ROYAL LIVING

ROYAL LIVING

The Process to the Palace

I love the story of King David and especially the details of his call to be king. David was a young man who didn’t recognize the king that was inside of him. But yet God knew the whole time. God spoke to the Prophet Samuel and said, “Anoint him that I’ve named.” In other words, God knew David would be a king one day even when David was oblivious to the idea or the mere thought of it. I want you to realize today that you are a Prince/Princess of God! There is greatness, purpose, and destiny written all over your life .God knows you by name and is calling you to the Palace called Purpose!

Imagine David doing the “norm” on the day he was called to be king. He is out in the field shepherding his flock of sheep when he hears a call to the house. He runs to the from porch, walks through the front door, and the great Prophet Samuel pours the horn of oil over his head and declares him to be King. First, I imagine David being completely shocked at what he just experienced. Secondly, I imagine him thinking; how will I ever get from this field to the palace? And then the process began. See David didn’t immediately move to the palace. It was process that propelled him to the throne.

Process is defined as a series of events that bring forth your greatest potential. I want to say that God has a throne called destiny and a palace called purpose waiting for you. But it will take PROCESS to get you there! It will take a series of events to push you to that place called Destiny.

Here are a few steps in the process that pushed David to the Palace:

1.       The Revelation of Royal Status – God revealed to David his true identity. He was a king and destined for greatness. God had to reveal that beyond the “normalcy” was a king kicking and trembling to get out.

2.       The Breaking of a Pauper Mindset – A pauper is defined as a poor person (not just financially but socially and mentally). David had to believe who he really was. The thought of a pauper becoming a king can literally cause the earth to tremble (Proverbs 30:21-22).

3.       The Positioning to Be Pushed to the Palace – David positioned himself in the right places so that God could push him to the palace. He positioned himself as a worshipper, servant (taking cheese to his brothers) good stewardship over his flock, and responding to the call to the house. All of this was David positioning himself so that God could push him to the palace.

I want to encourage you that God has a place called purpose and a throne called destiny for you. But it will take process to get there. I encourage you to stay in process and allow God to push you to that place. Recognize your royal status, break the pauper mentality, and position yourself so that God can push you!

ROYAL LIVING

ROYAL LIVING
Realizing Who You Truly Are

Did you know that you are Royalty? Did you know that you literally have “royal” blood flowing through your veins? You are a royal person today not because of your works or because of your deeds. You are a royal person because your Father is royalty! Your father in heaven is the ultimate King of the Universe and you are His son/daughter. Therefore you are born into this world as a royal subject with purpose and destined for greatness!

There are many people today that struggle with identity. They struggle because there earthly father/mother may have abandoned them or abused them. Many people live in depression and at a lower level of living because of the decisions and lifestyle of their earthly parents. Many still blame their parents for where they are today. I want to say something so powerful that it can set your mind free; YOU CAME THROUGH YOUR PARENTS NOT FROM THEM!

You actually came from God! He birthed you into this world and you belong to Him. Your parents were just the door to get you into the earth to fulfill the incredible mission and purpose He has for you. Therefore, you are a genuine royal person because your Daddy in Heaven is the King! Look what the Bible says about your royal status:

·         1 Peter 2:9 –“…you are a Royal Priesthood…”

·         Romans 8:17- “…you are joint-heirs with Christ…”

·         Romans 5:17 – “…you shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.”

These are just a few scriptures of many that reveal your royal status and God’s Word is ultimate truth.

So here are my final thoughts:

·         When you realize WHO and WHOSE you are, everything changes!

·         Once you realize who you are, life can be lived at a greater level!

·         Struggle no more with identity but recognize the Father’s fingerprints all over your life!

·         Royal people have a greater standard by which they live their lives; go up a level!

·         You truly are Royalty; not because I have said so but because you belong to the King!



THE IN BETWEEN

Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:”

I love going to Daytona Beach, Florida for vacation. My parents would take my sister and I to Daytona every summer for years. Now that I have a family of my own, Daytona Beach and Orlando has become one of our favorite places to get some R&R and see Mickey Mouse!

I always hated the drive in between Indianapolis and Daytona Beach when I was a kid. I just wanted to get there but my parents never flew. We would drive 18 hours straight through. Now I drive my family to Florida and make my kids go throught the torment I experienced as a youngster. But now I actually enjoy it. I have come to a place where I appreciate the experiences as we drive down the interstate. We have some memorable moments driving this long stretch of highway that we often talk and laught about.

Spiritually, God has been dealing with me about the “in between season" of our spiritual journey. I have a many dreams to accomplish for the Kingdom of God as many of you do. I have come to a place where I’m enjoying the journey and not so consumed with the end result. As my Pastor says, “ministry is not a ladder you climb, but a journey you walk.” I am enjoying the journey and I’m actually greatful for the pain and struggle of the “in between.” It is our struggle that makes us who we really are.

Let me explain. I believe that there is always pain and struggle in between your dream and your destiny. Every great man or woman of God has faced some sort of pain or tribulation as they’ve pursued their destiny.

·        Jacob had ugliness (Leah) in between his promise and his princess (Rebekah).

