Hosea 8:4 – “They have set up kings, but not by Me.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, something stirred in me about the Kingdom we seek.   Hosea 8:4 – “They have set up kings, but not by Me.”   That is the beginning of destruction.   God’s plea is seen in Hosea 10:12 – “Break up the fallow ground of the heart.”   Setting up kings or seeking kingdoms for those kings leads to barrenness and destruction.

In Luke 15, we find the story of the Prodigal Son.   We tend to focus on the Prodigal and miss the bigger picture directed to the church.  The angry, jealous, wounded Elder Brother.  Both had received their portions.  (Luke 15:12). The elder brother was jealous and felt slighted and underappreciated. He complained in a poor-me pity party. He represents much of the church today.

The church often endures what it shouldn’t be enjoying and celebrating. Waiting for the elusive “someday will be” rather than living today!  We are looking for that future time or that time when all will fall into place, our ship will come in, and our dreams will be realized.  We are looking for the coming of the kingdom from a flawed view.

Jesus said, Luke 17:20-21 – “The kingdom of God IS NOT COMING with signs to be observed…Behold, the Kingdom of God is in your midst.” The KJV renders it “within you.”  Thus, we see that the kingdom with its king is Christ IN us, Christ Through us, and Christ BY us.

If He has our hearts, we have the Kingdom and begin to live the kingdom life Jesus came to give.    Luke 12:32 – “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”

If we set up any king, focusing on some unfulfilled event as our launching event, we are seeking a kingdom not by or from God.   If nothing is impossible with God, then what we thought was required to launch us is not required.  GOD is required.   Total surrender is required.   Total confidence is required.  He is not interested in our acts; He is interested in our hearts.

When God is in charge within us, the Kingdom is manifested through us.   Don’t wait for fantasy run to reality – Christ in us! God has no lack, but we often lack because we are seeking a king and kingdom, not by Him.

It is not that we give up things for Him.  It is that we give Him all things, and in return, we get Him who is and has all things. The kingdom is within us! Today is the day to be in the kingdom and see the fruit of the kingdom. The world needs Jesus, and He is IN us! Such as I have, I give!

LORD, help us to have no kings but You!

Luke 12:7 –  “In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered.   Do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”

As I prayed, read, and pondered the Word of God today, I was awed by God’s attention to the smallest detail.  There are no secrets with God. We may fool others and hide behind masks, but God sees, hears, and knows. That is either comforting or tormenting.

I thought about the words of Luke 12:7 and laughed, then cried, and rejoiced. “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”   I envisioned a scene in heaven’s computer room where the data keeper said, “Alert, hair number 121 just fell out.”  

Am I being silly?   Yes, but the minute details of our lives and bodies are recorded by God.   That is how much He cares for us.   That is revelatory of the Omniscience of God.   That is so inspiring and challenging that I can barely breathe.   This All-Knowing One is My God! He is my guardian! He is my Shepherd!

We fret over stuff without realizing who we serve.  If we knew Him for who He really is, we would live without fear, doubt, or any thought of lack. 

Luke 14:33 crushed my heart. “So therefore, no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”  Don’t take that as a call to poverty, but as a surrender of ownership!  Everything we possess must come under His Lordship, including ourselves.  What is the worth of our souls? What is the worth of our relationship with Him?

Luke 13:23-24 contains a deeply disturbing question and answer.  Are there just a few being saved? The narrow door, few find.  I surrender all! Lord, take all I have, and all I am or can be, and own it.   I want no will of my own but to do your will.  I understand (in part) how demanding and consuming that can be. I trust You. Therefore, I surrender to You.

LORD, thank You that You care so much, You even number the hairs on my head!

Luke 9:1-2 – “After Jesus called the twelve together, he gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, ² and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, the power of commitment gripped my consciousness.  Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were men of Total Commitment.  They weathered all attacks, facing death through the strength of commitment.

Commitment cannot be maintained without trust, and trust is learned. Learned via demonstrated reliability. The need supplied, the trial weathered, and the storm calmed all demonstrate reliability. Trust enables us to remain faithful.

Luke 9:1-2 speaks of bequeathed authority backed up by power.  Jesus gave the disciples authority.  That authority was worthless and powerless until they received it and acted upon it.  Authority given must be received and believed to function. Many hear the words of authorization but never act on them, rendering their authority impotent.   What we truly believe we do!

