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The Kingdom of God: Seek First

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matthew 6:33 NIV

Jesus was clear.  The Kingdom of God is not something that should come second place.  It should take priority in all of our lives.  The Kingdom of God is often mistaken to be speaking of a future eternal dwelling place.  This is not true.  As we discussed in an earlier posting....the Kingdom of God is for the here and now.  Jesus said that we are to "seek" the Kingdom.  I tried to research a great and deep meaning of "seek" in the Greek language.  All I really got was that seek means.......wait for it.   Seek.  :)

Why is it that we care more about the affairs of the current kingdoms of the world?  It always bothers me when Christians go hyper-political.  I understand that we are citizens of our respective countries.   We have civic responsibilities that need to be taken into account.  However, it bothers me when believers act as if there is no hope because of which party is in office!!!!!   As if that really mattered!!!  The Kingdom of God is at hand whether your political party wins or not.  Jesus was not a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or from the Tea Party.  When we make our partisan politics a priority...the Kingdom of God takes a back seat.  When we spend more time campaigning for candidates than proclaiming the Gospel...the Kingdom becomes second.  Jesus doesn't think that Rush is right or that Chris Matthews is playing real "Hardball".  Bill O'Reilly & Keith Olberman speak of a different kingdom.  Jesus doesn't side with Nancy Pelosi or Sarah Palin.  Jesus doesn't tune in to Fox News, CNN, ABC, CBS, or NBC.  Oh,and Jesus for sure doesn't watch Pat Robertson and the 700 club.  :)  Why?  Because God's Kingdom is.   When we make our focus on their kingdom than the Kingdom of God is last.

This "seek first" doesn't just apply to politics.  It applies to every aspect of life.  It is so easy to be distracted with life (Matthew 6:25-32) (food, shelter, clothes, drink) that we lose sight of Kingdom living.   Jesus promise is that if we seek first the Kingdom of God....that all of "these" things will be added unto us.   What do you think the "these" is referring to?    Food? Clothes? Shelter? Drink?  Or in context is it the whole of his message from the Sermon on the Mount?   I'm sure the false "prosperity" Gospel has a heyday with a certain interpretation of this passage.  But is the accumulation of material blessings all we get from God's Kingdom?  I have a hard time swallowing that one.   

The Kingdom of God is God's rule over all of creation.  It is the ways of God lived on earth by people.  When we seek first God's Kingdom...we are inviting heaven to crash into earth.  When we seek first our own "kingdoms" the world continues down it's destructive path.   What are you seeking?  

Red Envelopes....Really?

 

Here is an excellent posting on facebook by a college friend of mine who is also a pastor.  I couldn't agree with him more.  Right on Jason!!!!

By Jason Moyer

On March 31st, pro life supporters are being asked to waste millions of dollars to send empty red envelopes to President Obama. I realize some of my dear friends have joined this campaign. Some of them have invited me to join this effort. I appreciate ppl who are willing to stand for their beliefs and convictions, my frustration is in the approach.

 

 50 million red envelopes being sent to the President with the hope it will change his 'heart' ... Really? Come on ... First do we really think we will get 50 million envelopes? Second do you for a moment think President Obama will see even the first red envelope ... let alone millions? Thinking this will be effective in any way seems to be more in the realm of fantasy instead of reality. I hope our great God will change the President's heart and mind, as well as many judges, senators, and representatives since all 3 groups will be needed for change to occur. My biggest problem with this is the significant waste of money. As I figure it, 50 million envelopes sent to Washington will cost $21 million in postage alone. That is correct $21 million. Add to that 8 cents per envelope (based on their website deal from The Paper Mill Store) and now you are looking at $25 million to send envelopes to Washington to one man. 

