The Dusty Disciples

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Seek First the Kingdom - Part 12

"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.” (Hab 2:14)(Isa 11:9)

Prosperity, health, long life, and peace are all given to provide the opportunity for the greatest gift of all, “full…knowledge of the LORD,” (Isa 11:9).

When the LORD’S kingdom on earth reaches its greatest fulfillment, “All your sons will be taught of the LORD,” (Isa 54:13). Jesus quoted this prophecy alluding to His own teaching saying, “It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught of God,’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me,” (John 6:45). Because the disciples were taught by God, “many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it,” (Matt 13:17).

Because the LORD Himself will be teaching mankind, “the earth will be full of knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” During these days, the words of Jeremiah will reach their greatest fulfillment,

"‘This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’" (Jer 31:33-34)

“Know” comes from the Hebrew word, “yada,” which means an intimate relationship, as in “Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain,” (Gen 4:1, ESV). So great will be the knowledge of the LORD in these days that all other times in history will pale in comparison. Jesus was alluding to this future time when he said, “I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he,” (Matt 11:11). In what way will those in the kingdom be greater than John? One possible explaination is greater in knowledge of God, i.e., prophecy, as Jesus said, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see?…A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet,” (Matt 11:7-9).

The knowledge of the LORD will be great when the “Perfect comes,” a reference to Jesus (Heb 5:9). In those days, prophecy will no longer be needed, as Paul has foretold,

“If there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away…For we know in part and we prophecy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away with…For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” (1 Cor 13:8-12).

The fullness of the kingdom is a time of miraculous transformation on the earth. Zechariah speaks both metaphorically and also physically about the world being changed “Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site from Benjamin’s Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate,” (Zech 14:10). The knowledge of the LORD will be great “And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be one, and His name one,” (Zech 14:9).

(to be continued - Scott)

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Seek First The Kingdom of God - Part 11

“It will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy — everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem.” (Isa 4:3)

“In that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, ‘HOLY TO THE LORD.’ And the cooking pots in the LORD'S house will be like the bowls before the altar. 21 Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of hosts; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts in that day.” (Zech 14:20-21)

In the days of the fullness of the kingdom, the entire city of Jerusalem, not just the temple, will become “holy to the LORD.” This is indicated by the fact that “bells of the horses” are holy, which means the horses are holy, along with "every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah." The city is made holy, “When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning,” (Isa 4:4). If everyone and everything in Jerusalem is “holy,” there can be no suffering or pain, which implies no death. The residents of Jerusalem must be the resurrected saints, as it says of those remains in Jerusalem, “everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem,” (Isa 4:3).

“Holiness” means “sanctification,” to be set apart for a specific purpose. Believers are called to “be holy, for I am holy” (Lev 11:44), a phrase that predominately appears in the Book of Leviticus because the priests served in the temple. The priests become an example for believers and a pattern for the kingdom, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified,” (1 Thes 4:3).

“Therefore, ‘Come out from their midst and be separate,’ says the LORD. ‘And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you,” (2 Cor 6:17).

A condition of holiness was the only condition that a person could approach the throne of God in His earthly temple. As such, the holy can not be interwoven with the common or unclean things (a metaphor for sinful acts) of this world. The New Jerusalem is described as a place where “nothing unclean, and no one who practices abominations and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life,” (Rev 21:27).

Zechariah comes very close to describing the New Jerusalem, “there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security,” (Zech 14:11). However, this Jerusalem will rise from the earth (Zech 14:10)(Isa 2:2), as contrasted with the New Jerusalem of John’s vision that is seen “coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God,” (Rev 21:10).

Whereas the New Jerusalem has “the glory of God,” the existing Jerusalem must be “washed” and “purged…by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning.” The prophesies of Isaiah and Zechariah speak of people “who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem (in war),” (Zech 14:16). These people will go up to Jerusalem every year “to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.” If the people of a nation fail to come up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths (Sukkot), they will have no rain.

It seems fitting to thank the LORD Who sent rain last night (7/18/12) in Indiana to save the crops in answer to Rich's prayer at Church.

