Seek ye First The Kingdom...History

 The gospels of Matthew chapter 4:17 say that from the time Jesus began to preach he said "repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand". Verse 23 states "Now Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people."

To be clear the scriptures tell us that those who come to him must believe that he is and he is a reward- er of them who diligently seek him. So being me I started with historical Jesus. Now a rabbi friend of mine once told me that their are historical writings about this Young man who caused a great stir among the people  during the years just before the common era. It supposedly states how it was plotted to  have him arrested and killed for treason against Ceaser. This type of uprising was common among the people and their was even suppose to be another of the same name who made claim to being the sent one, The Christ.

I found that my looking up the ruler's names mentioned that I could get a better understanding of  the times, cultures and people that lived when Jesus did.  The book of John does an excellent job of presenting intellectual material in which to base ones conviction concerning the man Jesus. In fact he states he wrote "that ye may believe that Jesus is the son of God and that believing you may have life." KJV  In each of the gospels I fine the presentation of Jesus to be given in such a way as to provide evidence of his position as the Christ.  I would find it hard to understand that the persons written to would believe what they read if there had not been a base for plausibility in the presented words and deeds of the man. They had to believe that what had been presented as their history was indeed true. That what could be called miracles had been seen before and could be seen again.

To believe in my opinion requires both knowledge and volition. ( the power to choose or determine)

Just in Matthew, and we will be mostly in Matthew, we can find at least seven references to Jesus offering himself as I AM.  I am the bread of life,  I am the light of the world, I am the door, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the true vine, I am the way the truth and the life. This was to establish in the minds of those he spoke to that he had the power and the right to do and say what he did and said.

Now, Jesus said a lot about the kingdom. What the kingdom is like, what those who entered the kingdom were like, what they'd have once they entered the kingdom, and where the kingdom is.

But he disclosed this information using parables.  The word parable does not indicate an intention to make the  information hard to understand or a mystery. Instead it was designed to give an example or comparison as the kingdom of heaven is like or as ...using examples that the people were familiar with.

 So you see how my simple request for answers concerning the kingdom of heaven/God became a long blog.

The people of Jesus' time were wanting and expecting a deliver to stand up to Rome. Military leader such as David had been. They were ready to fight for their release from these gentiles.  Many of them were as many are today. They had heard scriptures, they went through the motions of gathering them selves and some interpreted the scriptures in ways that could seemingly justify their behaviors. But because they did not have knowledge (an intimate relationship) of the scriptures they missed some key points that would have caused then to identify Jesus for who he was and understand the parables as the revelations they were meant to be. However, one needed to have heard in order to hear.

Jesus spoke with his disciples concerning the type death he would die. They didn't get it. They'd forgotten that this had been written of the Christ by the prophets. They did not realize that the Christ could not have been born sooner nor could come to die at a later time. Why not? Glad you asked.

The usual way was to conquer a people, take away their  daughters their smartest young men and their young men who were old enough and strong enough to work at hard labor but young enough to change their way of thinking to accept the master's culture and treatment of them as right, just and good for them. They were to become slaves, compelled to work and with out a choice. Later in history slaves were servants. They could be given their own homes and a piece of land. They could even make a profit and buy them selves and their families out of bondage. Now, the Romans had a better idea. Leave the people on their land, leave alone their gods, let them have their names and their languages.  Set up their religious leaders in high places, give them a little power under the rulers assigned to the land. Give these leaders a perception of wealth above the rest of the people.( along with the threat of keeping the people under control or facing criminal punishment and the loss of all wealth for all of your kind) Let the people continue their chosen occupations then tax um ta death. For those who rebel against the gracious generosity of  Rome they set up one of the most cruel public displays of punishment known to man. Crucifixion.

There is a reason you say for Jesus being born, living and dieing under these conditions? Yes.

 One is that Rome was the first and only kingdom to annex other countries and peoples to themselves. They added every place they conquered to "the kingdom of Rome".

Then they set up their government to dictate the laws of the land concerning commerce and finance.

they slowly injected their moral attitudes as not to get the older people overly stirred up so that they would be complacent concerning them. The younger one would as they reached the age of self direction would embrace the new morals  after having been exposed from a young age. ( sound like today) But the real kicker is The way they punished those considered criminals. 

