Kingdom School, Session 14: " Defining the Culture of God's Kingdom"

Kingdom School, Session 16: "Kingdom Representatives"

God’s Kingdom isn’t a location where we go when we die. God’s Kingdom is where He is and where His body of believers exercise dominion. You are God’s chosen treasure- priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience His marvelous light, and now He claims you as His very own. He did this so you would broadcast His glorious wonders throughout the world. For at one time you were not God’s people, but now you are. At one time you knew nothing of God’s mercy, because you hadn’t received it yet, but now you are drenched with it. 1 Peter 2: 9-10 TPT You are a chosen generation. You are a royal priesthood on earth. You are the light of heaven for the world because you believe in Jesus Christ. Put on that truth! [King Jesus, the Lamb of God,] Your blood was the price paid to redeem us. You purchased us to bring us to God out of every tribe, language, people group, and nation. You have chosen us to serve Your God and formed us into a kingdom of priests who reign on earth [now]. Revelations 5: 9-10 TPT As a believer, we need to read the Word of God to find out our identity. These scriptures bust up every lie that we are just weak, crippled, and ineffective sinners. You and I now hold the Kingdom of God on earth in our lives. If God’s Kingdom is a temple of His glory on earth, then we are that temple. Our lives, joined in faith to Jesus Christ, make God’s Kingdom a tangible reality on earth. We are ambassadors of Christ, the Anointed One, and we are carriers of His message to the world. The angels in the old covenant under Moses carried messages to God’s people. Now, it is believers in Jesus Christ who carry the oracles of Yahweh. We are diplomatic agents of God’s Kingdom, in the highest rank, sent to represent King Jesus and we are authorized to speak on His behalf. As a new creation reborn through the life of Jesus and His cross, it is our voice that releases the voice of Heaven. Our voice is now invested with royal authority. That authority rests in the name of Jesus and His blood. We are ambassadors of the Anointed One who carry the message of Christ to the world, as though God were tenderly pleading with them directly through our lips. So we tenderly plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Turn back to God and be reconciled to Him”. For God made the only One who did not sin to be made sin for us, so that we who did not know righteousness might become the righteousness of God through our union with Him. 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 TPT We each have a ministry now. We get to share that Jesus brought us into the arms of the Father wrapped in peace and He will do the same for anyone who believes. This can feel like a heavy mantle of responsibility especially if we don’t feel qualified. Will you receive this truth: We do not live our new-creation lives from a mantle of responsibility, but from a place of rest found in relationship with Jesus; a deep, personal, and experiential friendship…a life entangled with Jesus. This relationship began for each of us with Matthew 11: 28-30. The most precious of all promises to the believer. Come to Me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you (entanglement) and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is LIGHT. Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV The irresistible beauty of the gospel is we get to enter the rest of Jesus. The chaos of the world’s system does not lord over us. Jesus does. His mantle is LIGHT. I love the dual meaning of LIGHT. It is not heavy AND it is the LIGHT of Heaven on earth. A lamp to light the path of rest. We become skillful at wearing that mantle of LIGHT. We become representatives or ambassadors of the authentic rest of Jesus Christ. It is our transformation that declares the reality of Jesus to the world. When we hold tightly to the gentle command in Matthew 11: 28-30 we are transformed. We hold onto this promise every day on earth. Our transformation becomes LIGHT in the darkness. Jesus says, Your lives light up the world. Let others see your LIGHT from a distance (not just words), for how can you hide a city that stands on the hilltop (mountain-top living in the victory of Jesus)? And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place (picture a holy man holed up in a cave away from all people)? Instead it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. Matthew 5:14-15 TPT (I added thoughts in parenthesis) In Christ, we hold authority over darkness. We hold authority over fear and lies. We hold authority over sin and death. We hold the LIGHT. We were born-again to hold this reality which is victory in all things. We cannot hold it independently without Him. Look how much encouragement you have found in your relationship with the Anointed One! You are filled to overflowing with His comforting love. You have experience a deepening friendship with the Holy Spirit and have felt His tender affection and mercy. You must continue to make this new life fully manifested as you live in the holy awe of God—which brings you trembling into His presence. God will continually revitalize you, implanting in you the passion to do what pleases Him. Live a cheerful life without complaining or division among yourselves. For then you will be seen as…children of God even though you live in the midst of a brutal and perverse culture. For you will appear among them as shining lights in the universe offering them the words of eternal life. Philippians 2:1 and 12-16 TPT Remember, it is the power of grace that has placed us in position as a representative of God’s Kingdom. His grace alone keeps us, empowers us, cleanses us (2 Corinthians 12:9). It is not our works. In our inabilities He is more present than in our abilities. We die to what we CAN DO apart from His grace…and we die to what WE CAN’T do alone. That being said, It is important to Jesus we represent Him well. Don’t be deceived, the Kingdom of God on earth is the only escape from the oppression of this world. Jesus Christ taught us to follow in His footsteps (Matthew 10:38) and to seek His Kingdom ways above all else (Matthew 6:33). We seek first the Kingdom with self-discipline, determined purpose, and unwavering faith. It is our inward transformation that is the greatest proof of the Kingdom of God on earth and our distinctive representation of the effects of it on our character. The very first words of our transformation are when we hear the Voice within telling us we are deeply loved and called, “Beloved”. These words ignite a fire of identity that burns brightly in the world. It is a holy fire that burns away our old identity. (Read Romans 8:14-17) The love of God transforms our spirit, soul, and body. We cannot be representatives of His Kingdom without truly knowing and experiencing the love of God. His love