Category: Kingdom Community

Fellowship and koinonia

generosity

The Godly Use Of Wealth

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Here are some thoughts for believers with some wealth who want to fully surrender to Jesus or for ministers who want to challenge the wealthy believers whom they serve. Scripture instructs the wealthy to “do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Tim. 6:18-19, NIV). The Apostle Paul emphasizes this by stating it three times in one sentence: do good deeds, be generous and share! Jesus said something similar to a rich man who was seeking eternal life: “Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Matt. Continue Reading →

caring for others

Treating People In Our Care

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When it comes to the 2nd great commandment to love others (Matt. 22:39) we have a much greater responsibility to show active love when someone is in our care. Below are three examples of this. We are under a higher obligation with respect to our family and housemates. If you have a problem with angry outbursts or other habits harmful to the wellbeing of your family or housemates (for example, substance abuse, gambling, infidelity, insensitivity, wide mood swings, etcetera) then you are under great obligation to break that habit. Unfortunately, many neglect this obligation but God will not. Such people will suffer loss on judgment day (Col. 3:25; 2 John 1:8). One’s obligation in this situation includes finding someone to help them if they cannot break the habit themselves within a few months. Many think they are fulfilling their responsibility just because they want to break a habit and sometimes Continue Reading →

kingdom of God

Living In The Promise Of The Kingdom – Part 4

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Our first post in this series, on promises of the kingdom, is here and our second one, on Jesus bringing the kingdom, is here. The third post on being citizens of the kingdom is here. Drawing people to the Kingdom. Jesus wants us to draw others into his kingdom by showing the world what a citizen of the kingdom citizen looks like. Immediately after the beatitudes in Matthew 5 we hear Jesus saying “You are the salt of the earth” and “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13, 14, NIV). (Paul says something similar in Philippians 2:14-16.) Then he gives the command “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16, NIV). Thus, after explaining what kind of people his disciples should be, he directs them to go out and display the kingdom of God in their lives. His Continue Reading →

kingdom of God

Living In The Promise Of The Kingdom – Part 3

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Our first post in this series, on promises of the kingdom, is here and our second one, on Jesus bringing the kingdom, is here. Jesus gives us authority to do his work the way he worked on earth. We have the Holy Spirit and Spiritual gifts to empower us to invade the kingdom of darkness and conquer it with the kingdom of God. In this way, we begin to fulfill Adam’s original mission to be fruitful and fill the earth while bearing the image of God (Gen. 1:27-28). We are also the seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:29) and we are fulfilling the promise that God made to Abraham: “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12:3, NIV). Now Jesus’ mission is our mission because we are his agents. In other words, God wants to use you to accomplish many of the promises of the kingdom quoted above Continue Reading →

kingdom of God

Living In The Promise Of The Kingdom – Part 2

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Last week we looked at the prophecies of the kingdom of God and how Jesus began to fulfill the prophecies. In his teachings, especially in the Sermon on the Mount, he declared that he was fulfilling the Old Testament law and the prophets (Matt. 5:17) which included a new way to live that seems upside-down to the world. When Jesus was crucified his disciples were crushed. His death dashed their dreams of the kingdom. But when he rose from the dead they were ecstatic for surely now he would establish the kingdom. And so the apostles asked Jesus “are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6, NIV). He said he would not tell them when the kingdom would be restored, but he did say the Holy Spirit would come on them so they could be his witnesses to the world (Acts 1:8). They were Continue Reading →