Faithful on Fridays Blog

What does kingdom culture look like? Most of the time it’s a paradox: seems ridiculous but true. For example, Jesus said, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”; that seems ridiculous but nonetheless true. He also taught that we must die to live, bless when we’re insulted, and greatness equals servanthood. All of those statements, and there are more, are counter-cultural: two cultures in opposition.

It’s clear there are two kingdoms running parallel: God’s and Satan’s. It’s the responsibility of a believer to operate in God’s, that means your life should look like a paradox: ridiculous but true.

Before going to the cross Jesus declared:

The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.
John 12:31

Later, Paul wrote:

You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
Ephesians 2:2

And the apostle John:

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 1 John 5:19

A sin-free life is impossible, however, we can follow His lead and let our life reflect His Kingship even though Satan’s kingdom or the world’s ways are tempting:

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

Did you find yourself in that list? I certainly did but don’t be discouraged: be encouraged! Kingdom Culture is part of our inheritance, you didn’t earn it, but it’s accessible when you chose to live in its principles: repentance and forgiveness. God understands that we sometimes yield to the sinful nature but He’s not looking to punish us; He forgives us. Now that’s counter-cultural.

Walking in the power of the Spirit means that you’re empowered to reject sin and the ways of the world. The Holy Spirit’s power gives us the ability and authority to walk away from Satan’s kingdom and press into God’s.

… since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it. Luke 16:16b

When we learn through practice to reject Satan’s temptations we get stronger and our life reflects God’s, becoming His image bearers. We’ve learned to use His authority residing in us to just say, “NO!”

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. Matthew 11:12

Get violent against your enemy and walk in God’s Kingdom Culture today.

Let’s Talk About Heaven

When you were a child you probably looked up and asked someone about heaven; most kids do. It’s a topic that warms the soul and gives you hope. The afterlife is one of the foundational teachings of the Bible and yet isn’t discussed much, except at a funeral. For the next few Midweek Messages from the Archive let’s discuss this topic and see what scripture has to say on the subject.

We do know some things about heaven: we know that God, through Jesus Christ, created and sustains it, has authority over it, and dwells there (Col. 1:15-17). We know it’s a destination for the believer after death and that it’s an actual place (Luke 16:19-31). I want you to think for a moment if heaven is just what we see when we look up, amidst the clouds and the blue sky, or is it more, much more than that? 

… and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 1 Peter 1:4 

My former pastor liked to use the phrase “heaven and earth overlapping” and I really appreciate that insight. It caused me to stretch my thinking that heaven is more than what I can see with my eyes; on one level it’s what I experience every day and on a higher level it’s my future. Jesus told us in Matt. 5 that heaven can be envisioned as a kingdom when heavenly principles overlap with our earth and He called that interconnectedness the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3, 10

Let’s delve into that divine connection more clearly.

When God reached down with His hand of grace and mercy in our lives heaven connected with earth: God connected with us. When the final days of this earth have arrived and a new epoch or distinctive period of time begins, we’ll see a new heaven and a new earth. Now that’s something to think about! Yes, heaven is the place a believer’s spirit goes at the moment he dies. Yes, heaven is a wonderful place; a place where you’re in the presence of God, however, heaven isn’t just that, it’s much, much more. It’s an awareness that God is active in our everyday lives and there’s evidence of His activity. Jesus asked the Father, 

May your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven Matthew 6:10 NLT

 That should be our prayer also. 

This week may you have a new awareness of the overlapping of heaven and earth in your life. Watch for those times and places when God shows up to let you know that He loves you and wants to be an active part of your life.

John the Baptizer prepared the way for Jesus to offer the kingdom to us; he said, “The kingdom is at hand (Matt. 3:2).” That means it’s right here at your fingertips and close enough to touch. Jesus said that you enter this new culture by experiencing a spiritual rebirth (John 3:3), through humility (Matt. 5:19; Luke 7:28), becoming a servant (Matt. 20:20-28), and doing what He did: you become His representative to the world. I asked last week if the kingdom is invisible how do we know we’re in?

