It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2

Posts tagged ‘Kingdom of God’

Kingdom of Heaven and Earth to Co-Exist Within You

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth there was a continuous flow or gateway between heaven and earth where God and mankind had open access to one another. God’s original plan for humanity was for mankind to rule and reign in the physical realm of earth as God rules and reign in the spiritual realm in the heavens. All authority and dominion were given to mankind for the purpose of transforming the earth into a place where God’s presence and likeness would be seen throughout the whole earth. 

Genesis 1:26-28 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” NKJ

God took man out of the dust of the ground, (earth) and formed him into the image of God’s likeness. God breathed into mankind His breath of life,who was given a will and the ability to rule and reign over the earth he also had the capacity to make choices and decisions regarding his life.   Wherever God reigns and God rules is called the kingdom of God. God’s kingdom spanned from the heavens to earth, as God ruled in heaven and the Godlike-man ruled in earth, both were part of the Kingdom of God. God’s kingdom territory, like most kingdoms, is wherever the King has dominion and rules.  

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. NKJ

In God’s original creation, God, mankind and nature were in perfect harmony with one another.  God’s living spirit resided within mankind and His presence was in fellowship with both mankind and nature, until the rebellion of mankind against their God and King. That was the day the Godlike mankind spirit died. The spirit of God that was breathed intomankind ceased to be and was separated from the body. Then the soul of mankind lost it perfect unity and connection with their Creator. 

Light and darkness cannot occupy the same space, with their disobedience to God and obedience to Satan, then came the fall into sin and thereby the transference of the dominion and rule from the Godlike man into the hands of Satan. The earth which was the kingdom of God fell into darkness andinto the hands of Satan the prince of darkness.  

Romans 6:16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. NLT

Luke 1:78-79 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.” NKJ

Jesus came to earth, being fully God and the Son of Man, bringing both the kingdom heaven and God’s rule back to earth through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told them that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, and that it was near because He had come. Wherever the Spirit of God lives in the earth, that becomes part of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus told them to repent, which means to change the way, the direction you are going or to change the way you think about what you are doing.  To repent is to turn from your old ways of doing things and to agree with God’s word and His direction. It is not just about feeling sad or it regretful it is about changing one’s heart and mindset.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” NKJ

Through faith in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection we can receive the Holy Spirit of God to be born again in the likeness of God through His Spirit. Then we are now in fellowship with God and have entered into the kingdom of heaven. God’s kingdom is where God’s presence and earth join. Just as it was in the original state when God created the earth, His presence was in the earth and He would walk with mankind in the garden in the cool of the day. God’s presence was in the earth and His kingdom reigned upon the earth. 

1 Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Genesis 3:8-9 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

God has always desired fellowship with His creation and He knewbeforehand that mankind would rebel and turn away. It was because of the love God had for us, that He would not leave us in our fallen state. He sent Yeshua, Jesus our Rescuer and Redeemer He provided a way for all humanity to return to Him. God provided a way for mankind to revert back to their created purpose, which is to resemble, reflect and reveal the love of God in the earth. By God’s grace we are saved, through faith in the completed work that Jesus did on our behalf. Jesus lived a perfect life, that we could not. He died a death that we deserved. He paid the cost for our rebellion and sin, that we owed.  Through faith in Jesus, we can now again be in fellowship with God and receive the Holy Spirit of God to live within us.

Luke 17:20-21 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

The kingdom of heaven is not something you can observe or see with the naked eye. It is not demonstrated by what you eat or wear, nor any self-righteous acts that we may try to do to obtain access to God’s kingdom. The kingdom of God is within us when the Holy Spirit is living in us. Then the presence of God is in these earthen vessels, God’s presence and dominion and kingdom has come once again into the earth. And because His kingdom and dominion we now have the power and are able to live a life God had ordained in the beginning through the Holy Spirit. We have the power to forgive, to love, to show mercy and to have peace and joy in the midst of a crooked and perverse world.  

Romans 14:17-18 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

1 Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

God and earth are joined together in our earthly bodies and thereby, the kingdom of God is now living within us. How that kingdom is displayed,will be seen through the degree we allow His kingdom ways and His Spirit to have preeminence in our lives.  

Matthews 13:23But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” NKJ

 

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The Enduring Word 1Peter 1:19-24

God’s purpose for humanity is for us to be in a close personal relationship with God as our Father, Jesus as our Lord and Savior and with one another in love. Because Christ died for all, we are called to be His ambassadors to bring other into salvation and become His disciples.

