Kingdom Business

This is a mind bender so hold on tight...
I am a bit caught up in this whole thing of Kingdom of Heaven (not the movie, but the actual reality that is the Kingdom of God). It is existing right now, mostly in heaven but we can just barely touch on it right here on earth as well. Jesus talked a lot about "the Kingdom of Heaven" when he was here on earth (if you want to look for yourself, here's a link to the bible, pay special attention to Matthew, that is mostly referring to when Jesus talked about it while he was here on earth: click here)

In a class I attended we, after receiving a teaching on 'Kingdom of Heaven' were asked to kinda sum it all up. Mind you: this is almost like taking all the ocean and trying to fit it in a small drinking glass. It's a big subject to 'sum up'. But we basically used a visual example: a snow globe. (hint: We're in the snowglobe here on earth, looking out at the vastness of the Kingdom.) If I try to explain in a few words, it may only confuse you. So I'll just let that sit for now so you can ponder on it.
(maybe in this picture that represents God outside that snowglobe waiting to bust it open with a sledge hammer so we feel the reality of His Kingdom! haha).

The point is: there is a heavenly Kingdom that is God's Kingdom and it's existing right now, we can only be a part of the very outskirts of it while we're living on the planet earth (we can also invest into it). Just like I talked the other day of our earthly money being the equivelant of Monopoly money in light of the Kingdom of Heaven. Instead of our number one focus being our Monopoly-money, our number one focus should be, "...seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (matt. 6:33)!

This made me think, what am I doing to seek the Kingdom of God? Ok, read the Bible, worship, pray, etc. Ah-HA! We so easily leave out our 'daily-duties' in a way. We go to work, thinking this is just the way it is, I have to work to get money. However that QUICKLY, EASILY turns into 'serving money'! Which is exactly what Jesus warned about "No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." (Luke 16:13)

Andreas told me just the other day, that in Norwegian that is exactly the word you use when you go to work to earn money. Directly translated you say Norsk: "I have to go 'serve money'." or US English: "I have to go make/earn money."

This in no means is to say 'working' is evil. I'll try to ellaborate a bit (Lord help me). I've realized that when I go to some jobs that I feel I am just a part of the assembly line. I almost go insane. For example: stamp this, file that, stamp this, file that, stamp this, file that, all to make five bucks. I just want to pull my hair and bang my head on the wall. This is not the Godly reaction, of course. The Bible does say to the slave "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men..." So if we are making ourselves slave to money, then we should still do our work sincerely and not a bad attitude. HOWEVER, I realized (or am thinking that) we have a choice in Christ. We can choose to 'serve money', or we can choose to serve the Kingdom of God.

I think it's possible that a way to determine this is asking yourself, "How is this investing in the Kingdom of God?" Maybe you have a website building business. I'm not saying that's an 'evil' thing and only pastors are Godly. However maybe through that business you can start handing out business cards that also have scripture. Or, maybe ask God how to do your web design and put on workshops to multiply that way of running your business, giving God glory for how you're doing things. Does this make sense?


Maybe it's simply working at that desk job because people around you need to see the example of a true Christian and you can evangelize. However, if that's the case then do it! Don't just get stuck 'serving money'. Ask "How is this investing in the Kingdom of God?", if your job is not. Ask God for an idea of how to make it something that invests in His Kingdom and search scripture. God is the endless idea master. However, if you get no ideas for yourself, then maybe it's not the career for you and God has something better that fits you personally and that is a way to invest in the Kingdom.

That's my new challenge to myself,














"How is this investing in the Kingdom of God?"