Two Masters

The following is my own paraphrase of the story Jesus told in Luke 16 called the parable of the unjust Steward.  A certain rich man had a manager who was accused of wasting his master’s wealth.  The master confronted him and decided to fire him.  The manager thought about his options and the slim chance of being hired with a bad reputation, so he devised a plan.  He decided to visit those who owed money to his master and cut some quick deals.  Since he had been the record keeper for years he thought the master wouldn’t notice the difference.  He agreed with them to decrease the balance they owed in hopes they would feel obligated to help him in his day of need.  When the master heard of it he called the steward in again and commended him for his shrewd skills.  Then Jesus commented: “The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.”    The Pharisees that heard Jesus speak scoffed and sneered at this because they perceived He spoke of them.  

The manager in this story was given oversight of God’s people.  The manager’s earthly values differed greatly from his master’s which were heavenly.  The goal was to lead and empower the people into freedom from a debt of sin.  Rather than seeing their debt as a despised thing to be rid of he saw it as job security and a way to empower himself.  His worldly minded sense of prosperity led him to further strap obligation on the people when all along he should have led them to freedom.  The master commended him for being so adept at using worldly tactics but obviously it wasn’t something the master valued. 

The children of the world are quick to make the system work in their favor but the children of light are slow to catch on to heaven’s ways.  Their earthly mindedness hinders their understanding. They often settle for the world’s covetous ways because it makes more sense to them.  Setting people free, releases them from all obligation and even the need of worldly management.  What would a manager do without obligated people?

The master placed greater value on freedom than on earthly wealth.  The accusation against the manager was not for wasting earthly wealth but the true wealth is people and their freedom from sin.  They had been forgiven their debts but the manager was withholding the truth in fear of loosing his position and advantage over the people. 

No one can serve two masters, either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other.  We can not serve both God and mammon.

The manager’s goal should have been to do business with heaven, to bring the resources of heaven to earth setting free those who were bound to sin.  Transforming society includes the influence of heavenly wisdom.  It appears foolish to the natural mind but it is far superior to worldly wisdom.  When we do it right we can sow into this world and reap from heaven.  As Kingdom citizens we are not limited to this earth’s resources.  We actually open up heaven’s windows as we sow into the weak and needy of this world.  We can not follow this world’s ways and expect Kingdom results.  The key to this world doesn’t fit the windows of heaven, to receive its wisdom or resources.

Grace is the seed or the currency of the Kingdom.  As we empower the weak we reap from the Mighty One.  God has hidden the latch that open’s heaven’s windows in plain sight.  It is worldly wisdom that prevents us from seeing it.  Jesus came and sowed His life into those without strength and reaped a harvest.  The same pattern was to continue but in some cases earthly wisdom has influenced the church and hinders progress. 

We can not serve two masters, following the wisdom of this world results in further burdening people for gain.  Heaven’s wisdom is to bless and do good toward those who do not deserve it and those who cannot return the favor.  It is to set the captives free from those who take advantage of their weakness.  Jesus said in Matthew 5:46 “If you love those who love you, what reward have you?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”  In other words sowing into those who can easily return the favor will not return the heavenly reward.

Proverbs 19:17 says; “He who has pity on the poor lends to the lord, and He will pay back what he has given.”  What better investment can we find than to help the helpless and give to those who can not repay us?  In extending both the earthly and the heavenly commodities to empower others we reap more power from above in our own lives.

Grace is a heavenly commodity, it can not be worked for or earned but is a free gift.  It increases in our lives as we freely give to empower others.  This world’s system has molded our mindset to earn and gain through work.  That is fitting and right in the world but not applicable to the Kingdom.  Applying this principal to God’s Kingdom only leads to bondage and lack of grace.  Increase through giving or sowing into the fields of the world (people) causes a heavenly harvest.  As we empower the weak we are empowered to do greater works.

Jesus also said in Luke 16:9 Make friends by the proper use of earthly wealth so in your time of need they will invite you into their everlasting family and home. (My paraphrase)

Our use of earthly wealth to empower the weak without obligating them will make them eternally grateful to us. They will freely invite us to their home both on earth and in heaven as eternal fiends.

God has given us earthly wealth and it is a good thing.  The way we handle it reveals our true master and where our heart is.  Though heaven is loaded with silver, gold and precious stones none of it could redeem one soul.  It required the blood of an innocent man.  God’s goal is to lead all mankind into innocence.  Only the innocent can truly represent The Innocent One.  Those who work through obligation or guilt can not lead people into innocence or freedom.

Wealth is given us to facilitate that process and we dare not be distracted from the goal by it.  God has given us both seed for sowing and bread for our own food.  It takes wisdom to discern between the two.  Eating the seed which was intended to be sown will reap no harvest and we’ll soon find ourselves low on empowering grace.  In the same way to give away what was intended by God for our own life will not return a harvest.  Bread sown into the field will not bring a harvest.  Obviously this doesn’t mean we never give away food, it just requires wisdom to know what, where and when to sow.

 

Home Field Advantage

Playing on the home field doesn’t guarantee a victory in major league sports but there is a definite advantage when the home crowd is cheering for their team.  As Christians we are in a rather unusual battle in that our victory is assured but only realized by faith.  We have a cloud of witnesses cheering us on from heaven’s balcony even though we can not see or hear them with our natural senses.  It may seem odd to use the term home field advantage in the context of a spiritual battle but I hope to stress a valuable point.  Our home field is not necessarily ministering inside our church building versus the streets, but knowing we stand in the righteousness of Christ having a seat of authority with Him in heavenly places.  Understanding our position of authority and how to maintain it makes all the difference in the world.     

