Focus & Meditate-May
We have started this segment to encourage you to read and study God's Word more and also meditate on the key thoughts of our recent articles. We pray this will encourage and assist you as you grow in the Kingdom.
May--Week Twenty-One
Article: His Name is Jesus the Christ
Remember He is Lord of the Sabbath. And Jesus added, “The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.” Luke 6:5
You should always boldly proclaim His name, wherever you are. If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:38
If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in His glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. Luke 9:26
The Lord God has given His Son all authority and power. Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 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 28:18-20
Walking through the Gospels:
As you read your Bible (God's Constitution for the Kingdom) highlight key scriptures and phrases as the Holy Spirit guides you. What scriptures touch you and minister to you? We have also included links to Bible Gateway in case you don't have a Bible with you at the moment.
This week read and meditate on Mark 13-14--Signs of the times, the great tribulation and the last supper.
Have a productive and prosperous week. Keep seeking the Kingdom!
You should always boldly proclaim His name, wherever you are. If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:38
If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in His glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. Luke 9:26
The Lord God has given His Son all authority and power. Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 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 28:18-20
Walking through the Gospels:
As you read your Bible (God's Constitution for the Kingdom) highlight key scriptures and phrases as the Holy Spirit guides you. What scriptures touch you and minister to you? We have also included links to Bible Gateway in case you don't have a Bible with you at the moment.
This week read and meditate on Mark 13-14--Signs of the times, the great tribulation and the last supper.
Have a productive and prosperous week. Keep seeking the Kingdom!
May--Week Twenty
Article: It Was a Lost Concept
Remember, a monarchy is a form of government in which total sovereignty is invested in one person, a head of state called a King (or Queen), who holds the position until death or abdication. Monarchs usually both hold and achieve their position through the right of hereditary succession, such as a son. This helps to understand the Kingdom of God and our King Jesus. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: wonderful Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT
As you begin to understand the concept of a Kingdom government, with a King, and the relationship between the King and His citizens you will see God’s Constitution (the Bible) from a different perspective. “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:28-33 NLT What will He give you? EVERYTHING you NEED.
The Lord Jesus was the Word in the flesh. If you love Jesus and want to know Him more, “eat” God’s Word. In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:1-5 NLT
The Lord God’s number one priority is for mankind to discover, understand and enter the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! Matthew 13:44-46 NLT
Walking through the Gospels:
As you read your Bible (God's Constitution for the Kingdom) highlight key scriptures and phrases as the Holy Spirit guides you. What scriptures touch you and minister to you? We have also included links to Bible Gateway in case you don't have a Bible with you at the moment.
This week read and meditate on Mark 11-12--the withered fig tree, Jesus clearing the temple, Pharisees and Sadducees and Jesus' parables. Great food for the spirit!
Have a productive and prosperous week. Keep seeking the Kingdom!
As you begin to understand the concept of a Kingdom government, with a King, and the relationship between the King and His citizens you will see God’s Constitution (the Bible) from a different perspective. “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:28-33 NLT What will He give you? EVERYTHING you NEED.
The Lord Jesus was the Word in the flesh. If you love Jesus and want to know Him more, “eat” God’s Word. In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:1-5 NLT
The Lord God’s number one priority is for mankind to discover, understand and enter the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! Matthew 13:44-46 NLT
Walking through the Gospels:
As you read your Bible (God's Constitution for the Kingdom) highlight key scriptures and phrases as the Holy Spirit guides you. What scriptures touch you and minister to you? We have also included links to Bible Gateway in case you don't have a Bible with you at the moment.
This week read and meditate on Mark 11-12--the withered fig tree, Jesus clearing the temple, Pharisees and Sadducees and Jesus' parables. Great food for the spirit!
Have a productive and prosperous week. Keep seeking the Kingdom!