The natural leaders of the people had a right to punish to a point for having sinned  but to put someone to death was left up to the HRIC. (head Roman In Charge).

No other government hanged anyone on cross bars of wood.  There was not a different word for tree and wood in Hebrew at that time. The person so sentenced was not hanged by the neck using a rope. remember that method was used during Ester's time.  The rulers before that tossed you into fire or fed you to lions. beheading and stoning were popular in the region. As Egyptian slaves being beaten to death was the entertaining method of their rulers. Again none of which was carried out on  Hebrew soil. Nails had to pierce his hands and feet.(not different word for wrist and ankle)  Some one who had no respect for the Jewish scripture would even consider this form of death. It was an insult to injury. " Cursed is any man that hangs upon a tree".  You might risk your physical life as a Jew but to be cursed of God". Nooooo!  Had the Romans beaten him to death then it would have disqualified Jesus as being who he said he was, because he had to fulfill all of the prophesy. Not just die and come back. You do remember that their were other who had died and came back even during the time of the prophets.

OK, history and reasoning lesson over. We will next look at the gospels and get some understanding.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness...

Seek ye first the Kingdom.....preface

As I stated in the introduction, in answer to my concern for my financial situation I received this instruction to put first things first and use what I've got. Did I say that I hadn't thought of  my most valuable asset. My faith.
The speech I learned as a child was about how God brought the Hebrew children out of a place of bondage. a place where they were obligated to serve against their will. This is what debt feels like  to me. Bondage. Moses had spent 40 years in his father in law's camp, learning and growing in faith. He saw his Father in law practice his faith as king, priest and prophet of his family and servants. He gained experiences as he encountered God for himself. Then after obeying God to go back to Egypt and get his people, he found himself standing in front of a large body of water. This was a naturally impassable  place to be in.  The story begins to end by saying " when Moses got to that red sea, he gave up on the spot. but the Lord said to Moses, what's that in your hand, use what you've got" the rest of the story is that he swept his walking stick over the water, the sea parted and they walked across on dry land. the Egyptians tried to do the same and were drowned.
Now, what does this have to do with me and my situation? The other part of the instructions. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you". It was the word FIRST that caught my attention.  Had I not placed God first? Was I trying to do it by my self, thinking up stuff then asking God to bless it?  Was I out of proper order? Oh, I had a method to my madness but was not in the right order. First things were not first.
It's funny that as I tried to reorganize my life I was actually becoming more frustrated. I'm just coming back to my self after a few years of being in a coma with my eyes open.  See I practiced nursing for over thirty years. I was better at it then some, not all, some of my former managers would care to admit.
One day after having done all the leg work to begin. I was financially able, and ready to get a building to open my first assisted living facility for seniors.  I had two more patients to see before my appointment with the realtor.  I never made it.  A couple of poor decisions on the part of teenage girls, and disobedience on my part ended with our colliding. Now, one has to live with the consequences of her actions, one is dead and I am still recovering from both physical and emotional injuries.
As a psychiatric nurse I've encouraged my patients suffering with depression to journal. Something I've seldom done my self. I usually study and write what I discover. I love to learn and see how I can use it. When I began to do service I found that what I studied was not just for me but that there were many who needed this information I was hording. I encouraged getting some new experiences. Decided to take my own advise and do it. Not that I could say I felt like it or wanted to do anything. At least in public I was and still am less likely to cry for no apparent reason.
Now in case you think I've gone off the subject. Let me assure you I have not. This is just history of how I got here. As you may can tell even as I write I'm not fully recovered. I still hurt, I still fight depression and to add to all of that. I'm out of money. Yes, nosey I got a small settlement  form  my insurance company and that's a story that would make you depressed too. I spent it on daily living needs and the many hospitals, surgery centers, labs, x-ray centers, physical therapist and doctors I have been seeing over the last few years. Now that your curiosity has been dealt with. can I get on with my blog? Thank you.
Coming in to summer I'd made plans to attend an MMI (millionaire mind intensive, it is not a religious event). I'd been to a few before. I found that I received a different thought and a new curiosity  about money, my relationship with it  and the management of it after attending the first one.  I thought that if I could go and take someone with me who could receive it I could get back to where I was just before the accident when life was looking rather good. I was looking for what I could put my hands to do so that God would have something to bless. Well, because of my makeup, I got home excited and began to go to my scripture to make sure that I was in line with the word. And. Yes, it happened again. My pastors instructions were to have the people do a 1-90. Place God first by increasing our study time. doing self evaluation to see where God is in our lives. We are to recommit to seeking the kingdom of God first and his righteousness for 90 days. there is a call " can He count on me? Yes he can!" There is so much to it that I'll just have to refer you to check our church out on line for your self to get the audios. Heritage Christian Center Jacksonville, Florida.
I soon found my self reading my bibles starting in the gospels. I don't know how to just read. I have to ask questions. That is how I ended up here. So, questions. what is the kingdom of God, Where is it, how to I seek it, how will I recognize it, what does it take to become a citizen?  How do I seek righteousness, What does it look like, how do I know if I have it, what can I do with it? And, the question that only a few would ask out loud. What is the benefit to me for doing all this seeking once I find them?
I read the gospels then was about to read Acts when I was instructed to go back to Matthew. There I would ask those questions. What was Jesus saying?  Did he answer my questions already in his parables?  The answer is, yes. So for anyone who may actually decide to follow this blog you are going to be blown away at what you will  discover in this study to Seek Ye First The Kingdom.