 Psalm 28:1 says, The wicked flee when no man pursues but the righteous are as bold as a lion.  This verse assures that our enemies can not stand before the righteous in fact he will flee without the righteous having to rise from their seat of authority.  The righteous lion’s roar sends his enemy running in fear. 

Though wild animals have a common fear of mankind occasionally people have been attacked, injured and even killed by a bear or a mountain lion.  Though all attacks are not equal if animals can sense fear in a person it tends to embolden them.  In a similar way our enemy goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  (See 1 Peter 5:8)  In John 14:30 Jesus said, “The prince of this world comes and has found nothing in me.”  Satan’s roar released fear but it didn’t resonate within Christ, it found no likeness or harmony in Him.  Jesus Christ is perfect love, and as we abide in Him, and He in us our enemy’s attempt to bring fear will find no common cord in us.   

Jesus Christ gained home field advantage for us at the cross.  As we come to the cross and receive His righteousness we put on as it were His team jersey, a garment of righteousness.  At the cross there was a huge shift in momentum.  The playing field that was stacked with rules and regulations against us was tipped in our favor.  Our rap sheet and arrest warrant were nailed to the cross disarming the devil.  He no longer can use legal documents to condemn and harass us.  He was stripped of home field advantage as those laws and ordinances were nailed to the cross.  Since he has no weapon to use against us his strategy is that we re-arm him as it were through fear or legalism.

The Old Covenant was based on keeping rules and regulations and the fear of punishment was used to control sin.  The system was designed for the natural man, people who were not born again of by the Spirit of God.  The fear of punishment kept people in line so to speak.  Now as New Covenant Christians we are born again and do not walk as natural men and women but spiritual.  We live on a higher plane if you will, seated above all principalities and powers.  Though we are given that position immediately upon receiving Christ we must develop in our maturity to actually function from our new position.  It is a growing process and none of us has arrived at total maturity but it is our home field so to speak.

Maturity is a process of growing up out of fear and into love.  Perfect or mature love casts out all fear. (See 1 John 4:18) We have a great cloud of witnesses cheering us on from heaven’s balcony but our enemy comes against us with fear to see if there is anything in us that resonates with him.  If we look at our own weakness and failures we see that we are no match for him and fear arises, but if we keep our eyes on Jesus and stand firm in His righteousness we not only hold our ground but continue to advance into enemy territory.

I often wondered, if Jesus has totally defeated the enemy and has taken back everything that was lost through the fall of Adam, why is the enemy still here to prevent us from possessing the land?  Why would God give us a wonderful world but make us run the enemy out of town to possess it.  This is a huge subject more than I can cover here but one reality is anything handed to us without our understanding its cost or value will not likely be appreciated as it should.  God is actually testing us.  Our determination to possess the land and bring righteousness and justice to it reveals if we share the same heart and value for creation with Him.  We can not be satisfied to share occupancy with an enemy who is determined to destroy us.  God wants us to understand the price and the value of what we are entrusted with.  Another part of this equation is that God has given us the privilege of tormenting our enemies in return for the death and destruction they brought upon this world.  Our battle is not against flesh and blood but we’re called to be a part of enforcing the total eradication of evil from this earth.

Fear and legalism are two main tactics used by our enemy to gain home field advantage over us.  The battle begins in our own thoughts.  We must first take captive every thought to the obedience of Christ and possess our own soul before we can take physical territory.  We can succumb to a legal defeat if we try standing in our own good works of righteousness or by returning evil for evil.  Perfect love casts out fear and mercy triumphs over judgment.  Jesus said to bless people who curse us and do good to those who despitefully use us.  Pray and do good in response to evil rather than resorting to legal action or revenge.  Doing so maintains home field advantage and allows us to take territory from our enemy. 

What Were They Thinking?

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  Matthew 16:21-26

As Peter began to rebuke the Lord for His talk about suffering and death Jesus responded quite sharply, “Get behind me Satan.”  Peter obviously thought Jesus was out of His mind to walk right into the hands of those who sought to take His life, but according to Jesus it was the other way around.  Peter just previous to this incident received great revelation from the Father in heaven concerning the identity of Christ but moments later his thoughts were derived out of Satan’s influence upon flesh and blood and human reasoning.       

This is a good example of what Paul addresses in his first letter to the Corinthians in chapter 2 and verse 14. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  

For a moment Peter received revelation from heaven but quickly reverted back to natural human thinking.  It could seem that Jesus’ response, speaking to Satan was extreme but if we look at Philippians 3: 18-19 Paul speaks with great emotion. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame — who set their mind on earthly things.

Paul’s words express how serious a matter it is to walk according to the flesh and to set the mind on earthly things.  We absolutely do not want to live as an enemy of the cross or to find ourselves in opposition to the plan and purpose of God.

And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! Galatians 5:11-12

Paul warns the Galatians concerning those who promote circumcision.  He was so opposed to their message that he hoped they might slip with their knife and cut themselves totally off.  He pointed out that his persecutors were offended by his preaching of the cross and the sacrifice of Christ.  His message (the gospel) brought an end to the Old Covenant practice of circumcision.  Paul’s message basically issued lay off notices effective immediately to all those who promoted circumcision and other ceremonial practices of the Old Covenant.

It boils down to a battle between the natural mind of man and the mind of God.  The Old Covenant was designed for and given to a people who lived and operated in their natural thinking, but the new is for those who are born again, having the mind of Christ and live by the Spirit of God, not the flesh.  Therefore Paul warns those who read his writing not to revert back to a system designed for the natural mind and forfeit the victorious life which is found in Christ through the Spirit of God.

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  Romans 8:6-8

Though we live in a flesh and blood body, we do not make decisions based on the comforts and pleasures of our temporary life in the flesh.  Our decisions are made through yielding to God’s Spirit as He speaks to our eternal spirit man. 

