What is Kingdom Living?

Matthew 28:18-20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Kingdom Living is a choice! We say that we want to be like Jesus. But do we really? He was a servant. Jesus took upon himself the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7), the Servant of God, and this is an instance of his amazing humility. He - who is the Son of God, of the same nature with God, and equal to him - voluntarily became the Servant of him. He was chosen of God, in his eternal purposes, to be his Servant; and therefore is called, his Servant elect (Isaiah 42:1). Accordingly, he was prophesied to be the Servant of the Lord (Zechariah 3:8; Isaiah 42:1). In the fullness of time he was sent and came not to be ministered to, but to minister as a servant under the law. His infancy in Egypt, where the Israelites were enslaved, was an emblem of that servile state he was come into, and very early he declared that he must be about his Father’s business.

As Chritians, that is our mandate. How many of us really want to serve anyone? As we seek to live as Christ did, we have to make some choices to be more like him. While He lived in the earth, He was not of this earth. He came here with the Kingdom of God inside of himself. Yes, He was perfect, but he lived in a corruptible body that could feel and experience the same things that we feel. He took the time to consult with Father God. He fasted and prayed. He had to pray for strength, and at the end, He didn't want to experience what would happen to Him before He would return the the Father. Therefore, He knows what we experience daily. He knows what it means to be hurt, mamed, spit on, talked about, ridiculed, He knows what it means to walk alone. He knows the sorrows that we have and how hard it can be to stand for righteousness. Jesus came to the earth with all power and authority to defeat Satan, and he did just that. He also chose to become the living sacrifice so that those who believe would be joined back to the Father eternally.

We know that more darkness is coming upon the earth but we don't have to focus on those things. We are connected to Father God, and he will take care of His own. Holy Spirit will lead and guide us in the ways that we should go when we ask. Father God is a gentleman and he will not superced our will. He gave us the freedom to chose His way or ours. As we pray and meditate on His word and listen to His leading, we will be protected. There are many that are mandated by God to care for those that are less fortunate and to share not only financially, but provide everything that will be needed for the end times. God is not asleep and He is not surprised by anything that happens. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End...nothing excapes Him. He is a loving Father that created a plan for mankind and through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, the plan has been in motion..and that plan is to bring us back to Him.

We must choose not to live in fear for that is the greatest weapon against man. We must choose to live according to God's plan for us. When we deviate, we make our way difficult and hard. Just like the children of Isreal did so many years ago.

2016 is going to be an awesome year for those of us that choose to learn to be kingdom-minded. Everything will not always be perfect, but remember that we were created in God's likeness, therefore, we must become like-minded. His thoughts and ways are much higher than ours, but according to Philipians 4:13 We can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us. In order to achieve all things, we cannot do thing ourselves, but we must 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6.

As we continue on this journey, daily we must put on the whole armor of God as recorded in Ephesians 6:10-12 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

I have always seen the glass half full. Even when my life was full of turmoil, I could see light at the end of the tunnel. Have I always made the right choices and decisions? No, I have missed the mark more times than I care to admit, but my faith in God is strengthened daily by looking back at where He has brought me from when my natural mind could not see any way out, always hoping and knowing that it would happen. Those times when we are tested are also times of spiritual growth. Learning how to respond as Christ would, loving as He does, forgiving each other no matter what it takes and seeking to be more like him each day is our reasonable service.

Yes, we will make mistakes along the way, but we are not to live in blatent sin and rebellion. Kingdom Living is choosing to do things God's way!

Peace & Blessing

JaNeice