Seeds just grow

He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like". A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

The Kingdom of God is like a planted seed that grows. I live in beautiful Santa Clara County, where farming used to be a good size industry. Although we spent many nights trying to stir up some "action", one could say that after 2100 hours things were quiet except for a few cars passing by, and the all familiar sound of farmers trying to coax seeds to grow. Breaking through the silence, one could hear, "come on you can do it, please grow, I will be sure to pull weeds tomorrow if you could just grow a little bit now." We will never plant another seed in you if you don't hurry and grow. a tractor comes by spreading chemicals to support the growth.

The truth is we don't have to coax, plead with, or beg seeds to grow. Seeds grow because that is what they do. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. Plant seeds of the Kingdom and it will grow.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

A friend said....

A friend of mine named Kevin was about twenty years old when he wrote the following in 2005:America has always been the antithesis of the Kingdom of God. I have been studying the book of Daniel lately with some friends at the workplace (don't worry, I'm not in a church service, LOL). In Daniel chapter 2 we read about a dream that King Nebuchadnezzar had, of an image with a head of gold, shoulders of silver, loins of bronze, and legs of iron, feet of iron mixed with clay. These, according to Daniel, represented the coming world empires, of which King Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon was the first. The empires that have followed have all been part and parcel of that original Babylonian structure. America is Babylon. Just as Rome was Babylon, Christendom was Babylon, etc. Babylon has dominated world history since the time of Daniel and will until Allah sends his son, Jesus, to destroy the kingdoms of the this world and set up his kingdom.

The Kingdom of God is not a re-structured human government. It is human anarchy, divine rule. Trying to reform human governments does not give us something "closer" to the Kingdom of God. The only "closer" there is is the "closer" contained in our own spirits, for, in this time when Babylon still reigns on the slaves and feasts on the martyrs, Jesus' words are truer than ever before. Luke 17:21 - the kingdom of God is within us. We can release this kingdom in our own personal sphere of influence, by thanking God for every moment that we live in, by accepting each breath as a gift. Then our inner peace will flow out and transform our own lives and our own spheres of influence.

I have been amazed to see this happen in my own home. Since my wife and I have lived on our own in our own house, we have become "Crazy Pet People." We have a dog, three cats, and three fish. And you would have to see it to believe it, but the literal Kingdom of God rules the interactions of these animals. They are full of peace towards us and towards each other. In our backyard the wild animals want to be near us, and especially near the altar I have set up where I observe the nature of the God I love and the signs of the stars and the moon which He made for us. I work at a youth center, where I just had a co-worker tell me that I "create heaven on earth" for our patients, and that the way my own personal atmosphere is, is "the way the whole world is supposed to be." I don't say these things to lift myself up, merely to encourage anyone who doesn't know to get a hold of the Kingdom of God that Jesus imparted to us, separate yourself from anything anti-Kingdom, and watch peace on earth become reality, if not in the rest of the world, at least in your backyard.

And as for the rest of the world: support the human rights of all, the rights of workers, and peace, justice, life, and health. Don't put any hope in any individual nation or party. But I do believe in using this current order against its own self to liberate as many as possible from the bondage of wealth, politics, and religion which emanate from the same statue that Nebuchadnezzar erected in Daniel 3. Ever asked yourself if the statue in Daniel 3 was modelled after the image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2?
-Kevin X

How big is your big

I heard someone  say that one of the problems men have is that they don't think big enough. Maybe it is fear of pride or just laziness, what ever the cause, it could be true, we simply don't dream big enough.

With today's go big mentality, it is hard to talk about a few, or a "small" crowd. When I was a practicing evangelist, a "small" crowd, or group, had a way of determining my self-worth for the next, how ever long it took me to get over myself.  Well it could be that going small in a go big society is the right thing to do, in fact sometimes quality control is out of control when we go big!

For all of my friends who feel the pressure is on, things are winding down, the end is near, may I say that a mustard seed is still small.  Many times in the world of producing goods and services the need becomes so big that all we require is more product, and in the act of "going fast", we loose quality. Look at the typical congregation. The Kingdom of God is a for sure deal that starts as the smallest but steadily grows into large, the key is steady, and sure.  A man plants a seed and then goes to bed, while he is sleeping the seed is growing, the seed can grow without 24/7 attention, because that is what seeds do, they grow.

