THE KINGDOM OF GOD (9)

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (41)/ THE KINGDOM OF GOD (9)

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of Romans 14:16-18; Matt 13: 47-52; Acts 5:12-32

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed. It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for humanity. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. Love is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in Christ. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. Agape love is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was so in the early church, and during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

Question: what is the difference between human genuine love and agape love? Human love can be as strong as death. Many unbelievers have loved others and sacrificed their lives for them. But there is a vital difference between human and agape love manifested by the child of God.

*The Source of Agape love is found in the Cross. Christ died for me. He loved me first. Therefore, I love others. Human love is based on the flesh, on emotions, which can fail anytime.

*The Power to sustain Agape Love is through the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s heart. It never fails. Human love is sustained by emotions and personal commitments which can fail anytime.

*The Goal of Agape Love is to give glory to God. It is heavenly. The goal of human love is to make humanity ‘a better place’. The goal is earthly.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).

The Kingdom of God is the realm, rule, and reign of God, where Jesus Christ is King, advancing on earth, by the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, bringing righteousness, peace, joy, healing, freedom, prosperity, and deliverance, by driving away the forces of darkness. Jesus said: “But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already come upon you” (Lk 11:20; AMP). As a citizen of heaven, you must experience deliverance, victory upon victory in every area of your life! Amen! God’s Kingdom is the realm of God Himself, filled with truth, love, holiness, righteousness, power, grace, and Glory! It points to spiritual things, to eternal life, to the atmosphere of heaven, to the worship there, and to the authority of God. The Kingdom of God has three basic attributes: Righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Spirit! The concept of the Kingdom has almost been lost. Most people do not understand the authority of the King in his domain, and the blessings of the subjects. This is because most countries have other types of government: democracy, communism, or dictatorship. God invented the concept of Kingdom so that it is easier for us understand His plan and purpose for men.

“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.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 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” (Gen 1:26-28). God created the human beings to populate the earth. He created them male and female. He created them in His own image and likeness. God gave them ‘dominion’ over all the animals. The word ‘dominion’ is a Kingdom Word. It means to have sovereign authority, absolute power to rule, to control or master another. Even at creation, before sin entered, God’s plan and purpose for them was to be kings in their domain, to be royal priesthood in Christ. Man was to rule and reign over all the animals, but not over one another. When Adam sinned, he lost a Kingdom. Jesus came to live and die, to re-establish God’s Kingdom on earth. He is now the King of kings! What makes the Kingdom of God different from any other kingdom, is that all its citizens (subjects) are the relatives of the King, and they are all kings themselves! What a privilege to be the royal priesthood in Christ!!! Glory!

The word ‘Kingdom’ comes from two words: King and Domain. God has always been God. Then God created the spiritual (invisible) world and the physical world (man). He did it for His own pleasure and because He is a Creator. Once God created His domain, He became King over His domain. Let us start with what the Kingdom of God is not. The Apostle Paul says that it is not ‘eating and drinking’. It is not ‘meat and drink’ (KJ). It is not made from material things, man-made, temporal, or perishable items. It is not a collection of some little things that you buy with money. We often forget the littleness of this material world and the amazing majesty of the eternal God. We forget that all things do not have the same power or value. For example, Jesus said that life is more valuable than food and the body is more than the clothes that cover it. “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt 6:25). To worry about food and dress, and to ignore your life, is foolish. For unbelievers, food, and clothes are more important than their souls. Here you see that the doctrine of the Kingdom of God is not a matter of indifference. The Kingdom of God is not just a little religious behavior, something small, narrow, and negative. It is a grand concept, fit for the King of kings to rule and to reign. The Holy Spirit must give you the revelation! Selah!

“O kingdom of God, of everlasting blessedness, where youth never grow old, where beauty never fades, where love never waxes cold, where health never fails, where joy never decreases, where life never ends!” (St. Augustine, 354-430, AD)

THE PARABLES OF THE GREAT DRAGNET AND THE HOUSEHOLDER (Matt 13:47-52)

Parables are little stories that illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. The human brain is wired in a such a way that we remember a little story easier than if someone argues with us or preaches just moral principles. Jesus used parables a lot, to reveal and to hide truth.

The parable of the great dragness is a warning parable of Jesus. God’s Kingdom is like a big dragnet cast into the sea. The net has weights on its borders to go deep and rest at the bottom of the sea. There are at least 24 types of fish in the Sea of Galilee. If you want to catch a particular type of fish, you use a special bait. But this dragnet catches all types of fish. Some fish were good, and others were bad, some clean and others unclean, some alive and others dead. The fishers drew the full net to the shores. They then separated the good fish from the bad. The good fish were gathered into vessels, for the pleasure of the Master who made the sea and sent His workers to cast and drag the net. The bad fish was destroyed, The preaching of the Gospel is the great net. Jesus said: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt 4:19). This command was to make the disciples evangelists. The parable of the net is a judgment parable! Selah!

The sea represents the world, humanity in general. “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues… 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth” (Rev17:15,18). The great harlot called Babylon the Great, is a symbol for the devil, who reigns over the kings of this earth. Once the King’s servants preach Christ crucified and resurrected, many people, good and bad, ‘enter’ its net. Many people are attracted by the Good news of Salvation. They become members of the visible church. The kings of the earth who are under the devil see that Jesus won the battle and now surrender to Him. Jesus is the King of kings. Amen! The truth is that all men are born sinners. They all need salvation. None is good. But in this parable, men are divided in ‘good and bad’ according to their reaction to truth. The good ones, hearing the Gospel, humble themselves, repent and totally surrender to King Jesus. They now become ‘just’. The bad ones are the religious unbelievers. They too are attracted by the offer of salvation in Christ. But they refuse to repent. They do not change. They do not love. They are hypocrites. From being bad, they now become ‘wicked’. The net is not pulled in until it is full. This parable is talking about the future judgment at the end of the age.

This work is seen especially ‘at the end of the age’. Like wheat and tares, the good and the bad stay together for a time. But when the angels separate the people, it becomes clearer who is good and who is bad. The light of God shines on all. The bad ones cannot hide anymore. They will publicly insult God, Christ, the Bible and leaders of His Church. There will be many surprises. Not all who are members of the visible church are citizens of God’s Kingdom. The revelation of the kingdom of heaven forces individuals out into the open, where they manifest for what they really are. The radical truth of the gospel is like a net passing through the restless humanity. The Gospel of the Kingdom is the ultimate reality, the fundamental secret of life eternal. Whoever is caught in the net of truth is forced to declare himself out into the open to reveal whether he is bad or good. You can see this process in your own experience, or in the record of church history. The gospel has this radical character about it. It separates people into two groups: the saved and the lost. Selah!

Jesus said that this separation of the just from the wicked will be accomplished by the angels. This work is not done by men because men can be deceived. The angels are the soldiers protecting the boundaries and the citizens of God’s Kingdom. Angels are always active, but most of the time their activity has been behind the scenes. Some things happen in our lives which cannot be explained by common sense. Miracles are often a manifestation of some kind of angelic activity. This will increase at the end of the age. Increasingly, we will see in the church people divided into either evil or good. It will become plain to all. As we draw near the end of the age, evil will become more and more difficult to hide. It is going to be harder to pretend to be a Christian. People will no longer be able to hide behind some form of outward religious righteousness. Exposing the bad is to destroy them and allowing the good to remain for the harvest of God.

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats” (Matt25:31,32). Here you see King Jesus sitting on His throne. The holy angels who separated the wicked from the good are with Him. He separates the people as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. The ones who welcomed Him into their hearts and lives are blessed. Those who rejected Him are cursed and sent to hell fire. Once again, we must listen to Jesus’ words and the warnings of Scripture. If there is no judgment, then there is no need for salvation. That would mean that many of the wicked in this life would get away with their wickedness and it means we live in an unjust world. But God’s kingdom is a kingdom of justice, and so, yes, there is a day of judgment coming. Selah!

Remember the parables are designed both to conceal and reveal. The parables are meant to conceal the truth from those whose hearts are hardened towards God. And they are meant to reveal spiritual truth to those whose hearts are open towards God. This revelation is a warning. A day of reckoning will come in which God will separate the true believers from mere pretenders, and those found to be false will be cast into hell. Weeping speaks of remorse and sorrow; gnashing of teeth speaks of frustration, torment, and anger. Jesus is speaking!

From this parable we understand that God’s Kingdom has two components: a visible and an invisible one. It gathers within it not only true subjects of the kingdom but also others like Judas, Ananias, Sapphira, Demas, and others who were in the Kingdom, but the Kingdom is not in them. The visible church is still a mixed multitude. There are essentially two separations in this parable: the first is by the net and the second is on the shore. The good fish are those who were once sinners (bad fish in the sea) but had faith in Christ and God justified them. The bad fish rejected Christ in the sea and on the shore. As faithful, holy, and spiritual beings, the angels will separate the good from the bad. Swiftly and exactly, they will separate men according to God’s standard. What a perfect separation that will be! Not one wicked person will make it into heaven; not one of God’s saved people will accidentally be lost in hell. None can beg the angels! All that matters is what orders the Lord has given to the angels, and Christ is revealing that to us here. At the final judgment truth shall be seen!

After Jesus died and resurrected, He told them: “When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” (Matt 28:17-20). They knew that their work is to preach the Gospel and to teach the Bible. Bible teachers and preachers are blessed! We must teach men the commandments of King Jesus and how to obey them. This is the great commission to make disciples and obedient citizens of the Kingdom. The presence of King Jesus with us, to the end of the world is our only protection and provision. The presence of King Grace is more than enough for any challenge in life. The Holy Spirit teaches us all that we need to know. He leads us from victory to victory until the end of time. Worship the Lord!

LESSONS:

*There is hell!!! Christ is very graphic while describing hell as a place of torment for both body and soul (Matt 13:50). There will be darkness, fire, suffering, screaming, gnashing of teeth and endless torment. Jesus is Agape Love. He warns us of hell more than anyone!

