 Shalom and praise the Lord everyone. Thank you all online students for joining class this morning and also like to welcome our e-learning students who will be listening to this lecture later on and to all our right-handsome and beautiful in-person students. Okay, thank you all for joining class. Hope all of you had a good Sunday and a good, powerful worship experience at church and a good learning experience and we'll continue our learning experience this week. Okay, we'll begin with a word of prayer. So can one of you please lead us in prayer please? Anyone? Anyone can lead us in prayer quickly? Sri Radha will pray. Father God, we thank you for this time and when we came here together and we are learning from your word, you give us the wisdom, knowledge and places through Selenamam. We surrender all our students into your hand and Selenamam into your hand in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you Sri Radha. So last Monday before we finished class we were looking and we were studying chapter 5, Kingdom Living. Okay, and we were looking at some of the characteristics of kingdom lifestyle. Okay, so what are some of the characteristics of kingdom lifestyle? Righteousness, joy and peace, endurance and suffering, holiness and reverence. Okay, power and authority, stewardship and good stewards, forgiveness. Okay, anything else? No partiality, yes, extending forgiveness. Okay, thank you. So we look at the characteristics of kingdom lifestyle. Okay, we look at two more, I think we left with two more, no partiality and we finished no partiality, readiness for the king and being celibate for the king's sake. Okay, so we look at the readiness for the king and we'll read Matthew chapter 25 verses 1 to 13. Okay, so can one of you please read that Matthew chapter 25 verses 1 to 13? Matthew chapter 25 verse 1 to 13. Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard, Behold the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out. But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there should not be enough for us and you, but go rather to those who sell and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy the bridegroom came and those who were ready went in with him to those to the wedding and the door was shut. Afterward, the other virgins came also saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, assuredly I say to you, I do not know you. What's there for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. Amen. Thank you. So the Lord Jesus Christ told us this parable concerning the Kingdom of Heaven to teach us what? What do you think this is teaching us about? Okay, to be ready when the King comes. Okay, when Christ returns to be ready to always be in a constant state of readiness. Okay, so it's not just being ready like, okay, it can happen whenever, but we always be in a constant state of readiness for the King to come. Okay, so one way of applying this parable is to understand that our lives and our works, our actions, our lamps. Okay, so one way of understanding this parable is to look at our life and our works, which means all the things that we do, our ministry, you know, whatever kingdom assignment that God has given entrusted to us, whatever kingdom purposes or whatever we are engaging in the world, our lives, who we are. Okay, we are to be the light of the world. Okay, so our lives and our works, you know, is like the lamp and we are called to be the light of the world. Matthew chapter 5 verse 14 and our works, everything, our good works that we do, you know, the ministry, the things that we do for his name's sake or what we do for the kingdom's sake or the kingdom's assignment is a way people see his light shining in and through us. So when we are engaging in our works, we're just seeing the life of Jesus just flowing in and through us. Okay, we are his light shining before them and when they see the light in us, they're actually, we are bringing glory to the Father. Okay, we're glorifying our Father who is in heaven. Matthew chapter 5 verse 16. So it's very important that we ensure that, you know, we keep our lives and our ministry always radiating with the light of his glory, which means we're always manifesting his glory continually until Jesus comes. So that is what is the resemblance of the light. Okay, so the lamp is our lives and our works that we do, the light is the glory that we are manifesting in and through our lives and in and through the work that we are doing for God. Okay, so how do we keep ensuring that our lamps are always burning with the oil? So what do you think the oil resembles? Yes, it resembles the life, the presence and the anointing work of the Holy Spirit. Okay, so without which, you know, we ourselves, we cannot do good works, we cannot live a life that is holy and pleasing in God's sight, we cannot be light, we cannot be salt, we cannot manifest his glory in our own strength. So we need to ensure that every day, you know, this oil is continually being filled in us. Okay, so how do we ensure that the oil is continually being filled in us? How does the oil get filled in us? The oil resembles what? The life, the work and the power of the Holy Spirit. So how do we ensure that, you know, this life, this oil is always there in us? Prayer, yes. Yes, reading and meditating on God's word, praying in the Spirit. Okay, what else? What's the most important thing for God? Love. Love? Obedience. Yes, obedience is better than sacrifice. So having an intimate relationship with him is very, very important, which includes praying and reading God's word and also obedience. Okay, so kingdom living calls for a life of