Victory in the Word!--July
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.
July--Week Thirty
Article: Ambassadors of the Kingdom
- We are sent to represent our King and His government (laws, culture, and principles), no matter where we may live here on earth. We are to live in such a way that others should hunger to have what we possess. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:19-21 NLT
- Being filled with the Governor—meaning the Holy Spirit—is a prerequisite for being an ambassador of the Kingdom of the living God. The Lord Jesus required that His disciples were to be filled with the Governor—the Holy Spirit. Before the Lord Jesus left this earth to be with His Father, He made this statement. And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5 Jesus replied, “All who love Me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and We will come and make Our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love Me will not obey Me. And remember, My words are not My own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent Me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with 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 14:23-26 NLT
- Ambassadors of the Kingdom of God don’t get entangled in this world’s affairs. We are not here to control the world, but to represent Jesus the Christ and lead those who will come to Him. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you become an ambassador and the thought of death has no authority over you. You become bold in the King’s Word. Ambassador Paul was bold and unafraid of death or anything the world could do to him! Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:29-31
This is our prayer for you. . . "that you speak the Word of God with boldness", no matter what you face in this world! Glory!
All scriptures NKJV except where noted.
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 2 Timothy 2 and Psalm 70. 2 Timothy 2: Strength in grace and how to be an excellent worker in all you do. Psalm 70: A prayer for deliverance from my persecutors.
Have a victorious, fruitful week! We pray your hearts are filled with gratitude for His grace and mercy! Keep seeking the Kingdom!
July--Week Twenty-Nine
Article: Choose to Represent!
- All that the world knows about the Lord Jesus and His Kingdom, is us--those who proclaim to be Believers and Kingdom citizens. They don't know Jesus, but they do know us by our words and our behavior. This is why it is so important that we represent Him and the Kingdom by living by the Lord God's principles. “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:13-16
- Keep in mind that we own nothing! It all belongs to our Father God. We work in jobs that the Lord has provided for our finances and we are given opportunities meet any needs of our fellow citizens of the Kingdom as the Holy Spirit leads you. The Holy Spirit—which I call the Governor—will teach and guide you. “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 14:25-26 NKJV In essence, it is the Governor who makes us genuine representatives of the Kingdom.
- The last conversation Jesus had with His disciples before ascending to heaven was about the Kingdom and the Holy Spirit. They wanted Him to tell them when He would "rebuild the Kingdom" in Israel and He responded by telling them they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit in a few days. The disciples were concerned with a physical Kingdom, but King Jesus was focused on the spiritual Kingdom that would be within us. It is only through that power Jesus spoke of that we may properly represent Him and His Kingdom! Once when He was eating with them, He commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift He promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking Him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 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 1:4-8 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
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 2 Timothy 1 and Psalm 69. 2 Timothy 1: Have faith and never be ashamed of the Gospel. Psalm 69: A plea for God's help in times of great distress.
Have a victorious, fruitful week! We pray your hearts are filled with gratitude for His grace and mercy! Keep seeking the Kingdom!
July--Week Twenty-Eight
Article: His Yoke Is Easy
- His yoke is easy and His burden is light because of the Holy Spirit working in us! The only way to accurately fulfill God’s purpose in your life is to be guided by and submitted to the Holy Spirit! “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 AMP
- One way the Lord God guides us is through His provision. Where God leads, He provides. Inversely, if that ministry is in a constant state of lack, it is time to seek Him for direction. We may have gotten off-track or He may be leading us into a new thing. Read how the Lord led Elijah by provision and lack: And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”
So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 1 Kings 17:1-9 NKJV
- You will be amazed at what the Lord God will do through you if you submit to His Will. Don’t focus on money and don’t try to put ministry in a familiar box! The God who created you knows what you are able to do more than you do. He has assignments for you that you cannot even comprehend yet. He created mankind with DNA unique to each individual. Why would there be limitations on His assignments in His Kingdom? “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as My prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10
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 1 Timothy 6 and Psalm 68. 1 Timothy 6: Instructions to those in ministry. Psalm 68: A Psalm of praise for the goodness of God.
Have a victorious, fruitful week! We pray your hearts are filled with gratitude for His grace and mercy! Keep seeking the Kingdom!
July--Week Twenty-Seven
Article: Divided Loyalty
- The gospel of the Kingdom of God was the only message that King Jesus preached. The Lord Jesus never taught or preached any other gospel message but the Kingdom of His Father’s government. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ... And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Matthew 4:17, 23
- If we want the Lord God’s best, we must learn to be obedient and focused on His commands. When we are laser-focused on His Word there isn’t any room for anything else. We cannot have two "first priorities". One will always take precedence over the other. If we are seeking the Kingdom of God for what we hope to receive, what we hope to receive is our first priority and where our loyalty lies. This is the exact opposite of the correct motivation, according to the Lord Jesus. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:24-33
- The Lord Jesus showed us that the Kingdom priority is also our first priority in regard to our biological family and our relationships. Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him, but they couldn’t get to Him because of the crowd. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, and they want to see You.”
Jesus replied, “My mother and My brothers are all those who hear God’s Word and obey it.” Luke 9:19-21 NLT
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 1 Timothy 5 and Psalm 67. 1 Timothy 5 Tells about how to treat people in the church, honoring widows and elders. Psalm 67: Encouragement for the people to praise the Lord God.
Have a victorious, fruitful week! We pray your hearts are filled with gratitude for His grace and mercy! Keep seeking the Kingdom!