And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Matthew 10:7-8

Since the spiritual kingdom is invisible and yet can be seen we know we’re ‘in’ when we complete His assignments and see the results. What assignments? 

Spirit-filled people have a willing heart to follow and serve God; when you’re part of His kingdom culture He’ll give you opportunities to minister to people. You may pray for someone’s healing, give a word of encouragement, or recognize the devil’s strategies and expose him. Maybe you won’t physically raise the dead but tell the story of God’s work in you and He’ll raise them from spiritual death. The kingdom is right here at your fingertips, however, you can find excuses why you don’t represent Him when you can.

Jesus declared (Luke 9:57-62) there’s a cost involved in His kingdom culture and not everyone is ready or willing. The teaching and preaching of this new culture should be the primary focus in our churches if we want the Body of Christ to walk in victory as His kings and queens.

… every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old. Matthew 13:52 

Jesus knew we desperately needed training, teaching in kingdom principles:

And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. Matthew 4:23

Until Jesus returns the Church should be teaching and training us how to live in the culture of the Kingdom of God:

He said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” Luke 4:43

If Jesus’ purpose for being sent to earth was to preach and teach kingdom principles, this new way of life, then it should be ours as well.

… and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 

… But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God. Luke 9:2, 60b

Next week we’ll get more strategic: what does a kingdom culture look like and what’s our role?

Blameless

“Don’t blame me!” How often have you said that to someone? We constantly want to deflect guilt away from ourselves; especially when we’re innocent and sometimes when we’re not. Either way, we desire to be without blame.

As we continue through Eph. 1:3-14 we come to the phrase ‘holy and blameless’. Let’s discuss what it means to be blameless. The Greek word means to be without fault or guilt. You can probably see where Paul was going. He was reminding himself that God desires us to be found not guilty in any charges the devil may try to bring against us. And never forget, when you are down, Satan will not give you merciful thoughts, he’ll kick you in the groin with accusations.

Paul isn’t referring to our justification or righteousness in these verses. He’s sending out an encouragement to pull down from heaven that spiritual blessing or benefit from the heavenly places that allows us to be above God’s disapproval. It’s a gift of the Holy Spirit to be able to walk blamelessly, not sin-free but forgiven. It isn’t gained through our own willpower or strength but by His power and strength. When we try to do what’s right in our own power we fail, however, when we ask for His help, we succeed with unimaginable strength.

Now, we can easily put ourselves in situations that tempt us. That’s not smart and makes it very difficult to walk blameless or innocent in His sight. It’s much smarter to stay away from temptation and the ways of the world that would draw us into sin. Sometimes we simply have to fight the good fight of faith in our minds and actions so that we don’t disappoint the One Who gave His life as a ransom for us. 

Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Philippians 2:15 NLT

Sin brings shame, disgrace, and guilt but the Holy Spirit is in you and He will help you stay in opposition to it. You know in your heart what sin easily trips you up; stay away from it! 

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
Galatians 5:17 ESV

Leading a morally blameless life takes strong desire, however, God hasn’t left us alone to try to walk in His ways; we have His Spirit. Interestingly, many of the verses that mention ‘blameless’ also mention The Day of the Lord; let’s remember that,

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24 NLT

God wasn’t surprised when sin entered His Kingdom and mankind lost their rights; His plan was eternal and would not be thwarted. Read Gabriel’s message to Mary of the promised Messiah:

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:32-33 

Only the Messiah, the Christ, had the authority to restore the kingdom culture to mankind but it wouldn’t be the lower story, a physical kingdom, but the upper story, a spiritual kingdom. Although Old Testament is filled with kings and kingdoms in the lower story they’re only foreshadows of the invisible kingdom, the upper story, that’s promised to believers.

Jesus was clear that there’s an entry point into this new way of life, this kingdom culture:

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20

We must be righteous in God’s eyes to enter His kingdom culture but how does that happen?

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.

Mark 10:15

Our childlike trust in God to forgive and save us from our sin gives us access to the kingdom of God because Jesus declared us not guilty before the Father. He took our sin and gave us His righteousness as a free gift; that’s our access code.