constant intimacy with God to keep our lives in our ministry, shining his light until he comes. Okay, and how can this light be shining in us through our personal times with God, intimate times with God, and also through his obedience. Okay, and then another characteristic of kingdom living is celibate, being celibate for the kingdoms sake. Matthew chapter 19, verses 9 to 12. Can somebody read that please? And I say, Matthew 19, 9 to 12, and I say to you, whoever divorces his wife except for sexual immorality and marries another, commits adultery, and whoever marries her, who is divorced, commits adultery. His disciples said to him, if such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry. But he said to them, all cannot accept the saying, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven, heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it. Amen. So here the term eunuch is, you know, is talking in the context of somebody who's not married, who's celibate, okay, who's single, not yet married, and it's not talking about eunuchs in the sense of somebody who's gone, undergone some physical change, as is commonly understand, okay. So it's not somebody who's gone through some physical change that we commonly understand. But here in this context is talking about somebody who's single, unmarried, and who's being celibate, okay. So he's saying here that there are some people who are unmarried, why? Why? They have no desire to get married. They just love to be single. They enjoy being single, okay, and doing, living their own life. Then why else are people single? Because some of them, you know, because of men means, you know, some form of social religious context they are in, or, you know, that requires them to be celibate, or, you know, because of other influences, or they compelled, you know, just to take on celibacy. Some life situations, some life, you know, challenges that they face, and because of people around them causes them to be single. And what else? Why else do people remain single? They don't find the right person, okay. Maybe that comes in the second category. Yes, thank you, Rin. So some of them want to just serve the Lord, build this kingdom, just invest all of their time, their life, their, you know, their energy into just building God's kingdom. And, you know, those who choose celibate lifestyle because for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. And Paul was one such example. He had every right to choose a wife, take a believing wife, but yet he, yes, he refused, he gave up his right for the sake of preaching the gospel. We read this in 1 Corinthians chapter 9, verse 5, verse 15 and verse 16, so that he could serve God without any destruction. We read this in 1 Corinthians chapter 7, verse 35, okay. So there are some people who choose this lifestyle or being celibate or being single because of various reasons, but some of them do it because they just want to serve the king. They just want to serve the Lord without any distractions, without any disturbance, okay. So that is one of the last aspects of the characteristics of kingdom lifestyle, okay. So we looked at various characteristics of the kingdom lifestyle and hope that even as we went through all of these characteristics, this becomes our own characteristics, our own lifestyle, our own culture that we live by, okay. Any questions on chapter 5? Online students, anyone has any questions, any doubts? About this thing of, actually they are just being like that. Sorry? Just not being married. Okay. So like in the last time also when we are in the subject, fulfilling God's purpose, so we spoke about this, like someone asked like, is it as a God's purpose of being like that? Then you said like, no, God will, God will, I mean, God orchestrates one person and orchestrates his life or someone's life, but it's their wish to just married or not to be married. So how can we see that? Is there any God's plan in our life like that? I mean, just, is he definitely arranged a person for us or is it a God's will maybe, being alone? To be single. You have to take the mic. I was phrasing his question, like last time when we asked to be single and to be single, you told like, if it is God's will like, it's hard without the calling to be single. Sorry, it's hard without the calling to be single. Yeah, like to calling to be single is hard. So you told like, we have to ask, like it's God's calling us to be single, then he will give the grace. Yes. So question is, is it so, but how we know it? How do you know whether God is called it to be single or to be married? So I mean, in God's will, once you, when you, when we are talking about this fulfilling God's purpose, then we spoke about this, like, see, if God is God, don't want us to be single or like that. God will arrange one person for us, but it's our free will to get married. So one of, maybe it's Francis, I think so. Ma'am, is there, is there someone God arranged a girl for me? But, but what if we won't marry it? So what you told is, it's, it's not God's doing something and all it's our will to get married or not. So is, is in the second, in the second point, is there any God purpose or will being a single? Is it God? Does God call us to singleness? Is, is there anything like that? See, what scripture tells us is that, you know, that God has, you know, that he, that he wants all of us to be family is part of God's plan and will, we see that in Genesis chapter one and two. Okay. He wants, you know, us to be companions, to be together and he created man for woman. Okay. So there is a plan of God in establishing families and through that, you know, to