May--Week Nineteen
Article: The Concept of a Kingdom
A Kingdom mindset has nothing to do with a religion or the world's culture. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to Him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:9-11 NLT
The Kingdom of the living God is the Holy Spirit living in you. For the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 NKJV
These who have a Kingdom mindset are led of the Holy Spirit, the Governor. Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:6-8 NLT
Kingdom-minded individuals worship the King with both their behavior and their lives. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24 NLT
Walking through the Gospels:
As you read your Bible (God's Constitution for the Kingdom) highlight key scriptures and phrases as the Holy Spirit guides you. What scriptures touch you and minister to you? We have also included links to Bible Gateway in case you don't have a Bible with you at the moment.
This week read and meditate on Mark 9-10--Healing, deliverance, the Transfiguration, speaking about the Kingdom, divorce & marriage and using the name of Jesus.
Have a productive and prosperous week. Keep seeking the Kingdom!
The Kingdom of the living God is the Holy Spirit living in you. For the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 NKJV
These who have a Kingdom mindset are led of the Holy Spirit, the Governor. Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:6-8 NLT
Kingdom-minded individuals worship the King with both their behavior and their lives. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24 NLT
Walking through the Gospels:
As you read your Bible (God's Constitution for the Kingdom) highlight key scriptures and phrases as the Holy Spirit guides you. What scriptures touch you and minister to you? We have also included links to Bible Gateway in case you don't have a Bible with you at the moment.
This week read and meditate on Mark 9-10--Healing, deliverance, the Transfiguration, speaking about the Kingdom, divorce & marriage and using the name of Jesus.
Have a productive and prosperous week. Keep seeking the Kingdom!
May--Week Eighteen
Article: Christianity, a Religion, vs Kingdom Government
Keep in mind, if you allow people to name you, they will define who you are. Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) Acts 11:25-26 NLT
The people from that point on began to embrace the name Christian. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! I Peter 4:16 NLT
The Kingdom of God is nothing like, nor will be, a religious group. It is a Kingdom government. Our first priority is to seek it. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33 NLT
His Kingdom government was foretold long ago. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT
As you read God's Constitution (His Word) you will become more focused and see the differences between religion and the Kingdom of God. Remember that religion is man-made while the Kingdom of God is God ordained. Never allow church to be a substitute for your relationship with the King. Your relationship with Jesus isn't developed in a religious service. It grows and matures through intimate time with Him and His Word.
Walking through the Gospels:
As you read your Bible (God's Constitution for the Kingdom) highlight key scriptures and phrases as the Holy Spirit guides you. What scriptures touch you and minister to you? We have also included links to Bible Gateway in case you don't have a Bible with you at the moment.
This week read and meditate on Mark 7-8--Miracles and ministry. Jesus teaches about inner purity and confronts religious Pharisees, saying they teach man-made doctrines as commands from God.
Have a productive and prosperous week. Keep seeking the Kingdom!
The people from that point on began to embrace the name Christian. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! I Peter 4:16 NLT
The Kingdom of God is nothing like, nor will be, a religious group. It is a Kingdom government. Our first priority is to seek it. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33 NLT
His Kingdom government was foretold long ago. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT
As you read God's Constitution (His Word) you will become more focused and see the differences between religion and the Kingdom of God. Remember that religion is man-made while the Kingdom of God is God ordained. Never allow church to be a substitute for your relationship with the King. Your relationship with Jesus isn't developed in a religious service. It grows and matures through intimate time with Him and His Word.
Walking through the Gospels:
As you read your Bible (God's Constitution for the Kingdom) highlight key scriptures and phrases as the Holy Spirit guides you. What scriptures touch you and minister to you? We have also included links to Bible Gateway in case you don't have a Bible with you at the moment.
This week read and meditate on Mark 7-8--Miracles and ministry. Jesus teaches about inner purity and confronts religious Pharisees, saying they teach man-made doctrines as commands from God.
Have a productive and prosperous week. Keep seeking the Kingdom!
