“I place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of God. If anything will advance the interests of the kingdom, it shall be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping it I shall most promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my hopes in time or eternity.
DAVID LIVINGSTONE
COURSE CORRECTION
MATTHEW CHAPTER SIX AND VERSE THIRTY-THREE
COURSE CORRECTION
Your ultimate destination has been established by faith in Jesus Christ. While we fumble and stumble along the way, our blessed assurance keeps our destination clear. We may not see it in our current stumble or fumble, but our divine destination is assured! We get caught in thinking that our priority is navigating out of our current situation, but it is, to navigate towards our divine destiny. Take a look at the example of a sailing yacht:
THE KINGDOM COURSE
“So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly. Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.”
Matthew 6:33-34 TPT
We make decisions in the moment that keep us focused on the KINGDOM!
THE KING AND THE KINGDOM
We learn so much about the King in the GOSPEL that we sometimes forget that He came to give us a Kingdom-focused life (DESTINATION). Matthew 6 talks about keeping the destination we seek as God’s Kingdom and walking in our declared righteousness given to us no matter the circumstance. We make course corrections ao drive our life toward that Kingdom! What is the Kingdom line?
“But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16:5-11NKJV
The Kingdom momentum in our lives comes from a life in the Spirit.
The Gospels were presented so we would know the King, and the Holy Spirit was presented to us so that we would know and be part of the Kingdom.
The mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. And you did not receive the “spirit of religious duty,” leading you back into the fear of never being good enough . But you have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,” enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, for as he rises up within us, our spirits join him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Father!” For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to us as he whispers into our innermost being, “You are God’s beloved child!” And since we are his true children, we qualify to share all his treasures, for indeed, we are heirs of God himself. And since we are joined to Christ, we also inherit all that he is and all that he has. We will experience being co-glorified with him provided that we accept his sufferings as our own. Romans 8:14-17 – TPT
Everything the Holy Spirit does in your life to direct you away from the world is for the Kingdom. To seek the Kingdom means you seek His opinions and promises and not your own or the world’s. (Authentic Self)
IT IS A SPIRITUAL REALITY NOT RULES BASED ACTIVITY
Jesus was once asked by the Jewish religious leaders, “When will God’s kingdom come?” Jesus responded, “God’s kingdom does not come simply by obeying principles or waiting for signs. The kingdom is not discovered in one place or another, for God’s kingdom realm is already expanding within some of you.” Luke 17:20-21
Expanding your Kingdom thinking needs some form of a game plan. We can not be asking God for His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven and not act in harmony with our prayers. We have to think about ourselves from a heavenly and not an earthly perspective. Here is how we can change our perspective and expand our Kingdom thinking:
1. Develop practices that help you hear God’s voice.
Discerning God’s will involves developing a spiritual sensitivity to His guidance. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27
2. Develop prayer practices to allow you to be real.
Prayer isn’t just about asking but it is also about listening and waiting on God. It is a time to discover the wisdom needed to tack back to the Kingdom line! “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” – James 1:5
3. Don’t try and impose your plans on God.
Our decisions should align with God’s overarching principles. Offense is not an option, retribution is not to be considered, and judgment to something we get to offer. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11
4. Surrender comes from worship, not desperation.
We surrender to God even when we feel like “we have got this…” We surrender to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and we get good at hearing Him and responding to Him immediately – even if it seems weird. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
5. The highest expression of selflessness is whatever values others.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” – Philippians 2:3-4
Expanding our Kingdom thinking is a journey and we should not get frustrated at the fact that we will never arrive. We always will have more to learn and grow in. Our decision-making should reflect a transformation away from worldly values.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Romans 12:2 NLT
YOUR STUDY
Conduct a comparative AIR Study of Matthew 6:10 and Matthew 6:25-34
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
- How Does Matthew 6:10 relate to course-correcting our lives towards the Kingdom?
- Brainstorm ways you can actively seek the Kingdom in your big and small decisions.
- Describe why the Kingdom of God is a spiritual reality not a set of disciplines.
- What is the Holy Spirit’s role in the Kingdom?
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