Introduction To Rediscovering The Kingdom

Exodus Chapter 20




Today we are walking in: Introduction To Rediscovering The Kingdom




Today we look to the word- REMEMBER- H2142- Zakar--a primitive root; to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount, recorder, remember, make to be remembered, bring (call, come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, still, think on.




Testifies.............................

Genesis 9:15
And I will remember H2142 my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

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

Malachi 4:4
Remember H2142 ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.




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

1 Chronicles 16:12
Remember H2142 his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;




REDISCOVERING THE KINGDOM


PREFACE


The greatest threat to the future of the world is religion. Nuclear weapons, terrorism, SARS, shifting governments, military coups, and AIDS are simply tools used by religion. More wars have been fought in the name of religion than any other influence. Millions have died over the past 2,000 years under the destructive hand of religious zeal. Misplaced and misguided religious passion has produced such historical scars as the Crusades, the Inquisition, ethnic cleansing, and the horror of the Holocaust.


Why is religion so powerful and controlling? Why is it more powerful than politics, military arms, and scientific advancement? Because religion is not just a social, cultural, political, or ideological factor; instead it finds its power in the personal chambers of the soul of the individual. Within the soul we discover the source of the private motivation that forms perceptions and behavior. Man is more willing to die for the sake of his religion than for any political, social, or ideological reason.


Religion is as old as mankind, finding its roots in the private recesses of the human spirit. Every culture, no matter how old or far removed, has developed some form of religious practice that attempts to satisfy an elusive vacuum in the pit of the human soul crying out for reason, purpose, and significance. For mankind, life on planet earth has been nothing more than a long tedious march down the road of time, with each new generation searching for something they cannot define. The long chains of civilizations have left undeniable imprints on the pages of history—evidence for our generation that the search continues. From the secrets etched on the walls of ancient caves to the grand archaeological monuments to the remnants of the great empires, man marches on seeking to find himself and make sense of his world. Man’s travels through this world have produced a tapestry of religious practices and ideologies that only serve to create more problems than they solve.


A brief look at our modern, sophisticated, technocratic, cyberspace age world of today can be the source of fear, depression, discouragement, insecurity, and uncertainty. From the archaic world of the cave men and bush hunters through the progressive succession of agrarian cultures, to the advent of the industrial revolution leading to the scientific age of postmodernism and the computer age, we are still no better than nor different from our ancestors of old.


The only difference seems to be the sophistication of our tools and weapons. We are smarter but not wiser; we live longer but not healthier; we have more but enjoy less; we can go to the moon, but we cannot go home to a good family; we have access to more information but know less about life. Tragically, we protect whales, but kill our children; we improve the quality of our food but produce less healthy strains for our consumption; we have more religion but less love; and we blame others for our choices as we look to ourselves for solutions to the problems we create.


The 21st century seems to be more uncertain than all the previous centuries in history. Planet earth is spinning through the solar system like a spaceship without a compass as it travels on a course to self-destruction. On this long march of humanity, mankind has invented and developed a variety of systems and social structures in its attempt to grapple with the realities of life on our global spaceship. Over the centuries we have watched the creation of a variety of governmental systems including demigods, dictatorships, monarchies, and tyrannies, as well as the theories and practices of socialism, democracy, communism, and imperialism. Each of them has had an opportunity to try to make life better and more “humane” on our great planet. However, wars have increased rather than decreased, weapons of mass destruction are more available than ever before, and fear for safety and security is greater than ever before in history. All governments—even the best form we have developed, democracy—have failed to realize the world we keep searching for.


Two of the greatest tragedies of our modern history were World War I and World War II, when millions lost their lives at the hands of their fellow planet-dwellers. After World War I, various leaders joined together and made a promise that it would never happen again. They created the League of Nations, an organization dedicated to promoting world peace and initiating reasonable solutions to human conflicts. However, this pipe dream ended in the explosion of World War II.


After that conflict ended, world leaders made a second commitment, determining once again to never allow mankind to spiral down into the death-dealing clutches of international war. This commitment gave birth to the United Nations, a world body dedicated to making and keeping the peace around the world. Yet, more wars have been fought since the formation of the United Nations than before its creation. Today, as wars continue to ravage our planet, the United Nations itself, along with its purpose and usefulness, is under serious scrutiny.


I find it ironic that most of the current wars and tensions are products of, or strongly influenced by, religions. Where do we go from here? What do we do? What is the answer? Why can’t we just live together? Why is mankind so frustrated? Why do our cultures keep clashing into each other and why are our children on the streets killing one another?


These are the questions that this series is attempting to answer. The solution to our dilemma is somewhere in the middle of our search. It makes sense to conclude that if our world has no answers to the questions it asks and no solutions to the problems it creates, then it might be wise to look to another world for help. Rediscovering the Kingdom answers this very proposition. I am not talking about some weird, impractical, illusive, metaphysical notion of a pie in the sky, but rather a reasonable, tangible, human-friendly solution that responds not only to our unspoken desires about life here on earth but beyond.


This series is about you and your passion to understand life. It is about your search for control over your circumstances and destiny. It is about living life to its fullest and about reconnecting to your true self. You were created not just to exist but to live a fulfilled and significant life. This series is about that life—your life! Join me as we seek to discover an alternative reality at the end of man’s long search for truth.


HIDDEN TREASURE


The old lady was dressed in what seemed like seven dresses. Her fingers were exposed despite the fact that she wore a pair of life-worn gloves. She pushed an old shopping cart that testified that it was her mobile home, and she lived at the mercy of the elements. Her face showed the wear and tear of years of living. She was bent over, looking in a garbage can, searching for life- sustaining remains discarded by the more fortunate of society.


Suddenly, she shot up out of the barrel and shouted, “I found it. I found it!” There between her thumb and index finger she held the most beautiful pearl.

I ran over to her and asked if I could help her. She smiled and shook her head with a confidence I did not expect from one in her status of life. Then she proceeded to tell me the story of her life that still impacts me today.


She told of how she was born into a wealthy family and that her grandfather had left a treasure for her before she was born. During her infant years a fire had destroyed her family home, which was once on the site where the barrel of garbage now stood. The result was that her family lost everything, including the chest that held the treasure from her grandfather. She came to that spot every day to search for that treasure. Many people who knew her story would give her handouts to wear and leftovers to eat. But she said she believed that if she ever found that one treasure, then she would have all of her needs met and be able to repurchase the property lost by her family and rebuild the family house that was destroyed.


Today was her lucky day—she found the treasure. For many years she had only heard about it and had descriptions of it, but now she actually had it. Her life was changed that day, and her search was over. She regained her status and position in life and gave up all her life’s struggles for the sake of that one treasure.

It was a pearl. May you find your own pearl in these teachings.


MATTHEW 13:44-47


The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.


“An idea is more powerful than an army.”


INTRODUCTION


There is nothing more powerful than an idea. Ideas created and now control the world we live in. When an idea is conceived it is called a thought; when a thought is conceived it is called a concept. Concepts are the material that dreams are made of and they serve as the substance for living and interpreting life. Everything humans have made or invented was first preceded by an idea. As a matter of fact, inventions are often called one’s “brain- child.” In essence, the mind can be impregnated by ideas that develop into concepts that become visions that produce reality.


Concepts are to life what the blood is to the body. Perhaps this is what the great king Solomon meant when he wrote over 3,000 years ago, “As a man thinks so is he.” You are and become your concepts. Psychologists describe our value and estimation of our life by the nature of our “self- concept.”


Concepts rise in value as we consider our perception and interpretation of life. Human communication is solely dependent on concepts. We can only understand life to the degree that our concepts are correct. As a matter of fact, the purpose and goal of communication is to transfer your ideas and concepts from your mind to another mind. Therefore, communication is only successful when the sender’s concepts are received accurately and properly understood by the receiver and vice versa.


If your ideas are wrong then your concepts are wrong, and consequently, your understanding will be inaccurate and incomplete. You can only understand properly if your concepts are in alignment with your ideas and your ideas must be based upon The Most High Yah’s dynamic truth. The original concept is always in the mind of the sender. In this state of the thinking process it is called a “precept.” Simply put, a precept is “an original idea.” Therefore, in order to understand the original concept, you must have a clear grasp of the precepts of the sender of a message. The heart of understanding is precepts and concepts. Error is a product and a result of what is called “misconception.” In reality, the receiver misunderstood the concept of the sender.


This series will fail in its purpose and intent if I do not successfully convey and transfer my precepts, concepts, ideas, and thoughts to you the listener. So let’s proceed in exploring the critical concepts that lead to the answer to man’s search for meaning.