(to be continued - Scott)

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Seek First The Kingdom - Part 10

(1) Creating Shalom Out of Chaos
(2) The Fall Brought Chaos Back Into Creation
(3) The Kingdom: God’s Plan to Restore Peace to the World
(4) Jesus Was Sent for This Purpose
(5) What is the Kingdom?
(6) Patterns of the Kingdom in Scripture
- The Garden of Eden
- The Wilderness
- The Promised Land
- The Kingdom of Solomon
- The Days of the Apostles
(7) The Life and Ministry of Jesus
(8) Attributes of the Kingdom
- Prosperity and Joy
- Peace
- Righteousness (Part - 10)
- Holiness
- Knowledge of the LORD
(9) The Millenium Kingdom
(10) The Believer’s Responsibility to Progress the Kingdom

ATTRIBUTES OF THE KINGDOM: Righteousness

"’Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, 'The LORD our righteousness.'

Therefore behold, the days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when they will no longer say, 'As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,' but, 'As the LORD lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.' Then they will live on their own soil.’" (Jer 23:5-8)

The prophets looked forward to a time when the nation of Israel will dwell in safety with the “David a righteous Branch…(who) will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.” Both Paul (Rom 14:17-18) and Isaiah (Isa 60:17) identified righteousness as one of the characteristics of the kingdom. The standard of righteousness in the kingdom is high, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven,” (Matt 5:20).

In scripture, Noah is the first person who is called “a righteous man, blameless in his time,” (Gen 6:9). The passage provides a parallelism that defines righteousness as, “blameless in his time.” Abraham is accredited with righteousness based on what he did, “He believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness,” (Gen 15:5). The LORD through Moses further defined righteousness as being derived from obedience to the commandments of the LORD. Moses told the nation of Israel, “It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the LORD our God, just as He commanded us.” (Deut 6:25).

Righteousness is shown by the actions an individual performs. Those actions must proceed from a sincere heart to produce righteousness.

“That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works.” (Rom 9:30-32)

Actions flowing from sincere hearts testify of the kingdom to the world around us. In the words of Paul, “The kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power,” (1 Cor 4:20). Words alone are insufficient; the kingdom is demonstrated by the collective actions of kingdom people. For this reason, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven,” (Matt 7:21).

What is “the will of My Father” and what is the standard of kingdom people? In a righteous kingdom, the life of the king should be the pattern for his subjects living within the kingdom. So what is the standard by which the king of Israel lives and reigns in righteousness, (2 Sam 8:15)? The words of Moses tell us,

“When he (the king) sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of the law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall be with him and he shall read it all the day of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statues, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.” (Deut 17:18-20).

As the saying goes, “The President is not above the law.” Neither is the king.

The standard for righteous living in the kingdom for God’s people is the Law. In the words of Paul, “The Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good,” (Rom 7:13). This principle throughout scripture will be forever difficult for many believers to accept because we have been taught from the cradle that “Christians are not under the Law.” While the Gentiles where held to a lower standard than the Jews at the counsel of the elders in Acts chapter 15, scripture foresees the world moving in a direction toward greater obedience to the words spoken by Moses. Isaiah foretold of a future time, referred to as “the last days,” when,

“The mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.’ For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war. Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.” (Isa 2:2-5)

This passage from Isaiah is a picture of the kingdom, a time when “they will hammer their swords into plowshares…And never again will they learn war.” During His reign, the Messiah as King, will both “teach us concerning His ways” and “judge between the nations.” The standard of teaching and judging will be the “the law (which shall) go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” This parallelism identifies the “word of the LORD” as the “the law.” If the entire world is moving toward a future time of obedience to the Law, it would be prudent for believers to study, understand, and begin to practice the commandments while we still reside in the age of grace. Even today, the Law remains “holy and righteous and good.” It is the weakness of the flesh that fails to keep the Law, as Paul has written, “What the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh,” (Rom 8:3). The “flesh” was the first century rabbinical answer to why people are unable to do the good God calls us to perform.

Moses referred to our present condition in the flesh as the “uncircumcised heart,” but promised a future time when, “The LORD your God will circumcise your heart…to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live,” (Deut 30:6).

Ezekiel also foretold of this future time when, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statues, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” (Ezek 36:26-27)

The promise of Ezekiel is that God will remove our disobedient heart of stone and give us an obedient heart of flesh. The process began with the giving of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Shavuot). The gift of the Spirit in the present age is not simply as a guarantee of our future resurrection, but He is given as a helper to enable the believer to overcome the evil inclination and “walk in My statutes…and …observe My ordinances,” i.e., obedience to the Law.

When believers walk in the statutes and observe the ordinances, “It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the LORD our God, just as He commanded us.” (Deut 6:25). In the words of Paul, “the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by that righteousness,” (Rom 10:5). As the subjects of the kingdom become righteous (Isa 60:21), they bring the kingdom into fullness on the earth.

