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Life Around "The Fire"
Life Around "The Fire"
Kingdom Values: Understanding God's Culture
Ever wondered what makes the Kingdom of God so different from earthly systems and cultures? This eye-opening exploration dives deep into the core values that define God's Kingdom - a kingdom not waiting in some distant future, but active and available right now.
At the heart of Kingdom culture lies love - not as a fleeting emotion but as the highest value that Jesus himself emphasized when asked about the greatest commandment. This foundation supports other vital Kingdom values: humility that leads to true service, righteousness and justice that reflect God's throne, and the faith that makes everything else possible. When we grasp these values, we begin to see how radically they challenge our modern cultural assumptions.
What would your life look like if you fully embraced forgiveness and reconciliation as daily practices? How might you become what Jesus called a "peacemaker" - someone who literally changes atmospheres from chaos to calm? The Kingdom offers a quality of joy unrelated to circumstances, integrity that frees us from deception's web, and a peace that transforms environments. These aren't just nice religious concepts but practical, powerful realities that can revolutionize how we live.
The most remarkable aspect of Kingdom culture isn't that it's complicated - it's that it's accessible. As we follow Jesus, we naturally begin embodying these values, not through striving but through his life working through us. This isn't about religious rule-following but about a living relationship that transforms us from the inside out.
Ready to experience more of God's Kingdom in your daily life? This episode is your invitation to move beyond merely hearing about God to actually knowing Him and seeing His Kingdom manifest through your life. Connect with us at lifearoundthefire@gmail.com and join the conversation about bringing Kingdom values into every corner of our world.
Loving Yeshua/Jesus, Loving people... Come as you are and you will be loved!
Feel free to check out our website by typing in lifearoundthefire.com or Life Around The Fire ... We think you'll find some beneficial stuff to look at and apply to your life.
Shalom to you and your home.
I want to take a moment and thank you for tuning into this podcast, life from the Fire. We are a podcast that is devoted to spiritual growth, and what we mean by spiritual growth is this growth in our relationship, first and foremost, with God, then in our relationships with one another. We've been seeing quite a few people from different cities from around the world and actually different countries, tuning in, and so I want to take a moment and just let you know that we really appreciate your prayers. Just let you know that we really appreciate your prayers, your time, your energy, how you're really giving yourself to asking God to touch us so that we can touch the nations and praise God it's happening. It's wonderful to be a part of something that is absolutely impossible to do on our own. In fact, it's doomed to failure unless God is in it, and he is in it, and I'm so thankful. We know that we aren't the thing right. We are one of the things that's taking place, part of the body, but nonetheless part of the body. If we're a drop in the ocean, we're one of God's drops, and so we're thankful for you tuning in, and it's our heart's desire that you receive things that would actually be able to be applied to your life. It's one thing to be inspired. It's another thing to have something that you could actually have that's applicable, and so if you are new to Life Around the Fire, welcome. If you're someone who's been around for a while and we've been around, I guess, about four years right now as a podcast man thanks for tuning in and being part of what's going on Today. What we're going to be doing is we're going to be looking at the values, the practices and the priorities found in the kingdom of God, or should I say we're going to begin looking into those things Because, once again, the kingdom of God is one of the key teachings that Jesus came proclaiming and it is really one of the foundational things for us to have an understanding of, because it is his eternal kingdom.
Speaker 1:It's God's rule and reign, his realm from heaven covering the earth as the waters cover the sea is really that's the original plan of God and that's the ongoing plan of God. Until it's fulfilled, his kingdom being manifest on earth. The invisible realm of God's kingdom manifests physically through us on earth. We are the conduits Amazing. We are the citizens, we're the managers, we're the ones who are colonizing earth with the kingdom, that is. Our mandate is to cover the earth with the knowledge, the working knowledge, the living knowledge, the knowing of God and his kingdom.
Speaker 1:Just like the water is covered in sea, and so within the construct of God's kingdom there's a culture. Just like we live in a culture, the country that you live in has a culture. It has a language, it has a culture. It has a language, it has certain beliefs, it has certain traditions, it has certain music, certain art forms, transportation, so on and so forth. It has a culture.
Speaker 1:Well, the same thing goes for the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is a kingdom.
Speaker 1:Kingdom of God, the kingdom of God is a kingdom. It is not a democracy, it's a theocracy. He is king and thus he is center of his kingdom. We are citizens and we get to be part of his kingdom, but we are not central to the kingdom itself. We're vital, but he is central and he is one worthy of the worship, the praise, the glory, the honor, the power, the dominion, the authority it all belongs to him. He gives it to us to function with so that we can cover the earth with the impact of His kingdom, and so it really behooves us to understand what the culture of that kingdom is. We don't wait until we die, until we participate in the kingdom of God. We participate in it the moment we are born again supernaturally, by placing our faith in Jesus, when that divine transaction takes place, where what's ours becomes his, what's his becomes ours, and we receive newness of life, the very life of God in us, making us citizens of the kingdom, no longer born into the realm of wrath, where the wrath of God is against sin, but into the kingdom of the Son of His love, where we are called beloved. It's amazing. It's amazing, it's wonderful, it's true, and it is a gift that comes to those who believe. And if you're not a believer in Jesus, if you have never heard about what that means, just ask God to make that real to you, because you're being drawn by him already. If you're listening to this, and just invite him to make things real to you, because he's the one that leads you into relationship.
