LIVING IN TWO WORLDS ON ONE EARTH

Psalm chapter 45






Today we are walking in: Living In Two Worlds In One Earth








Today we look to the word-UNDERSTAND- H8085 shama`--to hear with attention or interest, listen to understand (language)








The Torah testifies...............


Genesis 11:7


Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand H8085 one another's speech.








The prophets proclaim..................


Nehemiah 8:2


And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear H8085 with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.









The writings bear witness...........................


1 Kings 3:9


Give therefore thy servant an understanding H8085 heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?









Chapter Ten


LIVING IN TWO WORLDS ON ONE EARTH


KINGDOM citizens are people with their feet in two different worlds. One foot is planted squarely in the Kingdom community, where daily life is ordered by the righteous principles, standards, and culture of Yah Almighty, while the other stands securely in the society and culture of the world. At heart, the two worlds are incompatible because they operate according to principles and philosophies that are diametrically opposed to each other. Yet we live in both worlds simultaneously. This is the challenge of living in the Kingdom. In order to do so successfully, we have to understand the principles of Kingdom extension and influence and how they work in conjunction with the present culture we are in. How do we live in two worlds on one Earth? More importantly, how do we claim one world—the popular culture—and bring it under Kingdom government?


Attitude is the key, and attitude determines strategy.
To begin with, we must have the proper attitude with regard to the Kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of this world. The first is eternal, while the second is temporal. In other words, though the Kingdom of Heaven will last forever, the kingdom of this world will someday pass away to be replaced by a new kingdom on a new Earth. Psalm 45:6 says, “Your throne, O Yah, will last forever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of Your kingdom.” A king’s scepter is the symbol of his power, authority, and favor. Whoever has the scepter acts in the king’s authority, and the one to whom the king holds out his scepter receives the king’s favor. So the scepter represents the character of the king and his rule. Justice, then, is the character of Yah and His Kingdom.


Psalm 103:19 says, “Yahuah has prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom rules over all. TEHILLIYM (PSALMS) 103:19 את CEPHER.” “All” means everything there is. There is nothing and no one anywhere over whom Yah does not rule. If justice is the character of Yah’s Kingdom, then the universe in its entirety is the scope of Yah’s Kingdom.


Psalm 145:13a says, “Your Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. Yahuah is true in his word, and holy in all his works. TEHILLIYM (PSALMS) 145:13 את CEPHER.” From eternity past to eternity future, Yah’s Kingdom endures. If justice is the character of Yah’s Kingdom, and the universe is its scope, then eternity is its duration.


Recognizing the just, universal, and eternal nature of the Kingdom of Heaven should inspire us to adjust our attitude to acknowledge that the kingdom of this world can never equal or compete with Yah’s eternal Kingdom. The knowledge that we are citizens of a just Kingdom that can never be overthrown and will never pass away should give us boldness as we engage the kingdom of this world and its culture.


Whenever we pray, “Your kingdom come, and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we are praying for the celestial to transform the terrestrial. Celestial means heavenly, invisible, and spiritual. As children of Yah created in His image and likeness, we have firm connections to both worlds. On the one hand, we are celestial, spiritual beings who will live forever, while on the other hand, our beings are housed in terrestrial, physical bodies of clay that will die and decay, only to be replaced by new bodies that will not. No other creatures in the whole of Yah’s universal Kingdom have this dual celestial- terrestrial nature. So we are ideally suited by nature and design to be Yah’s instruments to transform the terrestrial realm into the likeness of the celestial.


NO COEXISTENCE


One of the first attitude adjustments we must make is to get rid of our “religious” thinking. As I have stressed over and over, Kingdom living has nothing to do with religion. For one thing, religious thinking believes in coexistence; it makes room for everybody: every sect, every denomination, every belief system, every philosophy; those with high values and those with no values at all; those who believe in many Yahs, one Yah, or no Yah. Coexistence says, “Let’s all try to get along. After all, there are many roads to the truth, and each road is just as valid as the next.” Coexistence makes room for Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Christian Science, Scientology, Unitarianism, Bahai, Hare Krishna, witchcraft, animism, atheism, and all the rest. Coexistence regards accommodation as the highest value.