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. Matthew 5:3 

When Jesus appeared on the earth He declared that this invisible, accessible kingdom culture was back again.

The time promised by God has come at last!” He announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Mark 1:15

If this kingdom culture is invisible, the upper story, how do we know we’re in? Good question. 

Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!” Mark 9:1

So it’s invisible, a spiritual kingdom and yet we can see it. Hmmmmm, thankfully Jesus cleared that up when He instructed us to go and re-present Him to the world as His image-bearers.

Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ Luke 10:9

But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. Matthew 12:28

We don’t need a culture change but to operate in the Spirit’s power in us to heal and deliver His people as Jesus instructed. 

For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21b NKJV

Unite All Things

Several years ago I traveled into Germany. It was one of my favorite trips because I personally learned so much history. I’m sorry to say that my knowledge of WWII was limited and I didn’t understand the reunification of Germany in 1990. After walking through what was previously the military-guarded, barbed wired border, I felt humbled at what had taken place. Reunification is bringing back together what had been divided, like East and West Germany. That’s where we land today: Eph. 1:10.

As we wrap up this section of scripture Paul reminds us of what he had taught in the beginning: we are blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Now he closes with the plan and purpose of Christ being reunification or bringing back together all things in heaven and on earth. When the fullness of time comes and He returns to earth He will bring reunification. Think about that. There’s an interconnectedness, an overlapping, a weaving together of heaven and earth today in partial fulfillment, but then, on That Day, it will be complete. 

How will this linking of heaven and earth operate? Think back to the Garden of Eden. Creator and creature were in constant communion. Kingdom principals in God’s realm (heaven) were operating in man’s realm (earth). That’s true unity. However, after sin entered our earthly realm, God divided the kingdom. We had to wait for the heavenly things, accomplished through Messiah, to be united again to the earthly things. Mercy, justice, and forgiveness were extended to mankind and relationship was restored.

Jesus warned us in His conversation with Nicodemus,

But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? John 3:12 NLT

The spiritual blessings of the heavenly places are partially fulfilled now but when the fullness of time arrives, look out, the Fifth Kingdom of Daniel 7 will be inaugurated. The King of kings will be on His earthly throne.

And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; His kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. Daniel 7:27 ESV

We were originally created in His image and as believers reflect Him in all we say and do. Our sin is washed away, we communicate with God, and experience divine unity with Him every day: heavenly things. But then, at the fullness of time, we will rule and reign with Him in this new kingdom that reunifies heaven and earth. Dominion is restored, Satan and his demons are banished, and we arrive full-circle. We have a foretaste now but then we’ll experience complete unity.

Eph. 1:3-10 is a fascinating portion of scripture that I hope you understand and appreciate more now than you did when we began. I know I do. 

Every nation from the beginning of time experienced it’s own unique culture. They’ve had a form of religion, language, economics, social traditions, government, arts (including literature and music), values and morals, a way of life that defined them. 

Since God is the Creator what was His original plan for the culture, the way of life, of His image-bearers? 

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness. And let them have dominion …”

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion …” Genesis 1:26, 28

Dominion and subjection over the earth in God’s place was His plan from the beginning. Their assignment was to form a kingdom culture whose way of life reflected the Creator. Dominion means to rule and reign as kings and queens in God’s religion, language, economics, and so on. That original assignment was to subdue the earth God created for us and have authority over it as royalty.

However, there was another kingdom being developed whose author tried to usurp that rule and reign: Satan, our enemy.

You (Satan) said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ Isaiah 14:13-14

You know what happened, Satan was thrown out of heaven along with his demon-followers, and he’s been trying to gain dominion ever since. During His wilderness temptation Jesus was lured with that authority He already possessed,

And the devil took Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to Him, “To You I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.” Luke 4:5-6

Jesus knew Satan received delegated authority over the earth temporarily, after the fall, but Jesus wanted His followers to focus on worship and servanthood. Satan declared,

If You (Jesus), then, will worship me, it will all be Yours. And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.’” Luke 4:7-8

That’s a true kingdom culture. God originally desired His people to serve as royalty in His kingdom and that hasn’t changed because God doesn’t change. It doesn’t make sense in our world today, it may even by culture shock to many, but God’s kingdom, the culture of Christianity, is different, distinct, and separate from the kingdom of this world. When we’re not operating in Kingdom of God principles we’re automatically operating in the Kingdom of the world. Let’s investigate those two kingdoms over the next few weeks asking the Holy Spirit to reveal them to us in practical ways.