Speaker 1:People are just midwives. It's important. Evangelism, bringing the good news, is important, but we don't change anybody's lives. I can't make somebody change from the inside. I'm not trying to, but I want to be a conduit through which God flows, so that the world around me is impacted and those who believe can receive newness of life. Hallelujah, the values, practices and a focus on spiritual priorities, really seeing God's will accomplished and sharing the gospel and trusting in his divine provisions, provisions. It sums up the values, practices and priorities found in the kingdom of God.
Speaker 1:No-transcript. Well, number one love. Love is the highest valued quality of life in the kingdom of God. It is love. The scripture says that God is love, God is love and Jesus. In Matthew, chapter 22, he goes as he was being tested by one of the Pharisees. Actually, in verses 34 through 40, it says hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus replied Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest command. And the second is, like it Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and prophets hang on these two commandments Love, humility and servanthood, are values in the kingdom of God. Also, in Matthew, chapter 23, verse 11, jesus said the greatest among you will be your servant. You see, jesus is giving a discourse on things found in the kingdom of God. All throughout the teachings in the gospel, he is referring to either the condition of his father's heart who God really is and or his kingdom, what his kingdom is made up of, made up of, and humility and servanthood are two values found, along with love, in the kingdom of God.
Speaker 1:Righteousness and justice are two other factors or values found in the kingdom. In Psalm 89, verse 14, the psalmist said righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Love and faithfulness go before you and he's prophesying. The psalmist is prophesying concerning God and his throne and his kingdom. And what's prophesying? The psalmist is prophesying concerning God and his throne and his kingdom and what's in it, what makes up the throne of God. Righteousness and justice, faith and trust are two other value points. Hebrews, chapter 11, verse 1, says Now, faith is a substance, or being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see yet, of what we do not see yet. Faith. Without faith, it's impossible to satisfy God, to please God, to fill him up. He gets filled up. When we are full of faith, he gets filled up, he gets satisfied. We are certain of who he is and what he says. Not just wishing for, but certain. That quality is a value in the kingdom of God.
Speaker 1:Forgiveness and reconciliation Wow, forgiveness and reconciliation is a central practice mirroring God's forgiveness. And again, jesus in the Beatitudes, according to Matthew 6, verse 12, said Forgive us our debts, our sins, as we also forgive our debtors or those who have sinned against us. That's in the outline that he's teaching his disciples in how to pray Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom, come thy will be done on earth. Art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom, come thy will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, our sins or debts, as we forgive those who trespass or sin or have a debt against us.
Speaker 1:Forgiveness and reconciliation are two values found in the kingdom of God, along with love, humility and servanthood, righteousness and justice, faith and trust.
Speaker 1:There's forgiveness and reconciliation. There's also peace and peacemaking. Believers, we are called to be peacemakers and cultivate that harmony throughout the earth. Again in the Beatitudes, matthew, chapter 5, verse 9, jesus said Blessed are the peacemakers or the ones who change the atmosphere, atmosphere changers. They change the atmosphere in a room, in a region, in a city, in a nation in the world, for they shall be called sons of God or the ones who rule over things. They're the ones who will take charge over cities, over regions, over nations. Shalom, that word just really is rich in meaning. It's more than just the absence of strife, or more than just making a peace agreement a treaty. It's literally a quality of life that comes from a person. It's solid peace. It's the ability to change an atmosphere into being one that's calm and controlled with love, not chaos or bitterness, strife or envy. That's right, hallelujah.
Speaker 1:Joy and contentment make up some of the values found in the kingdom of God. Joy and contentment, it's not just a drudgery, it's not just some serious thing, man, it is joy. There is a joy in the kingdom, there's a joy in being forgiven, man. Have you ever really had everything that you've ever done wrong forgiven and you know it? That freedom that comes from that is indescribable. It's like looking at the world. For the first time ever You're free and whom the Son sets free, who Jesus sets free, is free. Indeed. Freedom, joy and contentment.
Speaker 1:Philippians, chapter 4, verse 4, says Rejoice in the Lord. Always, again I say rejoice. There's joy, rejoicing Also the joy of seeing people's lives transformed, truly transformed. Someone who is an addict, no longer being bound by that addiction and actually living a fulfilling and fruitful life. Someone who used to be a liar, no longer lying, a thief, no longer stealing, an adulteress, an adulterer, no longer doing that toward people, but being free, not doing it toward themselves, being free from that bondage, being free. Joy, see, joy comes. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.