(to be continued - Scott)

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Seek First The Kingdom - Part 9

(1) Creating Shalom Out of Chaos
(2) The Fall Brought Chaos Back Into Creation
(3) The Kingdom: God’s Plan to Restore Peace to the World
(4) Jesus Was Sent for This Purpose
(5) What is the Kingdom?
(6) Patterns of the Kingdom in Scripture
- The Garden of Eden - The Wilderness - The Promised Land - The Kingdom of Solomon - The Days of the Apostles
(7) The Life and Ministry of Jesus
(8) Attributes of the Kingdom
- Prosperity and Joy
- Peace (Part - 9)
- Righteousness
- Holiness
- Knowledge of the LORD
(9) The Millenium Kingdom
(10) The Believer’s Responsibility to Progress the Kingdom

ATTRIBUTES OF THE KINGDOM: Peace and Health

“There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.” (Isa 9:7)

According to Isaiah, the kingdom will be a place of unprecedented and never ending peace, as in the song, “I (LORD) extend peace to her (Jerusalem) like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream,” (Isa 66:12). As a favorite passage in scripture reads,

“They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.” (Isa 2:4)(Mic 4:3).

Peace will extend to all aspects of the kingdom, even to animals and those areas of the physical realm that have never known peace.

“The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa 11:6-9)

Peace exists with the animal kingdom because the LORD has made a covenant with the beasts of the field.

"In that day I will also make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds of the sky and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land, and will make them lie down in safety.” (Hos 2:18)

The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus came as “a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 5:6), “the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which in king of peace,” (Heb 7:2). The time of Solomon is seen in scripture to foreshadow the time of the Messiah’s earthly kingdom. The name Solomon (“Shlomo”) is based on the Hebrew word for peace, “shalom.” During the reign of Solomon,

“He had peace on all sides around about him. So Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.” (1 Kings 4:24-25)

The phrase “every man under his vine and his fig tree,” is seen by the rabbis as a metaphor for the prosperity, blessing, and peace that accompanies the kingdom. Micah connects the fig tree to the coming of the kingdom saying,

“They will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they train for war. 4 Each of them will sit under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid,” (Mic 4:3-4)

In fulfillment of Isaiah’s words (Isa 9:6-7) and the prophecies about the kingdom, Paul told us that, “He (Jesus) came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near,” (Eph 2:17). Jesus would tell the crowds, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God,” (Matt 5:9). In every place where God is lifted up, Shalom and order will follow. Absent the knowledge of God, chaos will reign and increase.

There can be no peace where sickness and disease bring chaos into the creation. For this reason, illness was not part of God’s original plan prior to the fall. After the Exodus, the LORD promised the nation of Israel that He would keep the diseases and infirmities that plagued the Egyptians away from the Hebrew people.

“You shall be blessed above all peoples; there will be no male or female barren among you or among your cattle. ‘The LORD will remove from you all sickness; and He will not put on you any of the harmful diseases of Egypt which you have known, but He will lay them on all who hate you.’” (Deut 7:14-15)

Protection from sickness and disease would have continued had the people remained obedient to the commandments of God (Deut 28:58-60), but they did not remain obedient. In the future, the promise of long life and health will return to the people of Israel as a blessing for their returning to the LORD in obedience and acknowledge of Jesus as Messiah. As Isaiah foretold,

“There will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the sound of crying. ‘No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, Or an old man who does not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred Will be thought accursed…24 It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.’ 25 ‘The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent's food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,’ says the LORD.” (Isa 65:19-25)

The words of Isaiah describe a time of tremendous blessing and prolonged life, sometimes referred to in scripture as the “times of refreshing…from the presence of the Lord,” (Acts 3:19). The return of Jesus who will bring about “the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time,” (Acts 3:21). Luke refers to the “restoration of all things” and not the “remaking” of all things. Death, although greatly weakened, is still present (Isa 65:20), indicating that the existing world remains.

Until the time of refreshing, we will pray,

“The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace,” (Num 6:24-26).

The peace God gives is the peace “which surpasses all comprehension,” (Phil 4:7).

(to be continued - Scott)

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Seek First The Kingdom - Part 8

They kingdom exists as the transitional period between the present world and the world to come as we move toward the unity with God, “so that God may be all in all,” (1 Cor 15:28). While the apostle Paul said that “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking” (1 Cor 15:32), the prophets foresaw the kingdom as a place of great prosperity, abundance, and joy.

