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.”         

A Balance of Power

Devotional: A Balance of Power

^YLT Isaiah 33:22 For Jehovah our judge, Jehovah our lawgiver, Jehovah our king -- He doth save us.

     Why is America so great?

Many people ask the question, “Why do we think America is so great above other nations?  Is it because of the size of our country? Or the way we claim to be the best in national loyalty?  Maybe it is great because we create the greatest rock stars? I’m not sure that other countries can claim to have an Elvis, Billy Joel or Michael Jackson.  But these are not the reasons why America is so great. 

       One reason that our citizens have claimed our country to be so great is because from the very inception of our country, the founders looked to God in order to guide them and the people in creating a government that protects, governs and frees people to be who they believe God created them to be. 

         The founding fathers of the country did not take this idea lightly so they turned to scripture to help them, as many of them were men who believed in the scripture to lead people to a better understanding of the world.   

   The scripture reference above was one of the leading aspects of how the founders understood that governing a nation was bigger than one person like a king or unchecked group like parliament.  So, this scripture was key to serving the citizen to know that people are always understood as flawed and must have some way to balance the power of governing a nation of free people. 

        Israel understood that not only did Kings have power from God but Judges also guided people to follow the laws of God and that there was a social law given not only for the people but also for those who were given the task to serve in leading.   The number 3 comes up in the founding and history of our country due to the idea that 3 is a special number in the Bible.  Concepts and lessons in scripture helped the founders to know that 3 is a responsible number, Three in the Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,  the three virtues of faith, hope and charity.  Three days of Jesus in the grave before the resurrection.  The scriptures divided into 3 parts the prophets the law and psalms. 

       So why not the president rather than King because only God can be called the King of any people?  The Judicial branch was only to judge on the lawfulness of the people, and the Legislative branch, which would make the laws by the guidance and allowance of the people who elected them.  The framers of this country knew that people are not good enough to trust with unbridled power. 

       So, one reason that America is great is because we understand that only God is good enough to rule, judge and lead a nation of free people. 

   
^KJV Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

So, as you think our our country and celebrate the independence of it many years ago.  Remember, that the Christian faith was directly intertwined with the developing of the nation that we cannot untangle our faith from the founding of America.  That is why America is so great and we can look to our faith to thank the Lord above for the scriptures that inspired the men who determined to live out: Liberty, E pluribus unum and In God We Trust.  
   Have a happy and grateful Fourth of July

You Are the World

You Are the World

"To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world."   Dr. Seuss
Sometimes we see ourselves as one small insignificant person in the whole world of people.  It is easy to think this way especially when you go into crowds of people and see so many.   But the work that you do every time you do it, affirms the importance of every single person in the world.   

Matt. 9:21, "She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."
People who seek peace and healing, desire to be close to or just touched by someone who knows that they are there.   

This past weekend I went to visit the Hope House Staff and kids with disabilities.  I went over to Alex and I noticed that she was awake.  I saw that little hand there and i believe that she is blind but I touched her hand.  Immediately she took my hand and began to turn it over and under, up and down and play with my hand seemingly to say thanks for knowing that I'm here.  I see that you are here too, let's be here together.  So, I let her play with my hand for a while.  I may have been the only person in the world for at the moment.  It was a special moment for me.  I hope her too.

  It's ok to make one person in the world feel special because you may be the world to them.

May God bless you to know His presence, peace and safety as you seek to extend the healing of the Lord to our World.  May there be a fusillade of grace, by way of direction, connecting, compassion that grant you success in your efforts to offer support and hope to patients and their families.  Amen!

Remember to sign up for the Annual Care Giver Retreat today. Care Giver Retreat will be held on May 19th from 9am to 1:30pm at Dunaway Gardens in Newnan, GA

The Incredible You

 

   Today you are you.  That is truer than true. There is no one alive. More youer than You!  Dr. Seuss

     The Celebration of You!

It is important to be part of a community of people but you must remember to be yourself.  There are countless stories of individuals who changed the lives of many simply because they answered the voice within to a task that no one else even saw. 

Harriet Tubman, Florence Nightingale, Albert Einstein, Wolfgang Mozart, Vincent Van Gogh, George Washington Carver.  

     All of these and more are counted as individuals who saw something and sought to see it become real.  You are a person made in the image of God.  The power to love, to grow, to learn, to help and to Be is all inside of you.

The Psalmist calls out in praise to God, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” 

       Walk in the light!

      So thou shalt know

      That fellowship of love

      His Spirit only can bestow,

      Who reigns in light above,

   Walk in the light!

       And thine shall be

       A path, though thorny, bright;

      For God, by grace, shall dwell in thee

      And God Himself is light.

                                                     Moravian Daily prayer text 

How do you affirm you own person-hood in the world?  Remember to get a healthy dose of those things you like to do and you will be well on your way to being the Incredible You!!