Why the Heavens and Earth Shook In Response to a City Who Prayed on May 31!

One of the earthquakes recorded after launch of 1C1D

On May 31st, in Eugene Oregon, Steve Buss of One Hope launched the 1Church1Day strategy in Lane County Oregon. It's a strategy whose pattern is inspired by the model David used in the Tabernacle of David. This strategy was originally called Operation Rolling Thunder and was inspired by Psalm 18:6-14. It's about the Psalmist (author was King David) who cried out to God. God answered and His voice was like thunder. In this portion of the Psalm he goes on to describe how the earth and the 2nd heavens respond to God's presence. It's marked by shaking, lightning, thick clouds, hail and thunder.

Many churches gathered to pray and launch this effort. That night was marked by a thunderstorm that produced 225 lightning strikes and a number of earthquakes off the coast of Oregon. After 10 years of equipping leaders in a variety of communities around the world I'm not surprised with how the earth and the heavens respond. It's so clear in scripture. If you want a full explanation of David's Tabernacle, Psalm 18 and other documented examples see Operation Rolling Thunder - revised edition. To get equipped to launch 1Church1Day in your community I encourage you to acquire the Kingdom Congress CD series where 1Church1Day is presented.

Now, let's take a look at this New Testament scripture to see if this sheds any light upon their experience.

Hebrews 12:25-13:1
25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake* not only the earth, but also heaven."* 27 Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may* serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

How many times have we read scriptures like this and not considered "what would this scripture look like if it manifested itself naturally or practically?" 1 Corinthians 15:44-46 illustrates a powerful principle in God's word. First the natural and then the spiritual. Often what happens on the earth is a reflection of or a foretelling of what is to come.

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The scripture begins with an admonition "see that you do not refuse Him who speaks." This is about listening to the voice of the Lord. A study of God's word reveals that God's voice and His presence "shook the earth" in 2 Samuel 22:8, Psalm 18:7, Psalm 68:8, Psalm 77:18, and Hebrews 12:26: LITERALLY, figuratively, spiritually and naturally.  In Numbers 16, Deuteronomy 11 and in Psalm 106:17 we find the earth responded to God's voice and swallowed up leaders (ie. Korah, Abriam and Dathan). In Revelation 12:6 it refers to another time when the earth responded to protect the ones who belong to our Lord. God speaks and or God's presence comes and the earth will respond with shaking, trembling and even mountains melting like wax (Psalm 97:2-5, Jeremiah 50:45-46). Therefore let us serve God with Godly fear for our God is a consuming fire. This word translated "fire" in English is rich. Strongs Concordance says that the original Greek word "pur" literally or figuratively means fire, but SPECIFICALLY it means LIGHTING.  We could properly translate Hebrews 12:29 "For our God is a consuming lightning."

The earth shakes and the heavens respond with thick clouds, lightning, hailstones and fire when the Creator of the universe speaks or His presence is welcomed into an area. Why? Because God is dealing with and revealing everything based upon a lie and the father of those lies. Those lies enslave people in sin and iniquitous patterns which destroy people, families and societies. God is not willing that any should perish. He wants us to HEAR HIM.  Why? Because there is a SHAKING COMING (Heb. 12:27).

Jesus says in Matthew 7:24-25 that "whoever HEARS these sayings of Mine, and DOES THEM, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock and  the rain descended (Ps. 68:8 - rain comes from God's presence), the floods came (Matt. 24:37 - as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be before the coming of the son of man), and the winds blew (Jer. 10:13 - wind brought out of God's treasuries when He utters His voice) and beat on that house (House of Prayer Isa 56:7, Matt 21:13, house of David Zech 13:1, Lk 1:69, and My Father's house, Jn 14:2) and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

The communities where the Church made up of many local congregations come together to do what David did (administrate teams such that there was 24/7 prayer, praise and worship) can create an atmosphere that invites God's abiding presence in their city or region. When His presence comes it brings a shaking. It shakes people to their very core in order to reveal the truth.

The wages of sin is death. Sin lies to people and hurts them, iniquity hurts families and abominations will destroy a society.  But as God's abiding presence is welcomed into a community, the veil can be lifted (2 Cor. 3:14-15) so people can see and hear the truth. The restoration of the tabernacle of David speaks to church leaders who will choose to do what David did in the city of David. God's presence is the "key of David" spoken of in Isaiah 22:22. I say it is the key because it was the first official decision David and his leaders made after David was made king. It was the key to their success and the expansion of the kingdom.

However, God's presence does come with shaking. Remembering the principle of first the natural then the spiritual, shaking trees has been long used to harvest fruit. One of the reasons for the shaking is for the harvest. 

So I urge you, pray and obey. Position yourself to hear and to obey God's word. This puts you upon the rock which cannot be shaken. Participate with others to invite God's abiding presence to your community using a strategy like 1Church1Day. Next, prepare for a  harvest of souls. In other words, prepare to make disciples of those who come in and then redeploy them to the harvest.  Why?

Acts 15:16-17
16 'After! this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;  I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; 17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord who does all these things.' NKJV

It comes from Amos 9:11 which also says the harvest will be so plentiful that one season will overtake another. Therefore we need to be prepared to redeploy laborers into the harvest.

Amos 9:11-13
11 "On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down,  And repair its damages;  I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old;   12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom,  And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,"
Says the Lord who does this thing.  13 "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it.  NKJV

Therefore let us pray Matthew 9:37-38 where Jesus said:
"to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.   Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." NKJV

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