The Counterfeit Kingdom

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Jesus talked a lot about God’s Kingdom. Right after (in the very same sermon, mind you) Jesus taught us to pray for the Kingdom established on God’s character to come to earth he tell us to, “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33, KJV).

When we live by God’s principles; love Him supremely and love our neighbor as ourselves, God’s Kingdom (and our prayers) will come to fruition. When we live and seek the world – we get the ruin and destruction so clearly predicted for such choices.

The devil's counterfeit initially looks like the real thing. But its fake.

• A counterfeit faith stops when man’s capacity ends – a Biblical faith begins where man stops.

• A counterfeit faith depends of appearance, coercion, and deception – a Biblical faith depends on the reliability of Christ

• A counterfeit faith insists upon its authenticity – a Biblical faith says “by their fruit you shall know them.”

• A counterfeit faith focuses on experience – a Biblical faith looks unto Jesus the author and finisher of its faith

• A counterfeit faith offers you the world – a Biblical faith offers you life and a life to come

• A counterfeit faith breeds enslavement, destruction and ruin – a Biblical faith gives freedom

• A counterfeit faith offers what it cannot produce – a Biblical faith produces what you can’t create

• A counterfeit faith is man-centered – a Biblical faith is Christ-centered.

Have you ever knowingly passed a phony five dollar bill? According to the United States Treasury Department, you may have. One of the reasons is because of a counterfeiter named Blinky, perhaps the greatest counterfeiter of all times. He made five dollar bills that defied detection. It was impossible, even for experts, to identify the real bills from his counterfeits. It’s estimated that hundreds if not thousands of the Blinky-made five dollar bills are still in circulation. A bizarre set of circumstances finally led to Blinky’s downfall. He decided to expand his operation and started making twenty dollar bills. He was arrested when trying to pass one of his phony twenties. In court, his lawyer challenged the experts to identify the phony bill from the real one. Immediately, they did so. Later Blinky discovered where he had made his tragic mistake. The bill he had used to copy his counterfeit twenty was itself a counterfeit!

When you join league with a counterfeit your world becomes counterfeit too. It becomes a house of cards that will come falling down. It becomes hollow, shallow, and superficial.

In “A Hunger for God”, John Piper says, "If you don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great.”