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First the Kingdom, part 11: The Mustard Seed Conspiracy, Part 2

Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to nature in the manner of its growth. He said that the tiny mustard seed had the potential to grow far beyond its original size. He also noted that amazing things happen in the earth while we sleep. A farmer does not have to stand over the area where he prepared the ground and planted the seed. The seed gradually absorbs moisture and nourishment from the ground, and extends its roots very quietly and steadily. Most of the growth is hidden at first, and even when visible it is not much to look at. Many months go by before the goal of the farmer is actually reached. Finally in the harvest season, he can bring in the visible proof of this process, providing food for many!

In modern times many are in such a rush to achieve their goals. They need to see results fast. I have noticed how excited people get in the process of new church buildings. They are usually eager to give money and time to something they can physically see come into view. I know buildings do not grow up overnight, but you can see fairly soon that digging has begun. All the heavy machinery is there throughout the process of preparing for water, gas and electric lines. Then the foundation is laid, walls go up followed by the roof. Sometimes progress is seen daily. Often it is at least weekly, unless held up by unfavorable weather.

Actual spiritual growth is different. Maybe that is why patience is so emphasized in the Bible. There are times when the seed is being sown, but very little growth is seen. The message of the Gospel and the teachings of Christ are being shared, but it takes time for hearts to be changed, and lives to reveal what God has done in them. This is both true with individuals and groups of people. Because things often move slowly, some become discouraged and even give up in the effort to spread His Word.

A common way to generate enthusiasm in a church is to start another building program. This really sparks interest. Today however, some folks are finding the joy of Other wonderful efforts that can equally spark interest. These might not draw as much attention, but they can be powerful expressions of the Kingdom of God in the earth. Things like prison ministry, small group Bible studies and House Church networks, prayer groups, recovery groups, serving the homeless or young families etc. These activities are the Church in action. They mirror the forward movement of the First Century Church.

If this message does one thing, I hope every one of you who feels insignificant in the Body of Christ will come to realize how powerful in Christ you really are! Paul in his letter to the Romans strongly urges his brothers and sisters in Christ in this way. In chapter 12 he tells them the greatest act of worship is to offer our bodies, our lives in service to God. This is different from the world in general and requires the transformation of the renewed mind. If you are feeling insignificant, then you need to have your mind renewed! Hear the Word of the Lord! God has given each of us a special capacity to serve and to bless others! Notice in Romans 12 that this is not limited to leadership gifts. He simply gives examples of some of the things that God might want to do through you. Don’t worry if your gift is not included in that list. It is the principle that counts. I have often noticed that the best environment for discovering your purpose is in the fellowship of small, dedicated groups of believers.

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he explains how important it is for each person to fulfill his or her purpose. As each organ and part of the human body needs to do its part for the body to be healthy, so it is with the Church, the Body of Christ. As each part functions, the whole body becomes stronger and grows to the full potential that it has in Christ. This is real Kingdom growth. While a church building with a sign on its door can become fill[...]

First the Kingdom, part 10, The Mustard Seed Conspiracy

What we have been discussing in these podcasts is nothing less than the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ over the whole earth. For thousands of years the prophets foretold of His reign. Then from the very beginning of the New Testament, it was announced that the time for His reign had come. Everything Jesus had to say was related to the Kingdom of God. Great crowds of people rallied around His message and to receive the benefits of His healing powers. But most finally rejected Him when He failed to meet their expectations of Him.

A small band of followers stayed with Him and became His closest friends. To them He explained the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. Yes, it was real and very near. Yes it would come in power and the glory of God. Yes it would change everything. But only those who would patiently trust and learn from Him would be prepared for it. Only they would have special insight into what form and how it would appear.

In the story of course, it does not appear that the disciples and apostles understood everything perfectly. Their greatest struggle was with how He should die on a cross. After His resurrection, He was able to make things clearer. In fact He took them through the writings of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms and opened their understanding of the scriptures concerning Him. (Luke 24:44-45). This is the work of what Paul called the “spirit of wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of Christ.” (Ephesians 1:17-18)

Before His crucifixion, Jesus told them that the Spirit of Truth, Who was with them, would soon be in them. After His resurrection, Jesus explained the Kingdom of God to them even further before He ascended to His throne of authority in Heaven. Soon after, about 120 of them were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, and began with great authority to declare His Lordship to the world! You see, there is intellectual truth, and their is also experiential truth. His Lordship was not academic to them. His Lordship was real and wonderful. The Kingdom did not come unto them from looking at the skies, or observing the political scene! The Kingdom of God was within them, to demonstrate His power in the earth!