THE LONG SEARCH FOR THE IDEAL


In every generation, since the beginning of time, the dream of a utopian society has motivated and sustained the passion of mankind, producing highly developed cultures and social systems as they moved forward in this pursuit. The driving force and desire for the perfect world finds its way into every civilization and has been the source of inspiration that has led to the invention of philosophical ideas, social infrastructures, and even religions, all having some kind of impact on our contemporary communities. This force is centralized in man’s search for the ideal.


Passion for the ideal produced in many ancient cultures the dream of a messianic vision. This is the belief that somewhere in some distant future from some unknown place a person would come who would provide the answers to all our problems. He would establish the “ideal world” free from pain, hatred, fear, poverty, and other social ills—a world of peace, love, joy, and harmony among all mankind.


This search and desire for an idyllic world is the source of the development of the concept called “ideology.” Ideology is the most powerful energy that has impacted the lives of people over thousands of years and continues its effects to this very day. An ideology is the formulation of ideas and thoughts that have been pondered, developed, refined, defined, and formalized. These ideas are also defined as a philosophy, or “a way of thinking.” Some of these “formalized ideas” have produced “schools of thought,” which became the foundations of theoretical and ideological premises for the creation of systems of governing communities, societies, cities, nations, and the world. On the negative side, some of these ideologies have been the source of injustice, destruction, oppression, mass poverty, depression, and social terror.


These ideologies have carried a variety of labels, and over thousands of years they have emerged, submerged, and then reemerged in succeeding generations. Some of these labels are quite familiar even in our generation: imperialism, socialism, communism, dictatorship, humanism, deism, democracy, monarchy, and communal living. Many of these have been tried, revised, integrated, revived, and have been the source of many social experiments.


Yet, no matter how much man has tried to recreate his world, the fulfillment of his hope and desire for “utopia” still eludes him. Our most recent attempts have led to the advent of the ideology of “individual freedom” and the admirable concept of “self-determination” and “a just society,” which we have termed in our modern civilization as “the democratic ideal.” Despite the fact that this is the most civil form of national governance and social relations within a society, even this has not manifested the utopia its founders dreamed of.


The motivation and inspiration for the pursuit of the civil society and the democratic ideal is the concept of “freedom.” The pursuit of personal freedom is the strongest motivator in Western social consciousness. This desire to be free to pursue one’s personal dreams and to maximize one’s potential is the foundation of the democratic ideal and is embraced as the ultimate standard of a free society. However, the societies and communities that have tried this noble “freedom” experiment are still plagued with the inconsistencies of inequality, racism, prejudice, injustice, corruption, jealousy, suspicion, competition, abuse, neglect, and a clear disparity between the “haves” and “have-nots.” In the end, mankind has become imprisoned by his pursuit of freedom.


THE SOURCE OF THE DESIRE


We are all the same and searching for the same thing. What makes us different is the route and systems we implement and develop to find what we are searching for? Simply put, all people are the same and looking for the same answers to the same questions.


The human search for Ultimate Reality is natural and common to all human cultures—even the self-acclaimed atheist inherently believes that, at the very least, there is someone or something out there not to believe in. Even in the most primitive societies we find this expression of desire to seek, find, and understand a Supreme Being as evidenced in the creation, development, and practice of some form of religion.


However, the question confronts us: from where did this natural desire and need to seek for a higher power originate? This internal soul-searching irritation—that there must be a reason and design for the universe and creation—must have a source. The “long search” for reality obviously implies that something is lost. It is impossible to search for nothing. Therefore it is my contention that the very nature of man’s soul search indicates that something he previously possessed is missing.


It also seems that this need to search is not a choice but a necessity. The search is personal as well as corporate. Perhaps the best way to find what is missing and what we are searching for is to identify what you need or desire. For example, thirst implies the need for water, hunger implies the need for food, and tiredness implies the need for rest.


So, we can identify what we lack by what we naturally desire and thus recognize our need. We will discuss this need of mankind in succeeding teachings. However it is important to at least acknowledge its existence and overpowering control over all mankind and to also appreciate that this deep need controls and dictates man’s behavior, both individually and corporately.


IDENTIFYING THE NEED


I have come to the conclusion that the common pursuit of all humans is the pursuit of power, the desire to possess the ability to control one’s circumstances and destiny. I know this may shock you and perhaps cause you to go into denial. Most of us would not want to admit that we desire something as frightening as power, but the reality is that this is the basic desire in every human heart.


When I use the term power, I am not referring to the tyrannical, oppressive, dictatorial control of people, but rather the ability to control one’s own circumstances and environment. It is this lack of control over our daily lives, situations, and circumstances that makes us feel so helpless and live as victims of life. For most of us life is simply a daily struggle as we try to stay afloat in a sea of uncertainty and pressures of all sorts. At the same time we wrestle with a sense of dignified slavery to the institutions of our societies.


Our desire and passion to gain this power to control our circumstances and environment is the motivation for our behavior. We strive to gain positions of influence in order to accumulate financial wealth. We seek the power that money promises us: political and spiritual power, the accumulation of status symbols, superior knowledge, and many other forms of controlling dispositions. I believe this pursuit for power is simply the pursuit of dominion over life.


This human preoccupation and desire for power and dominion is also the fuel for man’s obsession with progressive development in all disciplines including political science, social science, biological science, technical science, spiritual research, economic research, and all other aspects of the human experience. The result of this power search is found in the long human march toward modernization. Over the past 6,000 years mankind has tried and continues to try to control and tame the environment through the inventions of primitive and modern instruments. For example, in science he tries to stop the aging process, improve the quality and length of life, and produce every type of pill to solve a myriad of problems. Ultimately his greatest challenge is to prevent the reality of death.


Yet no matter how far man thinks he has progressed, the ability to achieve dominion and power over life and death on earth still eludes him. In fact, in light of all the uncontrollable social ills, health epidemics, military conflicts, political unrest, economic uncertainties, religious clashes, and destruction of the environment, it seems as if man’s advancement is an evolution, backward in time.


This human failure to achieve control and mastery over his environment and circumstances has left him with a deep desire for a brand new world. The human spirit longs for a world he can control where circumstances are at the mercy of his will. This is the greatest human desire. This is also the source and motivation of religious and spiritual development and practice. In every religion we discover the component that promises power to control circumstances and even death itself. This explains why the deep dark secret practices of witchcraft and spiritism are so attractive to millions; they promise power over people and circumstances.


The human spirit is possessed by this desire to dominate, rule, and control the personal private world and the environment. Man is in search of the ultimate governing power of dominion. The desire for power is inherent in the human spirit. To understand this desire for power, it is necessary to understand the original purpose and design of mankind and the assignment for which he was created.

https://youtu.be/2B4dZLhRicE

KINGDOM CONCEPT #9: UNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM CONCEPT OF GIVING TO THE KING

Exodus chapter 20




Today we are walking in: Understanding The Kingdom Concept of Giving To The King




Today we look to the word- GIVE- H5414- nathan--to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):—add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, avenge, bestow, bring (forth, hither), grant, hang (up), have, indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), yield.





The Torah Testifies.............................






Genesis 13:17

Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give H5414 it unto thee.







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




Hosea 2:15

And I will give H5414 her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.





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




2 Chronicles 1:2

Wisdom and knowledge is granted H5414 unto thee; and I will give H5414 thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.







As We have seen throughout this series, The Most High Yah is the King of a supernatural realm called Heaven that is invisible but very real. In fact, Heaven is more real than the natural realm in which we humans live, breathe, and have our being because it existed before the natural realm and is the source from which all nature originated.

The Most High Yah created the earth, bringing form out of formlessness and order out of chaos, not to leave it empty but for it to be inhabited (see Isa. 45:18).




His original purpose and plan was to extend His heavenly Kingdom to the earth—to bring His invisible supernatural rule into the visible natural domain. It was for this reason that He created mankind—male and female—in His own image and clothed them in physical bodies of flesh and blood and bone made from the same stuff as the earth itself, that they might exercise dominion over the earth just as He did in Heaven. They were to be His vice-regents, ruling in His name and under His authority.

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􏰀King and kingdom are concepts that are of heavenly, not earthly origin. The Most High Yah chose these concepts to describe His plan and program for mankind and the earth. Thus, in order to understand The Most High Yah, we must understand the concept of kingship and kingdom. That has been the purpose and intent of this series.




Adam was created as king and ruler of the earth. This is only natural. The Most High Yah created man in His own image and likeness, and because The Most High Yah was a King, man was to be a king as well. As king of the earth, man possessed certain unique qualities and characteristics that set him apart as distinct from all other creatures on the earth.




