This word is submitted by Sue Whitney (happy7@tsn.cc)

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                   Shakings On The Earth's Surface

As I was praying, I saw a simple vision.  I saw a building being built by
men and it was getting taller and taller, and the men were pleased with
their achievement. Suddenly I saw the ground move beneath them. The ground
moved back and forth repeatedly - there was a 'shaking' of the earth.

The foundations that could be shaken were being shaken.

The building in this vision, which was established and built on the
foundations of the understanding and strength and plans of men began to break
up and collapse. Though these men believed they were building God's Kingdom
for His glory, they had not surrendered their plans to God.  They had built
with their own understanding, and had only been willing to have a few beams
and materials rearranged by God for they had put so much of themselves into
it. "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless
the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Ps 127:1)

This shaking is to expose that which is 'built on the Rock' (Jesus) and that
which is not. When Jesus alone is the foundation, that which is built upon it
will not be shaken, and will remain (Heb 12:27-28). As His precious children
and Church, we must all grow in dependence on Christ Jesus alone. We need to
consider whether we just want a few beams and materials rearranged, or
whether we're willing to go all the way with God.

This is a time of change! Things cannot continue as they have been.  When
we have cried out for revival, some have not yet considered a new way, but
instead have only cried out for more of the same as we know it. Many of us
have sadly only envisioned 'Revival' as being the growth of our 'church'
meetings and buildings, with things just being 'bigger and better' of the
same, except with more miracles happening, but this is not the Lord's view
of how things need to be. True Revival sweeping through the land births
repentant and humble hearts which cry out for mercy, and this is birthed
from the prayers of those who know humility and repentance.

God's call to His people for this very hour is for us to "humble ourselves,
and pray, and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, then He will hear
from heaven and forgive our sin and heal our land" (2Chron 7:14). Many of us
have prayed but have to some extent neglected the other three parts which
are crucial! Our root sin has been when we have trusted in and depended upon
ourselves and our own understanding and ways rather than in God. All other
sins, large or small stem from this root.

Recently the Lord also pointed me to Isaiah chapters 28-33 to help us
understand His workings at this time. It is the time to return to Him and
seek Him for His understanding, and to lay all else aside. As necessity
requires it He will point the way by using 'the shakings' to expose any
faulty foundations. He will do this because of His great mercy and love, to
release us into His freedom, hope and truth--for all we need is 'in Him'.

This is not the time to see the speck in our neighbors eye, and agree about
his/her need to repent--this is the time for us all to lay our hearts bare
before Him by 'humbling ourselves, seeking His face and turning from our
wicked ways'. This is a moment-by-moment lifestyle that we can embrace, with
our eyes and reliance not upon ourselves and our own righteousness, but with
a heart filled with gratefulness in the knowledge that God's heart is ever
toward us with love, grace and mercy.

Sadly many of us have built to some degree out of our own righteousness, and
have stood so many floor-levels up in our own 'building', that we may not
have realized where we have in some way leaned on our own understanding and
strength, instead of on Christ as our foundation. One floor-level below us
is may be our 'church' attendance, another level may be our praying, another
our bible-reading, and others may be our many good works, and the whole
building may be named "Good and Respectable Life", but even the unsaved can
also live such good lives without Jesus ruling as Lord.  This is a time to
open our eyes and sober us up and to turn us back from any 'me-centered'
false gospel messages we may have adopted.

We must be careful not to presume that God's blessings, gifts and miracles
have been proof of His stamp of approval on everything we do. He gives good
gifts to His children because He is good and He loves to bless us, but He
loves us so much that He wants us closer. Many presumptions are now beginning
to be washed away. The call, as always, is "Turn back and lean not on your
own understanding!"  Let us turn back to the Lord with our whole hearts!