God’s truths are revealed to us by His word and through the life of Jesus. By faith we believe Jesus is the Son of the Most-High God and accept and trust His truths until they are established in our hearts and minds. Then comes the testing of our faith, to show if we really and truly believe God’s word, whether we will obey it or not.  Truth that is not tested is only a theory, but a truth that is tried and has been tested and proven trustworthy, will be established in our hearts and becomes fact. Standing in faith under pressure is like metal being refined with fire, it removes the impurities but leaves a genuineness of faith to the praise and glory of God. 

Jehovah, is the Almighty God and He is Sovereign over heaven and earth and yet Satan is called the prince of this fallen world. Satan is most responsible for the evil, hate and problems in this world.  These truths sound as though they are conflicting statements or an oxymoron. God is ultimately the Sovereign King over the world and as a just and holy God He has limited Himself to His word. God in His Preeminence and excellent love for mankind created them in His image and gave them dominion over all He created. At the same time God gave them a free will, the ability to choose their allegiance and loyalties, and thereby allowing mankind the power to determine their own destiny. God in His Righteousness and Holiness had to respect the will and choice of mankind, as they turned over their dominion to Satan when they disobeyed him.

1 Peter1:19-21 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.   He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Philippians 1:20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. NIV

God in His Omniscient, all-seeing and all-knowing power knew mankind would be seduced by Satan into rebellion and disobedience against their God and King. But God made provision to redeem this fallen world system and mankind before the world was formed. Though sin, Satan and the fleshly cravings of mankind created a fallen world system that is geared to destroying and ensnaring humanity, God had made provision that the Son of Man, Jesus, would redeem this world with His precious blood. 

1 peter 1:18-20 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.   He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you  NKJ

God’s word will forever stand and there are no “take-backs” with God. Even though Satan became prince of darkness, God was bound by His word and His truth. It was man that relinquished dominion of this natural world to Satan and it would take a man, Jesus The Son of Man, to redeem their authority and dominance back to the former natural and spiritual world. Now there are two kingdom powers operating in the earth, the fallen world with darkness, principalities and powers of Satan, and also the Kingdom of God, which functions in both the natural and spiritual realm. 

God’s kingdom on the earth is both natural and spiritual. Many people are confused or blinded to the spiritual aspect of God’s kingdom and how His spiritual operation functions through faith in the earthly realm. 

Many people lose hope, lose sight, lose faith and lose confidence in God when they go through hard, horrendous or catastrophic experiences. This is because their perspective is only on their natural view or stance regarding their situation, such as the death of a love one, or a terminal illness or the loss of finances. Their attention is self-focused and overly concerned on what they have lost, and their belief that God did not intervene or stop those things from happening to them. These are very natural thoughts and as human beings our first response is in the natural, but the Holy Spirit of God is there to help the spirit of man to navigate through these life crises according to God’s word with a supernatural perspective. 

This old-world system has lost sight of mankind’s created purpose and has been taught to live a lie as to why they exist. People are naturally self-seeking, self-serving and full of pride. Many people are blinded by the lies of this world and are living as though this is the only life they have. Many spend themselves on these fleeting moments that are like passing vapors and they build their lives as castles on sand that will soon be washed away. We are to pass our time here as foreigners and sojourners, people who are passing through this space and time to do the will of God who created us to fulfill His purpose, to show God’s love and reflect His Glory.  

Luke 6:47-49 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that our souls are purified and it is through the truth of God’s word that we can love one another enthusiastically, eagerly and energetically. The heart is deceitfully wicked, full of greed, selfishness and hate, and only God can purify the heart through His Spirit and His Word. 

Jeremiah17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; Who can know it? The Lord, search the heart, /test the mind even to give every man according to his way. KJV

 How would we live if we truly understood that this time on earth is but a moment and only the trial run for eternity. So many people live this life as though they will live on earth forever, making homes and legacies thinking they will last, while neglecting the true eternal destiny of the soul. 

What do you spend your time on? Where is your time invested? Will impact your eternal future?  