·        David had a Goliath in between his field and his throne

·        Joseph had a pit in between his dream and destiny

·        Daniel had a den of lions in between his gift and his greatest revelations

·        Gideon had a poor mindset to conqueor in between his call and his courage to lead

·        Jesus had a cross in between the creation of His people and the ransoming of His people

All of these great men had to press through their “in between season”. Your pain will either propel you to a platform or paralyze you where you are.

Don’t give up in between your dream God birthed in your spirit and fulfillment of your destiny!

My Charges Blotted Out

Colossians 2: 13-14, 13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;  14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

I love this scripture with all of my heart. I hold to it close and declare it when the enemy tries to remind me of my past or condemn me when I feel like I don’t measure up to God’s standards. Let’s break it down.

First, Paul says that we were dead in our sins but Jesus has quickened us together with Him. The word quickened means to “make one with”. In other words we were caught red handed in sin but Christ came and made us “one” with Him. We now stand in Him and He is perfect and blameless which makes us blameless. How incredible is this? You and Jesus are One!

Secondly, He says that He has forgiven ALL my trespasses. The word trespass is the Greek word paraptōma which means a lapse or deviation of truth and uprightness or to sin and perform a misdeed. Jesus has forgiven us of ALL our lapses, deviations of walking in truth, and our misdeeds. His word declares that He has cast our sins as far as the east is from the west.

Thirdly, He has blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that were against us and nailed them to the cross. Blotting out hear means to obliterate, plaster or wash away, wipe clear, erase, and to do away with. This is the greatest news in the world. No wonder they call it the “good news”! Not only did Jesus blot out all my sin but He nailed them to the cross that He died on. Our sins have been annihilated. This news should bring comfort and joy to your soul today.

I imagine it this way: I’m in a court room and the prosecutor (the devil) brings all these accusations against me. He stands and names sin after sin, trespass after trespass that I have committed. I begin to hang my head because the truth is that I actually committed these sins that the enemy is sharing to the Judge. After his accusations, it is so obvious that I’m guilty. I am dead in my sin, caught red handed and these ordinances are a book full.

Then I raise my head and say, “Judge it is true. I’m guilty of every handwritten ordinance brought against me today. But, I placed my heart and faith in Jesus Christ and His word says that He has quickened me together with Him.” Then Jesus stands up and says, “It is true Father, he has placed his life in My hands.” The Judge (Father God) then opens the book of ordinances and the pages are sopping wet in His Son’s blood. The Father looks at me and the enemy and says “I don’t see any of these handwritten ordinances against him. All that I see are pages of my Son’s blood.”  The enemy huffs and leaves the room in frustration and I’m overwhelmed with joy realizing that my sins have been blotted out!

I write this to encourage any person today that feels down, discouraged, overwhelmed, or condemned by the enemy. If your life is in Jesus, realize your sins are forgiven, your past forgotten, and your best days are before you. You are ONE in Christ and He has blotted out your trespasses!

The Great Commission: Is it Optional?

Matthew 28:18-20, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: 
 

Today, the world is in much turmoil, uncertainty, and sin. Currently there are close to 7 billion people living upon the face of the earth. It has been reported that 1 billion of these people have never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Also, there are five-thousand people groups or tribes that have yet to be evangelized with the message of the Gospel.  This reality must shake us and move us to action!

It is difficult for us in the U.S. to comprehend that there are people that have no clue about Jesus or who He is or what He has done to save them from sin. We live in a culture where we have the freedom to worship God, carry a Bible, and attend one of many churches in our community. This is not the case for the majority of the world.

The other reality is that there are many within our own neighborhoods, schools, and jobs that haven’t understood the reality of an eternal place called Hell.  Nor have they understood the reality of Jesus dying to save them from this place. This reality must shake us and move us to action!

I ask the question, is the Great Commission an option? My answer is absolutely not! Jesus commands us to go into the world and preach the Gospel. I believe that every born again believer in Jesus Christ has the responsibility to spread the message and live this commission to save the lost world.

Many Christians “feel” they weren’t called to the mission field so they have chosen to send money and support others to go and preach. But where in the Bible does it give us the option to go or not to go? Where in the Bible does it tell us that if we are uncomfortable spreading the Gospel or we don’t feel safe going to a foreign land that we can send money to someone else to do it for us?

I understand that there are individuals that have a distinct call from God to move to foreign lands to plant churches and spread the Gospel. But if we aren’t careful, we will stop short of the command by just sending money to our missionaries when we ourselves have been called to go as well. Please don’t misunderstand my heart. Yes, God places people in the Kingdom to support financially but we must not allow this to take the place of us “going” too. We all have responsibility to share the Good News.

Jesus has called us to “go”. For some, going is witnessing to our neighbors. For others, it’s reaching the homeless, widows, and orphans.  There are those that are called to go to cities, nations, schools, and specific targeted groups. We have all been called to go!

Just as Martin Luther King, Jr. shared his heart in the famous “I have a dream” speech; I too have a dream.

·    I have a dream that all Christian believers will forsake this world and passionately follow Christ.

·    I have a dream that all Christian believers will see the Great Commission as a personal mandate.

