Kings and queens of the King of kings

Grace, a messenger of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the churches in every continent and nation:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I come before you with thanksgiving to God for the faithfulness and relentless faith of many of you. As you give your life to Jesus and humbly accept His will and calling in your lives, I need to inform you of the royal degree given by the King of kings. He has appointed each one of you as kings and queens in His Kingdom, for you are chosen by God and are precious to Him. You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light (1 Peter 2: 4-5, 9).

The very vision of the King of kings is that each of us are trained and molded to be great kings and queens who would disciple and prepare future kings and queens such that we will populate the earth that God’s Kingdom will be made known and established in all the earth. I plead with you to take up this royal degree for it is a command, yet under every command there is a choice of covenant. A covenant however is not a command hence it cannot be broken. At this point, there are certain principles for holy or royal living that kings and queens should uphold and even in every ministry.

Principles in ministry

As kings and queens, we all have a people to care for and protect. Kings and queens are like shepherds. We are entitled to lead, in humility and love, and to disciple, doing it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Whether in sharing the gospel, or to disciple new believers, you ought to have an attitude of being God’s kings and queens.

Since you have the royal blood running in you, the blood that was shed on the cross for you, you ought to guard yourselves in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 16:13, Proverbs 4:23, 1 John 5:21, Psalm 34:13, Philippians 4:7). In everything you do, be holy for the King of kings is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Practical principles for royal living

1.      Kings and queens are allies in the Big Kingdom; you protect your partners-in-Christ.

Love each other – 1 Peter 4:8, John 15:12

Encourage each other – 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 3:13, Titus 2:15

Rebuke/ Correct/Warn each other’s wrongs – 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Proverbs 27:6, Galatians 6:1, Titus 2:15

I urge you to do all of these out of love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13; 16:14). Do not judge another (Matthew 7:1). As partners-in-Christ, we help each other as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). This is all to build up the Kingdom of God.

2.      Kings and queens should be kind, polite, courteous and have manners

Love is not rude (1 Corinthians 13:5).

Don’t engage in foolish arguments (2 Timothy 2:23-24).

Be gentle in words and deeds (Ephesians 4:2-3, 1 Peter 3:3-4, Proverbs 15:1, Titus 3:2, Colossians 4:6).

This is what you ought to do as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved. And above all these virtues, clothe yourselves with God’s love which binds all of these in perfect unity (Colossians 3:12-14)

3.      Kings and queens should make wise and careful decisions in small or big things.

Be shrewd as serpents, yet innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16).

Be wise towards non-believers (Colossians 4:5).

Recorded in the Book of Proverbs teach us very clearly what wise decisions are.

The pre-requisite of wisdom is to fear the Lord for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).

4.      Kings and queens should shine and set a good example.

Don’t hide (Matthew 5:14-16).

Do what is good before God and man (Titus 2:7, Titus 3:1-11, Micah 6:8).

5.      Kings and queens should be prudent in spending their wealth and time. God’s kings and queens seek to spend their wealth and time in the Kingdom of God and not on themselves.

Be faithful in giving your tithes and offertory (Proverbs 3:9).

Share your wealth with the poor and needy (Matthew 19:21, Luke 12:33).

Spend time with the Lord (Matthew 6:33; 6:6, Romans 10:17, Luke 10:38-42, John 15:1-5)

Be good stewards of time and make the most of opportunities (Psalm 90:12; 39:4-5, Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, Romans 13:11-14, Ephesians 5:15-17, Galatians 6:9-10, 1 Peter 1:17; 2:11).

Kings and queens, my dearest brothers and sister-in-Christ, be encouraged for our God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Philippians 4:19-20)

This is the royal degree: You are kings and queens of the King of kings. Got it? Or, rather, done it?

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Sacrificing Your Isaac

What does it mean to sacrifice your Isaac? Or perhaps, God is asking you to sacrifice your Isaac but you can’t because your spirit is willing but your flesh is weak. Your Isaac simply refers to the thing or person that you love the most in your life and you find it hardest to surrender that to God. Isaac was Abraham’s beloved son and Abraham loved him and it certainly wasn’t easy for him to obey God in sacrificing Isaac. If you’ve been caught in a struggle between the convictions of the Holy Spirit and the alluring power of your heart’s desire, I pray that the Holy Spirit will move in your heart mightily as you read this article. May God create in you a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within you… may the Lord restore to you the joy of His salvation and grant you a willing spirit, to sustain you (Psalm 51:10-12).