One of these qualities was self-determination. Man possessed the ability to reason—to frame his own thoughts and ideas and to make his own decisions. In this he was like his Creator. He was endowed also with the capacity for face-to-face, one-on-one intimate fellowship with The Most High Yah, a privilege that no other creature on earth enjoyed.




The Creator gave Adam the earth as his domain because a king is not a king unless he has territory over which to rule. Through inappropriate use of his power of self-determination, Adam rebelled against The Most High Yah and lost his earthly kingdom. Man’s rule over the earth was usurped by an “unemployed cherub,” a rebellious and fallen angel who had no right or authority to take it. Man became a slave in his own domain.

But the gifts and calling of The Most High Yah are irrevocable (see Rom. 11:29).




The Most High Yah’s original plan and purpose were still in place. Man’s destiny was to rule the earth, so he had to get his Kingdom back. When the time was right in history, the King of Heaven sent His Son to earth to reestablish Heaven’s rule here. He sent His Son to restore man to his earthly Kingdom. Yahashua Christ entered the public eye proclaiming a simple but profound message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heav- en is near” (Matt. 4:17b).




As a human as well as the Son of The Most High Yah, Yahashua had the authority both to restore the Kingdom and to rule it as King. Kingship was His birthright.

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􏰀Kingship is always a matter of birthright or genealogy. You will remember that when Yahashua stood before Pilate the morning He was crucified, and Pilate asked Him if He was the king of the Jews, Yahashua answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born...” (John 18:37b).




Yahashua was not the only one to recognize His kingship. Even as early as His birth, there were those who knew who He was and why He had come:




After Yahashua was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:1-2).




The coming of Yahashua Christ as King demonstrates another important characteristic of The Most High Yah: He is a giver. First, He gave man the earth to rule. Then, after man lost his Kingdom, The Most High Yah gave His Son so that He could get man’s Kingdom back. Yahashua gave Himself, even to the point of death, to salvage man from the effects and consequences of his rebellion against The Most High Yah. In the coming of Yahashua, and throughout the Bible we see over and over that giving is a fundamental principle of the Kingdom of Heaven.





The Most High Yah is a giver. In fact, His honor as King of Heaven demands a gift. As The Most High Yah, He gives because it is His nature. As Kingdom citizens, we give because we are like Him, created in His image and likeness, and because giving is a proper way to honor a king.





THE SIX ROYAL KINGDOM PRINCIPLES OF GIVING




1. The power of kings is displayed in their wealth. The wealthier the king, the greater his power (or at least the perception of his power in the eyes of others). This is why kings are always seeking to increase their wealth and expand their territory. The most obvious way that wealth displays a king’s power is in his ability to give generously, lavishly, and even recklessly of his wealth to his citi- zens as well as to outsiders who visit his kingdom.




Kings who rule over lands that are sparse in resources and whose citizens are poor are judged to be poor kings, lacking in power and influence and therefore dismissed as unimportant. They may even be perceived as unable or unwilling to take proper care of their citizens and subjects. Poor kings, therefore, develop a poor reputation, which brings us to the second principle.




2. The purpose for a king’s wealth is to secure his reputation—his glory. Every conscientious king wants to be known as good, benevolent, magnanimous, and just. He is constantly concerned for the complete welfare of his people. He wants to be able to show the world that he can provide his citizens with anything and everything they need. Want in a kingdom is a shame to the king.




So a king’s reputation is tied to his ability to take care of his citizens, and that ability is directly related to his wealth. A king whose people are secure in his benevolent provision will be loved by his people, respected by other kings and rulers, and will enjoy a stable and secure reign. His reputation is firmly established, and his glory shines to all around.




3. The glory of a king is his power to out-give another king.




This is another reason why wealth is important to a king. Kings are deeply and continually concerned with their reputations, and no king likes the thought that another king might be richer, more benevolent, or more giving than he. Consequently, kings will give freely in response to a gift given to them, or from pure beneficence, often wildly out of proportion to the value of the gift received or the merit of the recipient.

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This is definitely a characteristic of the King of Heaven. As owner of literally everything, The Most High Yah is the richest King that was, is, or ever will be. No one can out-give The Most High Yah. And He gives lavishly without regard to our merit or our ability to repay. Don’t forget that Yahashua assured us that it was His Father’s pleasure to give us the Kingdom. And He did not demand that we make ourselves “worthy” first.




4. Giving places a demand on the king’s wealth. Wealth that is not used for anything serves no purpose. Righteous and benevolent kings do not seek riches simply for their own enrichment and pleasure. They don’t acquire wealth just so they can sit atop the pile and say, “Look at me! See how rich I am!”




Good kings use their wealth to bring prosperity to their people and improve the quality of their lives. This way the king’s riches do not stagnate or rot away. In keeping with a fundamental principle of wealth-building, good kings know how to make their wealth work for them—they give it away in order to receive more. It is a principle of reciprocity—giving begets giving.




The principle of reciprocity works both ways. Giving to a king places a demand on his wealth because a king cannot allow himself to be out-given. Whatever he receives as a gift he must return in multiplied form. This brings us to the fifth principle of giving.




5. Giving requires a response from the king. When you give to a king, he is obligated not only to respond to your gift but also to exceed it. When the queen of Sheba visited King Solomon of Israel, her gifts to him of spices, large quantities of gold and precious stones, was fitting protocol. However, she was not prepared for the magnitude of wealth she found in Solomon’s court:




When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard....And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon....King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty (1 Kings 10:4-7,10,13a, emphasis added).




As lavish as the queen’s gifts to Solomon were, his gifts to her in return far exceeded hers to him.




The King of Heaven is the same way. When we give to Him, He responds in kind but in much greater measure. Yahashua said:




Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Luke 6:38).




We can never out-give The Most High Yah. Give, and He will give abundantly and overflowing in return. It’s a principle of His Kingdom. Besides, His reputation and glory are at stake.




6. Giving to a king attracts His wealth to the giver. Giving begets giving. This principle works both ways. Kings give away wealth in order to gain more wealth. But when we give to the King, it begets giving back to us because our generosity attracts the King’s wealth to us.

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This is directly related to the concept of stewardship versus ownership. As long as we feel we own what we have, we tend to cling to it and hold it close to our chest. In that posture, it is impossible to receive more. We can’t receive anything with closed fists and clenched fingers. On the other hand, when we approach the King open-handed with our things, not only can we lay them at His feet as a gift, but we are also in a posture to receive. Giving to the King attracts His wealth because He is a giver and is attracted to those who share a like spirit.





SEVEN REASONS TO GIVE TO A KING




1. Royal protocol requires that a gift must be presented when visiting a king. This is why the queen of Sheba brought such lavish gifts to King Solomon even though he was richer than she was. It was royal protocol. He would have done the same had he visited her.




This protocol of presenting a gift to the king reflects a principle of heaven. When The Most High Yah gave Moses the Law for the nation of Israel, He made it clear that whenever the people came before the Lord, they were to bring an offering or a sacrifice of some kind, depending on the occasion. They were never to approach Him with nothing. The Most High Yah commanded Moses:




And none shall appear before Me empty-handed (Exodus 34:21b NKJV).




The principle still applies. We should always approach the King with a gift of some kind to offer: praise, thanksgiving, worship; just not empty-handed. The best gift we can give Him is our heart and life, freely and completely.




2. The gift must be fitting for the king. Worse than approaching a king with no gift is to bring a gift unworthy of him. An inappropriate or inadequate gift amounts to an insult to the king. It shows that the giver does not properly respect the king or his authority. This is why the sacrificial laws of the Hebrews (which prefigure the sacrifice of Christ, the perfect Lamb of The Most High Yah who took away the sin of the world [see John 1:29]). The people were giving a gift to the King, and their gift had to be worthy of Him.





When King David of Israel set out to build an altar to the Lord, he sought to buy a threshing floor owned by a man named Araunah as the site. Araunah graciously offered to give the threshing floor to David for his purposes:




But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my The Most High Yah burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of sil- ver for them” (2 Samuel 24:24).




David was trying to stop a plague in the land caused by his own disobedience to The Most High Yah. After he built the altar and made sacrifices, The Most High Yah responded to his prayers and stopped the plague.




Give a gift to the King that is worthy of Him. Don’t offer something that costs you nothing.




