Wednesday, November 28, 2007

The Keys of the Kingdom

Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:17-19)
Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” After receiving various answers, He then asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” That is when Peter boldly answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” He nailed it in one, but not because of his own ingenuity — it was a revelation he received from heaven. “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

The kingdom Jesus preached and taught is the connection between heaven and earth. The revelation Peter received on earth came from the Father in heaven. It was the foundational truth that Jesus is the Messiah, the One Anointed by God to redeem His people and be their King. Indeed, Jesus is the Son of the Living God, which is to say that He is the only true God and the source of all life. This powerful truth is the basis for the kingdom of Heaven on Earth, and of the Church.

Jesus said that on this rock, this revelation, He would build His Church, and the gates of hell could not be able to overcome it. The gates of ancient Biblical cities were where the business pertaining to those cities was conducted. They were where counsels were determined and strategies devised. All the strategies and devices of hell will never be able to prevail against that which Jesus has built on the revelation of who He is. Indeed, the Church shall overcome and undo all the strategies of hell. For the Church has been given the keys to the kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

Keys control the gates. They open things up and shut things tight. They bind and they loose. The keys of the kingdom are the authority and power to bind on earth what has already been bound in heaven and loose on earth what has already been loosed in heaven. It is not the gates of hell, but rather the counsels and strategies of heaven, the will of our Father being done on earth as it is in heaven, that will prevail.

The authority and power of the keys to the kingdom of Heaven on Earth is found in the revelation that Jesus is the Anointed King, the Son of the Living God.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Monday, November 26, 2007

The Treasury of the Kingdom

Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matthew 13:51-52)
Having taught His disciples many parables, in public and in private, about the kingdom of Heaven on Earth, Jesus asks them if they understand. The Greek word for “understand” means to put together, to comprehend. Yes, they had connected the dots.

Jesus then likened them to scribes. A scribe was a scholar of the Hebrew Scriptures. The disciples already had an understanding about God’s purposes in the Old Testament. Maybe not all the ins and outs, but enough to know about Messiah and His kingdom. Now they were being instructed — “discipled” is what the Greek word means — by the King Himself. They were receiving fresh revelation on important aspects of the kingdom they had not known before. They were witnessing the fulfillment of what the ancient prophets had spoken.

Every student of Old Testament promise who has also been discipled concerning its fulfillment is like the master of the house who “brings out of his treasure things new and old.” The treasure, or treasury, is his storehouse; he has laid up for himself treasure in heaven, that which speaks of Heaven on Earth. He “brings out” things “new and old.” The Greek word for “bring out” is ekballo, which means to fling or hurl forth. It is active, not passive. The master of the house does not wait to be asked, but is passionate about taking these things to others.

The Greek word for “new” refers to that which is fresh; the word for “old” speaks of that which is ancient, antique, worn by use. For where there is a promise, it must be fulfilled, or else it will become stale. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire [that which is hoped for] comes, it is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12). The “scribe” discipled about the kingdom of heaven not only brings the hope, but is also able to show the fulfillment.

Just as Jesus came preaching the good news of the kingdom of heaven, He prepares His disciples to do the same — to offer the hope of Heaven on Earth, and the fulfillment of that hope through faith in Messiah.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

The Kingdom Gathering In and Sorting Out

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:47-50)
Notice that there are two actions taking place in this parable: Gathering in and sorting out. In Matthew 12:32, Jesus spoke two ages: This age and the age to come. This age is passing away, along with the lust of it (1 John 2:17). It is an age of darkness, but it is already passing away and the true light, the light of the age to come is already shining (1 John 2:8). Those who receive the Lord Jesus are son of that kingdom which is already breaking into the world. Those who reject Him are part of the world system that is passing away.

This present age is the age of gathering in people of every kind. However, not all who are in the kingdom are of the kingdom, nor do they all belong to the kingdom. There are those to whom the kingdom of Heaven on Earth has been given, and those to whom it has not. There are those who have ears to hear the word of the kingdom, and those who do not. There are those who receive the seed in good soil, with the whole heart, and those who do not. There are those who give up everything that they may possess the kingdom, and those who do not. There are those who are “sons of the kingdom,” and those who are “sons of the wicked one.” In other words, there are those who believe the Gospel and receive the King, and those who do not.

