My Friend: Are You a Part of the Kingdom Culture?
May 07, 2014
Christianity never was and never will be a religion. It always was and always will be a culture — the culture of the kingdom of heaven. Please read on and I'll explain what I mean.
Matthew 4:17 says, "From that time Jesus began to preach, crying out, Repent (change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
This was at the very beginning of Jesus' ministry. The first word Jesus preached was the word repent. Repent doesn't mean remorse. It means to transform your thought processes, to change your mind, to think differently. We can't think the way the world thinks and wonder why things don't change in our lives. We have to think the way God thinks.
Notice, He never said, "Think differently; you're a sinner going to hell." He said, "Think differently, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The word kingdom comes from two words: king and domain. Heaven is a domain with a king. In America, we vote every four years for who we want to be president. But that doesn't happen in the kingdom of God. We don't vote for Jesus; He's the King whether we vote for Him or not.
Sometimes, we make the mistake of reading the Bible, an eastern book, with a western mind. When we do, we can miss an obvious fact — the Bible is a book about kingdoms. When we were born again, we were engrafted into the Body of Christ and moved from one kingdom, the kingdom of darkness, and we were transferred into the kingdom of God's dear Son, the kingdom of heaven (Colossians 1:13).
Even though we've changed kingdoms, many Christians are still operating in the ways of their old kingdom. They are still thinking the old way even though they've joined another kingdom. They are still doing things the old way and waiting for different results. You and I are no longer a part of the kingdom of darkness! We need to adjust our ways to the new kingdom.
One translation of Matthew 4:17 says, "Think differently for the rule or the government of God is beginning now." Christianity was never meant to be a religion — it was meant to be the extension and expansion of a kingdom. Too many Christians are trying to get to heaven when we haven't fulfilled our mandate on the earth. We're not here biding time — we're here to change our world by expanding our kingdom and its culture!
The Bible says, "The government [of the kingdom] shall be upon His shoulders," (Isaiah 9:6). That means when Jesus came He wasn't bringing a new philosophy or set of ideals. He came to establish an everlasting kingdom with a far superior set of governing principles that bring life and liberty into our spirits. If we are going to be successful and effective, we need to understand and operate in those principles.
Think about this, if you were an ambassador and were sent to a foreign land, you would carry with you the laws, principles, and culture of your home country. If, instead, you decided to live like those in the foreign land, you would cease to be an effective ambassador. An ambassador is charged with representing the country and the ruler from which he or she came. The same is true for us; we are ambassadors of and for Christ. Therefore, we have to learn, and live, in our kingdom's culture. Then, we have to bring our kingdom's culture to our friends, our relatives, and our neighbors.
We also need to know, as ambassadors for Christ, that when we are living in our kingdom's culture we are no longer attached to the economy of this world — we're attached to the economy of our kingdom. The things that befall the natural economy of the country where we live need not have any bearing on us. After all, heaven doesn't have any recessions or depressions — God is doing fine now, and He will always do fine in heaven.
You might be saying, "That's nice for God, but I'm not doing fine down here." Well, whose kingdom are you living in? If we are living in God's kingdom culture, we can enjoy our kingdom's benefits. You might be thinking, "How does the economy of our kingdom work?" Jesus answered that when He said, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you," (Luke 6:38). That means our kingdom's economy operates on entirely different principles — it operates on our giving! Jesus also said in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." We can reap the benefits of our kingdom when we put His kingdom first and let Him direct our tithes and offerings.
I dare you to try it out. Sow your seed in the measure you want God to bless you (Remember, tens produce tens, hundreds produce hundreds, and thousands produce thousands). "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5). Release your faith by thanking God for your harvest, and, finally, enter His rest.
If you have done this, you are now operating in a kingdom culture principle or law, and you will see His benefits come to you as a multiplied harvest!
As you sow $25 or more, make sure you request my series "Kingdom Culture." It will teach you more about the kingdom culture and how to acquire our kingdom's benefits.
Know that as you sow your seed this month, it is helping us reach the Muslim nations with the Gospel of Jesus. I will pray for your harvest.