3. The gift reveals our value or “worth-ship” of the king. The quality of what we offer the King and the attitude with which we offer it reveal much more than our words do of the value or worthiness we attach to Him. Quality doesn’t mean expensive or fancy necessarily, but it does mean offering our very best. And our gift does not necessarily have to be of monetary value. Of much greater value to the King is the gift of a heart that seeks first His Kingdom and His righteousness. The Hebrew prophet Isaiah records the Lord’s complaint against His people who devalue His “worth-ship”:




The Lord says: “These people come near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is made up only of rules taught by men (Isaiah 29:13).




Our gifts to the King should always be offered from a sincere heart and a humble recognition of His greatness and awesome majesty.





4. Worship demands a gift and giving is worship. “Worth- ship” is where we get “worship.” To worship the King means to ascribe worth or worthiness to Him. And, as we have already seen, that always involves bringing Him a gift. There is no genuine worship without gift-giving. But giving is itself an act of worship, and worship is always fitting for the King. The Magi who saw His star in the east understood this, which is why they brought gifts when they came to find Him:




On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrhh (Matthew 2:11).




Worship demands a gift, but it may be a gift of praise, a gift of thanksgiving, a gift of confession, a gift of surrender, a gift of forgiveness, or a gift of a tender and obedient heart as well as a monetary gift.





5. Giving to a king attracts his favor. Kings are attracted to people who give with a willing and grateful spirit. Like anyone else, a king likes to know he is loved and appreciated. The King of Heaven is the same way. The Giver is attracted to the giver and extends His favor. Gifts open doors to blessings, opportunities, and prosperity:




A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great (Proverbs 18:16).




Those who know the protocol of giving gain access to the throne room, while those who do not, remain standing outside the gate.




Giving from a generous heart with no thought or expectation of return particularly attracts the King’s favor because that is the attitude closest to His own. And He rewards that kind of spirit:




Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward (Matthew 10:41-42).




To “receive” a prophet or a righteous man means to care for and supply that person with no expectation of repayment. Giving with no ulterior motive and with no strings attached—that is the kind of giving that attracts the favor of the King.





6. Giving to a king acknowledges his ownership of everything. Remember, kings are also lords; they own everything in their domain. So giving to a king is simply returning to him what is already his. That’s why in the Kingdom of Heaven we are always stewards and never owners.




This truth is embodied in the Bible in the principles of the firstfruits. Every harvest the Hebrews were required to bring the “firstfruits” of the harvest and offer them to the Lord. The same was to be done with all the firstborn of the animals: sheep, goats, cattle. All of this was for the purpose of recognizing The Most High Yah’s ownership—His Lordship—of everything and His benevolence and love in allowing them to use and prosper from His resources.




These same principles apply today, at least in the spirit of acknowledging The Most High Yah’s ownership.




7. Giving to a king is thanksgiving. One of the best ways to express gratitude is with a gift. Gratitude expressed is in itself a gift. Look at the word “thanksgiving.” Turn it around and you have, “giving thanks” or “giving gratitude.” Everyone likes to know they are appreciated. Sometimes the best gift we can give a person is simply to express heartfelt thanks for a gift given or a kindness received. The Most High Yah is the same way. Expressing our thanks to The Most High Yah from a sincere heart for His blessings, kindness, and favor toward us is to offer Him a gift that He receives with delight.





FIVE REASONS TO GIVE





Giving is natural for kings. As Kingdom citizens and children of the King, we too are kings. That being the case, several principles follow:




1. If we all are kings, then we should give to each other.

Remember, you never approach a king without a gift.




2. When we give to the Body, we give to Christ the King. Because Christ lives in us through the Holy Spirit, every time we give to each other, we are giving to Him.

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3. Every time we meet one another, giving should be automatic. If we are to be like our King, who created us in His image and likeness, a giving spirit should be second nature for us.




4. The wise men knew there was a greater King on earth. That is why they brought Him gifts and worshiped Him. He is still on earth—in the hearts and lives of His citizens. So whenever we give, we do so as if giving to Him.




5. When you give to a king, you make a demand on what he possesses. Giving begets giving. When we give to the King of Heaven, we obligate Him to give in return. This is not a presumptuous statement but the expression of a principle He established. When we give, He gives; when we withhold, He withholds.





THE ULTIMATE GIFT




The ultimate and greatest gift the King wants from us is summed up in these words:




Love the Lord your The Most High Yah with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5).




Giving activates royal obligation.




Give Him your life and receive His life.




...remembering the words the Lord Yahashua Himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

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􏰀􏰁 PRINCIPLES

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1. Giving is a fundamental principle of the Kingdom of Heaven.

2. The Most High Yah is a giver.

3. The power of kings is displayed in their wealth.

4. The purpose for a king’s wealth is to secure his reputation—his glory.

5. The glory of a king is his power to out-give another king.

6. Giving places a demand on the king’s wealth.

7. Giving requires a response from the king.

8. Giving to a king attracts his wealth to the giver.

9. Royal protocol requires that a gift must be presented when visiting a king.

10. The gift must be fitting for the king.

11. The gift reveals our value or “worth-ship” of the king.

12. Worship demands a gift and giving is worship.

13. Giving to a king attracts his favor.

14. Giving to a king acknowledges his ownership of everything.

15. Giving to a king is thanksgiving.

16. Giving begets giving.

17. Giving activates royal obligation.

18. Give Him your life and receive His life

https://youtu.be/PLfUiF34Bc4

KINGDOM CONCEPT #8: UNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM CONCEPT OF CULTURE

Exodus chapter 20




Today we are walking in: Understanding the Kingdom Concept of Culture




Today we look to the word- DOMINION- H7287 radah--to rule, have dominion, dominate, to cause to dominate




The Torah Testifies.............................

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion H7287 over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.




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

Nehemiah 9:28
But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion H7287 over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them fromheaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;




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

Judges 5:13
Then he made him that remaineth have dominion H7287 over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion H7287 over the mighty.




CHAPTER 11- KINGDOM PRINCIPLES PREPARING FOR KINGDOM EXPERIENCE AND EXPANSION




KINGDOM CONCEPT #8: UNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM CONCEPT OF CULTURE




Culture encompasses many things. Once you understand the culture of a people, you understand the people. Everything that makes a nation a nation and a people a people is wrapped up in their culture.

As we have already seen, for example, every country has land— territory. Without land there is no country. Historically, the land a person inhabits significantly influences the culture they develop. Desert dwellers, for instance, are unlikely to develop a maritime culture unless they live along the coast. Their culture will reflect the arid environment in which they live.

A second key component of every country is language. A country is not a country unless it has one major language. Many nations of the world have numerous sub languages and dialects. But every nation always decides on one major language because language identifies you as a country. Language is the key to unity. It is also a key factor in a nation’s culture.

Again, as we saw earlier, all countries have laws. Every nation draws up a body of laws that everyone must obey to ensure peace, order, and security for the citizens. Without law there is no country because the absence of law leads to chaos, and you can’t run a country or maintain a stable government in chaos. The laws of a nation reflect the culture of that nation and vice versa. Culture and law each affect the other.

Every nation also utilizes specific and unique symbols to represent it and to help inspire unity, patriotism, loyalty, pride of nation, and a strong sense of national identity. The most familiar symbol of any nation is, of course, its flag. A nation’s flag symbolizes its history, the sacrifices, suffering, and triumphs of its people, and what the people have constituted themselves to be. All of these things relate also to culture. Few national symbols are more powerful than the flag.

Another element that all nations share in common is a constitution. As we saw in the last teachings, a constitution is a contract between the people and their government. In many ways a constitution is a cultural document because it contains in codified form the laws, ideals, and values of the people (or of the king, depending on who wrote it).

Furthermore, all nations have a moral code. A nation’s moral code embodies the moral standards under which the people have agreed to live and by which they have chosen to govern themselves. In most cases, a moral code consists of both written and unwritten standards. The written standards are expressed through laws and statutes while the unwritten standards are transmitted primarily through traditions, customs, and culture. Respect other people’s property; do not bear false witness in court; do not steal; do not murder; do not commit adultery—all of these are part of the moral code in virtually every nation and government on earth.

A seventh common characteristic of all countries is shared values. In order to have a country that runs effectively, the people must share the same values in common. The people as a whole must agree that they all value the same thing, such as life or peace or freedom.

Every nation also develops its own customs. Customs derive from a nation’s shared values. A custom is a customary way of doing something, a behavioral pattern that is not only commonly accepted but also expected. Overall, customs generally are consistent throughout a nation, although there are many regional variations. Quite often a nation’s customs are so distinctive that they become a point of identification for that nation, such as certain traditional manners of dress or kinds of foods.