extend his kingdom as well. So it is God's plan, yes, for us to get married. Okay. But some of us can choose to stay single, like Paul, he had every right to choose a wife to take a believing wife, but he chose not to wife for the sake of the kingdom of God. Okay. And so your other question is, does God have a specific person for us to get married? Yes, God has a plan and purpose for our lives. He knows, he orchestrates things, he knows who he wants us to, you know, to be a life partner. So what if we don't choose that person? If you don't choose that person, then, you know, it's not that God is going to get angry or upset with us and we're not going to get married. He can, and if it does not work out, he can, he will always bring somebody else into our lives. Or if the other person is not ready, is not aware, is not willing to get married, then, you know, God has given us the free will to choose just like Adam and Eve in the garden, you know, they had a free will to choose, they chose what was wrong, they faced the consequences of that. So if we don't choose that and that other, or if the other person, we know that the other person is God's will for our life and the other person is not ready and not willing and we're waiting, it does not happen. It does not mean that, you know, that we're going to be single the rest of our lives because, you know, we've lost out on God's will and it's not my mistake, it's other person's mistake but God will always orchestrate, do things to bring somebody else into our lives. Or, you know, it's just the choice and will of the other person or maybe God can even change the heart of the other person and bring them. So I really, so I hope answer that question or no. What we told is from Genesis 1 and 2, God orchestrated and God wanted us to be a family. Yes. But see, I, yeah, not called and all. What I choose like not to be married is anything I'll, in any way, I'll disobey God's will and purpose. You're saying that, what if I don't get married is because I disobey God's? No, God's purpose and will. Oh, if you're not, you're not married, you desire to be married and you're not married, is it because you are somewhere, you know, going away from God's will, is there some disobedience in your life or there is something? Being not married, is there, is it like, is it? No, if they choose not to be married is their own will, like Paul, you're saying in context of Paul, Paul had every right to marry. He was, he was doing, he was in the center of God's will, but he chose not to be married for the sake of, you know, serving God. No, it's not disobeying God's will. No, it's just a choice that you are making and God is not somebody who says, hey, no, you have to get married to fulfill my plan of family and to move on and things like that. No. God is not going to be angry with you because you are being single, but you know, he will just give you the grace to live in that singleness so that you can continue doing his will and his plan and his purpose. But if you're saying that you don't want to be single and you are not yet married, in that context that you're saying is because of disobedience and sin? No, you're not saying. Okay. Okay. So like Paul's life, you can take the example of Paul's life, very evident. Yeah. So if you're single just because you want to continue to do God's will and serve him because you're so zealous and passionate, God is not going to be angry that you are disobeying him and not getting married and having a family. No. So I hope I answered that question. Okay. Question. Is there a call from what what Prince have asked? I mean, see, I just, I don't have a call to be single like God don't want me to be single and serve. He want me to use in another way in another place. But what I wanted to be single and serve. So some of the pastors from I don't mention the ministry. So this pastor, the senior pastor is actually a single. So what the remaining assistant pastors also will tell is I'll also be single because my pastor is single. He did a great ministry. If I sacrifice my life to God, my physical life, all these things, then God will use me so greatly. How you can, how we can see that the senior pastor has a call. Okay. He has a calling. He has a definite calling to be single. Okay. But these guys are following the senior pastor, not God. Like my senior pastor is my senior pastor is single. That's why he built these many churches. So I'll also be single. I'll also do great ministry. Maybe they are still what do you say? I'm so passionate and so zealous for God's kingdom that they're so eager to do it. You know, looking at it in a positive way at just like their pastor, they also want to, you know, just be serving God. So pastor has set a great model for them in terms of doing ministry and serving God and being passionate for the kingdom of God that, you know, that his, the other associate ministers have just followed him like that. But I'm sure if God is, you know, if that is their desire, then God will let them choose that, but they can even come to a place where they feel that, hey, you know, I'm feeling lonely. I need a partner. They would come to a face in that. And then God is not going to say, okay, it's time. Time's up. You've missed the bus, you know, you can't have a partner. He will provide. He's gracious and loving. So he will just, he's given us a free will to choose. So if they are so zealous and passionate and eager to serve and build God's kingdom, you know, God will just allow them. Okay. Because if he puts them in a, you know, post them into a marriage, they will not be, they're not mentally, physically, emotionally