Your Praying Partner,
Dr. Nasir Siddiki
Matthew 4:17 says, "From that time Jesus began to preach, crying out, Repent (change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
This was at the very beginning of Jesus' ministry. The first word Jesus preached was the word repent. Repent doesn't mean remorse. It means to transform your thought processes, to change your mind, to think differently. We can't think the way the world thinks and wonder why things don't change in our lives. We have to think the way God thinks.
Notice, He never said, "Think differently; you're a sinner going to hell." He said, "Think differently, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The word kingdom comes from two words: king and domain. Heaven is a domain with a king. In America, we vote every four years for who we want to be president. But that doesn't happen in the kingdom of God. We don't vote for Jesus; He's the King whether we vote for Him or not.
Sometimes, we make the mistake of reading the Bible, an eastern book, with a western mind. When we do, we can miss an obvious fact — the Bible is a book about kingdoms. When we were born again, we were engrafted into the Body of Christ and moved from one kingdom, the kingdom of darkness, and we were transferred into the kingdom of God's dear Son, the kingdom of heaven (Colossians 1:13).
Even though we've changed kingdoms, many Christians are still operating in the ways of their old kingdom. They are still thinking the old way even though they've joined another kingdom. They are still doing things the old way and waiting for different results. You and I are no longer a part of the kingdom of darkness! We need to adjust our ways to the new kingdom.
One translation of Matthew 4:17 says, "Think differently for the rule or the government of God is beginning now." Christianity was never meant to be a religion — it was meant to be the extension and expansion of a kingdom. Too many Christians are trying to get to heaven when we haven't fulfilled our mandate on the earth. We're not here biding time — we're here to change our world by expanding our kingdom and its culture!
The Bible says, "The government [of the kingdom] shall be upon His shoulders," (Isaiah 9:6). That means when Jesus came He wasn't bringing a new philosophy or set of ideals. He came to establish an everlasting kingdom with a far superior set of governing principles that bring life and liberty into our spirits. If we are going to be successful and effective, we need to understand and operate in those principles.
Think about this, if you were an ambassador and were sent to a foreign land, you would carry with you the laws, principles, and culture of your home country. If, instead, you decided to live like those in the foreign land, you would cease to be an effective ambassador. An ambassador is charged with representing the country and the ruler from which he or she came. The same is true for us; we are ambassadors of and for Christ. Therefore, we have to learn, and live, in our kingdom's culture. Then, we have to bring our kingdom's culture to our friends, our relatives, and our neighbors.
We also need to know, as ambassadors for Christ, that when we are living in our kingdom's culture we are no longer attached to the economy of this world — we're attached to the economy of our kingdom. The things that befall the natural economy of the country where we live need not have any bearing on us. After all, heaven doesn't have any recessions or depressions — God is doing fine now, and He will always do fine in heaven.
You might be saying, "That's nice for God, but I'm not doing fine down here." Well, whose kingdom are you living in? If we are living in God's kingdom culture, we can enjoy our kingdom's benefits. You might be thinking, "How does the economy of our kingdom work?" Jesus answered that when He said, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you," (Luke 6:38). That means our kingdom's economy operates on entirely different principles — it operates on our giving! Jesus also said in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." We can reap the benefits of our kingdom when we put His kingdom first and let Him direct our tithes and offerings.
I dare you to try it out. Sow your seed in the measure you want God to bless you (Remember, tens produce tens, hundreds produce hundreds, and thousands produce thousands). "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5). Release your faith by thanking God for your harvest, and, finally, enter His rest.
If you have done this, you are now operating in a kingdom culture principle or law, and you will see His benefits come to you as a multiplied harvest!
As you sow $25 or more, make sure you request my series "Kingdom Culture." It will teach you more about the kingdom culture and how to acquire our kingdom's benefits.
Know that as you sow your seed this month, it is helping us reach the Muslim nations with the Gospel of Jesus. I will pray for your harvest.
Your Praying Partner,
Dr. Nasir Siddiki