*There is a final judgment on sin! God is the Judge of all! “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb9:27)

*We must examine ourselves! “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified” (2Cor 13:5, 6).

*We must humble ourselves. We must see ourselves thru the eyes of God, not thru our own opinion. Pay the price to be holy! The Bible makes clear that without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14).

After telling the disciples the parable of the great dragnet, Jesus asked them: “Have you understood all these things. They said to Him, “Yes, Lord”. They did not understand all the mysteries of the Kingdom and their work as servants, but they understood enough for now. Then Jesus tells the disciples: “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old”. In the Old Testament, the scribes were godly men who copied, studied, and taught the Bible to their students. The best example is Ezra, who was from the priestly family of Aaron. “Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given… For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:6,10). Jesus said that the scribe who understands the revelation of the Kingdom of God is a Bible teacher. He is like a wealthy ‘householder’, or Master of his house, which is filled with treasures, containing things new and old. In Greek, the word ‘householder’ is ‘despotes’, which is the root of ‘despot’. A despot is a ruler, or a king, who has absolute power in his domain and uses it sometimes in an oppressive way. Jesus is the original Master of the House. All sinners see Jesus as a Tyrant, or a Despot. But God has already decided that all men, good or bad, must bow their knees to Jesus, and worship Him as God King of kings!

Lessons: We are the citizens of God’s Kingdom. We have access to the treasures of the royal palace. We bring these treasures out and share it to men. Whosever receives and surrenders to Christ, will be saved. Whosoever rejects the offer of free salvation, will perish in the fire. The old and new treasures are the revelations of God’s Word. In other words, both the Old Testament and the New Testament are important. They are both the Word of God. The hidden prophecies in the Old Testament, are now made plain by the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. The ‘old’ scriptures come with fresh power because of the Holy Spirit’s new revelation about Christ and His Kingdom. The newer teachings do not replace the old teachings. Rather the new teachings complete them and fulfill them. Jesus said: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matt 5:17) A teacher of the law who only knows the Old Testament can only teach the law. But those who know the New Testament also teach faith in Christ and God’s grace given to us in his Son Jesus. Notice that Jesus puts the new treasures before the old treasures. The ‘New’ comes first because we are New Testament people. Notice the owner doesn’t keep the treasures in the storeroom, but he brings them out for others to see. We are called to share what we learn with others. You learn about God’s kingdom not just for yourself but to share these things with others.

Once you witness revelation upon revelation of the scriptures, it is a sign that you have entered the Kingdom of God. When God wants to bless a person, a church or a nation, He starts to release new revelations of old truths. The Sower sows the seed into the ground and expects a harvest. But here, the Lord says that we should not sow into the ground but ‘bring out’ from the treasure of God’s House and sow into others. By sharing revelations of God’s Word, you don’t waste them. You invest them into souls for the increase of God’s Kingdom. You become like a tree of life for many. “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise” (PV11:30). By preaching and teaching God’s Word, you plant treasures into others. By paying the price to have fresh revelations of old truths, you open savings accounts in heaven, for you and for others. You tap into the realm of eternal riches of God’s glory that no money can buy. Glory!

Lessons taken from the parable of the net: All people hear the Gospel. God knows your heart. There is a judgment ahead. God will judge all people by their response to the Gospel. None can hide. None can escape. Jesus is coming again. When He comes, this world will end. God’s great dragnet will sweep through the earth, and none will escape. All people great and small will stand before the throne and be judged according to their works (Rev 20:11-15). The punishment for sin will be serious and severe. Those who reject Jesus will experience eternal pain, mourning and regret. Only those whose names are found written in the Lamb’s book of life will be saved. And so, now is the time to make your decision about Jesus. It will be too late after you die or after Jesus returns. Now is the time for salvation. When Jesus returns, that will be the time for judgment. Have you trusted Jesus for salvation? If not, I urge you, I encourage you, I invite you, I welcome you – come to Jesus today. He loves you. He died for you. He is waiting for you. What are you waiting for?

CHRIST, THE PRINCE! (Ac 5:12-32)

This is a wonderful scene in the early church. It shows us the power of the Holy Spirit manifested through the disciples. They were arrested for teaching the people that Jesus is the Savior and the Prince (King) of His Kingdom. The Religious rulers hated this message because it exposed them as fake. They believed they are the saviors and princes of Israel. They put the apostles in prison. But an angel freed them telling them to continue to teach the Gospel. Their deliverance was a miracle. The angel could not preach. Preaching is the privilege of saints. The angel commanded them to continue teaching the people about Jesus. The religious rulers arrested them and warned them not to teach in the name of Jesus. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly declared that they must obey God (and His angel) rather than men. He accused them directly of killing Jesus by ‘hanging Him on a tree’ (a poetic expression referring to crucifixion). He said that Jehovah God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Him to His right hand to be Prince and Savior. In His name, the people of Israel must repent of sins. Peter declared that they were witnesses to these facts, together with the Holy Spirit who came in the name of Jesus.

Here you see the citizens of two kingdoms opposing each other. The kingdom of this world, whose prince is the devil, was represented by religious rulers. On the other side, the Kingdom of God, whose Prince is Jesus Christ, was represented by Peter and the disciples. Face to face, two kingdoms and two ways of life, temporal and eternal, human and divine. It is the battle between death and life, law and grace, darkness and light, bondage to sin and freedom in Christ. Here you see side by side human history and God’s history. When Jesus was born, most of the people in Jerusalem ignored that event. For them, Jesus was a small baby born to a poor couple. But in the history of God, the King of kings was born on earth. God was introducing His own Kingdom un the midst of the kingdoms of this earth. Herod, the fake king of the Jews panicked. He killed many children just to kill baby Jesus. But He failed to do so. Jesus came to live and die, to be Savior and Prince to those who will believe in Him. Those like Herod who reject Him, will die eternal death.

Study the citizens of both Kingdoms, as they confront each other. Peter and the rest of the apostles were ready to die for their King. They could not stop praising Jesus and continued to teach all people that Jesus is Savior and Prince. But the Pharisees are spiritually blind, proud, stubborn, and foolish men. Everyone in Jerusalem knew that a man called Jesus, who did many miracles, who declared that He is the Son of God, and King in his Kingdom, was crucified between two thieves. These were facts, not stories. But the religious rulers refused to face the facts. They did not know how the cripple man was healed. They refused to believe in Jesus and in His miracles. Unbelief is proud and willingly blind. After the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., these Pharisees, and Herod dynasty, disappeared from the earth. Selah!

The center of the revelation was Jesus Christ, the King of His Kingdom. The religious rulers rejected Jesus as the Savior of men. They totally ignored Him as the King of kings. Even today, many Christians know and confess Jesus as their Savior. It is true that when you encounter Jesus for the first time, you meet Him as your Savior. But you must press on to have a deeper revelation of Him. They are ignorant that Jesus is much more than the Savior of sinners. Humanly speaking, Jesus came as King, in the lineage of King David. But Jesus is the Son of God. He came as the King of His Kingdom. He came with the authority of heaven. God the Father exalted Him as Savior not only of sinners, but of the whole universe. The creation itself has been affected by the fall of man. The creation itself is waiting to be saved from the ravages of sin and rebellion. The whole creation, visible and invisible, must bow before its Creator, Savior and Prince. This is the purpose and will of God the Father, who “made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, with regard to the fulfillment of the times [that is, the end of history, the climax of the ages]—to bring all things together in Christ, [both] things in the heavens and things on the earth” (Eph 1:9,10; AMP). Christ is the King of God’s Kingdom.

As he was dying, the thief on the Cross, received the revelation that Jesus is not just an innocent victim but the King of His Kingdom. He said: “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Lk 23:42,43). Jesus was beaten almost beyond recognition. But the thief’s eyes got open to see the King in His glory and beauty! Hallelujah!

“The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself…” (Deut 28:9). This is the promise of God: if you diligently obey God’s Word, He will establish you as a holy godly) person. Selah! To establish it means to have a strong foundation, or deep roots. It speaks of being strong and enduring any storm of life. To establish it means to be recognized and admired by all as successful. It means that your life and memory will continue for a long time. As Christ is the King of His kingdom, so the child of God becomes established in His name! Glory!

Everything and everyone, in heaven and on earth, must bow to Him. Jesus Christ is the only Person who can successfully rule all things and keep order and peace in the whole universe. No other is qualified to be the King of kings! Christ alone has the right to be called Prince! He alone can write His Law in people’s hearts. He alone has the authority to call sinners saying: “Follow Me”, and they follow. He alone promised to build His church and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. All civilizations, empires and kingdoms of men, can only force men to bow by force. Christ alone makes men bow by the power of His Love. One day, Jesus will come back again, to destroy what He has defeated. All men will see Him seated on the throne. All men shall be judged by Him. King Jesus shall rule forever! “Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice” (Isa 32:1). Worship the Lord!

‘Crown Him with many crowns,

the Lamb upon His throne.

Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns

all music but its own.

Awake, my soul, and sing

of Him who died for thee,

and hail Him as thy matchless King

through all eternity!’ (M. Bridges)

THE KINGDOM OF GOD ( 8 )

Jun23 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (40)/ THE KINGDOM OF GOD (8)

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).

The Kingdom of God is the realm, rule, and reign of God, where Jesus Christ is King, advancing on earth, by the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, bringing righteousness, peace, joy, healing, freedom, prosperity, and deliverance, by driving away the forces of darkness. Jesus said: “But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already come upon you” (Lk 11:20; AMP). As a citizen of heaven, you must experience deliverance, victory upon victory in every area of your life! Amen! God’s Kingdom is the realm of God Himself, filled with truth, love, holiness, righteousness, power, grace, and Glory! It points to spiritual things, to eternal life, to the atmosphere of heaven, to the worship there, and to the authority of God. The Kingdom of God has three basic attributes: Righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Spirit! The concept of the Kingdom has almost been lost. Most people do not understand the authority of the King in his domain, and the blessings of the subjects. This is because most countries have other types of government: democracy, communism, or dictatorship. God invented the concept of Kingdom so that it is easier for us understand His plan and purpose for men.