Let's just pretend that President Obama does see them... each and every one and that they are not just "3 lines on a 50 page briefing", is this the best way to spend our $25 million? Is this the biggest impact we can make with $25 million? I do think ppl should stand for - by using their $ - what they believe. So let me suggest that if you want to make an impact in this realm take your 50 cents and double it to $1 and find a worthy cause in your local community. I would say send it to me and I will start some kind of adoption foundation ... but I feel confident one already exists, I just need to go find it online. Think of the number of husbands and wives who could be helped offset the cost of adoption, think of the number of young moms who could obtain tuition help ... perhaps my ideas are just as firmly rooted in fantasy land as the red envelopes? Appreciate you letting me vent on this ... look forward to your thoughts and conversation.

Jason

Be sure your sins will find you out

The Bible is full of examples of how peoples sin snowballed into something larger.  The bible gives many warnings such as "Be sure your sin will find you out"...."You will reap what you sow...".  We are given many examples such as King Saul and his relationship with David.  His initial jealousy turned to anger then to hatred, and then the end result of attempted murder.  There is an old song that says something along the lines of ...."Sin will take you where you don't want to go....Keep you longer than you want to stay...Tell you exactly how to run your life."   May we all be careful and give ourselves thorough investigations of our heart. 

I came across this news story recently that is making national headlines.  A John McCain campaign volunteer claimed she was attacked and robbed by a "black man" who saw her McCain-Palin bumper sticker.  She claimed that the attacker than carved a "B" on her face.  The "B" was to remind her of Senator Obama.  Oh Boy.  This story although slightly entertaining speaks volumes of how far people will go to degrade another human being.  Not only did she lie about being attacked...but it was who she claimed attacked her.   A black Barrak Obama supporter.  She was arrested yesterday for filing a false police report.  Her lies got bigger and bigger.  Her "15 minutes" of fame is now tarnished.   After trying to humiliate and degrade she is now the one humiliated.

33 US Churches endorse John McCain from Pulpit

Read here to get the MSNBC news story.

33 US pastors on Sunday threw their support behind John McCain in an effort to rally their churches to vote for the Republican candidate for President. The pastors mentioned by name the candidates and who their support was going to.  This was a test to the IRS ruling that Churches can not remain tax exempt and endorse a candidate or party.  They outlined the issues and pretty much said that based on 2 key issues they have to vote for McCain because he is Pro-Life and against Gay marriage.  This in my estimation is a sad, sad day for all of us.  They said that their faith demands that they cast their vote for Senator McCain.  They said that no other matters or issues are as important as gay marriage and abortion.  It's a sad, sad day.

I am not writing this post as an Anti-McCain for Anti-Obama person.  There are several things that bother me about this issues and it has nothing to do with who is running for President.  I would feel the same way if Joe Schmo and Jane Doe were running for leader of the free world.  This has nothing to do with the possibility of losing their tax exemption status.  I am also not throwing my support wither way for either candidate.  I am though however pointing out the fallacy of the thinking behind this endeavor.

First of all I always get queasy when anybody make any candidate an equal to the Messiah.  It doesn't matter who will win this election...America is still in deep trouble.  Both Obama and McCain have been painted in such light as the Savior, himself.  It makes me angry when Christians lose sight of their true mission.  Our true mission is to make more followers of Christ.  In making these followers of Jesus we are helping to spread the Kingdom and the ways of Jesus throughout the Kingdom. Period.  Too many churches are more committed to the Kingdom of America than they are to the Kingdom of God/Heaven.  And that my friend is sad.

Too many people are worried about making the world more "Christian".  The problem is that our mission doesn't call for us to make the world that.  Our message doesn't speak of legislation, bombs, war, and hate.  Our mission is to make more "Christians".  Not to make the world more Christian.  Without having Jesus you can't be more like him until you have him!!!  America doesn't need pastors standing up and endorsing candidates.  America needs churches aka (The Body of Christ) to be living out the Kingdom Message of hope, love, peace and restoration.  We do not need to be aligning ourselves with the empire.  The word "Christian" makes a terrible adjective.  The word "Christian" is better used as a noun.

