via TJC
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” - John 18:36
WE believe in the Kingdom over the culture. We are residence and migrants on Earth, and in the United States, our citizenship is in the Kingdom.
I’ll tell you the story about how I was taken hostage once, but I escaped.
I was driving somewhere and I got lost with no map and no cell phone service. I stopped at a nasty-looking bar. Neon lights were flashing. There were cigarette butts on the ground. I heard muted sounds of music. It was the kind of bar for “locals” only.
I walked in, hoping for the best. Before I could say anything, I was taken hostage!
The locals surrounded me. The bartender wouldn’t let me leave. He kept insisting that I drink another “on the house.” At first, I tried to be polite. They said, “You can’t leave. You live here. You’ve always lived here.” That’s when I got scared. I told them that I was lost and that I needed directions. “Guys, I don’t live here!” I said.
The bartender said, “You got it all wrong, son. You only need to live by THESE rules. He pointed to a faded sign on the wall that said, “No Spitting. No Shoving. No Cussing.” and everyone repeated the words out loud as though they were words to live by. These people were crazy! They kept telling me, “Yes, you live here. This is your home!”.
I was screaming, banging my fists on the bar. “I don’t live here! I just got here. I need directions to the highway!” They laughed at my panic. They blocked my way to the door and treated me like I was the crazy one.
Then I woke up. It was a bad dream!
Isn’t that what many think, even you and I sometimes? We live life as though we’re driving somewhere, got lost, and now actually believe that we live in a crappy dive bar.
That’s what this life is compared to: the eternity of heaven that awaits us. This life is like the five minutes that I spent in that dream. Those bar seats aren’t mine. I’m definitely not sleeping on that sticky floor (please, Lord, no!). I won’t be going to the bathroom on that nasty toilet or staying long enough to read the graffiti scratched into the toilet stall. I’m not putting my hands in that dirty bowl of peanuts. The jukebox doesn’t have any of the songs I like. Time to go!!!
Yet, here, you and I are convincing ourselves that this dive bar is our home. You might turn on the news. You might argue about God’s plan for this place. You might concentrate on being “cool” or gossip with chumps. Whatever, but realize that these are things that “the locals” do. You’re not from here and it doesn’t matter how much you love the neon sign.
We’re just passing through. In our home, we have peace. In our home, there are different rules. Our home isn’t far away and we have the right to return to it. Our father gave us the keys and the deed. He paid the mortgage. When you return, you’ll walk in the door and be so grateful: the smell of dinner and people who love you.
Out back, a backyard that goes on forever and ever.
Daily Battle Order
Our nation is divided. You have to live here and so do your kids. We can’t ignore life on earth.
But don’t ever lie or fool yourself: You belong to the Kingdom of God. Your ID here is a passport, not a license. You’re not from the edge of town. We better figure out how to reconcile that fact with what is going on around us. Today, just think about that.
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