·    I have a dream that all Christian believers will see the value of the “Treasure” and will sell out to obtain it.

·    I have a dream that all Christian believers will awaken to the reality that lost people are going to Hell.

·    I have a dream that all Christian believers will preach the Gospel to the lost.

·    I have a dream that all Christian believers will realize that we have been blessed to be a blessing to the unfortunate.

·    I have a dream that all American Christian believers will forsake the “American Dream” and pursue “God’s Dream” of every person having eternal life.

Jesus was all about His mission. His mission was to seek and save the lost. It is time that we as Christian believers reprioritize some things in our lives. Many seek after careers, possessions, fame, comfort, and money. I don’t believe these things are necessarily wrong. But where is the priority of spreading the message of Jesus Christ? Imagine if every believer in the world would share the Gospel to the lost today.

Many people struggle to find God’s will for their life. I can tell you what His will is for you… Matthew 28:18-20 (The Great Commission).

Turning Pain Into Gain

Pain comes in many forms and fashions. Physical pain, mental pain, spiritual pain, and emotional pain. The truth is that each person on earth is either dealing with pain, dealt with pain, or will deal with pain in the future. The list could be a mile long of the sources of pain. It could be divorce, abuse, loneliness, abandonment, losing a loved one, etc. How we deal with pain will determine where we end up in life.

I love the story of Joseph. Many people focus on the beginning of his life story or the end. The beginning is Joseph receiving a dream that he would one day be great and others would bow down before him. The end of his story is Joseph being in a place of great authority and saving the day. We must focus on the middle of the story. Joseph went through much pain!

First, his brothers hated him. They hated him so much that they cast him into a pit and then sold him into slavery. After Joseph ends up in a foreign land as a seventeen year old slave, he is then lied upon and placed into prison. Joseph spends the next thirteen or so years in a cold dark dungeon that he didn’t deserve. All that Joseph did was where the coat of favor from his father and share is God given dreams. I don’t know about you but I believe this would cause some serious pain.

Joseph pursued God through his pain and God was with him every step of the way. Joseph eventually came through his pain and said, “What you meant evil against me, God turned for my good.” (Genesis 50:20).

Here are a few points about dealing with pain:

1.      Your pain will either propel you to a platform to minister to others or it will paralyze you.

a.      God allows our pain so that we can be healed then minister to those in pain.

b.      The devil will try to wound you where God wants to use you.

c.      I know people who have been paralyzed by their pain. The still live out of a bad experience that happen twenty years ago.

d.      You and I can choose to be a victim or victor.

2.      Don’t Quit in the Pit

a.      God allows pits in our lives so that we can minister from a “deeper level”.

b.      If you quit in the pit, you never reach the palace!

3.      Be thankful for the process of pain

a.      The butterfly struggles in the cocoon. His struggle to get out is what gives him strength to fly. If you bail him out he never flies.

b.      The struggle builds his muscles to fly across a yard in seconds that would’ve taken him days to crawl.

c.      Don’t always curse your crises! It may be allowed by God to strengthen you to fly!

Chosen for Impact - The Process for Power

1 Samuel 17:40, ⁴⁰And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

One of the most epic stories in the Bible is found in 1 Samuel 17 (David versus Goliath).  The outcome of this battle altered destiny, impacted Kingdoms, and birthed the beginning of a revolution (which would be manifested years later).

There is a key to this battle that we often overlook. It is the stone that David chose to sling at Goliath. The Bible records in 1 Samuel 17:40 that before David encountered the greatest giant in the world he went down to the brook to choose him a stone.

The stone in the story of David is so powerful. We can see the process that the stone journeyed through to receive momentum and force to bring down Goliath. This process is key to every believer’s life that desires to slay giants, build the Kingdom, and restore the Presence of God back to its rightful place.

Here is the Process:

1.   The Stone Is Found in the Brook. The brook represents the church. Notice that the King went to the brook to find his stone for impact. The brook is a place of preparation where the water (God’s Word) is smoothing out the rough edges. If the stone is rough or unbalanced it has the potential to miss its target (Goliath’s head).

2.   The Stone is Placed in the Shepherd’s Bag. Once you have been chosen by the King you will enter into a season of the “shepherd’s bag” which is a dark and isolated place. When you are in the bag, you will want to return to the brook! The isolation and darkness is part of the journey towards impact.

3.   The Stone Hears the Cry of the Enemy. If you thought the shepherd’s bag was tough, wait until you hear the enemy threaten your life while you’re in the dark place. The enemy’s threat is proof you are close to conquering him.

4.   The Stone is Shifted from the Shepherd’s Bag to the Sling. The sling is made up of a skinny piece of leather fastened to a stick. This is a season that seems to be utter chaos. You are barely hanging on and then your life starts spinning out of control.

5.   The Stone is Released for Impact. This is the moment that you focus in on your purpose. At this stage you realize that the chaos was intentional by the King. The spinning was actually giving you momentum and force to bring down your giant.

I encourage you to proceed through the process. Many people bail before they are released for impact. Remember that the process produces power! You may be spinning out of control but if you’re in the King’s hand you will make great impact.