How to be a Kingdom Builder

READ: Luke:17:20-21(NIV)
MORE LESSONS: Luke 9:6
Bible Reading in One Year: Matthew 22-25

Jesus made so many references to His Father's Kingdom all through His teaching on the earth, both by parable and direct teaching, But seek ye first the kingdom of God....: Matt 6:33, ...the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye....: Mark 1:15, ...Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God....: Mark 4:11, ...Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God?....: Mark4:30, ...preaching the gospel,....: Lk.9:6. There are several more. The question is, What does Jesus mean by the Kingdom? The Bible teaches that the day is coming when Christ will return to the earth and establish a perfect kingdom where there will be no scandals, no corruption. It will be perfect and there He will rule perfectly as our Shepherd.

However, the Bible also teaches that the Kingdom of God is in our life today. That means the Kingdom is in you the moment you surrender your life to Christ and give Him control. When Jesus says, Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me....: Matt.11:29, He means that you are to surrender the direction of your life to Him, just as a farmer uses a yoke to direct his plow animals. In the same way, when Jesus says we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, He means that we are to seek the rule and reign of Jesus Christ above everything else in our life. His Kingdom is first and foremost a spiritual one. Jesus once said to pilate, ...My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight,....: Jn.18:36.

There are three ways by which we can bring the Kingdom of God to the earth. By prayer, Jesus taught the disciples to pray, ...Thy kingdom come....: Luk. 11:2. By the life you live, For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost: Rom.14:17. We cannot bring the Kingdom of God by force but by the life we live as a godly living will attract the world to God's Kingdom. Finally, we can bring down the Kingdom by preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Share the good news that Jesus can forgive all sins by His death and resurrection with the guilty and hurting world. Building the Kingdom of God does not mean changing the ways of the world but changing the hearts of people by prayer, exemplary living and preaching of the Gospel.

Prayer/Action
1. Pray that the will of God will rule in your heart.
2. Pray that you will be a Kingdom builder and not a destroyer.
3. Pray that the Word of God will prevail in the hearts of men globally.

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The Problem of Worry

READ: Matt.13:18-23
MORE LESSONS: Luk.12:22
Bible Reading in One Year: Matthew 18-21

Don't worry is easy enough to say, but it’s not so easy to do when unpaid bills stack up or a crisis looms or the future looks bleak. Worry can overwhelm and brutalise a person; it's a hard emotion to suppress. There is hardly any man who has never gone through worry before. Even the disciples of Jesus were once worried about their future and Peter expressed his fear, ...See, we have left all and followed You: Lk. 18:28. Worry is a powerful emotion that grips a person tightly in times of crisis and he wonders, What about tomorrow? What if this happens? What if that happens? If we don't have enough, we worry that it might be stolen or taken away. Man is indeed a phenomenon! Some people are terribly worried about the fact that they are too young, they want to get older, but worrying won’t change anything or help anyone.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus talks about the seed that was choked out by the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. The seed of the Word of God never brought forth fruit because it was strangled by worry. It isn't only those who are well off that are plagued with the problem of worry, it also bedevils those who have very little but who are always worrying about what they don't have. Whether for lack or abundance the effect is the same: it chokes you and strangles you spiritually.

Here are a few reasons why you must not worry:
1. Most of what we worry about never take place.
2. Worry has never been a problem solver.
3. Worry does not make things better but worse.
4. Medical science says worry can shorten a man's life.
5. Worry is anti faith and anti trust in God.
What to do with worry:
1. Take all matters to God in prayer and leave them there.
2. Cast all your cares upon the Lord.
3. Don't fear the future, rather pray about the future.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus: Phil.4:6-7.
Remember, worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, rather it empties today of its strength.

Prayer/Action
* Give thanks to God for being the God who can meet all your needs.
* Rebuke the spirit and the working of worry over your life.
* Tell God you surrender all your worries at His feet today.

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Expressions of Love

READ: I Sam. 18:1-5
MORE LESSONS: 1 Cor. 13:1-8
Bible Reading in One Year: Matthew 13-17

David and Jonathan are wonderful examples of a perfect love relationship such that if it were between a male and a female, it would be considered a conjugal love. Love brings about a relationship. It was the love that existed between David and Jonathan that made them to enter into a strong covenant relationship. Where there is love among people, relating with one another is never a problem.

Love does not conSam.18:4). It was love that made Jonathan to strip himself of his robe, sword, bow and girdle and gave all to David. Remember that Jonathan was the heir apparent. So when he gave his garment to David it was a symbolic relinquishing of the throne to David, which is an act of selflessness. How many of us can do what Jonathan did? Even between spouses, some find it difficult to release their car, money, or valuables to their partners. For Jonathan, even his entitlement to the throne was not too valuable to release to the one he loved.

Love speaks well of the one that is loved (1Sam.19:4) as Jonathan spoke well of David to his father. Where there is love, evil speaking is put away. When you see yourself speaking evil about someone, your love level for that person may either be zero or very low.

Love shares all things (1 Sam.19:7). Jonathan shared with David all things that David needed to know. Where there is love, there is really no secret. Two good friends that really love each other will tell each other things that their parents are not aware of. If a husband or wife is secretive, it is likely that their love relationship is not at its best, which is why there is no mutual sharing of information. Love that is expressed enhances a relationship and the love that is not shared does not exist. Have a love filled day.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you to express godly love to everyone around you.
* Ask God to make you a typical expression of His love.
* Ask God to connect you with a sincere friend today.

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Honour over Pharaoh

READ: Exo. 14:2-5
MORE LESSONS: Psa. 124:1-8
Bible Reading in One Year: Matthew 9-12

Among other things, there were two major reasons why God wanted to intervene in the case of Israel's captivity in Egypt. First is the need to keep His promise to take the descendants of Abraham to Egypt and bring them out on eagle's wings, thus proving His faithfulness to Abraham, And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, …afterward shall they come out with great substance: Gen.15:13-14. Second, God wanted to prove His greatness in Egypt and be honoured over Pharaoh.

How was God honoured over Pharaoh? He did this by:
1. Fighting on the side of Israel until Egypt was defeated, Exo. 14:14.
2. Dividing the Red Sea for the Israelites to pass, Exo. 14:21-22, 29.
3. Troubling the host of the Egyptians, Exo. 14:24.
4. Taking off the wheels of the Egyptian chariots so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptian: v.25.
5. Closing the sea on the Egyptians, vs 26-28.
6. … and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore: v.30
7. Making Israel see the great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, v31.

May the Lord do the same and more also over your satanic captivity and enslavement this year. May He make you see your pharaohs dead. May He make you see His great work on all your Egyptians until He is fully glorified and honoured over your enemies. Amen.

It is God's honour to take advantage of your challenges and troubles to prove to the world how great He is and turn your tests to testimony. Do not despair therefore when you pass through diverse troubles. They are simply an avenue for God to be honoured, and so shall it be over all your travails, in Jesus' name.

Prayer/Action
* Take each of the seven acts of God in our text to God in prayer. Ask Him to do same to every enemy of your destiny.

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