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1 Peter Chapter 1:1-21

I. A Heavenly Inheritance 1 Peter 1:3-12

II. Living Before God Our Father Chapter 1:13-21

Jesus came and showed us how to live a life of obedience to God through humility and humbleness of spirit. Jesus was willing to suffer personally for the ultimate will and glory of God. Even though He was The Son of God, He was also the Son of Man and He learned obedience through the things He suffered. 

May we too display our faith in God through obedience, even in our pain, in our suffering and in our loss, so that a dying world may see and know the Hope we have in Christ. 

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

For followers of Christ, our hope is grounded and built on the foundation of the life of Christ. He is the person in which our Hope is anchored, He is the embodiment of our Hope. It is with a fixed and determined belief and confidence, that what He has promised He is able to perform.  This is unlike the wild fancies that are conjured up by trickeries, lies and deceits of this fallen world, that all societies are exposed to through social norms or mass media. This often causes people to lose heart when their unrealistic dreams or wishes fail.   

1 Peter 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, NIV

1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, NKJ

This principle of testing and the trying of one’s faith was shown at the beginning in the garden. God’s abundant love for mankind had already been displayed when He gave them of every tree in the garden to eat, created them in His image and gave them authority over all His creation. The only exception was the tree of knowledge of good and evil and that was the test of their faith and obedience to God. Faith that is not tested it’s just a theory. It is not until our faith has been tried and proven that it becomes our reality.

Living Before God Our Father 1 Peter 1:13-21

1 Peter 1:17 If you call on Him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear. WEB

Matthew 7:26-27​“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Jesus told us to take His yoke and learn of Him. Jesus was humble and trusted God to be faithful to His word. We are to be as a good soldier, one who is about the business of their leader’s mission and not their own selfish desires. 

Before the foundation of the world was laid, we were chosen by God to be in the family of God.  Jesus paid the price for our sins and the treason we committed against God. Jesus brought us back into the family of God and brought His kingdom to earth. That is the Good News of Christ; the kingdom of heaven is now available to us on earth. The kingdom of heaven is mentioned more than any other subject in the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus preached, the good news of the kingdom of heaven is at hand and is now available to all humanity. This is the gospel of Jesus that the kingdom of God has arrived on earth.

I Peter 1: 17-21 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.  He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Jesus preached, “Repent,” which means, to turn or to change the way you think. Jesus is saying, because God’s kingdom has returned to mankind on the earth we can change the way we think about life, ourselves and how we conduct ourselves. Jesus tells us what the kingdom of God is like and how we are to operate in this new kingdom. Jesus taught in parables that most people did not understand and many still do not. But, for His disciples, those who sought and asked for the meaning of the parables, it was revealed to them. It is the same today. Jesus tells us to ask, seek and knock and when we ask for wisdom God will give it to us. God is ready to answer our prayers and the word tells us we have not because we do not ask God or we ask with the wrong motive.

Luke 11:9-10 So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 

James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

 

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Spiritual Battles in the Natural World Are   Fought With The Truth 

There has been a spiritual war since Satan’s rebellion against God in heaven and again when he caused mankind to rebel in The Garden. Pride caused Satan to want to lift himself above the throne of God resulting in a war in heaven and because of Satan’s hatred of God he is trying to lead all who are created in God’s image, astray. 

Many people are ignorant of the spiritual battle that is going on between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan and hisstrongholds used against humanity. Even more people are ignorant of the weapons of warfare that we have to use against the strategies and schemes of the enemy, Satan. 

Revelation 12: 7-9 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.  But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.  The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. NIV

2 Corinthians 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. NIV

We are spiritual beings created in God’s image, living in a natural body and we have a living soul. Our soul has three parts; our mind (our thoughts/attitude); our will (our resolve/ability to choose) and our intellect (our understanding/emotions) which all lives in our natural body here on earth. Though mankind was created by God to be in relationship with God, the enemy of God deceived them and caused them to rebel against God’s purpose for their lives. 

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” NIV

Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. NIV

Satan deceived mankind in the Garden of Eden to rebel against God and then he took their God given dominion over the earth, and established a satanic, counterfeit and fallen kingdom on the earth. Since the fall of mankind Satan was ruling as the prince of darkness, the prince of the power of the air. Everyone born in this world at one time walked in this darkness and was disobedient to God’s word.  Then Jesus came in the form of man and conquered Satan, his lies and regain dominion, power and all authority back for the Kingdom of God. 

