• A physical nation on earth
• A coalition of nations
• A church
• Any man made organization
• Any territory labeled “Christendom”
• Western Civilization

How do I know it is not these things? Jesus said in Luke 17:20-21 “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there! For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” The Pharisees wanted to know when and how they would see God’s Kingdom come in the earth. They probably had Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in the book of Daniel in mind. They were waiting for the Kingdom that would “crush all those kingdoms.” I suspect that they were hoping for Israel to rise up, throw off Rome, and rule the world. (See Daniel 2:44 – as well as before and after)

In the 2nd chapter of Daniel verses 31-45 (Daniel 2:31-45) Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. He describes a statue with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and “brittle” feet partly of iron and clay. Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that he is the head of gold (I’ll bet old Nebby liked that). History makes sense if you look at it like this – the Head of Gold is Babylon, the chest and arms of silver is Persia (or the Medes and Persians), the belly and thighs of bronze are Greece, and the legs of iron are Rome. The brittle feet of iron and clay are best understood as the remnants of the Roman Empire as it broke up and became Europe. Daniel says that “in the days of those kings” God would establish a kingdom that would crush all the others but it would itself expand to fill the whole earth and endure forever!

Interestingly enough, Jesus came in the time of Rome and established the Kingdom of God in the hearts of men! That kingdom went throughout the whole earth but took particular roots in the remnants of the Roman Empire (Europe!).

I taught this in India and asked the students to review with me what they learned. One student said “that Rome is the Kingdom of God.” No, NO, NOOO! I think we had a misunderstanding. I clarified.

Rome was not and is not the Kingdom of God. The Roman Catholic Church was not and is not the Kingdom of God. No nation, no human organization, and not even any human-organized church will ever be the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God IS:

• Inside of human beings who Know God!

The Kingdom of God is WITHIN you!

Think of the word “kingdom.” You have “king” followed by “dom.” (Does this remind you of Sesame Street?) Dom is short for “domain” or “dominion.” In other words, a “kingdom” is simply the domain or dominion of a king!

The Kingdom of God is the Domain or Dominion of God, the King of the Universe! Wherever God reigns, that is the Kingdom of God.

Jesus clarifies that the Kingdom of God is WITHIN people!

The power of God changing a person’s heart through the Holy Spirit, increasing faith and knowledge of God, increasing love and worship of God, and transforming the mind of a man through the Spirit and the Word – this is the Kingdom of God!
 
This Kingdom has a compelling effect on the institutions of this world, but it is NOT an institution of this world. Jesus said that the Kingdom of God works like “yeast.”

In Luke 13:20-21 Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is like yeast worked through a whole batch of dough!

The dough is not itself the Kingdom, but it is INFECTED with it! The entire dough is highly affected by the yeast!

The Kingdom of God works in this world in the same way. It is itself “not of this world” but it “yeasts” the world through the people of God living out Christianity within it. The Kingdom of God happens from the Internal to the External.

INTERNAL –> EXTERNAL

I have read many things written by people who are afraid that emphasizing the “dominion” aspects of Christ and His Gospel will lead people to try and expand God’s Kingdom by Force of the Sword. (Or I suppose nowadays we would say with guns and bombs.)

Anyone who understands what the Kingdom of God is and how it works would know that advancing the Kingdom by any kind of physical force would be impossible! The sword does not change a heart!

But it is a mistake to think that the Kingdom will not “yeast” every area of life, all of humanity, and every human institution! Do not misunderstand, this does not make these things to BE the Kingdom of God, but they can be “yeasted” by Spirit Filled People and the ways and ideas that come out of their hearts and lives!

So when someone like me comes along and says “let’s apply the Kingdom of God to every area of life – Business, Civil Government, Family, Church, Education, Media, Art, etc.” it should be automatically understood that this will be done by living, breathing, exemplifying, teaching, inspiring, and preaching the Word and the Ways of God in all of these areas. It should NEVER be seen to mean that physical violence can establish God’s Kingdom.

The Romans were wrong to think that their empire was The Kingdom of God. Any other nation or empire in history that thought itself to be the Kingdom of God was wrong. Britain was not and is not the Kingdom of God. America was not and is not the Kingdom of God.

One nation or people can be more “yeasted” with the Kingdom than another. One nation or people or human institution can manifest the Kingdom more than another, but it itself is not the Kingdom!

At least not until Jesus returns physically and it is declared that now “The Kingdoms of this World have become the Kingdom of our God, and He will reign forever and ever!” (Rev 11:15)

This side of eternity the Kingdom expands in the hearts and minds and spirits of men and manifests “yeastily” in every area of life. When Christ returns everything in this world will be finally manifested as having fully become the Kingdom of God! (See Revelation 11:15)

Look at it this way –> You know that you will not become perfect and sinless in this temporal life, but you work and believe God to bring you closer and closer to excellence in Him. We should look at this world in the same way. It is true that it will not be fully perfected until Jesus comes physically in person, but we should be working to see this temporal world manifest the Kingdom of God more and more. We should expect to see the world look more and more like the Kingdom.

