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"If It's Not About the Kingdom, It's Not About Me"
"Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and
what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops." Matthew: 10:27 One evening, a few weeks ago, I was thinking about all of the things I want to do and accomplish
in the name of the Lord, and suddenly, a revealing but tranquil notion gently made its way through the center of my sea of
thoughts. Simply put: "If it's not about the Kingdom, it's not about Me." Then I, speaking
aloud what I had just heard, slowly, in awe, stated "If it's not about the Kingdom, it's not about You."
Well I, as one would expect, instantly put a melody to the statement I had just heard when it occurred to me to ask myself:
What did the Lord mean? Lord, what are you saying to me? So in my quest for Truth, this is what I've found. First-What is the Kingdom? The "Kingdom" refers to the "Kingdom of God" or the "Kingdom of Heaven." It
is in God's Kingdom where His rule, His Reign, and His Way are Supreme. In Luke 17:21 Jesus said "For indeed the Kingdom of God is within you." Also,
in John 18:36 Jesus said: "My Kingdom is Not of this World"
The Apostle Paul
wrote in Romans 14: 17-18
"For the Kingdom of God
is not food and drink,
But righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
For he who serves Christ
in these things is acceptable to God
and approved by men."
But it doesn't stop there. Paul
goes on to say in the next verse:
"Therefore
let us pursue the things by which one may edify another."
Romans 14:19
Moreover, when Jesus was teaching us how to pray in Matthew 6:1-13, He offered a KINGDOM prayer: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom Come, Your
will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, Our daily bread." Taking notice, Jesus prayed for the Kingdom to come and for the Will of the Father to be done, Here On Earth. Also notice that He did not say,
"Give Me this day, My daily bread," but He said "Give Us." Obviously, In the Kingdom of God, Glorifying
God, Edifying, and exhorting Another is far most, the Will
of the Father. This was the life of Christ while
here on Earth, and should be the life of His Body in the Earth realm today. What's Really Goin'
On? Now, I'm pretty sure that in saying "If
it's not about the Kingdom, it's not about Me", the Lord was dealing withthe
"Heart" of the matter; my motives. To narrow it down, the Lord was referring to the intentions
of my heart. Since the Kingdom of God is within me, my "heart"
and the desires therein should characterize that. So what is, truly, my goal? What, actually, do I hope to accomplish
by some of the things I desire to do In His Name? Is it really about God and/or His Kingdom;
Righteousness, Peace and Joy in
the Holy Ghost; whereby edification and the like will be brought to another; or is
it about me? Is there any inkling of "selfish" ambition; even the tiniest notion?
"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, licentiousness (sexually unrestrained behavior), idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts
of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I
tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God." -Paul Galatians
5: 19-21 Wow! "Selfish ambition" is in the
same category as envy, jealousies, murder, idolatry, fornication, etc, etc. It's because they're
ALL Works of the Flesh. Consequently, selfish ambition can definitely be motivated by
jealousy and envy. Looking intently at, and coveting what others have, or are doing, could certainly
stimulate the works of the flesh. Another "works of the flesh" motivator is loving this world. But, in
I John 2:15 we have been admonished to "Love
not the world, neither the things of the world; For all that is in the world- the lust of the flesh, the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life- is not of the Father. Since we have been commanded to walk in the Spirit and not
after the flesh, we must question our motives for the things we claim to do for the Lord and/or His Kingdom. Yes,
we must have goals and ambitions but not selfish ones. We were created for the Glory of God and
everything we do must exemplify, and be indicative of that. "But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Against such there is no law." ~
"Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:22-23, 26 Compare what is written here as the "Fruit of the Spirit," with what is written as the "Works of the
Flesh." Clearly, the "Fruit of the Spirit" lists the temperament that has everything to
do with our relationships with the Lord, and with one another. And the works of the flesh are clearly "full"
of self; and to practice such things, one will Not inherit the Kingdom. So no matter how much we speak
of God and believe we are doing His will, it is not so if the "works of the flesh" are a "way of life"
for us. Jesus
said in Matthew 7:21"Not everyone
who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Sadly, it's pretty common in modern day teaching (In the Churches)
to be thoroughly encouraged and consumed with "gettin' mine." But this is not Kingdom teaching or living, it is the dangerous doctrine of men. It is perverted and is totally contrary
to the teachings and way of the Father through our Savior Jesus Christ. "Don't do anything only to get ahead. Don't do it because you are proud.
Instead be free of pride. Think of others better than yourselves." You should
think the same way Christ Jesus does. In His very nature He was God. But He did not
think that being equal with God was something he should hold on to. Instead, He made Himself nothing.
He took on the very nature of a servant." Philippians 2: 3,5-7a (NIV) I Like The New King James' Version of verse 7 as well: "But made Himself of no
reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." To Sum It Up
For quite some time now, I've been saying to the Lord in
prayer:
"Lord, I give you everything I think I want to be and do and I Trade it for everything
You've planned for me; Your perfect will."
The
Lord does hear my prayer so He wanted me to "take notice." It's not as if He didn't know and had just
had a "light bulb" moment. He knows. He Always knows. But He wanted me to know. He wanted me to
stop and take a look at my thoughts, my desires, my motives, and true intentions.
Let's examine ourselves.
If what we desire is truly about God, then it's synonymously about His Kingdom. We'll get ours, whatever that
is but we must Seek First the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. In other words:
Put God's Kingdom First. Do what He wants you to do. Then all of those things; all of the temporal,
earthly needs and desires will be given to you.
"Have
I Therefore Become Your Enemy Because I Tell You The Truth?"
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