Ephesians 2:2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. NIV

Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. NIV

Humanity has proven that it is unable to live in forgiveness, righteousness and God’s love on its own. Therefore, God has given His Son Jesus to be the payment for our sins, and has given us His Word to lead us in all truth. And He has sent His Holy Spirit to indwell and empower us to be able to walk in His Righteousness, His love and His forgiveness. We are to use His spiritual weapons of warfare against the enemy who has come to entrap us in his lies and deceitfulness. 

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. NIV

Just as Jesus used the written word of God to battle against the lies of Satan in the wilderness, we too must use the word of God as our weapon of warfare. We are to know the truth of the word, many of us have heard the truth, but do not know it, orbelieve it, nor have confidence in in it, as the all-powerful word of God.

Matthew 4:1-4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ 

Matthew 4:7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ 

Matthew 4:10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ 

Jesus said you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. But it has to be “the truth that you know, comprehend,grasp and operate in, that will free you from the schemes of the enemy.”

It is the truth of Jesus that we put into practice that will set us free. Not some teaching or Bible story we have heard but are not too sure about.

John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” NIV

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To Witness and Testify for God on the Earth

God has always wanted to be in a relationship with mankind. In the beginning He created mankind to be like Himself, to rule, reign and have dominion over the world that He created so Hewould be in relationship and fellowship with them. Sin broke that relationship and destroyed man as he was created, causing the world to be in confusion and under the authority of Satan. But God gave a promise that a Savior would come and bruisethe serpent’s head and regain authority over God’s kingdom.

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between you seed and her seed; He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel.” NKJ

God is always looking to commune with mankind and He wantsto have a person on the earth to testify and speak of His truthand His way to world. Just as Abel, Noah, Israel and the followers of Christ have done and will continue to do.   Godkept His promise by sending Jesus, who through His life, death and resurrection restored humanity back into a relationship and family of God. Jesus also restored God’s kingdom here on earth. 

Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. NKJ

Prior to Jesus’ birth people were living and walking in darkness not fully aware of their depraved and corrupt conditions. God has always had a person on the earth to show the world His light and He had given to Israel His word and a vision of Himself. God called them as a nation to be an example and testimony to His relationship with mankind on the earth. They were to show humanity how-to live-in fellowship and serve the true and living God as their Lord and King. While some people were converted in their time, the nation of Israel fell short and failed to display God’s majesty, love and compassion to a world who was in desperate need of God’s grace and mercy.

Exodus 19: 5-6 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” NKJ

The Kingdom of God is increasing with every person that enters into the family of God through the belief and confession of faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The knowledge of God’s word and the power of the Holy Spirit gives us the authority and understanding of how we should transact business and operate successfully in God’s kingdom. When weeffectively operate according to God’s principles and ways wedisplayed the power of God and become a living witness and testimony to the reality of who He is. 

Some people are doing evil because they are still in darkness and the light of God’s word has not entered into their lives.They only know what they have seen and heard in the depravedstate of destruction and death that they live in. God is sending His people into dark places to be the light of Christ that othersmay see and know a different way. We as followers of Christ may be the only Bible some people may ever witness. The world knows how to hate, how to kill, steal and destroy but we are to be witnesses to the love of God, the mercy of God and the forgiveness of God on the earth. This is done through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, when we consciously and continuously ask God to give us the power to forgive and show His mercy. We are to trust in God to do justly and allow Him tovindicate us according to His perfect will and not out of our selfish desire for revenge. 

Luke 21:12-13 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. NKJ

Jesus is still calling His followers to be His witness on the earth. Jesus’ call is for us to be a witness at home first, as He told the disciples to be witnesses in Jerusalem. Then we are to be witness in our communities and nation as He told them to go to Judea and to Samaria and also to be witnesses throughout the world to the end of the earth. Some people would rather be a witness to their nation and to the world but because of hurt and pain done by their family they refuse to forgive and love at home.

According to the directive of Christ, charity begins at home and then spreads abroad.  One thing we must be witnesses to is the love of God that is shown through the mercy, grace and forgiveness we give to one another. 

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” NKJ

1 Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 

John 13:35 By this all will know that you are My disciple, if you have love for one another.” NKJ

God is still making kings and priests of His people that they may be a witness and a testimony of His love. A king is one who protects their kingdom, increase the wealth and takes care of the poor by redistributing wealth as necessary.  A priest is one who comes before God to be a mediator and intercessor for the people. True followers of Christ are still advancing the kingdom of God, redistributing their wealth to others in need, praying to God for the salvation of others, while living a life that represents Him well as a witness on the earth.   