Even then they struggled to understand the relationship between the Old Testament or Old Covenant and the New Covenant that Jesus introduced. In time the Holy Spirit would work this out, but they were already on their way in this adventure to “turn the world upside down!”

We have the advantage of hindsight in looking back at what they experienced and what followed. There were times when the Kingdom was so overwhelming that it looked as if paradise would be returning to the whole earth in a matter of weeks or months. Many gladly sold their possessions and freely shared with those in need. The euphoria did not last, however. The comfort of the Holy Spirit would never leave them, but circumstances would often test their faith in the future of God’s people and His Kingdom.

Persecution, famine, and various trials would come on the young church, and yet it continued to grow. over time, the hope for the Kingdom on earth was replaced with contentment to experience it in the next life. It was left to people like Peter and Paul to keep the expectation and the vision of it alive. To them knowing Jesus and that He said His reign had begun was enough.

We live in a time when many have failed to see the long-term the progress of the Kingdom in the earth. The freedom it brought us has long been taken for granted. When modern Christians see the rise of crime, immorality, terrorism, injustice, pornography, addictions and abortion, they become discouraged. All that is left is to await the end. Those of us who continue to look for more of the Kingdom to come, as God’s will is being done in this earth, are ridiculed. They think we are like those who would “polish the brass on a sinking ship,[...]

First the Kingdom, part 9: The Simplicity of Christ

When dealing with the Kingdom of God it can easily become overcomplicated. Jesus had a way of hiding His message from the proud, the arrogant, and those who seemed to be wise. At the same time He could bring the most powerful teachings to the uneducated, whose hearts had been melted by His gracious nature. Of course God can use anyone, even intellectuals, for he took an intelligent, educated man like Paul, and broke him down to see the simplicity of Christ!

The devil hates the Gospel of the Kingdom. It is most dangerous to his domain. It does not concern him if we stay in our little circles and comfort one another in the knowledge that heaven awaits us. If we devote most of our time and resources to building great monuments to the prophets and to polishing their sepulchres, he is not hindered. He loves it when we attack one another over subtle differences and interpretations of Scripture. As long as we are not transformed into warriors for the Kingdom of God, he is pleased.

But venture out into the call of Christ to kingdom living and proclaiming, and it becomes a different story. You will easily become misunderstood or overlooked, even discredited. While the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is the most liberating word that you will ever hear, it is also the most threatening to our adversary’s power. Why do you think that the religious authorities in Jerusalem, and the political authorities in Rome were so fearful of it?

It seems the enemies tactic today is basically to encourage people to ignore it. He can so easily entice them to an easy form of religion that requires absolutely nothing of them. They might be willing to pay a price to achieve their own personal safety and comfort, but dying to self for an unworthy world full of sinners? Now that is something else!

The Gospel of the Kingdom is simple, and yet powerful. We are challenged first to repent. This is a very unpopular message. We want to hear that we are all okay. Even repentance has been watered down to just “thinking positive.” Jesus would say that we can only be positive after we faced the negative fact about our selves. “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have gone our own way.” The solution according to Jesus is to lose your life for His sake! Reject the way you are going and follow Him!

Where is He going? To the Cross! The only way to understand and to receive the genuine reality of God’s purpose for us and this world He has created is to lose our lives and to find them in Him! This is not theory or a good idea. This is reality — a wonderful reality to those who accept it! When we repent and believe the Gospel that Jesus has presented we are empowered to live as our Maker intended.

From the outside it might appear that we are hindered from the freedom that others desire. The truth is that He has given us freedom from the things that imprison those very same observers.

The situation is so simple it seems complicated. Life for humans in the very beginning was easy, pleasurable and wonderful. The descriptive word is paradise. Now the modern man has a problem. How can he explain the desire every human being has for something we have never seen? we tell fairy stories and fantasies about something we have absolutely no reason to believe exists, outside of the fact that God has placed it into every heart.

Scientists might tell us that survival belongs only to the strong, and that evolution is making us better and stronger all the time. And yet, there is this desire to save the weak creatures in this planet. Why? Because God has set eternity in our hearts. we know instinctively that something is not right when the strong destroy the weak.

Because repentance and submission to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords sounds so difficult, we choose the harder way. The very concept of the Kingdom of God is now being used as a means to an end. This too is the work of the devil. He [...]

