KIngdom Purpose

Monday, May 15, 2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Psalm 72:18-19 English Standard Version

18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,who alone does wondrous things. 19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen

Memory of the Month: John 10:27-28

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Today's reading: 2 KINGS 22-23 JOHN 4:31-54

Kingdom Purpose

I was working my way through college running a bulldozer out north of Commerce, Texas. In those days a farmer would see you working across the fence from him and if he wanted work done he would wave across the fence and talk.

One man stopped me and invited me to ride with him and I went along and we went through his gate and into a pasture with his small herd of cattle.

He told me to watch and called out, "Bull!". Then from the middle of the cows came the scariest bull I had seen up that close. The bull came right to the window of the truck and looked in the window with his nose about 6" from my elbow. I was afraid but the farmer said, "Rub him behind the horns".

I reluctantly scratched the animal behind the horns and he lowered his head like a puppy.

The farmer went on to tell me how before he got this bull he could pull through the gate and the whole herd would go to the back of the pasture. When he got rid of the old bull and got this new one it was no time until he could walk through the herd and they would not move. The gentle spirit of the new bull had gone through the herd like yeast in dough.

Luke 13:20-Again Jesus asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

Does your behavior affect those around you? Think so or not, it does-someone is always watching. Either they react in a good way or bad.

Sobering thought? Yes. But we are to be as yeast in the world around us. Without the leadership of the Spirit of God-if we go out without acknowledging Him, we go without kingdom purpose.

John 8:54 ►Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.

John 12:28 ►Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.

As we seek the kingdom, we need to pray always, "Lord, glorify thyself"--that we may be carriers of His glory-that self may be crucified and God glorified before the world.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven, glorious God,

Glorify Yourself in me that the world may know my heart is

Yours-tell me what to say and when to say it. May my self-consciousness become God consciousness.

Mighty and worthy God of peace and power!

In the name of Jesus,

Amen