Don’t Sell Out! (Purpose vs. Provision)

"For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God." -Col 3:3

In life, there is a great temptation to go for the next big thing:  the next big business, the next big degree, the next big job opportunity.  But in the kingdom, things are different.  God works quite differently than we do, His ways are higher than our ways.  (Is 55:9) Sometimes the thing that looks the best may not be the best for us - the best that God has in mind.

Sometimes we can get stuck seeking provision first, instead of seeking our Provider.  Sometimes we can get stuck seeking out approval or affirmation from people, instead of going to God first and experiencing His love. Other times we’ll see our value in our accomplishments, instead of seeing that God created us with value, before we ever did anything to deserve it.  Our value is built upon His love for us.

We can so easily sell out and miss our purpose by seeking other things before God’s will in our lives.  What is He doing? What is He saying?  Jesus said He only did what He saw the Father doing - nothing more, nothing less.  (John 5:19)

Are we seeking God's kingdom first? (Matt 6:33) Are we putting His purposes first before seeking out provision?  God will make sure our needs are met when we put His kingdom first.  God has all the answers we need for our business, our ministry, our relationships, our finances, and our personal lives.

Today, avoid "selling out" in your calling by putting Him first.  We will experience so much peace and life by keeping Him at the center of our lives, fulfilling the purpose He gave us to do.

A New Job Description

"Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!" -Matthew 10:7-9
 
Have you ever been given a new job description? Sometimes when we've been doing the same thing over and over change is refreshing - but it can also be scary and challenging at the same time! 

When Jesus assembled his new disciples, he gave them a mission, and a new job description. The Bible says He "gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness." (Matt 10:1) And this was even before He had died and was raised from the dead! 

As Christians, God has also given us a new job description. Jesus has given us the authority to cast out demons, heal the sick, and "do the same works... and even greater works..." than Jesus did. "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." -John 14:12
 
Did you know that through Jesus Christ you have a new job description? Ask God today in what situations He would want you to act within this job description, praying for someone who is sick, casting out evil spirits, or sharing the love and salvation of Jesus with someone. As Lance Wallnau says, are called to be "killer sheep" to destroy the works of darkness as Jesus' delegated representatives until He returns. Because of Him, we have been given a new job description. 

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." -Matthew 28:19-20

The Kingdom of God

"Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, 'The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, "Here it is," or "There it is," because the kingdom of God is within you.'" -Luke 17:20 & 21

 

Dr. Myles Munroe, senior pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International, wrote a book called "Kingdom Principles: Preparing for Kingdom Experience and Expansion." In the book he describes the difference between religion (do's and don'ts) and the Kingdom of God that Jesus taught in the Bible. He calls the Kingdom of God "the foundation of God's plan for mankind." (p. 81) 

Jesus mentions the "kingdom of God" or "kingdom of heaven" about 85 times in the New Testament. In fact, if we read the entirety of Jesus' teaching in the New Testament, we will find He spent nearly all of His time on earth talking about the Kingdom! 

Why then is the kingdom so misunderstood? What is the kingdom exactly? 

According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, a kingdom is: "a politically organized community or major territorial unit having a monarchical form of government headed by a king or queen." In this case, the King is our Father God in heaven. From this we can gather that true Christianity has a lot more to do with a perfected and uncorrupted form of heavenly government then it does with religion. 

Dr. Monroe goes on to say, "Life in the kingdom is really about returning to the governing authority of God in the earth and learning how to live and function in that authority." (p. 158) Because of Jesus, we are now in the process of gaining back what was lost in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3)
Repentance and our acceptance of grace through Jesus Christ unlocks the door for us to enter God's kingdom. But, it doesn't stop there. Jesus teaches about many keys that, when activated, unlock the power of heaven in our own lives. 

There is so much we can learn about God's kingdom. Ask the Lord to show you His kingdom and the part He might have you play. He desires that we pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt 6:10) and that we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matt 6:33). He promises that all these things will be added to us when we do.

The Kingdom of God

“Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." -Luke 17:20 & 21

Dr. Miles Munroe, senior pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International, wrote a book called “Kingdom Principles: Preparing for Kingdom Experience and Expansion.”  In the book he describes the difference between religion (do's and don'ts) and the Kingdom of God that Jesus taught in the Bible.  He calls the Kingdom of God “the foundation of God’s plan for mankind.” (p. 81) 

Jesus mentions the “kingdom of God” or “kingdom of heaven” about 85 times in the New Testament.  In fact, if we read the entirety of Jesus‘  teaching in the New Testament, we will find He spent nearly all of His time on earth talking about the Kingdom! 

Why then is the kingdom so misunderstood?  What is the kingdom exactly?

According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, a kingdom is:  “a politically organized community or major territorial unit having a monarchical form of government headed by a king or queen.” In this case, the King is our Father God in heaven. From this we can gather that true Christianity has a lot more to do with a perfected and uncorrupted form of heavenly government then it does with religion.

Dr. Monroe goes on to say, “Life in the kingdom is really about returning to the governing authority of God in the earth and learning how to live and function in that authority.” (p. 158)  Because of Jesus, we are now in the process of gaining back what was lost in the Garden of Eden.  (Genesis 3)  

Repentance and our acceptance of grace through Jesus Christ unlocks the door for us to enter God’s kingdom.  But, it doesn’t stop there.  Jesus teaches about many keys that, when activated, unlock the power of heaven in our own lives.

There is so much we can learn about God’s kingdom.  Ask the Lord to show you His kingdom and the part He might have you play.  He desires that we pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10) and that we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matt 6:33).  He promises that all these things will be added to us when we do.