prepared for it, you know, so they will, the family life will kind of be hindered. So God will bring them to a place of maturity of not maturity of where they will need a family, a desire to have a life partner and God will prepare them for that season of life and then get them into that season of life. Okay. It's just like following the, you know, it's like, what do you say? Yeah, fan following kind of a thing. Oh, you mean the, the Catholic church? Okay. Yeah. See, that is because God has created us to be not single. He's created us to be, to be in relationship, in fellowship, in partnership with one another. It's, it's how God designed us, wired us, right? Yes, Rin. Pastor, like, into the single thing money. What about Peter? I mean, he was married, but he looks like Jesus called him, like, to be single, right? Did Jesus call him to be single? Yeah, he left his family. No, no. No. Yeah. No, it's calling him to be at this Jesus called Peter and the other disciples to follow him, but not at the cost of, you know, leaving their families. Yes, following Jesus has a cost where he's saying that, you know, like we studied, you know, of course, you don't know that you leave everything and follow him at the extent of even leaving your family. You have your earthly responsibilities, but then that supersedes your calling, your love for Christ. Okay. But at the same time, you don't overlook your responsibilities in your family. So it's not, God is not calling all of us to, you know, to love him more and to do his work at the extent of, you know, rejecting our families, taking, doing, taking care of our family responsibilities. Like Paul is writing to Timothy, you know, a soldier is always there pleasing his commanding officer. Okay. He's not engaging himself in civilian affairs, but if a soldier's family has problem, he will go back to his family and he will address the issue he will take care of his family. So Jesus is not telling us to totally reject and disown and leave everything and just follow him. Yes, there is a cost, there is a calling, but not at the expense of, you know, you leave your earthly relationships. Then why did God create earthly relationships for us? He could have just created us all of us to be single in no families and not get married and, you know, just serve him to manifest his glory. The reason why God created us was also to have relationship in a fellowship with him. That is the characteristic of who we are as human beings. But, you know, we have to have our priorities right. That's what we saw, this fulfilling what purpose also about this family. Yes. At what cost, when Jesus called, at what cost we have to leave our family? Yes. So we spoke about all these things. Yes. The cost of serving daily sacrifice, being a living sacrifice, yes. As God will, he is for everybody to get in, to have relationship. To be married, you mean? Okay. For everyone, it is like sovereign will or common will. You know, and also God has specific will or specific plan for someone to be singlehood. Like God calls some people to be singlehood. Did he choose someone like I have chosen him, he have to be single for me. Is it like that? I don't know. I must see from scripture where it really says if, I think Paul says, in he writes in Corinthians, he says, I need to look at it and then get back to see whether he really has called some of us into being single. Yes. Yes. To be single. One question is that like, is there specific calling for people to be singlehood? No, he was not supposed to cut his hair, not supposed to drink wine and not touch anything that is unclean or dead. Nazirite. Nazirite, wow. And second question, if it is there, how we know that God is calling us to be singlehood, if you, how do you know God is calling it to be single? You would hear very clearly and specifically from God that he wants you to be single, doesn't want you to be married. If we are desiring to be single and is it like God opposes and no, you should not be single. No, I told you he won't. It's your choice. He can't force you to be married. He can't force you to be single. He gives you the grace. It's better if you get married. Like that he can give suggestions. Oh, God might tell you. God tells you through your human reasoning, your human wisdom, your human knowledge and also through the circumstances and the situations that you go through and you feel like, Hey, it's, you know, I can't stay single. I need help. I need a companion. I'm feeling lonely. So you, and that is one way God is just steering up your emotions. Or, you know, he's, he's using different circumstances to show you that, you know, but if we are still not going into it, but if we're still stubborn, like, no, I don't want to get married. It's not stubborn. It's just your choice. Then God is going to give you the free will to choose that. And he will give you the grace to live that. And when you come to a place where you say, Hey, I don't have the grace anymore, not grace. I don't can't live anymore alone. Then he, you pray to him and, you know, he will provide. Yeah. Okay. Any more questions on being single, married? Okay. Any questions from our online students? You're very quiet. Any thoughts that you want to say about what people have said so far? No? Okay. We'll move on to the next chapter. Okay. Chapter six, kingdom culture. Okay. So we looked at a few aspects of kingdom thinking and we talked about kingdom living as a well. So if you put both of these together, kingdom thinking and kingdom living, what do we get? We get kingdom culture. Okay. Because a culture is where people have a specific kind of, you know, understanding