Just as what I've mentioned before in our previous article, the 21st century is marked by a bandwagon of combined excitement and fear. Excitement in the sense that its technological breakthroughs, which work favorably with humanity, are quite stunning in both quality and quantity; and fear, in the sense that we're reminded in scripture - and as we observed it also - that "because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold" (Matt. 24:12).
All over the world, people are exposed to various news items where the daily broadcasts bombard us with unimaginable crimes committed in diverse proportion, notwithstanding the horror brought about by terrorism.
Inspite of existing laws and entities created, invented, and established by men to suppress, impede, or simply mitigate the proliferation of these inhumane behavior, such measures seem to be impotent to crush the surge.
While it's true that technological breakthrough escalates dramatically, the 21st century carries with it a downtrend plunge in terms of human behavior which inclined more predominantly on a negative side. Apparently, the trend goes like this:
The more a man improves himself - technologically speaking - the lesser becomes his capacity to thrive morally.
What do you think brought us into this kind of dilemma in this 21st century?
Are you ready? Did you know what brought us into this mess?
Ideas... misplaced ideas.
Ever since the creation of man way back more than seven thousand years ago in the person of Adam, there was only one single idea that God, the Creator, intended for him / for man to pursue... and that is "Dominion."
... to have authority over, to rule, to govern, to control, to master, to manage, to lead - Dominion.
In the Book of Genesis, it says, "And let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion... over all the earth..." - Gen. 1:26
Now, in the garden of Eden, there was this unemployed sheriff called the serpent who introduced another idea which did override the original idea that was given to Adam and Eve by God.
Instead of Adam exercising his authority to rule over such a strange idea, what happened was that "they allowed the strange idea to rule over their hearts and minds, which ultimately controlled, messed up, and destroyed their very lives."
Consequently, they were expelled from the garden of Eden and never recovered ever since.
From the time Adam was taken out of the garden up until his offspring spread all over the earth, the original idea for man to dominate and rule over, had never been redeemed. Hence, men - from generation to generation - experienced multitudes of unimaginable sufferings brought about by his incapacity to manage, lead, and rule over his circumstances. They didn't have the ability discern and identify the way that would lead them back to their place of authority. They were lost like sheeps without a Shepherd taken as preys in the middle of ravening wolves.
But God, in His faithfulness - being fully aware of men's hopeless condition - took the priceless initiative of sending forth His son. God, in His love, mercy, and wisdom, did not send an angel or any other created being to rescue man and restore him back what he lost; He brought us His Son. In the Book of John, it narrates, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16
Can I pour out my sentiment to you, my dear Brethren?
God did not send and sacrifice His precious Son for nothing. Unlike what we've been told and conditioned before by our religious environment, you are not a good-for-nothing, wretched, worthless, filthy rags kind of creation. You are so significant and precious to Him that He went to the extent of sacrificing His life and endured unimaginable suffering, just for you and me to be redeemed.
If there had been a time for man to feel worthless about himself was when he deliberately chose to abandon the original idea God designed for him to pursue and, instead, embraced a strange idea from an unemployed sheriff, the devil.
God's program of redeeming and restoring back what men lost was promised way back hundred of centuries before the rouse to power of the roman empire, the time when Yeshua was crucified. The Book of Isaiah highlighted, "For unto us a child is born. To us, a son is given. And the government will be on his shoulders... and of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end..." - Isa. 9:6-7
Notice that I highlighted the word government in the above verse. Unlike what the religious had commonly used to do, we are going to focus intently on this government issue. You may not go in agreement with me upon saying this solemn statement: God would not send His Son on earth for a mere purpose of showmanship. God sent His Son because, upon His shoulder, there was this very important thing called 'government' that was with Him. This government is what the entire human race needs so badly, and that was the entire purpose of God sending forth His Son - to restore back this Government which we lost.
This government is the same 'original idea' of rulership, governing authority, control, mastery, leadership, dominion - the Kingdom.
The word Kingdom is derived from the Hebrew word radah, which means dominion.
This was also sourced from the Aramaic word mamlakah,which also means dominion.
This word Kingdom was also taken from the Greek word basileia that bears the same word as dominion.
Yeshua was restoring back what we lost in the garden of Eden. God was restoring back the Kingdom.
No wonder, Yeshua's first public statement runs like this: "Repent (change the way you think), for the Kingdom of Heaven has arrived!" - Matt. 4:17
He even instructed his students by saying, "As you go, preach this message: The Kingdom of Heaven has arrived!" - Matt. 10:7
This was the reason why Yeshua's priority for us to pursue is to "seek you first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." - Matt. 6:33
That's why when His students asked Him how to pray, Yeshua answered them, saying, "When you pray, pray like this, 'Our Father, who art in Heaven. Holy is Your Name. Let Your Kingdom come, let Your will be done on earth, just like it is in Heaven.'" - Matt. 6:9-10
... and this is why Yeshua made it sure that His students really captured His very message. Before He ascended into Heaven, for forty days - right after His resurrection - He keeps on teaching them about this gospel of the Kingdom. The account in scripture says, "After His suffering, He presented Himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days, and spoke about the Kingdom of God." -
Anyone of us know that a person who is about to depart will no longer talk about trivial matters - my business, my investment, my money, my stock. A person who is about to leave will make it sure that the remaining few words that he's going to utter will contain the most important and crucial statement of complete significance.