There is no such thing as coexistence in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom did not come to Earth to coexist; it came to take over and transform. In the Kingdom there is only one vision, one will, one standard, one law, one belief system, one value system, one moral code, one code of ethics, one code of conduct, and one culture—the King’s. The existence of any other constitutes rebellion. If the King’s word is law and absolute, how can there be multitudes of little “kingdoms” within the Kingdom? There can’t be. Since there is only one King and only one Kingdom, coexistence is impossible.


We have already seen how Yahusha likened the Kingdom of Heaven to yeast. Let’s imagine for a moment that we have a large mixing bowl containing lumps of dough made from different kinds of flour: white, wheat, oat, rice, nut, etc. And let’s imagine further that each of these lumps represents a “kingdom” of the world, whether a nation, a religion, or whatever. Now suppose that we mix yeast in with all those different lumps of dough. What do you think will happen? Do you think the yeast will discriminate between the different kinds of flour? Each kind of flour is different, but the yeast doesn’t care; it ignores those distinctions, proceeds with its fermentation process, and transforms the entire batch of dough.


Yah’s Kingdom is not here to coexist with the kingdoms of this world, but to supplant and transform them. The multi-faith rally in Mexico City that I attended and that I described in the beginning of Chapter One is a case in point. That rally was organized around the philosophy of coexistence. All of the world’s major religions (and many of the minor ones) were represented, and each one was afforded equal dignity, respect, and honor. All the speakers were received respectfully and politely. But when I stood up and talked about the Kingdom— not religion—everyone in the arena was clamoring for more. Why? The message of the Kingdom is like yeast in the dough of religion and worldly kingdoms. Yeast doesn’t believe in coexistence. It permeates and agitates and will not stop until it has transformed its environment into something completely new. The Kingdom of Heaven cannot simply and tidily be given a place sharing the stage with all the religions, philosophies, and faith systems of the world. It will grow and expand and overwhelm and transform until it alone is left.


So all who are Kingdom citizens face the dilemma and challenge of how to live successfully and simultaneously in two worlds that are in inevitable conflict. In teaching Two we talked about the clash of cultures between the Kingdom and the world. One critical key to our successful navigation within these two worlds is to get it thoroughly into our heads that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a kingdom of coexistence but of transformation, and that it is the Kingdom, not the world, that will ultimately prevail. This understanding can help us develop the habit of thinking with a Kingdom mindset and making Kingdom decisions in every area of life.


As Kingdom citizens, we must be prepared for clash and conflict. We cannot enter the Kingdom of Yah and continue to live like our unsaved friends. All of a sudden everything changes: our culture, our nature, our interests, our priorities, our tastes—everything. We are new creations in Hamachiach; the old is gone and everything has become new (see 2 Cor. 5:17). Our assignment on Earth is not coexistence, compromise, or half measures. It is total transformation. It is love taking over a love-starved planet.


KINGDOM TRANSFORMATION IN ACTION


We’re not talking about theoretical concepts here, but principles that actually work in practical, everyday ways. For example, there is a woman in our congregation who not long ago took over as manager of a dying restaurant, and within six months, by applying Kingdom principles, turned it completely around. One of the first decisions she made as manager was to set a standard for all the workers—a Kingdom standard. She retrained all the staff and helped reignite their passion for their work and for the restaurant’s success. Prior to her arrival, each of the chefs cooked everything, according to what came along. She organized them according to their gifts and abilities so that each chef prepared the dishes he or she was especially good at.


