THE KINGDOM PEOPLE AND THE CHURCH PEOPLE 2

1. As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
2. Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples."
   Matthew 9:9,10 (NKJV)

-> The Kingdom Principles:
• The Principle of Giving: Tithing, Offerings; venison, or offerings to the ministers, offerings to God-commanded projects, and offerings to the needy.

• The Principle of fruitfulness, that is, bearing of fruits after you have been nurtured to growth: "EVERY BRANCH [believer] IN ME [Jesus] THAT DOES NOT BEAR FRUIT HE [God the Father] TAKES AWAY; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, THAT IT MAY BEAR MORE FRUIT" (John 15:2).
READ: John 15:16
YOU bear fruits through Witnessing, wining other souls, that is, bringing others to CHRIST: "For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, FOR NECESSITY IS LAID UPON ME; YES, WOE IS ME IF I DO NOT PREACH THE GOSPEL!" (1 Corinthians 9:16).

• Every believer has been given the ministry of reconciliation, we are to tell the world that God is not mad at them, He wants them to reconcile with Him through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
• The Believers who live in line with the Word of God witness Christ to the people around them through their characters—through the way they live (1 Peter 2:11,12).
• Witnessing with your mouth, one on one with those who come your way, sharing what Christ had done for you, and asking others to come and taste Christ, is equally important.
• Inviting others to the school of the Bible, prayer meetings, and other meetings or activities in the Church you attend should not be neglected.
• If you claimed to be part of the Kingdom, then expansion of the Kingdom should be your utmost priority.
• If Jesus has done you any Good, and you KNOW, then you are a debtor, you have a responsibility to tell others about Jesus Christ AND bring them to His feet that they may learn of Him—and that they may have Peace or find rest for their souls (Matthew 11:29).

• The Principle of being submissive, obeying the spiritual authorities over your Life.

• There is order in God’s Kingdom. Things are not done haphazardly, they are done orderly.
• God has ordained leaders in His Kingdom whom He delegated His authority (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11-14).
  THESE have a responsibility to watch over the people of God: "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, TO SHEPHERD THE CHURCH OF GOD WHICH HE PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD" (Acts 20:28).
  READ: Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:2
• God’s people, the kingdom people also have a responsibility to submit to God ordained authorities over their lives, that they may prosper in whatever they do: "OBEY THOSE WHO RULE [lead] OVER YOU, AND BE SUBMISSIVE, FOR THEY WATCH OUT FOR YOUR SOULS, as those who must give account. Let them do so with Joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you" (Hebrews 13:17).

• Principle of Love

• Love is the new testament law, or the new commandment given by Jesus Christ: "A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE TO YOU, THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER; as I have loved you, that you also love one another" (John 13:34).
• Without love you cannot live in the Kingdom of God (Romans 13:8-10).
• It is a major principle in the Kingdom. Love for God and fellow human beings: "Owe no one anything except to love one another, FOR HE WHO LOVES ANOTHER HAS FULFILLED THE LAW" (Romans 13:8).
• When you love God, you will automatically love the brethren and other human beings: "If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; FOR HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE HIS BROTHER WHOM HE HAS SEEN, HOW CAN HE LOVE GOD WHOM HE HAS NOT SEEN?" (1 John 4:20).
• Envy, hatred, bitterness, and the likes are the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21), THEY are the properties with which the devil works; anyone with such things in his or her life has not fully belonged to this Kingdom, AND such a person is not ready yet for the benefits of the Kingdom of God on earth: "HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE DOES NOT KNOW GOD, FOR GOD IS LOVE" (1 John 4:8).

• Principle of Obedience

• Without Obedience you cannot make any progress and profit in this kingdom.
• Obedience to all the instructions given by God through His Word, the Bible, or the Word impressed in your heart personally BY the Holy Spirit through the inward witness, or the One revealed spectacularly through visions, AND the words given through His servants—ministers.
  "BY FAITH ABRAHAM OBEYED WHEN HE WAS CALLED TO GO OUT TO THE PLACE WHICH HE WOULD RECEIVE AS AN INHERITANCE. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."
  Hebrews 11:8 (NKJV)

• Principles of Faith

• Without faith you cannot walk with God, and you cannot please God: "BUT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).
• Until you learn how to live by Faith, you may not amount to much in the kingdom.
• Faith makes you Master of situations and circumstances on The earth.
• You build your Faith by obeying the Word of God, doing or practicing the written Word of God, living in line with it, AND the instructions given to you specifically by the Holy Spirit. DOING these will cause you to experience promotion IN the kingdom.

• Principles of Holiness

• Without holiness you cannot see God: "Pursue PEACE with all people, and HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD" (Hebrews 12:14).
• Living in sin makes you irrelevant in this Kingdom.
  IF you are attending Church meetings and you are still living in sin, you should as well forget about the benefits of the kingdom.
• Holiness means shunning sins, refraining from sins, keeping away from every appearance of evil: "ABSTAIN FROM EVERY FORM OF EVIL" (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

• Conclusion

• Are you a disciple, the Kingdom person, or a Church person?
• If you forsake sin and abide in the principles of the Kingdom, then you will enjoy all the benefits of the kingdom.
  • The truth is that Jesus came purposely because of you, He wants you to be His disciple, He wants to be your guest and live permanently with you that you may enjoy, and be a beneficiary of all the kingdom booties: "Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he [she] will keep My Word; and My Father [God] will love him [her], AND WE WILL COME TO HIM [her] AND MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM [her]" (John 14:23).
• Would you allow Jesus? "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN TO HIM [her] AND DINE WITH HIM [her], AND HE [she] WITH ME" (Revelation 3:20).

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!