The Attitude in Sacrificing your Isaac

Proverbs 3:4-6 says trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge God and He will direct your path. You might be struggling because you love God and want Him to guide you, at the same time, it causes you too much pain to let go of your Isaac. The only way God can save you from your struggle is if you trust Him with all your heart. There can be no room in your heart for your Isaac as you trust in God with all your heart. You might have asked for confirmations or even prayed that God will change His mind. God is not a man that He should lie nor a son of man that He should change His mind (Numbers 23: 19). When God promises He will save, He will. Whatever He purposes for in your life, it will be accomplished. Psalm 50:23 writes that he who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that God may show him His salvation. Yes it's hard to surrender and sacrifice your Isaac, don’t do it with your own strength. Begin to thank the Lord for the things He has done for you, the promises He has given and worship the Lord. Abraham worshipped the Lord (Genesis 22: 5). When you do these, you are fixing your eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfector of your faith. Your offering of thanksgiving to God honors Him and prepares the way for Him and you will see God’s salvation in your struggles in His time. 

Why does God want our Isaacs? (Psalm 40: 6 - 8)

Bible says from God are all things and He is worthy of it all (Revelation 4: 11). Your Isaacs do not belong to you. What can you give to God that God has not given to you? What do you have that is not of God? Isaac was a promised son God had given to Abraham. When we read Genesis 22:1-19, we often think that Abraham didn’t seem to have struggled in sacrificing Isaac but I believe he did. Abraham however understood that God was looking at a heart of obedience rather than the sacrifice.

Abraham hung on to God’s promise through Isaac He will make him a great nation. When God had asked him to sacrifice Isaac, he did not lean on his own understanding but simply held on to God’s promise and obeyed God. Notice in Genesis 22:5, Abraham says to his servants that both he and Isaac will return. Sometimes, it seems as if God is contradicting. When we think like that, we are limiting God’s ways and God’s power. Doesn’t it say in the scriptures that God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts? (Isaiah 55:8-9) This however does not mean that God will not ‘take’ your Isaac. In the case of Abraham, Isaac was God’s promise to him. If your Isaac is in the way of God’s will and hindering God from being the Lord of your life, then because God loves us and wants all of us that we can soak in the richness and abundance of Him, He will take your Isaac. Yet, He promises He will make all things beautiful in His time. But, God’s not gonna snatch your Isaac away. He might intervene, but He will not force you. His Holy Spirit will convict you and give you the strength to submit to His will. 

Don’t hate God because of this. I know it happens. But think about His Kingdom; think about what God has done for you. Think about how privileged you are that God didn’t just call you, He chose you. Meditate on John 15:16 and Matthew 22:14. The Lord says that He has loved you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). This love can only be found in Christ.

Psalm 40:6-8 says that God doesn’t desire or require our sacrifice and offering. What God desire is our heart and obedience to say “Here I am”, and that we desire to do His will. We will not know what His will is unless we have God’s word hidden in our hearts. Start meditating on His Word day and night, because as you do that, incense will arise from your hearts. Thanksgiving will arise to heaven and be like sweet incense to the Lord. For when you delight yourself in the Lord, He will grant you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). This means that God is the only one who knows you. We do not know everything about ourselves because we didn’t create ourselves, God did. And didn’t scripture says the heart is deceitful above all else? (Jeremiah 17:9) What you think you want may not be what you really want. 

Just as this song has ministered to me, I hope it ministers to you: 

Who is like you Lord in all the earth?

Matchless love and beauty, endless worth

Nothing in this world will satisfy

Jesus You’re the cup that won’t run dry

Treasure of my heart and of my soul

In my weakness, You are merciful

Redeemer of my past and present wrongs

Holder of my future days to come

Your presence is heaven to me

Oh, Jesus, oh Jesus…

Your presence is heaven to me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQAwpMFS_9o

Jesus set the perfect example for you. Abraham has sacrificed his Isaac. God loves you; He has chosen you. He grieves with you in your pain and struggles. He desires for you to be in His presence. In His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forever more. He says, "I am with you always." (Matthew 28:20)

Got it? Or, rather, done it?