UNDUE IT ALL?

Those with a few years have learned a bit about life, and in most cases are still learning.  In our childhood the things we learn make a lasting impression. I was taught to respect those older than myself, Today you respect those who earn your respect. Over the years what we have learned changes, but the basics are always there, with upgrades, and enhancements.

Then, the Kingdom Of God comes near and we hear Jesus saying, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." 

How can we live free and light without something big happening? Here is the catch, we are asked to take everything we have been taught up to this point, in most cases, and accept the opposite to be true. Everything gets turned on it's head until we have a counter culture, even a revolution. So Jesus says, "you have heard, but I say to you" for example, an eye for an eye becomes turn the other cheek.

So what does the Kingdom of God look like? It looks like Jesus, meek and lowly at heart Jesus. The best way to figure this one out is to follow Jesus, till you are born from above, When the Spirit comes upon you and you walk as Jesus does,  you will see.

Kingdom Economy

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
  "God opposes the proud
      but gives grace to the humble."

What exactly is “friendship with the world? We are told that we should not conform to the pattern of this world, in 1John we read, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” It is the ideology of the world, it’s attitude and desires that we are told to avoid.

The kingdom currency, if you will, is grace. The fuel that keeps America in running is oil, without this fuel we would be at a literal standstill. It is Grace, God’s grace that keeps His kingdom going. Grace has been called, God’s riches at Christ’s expense. So in our analogy Grace is the kingdom money.

Big Kingdom business then, is carried on with Grace. How is Grace acquired? It is humility that gains grace. First of all God opposes the proud. In a football game the team that you are not on will do all it can to keep you from the goal line, they oppose you, they are against you. God opposes the proud.

In the kingdom of God, we love our King, And humility gains God favor.

Let’s Go Big

Jesus with His twelve close friends and followers set the religious world on tilt. The impact the revolutionary Jesus had on society then and now caused His brutal death. He was born in humble circumstance, in a feeding trough, to questionable parents, with a hit put on Him by Herod. A man of sorrows acquainted with grief  is what Isaiah said of Him, the electrocardiogram reads meek and lowly. The rest of the world wants to do something big, like jump their bike into a van??

The devil himself tried to temp Jesus to take the more flesh appealing position of power.  Jesus said His father’s Kingdom was like a mustard seed, growing from small to huge over a long period of time. The sure thing Jesus said was that the Kingdom would grow.  While most religious leaders spend a large part of  life thinking they are going to be big and greatly used by God, the truth is we are the greatest and most powerful when we serve in humility the poor and afflicted of this world.

Silver and Gold

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

The poor are rich in faith, if we hold on to gold and silver, it is very easy to depend on that rather than God. Thus the saying, "when you cannot say silver and gold I do not have, you my loose the ability to say, in the name of Jesus get up and walk." My experience tells me that if my check book is fat, I have to use it before I ask God to multiply food. There are those who say Jesus was making that point when he multiplied food. As you recall the young man brought his lunch to Jesus then the multiplication came. To see God's power we must be in a position of need.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Richard Rohr

A Real Battle

This place we call home is not ruled by who we think it is ruled. The scriptures call him the ruler of this age. "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient." Eph 2:1-2

There is a battle going on, while small battles stage themselves nicely in our mind daily, the big picture sees the ruin of man, the ruler of the age does not want a bunch of little Jesus running around undoing his work. It could start with something like, Jesus said, "if someone takes your goods don't ask for them back." The enemy says, "oh you know Jesus did not mean that, how could He expect you to just let things go, you have worked so hard for them."

Before you know it God's people are thinking like the enemy, just because it seems logical. Keep your eye on the shot callers, who inspires them?

Keeping things in order

Among those who follow Jesus there should be no rifts, no points of contention. The work of relationships, it is work! is to keep all accounts current. Jesus said that relationship problems should be settled prior to going to "church".  If we cannot get along with our brothers who we can see how are we going to be able to get along with God who we cannot see? Good question. Here is another one like it; how can we spend money to go someplace in the world with the message of peace and hope, when we have no peace or hope in our own neighborhood?