"’Behold, days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘When the plowman will overtake the reaper And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; When the mountains will drip sweet wine And all the hills will be dissolved…They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit.’” (Amos 9:13&15)

The prophets saw the fullness of the kingdom as an agricultural paradise, “The mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk, and all the books will flow with water.” (Joel 3:18). Such prosperity would give each man time to “sit under his vine and fig tree,” (Micah 4:4)(1 Kings 4:24-25).

The use of the phrase “the vine” is seen in scripture as a metaphor for the prosperity of the kingdom. Jacob prophesized of the coming Messiah saying, “He ties his foal to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes,” (Gen 49:11). Apparently this vine is very prosperous. According to the Bereishis Rabbah, “there would be such an abundance of wine that one would conceivably be able to launder his clothes with white wine (white wine would not stain the garment)…There will be such plentitude of red wine that one would be able to dye his clothing red with it.”

When the twelve spies searched out the promised land, they returned carrying a single cluster of grapes that was so bountiful it had to be carried on a pole between two men, (Num 12:23). The Promised Land is a picture of the kingdom, where all human needs are abundantly supplied. In the words of John,

“They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes." (Rev 7:16-17)

The kingdom is frequently seen in scripture as a joyful feast, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son,” (Matt 22:2). The return of Jesus is seen to culminate with a great marriage ceremony of the Lamb and His bride, (Rev 19:7). It will be a time when the righteous sit down with the great patriarchs of the faith, “Many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,” (Matt 8:11). The Hebrew Feast of Sukkot celebrates the time Israel dwelt in the wilderness and is seen to be a picture of the kingdom. It was said that anyone who had not seen the rejoicing of the people at the temple during the time of Sukkot had never witnessed a real celebration, (Gemara, Sukkah 53a).

“The Son of man came eating and drinking” (Matt 11:18), would have been consistent with His words, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” (Matt 3:2). All the gospel writers record at least one of the miraculous feeding of the multitudes by Jesus because it both identifies Jesus with Moses and testifies to the power of the Kingdom of God. The first miracle Jesus performed, turning water into wine (John 2:1-11), may have been selected by John both for the wedding feast where it occurred and as a picture of the bounty of the kingdom. After the Passover meal before the crucifixion, Jesus told his disciples, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom,” (Matt 26:29).

The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the future bounty of the kingdom saying,

"Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David.” (Isa 55:1-3)

(to be continued - Scott)

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

The God Given Role of Governments

This post is a deviation from the normal subject matter. About two months ago, Jacob and I, frustrated by the current political process, discussed how we could speak about the subject in church without offending fellow believers who felt that politics should stay outside the walls of the assembly. While it may be true that non-profit organizations cannot espouse support for specific candidates without jeopardizing their tax exempt status, they are permited to speak about the actions of candidates and the impact those actions have on our beliefs.

Most believers have some understanding that scripture instructs us to pray for our leaders. What most believers do not recall is the specific need we are to lift up in prayer.

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” (1 Tim 2:1-2)

The goal of praying for our leaders is so that we might “lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” Said another way, believers should pray for the ability to worship and conduct our lives in a manner prescribed by the LORD. Judging by the condition of our government, believers have not sufficiently prayed for our leaders.

The opportunity to worship the LORD in a manner He prescribes was the reason Moses stood before Pharaoh while the nation was in Egypt,

“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness,” (Ex 5:1).

Like the repressive governments before and after, Pharaoh would not allow the people of God to go and worship in a manner prescribed by the LORD.

The LORD is a God Who desires all to be free so that every person may have the opportunity to “Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near,” (Isa 55:6). The principle of seeking the LORD runs throughout the entire breath of scripture. To this end, God establishes rulers, authorities and principalities to function as “a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil,” (Rom 13:4). Punishing “the one who practices evil” provides a level of restraint against the sinful nature of man “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life.”

The writers of the Declaration of Independence drew on these principles from scripture when they wrote,

“All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. – That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men.”

Many believers are unaware that the current (2009-2012) Executive Administration of the Federal Government has become increasingly hostile against religious institutions and the free expression of religion in public places. The examples are numerous, but for the sake of brevity, we will cite only a few.

**********************************************

Banning the Mention of God at Military Funerals: In June 2011, the Department of Veteran Affairs and its Director of the Houston National Cemetery, who fall under the authority of the Obama Administration, forbid the mention of God and Jesus at funerals services for veterans buried in the local area National Cemetery. In addition, funeral volunteers were required to remove “God Bless” from condolence cards to grieving families and were banned from speaking a religious message when talking directly to veteran’s families while on cemetery grounds. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgY5ej-9kSg)

Banning Bibles At Walter Reed Military Hospital: In November 2011, Walter Reed Military Hospital in Washington, D.C., issued a memorandum to caregivers stating, “No religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading material and/or artifacts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit.” After sufficient protest, including collecting a petition with over 20,000 signatures, the Hospital reversed their position.