Ephesians 2:17 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity , that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity .

The cross destroyed the enmity and removed the middle wall that separated between Jew and Gentile as well as between God and all mankind.  The Jews had a corner so to speak on God’s presence but only through obeying the ordinances and rituals of the Law of Moses.  They were God’s chosen people which made all other nations outsiders and unable to receive God’s favor.  Imagine if you can, having a God appointed history of superiority over other nations then suddenly being subjected to a message that eliminated that advantage.  Not only did the teachers of circumcision receive a lay off notice but the whole national pride thing was threatened by the message of the cross of Christ.  Paul’s message was quite a shock to those who had been legally separated from other groups of people all their lives but now are to become one with those they despised.  I imagine they seriously questioned Paul’s authority to say that God had brought an end to the law system and has made all men equal? 

The sacrifices and ordinances of the law were but road signs to reveal sin and to point the way to the savior.  When the road ended at Calvary God unveiled a far superior method of dealing with the sin problem making the former obsolete.  Those who rejected the unveiling of Christ as the Messiah and final sacrifice for sin naturally would think they were still on the road and needed all those signs.  Paul understood possibly like no other, that continuing to observe the law with all its religious ceremonies was nothing more than running on a treadmill going nowhere.    

To a degree this same struggle still exists today between Jew and gentile as well as between our flesh man and our born again spirit.  Prior to encountering Christ and the cross, our flesh man has had superior control and we lived according to the desires of our flesh and natural thinking.  Now that we are Christ’s the flesh doesn’t go quietly, but wants the same pampering and control.  I am not necessarily referring to an old sin nature but our body and the appetites of our humanity.  God made us with appetites that are not sinful but if allowed to rule our lives they lead us to sin.  Paul referred to the Corinthians as carnal or fleshly minded believers.  They had received Christ but had not matured in their walk with God.  Their carnal thinking resulted in divisions and strife among them.  Some thought they were superior to others not seeing themselves as belonging to one body.

We are made up of spirit soul and body.  Our bodily appetites can be given priority over our soul and spirit thereby leading to sin.  The fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was appealing to the eye as good, it appealed to the mind as good to make one wise and gave a sense of superiority.   The serpent succeeded in causing Eve to think God had purposely short changed her and was keeping her from becoming greater by forbidding them to eat from the tree of knowledge.  Of course we know this was the serpent’s big lie but our first parents took the bait thus the fall into sin. 

We must remember that it doesn’t require having an old sinful nature to commit sin. Adam and Eve were innocent and pure until they obeyed the lies of the devil by receiving the forbidden things that appealed to their natural appetites.  We who have believed on and received Christ have been declared innocent of all charges and our relationship is restored with God.  The serpent therefore tends to use the same strategy, appealing to our natural appetites and our excessive desires to separate us once again from the Father.     

Do you suppose the devil would use the law against us?  I can imagine it being difficult for people who honored God and the law of Moses their whole lives to perceive it as a tool used by the devil.  But adding any portion of the law as a requirement to new covenant salvation is denying the completeness of the sacrifice of Christ.  It appears noble to want to help God clean up our sin mess but it actually pollutes the process.  Any contribution of human effort through legal obligation added to Christ’s sacrifice actually makes it void.  If we refuse to accept His payment for sin as a gift we reject the gospel of salvation and return to bondage and sin.  

Most religious leaders rejected Paul’s message of the gospel because it set the people free from their control.  The law system was easily manipulated and used to enslave people, not unto a loving kind God but to insecure leaders.  I believe the parable Jesus told about the unjust steward revealed the motives of many religious leaders.  It was evident that the unjust steward was more interested in preserving his own position of power than he was concerned for the people he had charge over.  He used their indebtedness for his own gain and even when confronted with his mismanagement he did not repent but tried to insure long term benefits by cutting some quick deals.  When he was given his layoff notice he attempted to keep the people obligated by posing as a good guy reducing their debts.  He knew his money would run out so he wanted them to feel obligated to care for him.   

Those Paul spoke of who perverted the gospel by adding debt (law) to it were doing the very same thing the unjust steward did.  (See Luke 16)  They were trying to preserve their position as beneficiaries of the people’s debt when in reality their debt no longer even existed.  They were trying to preserve the wall that separated men from God profiting from their exclusive connection to Him.  This is a gross perversion of the true gospel which proclaims a removal of the wall of separation and a total cancellation of debt not just a small reduction.

It is no secrete that our enemy wants to render us ineffective and even destroy us.  For those who are Christians he most likely will disguise himself under the cover of religion.  Since he is a legalist he will use religious obligations and duties to ensnare people and lead them back into slavery and the condemnation of the law.  Paul said in Galatians 2:19 that through the law he is dead to the law that he might live unto God.  He being familiar with the law knew it condemned him to death but when he discovered Christ had died in his place and had given him new life, he could but live it whole heartedly for Him. 

Paul’s new found life was being in Christ as one with Him.  He said in Gal. 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ never the less I live, but its no longer my life it belongs to Him.  I now live by the faith of the Son of God.  Since He loved me so much that He would die for me, how could I withhold anything from Him?” (My own Paraphrase)   

Jesus’ words to Peter and all those who hear Him are, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  Matthew 16:24-26.  One way to save or preserve our life is by turning again to serving through the law as the Galatians did.  Their former slave master showed up wearing religious garments and hoodwinked them into thinking they must be yoked to the law by submitting to requirements like circumcision.  They had no idea it was a devil in priest’s garments drawing them away from the yoke of the Lord and the new life they had.  With out realizing it they abandoned the cross and the life of freedom in Christ for the life of guilt, shame, condemnation and distance from God.  What were they thinking?       