At the end of this age, there will be a sorting out. Those who belong to the kingdom shall see it in all its fullness and have joy in the age to come. Those who belong to this present age shall see the destruction of all they have so vainly held onto, and know only sorrow and misery.

The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is the only one that is going to be left standing at the end of this age. Be sure that you are not only in it, but of it, by receiving the King.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A Kingdom Worth Everything

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:44-46)
The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is like treasure hidden in a field or like a man who finds a pearl beyond compare. One man has not been seeking it at all, but one day he just stumbles across it. Another man has been earnestly seeking after it for years and one day happens to come upon it.

Perhaps the one in the field represents the lowly peasant who had no developed expectation of the messianic kingdom, and the merchant man stands for one instructed in the Law and the Prophets. Or maybe the merchant signifies the Jews, to whom the promise of the kingdom was made, and the man in the field foreshadows the Gentiles, to whom the Gospel would soon be preached.

Nonetheless, each one must make a decision. It is revealed to them suddenly and unexpectedly, in a small moment; but they have “ears to hear” and a heart to receive, so they quickly recognize it for what it is and understand its value. They are overjoyed. Immediately, they give up all they have so they may possess it as their own. Their whole lives have now become all about this wonderful kingdom.

The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is worth everything you have — your whole life.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

A Kingdom that Starts Small and Finishes Big

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” (Matthew 13:31-33)
In these two parables, Jesus teaches us about the dynamics of the kingdom of Heaven on Earth. In the first one, we see how the mustard seed, though it is very small, becomes a plant large enough to be a tree. In the second, we see how a tiny bit of leaven works through a large batch of dough (about half a bushel or more, as much as a woman could knead by herself).

The kingdom of Heaven on Earth starts small and finishes big. That was a surprising twist on Jewish expectations. They knew the kingdom would be large and glorious, and they expected that it would burst onto the scene in a great display of political power. What they were not expecting was a seed. But in Zechariah, the LORD tells us that the things of God do not come about by human power or might, but by His Spirit (4:6). Then He teaches us to not despise the day of “small things” (4:10).

The kingdom of Heaven on Earth operates by the power of the Spirit, which is not bound by physical limitations, so size is inconsequential. Even a tiny seed, when it is in the hand of the Lord, becomes a very powerful thing. In Luke 17:21, Jesus tells us that the kingdom is within, inside of us. How big can that be? Well, consider how much power is packed inside the atom. Though it is microscopically small on the outside, there is an amazing release of energy when it is split. You might say it is bigger on the inside than on the outside, if you were going just by appearances.

It is the same way with us. We are bigger on the inside that we are on the outside, because the kingdom of God is within — and that is enough to change the world. Paul says that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think, but he adds that it is according to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20). What power is that? His power, the power of His Spirit, the power of the kingdom within.

The kingdom of Heaven on Earth has already begun, and has been growing and expanding ever since. As it permeates, its influence is being felt all over the world. It has not yet risen in all its fullness, but it is always forcefully advancing, and will continue to do so until King Jesus returns. Then it will shine in all His glory.

The kingdom of Heaven on Earth starts as a small seed but becomes big enough to change your life and transform the world.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Monday, November 19, 2007

The Sons of the Kingdom

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.

So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’

He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’

The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’

But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” (Matthew 13:24-30)
The previous parable was about four different soils and how they each received the Word of the Kingdom. This parable is about two very different kinds of seed: wheat and tares.

Jesus gives us the interpretive key to this parable.
Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” He answered and said to them:

“He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! (Matthew 13:36-43)
This is the key:
  • The field = the world.
  • The good seeds = the sons of the kingdom.
  • The tares = the sons of the wicked one.
  • The enemy = the devil.
  • The harvest = the end of the angels.
  • The reapers = the angels.
Here is how we know that this parable is about the kingdom of Heaven on Earth — there are no tares in heaven. One day there will be no tares in the kingdom of Heaven on Earth, but for now, we are living in the in-between time, between Jesus’ first coming, when He announced that the kingdom was now here, and His second coming, when it will be here on earth in all its fullness. That is why Jesus taught us to pray, “Kingdom of God, come.”

