DIVINE PRIORITY

Recently, Rev. Dr. Kong Hee of City Harvest Church has been preaching a series of messages on the "Kingdom of God".

The following is a brief recapitulation and adaptation of his preaching on 25 & 26 March 2017 for your edification. 

However, you gotta get hold of the sermon CDs from The Ink Room so that you can listen to them. After all, faith comes from hearing the Word of God. There is power in the spoken word; God spoke the universe into existence where "Uni" means "One" and "verse" means "poetic verse" in Latin.

In Genesis 1:26 God gave man dominion over the creatures He has created. "Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”" Genesis 1:26 (NKJV)

To have dominion means having authority as a king over a territory or a domain. Interestingly, God did not give man the authority to subdue other people.

A king has authority over a realm while a lord has ownership (e.g. landlord). In Psalm 24:1 (NKJV) we understand that:- 

"The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell therein."

"But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant." Matthew 20:25-26 (NKJV)

The Kingdom of God is a king of kings; servant kings. It is filled by believers who serve others with dignity as opposed to servitude.

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:" John 1:12 (NKJV) 

As sons and daughters of the Most High God, we are the King's kids; princes and princesses. (This truth need to be told more often so that it is not sidelined to the corner of fairy tales or myths and legends.)

"The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to be king over all, but all who will take God’s gift of forgiveness and acquittal are kings of life because of this one man, Jesus Christ." Romans 15:7 (TLB)

Indeed we are meant to reign in life as kings in Christ Jesus.

Our reign is on this earth. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5 (NKJV)

"The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men." Psalm 115:16 (NKJV)

God is fittingly both our KING and our LORD. As declared in Revelation 19:16 (NKJV), "And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS."  

God gave man a lease agreement over the earth. God Himself will not violate His words. 

The authority over the earth was, however, relinquished to the enemy of our faith when man fell into sin. 

"Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish." Luke 4:5 - 6 (NKJV) 

God need to look for a human to intervene on this earth. By prayer, we give God permission to move and intervene on this earth while the lease is still operative.

“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:18-19 (NKJV)

"Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 (NKJV)

Repent means a total change of thinking resulting in a total change of action.

Jesus has already dealt with sin and the devil. Our greatest enemy is ignorance.

According to Abraham Maslow, the basic needs of man are food, water, clothing and housing. Truth be told, these have already revealed by Jesus Christ way back during His earthly ministry.

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" Matthew 6:25 (NKJV)

God is a Spirit and mammon is also a spirit. Mammon is the spirit of this world which makes us worry about food, drinks, clothing and housing.

Hear then from Matthew 6:33 on the Divine Priority:-

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

DIVINE PRIORITY means that seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness is the most important thing in life. T

To seek means to pursue fervently. Seek Him first and only; not seek Him first and then seek after mammon. The two are mutually exclusive. Make the Kingdom of God your highest priority. Don’t imbibe the spirit of mammon. Repent from giving leeway to the spirit of mammon. Align your thinking with the Word of God.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24 (NKJV)

When we acknowledge God as LORD, it means that He is our supreme owner. Seeking God first is a "Yes, LORD." response. When we say that God is LORD, but respond with 'Yes, LORD, but ...', this is an oxymoron.  

There is a cost to following Jesus through whom we come to God our Heavenly Father.

"Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Luke 9:57,58 (NKJV)

Jesus said matter of factly that it could be costly to follow Him; one might have to give up the comfort of home or house even.

"Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Luke 9:59 (NKJV)

This man was called by Jesus specifically, but he was not ready till his earthly father has passed on.

"And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”" Luke 9:61, 62 (NKJV)

This follower kept looking back to unresolved distractions; he did not have a clear priority to seek God first and only.

We are in the world but not of the world. What are you giving strength to? Are you controlled by mammon or led by the Holy Spirit? Are you giving yourself consistently to the things of God and allowing Him first priority in life, above all?