Finally, there are social norms. These are similar to customs but have greater force and authority within society. Social norms are standards of speech, thought, and behavior that are accepted by the wide majority of the people as right and proper. Violate a custom and you may be thought eccentric; violate a social norm and you risk being ostracized.

All of these together—land, language, laws, symbols, constitution, moral code, shared values, customs, and social norms—comprise what we call culture.

WHAT IS CULTURE?

So what is culture specifically? First of all, culture is the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties by education, expert care, and training. In other words, culture is the development of a people’s intellectual capacities and moral awareness through a combination of formal instruction and informal modeling. Parents and society teach children the elements of the culture, and as the children learn and internalize those cultural elements, they begin to live them.

Secondly, culture is the enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training. Simply stated, we all come to think like the environment we grow up in. Our intellectual interaction with our environment literally produces a way of thinking in us that becomes our way of life, and so we become trained in our culture. None of us are born with a culture. We are born into a culture, but we are not born with a culture.

Culture may also be defined as the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon man’s capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. From a sociological perspective, culture is the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group. In the business world, culture defines the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize a company or corporation.

As for a scientific definition, culture means to grow in a prepared medium. That’s a powerful image. Each of us arrived on earth in a prepared medium—the country and culture of our birth. Immediately we began to grow in that medium, shaped and influenced by the customs, values, moral code, and social norms of our parents, community, and society. We learned the language and the laws. This growth medium is also where we learned our prejudices and our hatreds, our jealousy and our greed and our pride.

Then one day we discovered the Kingdom of Heaven. We were born again and became citizens of The Most High Yah’s Kingdom. And that’s where the challenge really began. After spending 20, 30 or 40 years in a certain medium that trained us to think a certain way, we suddenly find ourselves in a whole new culture—a new growth medium—with a whole lot of new things to learn and a whole lot of old things to unlearn. And therein lies the problem: How do we get rid of the old culture in our hearts and minds to live in the new one? That’s the universal challenge for every dual citizenship believer.

For you see, culture is also what lies at the very center of the great cosmic conflict between the Kingdom of The Most High Yah and the kingdom of darkness. And earth is the battleground. The battle for earth is the battle for culture. And culture is the manifestation of the collective thinking of a people. In other words, whatever the people as a whole think collectively—their beliefs, values, ideals, etc.—becomes their culture. So whoever controls the minds of the people controls the culture. In fact, whoever controls the minds will create the culture.

The Bible says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (see Prov. 23:7 KJV). This means that the way we think determines who we become. In this context, the heart is the mind. And the Kingdom of The Most High Yah is a kingdom of the heart. Therefore, the King of Heaven is battling for the minds of the creatures He created in His own image.

MANIFESTATIONS OF CULTURE

Culture manifests itself in a number of ways.

1. Values. Shared values are a defining characteristic of a culture and a nation. What we value reveals who we are. Our values reflect our character. Basically, a value is a belief or conviction that is considered worthy in and of itself by a person or group. It is a standard or ideal that regulates conduct or policy. Values also relate to one’s personal philosophy. Our values define our attitudes, behavior, and view of the world. If we want to learn how to live in the culture of the Kingdom, we must learn the values of the Kingdom. Yahashua the King articulated His value system at the very beginning of His public ministry:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see The Most High Yah. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of The Most High Yah. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3-10).

This particular portion of Yahashua’ teaching is commonly known as the “Beatitudes,” or “blessed sayings,” from the Latin word beatus (blessed). We could even call them the “Be-attitudes” because they describe the way Kingdom citizens should “be” in character, attitude, and behavior.

Values are extremely powerful and form the foundation for behavior. They guide the people of a nation in identifying what behavior is acceptable or unacceptable. Whether explicitly stated or unspoken yet recognized, values form the foundation of nations and profoundly shape the lives and daily experiences of their citizens. Society depends on certain values in order to function, such as cooperation and honesty. Businesses also depend for their function on such values as integrity, honor, fairness, and kindness.




2. Priorities. Culture manifests itself in the things we regard as most important. In other words, whatever we prioritize in life reveals our culture. If we prioritize the sanctity of marriage, our culture will reflect it with laws, customs, and social norms that strongly discourage and even penalize divorce, adultery, and other “marriage busters.” Prioritizing the sanctity of human life will produce a culture that protects the elderly and the unborn and refuses to sanction the harvesting of human embryos for stem cell research.

Yahashua got right to the heart of priorities when He said:

So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:31-33).


Behaviors. The way we behave reveals our culture; it’s that simple.


Standards. The standards we apply in everyday life reveal whether we have a culture that indulges and encourages mediocrity or a culture that inspires excellence. Do we take pride in the appearance of our houses and churches and businesses and cities and streets? Do we place a high premium on quality in all things? Or are we satisfied with just enough to get by? Either way, our standards reflect our culture. In fact, our culture will never rise higher than our standards.


Celebration. Our culture is revealed in the things we celebrate as well as in the manner that we celebrate. Are holidays and other celebrations opportunities for fun and laughter and togetherness as families, or excuses for drunkenness and other kinds of excess?

As Kingdom citizens, we need to take our cue from our King because His attitudes and responses reveal Heaven’s culture. Whatever makes Yahashua angry should make us angry and whatever makes Him happy should make us happy. Whatever fills Him with joy should make us joyful also and whatever brings Him sorrow should grieve our spirits as well.


Morality. The level of our moral conscience and consciousness reveals the level of our culture. Do we shrug our shoulders at adultery and other forms of infidelity? Do we turn a blind eye to pedophilia and other kinds of sexual abuse? Are we willing to “normalize” perversion in our society? Or are we committed to standing for, sup- porting, and promoting the highest standards of moral purity in every area?


Relationships. Who do we relate to? How do we relate to them? How do we treat people? How do we handle the destitute, those who are hurting, and those who are abused? What is our attitude toward the poor? There’s a culture in Heaven that is revealed when poverty is around. When people are hungry, the culture of Heaven feeds them. When they are thirsty, the culture of Heaven says, “I’ve got something for you to drink.” Our culture is revealed in how well we take care of each other.

8. Ethics. Is honesty our best policy, or is honesty our only policy? If someone overpays us, do we keep the money or do we take it back? Kingdom ethics is always proactive. Yahashua said, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31). This “rule” applies to every area of life.

Then Peter came to Yahashua and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Yahashua answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:21-22).

In response to Peter’s question, Yahashua pulled a number out of His hat to make His point. “Seventy-seven times” is not a literal figure; it is seven times extended indefinitely. In other words, in Kingdom culture, forgiveness is ongoing. We forgive as often as necessary, just as we would hope to be forgiven as often as necessary. Again, we take our cue from our King—as He has forgiven us, and keeps on forgiving us, so are we to do with others.

9. Social norms. Whatever is regarded as normal in our society reveals our culture. Is shacking up “normal”? Are out-of-wedlock pregnancies and births “normal”? Is cheating on taxes “normal”? Is corruption in government “normal”? Are honesty, integrity, and fidelity both at home and in the workplace “normal”? Is sexual purity “normal”?

What are the “norms” of the Kingdom of Heaven? Here are a few that Kingdom Ambassador Paul called “the fruit of the Spirit”:

...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithful- ness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).

10. Dress. Culture also manifests itself in the way the people dress. How we dress speaks volumes about our values and ideals as well as how we feel about ourselves. All of these relate to culture.

Of course, since Kingdom citizenship and Kingdom citizens are invisible, there is no such thing as a Kingdom “uniform” or prescribed manner of dress. But there is such a thing as a certain demeanor that Kingdom citizens are to carry themselves with that identifies them as children of the King. Simon Peter’s instructions to female citizens of the Kingdom applies equally in principle to every citizen:

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in The Most High Yah’s sight (1 Peter 3:3-4).

11.Foods. Food has always been a cultural distinctive. Certain dishes, certain ingredients, and certain seasonings are associated with certain regions of the world or certain regions within nations. Curry is a distinctive of Indian cooking. Beans and rice are staples in Mexico. Hot dogs are undeniably American. In the Bahamas, it’s peas and rice, conch chowder, and guava duff.

As Kingdom citizens on earth we need food to strengthen and nourish our bodies, but we also need heavenly food to nourish our spirits. Yahashua said:

Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of The Most High Yah (Matthew 4:4b).

At another time, He told His inner circle of followers:

My food...is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work (John 4:34).

12. Permits. We reveal our culture by what we permit. Remember, what we bind on earth is bound in heaven, and what we loose on earth is loosed in heaven. If we “loose” lewdness and immorality, those things will characterize our culture. If we “loose” corruption and dishonesty, we will have a corrupt and dishonest culture. On the other hand, if we “loose” love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and the like, our culture will reflect these traits. As Kingdom citizens, we have the authority to bind and loose for the social, moral, and spiritual good of our fellowmen. This is why it is important for us to be involved in and to engage the popular culture and challenge it with the culture of Heaven.