Again in the garden when the mob came to arrest Jesus, Peter pulled out his sword to defend Him.  In Matthew 26:52 Jesus told Peter to put away the sword, all who take (trust in) the sword will perish by the sword.  The sword can refer to the law.  Those who trust in performing or fulfilling legal obligations will be judged by the same and found lacking, condemned to death. 

Just as Peter’s thoughts were about preserving natural life God’s thoughts were about providing eternal life to all.  The Galatians were swayed back into thinking as Peter had, they trusted in the sword (law) if you will to save their own life rather than surrendering or loosing their life by taking up the cross as Jesus said.  What were they thinking?  Their beliefs and actions had canceled the benefit of the cross of Christ in their lives.      

 

A Kingdom Mindset

Both John the Baptist and Jesus came to preach saying, repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.  In Mark1:15 Jesus said repent and believe the gospel.  The word repent means to think differently, in other words to believe the gospel one must change their mindset.  The classic definition of repentance is to turn away from sin and turn to God.  To be sorry for sin and promise God you’ll quit doing the wrong.  That's an important part of it but without changing our thinking we can not change what we do or say.  In Romans12:2 Paul declares, be not conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Our minds have been programmed by the world to process information through a self preserving, climb to the top of the scale mentality.  In order to be successful we must become “somebody”.  According to Jesus’ teaching, the one who humbles himself will in due time be exalted but the one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who wants to be great let him become the servant of all.          

Romans._12:3  For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith. 

 Here in Romans 12:3 the word ‘soberly’ speaks of having a sound mind much like the verse in 2 Timothy 1:7 which says, God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind.  Paul says to think soundly in accordance with the measure of faith given us.  Further on in verse 6 Paul says we are to prophesy in the same manner, according to the proportion or measure of our faith. 

There are at least two ways to apply the thought of a proportion or measure of faith.  First is, knowing that all have not been given an equal amount of faith as seed.  If you’ve ever played monopoly you know how each player in the beginning is dealt out an equal amount of play money, yet inevitably one will end up with most of it by investing in the right property and so on.  Unlike monopoly we are not out to beat the competition but to invest in them to see them become successful by God’s measure.  God hasn’t given each one of us an equal amount of faith as seed but those who have the right mindset won’t see it as a disadvantage but will understand that faith even as small as a tiny mustard seed can grow and produce mountain moving authority.  So our future growth and promotion is not so dependant upon the amount of faith we are dealt to begin with but what we do to increase the faith we have.  Instead of seeing our small faith as an insignificant little seed, see the vast garden that can be produced through exercising or planting it.  We should not allow our small measure to prevent us from prophesying but understand as we exercise our prophetic gift it will grow.   

Our mindset acts as a grid or a filter that we receive and give through.  The parable of the talents illustrates this point.  Three servants were each given a portion of their master’s wealth to invest.  The first two began investing right away while the third hid his portion in a safe place so he could return it unharmed upon the master’s return.  The first two servants obviously trusted their master and were not concerned about failing or how much they would benefit personally from their efforts.  The third saw the master as a hard man, having no grace but expecting more production with no extra benefits.  His thinking process skewed his master’s true intentions.  This test was not so the master could determine who to promote but to reveal the true heart or mindset of all parties involved.   When the master returned and found the first two servants had doubled their talents he rewarded them accordingly.  They were given charge over additional kingdom territory because they were faithful with the small amount they were entrusted with.  The two had a sound mind, free of fear and filled with love and trust for their master.  The third servant’s lack of love and trust made him suspicious of his master’s motives and resulted in even more lack, even the talent which he was given was taken from him.

Mar 4:23-25  If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.   And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you; and more shall be given unto you. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

Faith comes by hearing not just the words but the heart behind the words.  Jesus said, he that has ears to hear let him hear, take heed, and be careful what and how he hears for the thinking process or mindset he hears by is the same mindset he responds through and the same determines if more is given him or if that which he already has is taken away.   (My own paraphrase)  The one who hears though a sound, healthy and faith-filled mind will respond in like manner.  A trusting response leads to growth, increase and reward, but he who hears through a suspicious or doubting mind will respond in like manner preventing growth and increase, he will loose even that which he seems to have.    

 There are two measures or mindsets mentioned above.  I like to call the first a legal mentality and the other is being faith minded.  In Romans 10 Paul points out two forms of righteousness, one being of the law and the other of faith.  Legal righteousness is the result of human effort doing the deeds of the law, which by the way Christ brought to an end, but the righteousness which is by faith is the result of believing, trusting and confessing with our mouth, it is coming into agreement with what God says.  The two servants who multiplied their talents trusted the master and were called faithful, but the third Jesus called lazy and wicked.  It appears the third servant had a legal obligation mentality that misread his master’s request.  To him it was extra duty, possibly something not in their labor agreement if you will.  An obligation or legal minded person will process what he hears through a list of requirements which limits his response.  On the other hand the faith minded person’s measuring system is a good measure (See Luke 6:38) pressed down shaken together and running over.  Good measure thinking is not limited by requirements but overflows with generosity, understanding the Master will not ask anything He has not empowered us to do by His grace and rewards the diligent. 

A legal mindset or an obligation mentality does not increase the faith seed that is given and therefore is incompatible with an ever increasing Kingdom.  So to thrive in God’s kingdom our tiny speck of faith must be invested or planted like the mustard seed that it will grow into a tree large enough that birds can find shelter in it.  Our faith mentality will treasure what God treasures causing us to invest in what He invests in, people.