First the Kingdom part 8, The Time is Fulfilled

It has been said that in the Old Testament the New Testament is concealed, and in the New Testament, the Old Testament is revealed. This is not immediately evident. This realization comes over time and after much searching and illumination of the Holy Spirit. The writers of the New Testament almost force us to this conclusion. Because they had to deal with the biblical scholars of their day, they went to great lengths to show how everything that had transpired in the life of Jesus had been foretold in the Scriptures.

Jesus Himself pointed out that He came to fulfill everything that was written about Him in the ancient writings. (Luke 24:44). Paul also basically said that everything He came to teach and proclaim was based upon what was written in the sacred Hebrew scriptures. (Acts 26:22)

These things were concealed in such a way that even His disciples first missed them until Jesus “opened their understanding.” (Luke 24:45) Paul explained how this was the operation of the “spirit of wisdom and revelation” that is available to believers who receive it. Many of the prophetic predictions concerning Jesus and the coming Kingdom we have discussed in the previous lesson.

There are many fascinating studies of the Old Testament references to Jesus and His ministry which the writer to the Hebrews called “shadows” and “types.” Special events and the Levitical system of animal and grain sacrifices depict the manner in which Jesus would finally atone for our sins and give us an example to follow. Even the stories of many Old Testament individuals like Joseph, Moses and David would also become examples of some of the traits that Jesus would fully display in the New Testament era.

This series is mainly focusing on the importance of the Kingdom of God in the Old and New Testament. The Old Testament looks forward to it, the New Testament reveals the way in which it is fulfilled. In fact, Mark’s Gospel states this from the start. After telling of John, the forerunner baptizing Jesus, and the following temptation of Jesus, he writes:

Mark 1:14-15:

Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ” The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 

NASU

Let us look at this closely. We know that God has always been sovereign over His creation. There has never been a time when He was not in control. However, the coming of the Kingdom of God is related to this specific time. Something was near that was not so near before! Change was coming to that place and in that time, according to Jesus and John. There seems to be two tendencies when people think of the Kingdom of God. One is that the Kingdom has to be more like an earthly authority that is exercised by force, the other is that it is only like a personal spiritual experience.

Even among those who followed Jesus there was confusion about what to expect. In fact they were shocked when He told them that He would be crucified in Jerusalem, and even more shocked when it happened! After His resurrection they were of course relieved, but He continued to explain the Kingdom to them during the 40 days up to His Ascension! They must have understood things somewhat better then. Earlier when He told them He would have to leave in order for the Holy Spirit to come, they were full of sorrow. Now, when His physical form was taken from them, they were actually rejoicing! From that time forward they proclaimed Him as Lord and King, ruling from heaven, and sending them forth to declare His Kingdom had come!

It would be difficult to deny that Jesus did come to bring a spiritual experience. My problem is with those who limit it to that. As I have pointed out, there is a time element to the Kingdom of God. It was alluded to in the book of Daniel. In the days of the kingdoms that came down to the d[...]

If. Such a very small word. Just two letters. But the meaning contained in these two letters could lead to either life or death. They could become an open door to endless possibilities, or perhaps spell perpetual gloom and darkness. I wonder, could we take the time to explore the power of the word, “if,” by studying God’s use of it in the scriptures? What exactly are the possibilities that the Creator of the universe holds out to us, as we seriously and humbly handle His Living and inspired Word?

In a day when depressing news travels at the speed of light, and the vanities of the rich and famous are common knowledge, apathy has become a popular commodity. So much time is taken up talking about the world’s problems, but so little action is taken. The common attitude is that nothing can really be done, and many Christians are certain that nothing should be done, for this world is soon coming to an end. When that happens, we Christians will not be here anyway. Therefor all that remains is to lead as many as we can to a safe zone for retreat, and wait for our Lord’s return.

But what IF? What if we were to plunge deep into His Word and discover the latent power of this word, IF? Perhaps there are some hidden treasures therein by which we can recover from our apathetic comfort zones, and rise up to the occasion for the greater glory of God! This small word might have a great significance indeed, as we allow the wonderful Spirit of God to breathe life into it!

Israel of old was confronted by the Lord with this little word on many occasions. In the 7th Chapter of 2 Chronicles, the Lord was holding out to Solomon the King, some of the possible futures that the people might choose. He showed him how Israel might find herself in situations very similar to those which we are experiencing in our modern times. Wars, pestilence and famines could occur to those in disobedience, but there was a way out. This way out begins with an IF.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

By now I can hear various dissenting voices. “That was the Old Testament, they were under a different covenant, so long ago.” “God has a predetermined plan today, and there is nothing we can do to alter it.” Or how about, “We are good people, without sin, for Christ has abolished sin on the cross. For what should we repent?”