mindset, ways of doing things, you know, lifestyle, thinking patterns, thought patterns. So we looked at a few aspects of the kingdom thinking and we talked about kingdom living and we put these two together, you know, we have what is called as kingdom culture. Okay. So for if all of us have to begin and walk and think and behave according to the kingdom of God, according to what he has taught us, you know, as part of his kingdom, we need to create what is called a kingdom culture. Okay. So this is what, you know, we want to have in our churches. This is what God desires in our churches, in our fellowships, even in our homes, in our families, that there is a kingdom culture where everyone is thinking kingdom thoughts, kingdom perspectives, in the kingdom framework and also everyone are living according to the kingdom standards. Okay. And we'll have a community of people who are experiencing the kingdom culture. Okay. So God wants this kind of culture here in Bible college. He wants this kind of kingdom culture in our churches, in our fellowships, Bible studies, in our homes, wherever we go, that, you know, we are living according to kingdom perspectives, kingdom thinking and also our lifestyles are occurring to the kingdom of God. Okay. So we look at a few aspects of kingdom culture. We've already spoken about all of these in the past few five lessons, but we will just kind of go through them again and then we will move on to the next chapter. Okay. So as kingdom culture, we are all kings and priests. Okay. So are we going to be kings and priests when in the future, it's a future reality or is the present reality? It's only a present reality. It's both present and future. So how is it a present reality? How are we all kings in the present? Where does it say in the word of God that we are kings? First Peter, yes, we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation of people who are called from darkness into his marvelous light to declare his praises. Okay. Yes. First Peter to nine, Revelation chapter one versus five and six. It says he has made us kings and priests to our God. Okay. So here we see that God has already made us what? Kings and priests. We're already kings and priests. When do we become kings and priests? When we are born again. So it's not something that's a future reality. It's not something that is a, you know, eschatological hope we have, which means it's the way in the future where we will be kings and priests, but it's also a realized eschatology. Realized eschatology means what? We live it here in the present. It's a present reality, something that we experience. Okay. And we are kings and priests to whom? To God. Okay. So how are we kings and how are we priests as kings? How are we kings? Okay. We are heirs of the king. So we are sons and daughters and how else? What is our role as a king? Okay. Yes. We take the authority and power to overcome the forces of darkness. We advance against the gates of hell because we have given the keys of the authority. What else? We are part of this inheritance. We are here to rule and reign and to extend the kingdom of God in our midst, in our sphere, in our, wherever God has put us. Okay. We are also what? Priests. Kings. How are we kings? We represent the king, right? We represent the king as, as a prince and princesses. We are children of the king. We represent the king. We represent our king here. We represent his rule, his reign, his presence, his dominion, his power, his authority here on earth. And we're here to see his kingdom come and it will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And as priests, what is, how are we priests? We serve God. Okay. Offering, yes, interceding, interceding for people standing in the gap also. Yes. Worshiping the king. Remember we, the second chapter, we look at God as king. We are to worship him. And also we have to, as priests, we, we take the matters of the earth to heaven. So we interceding. And also we seek God's heart or what is his plan and purposes for the people here. So heavenly intervention in the affairs and life of this earth or office people. Okay. So that is what we need, we need to do as priests. So you might not have a title as a pastor, but that doesn't matter. All of us are priests and all of us are supposed to stand up and do and fulfill our role. Now being kings and priests is also a future reality. Okay. So how are we kings and priests in the future? Sorry. In the million m kingdom. Yes. We are kings and priests. Revelation chapter five versus nine and 10. Okay. First Peter chapter two was nine. Okay. Says we are a royal priesthood. We are kings. We are priests. We belong to a holy nation. Okay. So what does the word nation mean? The word nation in the Greek really means ethnos and ethnos really means a tribe, people group, a nation. You know, it basically means people group or a nation that has the same habit or customs. Okay. Our customs, our habits in India is very different from the customs and habits from other nations. We differ in so much of our customs and the way we do things. So it's basically a culture. So as kings and priests, we are people of a common culture, common kingdom culture. Okay. So we have a set of beliefs, attitudes, mindsets, thought patterns, ethics, principles, practices that characterize us as children of God as people belonging to the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. Okay. So when we as a community of believers, when we follow kingdom thinking and follow kingdom living, you know, we create a kingdom culture. We create a kingdom culture wherever we go. Even if you're traveling in the train, you will