Planted By Water
The Lloyd family are back from a relaxing and refreshing holiday, and raring to go. Weather was great (especially for April) and pool and jacuzzi did just the job! My wife also did some time on the rowing machine in the on-site gym - but hey! - I was on holiday!!
Thanks to those who left some thought-provoking comments while I was away. I am still wanting to pursue with anyone who is interested this whole idea of influencing and transforming the world as Kingdom-people. While thinking about it on holiday I felt that I wanted to say something before I launch into what I hope will be a conversation with fellow-bloggers rather than a monologue of my ideas.
I have called my blog ‘Planted By Water’ because I believe that our personal and corporate growth depends on us having our roots deep into God, into a dynamic and sustained relationship through Jesus by meditation on his Word and dependence on his Spirit. As I set out when I first began the blog there is a Kingdom tree that will fill the earth, but its roots are in the depth and quality of our faith-relationship with God. If we try to influence the world or even speak out on the issues of our world without these roots, we will be hollow and empty voices, or simply echoes of other people’s ideas. But if we are getting our roots down deep in God, we must believe that this is not just for our own personal fulfilment or for charismatic experiences in church meetings, but so that we can have a truly real, spiritual and tangible impact on our world.
I think of some of the my biblical heroes who influenced their world - like Joseph and Daniel - and I am most struck by how deeply rooted they were in their relatioinship with God (even and perhaps especially when the going got tough!) I think of the prophets who had something to say only because they had stood in the council chambers of God. I think of a man like Enoch who ‘walked with God’ and who, as a result, saw and prophesied about the Day of Judgement and Resurrection, way back in the beginnings of history. And I find in my heart a desire to be a man like that and not just another prattling pundit on world issues, or another Christian getting on his high-horse about how bad society is! My friends, lets have something to say because of what we have seen - a Kingdom that is not of this world - and this can only come as we walk with God. Let’s stay deeply rooted in our relationship with God through Christ.
In his book, The Community of the King, Howard Snyder uses an image that has stayed with me - he says of salvation that our personal relationship with Christ is at the centre, but that nothing less than world transformation lies at its circumference. I want to explore the boundaries of where the Kingdom impacts and influences our world, but I believe we can only do this by being centred in our relationship with God. That is why I hope and pray that this blog does two main things - it encourages and helps people, through meditation on the Bible and reference to devotional reading, to deepen their relationship with God, to stay planted by water; and then - through observation, reflection, comment and dialogue - to begin to explore how we can begin to see the Kingdom transforming our world in real, practical ways. I just wanted to restate that before we get into further discussion about the issues involved in influencing and changing our world. At all times and in everything, readers and fellow-bloggers, let’s stay planted by water! Without that, we’ve got nothing to say!
April 25th, 2006 @ 10:45 am
Dear Mr lloyd
I must admit that I have become very interested in what you and your fellow band of bloggers say about “This christianity”.Infact I have recently been exchanging comments with your friend Chris H.H, this fellow brother has amazed me in his willness to discuss with me honestly and openly tough issues,the issues that I think all Christians struggle with.Our Lord Jesus once said “By this shall all men know that Ye are My disciples, if ye have love one another.Chris certaintly showed me love by responding to me,He could have blocked me or even told me to Go away because I was quite critical on the subject we were discussing.However he answered all my questions in a respectful way.(1 pet 3.15)
I don’t understand the term you use “Kingdom people”
I look on my self as a forgiven sinner, and now just a common christian with a desire to tell people about “the Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ”.
To tell people that they have offended a Holy God and for them to pick up the Bible and hopefully tremble at God’s Word and repent of their sins and to turn to Christ in faith to be saved, who payed the price for their Sins. Because that is the message of the Bible. Flee from the wrath to come. Should we not spend our time learning to preach that Gospel instead of hoping to change the world.I might be wrong, I am only a mere man but my understanding of the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, The Son of God says that this World we live in can not be changed, It can not be improved and as I look around me I agree.I trust you will see my comment as a honest question from a fellow Christian. I don’t understand “kingdom People”
April 25th, 2006 @ 1:50 pm
Hi Trevor
I was reading through your blog today, and started to look into the above post. I must say, that this has both challenged and excited me.
I grew up in a church, that believed in the Kingdom of God as a future event, not as we believe, a current reality as well as a future event. I used to think that we could only see the Kingdom once we got to Heaven, and this age was the Church Age, followed by the Kingdom age, only when Jesus came back here.