1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; NKJ

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Success in a Fallen World System vs Success in The Kingdom of God

Kingdom success and this natural world success are two different things. We have been trained from birth to go after the natural things of this world to be successful and to make our family proud. Our various societies have outlined the steps we should take to be viewed as successful, be it through education, position, fame or fortune. We invest our time, talents and resources in order to gain influence, to increase our finances and power and we instill and teach these principles to our children and their children so that they will not fall behind in society. We send our children to the best schools that we can, teach them how to influence people and accumulate income the right way, according to society. And if they must, by any means necessary to be successful because they value success more than integrity.

But God has provided a very different way for success in His earthly kingdom which goes contrary to the ways of this natural world system and the way we have been taught. God as any good father want to see His children successful and increase in wealth but He is more concern with the state of our hearts and souls than He is with accumulating money. God created the riches of this world for His children to enjoy but the way they should go about obtaining wealth is much different than the world’s way. 

We are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given.  The problem many followers of Christ they do not understand God’s kingdom principles and they try to be successful by using a fallen system that was not created for them, which is against Christ ways and rooted in darkness. Many people in this world are going after finances, fame and fortune, the worlds way, and are willing to devour the souls of men as bread in order to succeed. 

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. NKJ

Psalm 53:4 ​Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on God. NIV

Through our saving faith in Jesus, God has transported us from the kingdom of darkness to His Kingdom, ways, principles and method of operation.  We are now citizens of a new kingdom with a new constitution that speaks to the principles, functions, and procedures that is in the word of God that we must learn to operate as ambassadors for His kingdom to be successful. God’s kingdom ways are in direct contradiction to the waysof this world. We are to humble ourselves if we seek to be lifted up, we are to seek others welfare and not our own and we are to die to self that others may live. 

Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: KJB

True followers of Christ have been called to a higher occupation and mission in life. The world looks to take care of their own needs, their families and only those they care about, but true believers are called to care for the marginal, the homeless and even those who hate and persecute them. Jesus speaks of some of these contradictions in a number of statements in Matthew, where He tells the people, you have heard it said,but I say and tell you, which are higher truths of God’s kingdom principles. 

Matthew 5: 38-39a​“You have heard that it said, eye for an eye and tooth for tooth but I say do not resist an evil person… 

Matthew 5: 43-45 You have heard that it was said, “love your neighbor and hate your enemy” but I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Many have been born into the kingdom of God and still try to operate under that old constitution. Some may have accomplishment in this natural world but cannot flourish in God’s kingdom without understanding how to think differently to succeed in the supernatural things of God. The actions and motives of a person are weighed by God. The things men highly esteem is a disgrace in the sight of God. God looks at a person’s heart and motives and not their outward appearances.

1 Samuel 2:3 Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. NIV

Luke 16:15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your heart. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight. NIV

Most systems throughout the world place value on possessions and wealth above the welfare of the people and their souls.  Often time people do not realize the system processes they are using are destroying people, because it is all they know and have been trained to do.  

Christ followers are to change the way they think and view people and they are to seek the well-being of others above their own. We are told to humble ourselves and obey the word of God and in due season we will be lifted up. God’s ways are totally different from what we have been taughtthat is why we are told to die to self that we may live. 

1 Corinthians 10:24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. NIV

1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. NKJ

Matthew16:25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for My sake will find it. NKJ

Romans 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. NKJ

Fulfilling God’s purpose for us in the kingdom of God is success for true followers of Christ. God has placed each person in a family, race, nationality and country for a purpose that only they can fulfill. Our profession, occupation and mission in this life, are to be in a personal relationship with God our Creator, to resemble Him as our Father the Head of our family, to reflect His light in darkness and to reveal His love and glory to a lost world.

Some people may wonder why they live in a certain place, with a particular family, group or nation, it is all part of God’s Master plan. God placed us where He needed us to be that we may shine and reflect Him.  He implanted in each of us the things we need to be successful in that setting that we may be a blessing to those around us. He has put in us the ability we need to overcome obstacles that others may learn how to live in His kingdom and see His glory. 