“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.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 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” (Gen 1:26-28). God created the human beings to populate the earth. He created them male and female. He created them in His own image and likeness. God gave them ‘dominion’ over all the animals. The word ‘dominion’ is a Kingdom Word. It means to have sovereign authority, absolute power to rule, to control or master another. Even at creation, before sin entered, God’s plan and purpose for them was to be kings in their domain, to be royal priesthood in Christ. Man was to rule and reign over all the animals, but not over one another. When Adam sinned, he lost a Kingdom. Jesus came to live and die, to re-establish God’s Kingdom on earth. He is now the King of kings! What makes the Kingdom of God different from any other kingdom, is that all its citizens (subjects) are the relatives of the King, and they are all kings themselves! What a privilege to be the royal priesthood in Christ!!! Glory!

TRANSFERRED UNTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins’ penalty]” (Col 1:13, 14; AMP).

All believers in Christ are ‘rescued’

and ‘transferred’ (or ‘translated’) people. In Greek, the word ‘rescued’ means to deliver from danger or destruction; to drag away a victim from fire or from lion’s mouth. The word ‘transferred’ means to translate, to carry away from one place to another, to relocate. It is a picture of refugees who ran from war zones and were given new land to settle. We are not just saved from the prison of sin but given a new home in the land of liberty. These two actions are different, but they go together. Jesus saved us from the ghettos of the world and gave us a home in His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy. Now, our Savior is our King. A new behavior is now expected from us. All God’s children are prepared for heaven while they live on earth. This preparation is called imparted righteousness or sanctification. Once, we were slaves to the devil. We have been bought by King Jesus from the slave sin market. This purchase was made with His Blood shed on the Cross. Now, we are the willing subjects and lovers of King Jesus. We are in the Kingdom of God’s Beloved Son (or the Son of His Love, or the Son on whom His Love rests). Agape Love is the power engine for both the rescue, the settlement, and the growing in grace in the Kingdom of God. Words are not enough to praise God for this great salvation. Praise the Lord!

As believers, we have been carried away by the Lord Jesus Christ, from the power of darkness into the Kingdom of God, to receive a new identity, standing, and status before God. The power of darkness refers to the devil and the demons. The devil does not really have a kingdom. It is an illegal Kingdom. God’s judgment upon Babylon, the Prostitute, Jezebel, the so called ‘queen of the world’, is sure: “Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; For you shall no longer be called The Lady of Kingdoms” (Is 47:5). The powers of darkness are totally defeated at the Cross. But God allows them to still manifest for a time. They will be destroyed at the second coming of Christ. The power of darkness manifests as bondage to sin, sickness, suffering and death. As sinners, we could not

deliver ourselves from these unbreakable chains. Jesus had to die on the Cross to set us free. Glory to the Lamb upon the throne!

“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” (1Pet 2:9). The word ‘marvelous’ means something to wonder at.

The Kingdom of God is a real Kingdom. It is the spiritual domain where God’s rule and law is obeyed and where God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ is the supreme King. A kingdom is not made of random people. Like the members of the body, all the citizens of God’s Kingdom are part of the Kingdom. They all worship and love their King. Each believer is connected directly to King Jesus and connected to the other believers. It is an unbreakable holy network. This connection is based on love, which is the first commandment in the Kingdom. All citizens gladly submit to King Jesus and to one other another. This submission is also powered by agape Love for Jesus. Love is the proof that we fear and honor God the Father. We are “submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Eph 5:21). Selah!

THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me” (Matt 18:1-5).

“Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Lk 18:15-17).

King Jesus describes the character necessary to receive ‘entry visa’ into the Kingdom of God. “You must be born again!” (Jn 3:3). To be born again it means to become ‘like a child’. What is the meaning of that? Great teacher Nicodemus did not understand this word. To be ‘like a child’ describes not only a citizen of the Kingdom, but also a leader among men in that Kingdom. In the world, if you ask people, who is the greatest in a family, a community, or in a church, they will bring out the most handsome, best educated, best speaker, best dressed man among them. Remember that men look at “the outward appearance but God looks at the heart” (1Sam 16:7).

The words ‘child or children’ appear almost 2000 times in the Bible. Adam and Eve never had a childhood. Adam was made a perfect man and Eve was made a perfect woman by God. To be a parent, is a gift from God. God loves and protects all children. Ruben warned his brothers when they decided to kill Joseph. He said: “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us” (Gen 42:22). Jesus’ warning against pedophiles is terrifying. He said: “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt 18:6). Children are God’s gift and reward. “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth” (Ps127:3,4). For the Jewish women, barrenness was seen as punishment from God. In Israel, the boys and the girls were taken care and educated by their mothers. As they grew, the girls continued to stay in the house. The mother would teach her daughters until they got married. After the boys grow a little, they will be trained by their fathers. The children grew to love their parents, especially their mothers.

Observe what King Jesus is doing: the disciples were struggling for positions of authority in the Kingdom. Each thought that he was more qualified than the others to lead. Then Jesus called a little child and ‘set him in the midst’ of the disciples. He was not a special child, well dressed, well mannered, who was the best in his class or in the synagogue. No! He was an ‘ordinary’ child, playing around. I imagine that his clothes were dirty, his fingernails not clean, his nose was running… He was just a child. Jesus says that this child is a type of the greatest citizen in His Kingdom. The disciples looked at the children as having low social significance, low value. They thought that Jesus should not waste His precious time with the children. But Jesus corrected them. He told the disciples that the children represent the citizens and the ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. What did He have in mind? What are the attributes of a child?

*First, a child is just a child. He is natural, open-minded. He has nothing to hide. He is curious. He asks questions. A child simply loves you. A child loves to dream, to imagine things. A child is creative. A child does not pretend. He is not a hypocrite, not a traitor or a seducer. He is born a sinner. That is true. A child learns to behave badly to survive in the world of sinners as he is growing up. But a little child has the innocence of mind and heart, that reminds us of God. A child is poor in spirit; therefore, theirs is the Kingdom of God.

*Children have joy. They are happy with little things. They are happy because they are not anxious about the cares of this world.

*Children have faith. They tend to trust others and become influenced by them. They are not bitter. They do not doubt any good person they meet. They trust the adults. Children are fearless. If the father or mother tells his child ‘jump into my arms’, he jumps.

*Children have hope that the future is better than the present. They came to Jesus expecting good. They were not disappointed.

*Children are humble. They know that they are little in size. Their power is limited. They know that they are vulnerable. Their hands are empty as those of a beggar. That is why Jesus can take them by hand of give them gifts.

*Children do not get tired of playing. They are a symbol of Christians who persevere. We do not get tired of praying and praising Jesus.

*Children do not discriminate. Study the behavior of people. Adults behave differently according to their culture. But all children, all over the world, behave in the same way.

*Children are teachable. A child’s character can be molded to become a good person. They desire to change for the better. Two things influence us in life. One is hereditary and the second is the environment. Between the two, the environment is stronger. Take a child from the ghetto. Train him with love and care, and he will become a good person. Many of the adopted children in Christian families prove this fact. Adults change much slower than children. A child changes faster! A child can improve his behavior!

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Lk 10:19). Jesus delegated His authority to His ambassadors who were like children. This is hard for us to understand. Remember that once a child becomes born again, his eyes are opened to the reality of God’s Kingdom. He can pray and worship God even better than the adults. They are filled with the same Holy Spriit. There is nothing like ‘mini’ Holy Spirit. In Christ, there is no male nor female. Also, there is no adult, no child. We are all one in Christ! Never look down on a child! Pray for him!

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1Cor13:11,12). Children are immature in their understanding of life. Thru the study of the Bible, prayer and mentoring of the parents, they become spiritually mature. God invented marriage. God created men and women to have children. Often, the children are wiser than the adults. A child can lead his parents to the Lord. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them” (Isa 11:6). When King Jesus entered Jerusalem, the religious men withdrew. But the children joyfully praised Him. When adults were blind, the children saw the glory in King Jesus and openly praised Him. “But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” (Matt21:15,16). Glory to God!

Jesus did not say that we should be childish or foolish. He said we should be ‘child-like’. A childish spirit is selfish, unloving, impatient, cruel, demanding and vengeful, but a child-like spirit is kind, gentle and forgiving. God doesn’t tell us to be childish, immature men. Too many men are boys in a man’s body. They are terrible as friends, husbands (or wives). God teaches us to be like little children when we are adults. The Holy Spirit is not childish. Children lose their trust in their parents when they see adults behaving like them. Some sins hinder this desire to please Jesus, to have a child-like attitude: bitterness, anger, doubt, unforgiveness, hypocrisy, anxiety, and hardness of heart. These strongholds are common among religious people. May God deliver us! May we never lose our wonder of King Jesus!

“Old men and old women shall again sit In the streets of Jerusalem, Each one with his staff in his hand Because of great age. 5 The streets of the city Shall be full of boys and girls Playing in its streets” (Zech 8:4, 5). This is a prophetic picture of God’s Kingdom. Families are united and happy. There is a sweet unity between the generations. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Children are not hiding in the house. They are not afraid to play in the streets. There is righteousness, peace and joy in the city. This is a picture of revival. May it come, Lord!

GOD SPEAKS TO CHILDREN AND USES THEM IN HIS KINGDOM (1Sam 3:1-21)

This is the story of God’s calling the boy Samuel to prophetic ministry. Samuel may now be about 8-10 years old. God calls Samuel four times before He can speak to him. Samuel did not know God’s voice. It means that Eli the priest was not a good teacher. He did not tell Samuel that God can speak to children like him. Why? Because like many adults, Eli himself did not believe that God can speak to children. Hannah left her first son at the temple so that he can learn how to serve God. But Eli was not a good father or mentor. This is a warning to all parents and pastors! God Himself came and ‘stood’ by Samuel to speak to him. This is wonderful!