qualifies you! I give you a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you are my true followers. John 13:34 TPT We know this…but let’s remember that any fear hasn’t the love of God, any pressure hasn’t the love of God, any condemnation hasn’t the love of God, any striving for respect or power hasn’t the love of God. As representatives we must live in God’s love. Though I speak with the tongues of men AND of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 NKJV As representatives we don’t scream, fear monger, condemn, argue, punish, hate, or control others. It seems as though everyone is busy seeking what is best for themselves instead of the things that are most important to the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 2: 21 TPT It is important to Jesus that we represent Him well. We have the mind of our Savior given to us by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:16) and it is our yielding to the Holy Spirit that makes us aware of what is valuable in God’s Kingdom realm. Jesus’ mindset while He was God’s representative on earth was this: * Glorify the Father in everything through obedience to His will. * As the Father fills you, fill the cup of others. * Heal and never hurt…and be the healed and not the hurt. * Teach the truth and be led by the Holy Spirit. * Feed the little ones and always be merciful. * Call darkness to the mat and dissolve it with truth and light. * Know your purpose and know who God made you to be. Jesus is the standard we live by. Manifesting God-reality in this world requires us to be connected every moment to the Vine, Jesus. God-realities can only come from the supernatural flow of life from the Vine to the natural branch…the result is fruit. This fruit is a product of your connection and the world enjoys the taste of heaven. YOU ARE NEEDED! Does sin disqualify us from being a representative? Sin does not…sin behavior darkens the lamp we live by. We need to see ourselves as God sees us and we will live up to it. Now there is nothing between you and Father God, for He sees you as holy, flawless, and restored. All the guilt and power of sin has been cut away and is now extinct because of what Christ, the Anointed One, has accomplished for us. He erased it all- our sins, our stained soul-He deleted it all and they cannot be retrieved. Colossians 1:22, Colossians 2:11 and14 TPT See yourself as holy, flawless, and restored and live up to it…then be ready to share why you are! This is representing the Kingdom. If others are not coming to you to learn about Jesus or if others are not drawn to the hope living in you…just refocus on the Kingdom. Allow the love of God to transform your thoughts…every moment. Start with a determination to know and experience His love deeply. There are two more sessions in this series, Kingdom School. Thank you for listening. I pray above all that you would hear what the Spirit is saying. Until next time, Pastor Teresa Holy Ground Life with Teresa L. Hoffman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thanks for reading Holy Ground Life with Teresa L. Hoffman! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit holygroundlife.substack.com/subscribe [https://holygroundlife.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Kingdom School, Session 15: "The 'I' in the Kingdom"

This session we will dig deep into the concept of “self” in the Kingdom of God on Earth. “The Kingdom of God is not eating or drinking (religious laws), but righteousness and peace and joy in the HOLY SPIRIT.” Romans 14:17 NKJV What is our personal responsibility in this Kingdom flowing with the gift of righteousness, peace , and joy experienced through our relationship with the Holy Spirit? It is time to understand what it means to have the scriptural, heavenly-minded, Christian concept of “self”. It all begins and ends with Jesus Christ. Jesus is the center of God’s Kingdom. We believe, we enter. His cross was our entrance. We brought nothing of our own in. Being perfect was impossible. But entering His perfection is possible. The door of the cross is available to all. Our journey in God’s Kingdom has nothing to do with holding ourselves to a standard (religious, opinion driven, self formed). It IS becoming entwined and connected to The Standard, Jesus Christ. The Standard shows us what the “I” in the Kingdom of God is: “I have glorified You on earth by faithfully doing everything you told me to do.” John 17:4 Within God-given “self” is a choice of obedience and that decision is everything to living inside all the benefits of God’s Kingdom. Through Jesus’ obedience “the door was opened for many to be made perfectly right with God and acceptable to Him” (Romans 5:19). His obedience became our obedience when we chose to believe. Our obedience opens doors. Not only for us, but others. Our choice to glorify God on this earth and do what He asks us to do…opens the doors to the God-possible life. When the first sin of disobedience to God was committed all of humanity experienced a disastrous disconnect. It all started with a hyper-awareness of “self”: “I was naked. I was ashamed. I hid from you. I was afraid of Your anger.” Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, were perfectly designed by their loving Father to have a united, holistic being- a spirit, a soul, and a physical body- all working beautifully in harmony connected to Him. But when sin became their master, their united being started to fragment. Disobedience and sin always create disconnect. They progressively became more and more disjointed. The covering that connected them to a perfect God was His own GLORY and it was dissolving off of them…they became dressed in “self”. And they were naked. The enemy of humanity, Satan, immediately moved in to connect ideas, lies, opinions, more disobedience…to those fragmented pieces in the soul and body. Then slowly their spirit began to wither and die from disconnection to God’s life. As a believer in Jesus, this is the old identity. The too-good-to-be-true gospel tells us that God sent His Son to restore the connection. His obedience opened the door to your new life restored to wholeness! Shalom, Shalom: nothing missing, nothing broken. Only Jesus. The culture of this world AND your old identity are trying to call you back to disconnect and to the heavy reliance on “self”. It disguises itself as “self-honoring” but it leads to “self-drowning”. Let’s take a quick look at that simple and universal distraction call ”worry”. Seems harmless and some even call it “responsibility”. Let’s see what Jesus says… As Jesus and the disciples continued on their journey, they came to a village where a woman welcomed Jesus into her home. Her name was Martha and her sister was Mary. Mary sat down attentively before the Master, absorbing every revelation He shared. But Martha became exasperated by finishing numerous household chores in preparation for her guests, so she interrupted Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t you think its unfair that my sister left me to do all the work by myself? You should tell her to get up and help me.” The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions? [NKJV: You are worried and troubled about many things.] Are they really that important? Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at My feet. She is undistracted and I won’t take that privilege from her.” Luke 10: 38-41 TPT Worry is being pulled apart by many distractions. Worry is fragmented focus. It is living from the old identity connected to “self” ability. Choose to place your entire being on The Standard of God’s Kingdom, Jesus. It will bring wholeness, well being, and it will never be taken from you. Do not worry about your life (Matthew 6:25). Martha got so disconnected she had no idea what the Son of God, Creator of all that is seen and unseen, was even saying. She interrupted TRUTH and from her self-honoring opinion commanded Him to help her! Sin is disconnect and whether you believe worry is a sin or not…disconnect is opposite of the gift of Jesus Christ. You must remain in life-union with Me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to Mine…As you live in life-union with Me as your source, fruitfuIness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from Me (disconnected) you are powerless.” —Jesus, John 15:4-5 There is a stern warning in the second book of Timothy from the Holy Spirit for us. Let’s look at it. You need to be aware that in the final days the culture of society will become extremely fierce. People will be self-centered lovers of themselves… (!) [They will be] unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5 God is LOVE. Disconnected from Him…people can only be in love with themselves…the god within. This present culture is self-honoring, self-justifying, under no law but the law of self. We are hearing in every direction: “I will define what love is”, “What is right is what makes me happy”, “No one, let it be God or man, gets to define me!”, “Like me or hate me, I am me who I say I am”, “You have no rights (man, woman, or child) when it comes to me”, “You must obey my choice”. We live in a social climate that wants us to present ourselves in such a way that others will crave what we have…ownership of self. This self-honoring culture is making its way into the church. This is where we must wake-up. Inner Healing is more important than spreading the gospel. Healing church “hurt” is more important than forgiveness and showing the power of the gospel to the world. When the church looks like the world there is “a form of godliness but no power.” Jesus restores our soul. Inner healing is exactly what He does. If inner healing looks like trauma-digging, psychology, meditation on the power of self-love, or rehearsing all the labels people create, the culture of 2 Timothy 3:1-5 has entered the church. Psalm 23 is biblical inner healing. It is a Jesus-focused journey of healing. He walks us on paths of righteousness for His name’s sake- not our own name’s sake. He walks us through dark days and keeps us close to our new creation identity with His Word and His Name. He feeds us TRUTH in a world filled with the lies of the enemy. We choose the best when we choose healing from Jesus. The church has also mistaken grace for a spiritual eraser for selfishness. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday’s bad choices are just washed away with Sunday’s grace. The truth of the gospel is this: The POWER of grace shifts us into connection. Grace is a position we get to step into that was purchased by the costly blood of Jesus. It is a place where we let God define us. A place where we cut off our connection to doubt. A place where we truly repent. Disconnection turns to connection when we repent. This is very good news! What is repentance? It is not saying, “I’m sorry”. Repentance is turning away from sin (disconnect from God) and returning to Him. And then we “entangle” our lives with Jesus. The result is life-transformation…Heart desires begin to change. There is a quantum physics concept called “entanglement”. I am not a scientist but when I heard this term something in my spirit said, “Study this!” Entanglement is a connection between two things that cannot be explained. It is “out there” but scientists are studying it now. Einstein gave up on it and called it “spooky action at a distance”. The cool thing is entanglement is found between things all over the universe. When I asked AI to help me understand this (like I was a 5th grader lol) it gave this analogy: Imagine two sets of dice; one was on Earth and the other on Mars. If you rolled the set on Earth and 3 and 4 were the result, instantly the dice on Mars would read 6 and 1. Change one and the other instantly reacts with the same answer…no time or energy involved, a instant response. Biblical entanglement is what Jesus talks about in John 15: “I am the vine you are the branches”. What is flowing in Me, now flows in you. His reality is now yours. For me to live is Christ. Could it be that we are connected to Jesus in the new creation reality on a level beyond our comprehension of “self”? Jesus said, “Let the little children come unto Me for of such is the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:14). There was a time when we began to take care of ourselves. We learned that things were painful so we formed opinions and protections. We connected ourselves to lies. We “understood” how the world works so we kept ourselves safe. Pressures, high standards, anxieties, stress came from these connections. Then we heard about Jesus. We believed and became a child of God. He wrapped us in His identity and asked us to disconnect from the old one. He told us to “trust in Him with ALL our hearts and lean not on our own understandings. In all our ways we are to trust in Him and our journey would be clear and beautiful”…like a child and a loving Father. Lord, sift through my anxious cares and find the path of pain I am walking on…lead me back to Your glorious, everlasting ways-the path that brings me back to You. Psalm 139: 23-24 TPT The other day I was uneasy and troubled. It was a familiar irritation, the kind you deal with in life. Instead of “handling” it the way I always have, I asked the Lord to find the doubt. Sift my heart, like mining for gold, and find the doubt, Lord. He showed it to me. There it was unhidden. I doubted Him to care for me so I was protecting “myself” by daily dwelling on criticism and harsh judgement concerning the matter. Once I saw it, I sincerely repented. A promise of God uprooted that deep doubt connected to my heart. In the same place I planted a seed of His care for me. Simple I know! But that simple act of awareness and repentance set me delightfully free. I felt a weight disappear. i was connected to Him a deeper way. Jesus taught us, “The meek shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). Did you ever think that meek meant weak? You are not alone! In the Greek language the word used for “meek” is in reference to a powerful stallion broken and trained for battle. A tamed horse has lost none of its immense strength in spirit but its energy is now harnessed, disciplined, and directed by its master. This is what the word “meek” means. Biblical meekness is the ultimate display of power and strength under control. Meekness is complete confidence in God. It is being entangled in His care. It is having a connection that when He says go to the right, you go…because it is true freedom. Friend, you don’t need to fight for control in this world. You are not a wild horse needing to provide for your”self”. Your “I” is found in the center of the KING. He is the center of God’s Kingdom in Heaven and on Earth. This study was deeply moving to me and I believe it is a timely word for the church. Will you pray about sharing this? We have three more sessions of Kingdom School left. Until next time, Pastor Teresa Holy Ground Life with Teresa L. Hoffman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thanks for reading Holy Ground Life with Teresa L. Hoffman! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit holygroundlife.substack.com/subscribe [https://holygroundlife.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Kingdom School, Session 14: " Defining the Culture of God's Kingdom"

The Faith of Jesus was given to you to experience victory in this life, and it is activated by LOVE. My old identity has been co-crucified with Christ and no longer lives. And now the essence of this new life IS NO LONGER MINE, for the ANOINTED ONE lives His life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD who loves me so much that He gave Himself for me, dispensing His life into mine! (Galatians 2:20 TPT) SO… All that matters now is LIVING in the FAITH that works and expresses itself through LOVE. (Galatians 5:6) The treasure of Jesus’ own faith was deposited in you when you became His believer. Our part is to acknowledge it, access it, activate it, experience it, and experience the results of it. We learned last session that faith is the currency of the Kingdom and everything in heaven flows to us through the power of this currency. WE LIVE BY FAITH IN GOD’S KINGDOM ON EARTH. The faith of Jesus inside of you is activated by love. Jesus told us faith is like a small seed with the possibility of exponential growth (God-Possible Growth) and it must be nourished. That nourishment is the love of God. Faith only works by love. We receive all the promises of God this way. The culture of God’s Kingdom is love. The God kind of love, not humanity’s definition. We have come into an intimate experience with God’s love, and we trust in the love He has for us. God is love! Those who are living in love are living in God, and God lives through them. By living in God, love has been brought to its full expression in us… 1 John 4:16-17 TPT The One who is the Ruler of His Kingdom, in heaven and on earth, does so from an unlimited source of supernatural power which is the LOVE of God. From this spiritual flow, all the laws, language, and foundations of His Kingdom are established. It all works by LOVE. There is no obedience without a revelation of this LOVE. There is no clarity of purpose in His Kingdom without a revelation of this LOVE. If you live in the center of His LOVE, you have found the center of His Kingdom. The world is getting more and more angry, more self-righteous, more offended, more depressed, more stressed, and more isolated. If believers are also experiencing these things, it is time to return to God. We enter the reality of His Kingdom by entering the power flow of His supernatural LOVE. (Please listen to the audio here for a powerful testimony of the LOVE of God in action by Jenna O’Keefe.) How do we return? Jesus said, “ I am the vine, you are the branches. As you live in union with Me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you- but when you live separated from Me you are powerless. I love each of you with the same love that the Father loves Me. You must continually let My love nourish your hearts. If you keep My commands, you will live in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and live nourished and empowered by His love. John 15: 5, 9-10 TPT The Amplified translation says, “I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. If you keep My commandments, and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love.” (John 15: 9-10) Remain. The Message translation says, “I’ve loved you the way My Father has loved Me. Make yourselves at home in My love. If you keep My commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in My love. That’s what I’ve done—kept My Father’s commands and made Myself at home in His love. “ (John 15:9-10) At HOME in His love. Live there. Make it your homebase. Everything we do flows from here. Keeping His commandments means we stay here. So, what are His commandments and which commandment is the greatest? He answers us very clearly: TPT Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you. This is the greatest and supreme commandment. The second is like it in importance: You must love your neighbor as yourself. Contained within these commandments to love, you will find all the meaning of the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 ) NKJV You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang ALL the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 ) Through our genuine worship, God releases His identity. His identity is LOVE. God is the perfect Father and He clothes us with His identity. When this happens, we can love others with the love He poured into us. The love of God is poured into us through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:5). We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Loving others (Matthew 5:45) reveals our identity as children of God. Not church groups, not signs on our walls, not even good works…but His love poured out to others. The culture of God’s Kingdom is love. We need to define the love of God. It is very different than the world’s version of love. It is not a feeling that swells up. It isn’t lust. It isn’t even deep appreciation for a gift. Open your bible right now and read 1 Corinthians 13: 4-13. This is the kind of love God’s pours into you. It is beyond comprehension and it is a spiritual force. It flows from His being. Live in His LOVE. Let His love continuously nourish you. Be hidden in the center of His love (Colossians 3:3). This is your call. You are seen, safe, secure, provided for, protected, and washed clean in the love of God. You cannot please Him more than just remaining in His love. Receiving all the healing promises, prosperity promises, promises for your family, promises for purpose, and all your identity promises start here. Faith can only