Power in the Word!--June
We are continuing in our weekly scripture discipline 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.
June--Week Twenty-Six
Article: Access Into the Kingdom
- It is essential to realize that King Jesus is the door into the Kingdom. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9 NKJV
- Keep in mind that the Kingdom of God is not a religion or denomination, but a government. 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
- The Kingdom of the Lord God must always be the priority of every child of the King. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:33-34
This is a season to grow in God's Wisdom, and our ability to praise and pray to our Lord. We are moving into Proverbs and Psalm:
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 Proverbs 5 & Psalm 9. Proverbs 5 warns us of the foolishness of adultery. There is no place--no foothold--in the life of a citizen of the Kingdom of God.
Keep seeking the Kingdom!
June--Week Twenty-Five
Article: The Power to Change Your Life
- In order for His Word to change your life, He first must get your attention. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” Acts 9:3-4
- Saul (ambassador Paul) has to be stopped in his tracks before he could go forward in his new direction and calling. “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Acts 9:5-7
- Before anyone can serve in their purpose and assignment, they must first be filled with the Holy Spirit, our Kingdom Governor. That is where you receive your power. So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Acts 9:17-18 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
This is a season to grow in God's Wisdom, and our ability to praise and pray to our Lord. We will be moving into Proverbs and Psalm:
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 Proverbs 4 & Psalm 8. Proverbs 4 is perfect for this week, Father's Day, as it talks about a father's wisdom. A psalm of the glory of God and His creation.
Keep seeking the Kingdom!
June--Week Twenty-Four
Article: The Governor Has Our King’s Qualities
- It is vital that we have the Governor--the Holy Spirit--within us in order for us to acquire the qualities of our King. We cannot do it in our own strength. While being together and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Of which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak. For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and empowered and united with the Holy Spirit, not long from now.” Acts 1:4-5 AMP
- When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, our Governor, you have the boldness to speak God's Word with power and authority. “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.” Acts 7:51-53
- When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will walk in the Spirit as a lifestyle. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. Galatians 5:16-26
This is a season to grow in God's Wisdom, and our ability to praise and pray to our Lord. We will be moving into Proverbs and Psalm:
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 Proverbs 3 & Psalm 6-7. The benefits of wisdom; the benefits of trusting the Lord. Psalms of prayer and praise for mercy and for deliverance from the wicked enemy.
Keep seeking the Kingdom!
June--Week Twenty-Three
Article: Clarity in the Kingdom of God
- Isaiah prophesied the birth of Jesus Christ and that He would bring His government (Heaven's government) with Him to earth. It wasn't about creating a new religion. It was about bringing His Kingdom to earth. For to us a Child shall be born, to us a Son shall be given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. There shall be no end to the increase of His government and of peace, [He shall rule] on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from that time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7 AMP
- As a Believer, religious beliefs and traditions are such a part of all that we know that it is difficult to separate the Kingdom from religion. Where do you start?! If you want to truly know the life and ministry of Jesus and the Kingdom of God, read the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Look for the Kingdom there and you will find it! Jesus' instructions are clear if we listen with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Most of the time when Jesus told a parable, He began with "This is what the Kingdom is like..." or "The Kingdom is like...". He is giving us a clear image of what our lives in the Kingdom of God should look like right now. No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
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 6:24-33 This is life in the Kingdom of God!
- Jesus tells us how we live in His Kingdom. It is only through the Holy Spirit. He will teach you everything! He will remind you of everything Jesus taught! He comes from God the Father, sent to live in us and be our Governor (over God's territory--us)! We lack power in our lives because we haven't tapped into the source God gave us! If you love Me, obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you...But when the Father sends the Advocate as My representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:15-17, 26
All NLT scriptures unless noted.
This is a season to grow in God's Wisdom, and our ability to praise and pray to our Lord. We will be moving into Proverbs and Psalm:
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 Proverbs 2 & Psalm 3-5. The benefits of wisdom; the benefits of trusting the Lord, who helps the faithful in times of trouble and keeps them safe. David's prayer for guidance. Timely for today's world!
Keep seeking the Kingdom!
June--Week Twenty-Two
Article: Are You Seeing the Kingdom?
- Remember, our Lord and King Jesus stated that the Kingdom of God is within you. Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21 NKJV
- The term born again isn't a religious term as many people make it out to be, but a term representing transformation. 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 3:5-8
- Kingdom citizens are led by the Holy Spirit, the Governor, within us. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Romans 8:14 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. Galatians 5:16-18
All NLT scriptures unless noted.
This is a season to grow in God's Wisdom, and our ability to praise and pray to our Lord. We will be moving into Proverbs and Psalm:
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 Proverbs 1 & Psalm 1-2 . Growing in wisdom and its benefits; the paths of the righteous and of the ungodly, His triumphant Kingdom. Timely for today's world!
Keep seeking the Kingdom!