In the previous parable, satan comes to snatch away seed (the Word of the Kingdom). In this parable, satan comes to sow seed (tares). Now the thing about tares is that, when it is long, it looks very much like wheat. But when it matures and bears fruit, it is quite different — and poisonous.

What is the difference between the fruit of the tare and that of the wheat? Paul gives us a good example in the contrast between the “works of the flesh” and the “fruit of the Spirit.”
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:19-23)
James also gives us a good comparison:
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:13-18)
Satan sows his tares to cultivate the works of the flesh and bring forth a wisdom that is full of envy, selfishness, confusion and every evil thing. God is, for the present, allowing it to remain in the field. For the tares get intertwined with the wheat, and to remove them would end up damaging the good as well. That is why, although the kingdom of Heaven on Earth has already begun, we still find evil in the world. But the day is coming, and is fast approaching, when God when send His angels to separate the tares from the wheat, the bad from the good, to destroy that which is evil and preserve that which is good. “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

The “word of the kingdom” produces the sons of the kingdom, bearing the fruit of the Spirit and the wisdom that is from above. Do not worry about the tares; God will deal with them at the appropriate time.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

The Kingdom of the Sower

Behold, a sower went out to sow. (Mathew 13:3)
Jesus taught in parables. A parable is a figure of speech; it conveys truth about one thing in terms of another. Parables reveal truths about the spiritual realm in terms of the natural realm. The parables of Jesus teach about the kingdom of Heaven on Earth. You might say they are “downloads” of the mysteries of the kingdom. Here, Jesus gives us the parable of the sower. It is about one kind of seed and four kinds of soil.
And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! (Matthew 13:4-9)
Notice that Jesus begins with a call to see: “Behold.” That is, See! Here is a figure of earthly things, but see past that to this important spiritual truth. He ends with a call to hear: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Don’t just hear the earthly example, listen for the truth in it that comes from heaven. Jesus then explains this parable to His disciples, who were still learning how to see in the spiritual realm and hear the sound of heaven.
Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:18-23)
The “seed” is the word of the kingdom — the good news that the kingdom of heaven is now here on earth. It is the call to repent and believe, to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

There are four kinds of soil, and four kinds of results:
  • There are those who hear this good news but do not understand it because they do not receive it in the field of their heart, but only along the wayside where the good soil has worn away. Because it cannot take root there, the devil soon comes and snatches it away. We cannot simply tack the kingdom of heaven on to whatever else we are seeking in life; it must be our priority, or else it will be snatched away, and everything else along with it.
  • There are also those who receive the seed and are happy about it, but there are stony places in their heart, just beneath the surface, where they are not willing to yield. The Word cannot be established because of their hardness. Their joy and faith soon fades away because they do not let the kingdom dig deep inside them.
  • Then there are those who receive the Word but their heart is full of distracting cares and the temptation to trust in riches. These things have such a stranglehold on them that they are unable to bring forth the good fruit of the kingdom. They do not learn to cast their cares on the Lord who cares for them. They do not make the kingdom of God their priority, and therefore do not find all these other things taken care of. They are more like Martha, who was anxious and distracted by many things, instead of like Mary, who chose the “one thing, the “better part” which cannot be taken away (Luke 10:41-42).
  • Finally, there are those who hear the word of the kingdom and give themselves over to it completely. They receive it with the whole heart, letting it deal with all the hard places. The kingdom of God and His righteousness become their priority, the lens through which they view everything else, and everything else is brought into proper perspective. They begin to bring forth the fruit of heaven on earth and it becomes great blessing to others.
Jesus is sowing the word of the kingdom of Heaven on Earth. What kind of soil will you be?