Seek Ye first the kingdom... Vocabulary lI

Debt: sin,trespass;something owed, obligation (unable to pay off his debt); a state of owing; the common law action for the action for the recovery of money held to be due. liability, obligation, score
Mosaic law encourages lending but forbade the exaction of interest exception from foreigners. Usury  was strongly condemned. On sabbatical year all pecuniary obligations were cancelled. These regulations prevented the accumulation of debt.
Trespass:a moral or social violation of ethics unwarranted infringement, an unlawful act committed on real property a person or anothers rights. Offence, error, breach, lawbreaking.
Pecuniary: Consisting of a measure of money; more at fee. syn: dollars and cents, fiscal, pocket, monetary, financial.
Fee, a fixed charge, a sum paid or charged for a service, a legal possession
Judge: to form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence and testing of premises; to try; to determine or pronounced after inquiring and deliberation. Govern; Rule. to form an estimate of value esp to form a negative opinion about.; to hold an opinion, guess, think  as in (I judge she knew what she was doing) I think, I guess; Syn; arbitrate, decide, determine, referee, rule on, settle, umpire.
Judge: used of Hebrew tribal leaders: to govern, to exercise continuous sovereign authority over, esp to control and  direct the making and administration of policy in; to rule with out sovereign power and usually with out having authority, to determine basic policy (Archaic) -manipulate, to control direct or strongly influence the actions and conduct of. to hold in check, restrain, to require. to have decisive influences or control to exercise authority. Syn. Boss, captain, command, control, preside over, rule (archaic- sway)

Seek ye first the kingdom.....Vocabulary l

why? Jesus taught his disciples but what did he teach them?  He preached the gospel of the kingdom. And, He healed them.

This list is not alphabetical and is supplied in order to bring clarity to their use in the writings of the gospels. Will be added to as needed
NB: three words that prevents all learning  "I know that"