There is only one answer I can give. What IF? What if those who long to see the glory of God upon His people again would take a chance and PRAY? What if enough of us realized that we have all been living far beneath our privileges, and possessed the courage to ask God “Why?” and “What would you have us to do?” What if we were to take the initiative presented by James, to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and to draw nigh unto Him that He might draw nigh unto us?

What if we were to accept the challenge of Jesus to ask that we might receive, seek that we might find, to knock that the door would be opened unto us? Is there even the slightest possibility that we might prove the Lord, and He could open the windows of heaven unto us? Do you think?

What if, we might have long failed to realize that the Lord is eagerly waiting to rain down upon us with showers of life, healing and blessing? Perhaps the only delay was our ignorance or willingness to acknowledge our desperate need! Please, my brother, my sister, consider the possibilities! Consider what our wonderful Savour and Lord can do and desires to do on our behalf! After all, it was He who said, ” IF YOU CAN BELIEVE, all things are possible!

Our Lord is so gracious and kind towards us! He is quick to acknowledge our virtues and accomplishments. He is also patient to wait for our steady spir[...]

First the Kingdom, Part 7: The Promise of the Kingdom Continued

The New Testament of the Bible begins with a gigantic emphasis on the Kingdom of God. 2,000 years later we are beginning to hear more about the Kingdom of God again, and that excites me. What also really excites me is learning that the ages of time leading up to the First Century were actually the preparation for what was to begin unfolding for the Early Church and is continuing to unfold today!

We are part of God’s great plan of the ages! I have suggested that an important part of that plan is for us to understand the promises God made to many Biblical characters from Adam and Eve, to Noah, to Abraham, Moses and many others.

The New Testament writer and apostle, Paul, made Jesus and His message of the Kingdom the center of his life. He had this to say concerning the Old Testament prophecies:

Acts 26:22-23:

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

KJV

In another places Paul explained even further how God’s promise to Abraham was relevant to the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

For instance, Galatians 3:8-9:

The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

NASB

When we isolate the message of the New Testament from the Old we can miss the bigger picture. We can easily get wrapped up in our tiny part in God’s economy. Then we might miss the value that it represents when placed along side the other parts. It is like playing with the pieces of a picture puzzle and never attempting to fit them together. And if we do not understand the overall plan that began in the beginning, we are like people working a puzzle without the illustration on the puzzle box!

The children of Abraham did multiply greatly. By the fourth generation they settled in Egypt during a famine. Eventually there were millions of them but now they lived as slaves to Pharaoh. So God raised up Moses to be their leader and through demonstrations of supernatural power they were led out of Egypt and began their journey to the land promised to Abraham.

Moses delivered the people from bondage in Egypt, but he looked forward to a deliverer who would save them from themselves. He foresaw the next individual who would also demonstrate supernatural power and words of incomparable truth. Where Moses saved the people from slavery to men, Jesus would save them from their sins. (Deuteronomy 18:15, John 6:14, Acts 3:19-26, 7:37, Matthew 1:21).

Israel finally occupied the promised land and David eventually took the throne. Being also a spiritual man, he was given understanding of the Kingdom that would come. David wanted to build a house for God, a resting place for the Ark of the Covenant. The prophet Nathan agreed, but God visited Nathan with His Word on the matter. David would not build a house for God, but a house would be built.

1 Chronicles 17:11-15:

‘And it shall come about when your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up one of your descendants after you, who shall be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.  I will be his father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My lovingkindness away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.”‘ ”  According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

NASB

David’s[...]

First the Kingdom Part 6, The Promise of the Kingdom

One of the great blessings of my life was to be born into a family of believers, and into a church family that values the Scriptures in both the Old and New Testament. They understood how the New Testament was concealed in the Old, and how the Old Testament was revealed in the New. To put it in another way, Christ was concealed in the Old and revealed in the New!

Even if one decides to start their reading of the Bible at the beginning of the New Testament, this will become evident. In the Gospel according the Matthew there are so many references to events in the narrative that fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament. I submit that the New Testament cannot be fully understood and appreciated — that Christ Himself cannot be fully understood and appreciated without the foundation that was laid in the these ancient scriptures, which Jesus referred to as the Word of God, and that Jews today recognize as their Bible.