“This is very ironic,” said Tony Perkins of The Family Research Council, “We’re talking about the ability of family members to read from a Bible to their wounded or even dying family members who fought to defend that same liberty. If the freedom of those who have sworn to give their lives defending such freedoms can be taken away, what can we expect for the rest of us?”

Forcing Christian and Jewish Worshippers to Violate Their Faith: In January 2012, under the provisions of Obamacare, churches, synagogues, and related religious institutions, including affiliated hospitals, colleges, and charities, must pay for contraceptives, sterilization, and abortion drugs for their employees even when such payments would violate the institution’s religious beliefs. Although the Catholic Church was most vocal in the news about these provisions of Obamacare, the requirements would apply to most religious institutions.

In the words of Pastor and author Rick Warren, “The issue here is not about women’s health. There is a greater principle, and that is do you have the right to decide what your faith practices?”

Dictating Who A Church Can Hire: In the fall of 2011, President Obama’s Justice Department petitioned the Supreme Court to eliminate the long-standing legal precedent that protects religious organizations from government regulations in the case of “Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School vs Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.” The case involved a teacher who lost her job at the school and sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Rather than just argue the merits of the specific case, the Justice Department used the opportunity to argue that all employees of a church are subject to Federal employment regulations. If the Administration’s claim was approved, government-appointed judges “could impose ministers on churches against their will,” said Luke Goodrich, a legal council representing the church. Churches would then lose their ability to make employment decisions based on religious beliefs.

Fortunately, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision on January 11, 2012, affirming the freedom of religious groups to choose their own ministers. In the words of the court,

“Requiring a church to accept or retain an unwanted minister, or punishing a church for failing to do so, intrudes upon more than a mere employment decision. Such action interferes with the internal governance of the church, depriving the church of control over the selection of those who will personify its beliefs. By imposing an unwanted minister, the state infringes the Free Exercise Clause, which protects a religious group’s right to shape its own faith and mission through its appointments. According the state the power to determine which individuals will minister to the faithful also violates the Establishment Clause, which prohibits government involvement in such ecclesiastical decisions.”

The decision appeared clear cut to the court justices so why was the Justice Department of the Obama Administration so willing to take this case to the Supreme Court? One must conclude that the position of the Justice Department reflects the convictions of the Obama Administration.

Failing to Defend Traditional Marriages: The Obama Administration’s Department of Justice does not defend the traditional definition of marriage between a man and women. In February 2011, President Obama instructed the Justice Department to stop defending the Defense of Marriage, which has since 1996 allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex partnerships recognized in other states.

Not only did the President make this decision, but this position was publicly announced to throw open the door and invite the opposition to come in. This is typical of the current the Administration. At best, the Obama Administration weakly defends the traditional values of most believers and, at worst, the administration is openly hostile toward those values.

Conclusion: Through the efforts of faithful men and women, most of the above infringements have been successfully reversed for the moment, but the approach of the current administration in Washington is clear:

(1) Disassemble and remove religious symbols, practices and institutions to the degree that these institutions will abdicate their beliefs,
(2) Backtrack from this strategy only temporarily when under extreme pressure, and
(3) Continue to wear down the opposition and look for future opportunities to continue the process.

The Believer’s Responsibility: Some in the body of Christ do not believe the discussion of politics should occur under the roof of the sanctuary. This dispute is as old as the gospel accounts. In the days that Jesus walked the earth, the Jewish Pharisees accepted the rule of Rome, provided such rule did not interfere with the worship of the Jewish people. At the other end of the spectrum were the Zealots who wanted to throw off all Roman rule and were willing to risk the nation to achieve that end. Even the apostle Paul appeared reluctant to criticize the Empire since he was able to preach the message under the protection of, and with relatively little interference from, the Roman government.

However, when a government or leaders within that government fail to fulfill their God given function to
secure the rights of citizens to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” and thus threaten the ability of citizens to worship and conduct their lives in a manner prescribed by God, those citizens become obligated to speak against such abuses and the people who authored them. To remain silent only invites further repression that will ultimately spiral down into total persecution against the body of believers.