13. Acceptance. Our culture is defined also by what we accept. More and more people who claim to be believers and even Kingdom citizens are buying into the popular culture to such a degree that by their language and lifestyle it is impossible to tell which Kingdom they belong to—the kingdom of the world or the Kingdom of heaven. The more often we hear about new cultural, social, or moral ideas, the more accepting we become until eventually it’s not new to us anymore. We have accepted it, and now it has become a cultural norm. That’s why we need to be always alert and ever careful to evaluate all the new ideas and philosophies that come down the line. Some of them may be fine. But many, perhaps most, will be contrary to the culture and values and ideals of the Kingdom of Heaven. When this is the case, as Kingdom citizens we have the duty and responsibility to refuse to accept them.

14. Rejections. On the other hand, our culture manifests also in what we reject. Modern popular culture has reached the point where it rejects almost nothing. An attitude of “anything goes” prevails in many circles. Political correctness rules the day with its calculated and deliberate determination to be nice to everybody, avoid hurting anyone’s feelings, and refusing to take a stand by judging anything as evil, immoral, or improper. Today’s culture rejects the very idea of absolute standards; everything is relative. Kingdom culture, on the other hand, rejects relativism in favor of the absolute standard of the unchanging Word of The Most High Yah. If some things are right, then other things are wrong and must be rejected. Yahashua said it this way:

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters (Matthew 12:30).

We can’t have it both ways. We can’t play both ends against the middle. There is right and there is wrong, and Kingdom citizens must reject the wrong and embrace the right.

15. Distinctions. Culture manifests also in our distinctions. What distinguishes us from other cultures? What makes the Kingdom culture distinctive from the culture of the world? I’m not talking about outward things like clothing or hairstyle as much as inner qualities of character, val- ues, and norms. Paul said:

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).

16. Quality standards. And finally, culture manifests in our standards of quality. The Most High Yah never does anything halfway, and neither should His children. In everything we do, Kingdom citizens should always be on the cutting edge of excellence, leading the way for everyone else rather than following in the world’s wake. In Kingdom life we don’t have to be perfect in what we do because we are imperfect people, but that is no excuse to accept shabby work, half-finished projects, or a just-enough-to-get-by attitude. Our King demands our best. And He deserves nothing less. For this very reason, it should be our joy to give our very best to the King...and to give it freely and willingly.

PRINCIPLES


Once you understand the culture of a people, you understand the people.


Culture is the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties by education, expert care, and training.


Culture is the enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training.


Culture is the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon man’s capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations.


Culture is the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.


Culture is the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize a company or corporation.


Culture means to grow in a prepared medium.


The battle for earth is the battle for culture.

https://youtu.be/z8T3s3xbTxE

KINGDOM CONCEPT #7: UNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM CONCEPT OF CITIZENSHIP

Exodus chapter 20


Today we are walking in: Kingdom Concept #7: Understanding the Kingdom Concept of Citizenship




Today we look to the word- KINGDOM- H4467-mamlakah-dominion, i.e. (abstractly) the estate (rule) or (concretely) the country (realm):—kingdom, king's, reign, royal.



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


Deuteronomy 17:18

And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, H4467 that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:




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


Amos 9:8

Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, H4467 and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD.




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


Psalms 68:32

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms H4467 of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:

The most awesome power and position of national privilege is citizenship. Citizenship is the most valuable asset of a nation and is not easily given because of its power and impact. All governments defend the right of citizenship with the same fervor because of its implications. Citizenship is not membership. Religions function on membership, while nations and kingdoms function on citizenship.

In recent months immigration has become a hot topic in some parts of the world. For example, there is rising concern among many Western Europeans that the continuing influx of Muslim immigrants from the Middle East will soon transform the entire religious, social, and cultural complexion of Europe. Recent sectarian riots in France over unemployment and in many other European countries over the publication of “blasphemous” cartoons of Muhammad have revealed that little cultural assimilation among those immigrants has occurred.

Of even greater concern, however, is the spectacle that has been going on in the United States over immigration. For months, debates have raged over the status of millions of illegal aliens, mostly from Mexico, who live and work in the U.S. Rallies in support of these illegals have drawn thousands out onto the streets. Some legislators have proposed granting all illegal aliens currently in the country immediate legal status and placing them on a short track to American citizenship. Others insist that the U.S. government detain and deport as many illegal immigrants as they can find and increase patrols at the U.S.-Mexican border to prevent further would-be immigrants from crossing over. There are even some who have seriously proposed building a fence along the entire 700-mile length of the border.

It seems that masses of people from south of the border are clamoring to get into the United States. Why? What draws them to risk life, capture, imprisonment, or deportation just to cross that border? It could be many things: better jobs, higher pay, better health care, greater opportunities, and an all-around better quality of life than they feel they can get in their home country. For many, it is the lure of even the possibility of citizenship in the most prosperous nation in the world.

People are attracted to a nation that appears to promise a better life than the one they are living where they are. Some people even become desperate enough to do anything they have to do to become a part of that nation.

So the concept of citizenship is critical to understanding the nature of the Kingdom of heaven. As I’ve said before, all governments and kingdoms operate on governing laws and principles. Citizenship is necessary for the validity and legitimacy of any nation. Not only that, but citizenship is the most sacred privilege of a nation.

THE POWER AND PRIVILEGE OF CITIZENSHIP

Citizenship has great power as well as great privileges. That is why people are willing to risk their lives and cross borders even to the point of death to pursue the hope of citizenship. Citizenship is not only sacred, but sanctified—set apart. A citizen is part of an elite, privileged group. People who have lived as “subjects” of a foreign government rather than citizens understand this distinction much better than people who were born citizens. The same is true for people who have worked very hard to earn the privilege to become a naturalized citizen of their chosen country.

As a sacred privilege, citizenship is the most precious gift that any nation can give. That’s why there are laws to protect people from it and protect it from people. Apart from native-born citizens, citizenship is neither awarded lightly nor obtained easily. And it shouldn’t be. Citizenship is too precious a treasure to hand out indiscriminately like handbills.

When it comes to matters of citizenship, the Kingdom of The Most High Yah is no different from any other country. Remember, the Kingdom of The Most High Yah is not a religion. It is a government with a country. Heaven is that country, and Yahashua Hamachiach is its King. Referring to Hamachiach, the ancient Hebrew prophet Isaiah wrote:

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders....Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever... (Isaiah 9:6-7, emphasis added).

Like any other country, the Kingdom of The Most High Yah has the principle of citizenship. And, like the example of America above, once people know about the Kingdom, and once they understand what it is and what it has to offer, they clamor to get in. This is what Yahashua was referring to when He said:

The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of The Most High Yah is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it (Luke 16:16).

“Everyone is forcing his way into it.” Once people learn about the Kingdom of The Most High Yah, they can’t wait to get in! Picture in your mind all those would-be immigrants desperately clamoring to cross the border, and then you will see what Yahashua meant.

Why then, someone might ask, do we not see people clamoring to get into the churches? Why does the church as a whole seem to have so little impact on our culture? The reason is simple—and sad. Most pastors don’t understand the Kingdom, so they don’t preach it or teach it. Consequently, most of the people in the churches don’t understand the Kingdom either, so they don’t model Kingdom living. My experience has been that once people know about the Kingdom and see it modeled, they want it!

Such is the power of the lure of citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven.

BECOMING A KINGDOM CITIZEN

All nations, including kingdoms, have citizens. And all nations require immigration status. The Kingdom of The Most High Yah is no different. Every Kingdom citizen today is a naturalized citizen. We emigrated from a foreign country—a “dominion of darkness” (see Col. 1:13)— where we as a race had been “exiled” ever since Adam’s rebellion in the garden of Eden. At that time, the human race lost citizenship in heaven. We lost our citizenship because we lost our Kingdom, and we lost our Kingdom because we lost our property—our territory. Don’t forget that without territory, there is no kingdom; and without a kingdom, there can be no kingdom citizenship.