be activated here. Victory always plays out when you live here. The KINGDOM of God is drenched in the SUN (SON) of God’s love. If there is no love, we have forgotten our identity. If we do not know our identity ,have we ever even KNOWN the love of God? The God-Kind of LOVE is unconditional, sacrificial, undeserved, and must move as it moves through you to others. The God-Kind of love is a force of TRUTH. It is active. Above all, love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). This is a supernatural force. Sin can only be dissolved by God’s supernatural force of LOVE. When this force is flowing into and through us, there is no gossip, offense, striving, jealousy, hatred, fighting…no sin. There is no fear in any form. It replaces bitter water with the best wine of Jesus. Do not succumb to offence, friend. There is no love in it. (Listen to the audio on the trap of offence and how it is the counterfeit power of God’s loving justice.) The wine of the new covenant that Jesus releases to us will never hurt you. If drinking the water cause you to have a stomach ache, drink some wine instead! 1 Timothy 5:23 Jesus is our standard. God’s love is manifest in the person of Jesus Christ. The LOVE of God keeps us walking on the water of our purpose. Offense is the opposite. It drowns us in “self”. By this the world will know who you are- if you love one another.—Jesus John 13:35 Believer in Jesus, you are a citizen of the Kingdom of God on earth. It has a culture that looks just like Jesus. Everything is under His feet of authority. Stay at home in God’s love. God’s love is perfected in Jesus. His LOVE always boldly advances into perfection. His love is perfected in you…allow it to manifest perfection. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) Jesus is our standard. How was He able to do it? Nourished by the Father’s love. We lay down our lives in the care of the Father. Father, I ask that you allow everyone that you have given Me to be with Me where I am! Then they will see My full glory—the very splendor you have placed upon Me because YOU HAVE LOVED ME even before the beginning of time… I will continue to make you even more real to them, so that they may experience the same endless LOVE that you have for Me, for Your LOVE will now live in them, even as I live in them! (John 17:24, 26) Thank you for listening. Praying for you to receive a deeper reality of the love of God in you., Pastor Teresa There will be four more sessions left in this series, Kingdom School. Holy Ground Life with Teresa L. Hoffman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit holygroundlife.substack.com/subscribe [https://holygroundlife.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Kingdom School, Session 13: " The Currency of God's Kingdom"

Nowadays, you can get a message on anything you want to hear, but unless a preacher talks about the kingdom, he’s missing it. John the Baptist talked about the Kingdom, Jesus talked about the Kingdom, all the prophets talked about the Kingdom and Paul talked about the Kingdom. The Bible is all about God’s kingdom, and we are here to represent God’s kingdom!— Pastor John Dunn, Christian Faith Campus, October 2024 As I was driving to church to share this message I was asking the Lord about His Kingdom on earth. His Kingdom is holy and has no mixture with the world. It has its own culture and currency, but its inhabitants live in the world. Yet, the holiness of His Kingdom has no mixture with the world. Lord, I know that salvation is a gift and we don’t go in and out of salvation, but do we go in and out of the Kingdom? Don’t you love the voice of the Lord in your heart? He always answers us. It feels like “knowing” when you hear Him. He sounded like a wonderful Father when He said, “Teresa, what does Matthew 6:33 say?” Lord, you said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” “Just choose to do what you know to seek first My Kingdom and My ways of righteousness…in this, you will always be in the center of My Kingdom” As I was pondering how I could do that…I drove through an intersection where three women, serving the community through Meals on Wheels, were tragically struck by a drunk driver just a week before. Two of those precious souls were going about their day and in a moment they were instantly in the throne room of the Almighty. Through this Kingdom School series, we are understanding together, the Kingdom reality is available to us. We choose everyday, every hour, every moment where we live. It’s really about our choices. We have an opportunity right now, today, in the battle you’re going through, the storm you’re in, in the questions, in the chaos, in the pain… will you choose to live inside God’s Kingdom reality? I have noticed too many Christians taking offence lately. We have a choice in the offense. Seek first God’s way of doing and being right. Seek first His presence. Seek first what he has to say. Believe it. Trust it. Seek first the experience of His love over you. Seek first His full acceptance as Father over you, His beloved child. When someone offends you, where do you go? To your opinion, or do you go to His voice? Will you wait on Him and let wisdom speak? When anxiety repeats its lie, do you follow its familiar path into thorns? Or do we stop and remember we are a child of the King? Will we rest , today, in the counsel of the King? Driving through that intersection, brought spiritual clarity to me. Everyday we have the gift of choice…it isn’t the choice of salvation. It is the choice to seek first His Kingdom above the world and even above our own little kingdom of doing and being right. There is a gift for you in this moment, Whom will you serve? This day I call the heavens and the earth as a witness against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19 We Choose His Kingdom. As I walked through the doors here on campus, I had a choice. I could worship God or let the frustrations of life soak my mind. Our lives are beautifully filled with opportunities to choose His Kingdom. I know he’s going to bring me through. That’s what God does. It’s what he does. He turns everything around for our good, for those who love him and are called…we’re all called. He’s calling your name right now to his purpose. He’s going to turn it around for good. Let’s rejoice in the middle of the problem. Today is the day of your salvation. Today’s the turnaround day. And it all has to do with your choice. Seek first his kingdom. On to today’s study… A Kingdom is the King’s domain. Within that domain is a system of how goods will flow by exchange of the kingdom’s unique currency. Every kingdom has a culture which reveals their shared and highest values. The culture is a framework that holds what the king and his citizens believe is “right”. The culture contains the language and the laws of the kingdom. The greatest kingdom on earth is the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom was appointed a King and His mighty name is Jesus Christ. His reign has no end. It is an everlasting Kingdom established by the Creator of all that is seen and unseen. It’s strength is unmatched and it is without weakness. Earthly kingdoms have risen and they have fallen but God’s Kingdom and His sovereignty… His rule and His dominion, will endure forever. The prophet Daniel tells humanity, The God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed, it shall stand forever. —Daniel 2:44 The mighty angel, Gabriel, tells Mary of her new son, Jesus, He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David…He will reign…and of His Kingdom there will be no end. —Luke 1:32-33 The apostle Paul, filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit spoke, Since we are receiving our rights to an unshakable Kingdom we should be extremely thankful and offer God the purest worship that delights His heart as we lay our lives in absolute surrender, filled with awe. —Hebrews 12:28 And prophesying of the Kingdom’s future, John shares with us, The kingdom of the world has BECOME the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.—-Revelation 11:15 Every other kingdom will be swallowed by THE KINGDOM OF THE ALMIGHTY. The unshakable dominion of the Kingdom that we are invited to seek every day is enough to cause us to tremble. The authority of the name of Jesus causes every knee to bow in reverence! Everything and everyone will one day submit to this name- in the heavenly realm, in the earthly realm, and in the demonic realm. And every tongue will proclaim in every language, “Jesus is Christ the Lord Yahweh” bringing glory and honor to God the Father.—Philippians 2:10-11 TPT God’s Kingdom on earth had a start date and Jesus brought it. Those who believe in their heart and say with their mouth that “Jesus is Lord” are registered and known citizens of His Kingdom. Our names have been officially registered as citizens (Hebrews 12:23). As a believer, you have a personal and experiential relationship with the King. He says to you, “Rejoice! Your name is written in the Book of Life!” with a note written by your name, in Jesus’ own hand… A friend of the King. Take a moment and remember who you are and Whose you are. They are not of this world even as I am not of this world.-John 17:14 The Kingdom of God is a superior reality established within a weakening reality, the kingdom of the world. The glory, wealth, and power of the prince of the world has been slowly diminishing since King Jesus came to earth. As the world’s glory is tarnished, fading, and growing old, the Kingdom of God’s glory is increasing! As a citizen, your life has a part to play in this increase of glory and light! Every time you trust God and share His kindness in your life, you let His glory manifest on earth. You are a part of the increase! Let your light shine before others so that they can see and glorify God!—Matthew 5:16 As citizens of the Kingdom of God we need to know the culture, operate with the currency, know the language and be aware of the law of this Kingdom we live in. We need to also be aware of the world’s culture, currency, laws, and language…and not live in a mixture of the two. No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate one and love the other; or you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24 NIV The culture of His Kingdom is love and the currency is faith. There abides in the Kingdom of God; Faith, Hope, and Love. All the law and language of the Kingdom comes from His love. The Kingdom of God is not a location on the globe. Jesus said, The Kingdom of God is not discovered in one place or another, for God’s Kingdom realm is already expanding inside some of you. (Luke 17:21 TPT) Your own heart is the portal to God’s Kingdom. Before that Kingdom was a reality to you, the Holy Spirit spoke to you in the darkness, Jesus is Truth. When you inclined your heart to believe, the LIGHT of God’s Kingdom exploded over your inner heart. His light established itself over the land within. Jesus entered and sat on His throne with you in the center of His Kingdom…two lives joined eternally. You became a citizen. When you believed and became a child of God, two of many amazing realities occurred: * The King deposited a royal treasure into your account. * The King set the Prince’s guard around your dwelling place on earth. The Prince’s peace from His active throne surrounds you (John 16:33). The treasure begins with of 2 Peter 1:2-4: May grace and perfect peace cascade over you as you live in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Everything needed for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by His divine power. All this was lavished on us through the rich experience of knowing Him who has called us by name and invited us to come to him through a glorious manifestation of His goodness. He has given us magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these promises you can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which you have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world (…its culture & currency). He even gave us His own love so we could live in His Kingdom’s beautiful culture. The love of God is poured into your heart through the Holy Spirit who has been given to you. (Romans 5:5) The greatest treasure of the Kingdom deposited in you is the Holy Spirit. He is everything. You can’t breath God’s Kingdom without His indwelling. He is the one that keeps a flow of God’s love over you. My old identity has been co-crucified with Messiah and no longer lives…and now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives His life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that He gave Himself up for me, and dispenses His life into mine! Galatians 2:20 I want you to read this again: My new life is empowered by THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD. God gave us the FAITH of JESUS…deposited inside of us! We have the King’s account of faith available. Connection is everything (Read John 15). There is no faith in the Kingdom without being connected to Jesus. There is no vitality. There is no Kingdom life. You have no currency if you do not have the faith of Jesus given to you. What is faith? Is it your ability to believe? Is it a belief system labeled by man? Is it trusting God? Jesus tells us faith is like a mustard seed. If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘MOVE from here to THERE’ and it will MOVE. And nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20) Jesus is inviting us to see some deeper meaning here in His teaching: * A mustard seed is the size of the tip of your pen. Laser point focus. It is not a wide, unfocused beam…it is pin-point focused. Our faith must focus on one truth and not any other “possible-s”. * There was great POTENTIAL in the seed. The possible of how big it could grow was in the seed all along…concentrated power ready