The restaurant had televisions that previously had been used to watch anything. This Kingdom manager established a policy that limited the television viewing to two channels: TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network) and CNN. No one, including the customers, was allowed to change the channels. She did this so that as manager she could control and create an appropriate atmosphere. If a customer asked to change the channel, she politely and respectfully declined, saying that she appreciated the customer’s business, but that those were the rules.


Her lifestyle of uncompromising but non-belligerent obedience to Kingdom principles even in the workplace brought about a transformation in the lives of her employees. Their attitudes and morale changed drastically as they observed the consistency and excellence of her management style and operating principles. She and her employees regularly pray together, and she testifies that today there is continual worship in both the kitchen and the office. In addition, the restaurant is closed on Sundays so that all the workers can go to their own houses of worship.


When this dedicated Kingdom citizen and servant took over, the restaurant was dying. Within months, the restaurant had become so popular that customers were waiting in line even before the 11 A.M. opening time, and on most days, from 11:30 A.M. to 3 P.M., the line is out the door. Income for the business has tripled since she became manager, enabling her to give generous raises to the employees. The business even bought one employee a car and gave computers to two of the student employees. Turnaround of workers is low, and the restaurant is now looking to expand into a franchise and even go international.


That is quite a transformation, from a single struggling restaurant to a successful and growing operation—and all because one dedicated Kingdom citizen determined to apply Kingdom principles, without compromise or coexistence, in the place where Yah had placed her.


Whenever the Kingdom comes into a place, it impacts and overrides the culture of that place, not with violence or heavy- handed tactics, but with love and an unshakable confidence in the absolute legitimacy, superiority, and supremacy of Kingdom government. We are not supposed to dress like the popular culture, or live like the popular culture, or take a light view of sex and morality like the popular culture. We are supposed to set the standard, the higher standard of the Kingdom. We are supposed to override the popular culture. We are supposed to exercise self-control and moderation in all things and impact the people around us. We should not allow the environment to change us.


Instead, we should change our environment and bring it into conformity with Yah’s Kingdom. The apostle Paul said, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of Elohiym. ROMAIYM (ROMANS) 12:2 את CEPHER. Once transformed in this manner, we then transform our environment wherever we go until it is a clear reflection of the Kingdom.


No coexistence. Transformation of the popular culture will come only from communities of Kingdom citizens who refuse to remain silent, who refuse to sit idly by, uninvolved and disengaged, while the agents of the “powers of this dark world and...the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12) set their agenda and run the show. We must speak up. We must step out. We must get involved. We must become proactive in reproducing garden communities of the Kingdom wherever we are and wherever we go in the future. That is our calling and our assignment from the One who commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Ruach HaQadesh, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you...” (Matt. 28:19-20a).


THE KINGDOM WE’VE ALL BEEN LOOKING FOR


Human history is replete with examples of good kings and bad kings, good kingdoms and bad kingdoms, benevolent governments and oppressive governments. One fact that stands out clearly is this: As the king goes, so goes the kingdom. Since a kingdom is tied so closely to the nature and character of its king, it is virtually impossible for a good kingdom to come from a bad king, or a bad kingdom to come from a good king. Yahusha put it this way:


For a good tree brings not forth corrupt fruit; neither does a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a thorn bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. LUQAS (LUKE) 6:43-45 את CEPHER.


Fortunately for all of us, the King of kings is a good King, and His Kingdom is a good kingdom. That is why we who are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven can live and work for the Kingdom—and engage the popular culture with it—in complete confidence that we are serving not only Yah, but also the better interests of our fellow humans who are not yet in the Kingdom. Our King’s rule is just and righteous. He rules with fairness, grace, compassion, mercy, and, most of all, love. And in His love He delights to give all good things to His children, His people. James, the brother of Yahusha, wrote, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. YA`AQOV (JAMES) 1:17 את CEPHER. Yahusha Himself said, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you את the Kingdom. LUQAS (LUKE) 12:32 את CEPHER. No matter who we are, and whether we realize it or not, the Kingdom of Heaven is the kingdom we have always been looking for.


