Knowing that we belong to God and are safe with Him in the midst of existential challenges, allows us to have faith and hope that overcomes fear, suffering, and grim worldly thoughts. The Kingdom of here, now, and yet to come, is an ongoing event in the realm of the Spirit, and is not subject to the boundaries of time or happenstance. God gives us eyes to see His potential, and ears to hear the Voice of Truth. Read more

Some years ago as I was traveling through Hong Kong, I noticed the many sidewalk salesmen there hawking “Rolex” watches for twenty or thirty dollars. I knew that the price of any Rolex started in the thousands of dollars, but of course, these Asian versions of the Swiss timepiece were phonies, cheap knock-offs that would neither withstand normal use or a customs officer’s eye. I chose to pass on the opportunity to own an apparently reliable but functionally worthless watch.... Read more

“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4, KJV). Three things happen as we pray. First, we become friends with Almighty God.  I’m talking about real friendship; not some imaginary exercise of reciting religious phrases toward some divine place in the sky. No. David... Read more

Disillusionment and diminishing hope can come when expectations of life remain unfulfilled. Faithful people do not react to the world around them but remain faithful to God, people, and their divine purpose. In faith they stand and rise up to the challenges that come their way. They pray, love much, and know that the world’s problems will not all be solved before the end of time, yet remain faithful at any cost. Read more

As a follow-up to what I wrote last week, “Contrasting a Kingdom Mindset with a Church Mindset,” this week I would like to continue to focus on the importance of the kingdom. By “kingdom” I mean the rule of God over all creation. This includes understanding that the church is not the entire kingdom, but is only in the kingdom as its primary agent of proclamation and application. My eyes were opened in 1995 when I went from a dispensational... Read more

As we seek first the Kingdom God, we will find ourselves looking less and less like us and more like Christ. The Spirit of God will continue to force out of us the things that do not in align with His presence. God has given us family, community and relationships to encourage and train us up in His ways. Servant-leaders who work relationally to equip His people will continue to replace stagnant hierarchical religion. Read more

Religion judges you for what you do rather than who you are. The Kingdom is about who you are in God, and His empowerment to do good. So it is in the being rather than the doing, while the doing flows out of our being. God is shifting and broadening our mindsets to align us with what is possible with Him rather than what self can ever imagine or do. Our true identity flourishes in God and presents God to... Read more

Deliverance does not come from being occupied in self or self pity. Desire to change rarely produces change and especially transformational life changes. Our greatest need is to be delivered from ourselves and into Christ. By being occupied in God we share in His glory and find His intentions and activities concerning our lives. It is Christ or God in us that we hope in, and there is no hope or glory anywhere else. Read more

Sometimes we rely on our preparedness rather than the presence of God for success and overcoming obstacles. Train hard in the disciplines of the Lord, be ready for every good work, but most importantly, remain deeply anchored in the love of God and secure about who you are. With our hearts connected to Christ, advance securely in Him, knowing that the victory and glory in both battle and love is the Lords. Read more

Saturday, November 13, 2010 Strength to Hold Our Ground by Robert Ricciardelli In a world of turmoil in the sovereign freedom that God gives humanity, many will say “Why doesn’t this loving God do something about this mess!” Some will declare our faith irrelevant, or consider it an obstacle towards real solutions. We were promised persecution and for God to give us a timely response. Let’s not be afraid of cynicism coming our way, but trust that God will give... Read more