Kingdom ways

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

The act of sacrificing is as old as time. History records how people offered sacrifices to their gods. Yes, even before the first pages of the Bible were ever written. The Bible though helps clarify the intentions and purpose of sacrifices.

We have the initial story in Genesis of Cain and Abel both offering a sacrifice to God. God accepted Abel’s but not Cain’s. Later Abraham was ready to offer his son Isaac as an offering to the Lord. Later grandson Jacob offered a sacrifice to God. The people of that period found it natural to offer sacrifices in appeasing their gods. They realized there was a world beyond them. They thus practiced their religious rituals in an act to find favor with the gods. They believed these gods influenced world events and their lives. This was the custom of the times.

When you look at every culture in history, they had their gods to appease. What the Lord of the old covenant introduces is the fact there is only one god worth worshiping – Jehovah. So in a culture of sacrificial practices to many gods, HE introduces HIMSELF. HE starts with Abraham and his family lineage. With Moses, HE reinforces HIS position as the only God worth serving. The sacrificial rituals continue, but are aimed at the ONE God. The practices remain until the arrival of Jesus.

Jesus, God in flesh, clarified the meaning of the sacrificial practice. HE, and later the apostles would emphasize the reason behind the sacrifices. The purpose wasn’t to appease God, but to learn the importance of living a life of sacrificial love. All the rituals pointed toward Jesus.

Jesus demonstrated the power of sacrificial love throughout HIS life. From birth through his last breath, HE packaged this way of life to live under HIS Father’s Kingdom. The Triune God’s way of life is built on sacrificial love.

The Father sacrificed HIS Son for the redemption of humanity. The Son willingly and in HIS own admission sacrificed HIS life for you and me. All this so we may join them in the eternal circle of Father-Son-Spirit. Sacrificing oneself for another is the way of God.

Real love is sacrificial. This is the love that is God-ordained. We witness its impact throughout history and in the lives of those closes to us. We see this from the love of a parent for their child. We read about the actions of an army buddy throwing their body on top of an exploding grenade. Love is about what’s best for the other person, not you.

If you want to know the depth of your love, ask yourself. Are you willing to sacrifice all for another person. A close family member, most likely. But to a stranger, that is the measurement of one’s heart.

Jesus, before we ever met HIM or heard about HIM, when HE was still a stranger to us, did this for you and me. That is the power of sacrificial love.

That is the love of God we want fully expressed in us and through us for the sake of all those around us. Until then, we walk humbly and gracefully knowing we are still a work in process. We are very grateful for the love of God being expressed in us and through us for the sake of ourself, others, and HIS Kingdom. HIS earthly life showed us the value of sacrificing for others. It is how love is expressed.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

^{Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler}

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“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17

The gospel message of the Kingdom of God was a strong motivating influence for the early Church. When you read the Book of Acts, the good news being preached was about Jesus Christ and HIS Kingdom (Acts 8:12, 28:13, 28:31). Whether a Jew or a Gentile, the message resonated to the people who lived under an authoritative government. If you were a Roman citizen, you had special privileges. If you were the other two/thirds of the population, you struggled to put food on the table for your family. But if you expressed your allegiance to Caesar, submitted yourself to the government, you had a better chance to survive.

In this pagan culture of many gods, entered the message of Jesus and HIS Kingdom. The Jewish messiah who was raised from the dead. When walking on earth, taught a way of life contrary to the norm. HE perform miracles healing people from major diseases and even raising them from the dead. He claim to be a king. But HIS kingdom was not yet of this world, but to appear in the future. Until then though, one could live under its rule and benefit from its presence.

Enter today. HIS government is still available. I became more familiar with its operations and methods as a student of organizational leadership. While working on my graduate degree in management, I was challenged by our professor. He taught us over a thirteen week period all the latest theories and methods of leading people within organizations. But concluded the course with the statement that none of it actually works. The proof is in the real world. His final statement for us was to go out into the world and discover what does work.

When he made that statement, the Holy Spirit must have convicted me. Then and there I accepted the challenge to show how God’s Kingdom is the best way to lead people and manage systems. The rest is now history.

At the time there were few books on business and faith. So one had to do their research through the pages of the Bible. And so I did. That started a stewardship career leading organizations with a Kingdom of God perspective. Yes, I made some poor judgements in the process. But learned. We witness how living and working under the umbrella of God’s Kingdom allows one to witness God’s amazing grace in action.

In hindsight, most people want God’s gift of joy and peace in their world. But, don’t want HIM. They believe through their own efforts they can make themselves happy. They can make themselves tranquil. They can experience godliness apart from the Maker. So they work hard. They manipulate circumstances their way. They use people as the means to their end. And yes, they may reap material prosperity along the way, but their inner-world is in turmoil. The stress and tension leaves them looking twenty years older than they are. Their outer world looks impressive. But their inner-world hurts.

When one lives under the tutelage of Jesus Christ, one obtains the benefits of HIS domain and HIS Spirit. As one builds a relationship with the King of the Heavens, one finds a teacher, Lord, and friend along the way. As a citizen of the Kingdom of God, one inherits a whole list of good things (read the first chapter of Ephesians). One is blessed beyond measure. One’s life becomes full of the fruit of HIS Spirit. Yes, one learns when one seeks HIS Kingdom first, HE can be trusted. HIS promises of all the other necessary needs also come packaged together.

You may want to read Brother Lawrence’s classic book, The Practice of the Presence of God. He lived a life as a friar serving in the kitchen of a monastery. To him, the kitchen was like a chapel. He experienced God’s presence while he prepared meals and worked to keep the kitchen in operation. He shows how we can do likewise in our everyday life.

So if you haven’t yet learned how to live under the presence of Lord Jesus and HIS Kingdom, give it a try. Ask HIM to show you how and then begin.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)
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