that Isaac changed his plans and he stayed. There were interactions with the surrounding authorities, the bottom-line of which unveiled that though they were godless, that the fear of the Lord was evident in their dealings with Isaac.

So Isaac heeded God’s admonition to dwell in that land …. where, we are told that he sowed his seed during a time of famine. The story reveals that Isaac’s efforts of sowing reaped 100-fold in just the first year ….. and goes on to say: “and so he began to prosper and continued prospering until he became very prosperous.”

This increase over what he had already inherited from Abraham was distinctive from the surrounding societies in that it came during a time of famine …. when the heavens were shut up for his neighbors … while Isaac’s harvests flourished.

Restoring God-Dependent Advantages
Partnering with God means hearing and depending on God …. when, there being times, when there are no other options. Having spent a significant time during my journey working with the persecuted, I have seen how God, often dramatically intervenes and compensates the faithful when the godless attempt to put strangleholds on the righteous.

Years ago, while in Singapore, I met an unusual brother, Bill Rigden, who through his initiative of Bright Arrows was investing his life in helping the oppressed in lands where he and his wife ministered. Bill told me a story of dramatic developments which occurred to an extremely poor Buddhist village in Cambodia. Unlike the fertile surrounding areas, strangely very little was able to grow there. Things were so bad, many locals concluded the village to be cursed. Most were eating, on average, only one meal a day.

Within that village was what had been an outcast Christian family. Bill indicated they connected with and then partnered with that family and began praying together, asking the Lord for a solution. It didn’t take much time and the Lord spoke, telling them the problem this village faced with nothing able to grow was due to the high clay content in the soil. With that insight, the Lord gave this family a strategy of making clay pots. Together with connections Bill had back in the UK, the demand in gift shops for these items was more than they could supply. This family was soon eating three meals a day and starting to hire other villagers to help with their business.

Over the course of the next two years, the majority of the villagers wound up working for this enterprise …. and eating three meals a day. Seeing the reality of God in such a practical way, this previously impoverished Buddhist village had become a vibrant, prospering Christian village.

The Biblical Models of Righteous Community-Building
Scripture reveals two realities that develop from the righteous response to the system of the godless. One is when God has established tangible influence and authority within the leadership-levels of the system, such as in the times of Joseph and Daniel …. and the wisdom employed by the righteous is embraced …. resulting in benefit to the whole of the society, not unlike that of the Cambodian village.

The other is when God makes a community-driven difference by economic self-sufficiency, such as was evidenced in the time of Isaac.

The book of James reflects an awesome dynamic of truth. James lands hard on the criterion needed for this distinction in partnering with God. “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” There’s a difference between being absorbed and assimilated into the world’s scheme of things and becoming the head rather than the tail as the Torah outlines.

So, James goes on to admonish the believers he’s writing to “draw near to God,” yet in doing so he calls for cleansing and purification from the spiritual instability of being “double-minded.” The choice lies in God’s people avoiding a (worldly) dependence mind-set

It doesn’t take great insight when studying the history of God’s people to realize that one of the most subtle, yet consistent lures faced by the household of faith has been the temptation to “be like everyone else.”

In today’s highly polarized societies this lure to be like everyone else has been made more subtle and more attractive. It blinds the intention of God-communities being a light to the nations. The subtleties parallel those posed by the snake in the garden challenging God’s word. Yet, the end-result of the choices today are not unlike those faced in the garden and later articulated in the Torah: life and death, blessing and cursing.

Restoring the Foundations
In today’s world, partnering with God begins by embracing and restoring the foundations, the principles that God already has established. Years ago, as a relatively seasoned and mature believer, I braced myself as I began re-reading the book of Deuteronomy. Frankly, in my Western mind-set, I was viewing these passages as an antiquated sembling of rules and regulations that really was over my head. Yet, as I dutifully proceeded, I had an interesting experience as the Spirit of Truth began unveiling what I was reading.

In reality, it was like scales falling off my eyes, as I began to realize that what I initially had begun in obedience, as at that time, I had read through this book of the Bible over 50 times, what I was perusing were the principles on how to operate a God-centered, entrepreneurial community. These principles became the basis of our God’s economy program that we have taken to the oppressed and persecuted in over two dozen nations around the world; the principles outlined in the Torah that have resulted in the Jewish people globally becoming known as “the people of business” and as “disproportionate achievers.”

Over time, I have come to appreciate the depth that these principles contain. As I have earlier alluded to, they represent the framework for the operation of a society of leaders, whose role beyond the micro of wisely stewarding their own economy and culture (establishing a God-centered entrepreneurial community); in the macro, are the principles that serve in influencing the dynamics and the foundations of the surrounding cultures and societies …. being reflectors of God’s light and truth.