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Friday, November 16, 2007

A Kingdom of Parables

And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” (Matthew 13:10-13)
There are those who are ready to receive the kingdom of Heaven on Earth, and those who are not. Parables reveal the difference. Those who are ready to receive, believe and obey the words of Jesus will understand the parables, and the mysteries of the kingdom will be revealed to them. For those who are not willing, the kingdom will remain a mystery. That is why Jesus ends some of His parables with, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” For whoever has, to him more will be given.

The mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven on Earth are revealed in parables. Do you have ears to hear?



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

The Kingdom of the Father’s Will

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”

But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50)
Whoever does the will of the Father is the brother or sister of Jesus, for the kingdom of Heaven on Earth is all about the will of the Father being done on earth as it is in heaven. How do we do the will of the Father? That is what some people who came to hear Jesus asked.
Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:28-29)
Jesus said that the work of God, which is the will of the Father, is to believe in the one the Father sent, that is, in the Lord Jesus Himself. That is how we become His brothers and sisters.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)
The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is all about the will of the Father being done on earth as it is in heaven. The will of the Father is all about believing in Jesus.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The Kingdom of Binding and Loosing

But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matthew 12:28)
Jesus has healed a man who was demon-possessed, blind and mute (Matthew 12: 22-23). Then some Pharisees came and accused Him of casting out demons by Beelzebub (literally, “Lord of the Flies”) whom they considered the ruler over demons (v. 24).

Now, mind you, it was not just one or two demons that Jesus expelled, or else they might have been able to make a good argument, that satan was causing a few demons to retreat in order to gain some sort of advantage — satan is a schemer. It was not only a few, but everywhere Jesus went, He was casting out demons from the multitudes that followed Him. He was doing major damage to the kingdom of satan. And that was one of the reasons He came: to destroy the works of the devil (Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8).

Jesus answered the Pharisees and showed their illogic:
Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If satan casts out satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matthew 12:25-28)
Notice how Jesus turned the table on them — in a double whammy! First, if Jesus was casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, then by whose power did their own exorcists manage to cast out the few demons they were haphazardly able to expel? After all, a small handful of exorcisms might be a demonic strategy, but Jesus was the one who was casting them out wholesale, running roughshod over satan and his works.

Now for the second whammy: If Jesus was casting out demons by the Spirit and power of God (as indeed He was), then it was a sign that the kingdom of God had suddenly come into the world. Indeed, the Jews believed that when Messiah came, satan would be bound. Now it was happening before their eyes. Jesus then drove the point home:
Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. (v. 29)
The kingdom of God comes binding and loosing. Binding satan and plundering his goods. Taking the devil to the cleaners and loosing people from demonic oppression. This same kingdom authority belongs to all Jesus’ disciples:
Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18)
The literal sense of “will be bound” and “will be loosed” is “will have already been bound” and “will have already been loosed.” That is, we are given authority to bind and loose on earth what has already been bound and loosed in heaven. This is in agreement with how Jesus earlier taught us to pray: “Your kingdom, come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

Jesus reinforces this same idea yet again: “Assuredly, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:19). Heaven and earth are coming together at every turn.

The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is a kingdom of binding and loosing. Satan has been bound and his works have been destroyed. Our job, then, is to bind and loose what has already been bound and loosed in heaven, just as Jesus did.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

A Kingdom Hidden and Revealed

At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. (Matthew 11:25-26)
Jesus prayed to His Father, the Lord of heaven and earth (who is also the Lord of heaven on earth). It is prayer of thanksgiving that God has revealed to babes things He has hidden from those who are wise and learned in this world. There is a wisdom that is of the world, but it is not like the wisdom of heaven.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:13-18)
The wisdom that is from above is the wisdom of Heaven on Earth and reveals the righteousness and peace of the Father’s kingdom. God does not withhold it; He is willing to share it with all who are willing to receive it. But the world has received an earthbound wisdom that is limited to the senses, demonic in nature, and brings forth evil and confusion. Therefore the wise of this world are unable to embrace the wisdom that is from above. So God reveals it to the babes, the simple, the weak — those whom the world considers foolish.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God. (1 Corinthians 1:25-30)
Jesus is the wisdom from above, the wisdom God greatly desires for us to have. He bypasses the wisdom of the world and reveals the Father to all who receive Him.
All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. (Matthew 11:27-28)
The wisdom of Heaven on Earth is the revelation of the Father in Jesus Christ the Son. And now Jesus gives the invitation to receive this revelation, and know the rest it brings.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30)
To take His yoke means that we must set aside all other yokes. To learn of Him means that we must set aside the wisdom of the world, and our own understanding, and trust in Him. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths’ (Proverbs 3:5-6).