to be unleashed…but no one could see it with their human eye. * A seed needs patience, time, nourishment to grow into its potential. * God’s perfect seed must be spoken over by a human. He gave us language and it can create worlds. Jesus said, Let the faith of God be in you! Mark 11:23 The greatest question that reveals if you are operating in the currency of heaven is this: What is possible? Jesus’ Faith says, “All things are possible with God.” What currency are you operating in? The center of God’s Kingdom is being in the center of God’s possible. Jesus is not the author and finisher of our miracles. He is “the Author and Finisher (“originator and perfector” -NASB) of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2 KJV ). He gives us His faith so that miracles and blessings are unleashed from operating in His account of faith. The next session will be a deep dive into the culture of God’s Kingdom and how it is not the culture of the world. Until next time, Pastor Teresa (This is a good episode to make sure you listen to…the Holy Spirit was rearranging and adding to the notes I prepared) Holy Ground Life with Teresa L. Hoffman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit holygroundlife.substack.com/subscribe [https://holygroundlife.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Kingdom School, Session 12: "Praying in the Center of God's Kingdom"

The center of God’s Kingdom in heaven and on earth is His Son, Jesus Christ. Our posture in prayer is to be present in God’s reality, God’s possible. The most “present” we can be is to join our lives with Jesus Christ. He brings us into the center of the Father’s heart. In this place of identity, Jesus teaches us to pray. “When you pray , go into your innermost chamber and be alone with Father God, in the secret place…pray like this…” (Matthew 6: 6, 9-13) The teaching that follows this is the jewel of prayer. When Jesus teaches the Kingdom parable of the man who finds a treasure in a field, goes to sell all he had to buy that field, and returns so he can possess the treasure for life, he is talking about a life of prayer. Jesus teaches us that prayer is not words or contractual manipulation. It is relationship in the deepest place of your heart. It is a dwelling place. A place that becomes life itself. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Who’s power no foe can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I confidently trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2 AMPC) Studying The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 in the Aramaic (the language Jesus taught in) reveals a deeper understanding of how to pray. The “Our Father” prayer is a synopsis of ALL of Jesus’ teachings. It teaches us who we are and Whose we are. The One who is perfect teaches us to posture our hearts in this prayer and to stay there in every season. We began studying the richness of the “Lord’s Prayer” in last session and will finish it today. In the Aramaic the word “prayer” means to “capture”. We begin with a heart posture to capture God’s Presence, His counsel, His Person, His grace and everything He chooses to pour into us. We place all our attention on Him. In review, He teaches us to begin with, “Our Father”. This statement puts us in unity as His children. There is no person spiritually higher than the other. We all call Him “Father” (Beloved Parent who cares for us). Precious humility releases the care of caring for ourselves. He then teaches us to pray, “Who art in Heaven”. This is not a statement of separation (by space and time-Heaven being a far off place) but, rather, we learn that in Aramaic this means “the One who is everywhere”. If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. (Psalm 139:8). Take a deep breath. He is here. “Holy is Your Name” becomes a reminder that His name is a strong tower, the righteous run into and they are safe (Proverbs 18:10). His name covers us and it is holy. His name is given to us; Jesus, the name above all names. He writes His name on our heart. He calls us by His name. This declaration is an adjustment for our soul to live in God’s reality, no matter the storm. To call on the name of the Lord is to live covered in His identity. “Your Kingdom Come” invites the counsel of God in your mind and heart. In the Aramaic the word “Kingdom” means “God’s Counsel”. We are positioning ourselves under the wisdom of God and forsaking our own opinions. A blessed release! Now, we begin this session with “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. Our God is a God of beautiful order. Everything He creates and does is in perfect balance. Out of His mind and heart flows creation. Everything has a purpose and there is no chaos. Planets move within a divinely appointed rhythm around solar systems without crashing. Baby sea turtles come out of their shells and run to the ocean. Trees produce seeds, that produce trees, that produce seeds…Day has a set number of hours and so does the night…Everything He does is in perfect order. Why is there chaos? Why is there death? Why is there pain? In all of creation God gave to humanity alone a divine treasure. Unlike the tree and the turtle that follows His set plan, He gave us choice. We could connect or disconnect to His wisdom. “This day, I call the heavens and the earth as witness against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19) You and I were born with a choice to connect to His abundant life (John 10:10) or not. Our free-will is a treasure that was part of God’s declaration, “Let us make man in Our image.” The deep mystery of it is this…you are a world creator. The life you live is not given, it was chosen…by you. Adam and Eve gave up the treasure for a deception. If you disconnect from God and eat this, you will become like god. Disconnection from the Creator breeds chaos in creation. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Sin disrupted the perfect balance. Order became twisted. Sin in its simplest definition is disconnect. But God’s desire releases perfection even in the chaos. A perfect solution that cost Him the life of His Son. The treasure of Jesus is given to humanity to restore the loss. When Jesus comes into the heart of a person, God’s perfect will and purpose is restored. This is the good news, that all men can be saved from death and its eternal effects. Free-will remains, but now we can center ourselves under the will of the Father through Jesus Christ. “Let Your will be done on earth as (it is perfect) in the heavens.” This declaration aligns us and attunes us to God’s beautiful order. You are now in life-union with the will of God, Jesus Christ. I want to give you a very clear word from the Holy Spirit: Your heart is God’s treasure. A treasure by definition is not common…it is pursued and purchased. He has pursued you and by the blood of Jesus there has been a costly purchase. Jesus is our heart’s treasure. We have