"The Gilded Age" 3

July 05, 2017

From the teaching Governments, Kingdoms, and Citizenship 3

Greetings Saints! I am coming off of an extended holiday weekend and back to work. I was able to enjoy the fellowship of my family for a full four days and it was amazing. We were able to relax and put some feet to ideas that Father has been calling us to do and that is exciting.

As I am coming more into the understanding of what it is to be a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven, I've been more aware of actions and mindsets that are in operation within me. This teaching has just reinforced the importance of keeping my eyes focused on His Kingdom and knowing the value and expectation of my citizenship in the family of Messiah. As the title implies, the illusion of the world we live in tries to dominate our understanding of what we should be pursuing, but we all know the world desires to separate us from our true identity in Messiah. The last time I checked, we are not called to conform to the world around us, but to renew our mind in the likeness of Yeshua by the power of the Holy Spirit Romans 12:2 paraphrased. Now this is going to look different in most ways from the way the world operates. I say "most" because there are many people that don't identify with being a son or daughter of the Most High, but they will do good works. Charity, kindness towards others, and other things that are in line with being a caring person, however, they don't do it for the glory of our Maker, the source of all pure and good things. As citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, we purse the leading of the Holy Spirit in allowing His good works to be performed in and through us so that we can effectively demonstrate and preach the Gospel of the Kingdom.

In this series Marcus pointed out that the governments and kingdoms of this earth measure out rewards or sanctions for carrying out their agenda and if the establishment does not know or care to honor YeHoVaH, then professing allegiance it will cause us to stumble. When I remember the account of Yeshua during His time on earth, the people of Israel were subjects of the Roman Empire. In an attempt to entrap Him, some Pharisees and Herodians asked Him if they should pay taxes to Caesar Mark 12:13-17. Yeshua didn't respond with a call to anarchy or rebellion. He knew what He was there to do and was not to be set off course by the political state of affairs. We too must have this state of mind, but it can be difficult to reconcile this truth with our current world if we don't walk by His Spirit. There are many injustices in operation all around us. What are we to do? We want to fight against this, that, and the other and rightfully so, but there is a way to do it and it may not look like the world's solution. We have got to "come out of the closet" and take a stand for His ways of righteousness! Rebuke the ways of the enemy and I'm not talking about only in words. We have to be walking this out in the leading of the Spirit with love and integrity. When we commit to put our hands to the plow and to lay down our lives so that He may reign, we are a force for change that is mightier than the most powerful army the world has or will know. But do we really believe that? Like I mentioned over the past few weeks, my growth has taken a common path that many can relate to - from Christianity to Hebrew roots. I didn't understand that I had traded one religion for another until this year. I'm not even talking about the many religious trappings found amongst the Messianics either. No what I'm talking about is just the religion of having "truth" and living comfortably in my own little world with that "truth". Sharing my faith here and there when I felt it would be received. Well, YeHoVaH shattered that bubble and basically told me that I was living in a self-made safe house and I really wasn't all that safe inside. This walk requires WORK and it's not simply us working on ourselves, but we have to lay down our lives. I get chills writing this because He's making me aware of just how much kicking and screaming I still have within. I'm thankful for the revelation.

In the teaching, Marcus, highlighted that Father designed us in the beginning to have a one on one relationship with Him Genesis 1-3, with no mediator between us and Him. However; that's just what happened when Adam and his wife allowed Satan to be a mediator of his version of the truth. So we must also recognize this when the government wants to be a mediator of its version of truth or when our flesh wants to demand adherence to its version. Our allegiance is a prized possession; who are we giving it to? Understanding that we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven means that we have jobs to do. We all have one job - submitting everyday to the will of the Holy Spirit in our lives. What He has called you to do may look a bit different from what He has called the next person to do, but the goal is the same. I feel so honored that Father would think enough of me to reveal Himself to me. For calling me to be a Daughter and inviting me to be a citizen of His Kingdom. His Kingdom is the Kingdom that's the most satisfying and rewarding to be aligned with and operating in the ways of that Kingdom will ultimately shed His Holy light across the nations. However He has called us to combat unrighteousness in this world is what we should be doing, but I can suspect many of us don't know how to hear His voice and therefore default to functioning out of our own strength. We have got to recognize that as Sons and Daughters of the Most High, hearing His voice and performing His will is the TOP PRIORITY. We have to be honest with ourselves about which nationality we hold most dear. Do we cherish being bound to our flesh in many ways or to Him? Are we comfortable with observing Sabbath or other holy days, but not answering the appointments He's trying to have with us daily? He's trying to speak to us, but are we listening? Do we even want to listen? Let's make the commitment this day to pledge our allegiance to His Kingdom, His ways, and His calling. He's waiting.........

Cassandra