The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is revealed to those who are willing to receive its king, Jesus Christ, who is made for us the wisdom of God.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Forcefully Laying Hold by Faith

The kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. (Matthew 11:12 NIV)
One way the kingdom of heaven forcefully advances is through the Word of God. All creation is framed and sustained by it (Hebrews 11:3; Hebrews 1:3), and faith, which is how we forcefully lay hold of the kingdom, comes by hearing it (Romans 10:17).

As I noted in yesterday’s blog, there was a time in my life when I realized that I really needed to lay hold of the kingdom in regard to certain areas in my life. So I gathered up Scriptures pertaining to those areas and, pacing up and down the hallway of my house, I began to declare them forcefully, with a loud voice.

What was I doing? I was laying hold of the promises of God, claiming them as my own. I was pressing into the truth of them. I was confessing them with all I had within me. To confess something literally means to “same the same thing,” to agree with that something. The Greek word translated “confess” in the New Testament is homologeo, which literally means “same word.” When we confess our sins, for example, we are agreeing with what God has to say about them. When we confess His Word, we are agreeing that it is so. That is faith, and it pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).

Here are some of the Bible-based confessions I began making that day:
  • I remember the LORD my God, for it is He who gives me the ability to produce wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18).
  • I am prosperous and successful, for I meditate upon God's Word day and night (Joshua 1:8).
  • I will go up at once and possess the blessing God has given me; for I am well able to overcome all that keeps me from it (Numbers 13:30).
  • The God of heaven, He will prosper me (Nehemiah 2:20).
  • The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want (Psalm 23:1).
  • I magnify the Lord continuously, for He takes pleasure in the prosperity of His people (Psalm 35:27).
  • I delight myself in the Lord, and He gives me the desires of my heart (Psalm 37:4).
  • Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads me with benefits, the God of my salvation (Psalm 68:19).
  • All my fountains — my unlimited resources — are in you, O LORD (Psalm 87:7).
  • I am blessed, for I fear the LORD and find great delight in His commands. My children will be mighty in the land, for the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in my house, and my righteousness endures forever, for I have the righteousness of Christ at work in me. (Psalm 112:1-3)
  • The LORD makes me increase — me and my children. I am blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 115:14-15).
  • There is peace within my walls and prosperity within my palace (Psalm 122:7).
  • I prosper because I am generous and give freely. I am refreshed because I refresh others (Proverbs 11:24-25).
  • Prosperity and honor now come to me, for I receive instruction (Proverb 13:18).
  • From the fruit of my mouth my stomach is filled; with the harvest from my lips I am satisfied (Proverbs 18:20).
  • Whatsoever my hand finds to do, I do it with all my might (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
  • God goes before me and levels the mountains; He breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron. He gives me the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places (Isaiah 45:2-3).
  • I ask and it is being given to me; I seek and I am finding; I knock and the door is being opened to me (Matthew 7:7).
  • All things whatsoever I ask in prayer, believing, I shall receive (Matthew 21:22).
  • God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all I ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within me (Ephesians 3:20).
  • My God will meet all my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
  • All things are mine (1 Corinthians 3:21).
  • My prosperity and progress appears to all, for I meditate upon God's Word, and I give myself diligently to it (1 Timothy 4:15).
  • God gives us richly all things to enjoy (1Timothy 6:17).
  • I enjoy good health and all goes well with me, even as my soul is getting along well (3 John 2).
Forceful men lay hold of the kingdom of Heaven on Earth by believing the Word of God.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

A Kingdom Forcefully Advancing

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:12)

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. (NIV)
Luke gives us a parallel reading:
The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. (Luke 16:16 NKJV)
Notice the words: “pressing,” “suffers violence” and “forcefully advancing.” The Greek verb for all three is biazo, which speaks of using force.In Matthew 11:12, the form of biazo used is biazetai and is either in the passive voice or the middle voice. The passive rendering is “suffers violence.” The middle voice is as the NIV has it, “forcefully advancing.”

