Living By Kingdom Principles

And again He said, ”To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.” Luke 13:20,21 (New American Standard Bible)


There are kingdom principles throughout Scripture that we need to familiarize ourselves with. They are ways for God to teach us how He works and how the Christian life is suppose to operate. If we do not know His kingdom principles for our every day life we will flounder at taking truth and allowing it to work in us. God has set up His rule and reign in our life in order for us to live life to the fullest.

The kingdom principle of this passage is that God’s work is an internal work that has an effect on my whole person. I love word pictures and Jesus used many of them to explain concepts and truths that are often hard to grasp. Here He is taking a simple concept of adding yeast to flour in order to see God’s principle at work. God’s work in us is such that He affects change for us from the inside out.

I found it interesting to see how yeast actually works. This explanation I found on the web fascinated me….The yeast's function in baking is to ferment sugars present in the flour or added to the dough. This fermentation gives off carbon dioxide and ethanol. The carbon dioxide is trapped within tiny bubbles and results in the dough expanding, or rising. In other words it is a process of growth, multiplication, and change. You are not able to add yeast to dough and not see a change in the dough. The change is profound and evident!

Too many of us live with the concept that if we just change the way we act it will somehow produce inward change. That is backward to God’s kingdom principles. His intent is for us to be changed internally through taking in Scripture, the working of His Spirit in us, and our cooperation with Him. It is not something we do but rather something we allow to be done in us. Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” The KJV says it is “both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” I need that reminder often lest I begin to once again live my Christian life out of self effort, behavior modification, and performance. I want my heart to be like the flour mentioned in today’s verse. It simply becomes the breeding ground for the yeast to do its work just as my heart becomes the breeding ground for God's Word and Spirit to do their work.

Father, keep reminding me that it is YOUR work in me that I need. You will do in me what You want to do through me. Amen.

Word of God Speak ~ Mercy Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JK_6osCH74&feature=related

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16