We the Church, are in way, Change Agents, bringing the Good News, and Life Transforming message of His Kingdom to our friends, neighbours and our communties
April 26th, 2006 @ 9:34 am
Hi again Trevor - it was the title of your blog that attracted me to look it up! It’s great to have an overview of the “why” of your choice. I have been dwelling on Jeremiah 17 v 7 for a couple of years now: “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” So many exciting themes - roots, plantings, streams, fruit and leaves. If the “leaves of the tree” are truly to be for the “healing of the nations” I agree we need deep roots in the word of God, in Spirit and in fellowship with each other.
Peter
April 27th, 2006 @ 12:13 pm
Mr Jones,
By Kingdom people, I mean Christians - those who have been born into the Kingdom of God, are citizens and ambassadors of that kingdom and, as sons of that Kingdom, are sown into the world to make a difference.
However, I do feel that not all Christians have an understanding that this is who they are. When they do come into such a revelation, by the illuminating wok of the Holy Spirit, it makes a big difference. We are able to see ourselves as world-changers!
April 28th, 2006 @ 4:50 am
Definitions are so critical to productive communications, we might agree; and as Trevor has instructed Mr. Jones regarding “kingdom people.”
Does the Kingdom have a King? Who is He? What is the extent of His rule? By what standards does He govern?
The answers to these questions are central to our worldviews, our epistemology, our relationship with Jesus Christ — our Judge, Lawgiver and King — whether we think we have one or not.
Is Kingdom synonymous with church? Many say yes; they offer that the Kingdom comprises only Christians.
But are believers the limit of God’s constituency, of His sovereignty as King? Does He not also reign over the pagan populations, in whatever nation, whether they acknowledge Him or not (Ps. 2)?
And how about the non-human realms: the meadows, the mountains, the oceans; and all the creatures, trees, flowers, and produce that dwell therein (Ps. 24:1)?
Perhaps these thoughts are more relevant to the
“Kingdom Seed” thead, but I’ll deposit them here
for consideration.
Could the Kingdom of the Triune God of all Creation be seen, in the words of a mentor of mine, at least partially, within this huge revelation which I am grateful to share:
“The Kingdom of God is the civilization of God: heavenly, earthly; internal, external; historical and eternal” (G. North)
BIG!
April 29th, 2006 @ 10:46 pm
Thank you Mr lloyd for replying to my question. I have struggled for a long time now to understand how we has Christians are going to change this world,even influence it in the way you hope. I have no doubt you are sincere in you efforts. Your fellow blogger Mr Hugh Griffith has also expressed his sincere desire to bring the kingdom of God to the city he lives in.
Mr lloyd I am only asking questions as a fellow student of God’s word to my Brethen, I am trying so hard not to throw out the baby with the bath water but sometimes i’ve strained the bath water and I can’t find the baby.
Changing the world for Jesus! Our Apostle Paul, who surely,plainly told us that it is not our business to become judges over them also which are outside the faith (1 cor 5, 12 )Our Apostle Paul also taught that if anyone wishes to serve in the Lord’s Army, he is not to entanggleth himself with the affairs of this life. ( 2 tim 2, 4 )
Our Lord Jesus said, if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.(john 18,36) To fight ( My family back ground is trade unions and politics I know all about fighting ) is to compete, struggle for power over other men by debate ,or by intrigue, or even by force.
But The Lord’s kingdom is not of this world, and the “rat race” in which men compete with each other.
Our Lord Jesus compares himself to a household servant, servants don’t give orders. Yhe only thing we are asked to do is Preach the Gospel and to be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks us a reason for the hope that is in us with meekness and fear.(1 pet £.15 )
It’s my understanding, and I am just another Christian… that Our Lord Jesus has explicitly forbidden his followers from trying to change this world or nations, He told us not to be like the world luke 22, 25-27. Our Lord Jesus also said that few would be saved ( matt7,14; luke 13, 23-24 ) Yet God will have His wonderful Gospel preached, so no man may make any excuses.
Perhaps I have not had “this revelation” of the kingdom you talk about, but it’s the revelation of the message of Christ that men are saved ( 1 cor 1, 21 )
But may God have mercy upon us both as we search the scriptures daily for his truth.