Then there is the account of the rich young ruler. "Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." Matthew 19:21,22 (NKJV)

For sure, God is a rewarder and He will show Himself faithful to those who follow Him to the end with the right motive. (Bottom line: If we have Jesus, He is our everything.)

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." Matthew 19:29 (NKJV)

"So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”" Luke 18:29,30 (NKJV)

Repent and cast aside mammon. God has something better for us -- Divine Priority. Get this right, and we will enjoy life as God has intended for us. He is a good God who takes care of the flowers and birds. Surely, He will take care of us, too, as we submit to His reign in our lives as the King of Kings and LORD of lords.

About Kong Hee

REVERENCE AND RELEVANCE.

These two words encapsulate the crux of Kong Hee’s life-transforming message to the masses: “Loving God Wholeheartedly and Loving People Fervently.”

There is much value in the simplicity of this maxim that effectively demonstrates the vertical aspect of the Cross—having a deep relationship and reverence for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; as well as the horizontal aspect—stepping out of the confines of our personal needs to meet the needs of others.

Preaching the gospel of Christ in a manner that is both progressive and heartfelt, Kong is a highly sought-after conference speaker worldwide, and his messages reach out to touch and minister to millions of lives through many multimedia platforms. Kong’s revelatory emphasis of the Great Commandment, the Great Commission and the Cultural Mandate resonates powerfully within 21st Century Christianity by inspiring believers everywhere to take on the mantle of Kingdom ambassadorship. Not just within the four walls of the church or within full-time ministry, but in whichever areas of society God has placed them in.

Dream Big, Think Small: An Interview with Jeff Manion by Jonathan Petersen

If you wanna get some gentle reminders and fresh insights on how to live an extraordinary life one day at a time, then you might wanna take up "Dream Big, Think Small" by Jeff Manion.

The 'trick' or often overlooked secret to our quest for our dream life and doing great things for God is really the sum of our daily activities. The prize or rewards do not come sensationally overnight, but it is an accumulation of our faithfulness in the the little things of daily habits such as prayer, guarding our hearts, and the "one thing" of learning the Word of God with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Click here to read An Interview with Jeff Manion by Jonathan Petersen.

Jesus Culture

Overhead from someone that he loves Jesus Culture. I took up the lead and started listening to their songs, as well. 

I have been blessed by their worship and praise songs. They really give their all, be it in their singing or music, in their pursuit of God and His ways. 

Here is just a sampler for your edification from YouTube:-


Where You Go I Go -Kim Walker Jesus Culture

My Soul Longs for You - Jesus Culture - Bethel Prayer Meeting 

I Need You More - Jesus Culture With Bethel Music 

A Vision For Our Times by Rev Dr Mark Chan

(Source: TRUMPET, Dec 2016, published by Trinity Theological College)

"Images are powerful. They capture our attention. Once we have seen something, it is hard to un-seen it and flush the picture out of our mind. As the philosopher Wittgenstein observes, "a picture holds us captive." Images captivate.

Marketers know this. Push a picture into the heads of people, and you are halfway to winning the battle for attention. Advertisers spend big bucks to conjure up alluring images to seduce consumers into parting with their money. Images persuade.

Modern day terrorists too know the power of the image, and they exploit it for their wicked ends. It is not enough that they mutilate and decapitate; they make sure that their sick acts of violence are uploaded on social media for the world to see. A picture is worth a thousand words, we are told. An image of terror is apparently worth a whole lot more. Who can forget those horrifying images of airplanes ploughing into skyscrapers?

Visions of terror are not the only ones that trouble us. We are haunted by the doleful eyes of starving kids on television. We are greeted by images of drowning refugees, traumatised citizens, bombed-out cities, angry mobs, melting glaciers, smog-covered metropolises, and so on.

Graphics of bleak economic forecasts and signboards of businesses going bust depress both the markets and our spirits. Our anxiety level shoots up as the economic outlook nosedives. What we see affects how we feel.

And it disturbs us to see crude and crooked politicians outdoing each other to see how low they can sink to get to the highest office. It makes you wonder how safe our world really s when people with big egos and bankrupt morals get their hands on the levers of power. The prognosis is not exactly cheery.