If we believe Jesus, we act upon His words.  If we are not acting on His words, do we truly believe?  If He is who the Bible declares, why are we not manifesting Him?   He is, but are we?   It is time to become who He says we are.   Our commitment to Him will open the door to His Commitment to us.

LORD, help us to make the required commitment and learn to trust You completely!

Mark 16:15-20 – “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. ¹⁷ These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

¹⁹ So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰ And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, I had a keen sense of urgency!  I truly believe we are in the midnight hour of the Last Days. When we think of “Soon,” we realize that with God, “soon” can seem like an eternity to man, but the “soon” I sense is likely “soon” with God and man.

We have a mission and a commission as revealed in Mark 16:15-20.   All of us are witnesses, and some are called to be watchmen.   Some watchmen are local, regional, national, and worldwide. The assignment and appointment are not self-determined; it is a call of God.  The watchmen are accountable for speaking and for silence. But all are witnesses All.  

In Ezekiel 34, God’s anger toward false shepherds is exemplified.   Why the anger toward self-serving shepherds?  It is because they are assigned the responsibility of discipling, equipping, and nurturing the sheep.  It is because they are to lead the sheep to the places of nourishment and protection.  Sheep have to have shepherds to survive and thrive.   What shepherds tend to forget is that they, too, are sheep.

The commission is to take the gospel (good news) to Everyone!  The signs that follow are not simply signs that follow preaching.    It is, “and these signs will accompany those who believe…”    WHO?  Believers!   Let me ask a harsh and challenging question: “What if there are no signs following us?”

The signs listed are casting out demons, speaking with new tongues (how do we talk and think), unharmed by serpents (natural or spiritual), and poison (natural or spiritual) will harm them.

Are Signs Following Our Lives?   If not, why not?   Do we believe?   Is our belief theoretical or experiential and literally filled with expectation?   Don’t tell me we don’t need signs and miracles anymore.   When did Jesus change? (Hebrews 13:8)

If we are in the Last Days, then more than ever, we need Signs to Follow us so that we can manifest Jesus and win the lost!   This life is not about us! Our purpose is not us! We have an assignment – The Good News!

LORD, help us to feel the urgency of the hour!

1 Corinthians 4:15-17 – “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore, I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.”  NKJV

Today is Father’s Day, and I reflect on my own earthly father and am so thankful for his influence in my life, as well as my earthly grandfathers and how they helped shape my character through words, discipline, and their lives.  They gave me an image of an earthly father that has proven invaluable in both the raising of my children and mentoring spiritual children.  Today, I salute all Fathers who are fathering their children, earthly or spiritual.  God bless you!

Producing offspring does not make one a father but provides the opportunity to father.  There are those who father children who have never produced a single offspring naturally, but they invested themselves in the lives of those children and provided them with a male role model, disciplined, taught, and gave oversight to those lives, nurturing them into adulthood and able to assume their place in society.  Those men deserve high praise!

When I think about this nation and our Founding Fathers, I suggest that if one studies their writings and examines their contributions to the founding of this nation, it could be argued that they truly fathered generations.  Today, they are under assault by those who would rewrite history. 

When I think about my own spiritual father(s) and their invaluable contribution in my life, helping to shape, teach, train, nurture, discipline, and guide me, they gave me a standard to live up to and a goal to strive for spiritually, and they are to be praised.  Most of us have been fathered by someone or more than one, and today is a day to remember their contribution in our lives.

Yet there is one Father who deserves recognition above all others, and that is our Heavenly Father!  Without His love, we would not know the joy of salvation or have the promise of eternal life.  He so deeply loves us that He gave His only begotten Son that we could have our sins forgiven.  He so deeply loves us that He refused to leave us comfortless and dispatched the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth.  He so loves us that a place is being prepared for us, where He is, and where we can also be for eternity.  Thank you, Father, for your love!

So, on this special day set aside to honor fathers, I encourage you to pay tribute to your own earthly father if he is still with you, and, if he has gone on to the other side, pause to remember his contribution to your life.  On this day, I would encourage you to pay tribute to your spiritual father(s) if they are still on this side of eternity, and if not, then reflect on their contribution in your life.  If you are a father, I urge you to take a moment to reflect on your privilege, duty, and responsibility as a father, take your children in your arms (if possible), and let them know you love them. 

So, as you celebrate Father’s Day, I pray that God makes it a joyous day for you and your family. 

Blessings to one and all on this special day!