The nature of a king and his government determines the quality of life in his kingdom. If the king is corrupt, then his kingdom will be characterized by corruption, oppression, evil, and injustice. Such was the experience of millions, including the early Christians, under the rule of Rome. The Roman Empire endured a succession of evil and depraved rulers, and the quality of life across the empire reflected it. The King of the Ages, however, rules with absolute love, beneficence, and equanimity.


In addition, the wealth of a kingdom will be reflected in the lifestyle of its people. If the kingdom is rich and the king is good, the people will be well off. If the kingdom is poor, or the king corrupt, the people will live in poverty. Our Kingdom belongs to a King who owns everything. The Earth is the Most High’s, and everything on it (see Ps. 24:1), and the heavens belong to Him as well (see Ps. 115:16). He bestows favor and honor and withholds no good thing from those who obey Him (see Ps. 84:11). And the apostle Paul assures us that “But my Elohiym shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Mashiach Yahusha. PHILIPPIYM (PHILIPPIANS) 4:19 את CEPHER. He will supply everything we need on Earth, but not necessarily from the Earth. His supply will come to us from the limitless riches of Heaven.


In other words, our needs can be met based on how much the Kingdom has. Unlimited resources mean unlimited provision. There is no lack in the Kingdom of Heaven. The meaning of Matthew 6:33 is that if we place our top priority on seeking first the Kingdom and righteousness of Yah, then His government will supply all of our basic necessities as a Kingdom obligation to its citizens. But the King fulfills this obligation freely and willingly out of His love for us.


Finally, the quality of life of citizens of a kingdom is at the mercy of the character of the king. Yahusha said,
“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. MATTITHYAHU (MATTHEW) 11:28-30 את CEPHER.


“All” means everybody. The King has the power to give rest to everyone who comes to Him—including all 7 billion plus of us on the face of the Earth. This is not some sweet and sentimental religious statement; it is a legal Kingdom decree. “Come to Me, all 7 billion and more of you; I can heal you all, house you all, feed you all, dress you all, and bless you all— and still have as many resources as when I began.”


Yahusha is a good King, and His Kingdom is just what the world needs, which is why He wants to fill the Earth with His Kingdom communities and use His citizens to do it.


VICTORY THROUGH SERVICE


But how do we do it? What is our personal strategy for carrying out our King’s Garden Expansion Program? We must not use the methods or ways of the world because the world’s ways are at odds with the ways of the Kingdom. The world operates through self-promotion and the pursuit of selfish ambition. But the Kingdom operates by different principles. An incident involving two of Yahusha’ disciples gave Him the opportunity to teach all of them about greatness and advancement in the Kingdom of Heaven:


Then came to him the mother of Zavdiy's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What will you? She said unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on your right hand, and the other on the left, in your Kingdom. But Yahusha answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able את to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he said unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Yahusha called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the other nations exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of A'dam came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. MATTITHYAHU (MATTHEW) 20:20-28 את CEPHER.


“Not so with you.” With these words Yahusha clearly and permanently distinguished Kingdom life and ways from those of the world. In the world, kings and rulers vaunt their authority over others. “Not so with you.” In the world, officials and others in power exercise authority over others, often in selfish or oppressive ways. “Not so with you.” In the world, people put themselves forward, scrambling over or pulling down anyone who gets in their way in their struggle to become top dog. “Not so with you.”


Greatness and success in the Kingdom come not through self-promotion and ambitious positioning, but through self- abasement and servanthood. By self-abasement I do not mean false modesty or humility, or becoming a push-over or a doormat for people to walk all over. Self-abasement means a genuinely humble spirit that regards selfless service to others in the name of the King as the greatest honor and privilege that anyone could be given. As sinners who were once in rebellion against Yah, we deserve nothing from Him except judgment and condemnation. Yet Yah, in His great mercy and love, forgave our sins through Hamachiach, brought us into His glorious and eternal Kingdom, and assigned us to represent His Kingdom on Earth, even as we enjoy all its benefits. What greater privilege could there be?