At that time, In Israel, religion was strong. But religion was mixed with immorality. At the same time, there was no revelation of God’s Word. There was spiritual darkness over the land. But little Samuel loved God and His Word. That is why God speaks to him. God is patient with Samuel when He sees that he does not understand His voice. This is God’s Grace! This is Agape Love. Samuel loves Eli. The first time God spoke, Samuel ran to Eli. He thought it was Eli speaking. After God spoke His judgment upon the house of Eli, Samuel waited until morning before telling Eli the painful news. Lesson: it is not easy to preach the truth, God’s judgment on sin. God trusts small boy Samuel with preaching His Word when even adults fear to do that. Lesson: God always judges sin! God speaks to those who love His Word! God spoke to Moses only when ‘he turned away from the flock to look” (Ex 3:4: AMP). God’s Word brings revival to the nation.

Finally, the boy Samuel is a wonderful example of what it means to be child-like, a citizen and leader in the Kingdom of God. When God spoke to him, he immediately answered “Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears” (1Sam 3:10). May our hearts and ears be open to God. Day or night, may we listen to God’s voice! May we trust and obey God! May we preach the truth is love, even when it is uncomfortable. May we love God’s Word! May God use us to ignite revival in the church and in the nation! In Jesus’ name, amen! Worship the Lord!

THE KINGDOM OF GOD (7)

Jun16 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (39)/ THE KINGDOM OF GOD (7)

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed. It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for humanity. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. Love is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in Christ. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. Agape love is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was so in the early church, and during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).

The Kingdom of God is the realm, rule, and reign of God, where Jesus Christ is King, advancing on earth, by the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, bringing righteousness, peace, joy, healing, freedom, prosperity, and deliverance, by driving away the forces of darkness. Jesus said: “But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already come upon you” (Lk 11:20; AMP). As a citizen of heaven, you must experience deliverance, victory upon victory in every area of your life! Amen! God’s Kingdom is the realm of God Himself, filled with truth, love, holiness, righteousness, power, grace, and Glory! It points to spiritual things, to eternal life, to the atmosphere of heaven, to the worship there, and to the authority of God. The Kingdom of God has three basic attributes: Righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Spirit! The concept of the Kingdom has almost been lost. Most people do not understand the authority of the King in his domain, and the blessings of the subjects. This is because most countries have other types of government: democracy, communism, or dictatorship. God invented the concept of Kingdom so that it is easier for us understand His plan and purpose for men.

The word ‘Kingdom’ comes from two words: King and Domain. God has always been God. Then God created the spiritual (invisible) world and the physical world (man). He did it for His own pleasure and because He is a Creator. Once God created His domain, He became King over His domain. Let us start with what the Kingdom of God is not. The Apostle Paul says that it is not ‘eating and drinking’. It is not ‘meat and drink’ (KJ). It is not made from material things, man-made, temporal, or perishable items. It is not a collection of some little things that you buy with money. We often forget the littleness of this material world and the amazing majesty of the eternal God. We forget that all things do not have the same power or value. For example, Jesus said that life is more valuable than food and the body is more than the clothes that cover it. “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt 6:25). To worry about food and dress, and to ignore your life, is foolish. For unbelievers, food, and clothes are more important than their souls. Here you see that the doctrine of the Kingdom of God is not a matter of indifference. The Kingdom of God is not just a little religious behavior, something small, narrow, and negative. It is a grand concept, fit for the King of kings to rule and to reign. The Holy Spirit must give you the revelation! Selah!

JESUS IS THE KING OF KINGS

Immediately after Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan, He started preaching. “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 4:17). This is the first royal command: Repent! Why? Because the Kingdom of heaven is at hand! The words ‘at hand’ mean ‘coming close, it is near’. Jesus commands all men to repent! In Greek, the word ‘repent’ means to think again, re-consider, think differently. Repentance applies to sins or to a wrong course of action. To repent it means that you stop going the wrong way, you turn around (180 degrees) and you now move on a new path. It is a matter of re-thinking. Jesus commands this repentance in connection with the Kingdom of God. He knows that we have a wrong concept of Him as the King in His Kingdom. Until we understand God’s purpose of establishing His Kingdom on earth, and setting His Son as King, we have not repented yet. Selah!

God created Adam and Eve in His own image and likeness. He created Adam as man and as king. It was the same with Eve. Both were kings and ambassadors of heaven to earth. God gave them ‘dominion’ over His creation (Gen 1:26-28). ‘Dominion’ is a Kingdom word. They had control or dominion over all the animals God has created. The devil deceived Eve by saying that if she eats from the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, she will become ‘like God’ (Gen 3:5). But she and Adam were already ‘like God’. Her ignorance of her identity was the cause of her fall. She obeyed the serpent, the devil. Adam also disobeyed God’s command. This is how sin entered humanity. When Adam fell, he lost not only his fellowship with God, his place in the garden, but also his crown and throne as king before God. That was a major tragic loss. As a sinner, he now became ‘an ordinary man’. He sold his crown to the devil who now became ‘royalty’ on earth in Adam’s place. Our Lord Jesus recognized this and called the devil ‘the ruler or the prince of this world’. “Now judgment is upon this world [the sentence is being passed]. Now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out… I will not speak with you much longer, for the ruler of the world (Satan) is coming. And he has no claim on Me [no power over Me nor anything that he can use against Me]… about judgment [the certainty of it], because the ruler of this world (Satan) has been judged and condemned” (Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). It is painful to see that Jesus calls the devil ‘ruler or prince’ of this world. He deceived Adam to gain this title and position. We see that Jesus respects the fake authority of the devil. Jesus became Man to confront and defeat the ruler of this world. By His death on the Cross, Jesus exposed the devil and his wickedness. By shedding His Blood on the Cross Jesus set free the devil’s prisoners. Salvation is by grace alone, thru faith alone in Jesus Christ alone! To the glory of God alone!

The sinner is commanded to repent from submitting and loving Satan, his master and king. He must forsake his place as a citizen of the kingdom of darkness and come to the Kingdom of God, and of light. When Jesus became Man, He came as the King of His Kingdom. That was His main identity. The Angel told Mary that she will have a son who will be a king on the lineage of David. “Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Lk 1:30-33). Mary believed that her son called Jesus will be a King whose Kingdom will never end.

When the wise men came to see baby Jesus, they did not see Him as Priest or Prophet. They saw Him as King in His domain. They asked: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Matt 2:2). They brought Him gifts fit for a King. That is why king Herod panicked and wanted Jesus dead. Jesus came to earth as the King to redeem the kingdom lost by Adam. He fought and defeated the fake evil king, Satan. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1Jn 3:8). Jesus died on behalf of sinners. He took from the devil the keys of life and death. He also took from the devil the throne, crown, and scepter he stole from Adam. Lesson: Once you become born again, your soul is eternally saved. You also take your position as king and priest unto God. This redemption of our souls and our royal identity in Christ was paid with the Blood of Jesus. King Jesus died to save the other kings. This is the greatest manifestation of Agape Love!

This is the revelation given to Apostle John: “John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:4-6). Glory!

Lesson: Because we are selfish, we tend to focus too much on the ministry of Jesus as OUR Savior. We forget that our Savior is not an ordinary Man. He is the King of His Kingdom. Once saved by Jesus, we must bow before Him! Salvation leads to worship! If not, you are not saved! Selah!

THE PERFECT KINGDOM OF GOD

The Kingdom of God is a unique Kingdom. Jesus Christ is the eternal King seated on His Throne. It is God’s decree to ordain and appoint His Son to be King in His domain. Men did not vote for Jesus to be king. Men can never vote to remove Jesus from His Throne. His reign is everlasting. “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom” (Ps 45:6). Hallelujah! The Kingdom of God is made of citizens who are all kings and the King’s relatives. Jesus is the King of kings. The Church is the Bride of Christ, and the center of God’s Kingdom. King Jesus takes care of all His subjects. In God’s Kingdom, in the Spirit realm, there are hospitals, police, schools, leaders, administrators, and ambassadors. The citizens have faith that their King died and rose again to save their souls, restore their identity and heal their bodies. “By your stripes we are healed!”, they proclaim! The King provides for all the needs of the citizens. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). King Jesus is not an oppressor. He is a King Shepherd. “The LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me], I shall not want” (Ps 23:1; AMP). In the Kingdom all the citizens go to school. The Holy Spirit is their Teacher. King Jesus said: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (Jn 14:26).

The citizens pay tax so that the Kingdom’s work is financed on the earth. That tax is called ‘tithe’. Paying the tax is a Law in the Kingdom. It is a form of honor and worship to the King. The King rewards those who pay their taxes. “Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine” (PV 3:9,10). The Kingdom has a prosperous economy. The Law of planting and reaping works in the Kingdom. “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal 6:7). “Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to others] will also reap generously [and be blessed]” (2Cor 9:6). The Kingdom has leaders, who are the under shepherds, appointed by King Jesus. These are the leaders in the church. The Kingdom also has ambassadors who proclaim to other nations the glory of their King. “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20). By pushing away the forces of darkness, the borders of the Kingdom increase every day. “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Isa 9:6,7). Glory to the King of kings!

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEMOCRACY AND MONARCHY

King Jesus commanded that we should “Repent!” in our mindset about His Kingdom. Most people today live in democratic countries. That is why it is hard for them to imagine God’s Kingdom. We need to repent from our understanding of Jesus as King in His domain.

*In a democratic country the people vote and choose their rulers through elections. In a monarchy the king (or the queen) is installed when his (her) father (mother queen) dies. The people do not vote for their king. The pattern of ‘democracy’ was invented by the Greek Philosophers. In Greek, the word ‘democracy’ means ‘the rule of the people’. The word ‘monarchy’ means ‘alone’ or ‘one ruler’.