Not everyone can be entrusted with the various callings and challenges of God on the earth to display His glory. Some may have the ability to obtain wealthy to establish His kingdom and not allow money to become their god. Others may be in a place of need or lack and will have much faith in God to trust Him for their daily provisions. Still others may be born in a place that is seen as people of low degree, persecuted and abused but will not be consumed with hate and bitterness but will be able to pray for the well-being and salvation of those who persecuted them. Whatever situation we have been born in God has given us the Holy Spirit and provided a way for us to escape these worldly temptations to destroy and hate others but the choice to take it  is ours to make. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. NIV

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From Belief to Faith

How do we turn our belief into faith and develop a faith that will take us through the most difficult times in our lives with a peace that surpasses understanding? The process is shown to us in the steps we go through for salvation in Romans 10. If we believe in our heart, (what God said), and confess it with our mouth, (God’s Word), we will be saved. We are saved by our faith and trust in God, we believe with a firm commitment in our hearts God’s truth and we display this assurance by the confession we speak with our mouth and the actions we exhibit in the world.

The first step of faith is to hear God’s word. Once we have heard the word we make a choice of our will to believe it or reject it. Remember true belief is to have confidence, full trust and reliability of a person or thing though it may be without absolute proof. Trusting in God becomes is confirmed in our loyalty and obligation to Him. We believe right it leads to right thinking, which leads to right actions.

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

The word preacher comes from a Greek word that is translated kerusso; to herald a royal command, to proclaim publicly a divine truth. This is the responsibility of everyone who professes Christ as their Lord and Savior, to publicly proclaim truth. To announce God, the truth of Who He is in our lives and to tell all He has done in us and through us. How shall they hear without someone telling them about the goodness and loving kindness of God?

We all should ask ourselves these questions. How can people call on God when they do not believe in God? How do people learn to believe in God when they have not even heard of God? How can they hear about God if we do not testify about what He has done in our lives? How many people do not believe in God because those who call themselves Christians fail to speak about Him and all God has done in our lives? This is a sobering thought, to think someone may have been saved if we had taken time and courage to speak the truth of God to him or her.

Romans 10:6a, 8-10, 13 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way…

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):  that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. NKJV

The word heart comes from a Greek word translated as kardia that speaks of the thoughts, feelings and mind of a person. It is not speaking of the organ that beats in our chest but the innermost or center part of our being, which is our intellect; it is the very process of our choice and our will.

When the word of God is given to us, or when the word of God is seen (read) or heard (taught), we may choose to accept it as truth and believe it or reject it. We make this choice every time a principle or precept of God’s is spoken to us. The heart of our mind, at that moment, chooses to believe the Light of God’s word to believe or not. .

When we choose to believe the truth, our belief in God’s word is confirmed by us speaking the very truth we heard. Our spoken confession of agreement with God’s word is established in our heart with that very declaration. Our tongue is the pen that writes on our heart the good things our Lord and King has arranged for us, and this gives us overflowing hope on matters that are before us.

Psalms 45: 1 My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

What we believe in our hearts becomes what we speak. The righteousness of faith speaks this way; it says what God says about the matter. The word righteous speaks of those who are placed in right standing with God through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We are made righteous by His acts alone and our belief in Him places us into a right position in the family of God. Therefore, those who are believers in Jesus speak this way; they confess, declare and acknowledge with their mouth, that Jesus is their Lord, to whom they will obey. They believe He is the risen Son of God. By this acknowledgement of God’s truth and with the confession and declaration of our belief, we are made righteous, in right standing and are saved by God.

Many people want to believe but stay silent without making a confession. Anyone in love will want to make known their love to the person of their affection. If we do not express our love then it is only a dream. It becomes part of our reality when we take a chance and declare our commitment to this love. We must understand this world was created by the power of words spoken in faith. It is the act of the public expression of faith that brings redemption back into our world and it is that belief that put us in right standing with God.

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. NKJV

Belief turns to faith when we take that belief and put action with it. We may believe in our hearts a thing is true but we cultivate our faith when we express it through actions and then acknowledge it to the entire world both the seen and the unseen world. We then have declared the position on which we stand and it operates in every detail of our lives and how we live life

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A famous woman once said,” people will tell you what they really think, if you listen, really listen to what they are saying.” The word of God tells us we can tell the type of heart a person has by listening to the words they speak. It is important to listen as well as watch. People can change their actions for a short time but what is buried in their hearts comes through the very wellspring of their being through their words and eventually their behavior.

Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life

Faith is not only speaking what we believe in our heart but faith is putting into action what we believe. When we start planning for a vacation, we believe we are taking, we begin preparing for it. Faith is the motion we put in place as the result of our belief. If we believe we are going on vacation to the beach, we start planning to take time off from work, we pack our suitcase and we bring our swimming suit. These actions are faith actions preparing for what we believe will happen. The same is with faith in God’s word, we start preparing for what we believe will occur. Belief is moved into faith by the actions we take toward the end result. It is the hope we have for what will happen in our future.

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The Battle For Man’s Belief

THE BATTLE FOR MAN’S BELIEF

 

 

The battle in the Garden of Eden was for the belief of man, to see who he would believe and obey. God had given man His truth and told man “the day you eat you shall surely die.” Satan comes and contradicts God and said “You will not surely die” causing man to question God’s Word and created doubt about the truth of God’s Word. Satan’s purpose was to have man believe and obey him rather than God. Satan knew if he could get man to believe and obey him, man would become his servant and would lose his right standing with God.

Adam chose to obey Satan rather than God and that day man died. Man in his created form ceased to be, he was separated from the source of his life, God, and man became a fallen being. Man as the reflected Image of God’s glory truly did die that day and the light God created in man was dead. Man was now under Satan’s authority, the curse of sin and death. The fall of man was the result of man’s choice to obey Satan rather than God, to believe in a lie rather than trust God’s word of truth. Jesus came and defeated Satan and now we are more than conquers in Christ Jesus.

God had given mankind all they needed to rule the earth and have dominion over the earth. Man had the authority, the ability and the word of truth but Satan came, stole what God had given. Satan became the prince of darkness over the earth. Seducing mankind to leave the light of God’s truth and they became blind to the truth and lived in darkness, which is the absence of light and truth.

Genesis 2: 16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” NKJV

The day mankind ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil man’s spirit was dead; he was no longer the God breathed spirit of life that God had created him to be. When Adam’s spirit died, and all mankind was in Adam and we too died spiritually. God is true to His word; the day you eat, you shall surely die. Spiritual death is the separation from the life-giving source; or it is the absence of spiritual life.

Man was now separated from God and had lost his spirit life. Just as a plant dies the day it is uprooted from the soil and the fish dies when it is taken out of the water. The present appearance may not reflect the state it is in but it is no longer connected to the life-giving source and time will show its decay. That is what happened to Adam when he was separated from his life source, God; he died as a spirit-man. Adam’s image changed, he no longer reflected the glory of God but that of Satan. Adam’s second death came when his soul was separated from his body, which did not occur for over 900 years later.

Now we all are born dead in sin and unattached and out of relationship with God. That is why Jesus said, “Let the dead bury the dead. He was saying let those who are dead in spirit bury those who are dead bodily.

The only way to be reconnected to God is to be born again into the family, household and kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is not a religion, or some religious act. The kingdom of God is being reconnected to the source that gives life, God. We are born again, as sons of God, when we acknowledge Jesus our Sovereign King and Lord over our lives. Then we are born into the family of God as His children with His authority, blessing and joint-heir with Jesus to all that is by right, His. Both these terms, children and heir, indicate family and relationships. God wants to be in a family relationship with His children just as any good parent who wants to be in a good relationship with their children.

Luke 9:60 Jesus said to him “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

 

God’s one commandment to Adam was to believe the Truth of His Word and not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil so he would remain in the created image of God. God knew when man failed to believe Him and obeyed Satan mankind would become a fallen species, dead in his created form, purpose and under Satan’s authority. Man was no longer righteous, or in right standing with God and no longer in fellowship with God. Man had fallen into darkness unable to stand before a Holy God. But God’s love for man would not let Him leave mankind in that fallen state without making a provision to bring mankind back to God.

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness. NKJV

Everyone has the same choice that Adam and Eve had to choose whose word we will believe. Will we believe the Word of God, that Jesus came to save us from death, or will we believe Satan, who is the father of lies? Our choice is seen in our actions, they will reflect our beliefs and will show who we truly believe. Our actions will line up with our choice and they become our master. It is not just a head knowledge that constitutes belief it is heart conviction that causes us to act in belief and trust God. Without faith in Jesus, the enemy will causes some to act in rebellion against the Sovereign King.

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