The Community-Wide Response
For people of faith, these societal foundations are the beginning. They are the beginning of the process intended …. of partnering with God, community-wide ….. with an eye on building community, as stewards of the opportunity within the world we’ve been entrusted with making a difference in. That opportunity extends beyond just the stewardship of the resources, but to influencing the culture and dimensions of the spiritual atmosphere.

So, with the task of stewardship and influence is upholding the standard of modeling the truths imparted by Moses in a world plagued by godlessness and spiritual famine. The challenge is the assimilation into being like, and doing it like “everyone else” and the subtle dependence on and thinking derived from being absorbed by the infrastructure of the world’s system.

Societal Responsibility at the Gates
Which brings us back to the principles of the Torah and the societal responsibility; how to operate a God-centered entrepreneurial community …. triggering the distinction that defines those who serve God and those who do not.

The most serious challenge has been that which has penetrated within the camp, as anti-Semitism has crept into shaping second- and third-century doctrinal precepts adopted by the Church …. throwing out the baby with the bathwater of foundational dimensions of the Jewish roots to the faith …. not the least of which is the practice of Biblical community which range from the economic, to the cultural (moral, judicial, etc) …. all of which have a significant impact on the spiritual atmosphere.

The issue entails the degree with which God’s people embrace this social responsibility ….. whether it be the top-down influence demonstrated by Joseph and Daniel or the “within-the-camp” righteous influence exhibited by Isaac and the Clay-Pot Cambodian community.

Historically within scripture, the gates of a city or community has been the place where leaders congregated and business and legal transactions took place. John 10 describes a pivotal transaction yet to take place …. at a gate through which the Good Shepherd will call His own …. with those embracing their community responsibility according to the parable of the talents …. that when He comes will be found to be about His business and recognize His voice.

There will be a reckoning at these gates between the sheep and goat nations. Peter presciently wrote that “the end of all things is at hand” ….. with the admonishment to be soberly watchful with our prayers …. and as each has received a gift, to put it in practice as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4)

So, these developments will be driven by the practice of community. Community, as spoken of in the Word of God …. which is both the members of a group of people gathered with the uniqueness of purpose in God ….. and a place.

Community is designed by God as a shadow of the dynamics tied to His presence …. of peace and rest. Peace being the consciousness of God’s presence and rest being the place one enters to abide in the state defined by His presence.

So it is that the times awaken us to the preparation for and the approach to these gates.
“Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway; clear it of stones; lift up a signal over the peoples. Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.’” Isa 62:10-11

Approaching the gates reflects the foundation for what frequently in scripture is the community admonition to “be of one mind.” That’s not a conformity thing, but rather the sharing of purpose and identity. Peter expresses it with “arm yourself with the same mind.” He interestingly describes it as no longer being under the control of the ways of the world … in his words: “We’ve spent enough of our past lifetime doing the will of the Gentiles.”

Partnering with God involves gleaning and embracing the ancient principles of God …. that impact the culture and spiritual atmosphere ….. designed to make His people to be the head and not the tail. We’ve entered a time when the gap of this distinction between those who serve God and those who do not has been widened.

The intent from on High is restoration ….. a return to the conditions that were evident in the Garden. No doubt, still a process, yet the strategy that very simply pivots on the reach it takes to partner with God.
“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give.” Isa 62:1-2

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Morris Ruddick has been a forerunner of the Joseph-calling and God’s economy message, being an international voice for the higher dimensions of spiritual game-changers and intercessors since the mid-90s. As founder of Global Initiatives Foundation, the Strategic Intercession Global Network [SIGN] and designer of the God’s Economy Entrepreneurial Equippers Program and the Jewish Business Secrets YouTube series, Mr. Ruddick’s messages equip leaders and economic community builders with strategy where God’s light is dim in diverse regions around the globe.

He is author of “The Joseph-Daniel Calling;” “Gods Economy, Israel and the Nations;” “The Heart of a King;” “Something More;” “Righteous Power in a Corrupt World;” “Leadership by Anointing;” and “Mantle of Fire,” which address the mobilization of business and governmental leaders with destinies to impact their communities. They are available in print and e-versions from www.Amazon.com, www.apple.com/ibooks and www.BarnesandNoble.com.

Global Initiatives Foundation (www.strategic-initiatives.org) is a tax-exempt 501 (c) 3 non-profit whose efforts mobilize economic community builders imparting influence and the blessings of God. Checks on US banks should be made out to Global Initiatives and mailed to 3838 South Wabash Street, Denver CO 80237 or by credit card at https://strategic-initiatives.org/donate/

Since early 1996, the Strategic Intercession Global Network (SIGN) has mobilized prophetic intercessors and leaders committed to targeting strategic-level issues impacting the Body on a global basis. For more information go to https://strategic-initiatives.org

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