In a democracy, the laws are written in a Constitution. All the leaders and all the people must submit to the Constitution. In an absolute Monarchy, there is no constitution. The word of the King is the law in that country. In a democracy, the people have the right to free speech. They can criticize their president or their leaders. They can ask that laws should be amended. The leaders are accountable to the people who voted them into their positions. In a monarchy, the people do not have the right to criticize the king. The king is above the law. In a democracy, civil rights, equal opportunities concerning jobs and other social benefits regardless of race or religion are granted by the state. In a monarchy, civil rights are not granted to the people. There is no freedom of speech or religion. What the King wants, that is what everyone does. The King can discriminate against people. He gives gifts and rewards to whom He pleases. The people cannot complain. For now, Democracy is regarded are the most favored type of government. There are about 100 democratic countries in the world. For example, USA, France, India, Nigeria are democratic countries. Because of the lack of freedom of speech, monarchy is not liked by most people in the world. There are 43 sovereign states in the world that have a king (or queen) as head of state. Among them are The United Kingdom, Saudia Arabia, United Emirates, Thailand, Jordan and others. For example, in Thailand, whoever, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, or the Heir-apparent, shall be punished with imprisonment of three to fifteen years!

Jesus said that we must repent from the mindset of democracy to understand the value, authority, and power of the Kingdom of God. This repentance is not an easy process. At the Cross, the wisdom of men proved to be foolishness. “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor 1:18-25). May our eyes be open to see the King in His beauty, power and glory! Amen!

KING JESUS IS THE MIRACLE PROVIDER

If you study the life of King Jesus, you discover that He did many miracles. He healed and provided for the needs of many people. His miracles are a sign that the Kingdom of God is supernatural. Faith in the God of miracles is part of the Kingdom mindset.

These are some of the characteristics that we observe as King Jesus did miracles when He was on earth: Most of the miracles were done as a response to His compassion, care and love for needy people. He acted as Shepherd to His sheep. They are ‘mercy-miracles’. The miracles were done to ordinary people. He never did a miracle to help Himself. He never did any miracle before He entered His public ministry. For 30 years, living with His parents, He did not perform miracles. He never did miracles to attract attention to Himself or to attract followers. He refused to do miracles when He saw unbelief in the hearts of men. He did not heal every sick person. He was always led by the will of the Father and by the Holy Spirit. He appreciated genuine faith in people. He granted their request based on their faith. Many took His miracles for granted. They did not humble themselves and were not grateful to Him. He was creative when performing miracles. He could use physical means. But most of the time, the miracles were done by His Word and by His Will. All the miracles were done to the glory of God. His miracles prove that He is Lord and King overall, over the natural and spiritual realm. Praise the Lord!

WHEN LOVE IS SICK (Jn 11:1-48)

This is one of the greatest Agape Love stories. It happened about one month before Jesus went to the Cross. King Jesus was followed by many people. Each one desired a miracle or a gift. There was a simple house in Bethany, a small village near Jerusalem. Together with His disciples, Jesus would often go there to rest and have fellowship. It was the house of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. They were siblings. They were the only family who allowed Jesus to stay without asking anything from Him. They were truly His friends. Martha was the hardworking practical host. Mary was the spiritual prophetic one. Lazarus, the younger brother, was the quiet one. “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus”. From this sentence we see that Jesus loved each one personally. Lesson: Jesus related to each one of us in a particular unique way. Lazarus got seriously sick. The sisters sent a message to Jesus saying: “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick”. They did not command Him to come. They only told Jesus of their need. Their brother was sick. Agape Love does not need to talk too much. A little signal from the heart, a whisper from the spirit is enough. Love understands. But Jesus delayed His coming. That was the hardest thing to explain or bear. Jesus is their best friend, and He loves them. But Love does not always protect from heart ache. Eventually, Jesus came. He met the people weeping and morning. Lazarus was dead for four days. The Jews thought that a resurrection miracle can happen in maximum three days after death. From the fourth day, they believe that the body is decomposed and there is ‘a stench’ of death. Jesus revealed Himself to Martha and Mary as the Resurrection and the Life. Then, He wept. He went to the grave and called Lazarus forth. Lazarus came out alive. Here you see Jesus as Man and God. He wept as a man and called the dead to life as God. Worship the Lord!!!

THE KINGDOM OF GOD (6)

Jun9 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (38)/ THE KINGDOM OF GOD (6)

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed. It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for humanity. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. Love is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in Christ. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. Agape love is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was so in the early church, and during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).

The Kingdom of God is the realm, rule, and reign of God, where Jesus Christ is King, advancing on earth, by the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, bringing righteousness, peace, joy, healing, freedom, prosperity, and deliverance, by driving away the forces of darkness. Jesus said: “But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already come upon you” (Lk 11:20; AMP). As a citizen of heaven, you must experience deliverance, victory upon victory in every area of your life! Amen! God’s Kingdom is the realm of God Himself, filled with truth, love, holiness, righteousness, power, grace, and Glory! It points to spiritual things, to eternal life, to the atmosphere of heaven, to the worship there, and to the authority of God. The Kingdom of God has three basic attributes: Righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Spirit! The concept of the Kingdom has almost been lost. Most people do not understand the authority of the King in his domain, and the blessings of the subjects. This is because most countries have other types of government: democracy, communism, or dictatorship. God invented the concept of Kingdom so that it is easier for us understand His plan and purpose for men.

“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.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 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” (Gen 1:26-28). God created the human beings to populate the earth. He created them male and female. He created them in His own image and likeness. God gave them ‘dominion’ over all the animals. The word ‘dominion’ is a Kingdom Word. Even at creation, before sin entered, God’s plan and purpose for them was to be kings in their domain, to be royal priesthood in Christ. Man was to rule and reign over all the animals, but not over one another. When Adam sinned, he lost a Kingdom. Jesus came to live and die, to re-establish God’s Kingdom on earth. He is now the King of kings! What makes the Kingdom of God different from any other kingdom, is that all its citizens (subjects) are the relatives of the King, and they are all kings themselves! What a privilege to be the royal priesthood in Christ!!! Praise the Lord!

The word ‘Kingdom’ comes from two words: King and Domain. God has always been God. Then God created the spiritual (invisible) world and the physical world (man). He did it for His own pleasure and because He is a Creator. Once God created His domain, He became King over His domain. Let us start with what the Kingdom of God is not. The Apostle Paul says that it is not ‘eating and drinking’. It is not ‘meat and drink’ (KJ). It is not made from material things, man-made, temporal, or perishable items. It is not a collection of some little things that you buy with money. We often forget the littleness of this material world and the amazing majesty of the eternal God. We forget that all things do not have the same power or value. For example, Jesus said that life is more valuable than food and the body is more than the clothes that cover it. “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt 6:25). To worry about food and dress, and to ignore your life, is foolish. For unbelievers, food, and clothes are more important than their souls. Here you see that the doctrine of the Kingdom of God is not a matter of indifference. The Kingdom of God is not just a little religious behavior, something small, narrow, and negative. It is a grand concept, fit for the King of kings to rule and to reign. The Holy Spirit must give you the revelation! Selah!

THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED

“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches” (Matt 13:31,32).

Our Lord employed here a symbol which these people understood. The mustard plant was commonly found in the gardens of the people in Israel. The seeds can be eaten raw or as a paste, which is used as a condiment. The mustard leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. The seeds have health benefits. They are rich in vitamins, able to prevent diseases (including cancer), and lower blood sugar. The mustard plants are invasive. They can take over a garden by displacing other plants. The mustard seed has two main characteristics: 1-has a strong smell and taste; 2-is very small in size.

Spiritually, the mustard seed is a symbol of three things: the Kingdom of God, Faith in God and the Gospel. When the Kingdom of God advances on earth, when the Gospel is preached and Faith is rising, because of the harshness of Truth, there is a spiritual disturbance at the beginning. It is like a painful injection given to a sick man. The Gospel excites and changes people. It stirs a whole community, either negatively or positively. “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matt 11:12). In Greek, the word ‘violent’ means an aggressive hunter who is ready to seize his victim. It is the picture of a crowd attacking a city, eager to take possession of it, and to carry away their spoils. Faith in the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected, the revelation of Jesus as the King in His Kingdom, always comes into the heart with force, like an armed robber. This describes the zeal to believe the Good News of Christ crucified and resurrected. There is a zeal to conquer sin and the devil. Our Lord admires the energy of those who want to enter the Kingdom of God, to be saved from the power of sin and to have eternal life. The strong smell of the mustard seed is a symbol of this violent zeal.

By comparing the Kingdom of God with the small mustard seed, Our Lord is stressing the apparent insignificance of the Gospel. It does not look or sound like much. Like the Apostle Paul, you proclaim: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Ac 16:31). That message does not sound very impressive to many people. It is so simple that you can teach it to children. So, the world is not very impressed with it. But if you truly believe it, your heart will change. If you really trust Christ as your Savior, Lord, and King, that revelation is revolutionary. As the mustard seed is small, the entrance of God’s Word looks small. The preaching of the Gospel is done by only few faithful believers. The beginning of God’s salvation work looks so small. It can be discouraging. But the effect is always mighty. The elect chose to enter the Kingdom of a supernatural force. The unbelievers get angry and forcefully attack God’s Word and His servants. There is a force that cannot be explained. Like a storm in the sky, it is the supernatural realm that is involved.

Small is big when God is in it! Think of it! Jesus was the original Mustard Seed. He was not trained in the theological schools of the day. He was not among the recognized teachers. He was a former village carpenter. He called 12 men to Himself. They became His disciples. One betrayed Him and died. Like the planting of the mustard seed, this is indeed the small beginning of the Church. But soon, the Church grew supernaturally. None could stop its growth. The famous Rabbi Gamaliel advised his colleagues to stop persecuting the Christians, lest God’s wrath rises against them. “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God” (Ac 5:38, 39).