Luke records the same saying as Matthew. In Luke's version, “The kingdom of God has been preached” relates to “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence” or “The kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing.” “Forcefully advancing” seems to be a better parallel to “has been preached” than does “suffers violence.” We do not normally think of the kingdom of God being preached as something that it suffers. Rather, we think of preaching of the kingdom as an advance.

In the latter part of Luke 16:16, “everyone is pressing into it” equates to “the violent take it by force,” or “forceful men lay hold of it.”

The Greek verb biazetai, in the middle voice, means to “crowd oneself into.” Someone compared it to an elevator that is full, but someone comes and crowds himself into it. That is exactly what the kingdom of heaven has been doing since the time of John the Baptist — it has been “crowding itself” (biazetai) into the world, forcefully advancing through the preaching of the gospel. In response, forceful men have been laying hold of it — they have been “pressing into it” or “crowding themselves” (biazetai) into it.

Some have supposed that the “violent men” are wicked men who seek to overturn the kingdom. Notice, though, that Jesus did not say that violent, forceful men try to take it by force, but that they do take it by force. But how is it possible that the kingdom of God can be overcome by wicked men, when Jesus said of His Church that the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18)? The answer is that it cannot. Remember also what John said, that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

No, the wicked do not and cannot take the kingdom of God by force. Rather, I believe that Matthew 11:12 is talking about men responding to the gospel of the kingdom by faith, pressing into the kingdom, just as the kingdom is pressing into the world. Matthew 11:12 and Luke 16:16 are talking about the same thing, not two different things.

The kingdom of God advances in many ways. By the preaching of the gospel; by healings and deliverances; by signs, wonders and miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit; even by prayer, as we pray the way Jesus taught us to pray: “Kingdom of God, keep on coming” (that is the sense of the Greek text in Matthew 6:10).

The kingdom of God is pressing itself into the world, and forceful men are taking hold of it.
  • It is like Jacob wrestling with the angel of the LORD: “I will not let You go until You bless me” (Genesis 32:26).
  • It is like the man who stumbled upon a rich treasure in a field, then went out and sold all that he had so he could buy that field and possess that treasure.
  • It is seeking first the kingdom of God and letting God take care of everything else.
  • It is asking until you receive, seeking until you find, and knocking until the door is opened unto you.
  • It is a bulldog tenacity.
In a word, it is the force of faith, believing what God has said. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). With faith, all things are possible (Mark 9:23).

Back in the early 90's, I had come to a place in my life where I realized that I needed to learn how to lay hold of the Word of God by faith concerning certain issues in my life. So I printed out a list of Scriptures, casting them in the first person, as confessions. Every day for about a month, I would pace up and down my hallway repeating them. Very quickly I got to where I would speak them very loudly, shouting them out as I claimed the promises of God for my own. I did that in order to shatter the mindset I had learned from the world, and the weak discipleship I had received which really knew nothing about how to stand on the promises of God. It was a violent and forceful thing, but I was soon able to break through those strongholds of doubt and unbelief that had seriously hindered me. Looking back, I can see a great difference in my life, my faith and my ability to receive from God.

Ever since the days of John the Baptist, the kingdom of God has been powerfully breaking into the world and tenacious men have been laying hold of it. When we are fully focused on God's kingdom, we will see it manifest in very powerful ways, but if we treat it casually, we will hardly recognize it.

The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is forcefully advancing, and men lay hold of it by the force of faith.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

A Kingdom of Greatness

Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:11)
Jesus gives us the perspective of the kingdom of Heaven on Earth. The Old Testament is full of many mighty men of God who accomplished great and powerful things. But none of them was greater than John the Baptist. He was more than a prophet — he was a forerunner. Jesus identifies him as the one of whom Malachi spoke: “Behold, I send my messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You” (Matthew 11:10, quoting Malachi 3:1).

