1st Corinthians 1:27
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
These verses declare that it is Jesus who brings us wisdom and insight from God.
This wisdom was deliberately found in the opposite of what the world considered wise.
What Jesus taught was Godly understanding to those who would listen.
Godly understanding: NOT HUMAN UNDERSTANDING.
But, God knew that not everyone would listen to the “foolishness” of Jesus.
Listening requires a choice on our part to take in what we hear and make it apply.
God knew that people who chose the world’s way could only hear themselves.
He knew their own voices would drown out anything coming from Jesus.
That’s why He always said, IF YOU HAVE EARS, HEAR!!
So, what was Jesus saying?
We have discovered that He talked about the Kingdom of God more than anything else.
Later, Paul would compare and contrast that Kingdom with the Kingdom of Darkness.
Paul said that he was a slave to Christ.
An imitator of Christ.
Paul taught the wisdom he personally received from Christ to the early church.
If comparing the two Kingdoms is considered wisdom, then we need to do that as well.
And we need to get that Kingdom wisdom into the deepest parts of who we are.
Because true wisdom is the only way we can escape the traps set by the devil himself.
By the way, the Worldly Kingdom is one treacherous minefield after another!
There are two kinds of wisdom: of the world and of the Kingdom of God.
This is part of the incredible system of order that God created for mankind.
God’s system is so perfect, so intricate and so complete that it lacks nothing.
It contains everything we need to have a full and satisfying life.
However, for the Kingdom Of God to be effective, we, as Believers, must share the same values.
By effective I mean that what we do and say not only matches AND works for us, but that it also brings glory to God and His marvelous Kingdom of Light.
When it is MOST effective, it is attractive to everyone who is lost and seeking!
In order for the system to work, we must agree that we value the same things.
In other words, we must share in the same Culture.
Culture is created through shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices.
Adults are the ones who teach children the elements of culture.
Children learn and internalize these cultural elements, and they begin to live them.
We are all products of this very process.
Whatever people think collectively, their beliefs, values, ideals, becomes their culture.
The MAJOR conflict between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness revolves around who will dictate the culture we live in.
The battle for earth is the battle for culture.
Whoever controls the minds of the MOST people controls the culture.
Proverbs 23:7 (MY translation)
What a man thinks in his heart, that’s who he is.
The heart of a person reveals the mind of a person.
The Kingdom of God, according to Jesus, according to Wisdom, is a kingdom of the heart.
The King of Heaven is battling for the minds of all creatures created by God.
THAT is what we need to be concerned about in the deepest part of who we are.
That is the war you and I battle every single day of our lives.
Luke 16:15
He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God's sight.
At the core of this cultural battle is what we value.
A value is a belief or conviction, it is a standard or ideal that regulates conduct.
Values define our attitudes, behavior, and our worldview.
We can’t value what the world values and have an abundant life in the Kingdom Of God.
Our values must match the Kingdom in which we live.
Our NUMBER ONE PRIORITY:
If we want to live in the culture of the Kingdom Of God, we must KNOW the values of the Kingdom.
And remember, Jesus said I have come that you may have AN ABUNDANT LIFE.
IN THE KINGDOM!
We began this particular series of teachings when we first looked at the Beatitudes.
They clearly define the Values of the Kingdom as Jesus saw them.
Poor in spirit, godly sorrow, meekness, hungering and thirsting for things of the spirit.
These are the values that Jesus taught.
They must be our values TOO!
The World system has created something called Values clarification.
It is now taught in our schools.
It teaches students to abandon the values handed down by parents and particularly churches.
It encourages them to develop their own values.
Worldly wisdom teaches:
Abandon the values of God as quickly as you can if you know what’s good for you!
Worldly wisdom teaches:
Adopt an ungodly set of values if you want to succeed.
You and I were brought up under these teachings.
We, too, were subtly taught to abandon Godly values.
AND WE DID!
But now, we must make it our soul purpose to relearn, re-discover and live them.
The first thing we must know is, What does God value????
The first and most familiar statement of values by God is the Ten Commandments.
They are recorded in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21.
Let’s review the values promoted in the 10 Commandments?
We must place a high value on choosing to allow God to reign supreme in our lives.
We must place a high value on choosing to love God because He is God and for no other reason.
We must place a high value on choosing to make the name of God sacred and holy.
We must place a high value on choosing to dedicate a day of our lives to God.
We must place a high value on choosing to make family the most important unit of government.
We must place a high value on choosing to elevate all life to the miraculous.
We must place a high value on choosing to make marriage a true covenant relationship.
We must place a high value on choosing to esteem the rights of others to “have” regardless of what we have or don’t have.
We must place a high value on choosing to operate in a truth that benefits everyone.
We must place a high value on choosing to eliminate all envy.
We can find more things that God values in the Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus teaches us:
Choose to place a high value on Grace.
Choose to place a high value on marital fidelity.
Choose to place a high value on treating others the way you would like to be treated.
There are some DO NOTS as well.
DO NOTS in the Kingdom Of God are things the world chooses to do on a regular basis.
Do not choose to place a high value on divorce.
Do not choose to place a high value on abusing others.
Do not choose to place a high value on judging others.
Is it not clear that what we value determines the course of our lives?
Those who value friendship seek friends.
Those who value what God values find Him.
Those who value fame chase after the praise of others.
Here is a Spiritual Truth:
Once we set our values it becomes harder and harder to understand the values of others.
This is true in the Worldly Kingdom as well as the KOG.
Here is another Spiritual Truth:
We cannot draw near to God if we don’t know or misunderstand His values.
Here is another Spiritual Truth:
God values obedience.
The world has taught mankind not to obey anyone!
We must CHOOSE to obey God even when we don't like it.
1st Peter 1:15
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
God values US WHEN WE imitate Him.
We are called to be holy because God is holy.
We are challenged to CHOOSE to be like Him.
Society chooses to imitate itself.
A certain group sets the standards of what is cool, and everyone conforms.
God’s wisdom says, don't fall into the trap of imitating other foolish human beings.
The World System places a high value on conformity to cultural norms or traditions of men.
We must choose to place a high value on humility instead of status.
The World System places a high value on financial reward at the cost of one's soul.
We must choose to place a high value on honesty and generosity instead of wealth.
The World System places a high value on greed and ambition to accomplish objectives.
We must choose to place a high value on self-control instead of self-indulgence.
The World System places a high value on immediate pleasure rather than long-term goals.
We must choose to place a high value on forgiveness instead of revenge.
We must not be found promoting the same values as those who believe there is no power or purpose beyond themselves!
If we value what the world values and claim to be of the KOG, we present a false witness of not just who we are in Christ, but of who Christ ACTUALLY IS!!
As Citizens of the Kingdom Of God, we reflect OUR KING and all that He stands for!!!
Can we not see that we MUST BE DIFFERENT?
That we must LIVE DIFFERENTLY?!
That we CANNOT live and partake of things of the World and the KOG at the same time??
God is asking each of us to take stock of:
Which cultural values are winning the war for our life and the life of those we influence?