The small mustard seed is purposely planted by the Sower in the ground. It grows mysteriously. It becomes a tree that has many great branches, in which birds make their nests. The birds find shelter and food in the tree. Some birds a clean and some are unclean. This is a picture of the visible church, which is made of both the saved and the unsaved religious people. For a seed to grow to become a big tree, that is supernatural. It shows the power of God, of the Gospel, of the Kingdom of God. Every true believer becomes a shelter for many people who listen to his words and believe in his prayers. “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jam 5:16).

The mustard seed is also a symbol of true faith in God. Jesus said: “for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matt 17:20). As believers, we pray to receive ready-made, great, instant miracles. But Jesus says that a miracle can start with a small seed of faith produced by the hearing of God’s Word. Planted in the heart, and watered by prayer, after some time, it produces the miracle you have been looking for. That is why we are commanded not to look down on little things that have spiritual life in them. “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…” (Zech 4:10; NLT). To despise it means to have no respect for, to look down upon someone; to dislike something because you think it has no value or it is bad for you. The natural man has no respect for God, His Word, or His Kingdom. The Gospel is foolishness to the unbelievers. But we join Apostle Paul to declare: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith” (Rom 1:16,17). Selah!

Remember that the Church started with only one Seed, planted in the ground. That Seed is called Jesus. Before the Cross, our Lord said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain” (Jn 12:24). Jesus called 12 apostles. One betrayed Him and left. Out of this little beginning, the Church grew. In 150 AD there were already about 40,000 believers. In 200 AD the number of the Christians increased to 218,000. Now, in the 21^st century, Christianity is the biggest religion in the whole world which is made of about 8 billion people. Christianity that began 2,000 years ago in a small country called Israel is now followed by 2.4 billion people. This is the power of God in display upon the earth! His Kingdom has come! Amen!

SOME BENEFITS OF RIGHTEOUS LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Generally, righteousness means conforming (agreement) to the standard of morality, to what is right or good. It means to be good and to do good. Righteousness means acting in accord to God’s moral law and being free from guilt, shame, or sin. Righteousness is found in Christ alone. It is God’s gift to men, thru His grace and His Love. Righteousness means being right with God and man; in your behavior, words, character, and conscience. God gives men His laws. This is a fact: God never makes mistakes! He is always right and good! Righteousness is a Person. It is part of the identity of Jesus Christ, and we share in it. “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1Cor 1:30). Praise the Lord!

“Righteousness [moral and spiritual integrity and virtuous character] exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people” (PV14:34). A nation’s real greatness is not found in military strength, beauty of nature, great culture, or magnificent buildings, but in the desire of the people to be right with God, and to obey His commands. Sin is a disgrace, a reproach, an insult, and a national tragedy. Pagan societies are terrible places to live in. Sin is a source of violence, wickedness, sickness, poverty, injustice, corruption, and war. Sin is the shame of sinners. Righteousness is the promotion of the wise. All godly people are humble, hardworking, merciful, helpful, and loving. We pray for revival in Nigeria. Not for empty religion, but for a desire of true righteousness. That is the condition for prosperity and peace in our land.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS – FEEDING THE HUNGRY (LK 9:10-17; Jn 6:1-15)

This miracle is the only miracle that appears in all the four Gospels. It was witnessed by more people than any other miracles. Also, this is the only miracle when all the people partook in it. This is the story: The crowds followed Jesus to listen to His Word and to experience healing miracles. One day, Jesus went to a deserted place. It was after He heard that John the Baptist was killed by Herod. He knew it was a sign for him, to prepare, that the Cross was coming. He needed time to rest His soul and pray to the Father for comfort and strength. This is a spiritual Law: working with people or speaking too much to people drains the spirit. But staying long in God’s presence revives the spirit. Jesus needed balance in His life, between prayer to God and helping the needy. Lesson: we too need the same balance. We should never neglect our quiet times with God, by studying His Word, prayer and worship, to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We need God to give us wisdom and strength to fulfill our responsibilities towards our families and other people. Selah!

The crowds followed Him and stayed until evening. Because the place was isolated and it was late, the disciples advised Jesus to send the crowds away so that they can look for food. They never had in mind that Jesus can do a miracle. Surprisingly, Jesus said to them: “you give them something to eat”. They said that ‘a lad’ (young man) had 5 loaves of barley bread and 2 fish. (It is possible that his mother prepared his food pack). It was barley bread. That is the cheaper type of bread only the poor people ate. Just imagine! Amid that crowd, this lad was the only one who had some food. But the disciples expressed their doubts. How can this little dinner feed thousands?

Here you see the voice of doubt and the limitation of man on display. Are we not all the same? Practical people who never think of miracles! Jesus ignored their doubts and fears and commands His disciples to organize the crowd. There were about 5000 men, besides women and children. They should sit in groups of fifty. They all became expectant to receive food. Lesson: Men look for food first before they can sit to eat it. But Jesus wants the people to sit down first, prepare their mind, exercise faith, and then, the food will be supplied. Lesson: God is a God of order. “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints… God wants everything to be done peacefully and in order. When God’s people meet in church” (1Cor 14:33; NKJ; CEV). In Greek, the word ‘confusion’ means mental instability. Confusion means to listen to many voices in your mind, at the same time. A confused man does not understand what is happening around him or what he should do. If he acts in confusion, he will surely make mistakes because he cannot see clearly. Confusion is found when people are selfish or jealous. “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (Jam 3:16-18). Confusion is an open door for the devil to enter. He will destroy the peace of mind, the peace of a family or a church. This will lead to division and quarrels. In this spiritually polluted atmosphere, righteousness (being good and doing good) cannot manifest and miracles cannot happen. Jesus brings order and peace into that crowd. They sit on the grass and expect food. Then the miracle of provision happened! Lesson: reject selfishness, envy, confusion! Pray! Calm your mind! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Have faith! Then the miracle will come!

LESSONS

King Jesus receives the boy’s little lunch: 5 loaves and the 2 fish. He looks up to heaven. He possibly prayed a quick prayer to God the Father. He blesses the bread and the fish. He gives thanks to God and then He breaks them into pieces. He gave the food to the disciples, and they gave it to the multitude. They all ate and were filled. Twelve baskets of leftover pieces were left. Jesus Himself commanded: “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” Lesson: We should not be wasteful! We should appreciate every drop of grace, every little blessing. We should economize our resources, material and spiritual. No miracle should be wasted! The crumbs under the table are still the healing bread for the sick!

This is a miracle of provision. The miracle of multiplication happened in the Hands of Jesus. Lesson: give Jesus your little. Once that little touches His hands, it will multiply. The same little will come back to you as hundredfold. Praise the Lord!

King Jesus is compassionate. He truly loves and cares for the hungry, sick, weak, and the needy. His care for the needy was one of the spiritual magnets that attracted people to Him. It is the same today. “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8).

King Jesus is omnipotent. He is God. He is greater than any human need. God uses what is available, what is given to Him, to multiply and bless others. God can use small things. David killed Goliath with a sling and a stone. Little is much when God is in it. Jesus used the humble dinner of a boy to feed the multitude. Jesus blessed that boy!

God uses His children to bless others. In this case, Jesus used the disciples to bring order in the crowd, preparing them for a miracle. It was the disciples that brought to Jesus the bread and the fish, the ‘raw material’ to produce the miracle. Jesus used the disciples to distribute the food to the people. Why did Jesus do that? The people were happier to receive the food from men like them. Receiving the provision directly from the hands of Jesus may have created some anxiety to eat the food. Also, Jesus wanted the disciples to learn to do ministry, to be co-laborers with God. To work for Jesus increased their faith much more than if they are only spectators to the miracle. Lesson: God uses our hands to bless others. Let us work for God!

Because Jesus is God, He thinks like God. But the disciples were thinking like men. Their faith was still small. It was hard for them to see Jesus as the King of His Kingdom. One of the King’s responsibilities is to provide for His subjects. We must have the revelation that Jesus is our King and our provider. The provision was more than the need. There was an overflow of provision. Jesus ordered to gather and keep the leftovers. After everybody ate the food, and were satisfied, they gathered 12 baskets of leftover pieces of bread and fish. King Jesus ordered to keep the leftover food. This is wisdom. God is not wasteful. I read that in the UK, food waste is estimated at 680 million pounds sterling per year. This is some advice given on how to reduce food waste in a restaurant. Audit the food you order, receive and throw away. Based on the type of food left on a plate by the customers, review your menu. Train the staff on how to reduce waste. Advice the customers to take the leftovers home. Give the leftover food to charities. When serving buffet, give the customers smaller size plates. Miracles of provision are wonderful. But by reducing waste, you increase your profit. This is the strategy in the Kingdom of God.

The boy that gave his dinner is not named. We don’t know if he was tall or short, handsome or not. All we need to know is that the boy was available to be used by God. He was sensitive to the needs of others. He prepared for the future. 5000 men came without lunch. But he bought his lunch. He was ready to share. That was not easy. The boy could have sold his lunch to the people. He could have become a rich man in that field. He could have shared his lunch with others and kept some food for himself. But the boy gave it all to Jesus. He was ready to sacrifice his lunch. Why? Because he was ready to partake in a miracle that will increase his faith and change his life forever.

The boy was sure that Jesus can do a miracle with his lunch. Jesus can do what he could not do. The boy gave to Jesus his barley bread, which means humble bread. He did not just give Jesus 2 big fishes. It was 2 small fish. Lesson: God can use anything we give to Him and He can do something with the little offering. Once the humble food touched the hands of Jesus, it became holy. Jesus gave thanks to God and blessed the bread and fish before He gave it to the multitude. Do you want to be a blessing to your generation? Are you ready to give your whole life to Jesus? If the answer is yes, then Jesus will receive your humble life, bless you, break you, and give you away to bless multitudes. What Jesus did with that boy’s little lunch, He will do it with you!

Because of the miracles of healing and feeding, the crowds concluded that Jesus is the Messiah, the Prophet of God. They wanted to make Him their King by force. But Jesus withdrew from them. No man can make Jesus King. Why? Because only God can make His Son King over all. No man can take the glory of setting Jesus on the throne of the universe. That is the unique privilege of God the Father. Men rejected King Jesus. This is the story of the Cross. But the Father exalted Him above all names in the universe and kings on earth. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. His name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Son of God, and God Himself! Worship the Lord!