There is a danger of having a knee jerk reaction to a message like this, thinking we should not invest in this world but only in God’s Kingdom.  In reality the kingdoms of this world are to become the kingdoms of our Lord.  The proper response would be for Christians to invade this world’s system sowing as it were a Kingdom mindset.  Not by trying to take over but through serving those already in positions of authority and prophesying life and encouragement into those who feel trapped in a dead end job or lifestyle.  Jesus said, the Kingdom of heaven is like leaven or yeast that is worked into bread dough (See Luke 13:20-21) with enough time and the right atmosphere yeast will influence the whole lump of dough.  Invading this world with the Kingdom mindset will have the same affect, it will influence the whole world.  

Home Field Advantage

All teams prefer playing on their home field because of the added support of their loyal fans.  Though fans always want their team to win it is more difficult away from home where the crowd is opposed to them.  As Christians we are in a spiritual battle, not a game like football but rather a matter of life and death.  It might seem odd to use the term Home Field Advantage concerning our spiritual battle but I think using it will help to get across the point I want to make.    

Most of us are familiar with the spiritual weapons we have at our disposal but have we given much thought to the turf we battle on?  Those who are in Christ are seated with Him in heavenly places and battle from a place of victory in Him.  We in effect are driving out spiritual trespassers to recover and maintain territory that has been purchased for us by Christ on the cross.  The turf I am speaking of is truly knowing where we stand.  First, knowing for certain the territory belongs to us, and then battling from the victory of the cross.  

Though the cross was a legal victory Jesus was not legally obligated to give His life as a ransom, it was a battle waged by intense love for humanity. Believers who are motivated by duty or obligation and not a love for humanity will find themselves loosing battles that would otherwise be no battle at all when empowered with God’s favor.  Our home field is grace through faith and not the duties or obligations of the law. 

Since our enemy is a legalist his main tactic is to draw us into a battle over legalities.  The term legalism in Christian circles generally describes being focused on rules, regulations and outward actions.  It can also be defined as performance based Christianity, trying to complete through human effort which can only be accomplished by His Spirit working through us. Legalism is being sin conscious rather than God conscious and leads to being critical of others as well as our own failures.  To look at peoples failings and lack rather than the gold that is deep inside them.  When we look for faults in others we also become aware of our own.  This is an enemy strategy to set us against ourselves and one another based on performance.   A lack of faith and vision, not seeing what God is doing in the heart, can make us critical and even judgmental (legally minded) toward our self and others.                             

 In 2 Corinthians 2:11 Paul says we are not ignorant of his (the enemy’s) devices.  The word “devices” used there refers to thought or intellect.  The context of this passage concerns forgiveness, which is the act of releasing others from legal obligations.  The initial battle takes place in our thoughts as he tries to lure us into thinking in legal terms toward those who offend us and away from grace and faith.  If we measure others using legal obligation as our standard we find that we come under that same standard. 

The enemy’s turf is what I would call legal ground.  He reminds us of our past sin and tries to convince us we are unworthy or less than adequate for our calling.  He also reminds us of past hurts and wounds inflicted on us by others to convince us they should suffer for their sin.  If we agree with his accusations he has drawn us onto legal ground.  It is easy to agree with facts concerning the past but there is a greater truth than the facts.  The greater truth is Jesus Christ has paid all debts in full, even for those who have not acknowledged it yet.  On top of that He has provided favor and grace to empower the forgiven. 

The weapons of our warfare are much mightier than the legal weapons of old.  If we agree with the punishment of the law in place of mercy and grace we loose home field advantage and come under the same condemnation we desire for our offender.  Our enemy’s strategy is to turn us from the faith back to the law.  It was the law that required an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek and bless those who curse us and do good to those who spitefully use us.  (See Matthew 5)  It was the nature of the law that the offender pay back or suffer for their offence, but Jesus introduced faith and grace which responds in the opposite spirit. 

Kingdom authority was demonstrated as Jesus responded to the wind storm.  Rather than calling for an opposing wind of equal strength He spoke peace.  Faith’s response changed the atmosphere that produced the storm and eliminated it.  The same is true with offences.  The eye for eye and tooth for tooth of the law is like coming against a wind with an opposing wind in hopes of eliminating the storm.  Turning the other cheek and blessing those who wrong us is responding with peace, which has a powerful effect of stilling the storm.  It is the power of Kingdom peace that crushes Satan under our feet.  If we respond to offence in a legal way or with carnal weapons we forfeit home field advantage so to speak.  When we use the same strategy of our enemy we are no match for him but can actually cause a worse storm.   

Jesus came to introduce grace by faith as the New Covenant way of dealing with personal offences.  The just shall live by faith and Jesus came to demonstrate how to achieve justice through grace and faith.  Legal justice requires the guilty to pay for their offences but Jesus taught and demonstrated that the innocent one pays the debt of the guilty.  This is a difficult subject to venture into because of the tendency to misapply this teaching.  I believe the main point of Jesus’ teaching is, do not respond to personal offences by returning evil for evil or by using the Old Covenant as our standard.  If someone is in gross violation of the law, we must forgive them and pray blessing on them but also allow the law to take its course.  God has ordained authorities who bear the sword and deal with the punishment of evil doers.  (See 1 Peter 2:14)  The main point of this article is to help us understand how our response affects our battle field.  We overcome evil with good and allow the Lord to work in the situation.  “Vengeance is mine I will repay, says the Lord”.  (See Romans 12:19)

