THE Kingdom of God: The Kingdom of dominion

The Kingdom of dominion
           

 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 (NLT)

    

     In our passage today regarding the Kingdom of God, the Apostle Paul is informing us that the kingdom is not about the believer exercising his/her freedoms just because he can but exercising the freedom to love others above how much you love your own freedom to live. 

     As we have seen so far, the Kingdom of Heaven is personal yet interpersonal interactions.  Placing great value on personal responsibility and relationships that we enjoy is an important aspect of the Kingdom.  The Kingdom of Heaven is an incredible doctrine that reaches into vast understanding about the physical, emotional and the spiritual world.  Yet, among the many other teachings about the Kingdom we find at the center a greater sense of dominion over the created  order within, to cope with life in loving God and caring for others. 

Paul W. Harrison said, "Wherever God rules over the human heart as King; there is the kingdom of God established." 

      Loving God calls for a healthy look inside to overcome the false self to know God better.  When this happens the next task is to live in such a way that you place great value upon those you meet and come to know.    The false-self is disciplined and the true-self is empowered to live out the true will of God in a world that is set against God.

       In an address in New York City in May of 1982 Mother Teresa said, “ Nakedness is not only for a piece of cloth.  Nakedness is for human dignity, for respect.  Homelessness is not only for a house made of bricks.  Homelessness is being rejected, unwanted, unloved, uncared for, having forgotten what is human love, what is human touch.” 

      In extending the Kingdom of God into the world we must continue to govern our lives to be personal.   The world of email, instant messages and even quick and easy face-sheet introduction we endeavor to take dominion over the technology to keep our work human.  Remembering that human love is done in an intimate and personal way taking into account the closeness of human touch. 

The Kingdom of God

Devotional Series: The Kingdom of God


  A kingdom experienced by love

Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”  Luke 17:20

            Jesus said that the Kingdom of God would come but not be observed as they were used to in kings conquering another people.  The people of ancient days would see the conquering king come in to demand, dominate, rule and make them slaves.
            This kingdom would come by the king conquering the hearts of people by the act of self-sacrifice, teaching of a new life and personal freedom that he would give them.
            As members of God's Kingdom we extend the kingdom into the world.  Sometimes when people are served by us, they will understand something of the grace of God through the subjects of the kingdom. 
            Our place is to be sure that people experience the ways of God's Kingdom while they are in this world.  

   Henry  W. DuBose said, " The kingdom of God is a kingdom of love:  and love is never a stagnant pool."

    As citizens of the great Kingdom of God, allow the World to experience the benefits of someone who knows the King.  Let the Word move you to live a great life.  

Annual Care Giver Retreat 2017

  The 2017 Annual Care Giver Retreat was a great success. 

The Care Givers loved it!!

Participants came and enjoyed food, fellowship and their calling in a beautiful and peaceful scene of nature.   Everyone that attended was given the opportunity to hear and be heard.  Attending to the renewing of souls and replenishing hearts each care giver was supported and engaged in soul refreshing. 

The Green Eggs and Ham Dilemma

I do not like Green Eggs and Ham, I do not like them Sam I am.”

      This is a great children’s book that emphasizes the fact that some people will not move forward or make certain decision due to the way they look at the person who brought the information to them.  The main character in the book, who is not named, had a dislike for Sam, “remember Sam I Am”.  At the outset of the story Sam introduces himself and the main character makes a snap decision on what Sam is saying.  His first statement in the book is, “I do not like that Sam I am.”    So, at this time, Sam goes straight to his mission, “Do you like Green Eggs and Ham?”   Then they begin to go around and around. 

My favorite part of the story is, “Would you eat them in a box?  Would you eat them with a fox?”

Getting someone to make a certain decision sometimes depends solely upon who is bringing the message.   Are you having trouble helping someone make a good decision, family or patient, may be a professional contact?  It may be because they have a preconceived misjudgment about you.  This points to the very fact that we make many decisions on emotional not logical basis.   Having this thought in your mind may help you to remember how to adjust your approach or even bring another member of the team into the mix so that the misjudgment of you will not hamper the whole deal.  We will not be able to please everyone and your persistence may not win them over like it did for Sam in the story.  As the main character finally chose to try the Green Eggs and Ham and found that he liked the Green Eggs and Ham. 

      Monachopsis is the subtle but persistent feeling that you are out of place.  Sometimes we do feel that we are out of place in this world, as care givers you may have felt that the rejection of a plan made you feel that something about you is wrong.  This feeling monachopsis, causes me sometimes to think, “why can everyone else do this and I can’t?”  I may be trying to be some else but if I step forward to be me and use my own personality and character makeup, I find that I am more satisfied with how I performed and most times people will appreciate me being me. 

Proverbs 18:16 says, “A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.”         

This is why sometimes the lonely feeling is valid in this world to our existence because you are a gift to the world to make something change for the better.  “The gift opens the way for the giver…”  your gifts and talents were sent here by God in order to change the life of someone else for the better.  When you use your gifts and natural talents to function in life, you might be like Sam I am to someone helping them to make a choice that looks just like Green Eggs and Ham.  But it is just the right choice for them.  As that agent of change in someone’s world you may be the world to them. 

Proverbs 18:16 says, “A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.”