“Not so with you.” Our culture is different. We don’t do things the way the rest of the world does. In the world, people seek greatness through money, power, and the praise and admiration of others. Yahusha said that they have their reward (see Matt. 6:2). Greatness in the Kingdom of Yah comes through service, the selfless giving of ourselves for the benefit of others. If our King came to serve rather than to be served, how can we do anything different?


FIND YOUR GIFT AND SERVE IT TO THE WORLD


“Even as the Son of A'dam came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. MATTITHYAHU (MATTHEW) 20:28 את CEPHER. Notice the progression here: Yahusha became a servant, and then He gave Himself. By His example He is telling us: “Find your gift and serve it to the world. That is how you will infect people with the Kingdom.” If you set your heart on the Kingdom of Heaven and your sights on serving others in the King’s name, He will open doors of opportunity for you that would never open otherwise. He will take you to places you would never be able to go on your own and enable you to impact lives you would never even come close to touching any other way. He will take you to personal heights of joy, prosperity, and contentment beyond your wildest dreams and give you a broader influence in your world than you have ever imagined. But those things come not by seeking them, but by seeking Him; not by seeking the gifts, but by seeking the Giver.


Yahusha said that whoever wants to become great in the Kingdom must become a servant. “Whoever” means that greatness in the Kingdom is available to anyone—anyone willing to pay the price, that is. And what is the price? It is setting aside your own will and ambitions and offering yourself willingly as a servant—even a slave—of the King. It is giving up your right to yourself in complete surrender to the will and purpose of Yah, to go where He says to go and to do what He says to do.


Everyone dreams of being great, and there is nothing evil in that desire. We all want to be part of something significant. This is perfectly natural. Such a desire comes from Yah, because He created us for greatness, but we lost it when we lost the Kingdom. We can get it back, but not by walking on top of people, pushing people down, Most Highing it over people, conniving, scheming, lying, stealing, or dealing under the table. Those are the ways of the world. In Yah’s country, if you want to be great, you first must become the servant of all.


What Yahusha was actually saying is that when we become servants of the King, we are supposed to serve something to the world. If we want to become great, we have to find our gift, refine it, and serve it to the world, not for our sake but for the world’s, and for the sake of our King and His great name.


There is actually a process. First, you must find your gift; discover it. Second, you must define your gift; understand it. Third, you must refine your gift; begin using it in small ways faithfully, and in larger ways as the Most High gives you opportunity. This means distributing your gift for free, giving it away. Slaves don’t receive pay for their labors; they work for free. But as you serve humbly and faithfully, giving freely of yourself, the King will be watching and will reward you. As you prove yourself faithful in little things, He will entrust you with greater things.


So keep on laboring faithfully in the men’s ministry, or the children’s ministry, or the music ministry, or the soup kitchen, or wherever Yah has placed you and however He has gifted you. Set your heart on the Kingdom, serve your gift to the world, and be faithful; and eventually Yah will elevate you in some way. You have to become a slave of your gift, for when you serve your gift, you are serving yourself to others. And the more you give of yourself, the greater you will become in the eyes of those you serve, because they will see in you the image, likeness, and heart of the King.


Yah’s big idea was to extend His kingly influence and culture from the celestial to the terrestrial by planting garden communities throughout the Earth that would perfectly reflect the richness and abundant life of His heavenly Kingdom. And He chose to do it through citizen-servants like you and me who will seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and live exclusively for Him. We do this by humbling ourselves and giving ourselves freely to others so that they may see Him in us, learn of His Kingdom from us, and apply for citizenship themselves. Let us be faithful to our calling and hasten the day when “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahuah, as the waters cover the sea. CHABAQQUQ (HABAKKUK) 2:14 את CEPHER.