Speaker 1:Integrity and honesty are values found in the kingdom of God. Psalm 25, verse 21 says may integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you Talking about God. My hope is in you, god. May integrity and uprightness protect me. Integrity Integrity is doing things the right way without anyone watching. There's a consistency with integrity. You're consistent. You don't have to have people watching you in order to do a good job. You do it just because it's a quality that you value. Integrity and honesty Be honest, no longer lying. What a joy it is to be able to just freely know what you say is true and you don't have to look over your shoulder to wonder if someone's following you, catching you in a lie or having to lie on another lie in order to cover your lies. Pretty soon you believe your lies and you have the reputation of being a known liar. You can't be trusted. That's not to be found in the kingdom of God. Integrity and honesty and, last but not least, righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit these are core values, as highlighted in Romans, chapter 14, verse 17.
Speaker 1:The Apostle Paul said For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking. Apostle Paul said for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking. Meaning it's not a matter of following laws about eating and laws about washing your hands. That's not what the kingdom of God is all about but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. That's what the kingdom of God is. The kingdom of God is about righteousness, meaning things are right, they're solid, things are right with God. You have a right relationship, you're okay with God, with God, in fact, a loving relationship with God as a son, as a daughter, as a bride, as part of the body of Christ, loved, not just tolerated, but loved. You know it's right. It's right and you're doing the right things.
Speaker 1:We do the right things by following Jesus, not by trying to be good. By trying to be good, we're just not able to try hard enough and we're not able to be good enough. But when we follow Jesus, he is good enough and he has accomplished what we couldn't. And so when we follow him, we accomplish the same things that he accomplished. We keep the commands of God, naturally by being supernaturally infused with his life, and we follow the leading of Holy Spirit and becoming like Jesus in his footsteps. We follow and he makes us like Jesus In his footsteps. We follow and he makes us like Christ.
Speaker 1:Peace, again, that word, peace, shalom, this quality of peace, that's just so solid. This quality of peace that's just so solid, it's stronger than strife. It literally is To be a shalom maker, peacemaker, an atmosphere changer. It's powerful. And joy there's that word again, joy. So there's joy in the kingdom, there's joy in serving Jesus, and if there's not in your life, something's wrong and you can make it right. Things can be made right. You can make it right with God by asking him to infuse you with his joy, strengthen you with his joy. The joy of the Lord is my strength. His joy strengthens us because without it, I mean, life is hard enough without joy. Why add more stuff to it? Why be sour? There's nothing attractive about being sour and hard to get along with. Never good enough, legalistic, never good enough. You don't have the right clothes, your hair's not done right, you're wearing too much makeup, you're watching a movie All those things that are clothesline religion that just take the joy away from having a relationship with God. But the joy, his joy, his joy is in seeing us develop and grow, in seeing us free from things that we were once bound in. He finds joy in that. He finds joy. God finds joy in just being with you. He loves just being with you. He loves just being with me.
Speaker 1:I was working on a project the other day and I was a little bit frustrated by what was going on. It wasn't going right In my heart. I heard distinctly the Lord say David, I like working with you, not working on you. I like doing things with you, so let's do this project together. In fact, he told me he goes. I like listening to you teach and preach, like what he goes. Yeah, I like the way you do that. Please do that to me. Do that to me first. Let me be the first one you speak to, and so that's what I'm doing, even in this podcast episode. I'm speaking to you, lord, and I thank you for doing me with the ability, the anointing that you place upon my life, to convey things, to touch into the hearts of people around the world Love, humility and servanthood, righteousness and justice, faith and trust, integrity and honesty, righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit make up the values found in the kingdom of God.
Speaker 1:In the next episode, we're going to be talking about the practices that are found in the kingdom of God. There are values, there are practices and there are priorities. These things make up the culture of God's kingdom, and that culture is an everlasting culture. That's the culture that's going to be overtaking the earth. So it's kind of like get on board, get out of the way or get run over, because the kingdom of God is advancing and we are living in a day and an hour right now in which the manifestation of God's kingdom is being revealed in a way that we've never seen before God's presence being known. He's making his presence known, not just things about him, but him. A big difference, a big difference between hearing things about God and hearing God. Things about God and knowing God. Things about God and seeing God in action. These are the days that we're living in, and his kingdom is at hand and it's going to be intensifying. That's good news, and we get to be part of that. So it's important for us to have an understanding of what his kingdom is made up of so we can begin to participate in those things, just like Jesus did.
Speaker 1:Let's pray, father. This is our heart's desire is to be like Jesus. Holy Spirit, please reveal Jesus to us, manifest him in our midst, as he would release your angels to do warfare on our behalf, and that you would bring about a demonstration of your kingdom so that the world would know your glory and your power and they would come to a place of repenting and believing and placing their faith and their trust in you and receiving your life In the name of Jesus, amen, amen, amen, amen. All right, folks, I love you. If you have any thoughts, questions, concerns, please feel free to drop us a line at lifearoundthefire at gmailcom. That's lifearoundthefire, all lowercase letters, all one word lifearoundthefire at gmailcom. We'd love to hear from you, or you can just type in lifearoundthefire and look us up on the web. Either way, it'd be great to hear from you. In the meantime, god bless you. Adios amigos.