When Yahashua Hamachiach began His public ministry, He announced that the Kingdom of Heaven had arrived. That was the only message

He preached. He brought back to earth the Kingdom we lost at Eden and gave us access to it again. We enter the Kingdom of heaven through the process that Yahashua called being “born again” (see John 3:3)—changing our mind and turning from our rebellion against The Most High Yah, placing our trust in Yahashua for the forgiveness of our rebellion, and acknowledging Him as Lord (Owner) of our lives. This “new birth” gets us into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Many believers call this “being saved,” but I think it is more helpful here to think of the new birth as the “naturalization” process by which we become Kingdom citizens. The new birth makes us naturalized citizens of the Kingdom. It also “naturalizes” us in the sense that it returns us to our original “natural” state of authority and dominion over the earth as The Most High Yah intended from the start. When we become citizens of The Most High Yah’s Kingdom, it means that we voluntarily align ourselves with a new government and a new country, embracing its language, its ideals, and its values.

The Kingdom constitution is explicit regarding our citizenship:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with The Most High Yah’s people and members of The Most High Yah’s household (Ephesians 2:19, emphasis added).

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Yahashua Hamachiach, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body (Philippians 3:20, emphasis added).

Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves (Colossians 1:12-13, emphasis added).􏰁

Not only does the new birth make us citizens of Heaven, but our citizenship begins immediately. We are Kingdom citizens right now. Our citizenship is a present reality. We “are...fellow citizens with The Most High Yah’s people.” “Our citizenship is in Heaven.” The Most High Yah “has brought us into the kingdom of the Son.”

Why is this so important? Here’s why: Religion postpones citizenship to the future. Religious leaders tell their people, “You will be a citizen...someday. You will be in the Kingdom...you will have joy later...you will be a full citizen. But not today. Not yet. The Kingdom has not yet come.”

They are wrong. The Kingdom has come. Kingdom citizenship is never postponed. The Kingdom of The Most High Yah is present and functional on the earth right now. If you have been “born again,” then you have been naturalized and are a Kingdom citizen right now. And that means that all the rights, benefits, and privileges of Kingdom citizenship are yours right now. You can enjoy your citizenship right now. You don’t have to wait until some indefinite time in the future.

You can never appropriate what you postpone. That’s what you call “locking up the Kingdom of The Most High Yah” to those who want to get in. It is for this reason that I am convinced that the greatest enemy of the Kingdom is religion. Religion keeps pushing the Kingdom away from people: “You can’t get in now; you can’t experience it now; you can’t benefit from it now; wait until later.” And so the people suffer. That is why so many religious people live defeated, destitute, and frustrated lives. They believe they have to wait for their “reward.”

DUAL CITIZENSHIP

Kingdom governments exercise jurisdiction over their citizens no matter where they are. One of the main purposes that nations maintain embassies in other countries is to provide assistance to their citizens who are living or traveling away from home. If you were to visit the Bahamas and happened to lose all your money or face some other crisis, all you would have to do is turn to your country’s embassy and they would help you. That’s what they are there for. One of the responsibilities of any government is to take care of its citizens, whether at home or abroad.

In a very real sense, that’s what the church is supposed to be: an embassy! The church is not a religious place. When Yahashua established His ecclesia, He did not have a religious institution in mind. His purpose was to set up an embassy of His Kingdom—a place where Kingdom citizens (new and old) could receive aid, be trained in the ways, laws, language, and customs of the Kingdom, and be equipped with the Kingdom resources they need for effective life in the Kingdom colony on earth.

All Kingdom citizens carry dual citizenship. Most governments on earth allow dual citizenship, where citizens of one country may hold simultaneously legal citizenship in another. If you are an American or Canadian or German citizen, for example, you could become an official, legal citizen of the Bahamas without being required to give up your prior citizenship. Children born to citizens of one country who are living in another country generally become citizens of both countries.

It is no different with the Kingdom of Heaven. All Kingdom citizens are simultaneously citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven as well as citizens of the earthly nation of their birth or their naturalization. We don’t give up our earthly citizenship when we become citizens of the Kingdom. And in the same way, we don’t have to be in Heaven to benefit from heavenly jurisdiction. Our citizenship is constant, and the Kingdom government exercises jurisdiction over us wherever we are.

The Kingdom constitution says that we are in the world but not of the world. Even though we are in a foreign territory—actually, our government’s colony—our registration is not here. When it says our citizenship is in Heaven, it means that our registration, our official documentation, is not on earth. When we are born again, our names are written in Heaven’s “official registry” as valid confirmation that we are now citizens of Heaven, even though we still live in the colony. So even though we are physically away from the Kingdom “country,” we are still citizens of the Kingdom.

When Yahashua stood before Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, Pilate asked Him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (John 18:33b), to which Yahashua answered:

My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is from another place (John 18:36).

It is important to note here both what Yahashua said as well as what He did not say. He said, “My kingdom is not of this world”; He did not say, “My kingdom is not in this world.” He said, “My kingdom is from another place”; He did not say, “My kingdom is not in this place.” As the official representative of the emperor, Pilate possessed kingly authority in Judea. Speaking as one king to another, Yahashua acknowledged His kingship. In fact, He stated plainly to Pilate:

You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth” (John 18:37b).

And what was that truth? The truth that the Kingdom of Heaven had arrived—the only message Yahashua preached. So Hamachiach’s Kingdom was in the world but not of the world. It was from another place but also resident here on earth. It was here now, but it was not from here.

So all Kingdom citizens possess dual citizenship—in heaven and on earth. That status will continue until the day when the present heaven and earth pass away and the King re-creates them both. Then there will be no more separation because the time will have come when:

...the dwelling of The Most High Yah is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and The Most High Yah himself will be with them and be their The Most High Yah (Revelation 21:3).

On that day the government of heaven will exercise full dominion over the new earth under the co-regency of all kingdom citizens.

INVISIBLE CITIZENSHIP

Someone may ask, “If the Kingdom of heaven is here now, why can’t we see it? Why isn’t there more evidence of it all around us?” The answer is very simple: We cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven because it is invisible. And so are its citizens. In fact, all colonial governments and citizens are invisible.

In the same way, the fact that the Kingdom of Heaven is invisible does not mean that it has no impact. Yahashua taught this truth about the Kingdom more than once. On one occasion He illustrated it this way:

What shall I compare the kingdom of The Most High Yah to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough (Luke 13:20-21).

That’s how yeast works—slowly but inexorably until all the dough feels its influence. Once mixed with the dough, the yeast is invisible, but if you think that means no impact, just try baking bread without it!

People have been debating the nature and timing of the coming of the Kingdom of heaven for centuries. It was no different in Yahashua’ day. One day He spoke of the invisibility of the Kingdom in response to a question from some of the religious leaders:

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of The Most High Yah would come, Yahashua replied, “The kingdom of The Most High Yah does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the Kingdom of The Most High Yah is within you” (Luke 17:20-21).

The Kingdom of The Most High Yah is invisible. We cannot detect it simply by observation. And if the Kingdom of The Most High Yah resides within its citizens, this means that all Kingdom citizens are invisible also. We bear no physical or outward signs that broadcast to the world, “I’m a Kingdom citizen!” Our citizenship must become known in other ways.

Citizenship is invisible. The only way you can actually know someone is from a particular place is by listening to them and observing their behavior over time.

The same is true with us as Kingdom citizens. There is no way for people to tell by looking at us that we are citizens of the Kingdom. Our language and our behavior should make that known to them. In other words, they should recognize us by our distinct culture.

Culture is a product of the language, ideals, and values of a people or a nation. Even though people cannot recognize us as Kingdom citizens by our outward appearance, our distinctive language, ideals, and values should give us away. Our culture should reflect and reveal our citizenship as being here but not from here, as being in the world but not of the world.

PRINCIPLES


Citizenship is the most sacred privilege of a nation.


Citizenship is the most precious gift that any nation can give.


Like any other country, the Kingdom of The Most High Yah has the principle of citizenship.


Every Kingdom citizen today is a naturalized citizen.


The new birth makes us naturalized citizens of the Kingdom.


Not only does the new birth make us citizens of heaven, but our citizenship begins immediately. We are Kingdom citizens right now. Our citizenship is a present reality.


Religion postpones citizenship to the future.


You can never appropriate what you postpone.


All Kingdom citizens carry dual citizenship.


All colonial governments and citizens are invisible.


The Kingdom of The Most High Yah is invisible.


All Kingdom citizens are invisible also.


Our culture should reflect and reveal our citizenship as being here but not from here, as being in the world but not of the world.https://youtu.be/5yABx9ViGlg

KINGDOM CONCEPT #6: UNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM CONCEPT OF KEYS PART2!!!

Exodus Chapter 20


Today we are walking in: Kingdom concept of Keys part 2!!!!







Today we look to the word- KEY- H4668 maphteach-- key, opening instrument







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


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


Isaiah 22:22


And the key H4668 of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.