Jesus said “forgive and you shall be forgiven, give and it shall be given unto you again, pressed down shaken together and running over it shall be returned to you.  With the same measure you use toward others it shall be measured to back to you again.”  (See Luke 6:35-38)  In this portion of scripture Jesus was speaking of offences and forgiveness.  It is often used in an offering teaching but actually He was teaching about responding with blessing toward those who offend us.  If we as God’s children only bless those who bless us we are not acting like our Father who heaps goodness upon those who do not deserve it.  The overflowing measure is a picture of favor and blessing being added to forgiveness.  The works of the Old Covenant law (eye for eye and tooth for tooth) canceled debts and balanced the scale of legal justice but left all parties involved with a zero balance in their account if you will.  They were forgiven debts of sin but left without grace to destroy the animosity and empower them to live free from offence.  The old way of the law could not clear the conscience or destroy the animosity that existed between offended parties, but grace through faith has the power to do so.  Only the sacrifice of Christ has the power to make peace.  (See Ephesians 2:15)   

Turning the other cheek is not turning a blind eye to evil as if nothing happened but to still the storm by responding in the opposite spirit.  Forgiveness is having your debt canceled but the added blessing of favor is like being given access to unlimited cash that we would never need to go in debt again.  We can love God and others only because He first loved us.  The same is true with forgiveness and grace.  Since He has forgiven and blessed us with favor we have access to His unlimited supply to use toward our selves and others.   

When God forgives us He always adds favor to it.  Forgiveness by itself is mercy, not getting the punishment we deserved but grace adds favor and blessing we do not deserve.  Forgiveness cancels the debt but leaves one with an empty account.  It brings us out of the red but not into the black where we experience abundance.  Favor brings us into the black by having access to an unlimited supply of God’s empowering grace.   Grace is defined as unmerited favor, something added beyond the requirement of law.  Legal minded Christians can forgive others because they know they have to but will not experience the favor of God on their own lives if they are not adding an unmerited gift of blessing to those they forgive.    

If we lack the empowerment of grace in our own lives it is likely because we have withheld it from others.  Acknowledging and repenting of that will reestablish our access to grace.  The measure we use determines the measure we will receive from.  Forgive and you shall be forgiven.  Give and it shall be given unto you again, pressed down shaken together and running over.  If forgiveness is all you want then just forgive others.  If you want an overflowing abundance coming and going through your life then always use the overflowing measure of grace and favor toward others.                

 

The Pharisees wanted Jesus to respond legally toward the woman caught in adultery but He responded with favor and grace.  Jesus’ words not only caused her accusers to run and hide but she was empowered to go and sin no more.  Jesus did not mix the law with grace.  Some have interpreted His words to be a command that put the onus on her own abilities to live righteously, but He in fact empowered her, not obligating her to the law.   His grace response not only sent her accusers away, but when He said “neither do I condemn you go and sin no more, He empowered her toward righteousness. The law could never eliminate sin through punishment nor could it empower anyone to live righteously but grace through faith absorbs the debt, empowers and blesses the offender. 

 

A legal mindset could misinterpret blessing someone who deserves punishment as wrong or even rewarding their sin, but in reality it is coming against evil with good by responding in the opposite spirit.  Sin is a reality and nothing to fool around with, but there is a greater reality in God’s Kingdom that overpowers sin, namely favor and grace. 

 

It is important to always add blessing to your forgiveness even if your offender doesn’t acknowledge having done wrong.  It will prevent animosity and assure that your own access to God’s grace is not hindered.  Our home field advantage is to avoid legalities, remain in the faith and dispense favor and grace as an added gift to those who do not legally deserve it.  Let’s not resort to the weakness and futility of the law through the use of legal measures, but respond with a measure that is pressed down shaken together and running over with undeserved grace and favor.  That will always give us home field advantage and give those in the grandstands of heaven something to shout about and cheer us on.    

 

     

Living in God's Presence

Have you ever known an older gentleman who drove a thirty year old car, not because he couldn’t afford a new one, but because it helped him relive his past?  The car brought back memories of happier days when it was the coolest thing on the road, when life was adventurous and exciting, and that car was the envy of all his friends.  Or what about that woman over forty that acts and dresses like a teenager in hopes of reviving former days when life was care free and filled with anticipation and excitement.  I’m sure we can all think of someone like that and maybe it was even one of us.

The same scenario can play out in the life of a Christian.  Some dwell on days gone by when God’s presence was so thick and wonderful they refer to it as the high water mark in their experience with God.  It may have been fifteen or twenty years ago when they were captivated with the presence of God and so overwhelmed that it defies definition.  A past experience like that can lead us to believe anything less is not God.  Longing for the former days tends to draw one’s attention away from the present.  Just as those mentioned above who strive to live in the past, we as believers can easily get drawn to a past experience in hopes of living it again. 

Please don’t misunderstand I am not suggesting a desire to have awesome experiences with God is somehow wrong.  The problem is we can only experience God’s presence in the present.  Though yesterday may have been wonderful, a time to honor and speak fondly of, we must not let it detour us from what God is doing now.  There are many good things that can distract us from the present, not only a former experience in the glory of God but even dreaming of His glorious return.  We must live in the present to experience His presence.  God’s desire is to take us to higher levels, from faith to faith and from glory to glory, but what we think is higher or greater may be different from God’s point of view.    

For some it may not be the former days of glory that draw them to the past but times of defeat and loss.  Remembering the injustices of our past and the emotions connected to them are often enough to reactivate the pain that draws us away from the present.  I can personally identify with loosing the sense of God’s presence just by allowing my meditations to drift and to become swallowed up by a painful past experience.  These are enemy tactics to interrupt our awareness of God’s presence and distort our vision. 

 God is at work in the present tense, He is not the “I was” or the “I will be” but the ever present great “I Am”.  When God called Moses into Egypt to deliver the Israelites from the hand of Pharaoh, Moses asked “who shall I say has sent me?”  God said; “Say ‘I Am’ has sent you.”   Moses also made excuses why he was not qualified to speak on behalf of God saying; “I am not an eloquent speaker.”  At that point he had his eyes on the wrong “I am.”   We can easily do the same if we look through the lens of our past failures and limitations but the scripture says with Christ we can do all things. 