For 40 days prior to His ascension, Yeshua spoke of only one message: The Kingdom of God. He wanted to make it sure that we really absorbed and captured the only one Gospel.
Just wondering, why we keep on diverting ourselves and continue entertaining strange ideas that pulls us away from the real message. Is that really so sweet to hear the message of an unemployed sheriff?
This was the reason why Yeshua's priority for us to pursue is to "seek you first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." - Matt. 6:33
That's why when His students asked Him how to pray, Yeshua answered them, saying, "When you pray, pray like this, 'Our Father, who art in Heaven. Holy is Your Name. Let Your Kingdom come, let Your will be done on earth, just like it is in Heaven.'" - Matt. 6:9-10
... and this is why Yeshua made it sure that His students really captured His very message. Before He ascended into Heaven, for forty days - right after His resurrection - He keeps on teaching them about this gospel of the Kingdom. The account in scripture says, "After His suffering, He presented Himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days, and spoke about the Kingdom of God." -
Anyone of us know that a person who is about to depart will no longer talk about trivial matters - my business, my investment, my money, my stock. A person who is about to leave will make it sure that the remaining few words that he's going to utter will contain the most important and crucial statement of complete significance.
For 40 days prior to His ascension, Yeshua spoke of only one message: The Kingdom of God. He wanted to make it sure that we really absorbed and captured the only one Gospel.
Just wondering, why we keep on diverting ourselves and continue entertaining strange ideas that pulls us away from the real message. Is that really so sweet to hear the message of an unemployed sheriff?
In view of the foregoing, can I confide something to you? This world that we live in, the 21st century, is replete with multitude of ideas capable of transforming humanity for better or for worse. These ideas are so subtle they could easily sneak in to the very crevices of every family, society, the media, religion, and the educational systems. Any ideas, therefore - no matter how attractive it may look on the outside - that would drive you away from the idea you were originally designed, may be considered as another serpent lurking around to victimize, and worst, destroy its targets.
It would be prudent if we seriously take this into account: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." - 1 Pet. 5:8
Likewise, it would be wise if we always be reminded that "the Kingdom of God is a lifestyle if righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." - Rom. 14:17
Hence, any ideas that would steal away your joy and peace must never be given an audience, and any suggestion that would disrupt your right standing with God through the lordship of Yeshua must never be entertained. The Governor of the Kingdom, the Holy Spirit, has given us this comforting and liberating assurance: "But when He, the spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth..." - John 16:13
When we are guided into all truth, there would be no room for confusion to sink into our very lives.
In like manner, "the revelation knowledge of the truth is the key to freedom," and this liberating opportunity encompasses even on areas concerning the modern-day corporate slavery in your job, and the ecclesiastical slavery embraced by some of our modern-day churches (themes that we're going to discuss on later dates).
And last, but not the least - and this very important - all your labor in the Lord in the 21st century - whether that be in the marketplace, in the ministry, or in the mission field - will all work in your favor and not be put in vain, for as long as you're doing them under the right environment. If you find yourself dwelling under the wrong atmosphere, be prudent enough to make a decisive action to transport yourself to the right one, so that all your effort will not end up in sheer futility. The Book of Colossians wisely admonishes us, saying, "For he has rescued us out of the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom and brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who bought our freedom with his blood and forgave us all our sins." - Col. 1:13-14 TLB
... and so I'm appealing to you, my dear friend, to position yourself under the Kingdom of Yeshua.
When we are guided into all truth, there would be no room for confusion to sink into our very lives.
In like manner, "the revelation knowledge of the truth is the key to freedom," and this liberating opportunity encompasses even on areas concerning the modern-day corporate slavery in your job, and the ecclesiastical slavery embraced by some of our modern-day churches (themes that we're going to discuss on later dates).
And last, but not the least - and this very important - all your labor in the Lord in the 21st century - whether that be in the marketplace, in the ministry, or in the mission field - will all work in your favor and not be put in vain, for as long as you're doing them under the right environment. If you find yourself dwelling under the wrong atmosphere, be prudent enough to make a decisive action to transport yourself to the right one, so that all your effort will not end up in sheer futility. The Book of Colossians wisely admonishes us, saying, "For he has rescued us out of the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom and brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who bought our freedom with his blood and forgave us all our sins." - Col. 1:13-14 TLB
... and so I'm appealing to you, my dear friend, to position yourself under the Kingdom of Yeshua.
Finally, what lies ahead of us and what lies behind us, are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
"Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you!" - Luke 17:21
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