pursued His truth and He has been found. We purchase His life with our own. “Our true life IS the Anointed One”( Philippians 1:21). Jesus tells us, “Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also” (Matthew 6:21). Free-will becomes bondage when we choose to be our own god. When we choose Jesus to be Lord of our life we are truly free. The chaos and pain of this world are filled with our opinions. The first thing sin did was give birth to opinion. I am naked…this is shameful…I think it would be best to hide from God. It would be best to disconnect from His Presence because I disappointed Him. I can take care of myself. A word for us today: Jesus said, “Be careful that you do not mistake your opinions for revelation…(Luke 11:35). Jesus came to restore us in position under the arm of the Father to walk in the cool of the day… in a life of prayer. “Give us this day our daily bread” is the next alignment Jesus teaches us in prayer. This is not just praying for three square meals a day. Bread in scripture is life, sustenance, divine provision, and the body of our Savior, Jesus. Our spiritual bread is Jesus. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life…this is the bread that comes down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, they will live forever; and the bread that I give is My flesh, which I give for the life of the world” (John 6:47-51). The center of God’s Kingdom in Heaven and on earth is Jesus. We need to daily experience Jesus. Our new life flows from His life. We eat the truth of His words every day. They become a part of us. They nourish us spirit, soul, and body. They bring divine order. Jesus called His Father’s will His bread. Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and finish His work.” (John 4:34) Jesus is our standard. We are sustained by living inside the beautiful will of God. It brings strength and health to us. This statement in prayer reminds us to release our own opinions and “eat” God’s will for us. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. Jesus taught on forgiveness more than He taught on heaven or hell. Forgiveness is the foundational core of Jesus’ teaching. Here we have this petition in the center of His prayer. Forgiveness is an essential requirement for living in the Kingdom of God. It is a Kingdom of mercy. If you are not acquainted with mercy, you are not acquainted with the Kingdom of God. There is a teaching about forgiveness that Jesus returned to and repeated several times: He taught, If you do not forgive your fellow man their faults, God will not forgive yours (Ex: Mark 11:25, Matthew 6:14-15). This is intense, but it is for our healing. Unforgiveness is disconnect; forced disconnect for self-protection from injury. Holding bitterness in your heart toward someone is raw unbelief. God promises you, “I am the Lord who heals you”. When you take a stand and say “I can’t forgive them” you are also saying “I can’t let you heal me”. Are you hurt or are you healed? Who has the power to hurt you more than the power of God has to heal you? I set before you life and death, blessing and curses…choose life. Forgiveness is not a feeling. We make a stand by faith. If you need to, write down the statement of forgiveness, and date it. Remind your feelings it was done on that date. To forgive in the Aramaic means to untie. Forgiving someone who hurt you is like untying a boat and letting it be carried away by the current. Imagine two beautifully crafted wooden boats tied together by a rope of anger. The boats would bang against each other until they both break and sink. Make the decision. Untie the boat. Let God carry out His justice. God can’t forgive us when we hold unforgiveness because we have refused His healing for our heart. Disconnect. If you refuse to forgive, you stay disconnected from God’s grace to heal you. Ministry flows when we are ministered to by our loving Father. Remember…Forgiveness is limitless in the Kingdom (7 x 70 times, Matthew 18:22). Forgiveness characterizes a believer. The parable Jesus taught us of the unforgiving servant reveals how important this is to God. It goes like this: A king forgives an unpayable debt (roughly 6 billion dollars in today’s money). The same servant refuses to forgive a fellow servant a tiny debt (roughly 10K). The king is angry, cancels the pardon, and hands the servant over to be punished. Jesus ends the parable by saying, “This is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18: 23-25 summarized). Remember, the heart of “Our Father” is like any good parent, that His children would get along! Forgiveness settles us in the center of the Father’s heart. “Lead us not into temptation” begins our final alignment in prayer before we end in worship. We live in a world filled with people screaming the “way to success”, the “way to happiness”, the “way to long life”, the “way to health” and billions more. Jesus teaches us to pray that we stay on the path of God’s Way. The common translation of “Lead us not…” is NOT what the original Aramaic says. We know from James 1:13-14 that “God leads NO ONE into temptation”! The original language means “Do not LET US enter into temptation”. We position our ear to His heart. We can say, “Let me not be led by my own desires…” “God I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious everlasting ways- the path that brings me back to you” (Psalm 139:23-24 TPT). The word temptation in the Aramaic is L’Nisyona and can also mean “materialism”. It could read: Let us not be snared by materialism… This brings so much more depth to our petition…so much more responsibility to align ourselves with His words and not the world’s ways. “Deliver us from evil…” Revelation 12:11 says about believers in Jesus Christ, “They overcome the evil one by the blood of the LAMB ( ‘our lives were purchased and we are now holy in God’s eyes’ ), the word of their testimony ( ‘Jesus is Lord and His Words are our Truth’ ), and they did not love their lives until the end ( ‘for us to live IS Christ, my life IS the Anointed One, it is not my own’ )”. We don’t store up treasures to love our lives on earth. We love our good Shepherd, Jesus, and with our lives joined to Him, we kick every evil thing from our path. “For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever!” His part never changes. We are faithful to do our part. The “Lord’s Prayer” puts us in the center of His glorious Kingdom realm. He is our inexhaustible source of life! The prayer ends with us found, joyfully, under a blessed assurance: We are His children and everything belongs to Him. Worship places us in perfect alignment with the Father and His perfect will. Worship releases us from ourselves. Until next time, Pastor Teresa Holy Ground Life with Teresa L. Hoffman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit holygroundlife.substack.com/subscribe [https://holygroundlife.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]