Personal relationships take a little care to maintain, one way that I keep things in perspective is to know that when I relate to people I am relating to Jesus. Everyone I talk to is either someone in whom Christ lives or someone for whom Christ died.

being conformed to the image of Jesus

Signs and wonders should follow the preaching of the Gospel. We trust God to take care of the change in the believer’s life. Seeking the Kingdom of God is priority.

There is a thing going on in the heart of those who accept the Kingdom. Those in the kingdom will find themselves being conformed to the image of Jesus who made himself of no reputation and became a servant. One must notice that this stuff was happening to Jesus while he was in this world. If we are not being changed into the likeness of Jesus right now in this world, there is no reason to believe it is going to happen at some point after death.
We find ourselves more concerned with others than own little world. Our giving does not have to be justified; we give because that is who we are. Try as they will people will find it hard to anger us, or cause us to retaliate; we turn the other cheek and return evil with good and hate with love. Loving our enemy has become our nature, we say with Jesus, "Father forgive them", and we would never consider retaliation or the need to have our way. Sleeping good at night and worry-free days mark our existence.
When it comes to prayer we understand that our Father knows what we need. We have become so one with Jesus and our father we can actually see what he is doing in us and around us.

The Kingdom is not what is being preached today:

Our posture in the world is offensive. We will look for the enemy and do him in like Jesus did. With confidence that God will supply all that is needed, we will find out what He is doing and do that.

The Gospel of the Kingdom is not what is being preached today: As John Wimber observed, "Instead of a call to the Lordship of Christ and membership in His kingdom, people are hearing a gospel that emphasizes self: come to Jesus and get this or that need met, be personally fulfilled, reach your potential. This, however, is not the costly kingdom gospel that Christ proclaims." As John Wimber, in his book Power Evangelism, notes, "When the kingdom of God comes into direct contact with the kingdom of the world (when Jesus meets Satan), there is conflict." James Kallas, in the book The Real Satan, declares, "A war is going on! Cosmic war! Jesus is the divine invader sent by God to shatter the strengths of Satan. In that light, the whole ministry of Jesus unrolls. Jesus has one purpose - to defeat Satan. He takes seriously the strengths of the enemy." Without the kingdom concept how can we ever really grasp the reality of spiritual warfare? We cannot. For only as we grasp the idea of kingdoms in conflict, can we grasp our place in the battle. With out fully embracing the Kingdom of God there is no real victory in life's daily battles with the enemy. Now it is at this point that we find never-ending bible study meetings replacing commitment to walk with Jesus in His Kingdom.

embrace the cross

At some point in the journey we must embrace the cross. The good news is more than your sins are forgiven.

What is the Kingdom of God: The kingdom of God is now, but not yet. George Ladd, a respected scholar concerning the kingdom of God, defines the kingdom as "basically the rule of God. It is God's reign, the divine sovereignty in action. God's reign, however, is manifested in several realms, and the Gospels speak of entering into the kingdom of God both today and tomorrow. God's reign manifests itself both in the future and in the present and thereby creates both a future realm and a present realm in which man may experience the blessings of His reign."

Light The Fire

captive set free

Is it possible to live as a captive set free, a new creature in Christ, or even have the mind of Christ and be one with him if we only have a gospel that tells us our sins were forgiven? This is of course part of the good news but I submit that there is more.
Scripture says that Jesus suffered leaving us an example; Jesus said we must pick up our cross daily. Jesus preached the kingdom of God and he knew there was a price to pay if a person is to move from one set of values to another. In Luke Our lord said we must give up all we have to see the kingdom. The main reason we have to run from conference to conference to stay spiritually charged and read book after book is because we have not given up everything. As men and women try to manage things that are not consistent with God's kingdom they find themselves alone and without the peace of God, this is because they know that what they are about is not the Kingdom of God.
So many of the testimonies we share and hear are, just efforts to convince ourselves that we are ok with the Father while the lack of peace we have betrays us. Instead of walking worry free with complete confidence in God we settle for an on and off experience, especially when the bills are due. I think this is because we settle for a good news that says our sins were forgiven, when the truth is, the good news is an invitation to step out of a world that has not been nice to you and walk into the Kingdom of God. Good news is that there is a place to go when you have figured out what you have is not quite what it was cracked up to be.
The good news is the kingdom of God, a kingdom, which is now but is still yet to come, the Kingdom of God was central to the teaching of Jesus and it was the most important single topic He discussed.