When John the Baptist and Jesus came preaching, “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand,” the people of their day already had a sense of anticipation and enthusiasm built in them for the Kingdom. The prophets of ancient times had planted the seeds for that anticipation. Looking back we have the advantage of understanding their perspective better, but more importantly we have God’s perspective of the message that John and Jesus brought!

We have looked at the “Original Blessing” that the Creator spoke over the Creation and the humans He created. Then we saw how David, the King of Israel wondered how humanity could be worthy of this high calling to rule the creation and be reflections of God’s divinity. This is the context within which the entire Bible was written. In the Old Testament there is the promise and the mystery concerning how it will be fulfilled, and the New Testament is where the fulfillment begins to come into view.

First let us look at some of the outstanding promises found back there.

From the fall of Adam and Eve, things became progressively worse. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and was warned of the great flood that was to come upon the whole earth. (Genesis 6:8, 13).

After the Lord saved Noah and his family along with all the animals in the ark, He renewed the Original Blessing to be fruitful and to multiply.

Genesis 8:20-21:

Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. The LORD  smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.”

NASU

Genesis 9:1-2:

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, ” Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.  “The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given.”

NASU

So while sin had entered in and death because of sin, God was still intent upon blessing us! As we continue, the plan to fulfill that blessing is revealed a little more each time. Until then He reassures us that a cataclysmic judgment to destroy every living thing will never happen again!

In Genesis chapter 12 we see the call of God to Abram, who would later be called Abraham.

Now the LORD said to Abram,

“Go forth from your country,

And from your relatives

And from your father’s house,

To the land which I will show you;

And I will make you a great nation,

And I will bless you,

And make your name great;

And so you shall be a blessing;

And I will bless those who bless you,

And the one who curses you I will curse.

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. “  (Genesis 12:1-3)

NASB

Abram believed Go[...]

First the Kingdom, part 5: What is Man?

Around three thousand years ago, David, king of Israel, looked up at the night sky and wondered about our existence. He knew that we are just a small part of this great universe God created. And yet this great God had a purpose in mind for humanity. David eloquently wrote:

What is man that You take thought of him,

And the son of man that You care for him?

Yet You have made him a little lower than God,

And You crown him with glory and majesty!

You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet, (Psalms 8:4-6) NASU

Even though the human race had fallen short of the glory of God from the beginning, King David was aware of God’s original blessing recorded in the opening verses of Genesis. Knowing the goodness, mercy and power of His God, David understood that His plan was not defeated when Adam and Eve sinned. He also knew of the promise that in the end all things would ultimately be under the feet of a people who would come to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ!

The descendant of the serpent who deceived the first man and woman would figuratively bruise the heal of their descendant Jesus Christ, who would come to bruise the serpents head. (Genesis 3:15) This signifies the victory and restoration of the authority that was lost in the fall. Not only would Christ win the victory for Himself, but for us all!

The writer to the Hebrews looked at David’s question and found an answer.

For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking.  But one has testified somewhere, saying,

“WHAT IS MAN, THAT YOU REMEMBER HIM? OR THE SON OF MAN, THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HIM?  “YOU HAVE MADE HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS;YOU HAVE CROWNED  HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR,AND HAVE APPOINTED HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; 8 YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.”

For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the  grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation  through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,   saying,

” I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN,IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE.” (Hebrews 2:5-12)

Can you grasp this? can you believe it? Jesus tasted death for us all and is bringing many sons and daughters to glory, calling us His brothers and sisters — His  family! We are ONE! The Early Church Father Irenaeus understood this when he wrote of: “the only true and steadfast Teacher, the Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who did, through His  transcendent love, become what we are, that He might bring us to be even as Himself!”

Before Him, Paul the apostle wrote these words:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians  8:9)

To this day we see the devastating result of the fall of Adam. Murder, rape, poverty, war, hatred, greed — all proof of the fact that satisfaction cannot be found  when Christ is missing in our lives. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and yet God has not forgotten His purpose for humanity. That purpose from the beginning was for us to reveal the full glory of God in these physical bodies!

Instead of living in fear and being subjected to the elements, our destiny is to rule and reign with Christ over this earth in His aut[...]

Today I would like to talk about the life of the great apostle and missionary Paul, who wrote much of what we call the New Testament in the Bible.  At the time of writing his letter to the Philippian church, he had been arrested in Rome, and yet this letter was full of encouragement and even joy.