Should we see the “things of this world” as filthy and to be avoided? Or should we get out there and START CLEANING?

Should we run from wicked movies and dirty politics and fallen institutions crying out “what a nasty world – come Lord Jesus”? Or should we make God-glorifying movies, teach and live the things that God says in the Bible about civil government, and work to establish the right institutions in the earth and in the right way?

Friends, like the children of Israel looking across the Jordan at a beautiful land filled with giants, we as Christians stand looking outside of our church windows at a world in “dire straits.”

Let’s not be afraid of the giants. Let’s not see ourselves as “grasshoppers in our own eyes.” Let’s not keep wandering in the desert. (Numbers 13:33)

Yes, let’s preach the gospel and see people reconciled to God. Yes let’s plant churches. But let’s not forget that God doesn’t only want “saved” people worshiping inside of church buildings. God wants EVERYTHING.

Let’s get out into this world and Take the Land!

Let the Kingdom Come!

God made the world. God made man. Man decided that he could decide good and evil for himself. Death and suffering entered planet earth. Violence overtook the planet. God destroyed everyone with a flood – except for Noah and his family.

After the flood God began teaching Noah and his children how to live together in peace – starting by implementing the death penalty for murder. God called Abraham out from all the people in the earth and blessed him, promising that one day his descendant would be a blessing to the nations. Abraham –>Isaac–>Jacob.

Jacob is renamed Israel. Jacob and family move to Egypt after miraculously being saved from a famine.

After hundreds of years and Egyptian oppression God raises up Moses who delivers Israel from Egypt and leads them out into the dessert to be made into a new nation. After 40 years of testing a new nation enters the Promised Land armed with the Law of God – the only time in history where God Himself gave a way of life to a nation IN WRITING – with the clear intent of showing the world how to live the same way.

Israel as a nation fails to live up to God’s heart for a people. Twice they are destroyed.

Within the remains of a very devastated Israel God becomes human flesh – born of a virgin – lives among us – performs signs and wonders, dies a death on a cross to pay for the guilt of the world. His name is Jesus. This Jesus is resurrected and heads up to heaven and sends God the Holy Spirit to earth to fill and empower those who believe and put their trust in Him.

Now the world has God’s revelation of how to live (from Moses) and God’s empowering to do so (through Jesus and the Holy Spirit). The Kingdom of God begins to spread in the time of the Roman Empire and the remnants of the Roman Empire – exactly as predicted by the prophet Daniel.

Individuals are transformed internally by the power of the gospel and the power is manifest externally through ever more “yeasted” societies. Sometimes it looks like the Kingdom is moving forward. Sometimes it looks like it is lost. Look at it over 2,000+ years and it can be seen that it is ALWAYS advancing, even when it appears not to be!

The remnants of the Roman Empire (happens to be Europe) are “yeasted” with the Kingdom. (No, they are NOT themselves the Kingdom, they are “yeasted.”) Spots of Kingdom are planted all over the world. The gospel takes particularly strong roots in The West, but it also takes roots all over the world. From these places it continues to grow. Individuals changed internally –> flowing into families, communities and nations –> manifested externally in every area of life.

This story will continue until every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords and every nation and society on earth is filled with the Knowledge of the Glory of the Lord.

Then at some point known only to God in Heaven Jesus will physically return to planet earth and it will be declared that “The Kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdoms of Our God and He Shall Reign FOREVER and EVER!”

Friends, there is no greater story! We live a destiny that is filled with hope of an ever brighter and brighter future. It does not depend on our plans but on the plans of a Sovereign God who has purposed that it WILL BE SO!

The Dominion of the Kingdom of God is inevitable! It is wonderful and beautiful. It is love. It is a world where each loves his neighbor as much as himself. It is the fulfillment of the Meaning of Life – to Know God and Jesus Christ. We will Know God and Enjoy Him (and each other) forever.

Hear the story of Jesus with your heart, believe it, be transformed, live it, yeast the world, preach the good news, love God until either you go to Him at death or you witness the day of His Return.

Don’t miss out! Don’t be dragged down by negativity! Don’t look for the end of the world, look for the manifestation of God within it! Look up and be glad because the King Comes!

Hallelujah! 

Click here to view the embedded video.

Read more about it here: http://conference.americanvision.org/Home.html

Call to Prayer

I believe that as long as American Christians do not recognize the serious threat that Statism presents to Freedom, America will continue to elect people to office who have very dangerous worldviews. This current fiasco could have been foreseen. Barack Obama is only doing what he told us he would do. Americans still elected him. The Democratic Party is only doing the kind of thing they have promised to do. Americans still elected them.

