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LIVING A “KINGDOM OF GOD” LIFESTYLE
By Donald L. Phillips
Ph.D.
Will you join me to prayerfully know
where God would have us all put our priorities in the remaining years of our
lives. I am determined that my life must
count the most for God and His Kingdom.
As I look at my options I am aware that God has called and anointed me
to work with Him and the Holy Spirit to heal broken lives and
relationships. I find such joy and
fulfillment as I team up with the Holy Spirit and watch Him perform healing and
growing miracles in individuals and in relationships. This will always be one
of my God-given priorities.
As I become more of aware of the
spiritual condition of the bride of Christ world-wide, and see what is
happening in our world, I feel such an urgency to do all the Holy Spirit
enables me to do, to help God’s Kingdom children learn how to more successfully
live a Kingdom of God lifestyle.
As followers of Christ who are
learning to live a Kingdom of God lifestyle, we are aware that our nation and
the world are being shaken. We are being
informed that the economy of our nation and much of the world is experiencing a
major shaking. The U.S. Embassies in
Egypt, Libya and other nations have been attacked by those who hate our nation
and Israel. The U.S. Ambassador and
three other U.S. employees were killed in Libya. It seems that everything that can be shaken
is being shaken and I believe this will continue.
The shaking should be no surprise
to the citizens of the Kingdom of God, especially as we read and understand
God’s Word.
“So be careful and do not refuse to listen
when God speaks. Others refused to listen to him when he warned them on earth,
and they did not escape. So it will be worse for us if we refuse to listen to
God who warns us from heaven. When he spoke before, his voice shook the earth,
but now he has promised, “Once again I will shake not only the earth but also
the heavens.” The words “once again” clearly show us that everything that was
made—things that can be shaken—will be destroyed. Only the things that cannot
be shaken will remain. So let us be thankful, because we have a kingdom that
cannot be shaken. We should worship God in a way that pleases him with
respect and fear.” Hebrews 12: 25-28 (NCV) (My emphasis)
You are sons and daughter of the
Kingdom of God if you have repented of your sins and committed yourself to
follow Christ. So be thankful and worship the King of Kings and be convinced
that you belong to a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.
Eugene Peterson, in the Message
Bible, helps us understand verses Hebrews 12: 27-28, even better. “The
phrase “one last shaking” means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all
the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear
and uncluttered. Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And
do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with
worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander.” (My
emphasis)
IF WE ARE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF
HIS KINGDOM, THEN MAY GOD HELP US TO ACT LIKE IT.
“So if you’re serious about living this new
resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ
presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things
right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around
Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.”
Colossians 3: 1-2 (Message)
Could it be that God is giving
the Sons and daughters of the Kingdom of God an opportunity to become part of
the solution rather than part of the problem? If we are true sons and daughters
of the King of the Kingdom of God, then it would make sense that our King would
want us to live a lifestyle that would enable us to enjoy all the benefits the
King of the Kingdom provides us. He
would want us to live in such a Kingdom lifestyle that it would point people to
the King and His Kingdom.
“But seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)
A few years ago there was a T.V.
program called, “The Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous.” This program spotlighted celebrity worship and the
eccentricities and excesses of some of the member of the "rich and
famous" each week. Special attention was always given to the prices paid
for the various luxuries with which the upper crust enhanced their daily lives,
ranging from spacious seaside villas, to classic cars, to gold-plated bathroom
fixtures.
I have a strong conviction that
God wants those of us who belong to the Kingdom of God, to understand how to
live the lifestyle God has set out for us in the Bible. There are those living
in the Kingdom of Darkness who desperately need to see the light of the World,
Jesus, shining from those in the Kingdom of light that will lead them to that
very same Kingdom.
“If the Good News that we preach is hidden, it
is hidden only to those who are lost. The devil who rules this world has
blinded the minds of those who do not believe. They cannot see the light of the
Good News—the Good News about the glory of Christ, who is exactly like God.” 2 Corinthians 4: 3-4 (NCV)
“The people who sat in darkness have seen a
great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,
a light has shined. From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins
and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Matthew 4: 16-17 NLT “Now
that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house;
be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to
open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (Message)
If your life is not pointing
people to this generous Father and King, then let the Holy Spirit lead you
there!
MAY GOD HELP US TO LIVE ,TEACH
AND PREACH THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND ITS LIFESTYLE
The Holy Spirit is impressing
upon His disciples and leaders that we must teach and preach more about the
Kingdom of God and how to live a more successful Kingdom of God lifestyle. My
heart rejoiced as my pastor, Steve Wilson, emphasized the Kingdom of God in a
recent sermons. I was also blessed to
read the blogs, my friend and mentor, Ernest Gentile put on his web site about
the Kingdom of God. You may go to his website to read more: http://www.ernestgentile.com.
For the past several months the
Holy Spirit has been helping me to experience a deeper understanding of the
Kingdom of God I am being daily shaken with new revelation about what it means
to live a Kingdom of God lifestyle and I want to share some of those insights
with you.
- I am asking the Holy Spirit to examine
every part of my life and make whatever adjustments He wants to make. I am asking Him to do a thorough
housecleaning in my life and get rid of any historical and religious junk
that would prevent me from living a more successful Kingdom of God
lifestyle.
- God
is showing me now, like never before, how to become more intimate with the
King of the Kingdom of God. I am finding my daily private time with Him
becoming more real and precious as time goes on. For the past many years I wake up at
4:00 AM to spend at least two to three hours in prayer, the word and
worship. When I go for my early
morning walk I listen to the Scriptures or teachings on the Kingdom on my
Smart Phone. I share this not to impress you, but to encourage you to let
God help you to know how to live a more successful Kingdom of God
lifestyle and help you spend more focused and intentional time with the
King of the Kingdom.
- As
I grow deeper in my love relationship with my King, He is teaching me
daily to understand how to apply the Sermon on the Mount teaching and
other Scriptures in my daily walk with my wife, my family and those He
brings into my life.
- As the economic and political shaking continues, many people will search for God. God wants the citizens of His Kingdom to let the miracle working power and love to be clearly evident in them. As God’s followers learn to live the Kingdom of God lifestyle they will be better prepared to minister to the needy people in the coming critical times that will become the setting for the greatest revival and outpouring of the Holy Spirit the world has ever known.
- During these times of crises, Satan is working even harder to blind the minds of those who are looking for answers. As God's truth shines upon people by the Spirit of God, let’s pray that the film over their blinded eyes will be removed allowing them to clearly see and respond to Jesus.
My book: “HEALING
BROKEN LIVES AND RELATIONSHIPS” is now available on eBook format –
Or:
http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Broken-Lives-Relationships-ebook/dp/B0081IIL72/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1347117484&sr=1-1&keywords=Healing+Broken+Lives+and+Relationships+by+Donald+L.+Phillips+Kindle