In fact he uses the word “rejoice” 10 times in this small letter! In chapter 3 of Philippians, he begins with:

“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. “

Then he follows with a warning:

“Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship God in the Spirit, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh —  though I myself have reasons for such confidence.”

Here he was referring to the teachers who were trying to impose Jewish laws upon gentile Christians.  After that he explains how he was once one of the them!

“If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.”

You may have heard the story of Paul. Soon after the resurrection Jesus ascended into heaven and poured out the Holy Spirit upon the disciples in Jerusalem. This led to thousands of people repenting and believing in Christ.  Paul, who was then known as Saul of Tarsus, was among those who sought to crush the movement which they considered heretical. He believed that he was actually doing service to God as he sought out, and imprisoned the followers of Jesus!

But God had other plans. Saul was on his way to Damascus, to find and arrest Christians, when the Ascended Christ appeared to him in a great and blinding light. He fell to the ground and  heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” When he asked, “Who are you Lord?” The answer came, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”

Finally Saul asked, “Lord, what would you have me to do?”  Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told to you what you must do.”

This was the great turning point in his life. He would soon meet with those whom he sought to harm, and become filled with the Spirit of God. Eventually Saul become known as Paul, a greater advocate for the Gospel of Jesus Christ than he ever was for the teachings of the Pharisees, and faith in his own good works.

Listen to these powerful words in Philippians 3:7-11:

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

If you want to know what motivated Paul, and what motivates great evangelists, missionaries, and the most devoted believers in Christ, here it is. They want to know Jesus more…..

Verse 12:

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

Paul did not consider himself a prisoner of Rome, but a prisoner of Jesus Christ. He was not really apprehended by Caesar, but by Jesus. He knew God had a purpose for his life, and was single-mindedly focu[...]

First The Kingdom, Part 4: Seeing the Kingdom

Our perspective in life can strongly determine the direction we take for many years. We can have either a positive or negative “outlook,” which has little to do with our eyesight. The way we “see” the world around us, and the way we believe things work or should work — that is what we mean when referring to our perspective or our outlook.

My generation came up in a time when common values, goals and outlooks on life were beginning to be questioned. wait, that seems to be true with every generation! The nineteen sixties did, however, set in motion a greater level of doubt and questioning that has greatly expanded in this the 21st Century.

Certainly many ideas, beliefs and practices should be re-examined. Some have always been in error, but others were only right for that particular time. Change is all around, and we must learn to adapt at times. On the other hand, the chaos that change can bring can be unsettling. I for one look for stability in things that have proven the test of time. My greatest source of stability is found in God and in the record of His dealings with humanity found in the Bible. The more I learn about Him and His ways in both my relationship with Him and in my study of His Word, the more peace I find.

In this series I hope to share a perspective, a way of seeing life, purpose, and the reason we all are here. This perspective gives meaning to our existence, and great satisfaction. In the most difficult times I have been able to “stay the course” that was set for me many years ago when Christ first saved me. I admit that at first the journey was shaky. I stumbled many times along the way. It was not until I caught a vision of the magnificent Lordship of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom that everything changed.

In the Bible we find powerful metaphors concerning life. We are on a road or path, moving toward a goal or destination. To see the path we need “light,” or understanding. The wisdom of God not only tells us about our destination, but how to make the best decisions when we find a fork in the road. There is both a destination, and a journey. Like Oddyseus in Greek mythology, we also have a prize at the end or our quest!

Too many of us go from day to day without even knowing why we do what we do. We are driven by various desires. Some of them are virtuous, others are destructive. Some people do not face the results of their decisions until it is too late. Yet we can wrongfully believe that good results mean that we are on the right track. At other times, when we are doing the right thing events seem to turn against us. Is it possible to ever be sure?

Throughout the centuries, the Spirit of God has empowered and illuminated prophets and teachers, parents and leaders with spiritual vision. His Light has given them a vision that sustained them through every kind of struggle in this life. This power belongs to everyone who simply believes in Jesus Christ, and trusts their future with Him!

Proverbs 4:18-19 tell us that: “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;they do not know what makes them stumble.” NIV

Can you accept this as your destiny? We who love God and His Truth are on a path of ever increasing brightness!

What I am asking of you who are hearing this or reading this writing, is that you invest some time to seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Become open to the possibility of recieving a greater vision of the Kingdom of God for your life. Consider the passages of scripture I have been sharing and will continue to share. It might just open up a whole new world unto you!

John in his gospel wrote that those who receive Jesus are given by Him the priviledge of being called the childr[...]