Serve:  to render obedience and worship to God, to comply with the demands or commands of, to work through or preform a term, to put in or forth time, to be of use, benefit, to prove adequate or satisfactory for, to make ready and pas out, to wait on, to furnish or supply with something, to put a ball into play, to treat or act in a specialized way
Servant:  a person employed
service: the occupation of an employee, to work for.
Salt: brings out the flavor, it enhances, makes better.
light: displaces darkness, allows vision, causes obstacles to be revealed, by shinning on an object it causes an outline to be seen of that object as a shadow. Brightens,  enlightenment, truth, public knowledge, window, standards
Lamp:a vessel with a wick for burning a flammable liquid to produce an artificial light. a devise producing light or heat
Eye:  organ of sight, vision, perception, faculty of discernment , point of  view, judgement, a window to perceived truth.
idol: a representation of a deity used as an object of passionate devotion
Righteous: be in right standing with God. meet qualifications of God.
Adversary: foe, in opposition as debate, Oral legal dispute, difference of mind
one who attacks, or tries to do harm to another, foe, in opposition as in debate , opposite, or against, resistances, content to strive apart, hostile, an adversity on the opposes.
Way: a course of action, opportunity, capability, possible course/direction
reconcile: cause to be friendly again, adjust, settle, bring to submission, conform, accommodate
Council:an official body of law makers,
Anger: affliction, rage, fury, indignation
Judgement: a decision or opinion given after judging, a formal decree of court, the process of forming an opinion by discerning and comparing
Fool: Idiot, one who lacks since or judgment, one who spend time idly or aimless, one who meddles or tamper thoughtlessly or ignorantly,  who deceives.
Deceive: to cause to believe a lie, untruth, to  deal  with dishonestly , to practice or use dishonestly
Adulterant:something used to adulterate another
Adulterate:to make impure by mixing in a foreign or inferior substance,
Wife: woman acting in a specified capacity, used in combination (mid wife) a married woman
Divorce:a complete legal breaking up of a marriage
Woman: married, having been married
Murder: the act of unlawfully killing a person,esp with malice of thought, to kill brutally.
Love:(n) to feel warm attachment (vb) to feel passion, devotion, tenderness, caress, to take pleasure in
NB romance and love are different
forswear: to go before, place first emphasis on
swear: to assert  emphatically as true with an appeal to God or one's own honor. to charge or confirm under oath.
Oath: a solemn appeal to God to witness to the truth of  statement. or the  sacredness of a promise, an irreverent or careless use of a sacred name.
revenge: on the same level as the offence, to inflict harm or injury in return for a wrong
perfect: being with out fault,or defect, exact, precise, complete (vb) an action or stat completed at the tine of speaking or at the time spoken of whole, entire, intent
Agape: unconditional (modern Greek) refers to general affection toward a good meal, ones children, spouse, friends. it can be described as feeling of being content or holding in high esteem, treasured
Eros: passionate with sensual desire and longing, Erotos intimate affection can be interpreted as love stronger then brotherly love. (helps the soul recall knowledge of beauty) Plato (and contributes to the understanding of spiritual truth
Philia: friendship, brotherly (modern) dispassionate, endures loyalty to family, friends, country and requires virtue, equality and familiarity a general type love for family between friends a desire or enjoyment of an activity.
Storge- affection -natural affection as parents to offspring know the express mere acceptance or putting up with situations as in loving a tyrant. a connection fro mearly by people who find themselves together by chance, neighbor distant family, community, networks, clubs and organizations
a natural love due to its preset with out coercion, emotion  because it pays the least attention to characteristics deemed  valuable or working of love and as result transcend most discernment factors,
agape: charitable love is the love that brings forth caring regardless of circumstance
Romance Eros is love in the same being in love (doesn't have to be sexual attraction, emotional  connection is loved for.
Treasure: hoard, to keep as precious, cherish, prize, value, appreciate
Therefore: with emphases on what is before.
Mammon: wealth, riches
Transgress: to go beyond the limits set, to step across,go beyond, go too far.
trespass: wrongful entry, violation, infringement, to commit an offence, sin, err, intrude encroach.
Power: a position of ascending over others, authority, the ability to act or produce an effect. physical might, mental or moral vigor(strength), force or energy.
Ask: to call on for an answer
Value: the appreciation , love for, passion for, the worth of, rate of usefulness, the position of , the esteem of, a rate given to.
darkness: to be with out light. with out knowlege or insight. to lack vision