The Call of the Beloved

I love post-it notes. I’ll admit it, I use them virtually every day. They serve as reminders to my overloaded brain. Here’s my ‘note to self’ for today:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6 

Can you see the many spiritual blessings listed in these verses? We’ve covered being chosen, walking in holiness and without blame, that our destiny is adoption into His family, and all because we are in the Beloved.

That phrase of endearment, in the Beloved, sent me on a marvelous journey into the scriptures. The word translated ‘beloved’ is used about 65 times in the New Testament. You may remember at Jesus’ baptism, the heavens were torn open and His Father spoke: “You are my beloved Son; with You I am pleased,” (Mark 1:9-11). That experience showed the interconnectedness of heaven and earth; Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. It’s important because Jesus is God’s Son and we have established that we are sons and daughters in like manner. Jesus is the Beloved and we are the beloved. As God was pleased with His Son, in the same way, He is pleased with us. 

The declaration of the love of God is intimate and sincere as we personally experience this divine love from heaven. It’s a love that demonstrates value and is treasured; it’s a blessing that is His will and comes through grace. God loves Israel (Jer. 31:3) the promised Messiah (Is. 42:1-4) in that way and it’s woven throughout the Song of Songs in a deeply intimate way.

Paul picked up the theme of this kind of love and carried it into his writings. He wrote in Rom. 1:7 that we are loved by God and called to be saints, additionally, in Rom. 12:19 we’re warned, for that reason, not to take our own vengeance but overcome evil with good. That’s how the beloved of God would behave. Paul sent encouragement throughout his letters as a father would speak to his son and continued the call of the beloved. John, the apostle that Jesus loved, uniquely understood this relationship and used the title ‘beloved’ consistently throughout his letters. We are the ones that God loves, Jesus loves, Paul loves, Peter loves, John loves; I think you get the picture.

Beloved readers, whatever this next week holds for you, remember this: your spiritual blessings are available because you remain intimately connected to the Beloved Jesus Christ. Walk worthy of His love.

As we bring this drama to a conclusion let’s remember why God chose a community of people to represent Him: He promised His Son a Bride. She would be holy and blameless, without spot or wrinkle, and recreated in His image. The Body of Christ, the Church, is empowered by God, the Holy Spirit to accomplish all He has destined us to be and to do; we’re not in this alone.

We learned that a healthy body grows as it’s equipped and built up by the Spirit and each other; we’re interdependent, joined, and in harmony as we work side-by-side in ministry using our unique gifts. That’s God’s way.

The last aspect of the Body of Christ is that we are expected, like a human body, to mature. 

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1 Peter 2:2-3 

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:15-16

What does spiritual maturity look like? How do we know, practically, that we’re growing in Christ-likeness? Ephesians 4 gives us many attributes of Christ that we can imitate and grow more comfortable in as we honor Him with our life. 

Forgiveness, compassion, truthfulness, generosity, encouragement, kindness, thankfulness, this is a good place to begin but maturity means that we show more and more of these characteristics as we work together.

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Ephesians 4:13

After Jesus taught His last parable (Matt. 25:14) where He stressed using our gifts to minister to others He launched into a teaching of His Return and our receiving of the predestined inheritance: the Kingdom of God in its fullness. 

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.’ Matthew 25:40 

Living in the Kingdom of God, our new culture, expresses a life of victory as we overcome, in His strength and power, the enemy of our souls. We recognize the enemy faster, we’re not ignorant of his devices, and we know what to do because we know who we are: the triumphant Church. 

As this drama comes to completion, scene after scene, Jesus will return for His Bride who looks and acts just like Him. As we follow His charge we can be assured of His response, “Well done.”