bring about a kingdom culture because you are carrying kingdom thinking and kingdom living. Okay. Even in your home, if you're the only believer, you can bring about kingdom culture in your workplace. You know, if you're the only believer, you can bring about the kingdom culture. So wherever we go, the kingdom of God is in us and is advancing through us. We need to remember that. So just recap of everything that we are looking at. Okay. So we see that kingdom culture is a prevailing culture. What do we mean when we say that kingdom culture is a prevailing culture? It happens. What do we mean when we say that kingdom culture is a prevailing culture? This is a culture that is dominant. Okay. That is something that is prominent, that is prevalent. Okay. So when a community of believers truly establish a culture of the kingdom of heaven in their midst, then we will see that we will be able to overthrow the culture of the world, the culture of the evil one, or you know, the world that is coming in and advancing against the kingdom of God. Okay. So we will be able to overpower the evils of the the culture that is around us. So that is why when people come to church, why do we see them transformed or change when not only come to church to a Bible study life group or when they relate to us, why do we see a transformation in their lives? Because they're coming from the world to a kingdom of God where they're seeing the kingdom culture and they're seeing the difference. And of course the Holy Spirit is working in and through their lives. And it is the kingdom culture and is the Holy Spirit that is going to change the culture of the world that is in them. So they're saying, Hey, no, look at these people. They're so different. You know, I can see righteousness, peace and joy. I can see joy in the midst of affliction. I can see peace in the midst of pain and suffering. And there is something different about these people. Okay. So they're going to like our culture. They're going to like the way that we are living. And it's going to change them and transform them. And it's of course the Holy Spirit that is causing them to see. And we look at it even in the various examples in the Old Testament, right? In the example of Joseph, the Pharaoh said, you have the spirit of God in you. How can a pagan king? No. Look at Daniel's life. Look at even Abraham, even though he lied, he said a half lie. But the kings realized that this man has something really great. The power that is in him is really great. So we bring in that kingdom culture and the kingdom culture that we have is going to influence the evil that is around us. So, you know, some of you, especially those who are e-learning students and, you know, online students, you are working in a secular place and you're pretty frustrated with all of the things that are happening in your workplace, the culture of this world. But then you can know that the culture that is in you that you represent is more powerful, is more advancing, is more prevalent than the culture that is in the world, that is the evil that is in the world. And you can, you know, influence the culture that is around you. You can have a powerful influence in the culture around you because God has raised you up to be that. He has given you the authority. So you can say, hey, I'm just like a speck in this multinational company. So what if you are just a speck in the multinational company, but you have a greater power that is working in you, a greater culture that is working in you that can transform, that can reinforce. Just imagine a king like Nebuchadnezzar, you know, who's so egoistic, so much of pride, who says, you know, when he looks at Shedrak Meshek and Abednego, he's saying, you know, he gives honor and glory to that God. So even a king like Nebuchadnezzar, when he can come down on his knees, you know, what are people in the work culture? So we need to make sure or ensure that we are living kingdom thinking and kingdom lifestyle and wherever we go, we can bring about a kingdom culture. But the challenge really is to establish this culture among us as community of believers because sadly, if you look at our churches these days, there is no kingdom thinking, there is no kingdom lifestyle, there's so much of the world that has come in. Okay. So the challenge is for us to establish a culture amongst us as a community of believers who truly function as kings and priests in the kingdom of God. So when we begin to think and live with kingdom perspective, then we can establish kingdom culture in any part of the world and wherever we go, we can become a prevailing force that can advance the kingdom of God and we can truly be salt and light in the world. Okay. We look at a few facets of kingdom culture, just a few facets of kingdom culture. Yeah, just one more. So the first one is a culture of honor. We already looked at it. We already learned that we have to practice to give honor, reverence and respect. So who do we give reverence, honor, respect? To our king first, to our king who's the Lord of lords and our God who's the head of the kingdom. Okay. Who else do we bestow honor on? People, okay, fellow believers and the Bible word of God says we give double honor to whom? Yes, those who lead God's people well, those who labor in the word, and the doctrine are supposed to be given double honor. First Timothy chapter 5 verse 17. Okay. So when you honor someone, how do you, you know, when you honor someone, what are you expressing? You're expressing that you value them, what they mean to you personally. Okay, we stop here. It's time. We'll come back after the break and we'll continue.