Just thinking out loud

Sometimes I wonder if I'm being too critical. I hate, yes hate, when some celebrity acts like an idiot then wins an award and all of a sudden they yell out," I want to thank God the father" or some other religious sounding mess and people make them in to super christian with wisdom coming out the eyeballs.
Even "christian celebs" for example a few years one got married. Had this long drawn out boring mess of a wedding. Wasn't married a year before she wrote a book giving  "how to keep your man advise" to other women.  ( that was before the divorce)
Where in the scriptures are women instructed to think like a man?  It's elitist and snobbish to expect a christian to use clean language, dress appropriately for age, gender and faith. Even being disrespectful is supposed to be overlooked and made fun of. Not!
I require evidence of being in the same family I'm in.  You should look like my daddy in some way. your behavior should agree with the culture I live in. You know, culture,( the way we do things here.) My daddy has rules and boundaries you must not cross. As good as my daddy is he can't stop you from sending your self to hell. He gives a person a chance many times over to change his ways. He will not make you.
If you have not studied, and practiced to develop a godly mindset your conscience has nothing to  confront you with when you are wrong.  The holy spirit's job is not to punish. Just remind you of what ever the lord has said.  You punish your self with your own conscience. With that if you don't turn away from your rebelliousness you will one day lift your eyes in hell.  I'm just thinking  out loud.

Seek ye first the kingdom.... Introduction

My pastors began the year with the theme "setting the right order".  My personal theme is "first things first, use what you've got." Now, because I'm not in the best financial place of my life the first thing I thought of was, "what do I have?".  I had my mind on what I could do to increase my income. I thought of the fact that after I sell all my extra stuff and cut as much as possible out of my expenses I still will need  "mo money".
This is when I looked into the compensation plan of a company I deal with every month. Yes! I thought, I love these products, they will be last on the list of cut backs. I need these products anyway and will have to buy them from somewhere. Yes, this could work. Then, what happened?
I'm reading my bible and it jumped off the page. "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Then I visited a friend for far more time than planned.  We began to talk about the kingdom. How it is that a well known preacher had tuned in to the kingdom message.  Next I went to church and. You're right. My pastors were messing with me. It was as if they were peeking over my shoulders, reading what I was reading, and listening to my thoughts.
I told myself that I wouldn't blog not one word of this revelation. I would just keep it in my journal. OK, so I lied. not to you but to my self. I've learned that what I study is not just for me.  I think I will have to do this in parts. The little voice in my head has assured me that no one will read it anyway. So blog on.
Thanks, for sharing, I think I will. I'm speaking to the little voice. Please  excuse the private conversation.
We will need to make sure we are on the same page, so, the next blog will be vocabulary.

Law with out compassion is deadly

To be at 23:30 up by 0300.  some can't drank coffee or tea before bed, I can't watch the news.  I awoke crying due to such heart saddening news. A little girl soon to be four years old was court ordered by a judge to be given over to a man who is a registered sex offender.
See he was 38 years old when he impregnated her mother then 14 years old. Her grandmother instead of having him arrested then signed her daughter over for him to marry. Act of stupidity no1. The child's mother had three children for this abuser before leaving him. Before the divorce was final she was pregnant again, this time from another man.  She died in an auto accident within a few months of this last child's birth. This man is guilty of domestic violence, and sexual acts committed on a child under 16 years old. (another teen, not her mother)

This child's grandmother has had her all this time, she is a healthy, happy little girl who loves her grandmother. There is a law that says that the child is presumed the child of the husband if they are still legally married when the child is born.  It was known this one is not his and today that law is challenged often due to DNA testing. My problem with this story is that this little one is being given to a non-relative stranger. He is a sexual predator who targets young girls.  He living conditions would have a social worker trying to remove any children who lived there. He lives with a woman who there can be no doubt needs an advocate. She is developmentally handicapped.

The reporter asked her "what does he want with the child?" the woman answered in a giddy nearly childlike manner " I got to live here so"  The judge has handed over this little girl as if she is a house or car that was in dispute in the divorce case.  What ever happened to the best interest of the child?
This baby has been screwed over by the law and placed in position to be raped as in sexually assaulted by this man. She's not his blood so in his sick mind she would be fair game. I am sick over this. I'm praying.  If this man is not to be around children he can not be employed or volunteer to be around the elderly or the mentally ill  anyone who would not be able to fend for them selves. How do you let one law overide a law that protects?   lengths to keep my baby out of harms way. Even if I had to go to
prison. My God deal with this judge who does not appear to have compassion. If he had he would have allowed the laws that protect children over ride the so called persumed father law. we no longer have to make such a presumsion.