-- Scott

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Seek First the Kingdom - Part 7

“When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. But He said to them, ‘I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.’” (Luke 4:42-43)

A close examination of the miracles Jesus performed will reveal that many, if not all, of the miracles testify to the kingdom, “for I was sent for this purpose.” Jesus began His ministry teaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 4:17), told His audience “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matt 6:33), and then He proceeded to perform miracles that demonstrated aspects of the kingdom.

“Jesus was going throughout all Galilee teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people,” (Matt 4:23).

The gospel of John records seven miracles of Jesus that all testify to the kingdom. Three of the miracles deal with healing the body. Healing a diseased person, a person who is crippled, or one who is blind, represent some of the greatest signs of the kingdom because “Shalom” is restored to that individual’s life and the people around him. The benefits of the kingdom are greatest for the person whose life is in the most chaos. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” (Matt 5:3). The kingdom comforts the mourners, feeds the hungry, bestows mercy, bears up under persecution, and brings forth peace, (Matt 5:3-10).

When Jesus sent the twelve disciples out He instructed them, “Preach saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand,’” (Matt 10:7). Their preaching was to be accompanied by four signs of the kingdom, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons,” (Matt 10:8). Casting out demons, like the healing of sickness, restores the health of the person bringing peace to the individual’s life. Casting out demons is one sign specifically identified by Jesus as a sign of the kingdom.

“If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matt 12:28).

Jesus performed all the signs that He instructed His disciples to perform to testify to the kingdom.

"Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them.” (Luke 7:22)

The “gospel” Jesus was referring to was “the gospel of the kingdom,” (Matt 4:23). When Jesus healed people, feed people and clothed people, he brought Shalom into their lives and gave His followers an example to follow. When Jesus healed the woman bleeding for twelve years, He restored her to her family and community. When Jesus healed the man blind from birth, the man could bless God for the beauty of the creation. When the man was freed of the demon possession, he sat down “at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind,” (Luke 8:35).

Jesus raised three people from the dead, including Lazarus, (John 11:1-45). If healing is a sign of the kingdom, it follows that resurrecting the dead would be among the greatest signs of the kingdom. Jesus may have been alluding to those who would witness His own resurrection when He said,

“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste of death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power,” (Mark 9:1).

When prompted to bring about the kingdom, Jesus said,

“The kingdom of God does not come with careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is, because the kingdom of God is within you,” (Luke 17:21).

The statement of Jesus has led many to understand that the kingdom is not manifested in a physical form on the existing earth. However, if the kingdom of God is within believers, then the kingdom will manifest itself in the physical actions of kingdom people. If it is manifested in the actions of believers then the kingdom has a physical form on the earth today. Said another way, people see the kingdom every time a believer acts to bring order, purpose, and peace into the world, “for the kingdom of God is…righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.” (Rom 14:7).

We can gain some insight into the operation of the kingdom by understanding the types of behavior that are not part of the kingdom. For example, the kingdom does not consist of people nor activities that bring chaos to the world.

“Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor 6:9-10)

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal 5:19-21)

“For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” (Eph 5:5)

The examples Paul cites move the individual and the world toward greater chaos and turmoil. Instead of bringing Shalom to the world, these actions bring about the "Tohu-Bohu" that existed before the creation. At the end of the age, “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness…then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father,” (Matt 13:42-43).

The actions of kingdom people are to be different from worldly people who introduce chaos into the creation. The actions of kingdom people bring “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The actions of the believer must always be bent toward repairing the world. When believers act like Jesus we manifest the kingdom in the world. The action of the believer should always be judged against the standard of the kingdom, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father,” (Col 3:17).

The Holy Spirit is fundamental to the progression of the kingdom. The Spirit enables the believer to live a kingdom life through obedience to the commandments of God. The work of the Spirit was prophesized by Ezekiel who said, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” (Ezek 36:26-28).

If the work of God at creation brings peace out of chaos, we would expect the work of the Son of God to bring peace to the world. Through every miracle He performed, Jesus restored a portion of the world back into the condition that existed before the fall.

“He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near,” (Eph 2:17).

The miracles of Jesus testified that He was from the Father because the Father has been in the business of creating Shalom out of tohu-bohu at creation.

“Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father?’ ‘Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.” (John 14:8-10)

(to be continued - Scott)

The Dusty Disciples

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Seek First the Kingdom - Part 12

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Seek First The Kingdom of God - Part 11

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Seek First The Kingdom - Part 10

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Seek First The Kingdom - Part 9

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Seek First The Kingdom - Part 8

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

The God Given Role of Governments

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Seek First the Kingdom - Part 7

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