I also wanted to point out the unbalanced view of these pastors.  I am 100% against abortion.  I think it is an immoral, disgusting thing that is happening to these babies.  But...how can you be "Pro-life" and Pro-War at the same time????  Many Americans are sheltered over the horrors happening in Iraq and around the world.  They don't see the devastation that Amercian and Allied and terrorist bombs have caused to innocent people.  Innocent women, children, the elderly all have suffered at the hands of this war.  What is the response of most Christians?  This war is just!  This war is what God wants.  If you believe that than so be it.  But what makes those lives any less important than the babies being aborted.  If these pastors were truly Pro-Life than they would stand up for the victims of war.  They would do something about the global epidemic known as AIDS.   They would do something about extreme poverty and not just "blame" people for being lazy. 

How can I claim that I am against a candidate because of the abortion stand but then vote for another that will most likely continue to these crazy atrocities against innocent people through pre-emptive war.  And even though Obama has promised to end this war...what's to stop him from making the same mistake President Bush did?

The bottom line is that there is no perfect candidate.  You can't throw your support for one without comprising values that Jesus would endear.  Don't sound so holy and just in breaking the law which y ou promised to uphold when you were granted tax exemption status.  By publicly supporting a candidate for President you are insisting that 100% this is God's candidate.  You are creating an us vs them mentality with everybody who disagrees with you.  How in the world can that be healthy ?  How is that helping the cause of the Great Commission? 

The only candidate I'm willing to throw my 100% support behind is Jesus.  The only political agenda I'm willing to fight for is the Kingdom of God/Heaven message.  If the Gospel isn't good news for everybody it isn't good news at all.

 

A Christian Nation?

There are many people on both sides of this issue.  Nothing gets people heated more when "religion" or faith crosses the line with politics or patriotism.  To be honest there is not perfect way to blend the two.  I'm sure even this post will create an emotional response from many readers.  I'm not here to debate whether or not the founding fathers were die hard evangelical christians (like many do).  I'm inclined to believe that many of the founding fathers were deists as evidenced by many resources.  But I am not here to talk about that.

I'm here to raise the question that seems to have been quite blurred throught the years as to our identiy with Christ and our citizenship with our country.   Let me begin by saying that I love being an American.  I love living in America where I can have the freedoms to write such things.  But I do not agree or support my nation in everything she stands for or is involved in.  I don't put my level of spirituality by how devoted I am to my country. 

Some people would say that if you don't have certain ideals or beliefs about the way our country should be run...that you are a little further away from God than you should be.  First off...We are Christians before we are Americans.  So we need to realize that our devotion to Christ and his ways is what matters most.

For the rest of this post I will talk in questions. :)

If I vote Republican does that make me less of a Christian?  Do all Republican values hold up with Jesus?  The same can be said about Democrats or any other smaller political party.  Do I vote Republican or Democrat because I'm a Christian or is it because I'm a good citizen of my country and I believe that this candidate would better represent me?  If one candidate is pro choice but anti-war...which issue is more important?  Don't both speak of the sanctity of life?

If I'm against war am I a good Christian?  If I am for dropping more bombs on terrorists at the risk of killing innocent civilians does that make me less or more a Christian?  What if I really followed what Jesus said and "loved my enemies"?  What if I really turned the other cheek?  Have I ever aked the question, "Who would Jesus bomb?"  Is my patriotism in my country creating a better world or a better America?  Shouldn't I be concerned for all nations all around the world?  Am I only concerned about my well being and that of my country?  How about verses that talk about loving the world and teaching all nations, and reaching out...should they affect how I view war, conflict, disease, the poor?

Should I be concerned for feeding the poor and healing the sick in the USA?  And if so should I be pro/anti welfare or pro/anti universal healthcare?  How did Jesus teach us to treat others?  How did Jesus react toward the hurt against him?  Am I an American Christian or a Christian American?  Or am I a Christian that happens to be an American?  Or am I an American that happens to be a Christian?

Think on that.  I asked the questions.  You provide the answers.  IF there really is an answer.  How about you provide your opinions? :)