Follow the mind-blowing logic inherent in Matthew 11:11:
  • John the Baptist was greater than all of the Old Testament saints.
  • The least one in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist.
  • Therefore, least one in the kingdom of heaven is greater than all of the Old Testament saints.
Now, this does not mean that we are greater in our holiness, devotion or faith. Rather, it has to do with the greatness of the kingdom of heaven. The prophets of old only foresaw it, but we are actually a part of it. Of these great Old Testament heroes the author of Hebrews writes,
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth …

And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be perfect apart form us. (Hebrews 11:13, 39-40)
They obtained a good testimony because of their great faith, even though they did not live to see the day for which they believed. However, God has provided something for us that is even better, which builds on their ancient witness, and is indeed a fulfillment of it — the kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
  • It is the kingdom of the New Covenant, which is based on better promises (Hebrews 8:6) and instituted in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 22:20).
  • It is the kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). God has given His Spirit to every member.
  • It is the kingdom of the greater works of Jesus. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:12-13)
The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is a kingdom of greatness and confers greatness on all who are part of it.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Monday, November 5, 2007

The Kingdom of the Son of Man

And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Matthew 8:20)

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” — then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” (Matthew 9:6)

For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. (Matthew 12:8)

For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. (Matthew 18:11)
Jesus often referred to Himself as the “Son of Man” (twenty-seven times in Matthew’s Gospel). This title speaks not only of His humanity, but also of His divinity, messiahship and authority to reign as king. It is that which was referred to by Daniel.
I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14)
The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is the kingdom of the Son of Man — Jesus Christ.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Friday, November 2, 2007

The Table of God’s Willingness

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Matthew 8:1-3)
Some people think that prayer is about trying to get God to do something that He has been unwilling to do. But as one man of God said many years ago, prayer is not about overcoming God’s unwillingness; it is about laying hold of His willingness.

The leper who came to Jesus had no doubt that Jesus was able to heal him, if only He was willing. Though he had faith, he just did not know what the will of God was concerning his healing. So he asked. Now, this was the only time anybody had ever asked Jesus if it was His will to heal—and the answer was Yes! What joy it must have been for this leper to realize that he had just laid hold of God’s willingness. And immediately he was cleansed.

Prayer that gets results is prayer that lays hold of God’s willingness. The apostle John put it this way.
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)
It is the will of God to give us every good thing. The Bible says that “no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). Every good gift comes from God (James 1:17) and He is unwilling to hold any of it back from us. Why? Because of Jesus. Paul said “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

When we take of the Table of the Lord, we see that God did not withhold His only Son from us, but gave Him freely that we might know His salvation. The bread and the cup demonstrate that God has not withheld any good thing from us, but that He is more than willing to give it all to us. See His willingness, we can pray with God confidence, knowing that we will receive the good that we ask.

The Table of the Lord is The Table of God’s Willingness.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Signs of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. (Matthew 9:35)
The ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ was to preach the “gospel of the kingdom,” the good news that he kingdom of heaven was now present on earth. He not only preached this, He also demonstrated it by healing every sickness and disease that was brought before Him. The kingdom of God was breaking into the world, but Jesus greatly desired to accelerate it:
But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:36-38)
The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is a kingdom of harvest. In the very next verse we see the Lord of the Harvest sending forth His laborers to do exactly what He Himself had been doing:
And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease ... These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:1, 5-8)
Just as Jesus went about announcing the kingdom of Heaven on Earth, and displaying the signs of the kingdom, He chose His disciples and sent them out to do the same. He gave them power and authority to expel demonic spirits, heal all kinds of sickness and disease, even to raise the dead. For the kingdom of Heaven on Earth is a kingdom of life and wholeness and freedom. These are the signs that the kingdom of heaven truly is present on earth. They have all been performed many times over in the history of the Church, and are coming forth with even greater frequency today.

The Lord Jesus gives power and authority to the disciples of His kingdom to bring forth the signs of His kingdom and gather in the harvest.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.