THE HUMILITY OF JESUS

Jun2 by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (37)/ THE KINGDOM OF GOD (5)

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).

The Kingdom of God is the realm, rule, and reign of God, where Jesus Christ is King, advancing on earth, by the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, bringing righteousness, peace, joy, healing, freedom, prosperity, and deliverance, by driving away the forces of darkness. Jesus said: “But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already come upon you” (Lk 11:20; AMP). As a citizen of heaven, you must experience deliverance, victory upon victory in every area of your life! Amen! God’s Kingdom is the realm of God Himself, filled with truth, love, holiness, righteousness, power, grace, and Glory! It points to spiritual things, to eternal life, to the atmosphere of heaven, to the worship there, and to the authority of God. The Kingdom of God has three basic attributes: Righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Spirit!

The concept of the Kingdom has been almost lost. Most people do not understand the authority of the King in his domain, and the blessings of the subjects. This is because most countries have other types of government: democracy, communism, or dictatorship. God invented the concept of His Kingdom so that it is easier for us understand His plan and purpose for men. That is why we need to study it. When Adam sinned, he lost a Kingdom. Jesus came to live and die, to re-establish God’s Kingdom on earth. He is now the King of kings! What makes the Kingdom of God different from any other kingdom, is that all its citizens (subjects) are the relatives of the King, and they are all kings themselves! What a privilege to be the royal priesthood in Christ!!! Praise the Lord!

BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever] … God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven… Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them” (Matt 5:3; NKJ; AMP; CEV; God’s Word).

This is the first statement our Lord is making when preaching the Sermon on the Mount. It is the foundation of all the other declarations. Here we have the basic description of a child of God, as a citizen of the Kingdom of God. The first word is ‘blessed’. In Greek it is ‘makario’. It is translated as happy, spiritually prosperous, to be envied, admired, and congratulated. It describes a state of permanent happiness, unhindered by circumstances; a state of supreme blessing, given by God, not by man. When God declares you blessed, none can curse!

What does it mean to be poor in spirit? First, it does not mean physical poverty. The Catholic Church is preaching that becoming poor in the natural brings special blessings. One of their best examples is Saint Franciss of Assisi (1181-1226). He was born into a wealthy family. He wanted to be like Jesus. He gave up his father’s wealth to become an evangelist. He chose to live by begging. Many became his disciples. He founded the Order of the Franciscans. It is made of monks who care mostly to the poor. Before entering the order, the monks make three vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience. They willingly chose to let go of wealth, sex (marriage), and personal freedom (they chose to strictly obey their mentors). They deny themselves in this way for the sake of Christ and His work. Their choice is sacrificial, but it is not Biblical. Others say that to be poor in spirit you must deny your personality. You must behave in ‘a religious’ way (you walk slowly and talk quietly). Many admire them but these lifestyles are not Biblical. These patterns of behavior are errors coming from religious spirits. This is not what the Bible calls to be ‘poor in spirit’. Selah!

To be poor in spirit is to be genuinely humble, totally depended on God for your very life. Only the true believers in Christ can be poor in spirit. It’s the opposite of the world’s idea of poverty. The unbelievers do not understand the principle of being poor in spirit. They hate the idea to be dependent of God for their very breath. In the world, people see themselves as self-confident. They trust themselves to become successful, to be seen and admired. Boasting of self is part of the world’s culture. For example, if a man applies for a job and says that without God, he can do nothing, he will surely fail the interview. In the world, boasting of self is the normal way of behaving!

What then does it mean to be poor in spirit? It is spiritual poverty and total submission to God. It is not a physical, visible poverty. It is the way you see yourself before God and His Throne. It is not the way people see you, but the way you see yourself in God’s presence, before King Jesus. Before God, you see yourself as nothing. You can do nothing. You have nothing. You depend on God for everything. You are like a desperate beggar before the King of kings. If the King does not give you food, you will die of hunger. At the same time, you see God as All in all. He is your everything. For example, you have no strength, but God is your strength. You have no wisdom, but God is your wisdom. The man who is poor in spirit, because of the revelation of his nothingness and God’s majesty, he willingly submits to God, in everything! Humble people are submissive people. The man who lives by the Grace of God alone, sustained and filled by God’s Spirit, is the one who is poor in spirit. It is only a child of God who is poor in spirit. Spiritual poverty is a good test for you to know if you are saved or not. Question: how do you see yourself before God, especially when you worship Him? If there is any boasting in your heart about your standing before God, about your salvation, or your achievements, then you are not poor in spirit. You are not a citizen of heaven. Selah!

To be poor in spirit means to be dead to self, completely empty from pride. It also means to be completely free from the selfish ambition to be visibly successful in this world, by using your natural gifts and personal ‘charisma.’ Selfish ambition is of the devil. It disqualifies you from entering the Kingdom of God. Humble people are wise people. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness” (Jam 3:13-18; NIV). We are all born sinners. We are proud, selfish, and envious of others. Pride is an attitude of life by which you elevate yourself above all others. A selfishly ambitious man climbs the ladder of success on the bent backs of others. He is an oppressor, a lonely selfish monster. He knows nothing about love. He cannot be a citizen of the Kingdom of God.

To be poor in spirit it means to correctly assess yourself before the throne of God. You totally depend on God and His resources. You do not depend on your wisdom, strength, or gifts. You know that it is only by God’s grace that you are alive, standing before God, forgiven, and redeemed. You know that without God you are nothing. Jesus said: “I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Your identity as citizen of the Kingdom comes from your intimate connection with Jesus, like the union of the branches and the vine. If you are not connected, you cannot produce fruits and you can do nothing good. Education, wealth, fame, good family background, physical beauty, all these can become great hindrances on the road to humility. Pride is an evil spirit. But Christ can change anyone. There are many well-educated, wealthy people who are poor in spirit. They know that all they have in this life is a gift from God. They are humble, grateful, generous with their time and resources. Their always worship God. Jesus said that only those who are poor in spirit are citizens of the Kingdom. They totally submit to King Jesus. They worship Him and He blesses them. This is a picture of the Kingdom of God!

To be poor is spirit is not the same as having an inferiority complex. It is different from being a coward or having a grasshopper mentality. Being poor in spirit may look like weakness but it is strength from God. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones” (PV 3:5-8). Trusting only God in every situation brings direct guidance from God, divine healing, and supernatural strength. “In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]” (PV 3:6; AMP). Acknowledging God in all things is not just a religious formula. You must engage the whole soul in trusting that God is with you, and by His providence He will help you make fast and easy progress. This is the benefit given only to the citizens of the Kingdom of God, to those who are poor in spirit. Praise the Lord!

Righteousness and Love cannot exist except when there is humility. You cannot be good and do good if you are proud. That is impossible. Love cannot exist in a proud heart. Humility is more than just a quality of character. It is the soil where the seeds of all the other qualities are planted, and they will grow. Just like Agape Love, humility does not come naturally to us. We are all born sinners. We are rebellious and proud. When God created Adam and Eve, they were humble people. But they fell to the temptation ‘to be like God’. The truth is that they were already like God, but the devil deceived them to feel inferior. Once they disobeyed God’s command, they died. The relationship between them and God was seriously damaged. They lost many attributes and benefits. Among those, they lost their humility. This is how pride entered. It is now a battle to be humble. Even after conversion, humility does not come automatically. God creates circumstances to help us humble ourselves. It is part of the process of sanctification. But the Bible commands us to humble ourselves! Selah!

PRIDE AND FALSE HUMILITY

The opposite of genuine humility is pride and false humility. Pride is defined as a belief that you are better than others. False humility is the attitude when you use humility to cover up pride. You pretend to be humble so that people will compliment you. Most proud people do not even pretend to be humble. But some proud people know that humility is a better virtue, admired among men. That is why they learn the skill to appear humble to cover up their pride. This fake (false) humility is the work of evil spirits. It is rejected by God!

These are some signs of false humility:

*You boast about your humility. The true humble people are not self-conscious of their humility. They don’t pretend. They are themselves.

*You are a hypocrite. talk about how good it is to love, serve and help others, but you do not really practice the things you talk about.

*You have a double life. With your superiors, or in public, you seem humble. At home, or with those of lower status, you are wicked. The people who are truly humble, both in public and in private, have only ‘one face’. They always behave the same!

*The people who know you the best, know the truth. They say that you are bad, proud, and rude. It is said that you need to stay with a person for at least 6 months before you know their true character. Listen to the spouse or the friends of these people.

*When people try to publicly flatter you, or to lift you up, to boast your ego, you like it, and you keep quiet. You don’t discourage such actions. But people who are truly humble do not accept public lifting above others. They discourage flattery towards themselves.

*You help others only if you can gain something from that service. Truly humble people help all, even those who cannot pay them back.

False humility is common with false prophets and false brethren. They use it to deceive others. It is a sin before God. You must repent of it. “Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 20. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh” (Col 2:18-23). Stop pretending! Humble yourself! Then God will bless you! Amen!

TRUE HUMILITY

As a topic of sermons, humility has been neglected in many churches. Most Christians do not know what humility is. To be poor in spirit means to be genuinely humble. Humility is a basic Christian attitude. It is a mental attitude of lowliness, the opposite of pride. The word ‘humility’ comes from the Latin word ‘humilis’ which means low. Only the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer in Christ can produce this special grace fruit of humility. Humility is defined as having a modest opinion about yourself, about your importance in this world. Another way you can describe humility is submission. Humble people submit to God and to others. Proud people are rebellious against God and others. Humble people are loving. They are true worshippers. They recognize the gifts in others, especially when they are better than their own, and openly acknowledge them. They are not afraid to recognize their limitations. A humble man is not selfishly ambitious. He doesn’t claim what is not his own. Humility is highly appreciated in God’s Word. “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility” (PV18:12). “When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom” (PV 11:2). “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life” (PV 22:4). God blesses the humble with honor, wisdom, riches, and long life!

EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE POOR IN SPIRIT

*Moses – “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth” (Nu 12:3). *Gideon: “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (Jdg 6:15).

*Isaiah said to God: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts” (Is 6:5).

*King David – David depended totally on God when he fought and killed Goliath. After he committed great sins (adultery with Barsheba, killing Uriah, numbering the people of Israel…) David truly repented. David’s greatness and legacy was not in his bravery, even though he was very brave. It was not in the battles that he won, even though he won many. It was not in the glory of his reign, even though he had his share of glory. It was in his willingness to submit to the will of God and to humble his heart in genuine repentance when he sinned.

*Apostle Peter– “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Lk 5:8).

*Apostle Paul was a great man of God. He never recovered from the fact that he was once a great sinner, a persecutor of the church. But he received mercy, grace, and a new identity in Christ. He said: “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph 3:8).

The Gospel of the Kingdom preaches Christ crucified and resurrected. The life of King Jesus reveals to us that you must go down before God brings you up. There is a Cross on your back before there are many Crowns on your head. You need to die to self, to sin, and to the world, before God can promote and reward you openly. To arrive at a place of visibility and success without passing through the Cross will end in disaster. “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools” (PV 3:35; KJ). It is a terrible thing to become successful before God’s appointed time. Saul became king instantly. He did not pass through any trial to become humble. Eventually, he lost his crown. He became a fool (1Sam 26:21). After his death, the crown went to David. King Saul tried to kill him. But he failed to do so. David lived in the wilderness for 14 years, learning to be obedient to God’s Word. He became humble, wise, and spiritual, a true king!

Humility was highly appreciated in the character of the Kings. King Hezekiah got very sick, to the point of death. He humbled himself. God answered his prayer and added years to his life (2Chr 32:24-26). Humility is a sign that God will send revival and blessings upon the Land. God told King Solomon: “When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place” (2Chr 7:13-15). May the Nigerian people humble themselves before God!

THE HUMILITY OF CHRIST (Phil 2:1-11)

Listen to our Lord: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST (renewal, blessed quiet) FOR YOUR SOULS” (Matt 11:29; AMP).

It may surprise us to know that the Almighty God, is a humble God. Humility is a divine and royal attribute. Jesus Christ, The Son of God, is the very definition of humility. Among all the qualities we see in Jesus in His work of redemption, humility shines the brightest. Study how humble our Lord is! It took great humility to leave the glories of heaven and to come to earth, to live in a human limiting body. It took great humility to become a baby, born in a manger, to a poor carpenter and his wife. It took great humility to depend on people for food. Jesus is the Water of Life, Nevertheless, He said to the woman at the well: “Give Me a drink” (Jn 4:7). Finally, it took great humility to go to the Cross; to be beaten and rejected by God and men! All this because He wanted to pay the price for our salvation! We are encouraged to study the Person of Jesus and to be like Him. It is very easy to forget His lovely Person and to only study His words. But the teachings of Jesus, even His miracles and good deeds cannot save your soul. When you repented and became born-again, you surrendered your life to the Person of Jesus, the Lord, not to a doctrine about Him. We are commanded to pay the price to Love God and one another. We are to esteem others better’ than ourselves. This is what Jesus did. He was in heaven. He knew that we are all born sinners and we shall end in hell. We had no helper. No man or angel could save us from the power of sin. The world was in darkness. The devil was the prince of this world. All men were in bondage to the devil. The earth was filled with graves filled with dead men’s bones. There was no light, no love, no hope. If Jesus thought only about Himself, His comfort, His rights as God, He would never leave heaven to come to earth to save us. But He did! This is true love! This is true humility! There is none like Jesus!

Read Philippians 2:1-11. These words are some of the most beautiful words in the whole Bible. Apostle Paul takes us on a journey, to remind us of who Jesus is. He starts from heaven, goes to earth, and ends back to heaven. In few words, this is the Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected. Jesus humbled Himself by becoming a bondservant to God to serve men. Why? To save those who will believe in Him! He went even lower. He became obedient unto death, even the shameful death on the Cross. This was God’s plan for Him. He obeyed God from beginning to the end. He fulfilled God’s Law. God the Father honored and rewarded His Son for displaying this extraordinary humility. Jesus was always God. But this exaltation as God-Man was because Jesus humbled Himself. God honored Jesus to be the Center of the whole universe. He made Him the King of God’s Kingdom. Because Jesus humbled Himself to die for men, all creation must now bow to Jesus and worship Him. This is God’s Law: Both Faith and Humility are rewarded and honored by God! We, the believers, gladly bow before Jesus and worship Him on earth. One day, the heavens will open, and Christ will come to earth the second time. He will come not as a suffering servant, but as King of kings and Lord of lords, to destroy what He had defeated. Those who refuse to bow to Jesus now, will bow by force, even against their wills, when Christ comes again.

How do we worship Jesus? One way is by freely confessing His name. We confess that Jesus is Lord! That Jesus is our Lord! The meaning of the word ‘Lord’ here is the same as God. In other words, we confess that Jesus Christ is Jehovah God!!! By confessing the name of Jesus, we give glory to God the Father. God has decreed that if you want to worship Him, you must worship His Son. We worship God by worshipping Jesus! Trying to worship God and rejecting Jesus, is not acceptable to God. Jesus has triumphed over all evil forces working on earth. He has overcome the power of sin and death. In Him alone we have the hope of eternal life. He is the only way to heaven. God the Father set Jesus in control of the whole universe. He is now the King of the Kingdom of God. After He resurrected, Jesus said: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt 28:18). He now rules and reigns as the King of God’s Kingdom until everything is perfected. Then He will hand over the Kingdom to God the Father (1Cor 15:24, 25). Halleluiah! We worship the Lord Jesus by studying His Word, by praying to Him and by serving Him in the church.

As we can see, humility is originally found in heaven. Anytime the Church fails to show humility, she damages her glory. The 24 elders cast their crowns before King Jesus, who is seated on the throne. They humble themselves before Him. “Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created” (Rev 4:9-11). Amen!

We are told that Jesus made Himself of no reputation (He emptied Himself). That is the greatest humility displayed in the universe. Jesus was totally unselfish. When He became a Man, He did not empty Himself of His deity. He did not exchange His deity for humanity. The incarnation was not an exchange and not a subtraction. It was an addition. Jesus became 100% God and 100% Man. People believed that Jesus was a Man, but many did not believe that He was God in the flesh. Jesus never stopped being God even when He was on earth, living as Man. But when He became a Man, He emptied Himself, He let go of His heavenly glory. When He became Man, Jesus gave up His rights and privileges as God in heaven. For example, He could have called the angels to defend Him, but He did not. He gave up His heavenly riches. He did not use the immense wealth of heaven. He willingly reduced Himself to be a Man who had nowhere to lay His head. Think about this: Jesus humbled Himself… He made Himself low… He became obedient to death. Why? Because God the Father chose Him to be the Sacrifice for the sins of men. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2Cor 8:9). It is hard for us to understand how humble Jesus is. On the Cross, He even gave up His relationship with His Father. He became sin, under the wrath of God. He said: “My God, My God, why did You forsake Me?” No man can go so far. None of us can lose so much. Amazing Love! Undying Love! The King and Lover of our hearts!

Think of this too: Jesus had to learn obedience. As God, He does not obey anyone. But on earth, He had to learn to obey and submit to the authority of His Father. “Although He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Heb 5:8). On earth, His glory was veiled by His flesh. Occasionally the glory shone through. At the transfiguration, the glory was seen. In His last Priestly prayer, just before the Cross, Jesus prayed: “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (Jn 17:5). He was ready to go back to heaven and to take back His visible glory as God and Lord over all!

This world is a dark hopeless place. Nobody knows the future, except God. Knowing that the humble suffering servant called Jesus, is now the Lord of all, that He rules and reigns from heaven, is a great encouragement to all believers. The Love and Humility of Jesus has touched and changed us all. We now want to be like Jesus. We want to pay the price to be loving, humble, and faithful like Jesus. At the right time, in His own way, God will honor us too, by His Grace. “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1Pet 5:10,11). Jesus attracted men by His Life, His humility, His authority of His words, and by truly caring for people! It is the same now! Glory to the Lamb upon the Throne!

Finally, we need to say this: to become truly loving and humble like Jesus is extremely heard. It is man’s greatest testimony. Humility is highly rewarded and honored on earth and in heaven. Humility is the stairway that connects earth to heaven. It is the only way of promotion and success approved by God. Jesus said: “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt 23:11,12). “But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble” (Jam 4:6). God rewards humble people by adding more grace to them. This grace manifests as strength, wisdom, righteousness, peace, and joy, honor and favor before God and men. Be like Jesus! Humble yourself! Pride is the ugliest sin of all! Before God, pride is criminal! What do you have that you did not receive from God? Yes, we are God’s children, kings, priests, and friends of Jesus, ambassadors of Christ… but remember that all these titles and blessings are given to us By God’s grace alone. Blood was shed for us to be saved. Unity in the Church is the product of Love and Humility!!! Jesus is not only our Redeemer but also our Example! Let us pray: ‘God, humble us so that one day we may be exalted in Your presence.’ Worship the Lord!

	Silvia Lia Leigh, MD on MY HEART IS AWAKE
	CCrum on MY HEART IS AWAKE
	ikeidegbema on RIZPAH – A MOTHER’…
	Silvia Lia Leigh, MD on RIZPAH – A MOTHER’…

Green Pastures

PS 23:2 ~ He Makes Me To Lie Down In Green Pastures

Monthly Archives: June 2024

THE KINGDOM OF GOD (9)

THE KINGDOM OF GOD ( 8 )

THE KINGDOM OF GOD (7)

THE KINGDOM OF GOD (6)

THE HUMILITY OF JESUS

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