The problem is with the American people for ever having elected the current government.

One way or the other God will triumph, and freedom will triumph; but ever time we allow such massive expansions of the federal government we are putting our posterity’s future in jeopardy. The question isn’t so much “will God and freedom triumph in the end” but “how much suffering will we inflict on ourselves before we allow God’s plans for Liberty to triumph?

I am asking God to help me – to help me spend some time hearing His heart and approaching Him in prayer for our nation that this disaster would be avoided. Then, whether it is avoided or not, I will be praying that God illuminates the hearts of America so that we throw out the people who are trying to push this travesty on us, and then never again elect such a majority of people who are foolish enough to ignore the dangers of a Messianic State.

Because we long to see someone who is strong and able who will stand up for what is right even at the risk of their own life and limb. We want them to win. We watch our heroes fly through the air, arrows flying, saving the weak, punishing the wicked.

The question is, can we be like them?

Heroism doesn’t always involve physical feats of glory. Sometimes it happens in every day life.

It is hardest to be a hero when we put our life, limb, property, happiness, comfort, etc. at risk. In the movies the good guys win, although sometimes they die a hero’s death. Did the hero know that they won?

To be a real hero you risk life, limb, and everything else without ever knowing if it will really do anybody any good. You don’t know if the good guys win in the end. Maybe you’ll die for nothing.

The Reality of God’s Existence, and the Revelation of His Character and Nature through the Bible and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ can empower heroes!

If someone has hope for a better eternity, and hope that God will set things right even if their own efforts fail, that someone can do acts of great heroism even in the face of impossibility.

We need heroes in America. We need people who will dream and act. We need people who will see a glorious future no matter how bad things get. We need people who will not run to the hills in despair but who will stand and fight for what is right even if they only experience persecution, suffering and loss.

I wonder if I will be able to see a glorious future when it is my turn to hang on a cross. When it looks like my own efforts will fail and I will die in vain, can I still believe God at that moment?

Jesus saw the glory set before him beyond His own immediate life. He died on a cross with his followers scattered and his ministry failed. Hebrews 12:2 says that he “endured the cross, scorning its shame” for the “joy set before Him!”

God help us to see the joy set before us so we can live like heroes!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Hat tip to Bruce Harpel at sprucegoose where I first saw this video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I am supposed to “go to church.” Good Christians do.

The problem is I’ve been bored sick with the messages I hear at any church for years now. I’ve spent a lot of time and energy feeling bad about that. I suspect that this expenditure of heart resources has been a waste – maybe I shouldn’t feel bad. Maybe I’m not the problem.

You see, in my heart I have a deep longing to have impact. I want to do.

And I don’t mean that I want to do the few things that will make the church or pastor feel successful. (Show up, tithe, sign up for the church’s programs, etc.) There is nothing wrong with those things, but they don’t scratch the itch. I suspect I am not alone in this.

I have an “internal itch” that “going to church,” local evangelism, conferences, or even “worship” time will never scratch. Especially if those things aren’t pointed decisively towards dominion.

I have a problem. I want to change the world!

In my case that means traveling, teaching, discussing, debating, writing, thinking (i.e. World Missions). For some it might be running a business, painting a picture, writing a song, or being an athlete.

Is the church a place to go focus on heaven for a while so you can survive your week? Or is it a place of connecting with other world-changers and getting equipped, charged and prepared to take over??

Bojidar Marinov has written an excellent article over at AmericanVision that I think you should read and consider, especially if you are in church leadership. Go read it, then come back and tell me what you think!

Here is a sample:

But then, why would a young man stay in the church? Is there a “male” message in our churches today? Is there a message that gives a young man a worthy cause to work for and to fight for? Why would he stay, to listen all his life to the same sermon over and over again, in many different versions of it? Come back every Sunday to learn—for the n-th time, over and over again—that God loves us? Shed tears over the same emotional stuff every week? Or hear that we live in the “last times” and therefore evil will expand and he can’t do anything to turn the tide? Or that his gifts mean nothing in these “last times,” all he is supposed to do is to “witness” to save a few souls from hell?  [Read More]

It’s an inspiring article. I hope you enjoy it. I hope it causes us to change something!

It’s time for a change!

“…so get excited about something. choose something in the future and hold onto it. share your excitement with others, tell those you work with, those you go to school with, let them join in on your joy. trust me, no one would turn down an opportunity to join in with your joy….”
[Read More]

I find that the whole feel in our culture right now is pessimistic and negative. It is like a slime in the air that one can never quite get off of oneself. Christians seem lost in this as well.

We need people who see the brightness in the future that God can do! I need this.

Why not head over to Josh’s site and leave a comment thanking him for being an optimist?