Jesus lived out of the present.  He only did what He saw His Father doing, and only said what He heard His Father saying.  He also said that man cannot live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds (present) out of the mouth of God.  Yesterday’s experience though it may have been glorious, will not meet the needs of today.  Jesus was and is the bread of life that came down from heaven.  The Israelites ate of that bread in the form of manna in the wilderness but it could not be stored for use the next day but had to be collected fresh every morning.  What was good yesterday is spoiled today, in a sense it becomes a petrified stone good only as a marker of remembrance. 

 Have you noticed the present tense element of faith and the ministry of Jesus?  The power of the Lord was present to heal.  See Luke 5:17.   Today is the day of salvation now is the accepted time.  See 2 Corinthians 6:2.  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for.  See Hebrews 11:1.  Glory and honor are in His presence even strength and gladness are with Him.  See 1 Chronicles 16:27.  Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty or freedom.  See 2 Corinthians  3:17.  

Thus far I haven’t said much about the future but it can also be a distraction from the present presence of God.  Jesus taught that we should not worry about having enough for tomorrow, be it food, clothing or shelter, but to seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness which includes everything needed for this life.  The Kingdom of God is at hand, it is present within us here and now though there is much more to come.  He implies being overly concerned about tomorrow is a diversion from seeking the present Kingdom. 

Jesus’ own disciples expected Him to restore the Kingdom to Israel at that time by overthrowing existing earthly kings but Jesus knew the battle was not against flesh and blood.  God’s agenda was to first overthrow spiritual thrones and dominions to take back the keys from our enemy.  The disciples had the right idea but the wrong enemy in mind as well as wrong timing.      Though there will be a future manifestation of the Kingdom different than today’s we can’t afford to allow wrong theology to prevent us from entering into present Kingdom activity.  We can neither allow what happened in the past nor what we expect in the future to distract us from what God is doing now. 

Knowing how to study and apply end time prophesy is critical to remaining in the present. Some years ago I received a mental picture of people studying the bible looking through binoculars.  I understood the binoculars signified they were looking to the distant future studying the end times along with the charts and time lines developed by well known bible teachers.  The charts were developed to help the students determine their position in the unfolding of God's plan and usually pointed to Christ's imminent return.  Others I noticed in this picture were viewing the scripture through microscopes doing in depth word studies.  Both of these are good and valid methods of study but the thought occurred to me that you would never want to go about your daily activities looking through either one of those lenses.  It would greatly distort your perception of the path in front of you.

The Pharisees were great students of the scripture, but totally missed the very One they pointed to.  Though they were very familiar with God’s word they didn’t recognize His presence when He came into their midst but thought Him to be an imposter.  Study of the scripture is very important and all methods of learning, preaching and teaching have their place but we must walk out our lives in the present while peering through the lens of His presence.  Our knowledge of what was and what is to come can only be properly applied if we see clearly what God is doing in the present.     

Though the disciples were present in the boat with Jesus they were not really in His presence.  To say it another way, His presence was not inside of them.  When the storm blew in Jesus was not alarmed but continued at rest.  Fear came upon the others and caused them to think He didn’t care if they all sank to the bottom.  As they cried out fear was released into the atmosphere making matters even worse, but Jesus released peace from within Himself calming the atmosphere around them.  For greater is He that is within us than he that is in the world.  From within His presence we will see things differently.  When the lens of fear is replaced with faith and trust the substance of faith within us has power to change the atmosphere around us.    

We all carry what this world really needs now more than anything else, His peace, presence and glory.  I like what Bill Johnson says, “We owe everyone we meet an encounter with God.”  It is important that we not portray Him as the God of wrath and vengeance from either the past or the future, but as a savior who desires to draw all men unto Himself, and as a father running to cover the shame of those sons and daughters returning home.    If someone is to encounter God through my life I must walk in an awareness of what He is doing in the present.  If my mind is captivated with the past or the future be it my own stuff or an overemphasis on the end time events, I loose awareness of His present desires and will likely misrepresent Him.

In His presence is fullness of joy not anger.  It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance.  God’s present agenda is revealed as we have heavens perspective.  As we see through the lens of His presence we will see what He is presently doing and properly apply our knowledge of both the past as well as the future. 

 John Scheda

 

            

Born To See God's Kingdom

There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler among the Jews who came to Jesus under the cover of darkness to avoid being seen by his peers. While a majority of the Pharisees believed Jesus to be an imposter who made false claims about being sent from the Father, Nicodemus seemed genuinely interested in Him. The first words out of his mouth recorded in John chapter 3 are a confession that Jesus truly was sent from God, the miracles He performed testified to that. Jesus’ reply to Nicodemus seems a bit unusual. You might think He would have said, “You are right on Nick, you have good perception.” But no; in fact Jesus told him he wouldn’t see or perceive of the Kingdom of God without being born again.

What perception was Nicodemus lacking and why would Jesus stress being born again? After all he correctly discerned Jesus to be a man sent from God. Like many others though, Nicodemus may have assumed Jesus was just another prophet or teacher like Elijah or John the Baptist and not the promised Messiah. The new birth gives spiritual sight into the realms of the Kingdom and Nicodemus needed to be born into God’s family not only that he would see and understand but to be eligible to receive the Kingdom as part of his inheritance. The Kingdom is made up of God’s family members not a bunch of hired servants.

Jesus explained to the Pharisees in Luke 17:20 that the Kingdom of God does not come with observation, or in other words it will not appear to the natural eye. It works like leaven or yeast that is mixed in with flour, a hidden ingredient that has a dramatic affect. (See Matthew 13:33) Given enough time and the right conditions yeast will affect the whole batch of dough.