Jesus himself in the midst

When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?' " At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
The question being answered here is found in the preceding verse, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" The one who was to come is the Messiah, the Christ, Emanuel (God with us) we know the Kingdom of God is here when the king Himself is here.
As the people of God are sure of their own sonship and put on the mind of Christ while putting off the deeds of the flesh, once again God is with us and the ongoing presence of Jesus in our midst is one sign that the kingdom is here.
First Born Among Many: Jesus is the first born among many we are the ones who continue the presence of god on earth. Now we are the sons of God and a quick reading of Romans 8 will show that the purpose of God for the called is to be conformed to the image of Christ. Jesus left us an

Holy is the Lord God

Worship

Wimber, Ladd, the Kingdom of God

Create Arenas

Following Jesus, learning from Him (Matthew 11)
Making friends on the journey (John 15:15)
Doing the things Jesus taught (Matthew 28)
Knowing the Father’s heart through Jesus (John 17)
Experiencing new church life (organic)
Looking to the youth for leadership (Acts 2)
Expecting an outpouring of the Spirit of God (Acts 2)
Moving in compassion, and unconditional love (1John)

It is important to create arenas were we can experience and love one another thus becoming friends, experiencing and learning to love God as we express ourselves in the culture we understand. It is in walking with God that we begin to understand how He speaks to us, and when we see His mighty hand move on behalf of those we minister to we will no longer fear doing ministry, we will have confidence in the Lord who has called us.

We are being conformed to the image of Jesus, measuring spiritual growth is important; it must be measured in the Spirit.

The Spirit is not objective (we can’t see Him) so we cannot measure growth only by behavior, we should learn the heart.
Jesus is our example that we should follow in this world. He said that we are sent just as the Father sends him.
We are more than Representatives: Although we are ambassadors, we are more; we are in fact Christ in the world. With the same commission and power we can do the fathers work just like Jesus did. He prayed in John 17 for us to be one in Him even as He is one with the father. Jesus in the father, the Father in Him, Jesus in us and we in Him and the Father. When those in Christ come on the scene the kingdom of God has, just as in the days of Christ, come near.

Finding Jesus without the burden
It is in walking with God that we begin to understand how He speaks to us, and when we see His mighty hand move on behalf of those we minister to we will no longer fear doing ministry, we will have confidence in the Lord who has called us.

When men and women came to Jesus two thousand years ago one thing was important, Jesus said, "Come follow Me" and those who were to be disciples did just that. Today the request by Jesus is the same, "follow Me". If we are to follow Him we must do more than just believe all the right stuff, we must also do the right stuff. Jesus left us with the example of teaching and doing, today we major on teaching and we have plenty of it, we must start doing and then experiencing. As we do the stuff Jesus told His disciples to do we will certainly experience God and His presence in the process.

There is a new day comming

If you have not heard what God is up to lately, think a minute with me. There is a great frustration among church goers, it seems we are constantly being given advice, brought under the submission of someone, (it does not even matter who, just as long as there is someone you can say you submit to) no, loose cannons.

Being a loose cannon used to be my gift, there may even be some residual. I see it being time to get busy, busy with the ministry of Jesus. The ministry of Jesus is one of the focal points of the emergent conversation. Just as Jesus is so must we be in this world. This could be where the rub is. For some this call is too high, others think it is presumptuous, after all we could steal the glory from Jesus. Jesus had such good self esteem that it was cool for Him to ask the Father to give us His glory. John 17

Over Kill

Thinking about how to meet the needs of the poor is close to my heart. The people God sends my way have generally fallen through the cracks or already "tried that", with little or no success. Would you think with me and discuss better ways we can care for addicts, alcoholics and the poor. All the twelve step programs are great and we attend them. How can we get shelter and detox and more clean and sober living environments?

Doing what is being done is good, can it be done better? Are you intrestewd in getting involved with some followers of Jesus? We meet on thursday nites in Gilroy, California. It is also possible to have a conversation here.

Have you heard of an emerging church?