Pictures of gloom and doom attack our senses and assault our sensibilities. Even a cursory look at the world today gives us reasons to despair. Anguish mounts as we ponder the dangers unleashed by human folly. It seems like our world is careening hopelessly out of control.

But is it?

If all we see are death, doom and destruction, and if salvation depends on people making sane decisions, then yes, we have every reason to be despondent. But as followers of Christ, we do not merely take our cues from what our eyes tell us. Rather, we look at life from the standpoint of what God has revealed.

If any picture should hold us captive in our troubling times, it is the vision John was given in Revelation 4 and 5. At the outset of this book written to Christians in trying times, we are ushered along with John into the heavenly throne room. The curtains of time and space are drawn back, as it were, and we are given a dazzling vision of God upon His throne.

Glittering gemstones, lightning flashes, thunder claps,fire-blazing torches, prostrating elders in white robes with their golden crowns, and fantastic flying creatures with all-seeing eyes greet us in this kaleidoscopic and awe-inspiring spectacle. The stunning visuals are matched by the sonorous song of praise that resonates around the throne: "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" (Rev 4:8).

The vision comes before the vivid descriptions of cataclysmic upheavals, political convulsions and worldly carnage. It invites John(and the modern reader) to look beyond the intimidating realities of life to see our majestic God on His throne. This is not a preview of something that will happen one day in the future; it is about God's supremacy right now in the present.

Such a vision is sorely needed today to steel our nerves. In a world rocking from political unrests and violent outbreaks, God remains firmly on His throne, in charge and in command. Through the eyes of faith, we see the calming and controlling hand of God in the midst of the chaos of life.

The words of an old chorus come to mind: "God is still on the throne/ and He will remember His own/ Though trials may press us and burdens distress us/ He never will leave us alone." Or as another hymn-writer puts it: "Under the shadow of Thy throne, thy saints have dwelt secure." Here is a powerful antidote to the fears that grip us. In this we take heart.

We can take heart because the God enthroned in heaven is also the God who is at work on earth. He is not the detached deity of the deists. He upholds creation and gets redemptively entangled with the human race. First with Abraham and Israel, and then at the Incarnation and on Calvary.

Christmas and Good Friday are more than just holiday interludes. They point to historical events that are the means by which God redresses all that is wrong with the world. And that divine work of restoration is centred in Jesus Christ. 

John saw in his vision, "a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain" (Rev 5:6). At the heart of the throne of God is the Lamb of God slain for the sin of the world. This is the grand paradox at the very heart of the universe: the sovereign God who rules over all is also in a profound sense the Crucified One on the cross! The coming together of throne and cross spells the defeat of the sinful creaturely uprising against the authority of God.

In John's vision, "before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal" (Rev 4:6). To the ancients, the raging sea with its churning waves is home to malevolent forces. The vision of crystal-like sea of glass before God's throne points powerfully to the vanquishing and stilling of all the forces of rebellion.

To see the world for what it is, we need to appraise it from the perspective of the throne of God and the cross of Christ. May this picture of God triumphant hold us captive and steady our hearts!"

About The Author

Rev Dr Mark Chan is the Director for the Centre for the Study of Christianity in Asia (CSCA) which is a research arm of Trinity Theological College that seeks to conduct rigorous intellectual enquiry on Christian life, thought and missions in the geopolitically and ethnic-religiously plural contexts of Southeast Asia. It supports the educational thrust of the college as well as the long-term and strategic needs of the governing churches of Trinity Theological College. He is also a Lecturer in Theology.

Friendship

"But in Friendship, being free of all that, we think we have chosen our peers. In reality, a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another, posting to different regiments, the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting—any of these chances might have kept us apart. 

But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of the Ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends "You have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." 

The Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all the others. They are no greater than the beauties of a thousand other men; by Friendship God opens our eyes to them. They are, like all beauties, derived from Him, and then, in a good Friendship, increased by Him through the Friendship itself, so that it is His instrument for creating as well as for revealing.” 

― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Jesus' Advice For Writers

As an aspiring writer, I was enthused to discover the following advice from Jesus regarding what scribes (writers) would do in my recent reading from the Gospel of Jesus Christ:-

"Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” " -- Matthew 13: 52 (NKJV)

Inspired by this nugget of wisdom from Jesus Himself, I would venture to say that a writer brings out the best that he has learnt and kept preciously in his memory bank -- things he has learnt from way back and things that are like fresh bread from heaven.

And, the key to learning anything is a 10-letter word called UNDERSTAND which Jesus has taught when explaining the Parable of the Sower:-

"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”" -- Matthew 13:23 (NKJV)

Interestingly, Jesus' parables involves daily chores such as farming and husbandry of which his audience in that era could identify with ease. 

Without a doubt, Jesus is a Master Teacher. As observed by Benjamin Franklin, "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."

One Thing -- A Matter of Priority

"But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” -- Luke 10:40-42

Fast forward to our present time, as with Martha, we may be distracted from laying down what we are doing to be with Jesus Christ, our LORD and KING.

While what we are doing may be important, I would infer that our priority may at times be out of alignment with Jesus' priority. This is the Son of God who spent time regularly communing with His Father while going about doing His Father's business on this earth with a clear sense of purpose, determination, discipline, direction, dedication and devotion.

We cannot afford to be so busy that we have no time to spend in the presence of Jesus who is One with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We need to catch hold of this revelation:-

"Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!" -- Psalm 46:10

God is still God whether we take heed or not. But, if we retreat from our distraction and rest our soul, we will know that God is with us for real and He is more majestic and glorious than what we can ever think or envision. 

And, yes, God is certain that He will be exalted among all people and throughout the earth; every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is LORD!

It is time for us to draw near to Jesus daily and eat of His Words (spiritual bread and water) which are life and spirit. 

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." -- Matthew 11:28 

Let's take heed and make it a priority to accept God's Invitation To An Abundant Life as outlined in Isaiah 55:

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, 

Come to the waters;

And you who have no money,

Come, buy and eat.

Yes, come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without price.

Why do you spend money for what is not bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

Incline your ear, and come to Me.

Hear, and your soul shall live;

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—

The sure mercies of David.

Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,

A leader and commander for the people.

Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,

And nations who do not know you shall run to you,

Because of the Lord your God,

And the Holy One of Israel;

For He has glorified you.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found,

Call upon Him while He is near.

Let the wicked forsake his way,

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

Let him return to the Lord,

And He will have mercy on him;

And to our God,

For He will abundantly pardon.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,

And do not return there,

But water the earth,

And make it bring forth and bud,

That it may give seed to the sower

And bread to the eater,

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me void,

But it shall accomplish what I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

“For you shall go out with joy,

And be led out with peace;

The mountains and the hills

Shall break forth into singing before you,

And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,

And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;

And it shall be to the Lord for a name,

For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

It is well and good for us to come to Jesus and be blessed. When we come to Him, Jesus will speak His specific words for us which we could learn to well recognise like a sheep knowing the shepherd's voice. 

To the rich young man who had kept the commandments, Jesus had this to say to him:

"Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” " -- Mark 10:21 

God has no problem with us having wealth (look at Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), but we have a problem when we are possessed by our possessions. As explained by Jesus in Mark 10:23-31, it is hard for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God and the reason is that they tend to place their trust in riches (rather than God). 

But, with God, all things are possible. This means that with God, we can learn to trust Him and still be able to handle riches with proper stewardship; godliness with riches without losing our consecration. It is, after all, the love of money that is the root of all evil and not money, in and of itself.

May we soldier on to make our time with God (Quiet Time, church service, prayer meeting, etc) a top priority. We may then partake of King David's pursuit of God and godliness:

"One thing I have desired of the Lord,

That will I seek:

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

Note: All Scriptures shown here are from the NKJV version.