Two Types of Leaven

The analogy of leaven is used to show how a small amount hidden inside has great affect. Christ’s teaching about the Kingdom of God has the affect of leaven as those who receive His words and believe on Him will think and see differently. In the same way Jesus spoke of the teaching or beliefs of the Pharisees and Herod being like leaven that turns our minds and hearts in opposition to God and His Kingdom. Both Herod and the Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus. As the wise men came in search of the new born King, Herod rose up against Him out of insecurity as his ruler-ship was being threatened. The Pharisees were threatened as they saw the crowds following Jesus, their control over the people was slipping away. Both religious and political rulers fall into the trap of using laws to maintain control over people. The law is good and exposes the ugliness of sin but the punishment of the law was never intended to be a lasting solution. God sent His Son Jesus to fulfill the law, receive our punishment and be the permanent solution to sin.

The Futility of Human Wisdom

The Kingdom of God is so opposite to the ways of man that human wisdom rejects it as foolishness. Being born again involves repentance and a turning away from human wisdom and worldly thought. Paul writing to the Corinthians says God in His wisdom saw to it that man’s wisdom would not lead him to God but by the foolishness of preaching those who believe would be saved. God’s wisdom appears foolish to man while in God’s eyes man’s wisdom is folly. (See 1 Corinthians chapter 1) So repentance is vital to being born again. It is receiving new heavenly thought patterns that align us with the ways of God’s Kingdom.

Heavens Perspective

The new birth opens our eyes to the plans of heaven. Jesus Christ has been revealed to be the heavenly blueprint to be followed by those who build up the body of Christ in the earth. Just as God gave Moses a heavenly blueprint for an earthly tabernacle, so we are given Christ. Those who build must keep their eyes on heaven’s plan lest they build in opposition to God. In Matthew 21:42 Jesus reminded the religious Pharisees of the scripture that spoke of the stone rejected by the builders. That prophesy spoke of Christ as the rejected stone and the Pharisees as the builders who rejected Him.

As I look back on my own life experience I see that after being born from above I experienced that heavenly perspective, though only for a short time. It faded as I came under the influence of the leaven of religion. Without realizing it I became focused on keeping rules and allowed an intimate relationship with Christ to grow cold. I came to believe that grace was being empowered to avoid the outward acts of sin. I quit smoking, drinking and a lot of other bad habits but little did I know that I had fallen into a religious rut. Though I may have looked good on the outside, inwardly I was miserable. Having fallen back into an earthly mindset I lost sight of heaven’s plan. I focused on behavior rather than being in relationship. Of course I have to admit many other Christian I knew appeared to be doing the same so I thought it was normal.

Many years past but thankfully the grace of God crashed my pitiful religious party. I felt as if I had been born again, again. My eyes were opened afresh to that heavenly plan. I realized that religion had hijacked my vision shifting it from Christ to self. Though I knew the scriptures concerning the righteousness of Christ, I had a religious understanding of them. Instead of focusing on His righteousness, that I was complete in Him, I kept looking at my faults, believing if I just hung in there through religious duty I would make it through the day and somehow please God. The scripture speaks of the completed work of Christ on the cross but it only benefits me as I understand, receive and walk it out. What He did for us is not lacking in any way, it is a matter of having our minds renewed so that we know who He is as well as who we are in Him. We can only walk out this life by faith not leaning on our natural understanding.

God gave me an analogy I could understand since I worked in the building industry. He ran me through the mental process of building a house from the ground up. Starting with an old uninhabitable house that sat on a piece of property, I envisioned the excavator coming in and demolishing it and loading all the debris in trucks to be hauled to a land fill. The next step was to dig down to hard pan and lay the new foundation. Step by step and piece by piece the new house took shape. The builder had a set of blueprints that he constantly referred to as he measured and laid out each part of the house. One of the pages on that blueprint actually showed the completed house revealing what it would look like ahead of time. The Lord pointed out that never once did the builder consider the size shape or condition of the former house that once stood on that land but always referred to the plan of the new. In effect the builder kept his eyes on the heavenly plan, and never pondered the condition of the former house. I realized God was showing me how I had gotten my focus off of heaven’s plan and allowed my mind to go back to the old house that I used to be and how I began to try to make it look good and livable.

The leaven of the Pharisees, or their mindset and teaching leads to taking our eyes off heavens plan (Christ Jesus) and even going as far as rejecting Him as the chief corner stone. Our mind and vision is shifted over to that old house that was destroyed upon the cross and hauled away and buried with Him in a tomb. Religious teaching causes us to continually strive and grieve over the horrible condition of something that no longer exists. In stead of having our life hidden in Christ and receiving all that He is in our place we continue to look at what used to be, convinced it still exists.

Focusing on religious rules rather than relationship is being law conscious. Paul tells us that one aspect of the law was to stir up sinful passions to reveal our need of a savior and that is a good thing. But if we continue to be law and sin conscious even after our sins have been washed away we will surely find something even if it is a ghost from the past. God conscientiousness, or I could say being conscious of the heavenly blueprint, will keep us from digging up the memories of that old house. Though I was genuinely born again the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod that is prevalent in this world affected my walk with God. It eventually brought me into conflict with the truth of God’s Kingdom.

Nicodemus needed to born from Above to receive spiritual sight and heavenly wisdom. Though he believed in God and expected a coming Messiah, he would never recognize or have the vision required to see heaven’s plan. It is the same for us. No matter if we have been under the influence of religion or this world’s political system they both infiltrate the human mind and develop an opposition to the rule of God’s Kingdom. We must be born again and have our minds renewed to think on track with heaven. It is Jesus prayer that His Kingdom will come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.