JUNE THEME – “SEEING UNITY FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE”
BEATS FROM YOUR PASTOR’S HEART
THE KINGDOM BEGINS WITH THE KING
Matthew 6:33 — “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Many people want the blessings of God’s Kingdom without submitting to the authority of the King. They desire peace without surrender, joy without obedience, victory without faith, and purpose without discipleship. Yet Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God is not something we simply add to our lives; it becomes the governing reality of our lives. The Kingdom of God begins wherever Jesus is allowed to reign. It is not found in buildings, programs, traditions, or religious activity. It is found in hearts that have surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. Wherever Jesus is King, His Kingdom is present. Every day we face a choice. Will we live according to the kingdom of self or the Kingdom of God? Will we pursue our own will or His will? The quality of our spiritual lives is often determined by who is sitting upon the throne of our hearts. The Kingdom begins when we stop asking God to bless our plans and begin asking Him to accomplish His plans through us.
The Kingdom Begins with Surrender
Every kingdom has a king. Before we can experience the blessings of God’s Kingdom, we must first acknowledge His authority over our lives. Many people want Jesus as Savior but struggle with Him being Lord. They want forgiveness but resist surrender. They want Heaven someday but hesitate to yield control today. Yet Jesus never separated the two. He came not only to save us from sin but also to reign over our lives. The moment we surrender our plans, ambitions, fears, relationships, finances, and future to Christ, we begin experiencing the reality of His Kingdom. Peace comes when the King is in control. Joy comes when the King is trusted. Stability comes when the King is obeyed. So much of our frustration comes from trying to sit on a throne that was never intended for us. The Kingdom begins where self ends and Christ reigns.
The Kingdom Operates by Different Principles
The values of God’s Kingdom are often the exact opposite of the values of the world. The world teaches us to promote ourselves, but the Kingdom teaches us to humble ourselves. The world teaches us to get even, but the Kingdom teaches us to forgive. The world teaches us to accumulate, but the Kingdom teaches us to give. The world teaches us to seek power, but the Kingdom teaches us to serve. Jesus constantly turned worldly thinking upside down. He taught that the greatest would be servants, the first would be last, and those who lose their lives for His sake would find them. Kingdom living often appears foolish to the world because it is governed by heavenly values rather than earthly priorities. Yet those who live under the King’s rule discover that God’s way always produces greater peace, greater purpose, and greater fruitfulness than the world’s way ever could.
The Kingdom Grows Through Everyday Faithfulness
Most people expect God’s Kingdom to grow through dramatic events, but Jesus often compared the Kingdom to seeds planted in the ground, leaven working through dough, and gradual growth that happens over time. Kingdom growth occurs when believers faithfully obey God day after day. It grows when parents faithfully pray for their children. It grows when believers forgive those who have wounded them. It grows when someone shares the Gospel with a neighbor. It grows when a disciple invests in another disciple. It grows when a church chooses unity over division. Small acts of obedience often produce eternal results. Never underestimate what God can do through simple faithfulness. Many of the greatest works of God begin quietly, hidden from public view, and unnoticed by the world.
A farmer plants a seed in the ground. After covering it with soil, nothing appears to happen. Days pass. Weeks pass. The seed remains hidden beneath the surface. Yet beneath the soil, life is developing. Roots are growing. Strength is forming. What cannot be seen is often more important than what can be seen. Eventually the seed breaks through the surface and becomes visible to everyone. The Kingdom often works the same way. God is working beneath the surface long before we see visible results. Every prayer, every act of obedience, every sacrifice, every word of encouragement, and every step of faith becomes part of His Kingdom work. What appears small today may produce a harvest beyond anything we can imagine tomorrow.
The Kingdom of God is not merely something we talk about; it is something we live. It begins when Jesus becomes King of our hearts. It grows as we surrender to His authority. It flourishes as we adopt His values. It expands as we faithfully obey His commands. The question is not whether Jesus is King. The question is whether He is King of us. When Christ reigns in our hearts, righteousness replaces rebellion, peace replaces anxiety, joy replaces emptiness, and purpose replaces confusion. Life begins to align with God’s design. Our priorities change. Our relationships change. Our perspective changes. Everything changes when the King takes His rightful place. The Kingdom begins with the King.
Warfare Prayer
Heavenly Father, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we declare that You alone are King. Forgive us for the times we have allowed self, pride, fear, worry, bitterness, or worldly thinking to sit upon the throne of our hearts. Today we surrender ourselves afresh to Your authority. We renounce every stronghold of self-will, rebellion, pride, anxiety, and unbelief. We take our stand against every scheme of the enemy that seeks to distract us from Your Kingdom purposes. Lord, establish Your rule in our homes, our marriages, our churches, and our hearts. Help us seek first Your Kingdom above every earthly concern. Strengthen us to walk in obedience, humility, faith, forgiveness, and love. We declare that Jesus Christ is Lord. We belong to Him. Our families belong to Him. Our future belongs to Him. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in our lives as it is in Heaven. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
Daily Challenge
Today, before making any major decision, pause and ask yourself one simple question: “What choice best reflects the rule of Christ in my life?” Then identify one area you have been trying to control and intentionally surrender it to the King. Trust Him with that relationship, that burden, that fear, that decision, or that circumstance. Seek first His Kingdom today and watch how the King faithfully takes care of the things that concern you.
SATURDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Ann Stanley
Aston Savage
Britany Smith ~ Breast Cancer
Christopher & Yting Kelley
Danny Jarrard
David Franklin
Dinay Rodriguez
Ellen Boyd
Jean Muehlfelt
Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda & Mateen
Kim McClain’s Daughter, Amanda
Mary Williams
Nancy Riley
Phillip Roach
Susan Bankston
Wes Knight
Amy Garner’s Dad
Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Angela Bryan’s Sisters
Annette Ford
Brando Echarte
Carol Lawhead – Riverside in Conyers
Darlene Kelley – Cancer Treatment
Darlene Wiggins
Debbie Foskey
Deon Lotter
Don And Karelle Franklin – Mae’s Cousins
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Ed Adkins – Friend of Brian Edwards
Ed Franklin’s Son In Law – Heart Surgery
Eric Magnusson’s Mother
Eric Ward
Friend of Linda Hodge
Gayle Sparks
Gloria Young
James Burnette
Jean Partee
Jean Partee’s Sister
Jessica Headrick
John McClain’s Mother
Joni Oberhage
June Cronan’s Sister
June Davis
Kailey Bateman
Kim McClain’s Mother
Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Mays
Lonzo Christian
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom
Mrs. Franklin
Nancy Brown
Nora Allison
Paul Bateman
Ron And Johnnie Barry – Friends Of Ashton & Glenda Bateman
Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA
Roy Roach
Scott Lanier
Scotty Nix
Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Steve Michaels
Tammy Shelnutt
Tom Witcher