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


1Chronicles 9:27


And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the key H4668 thereof every morning pertained to them.



SEVEN CHARACTERISTICS OF KEYS


1. Keys are laws. They are fixed, reliable standards that never change. When used correctly, they always work.


2. Keys are principles. When Yahashua spoke of “the keys of the Kingdom,” He wasn’t talking about literal physical keys to open physical locks. The keys of the Kingdom are principles, systems that operate under fixed laws. When He gives us the keys, He gives us the principles by which the Kingdom of Heaven operates. We gain access to the systems that make the Kingdom of Heaven work. And once we learn the laws, the system, and the principles, all of heaven will be available to us.


3. Keys are systems. Every government runs on systems: the social system, the economic system, the political system, the educational system, the telecommunications system, etc. Knowledge of the systems and how they work is a key to power and influence. Control the systems and you control the government. Disrupt the systems and you disrupt the government. Destroy the systems and you destroy the nation. That’s how powerful systems are. Even more, that’s how powerful knowledge can be.


The systems of the Kingdom of Heaven are beyond the reach of those outside the kingdom and are in no danger of being disrupted or destroyed. Kingdom citizens, on the other hand, have access to those systems and can bring the influence of Kingdom systems to bear in earthly situations. That is why Kingdom citizens can rest confident in victory and success no matter what circumstances may suggest. So the most important thing any of us could do is to make sure that we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.


4. Keys activate function. A car operates on gasoline. The “key” of gasoline activates the function of the car. Without gasoline, the car will not run no matter how many other keys you have. Likewise, a radio with no receiver cannot fulfill its function of converting radio waves into audible sound waves for you to hear. The “key” of a receiver is missing, and without it, the radio is only an empty, silent box. The box may be pretty, the glass clean and shiny, but it cannot fulfill its purpose because the key to activate its function is not there. To me, religion is like that attractive radio or that stylish but gas-less car that does not work. Like them, religion may look beautiful and impressive on the outside with all its regalia and traditions, but it has no keys and therefore lacks the ability and the power to activate Kingdom function.


The keys of the Kingdom activate Heaven so that we can fully enjoy our rights and privileges as Kingdom citizens. This is far more sure and secure than depending on the systems of the world for our enjoyment. On this point, Kingdom ambassador Paul counsels:


Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in The Most High Yah, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17).


The keys of the Kingdom allow us to enjoy all the rich and good things of The Most High Yah without measure.


5. Keys initiate action. Just as the key to a car initiates action by starting the engine, the keys of the Kingdom, when we know how to use them, initiate action in Heaven.


6. Keys are the principles by which the Kingdom of The Most High Yah operates. Not only are keys principles, but specifically, keys to the operation of the Kingdom. They give us access to the blueprints, the schematic, the flowcharts so that we can understand and appropriate the inner workings of the Kingdom of Heaven.


7. Keys cannot be substituted by feelings, emotions, wishful thinking, or manipulation. If you are locked out of your house without a key, no amount of begging or pleading or wishing will make that door open. If your car is out of gas, you can sit behind the wheel and dream and will all you want for it to move, but it will stay right where it is. Religion is built on feelings, emotions, wishful thinking, and manipulation. It is different with the Kingdom. The Kingdom of Heaven operates on keys. You can wish and feel and beg and plead all you want, but without the right keys, you will still be locked out of all the things The Most High Yah promised you because feelings don’t open doors. Keys do.


In the world’s system, you get ahead by killing, robbing, hurting, manipulating, climbing up on people, using people, stealing, gam- bling—any way you can. But in the Kingdom of Heaven, everything is reversed. To get ahead, you must do the opposite of what you do in the world. Instead of getting, you give; instead of hoarding, you release; instead of grabbing, you give up; instead of hating, you love; instead of every-man-for-himself, you show first regard to others. Yes, this is counterintuitive, but that is the way The Most High Yah’s Kingdom works.


THE COUNTERINTUITIVE NATURE OF KEYS


It is this very counterintuitive quality of the Kingdom of heaven that makes it so hard for the world to understand. The Kingdom of Heaven and the kingdoms of this world operate by completely opposite principles. People raised in the world’s system cannot comprehend on their own the truly otherworldly nature of The Most High Yah’s Kingdom. This is why Simon Peter could not recognize Yahashua as the Messiah except by divine revelation.


This clash of systems is vividly illustrated by an encounter Yahashua had one day with a rich young man who was interested in getting into the Kingdom.


As Yahashua started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on his knees before Him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call Me good?” Yahashua answered. “No one is good—except The Most High Yah alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testi- mony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Yahashua looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” He said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Yahashua looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of The Most High Yah!” (Mark 10:17-23).


Once we get into the Kingdom and start functioning properly, we inevitably become prosperous. Prosperity is a natural product of Kingdom living. But we must live by the standards of the Kingdom in order to prosper in the Kingdom.


This rich young man had problems with Yahashua’ conditions because they ran counter to everything he had ever heard and believed about success and prosperity. He simply was not prepared for the counterintuitive command of Yahashua to part with everything that he thought made him “somebody.” This is why Yahashua said that it is hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of The Most High Yah. The keys, the principles, the systems of the Kingdom are opposite to those of the world, from where they acquired their wealth. In other words, the opposite nature of Kingdom keys makes it difficult for many people to understand the Kingdom. This young man had grown up in a world where you get by taking. He could not understand the principle of a Kingdom where you get by giving.


Additionally, it is the power of ignorance of Kingdom keys that can destroy us. Scripture says:

“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6a).


Because of ignorance of Kingdom keys, this rich young man did not know how to become richer, so he chose to hold onto wealth that literally was killing him rather than enter into wealth that could give him life. Coming into the Kingdom of The Most High Yah neither makes you poor nor requires you to become poor. But you have to know the keys.


This rich man thought he was rich, but was really poor because he did not understand the nature of true wealth. So he went away sad. A key principle of the Kingdom of Heaven, on the other hand, is this:


The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it (Proverbs 10:22).


Once you get the keys of the Kingdom and learn how they work, the blessing of The Most High Yah will bring you wealth without sorrow. And He can do it in an instant if He is so inclined.


Another factor in the difficulty people have in understanding the Kingdom is the danger of the fallen nature of human reasoning. Man’s rebellion against The Most High Yah resulted in a corrupted mind and conscience. The way most of us in this world pursue success and wealth and try to get ahead is completely contrary to the principles and laws that The Most High Yah designed into creation. But we are too blinded by our corrupt minds to see it. Like the rich young man, we assume that you must do certain things to succeed—climb the corporate ladder by walking on people’s heads and stepping on their hands, hurt them, use them selfishly, scheme against them, betray them, lie, cheat, steal—whatever it takes to be a millionaire before the age of 40.


Then Yahashua comes along and says, “If you want real wealth and real success, get rid of all of that. Give it back to the people you got it from and follow Me.” The attitude of willingness to part with it all is as important, and perhaps more so, than the actual act. Remember, in the Kingdom of Heaven we are stewards, not owners.


Because of our fallen nature of human reasoning, the principles and keys of the Kingdom of The Most High Yah are completely foreign to the way we have been trained to think. That is why the first word Yahashua said when He came to announce the Kingdom was, “Repent.” Change the way you think.


Principles work but are not always understood. The rich young man simply could not see how following Yahashua’ instructions would get him what he wanted. He could not grasp the principle. The keys of the Kingdom work, but sometimes even after we learn how to use them, we don’t understand how they work. They just do.


Principles are established by the manufacturer. Our Creator knows His creation. The Most High Yah knows what is best for us. But because of our fallen nature, we are dysfunctional creatures who believe either that there is nothing wrong with us or that whatever is wrong we can fix ourselves. Counterintuitive wisdom leads us to understand that the keys of the Kingdom, the principles under which the Kingdom operates, are also the keys to bringing the life, law, and culture of Heaven to earth, even when human logic or reasoning says otherwise.


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PRINCIPLES

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1. Life in the Kingdom is really about returning to the governing authority of The Most High Yah in the earth and learning how to live and function in that authority.


2. The Kingdom of Heaven is not a secret society, but its keys have to be learned.


3. When you know the keys to the Kingdom secrets, you will never again say, “All I have is....”


4. Keys represent authority.


5. Keys represent access.


6. Keys represent ownership.


7. Keys represent control.


8. Keys represent authorization.


9. Keys represent power.


10. Keys represent freedom.


11. The keys of the Kingdom are the keys to ultimate truth, the knowledge of which brings true liberty.

https://youtu.be/CZsVeIkmOvs