Kingdom Living

Now, let's see what God will do. Matthew chapter 6 verse 25. Therefore, I say unto you, take no thought for your life. What ye shall eat or what shall ye drink, nor yet for your body, what shall ye put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raignment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take you thought for raignment? Consider the liies of the field, how they grow, and they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not a raid like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothed the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you? Oh ye of little faith, therefore take no thought, saying, "What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or whether with all shall we be clothed?" For after all these things do Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But then he hits us. But seek ye first the kingdom of God. And somebody say, "And his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." In other words, all the things you've been worried about, all the things you've been perplexed about, he's in control of all of those things. Take therefore no thought for the tomorrow, for the tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

I want to preach to you for a little while. This first family, y'all ready to be ministered to as families with the help of the Lord and the anointing that I feel he has put upon me for this night. I want to preach to you on this kingdom living. kingdom living. If you're going to help me, you may be seated. I believe that what I will preach to you tonight has the potential to revolutionize your life. I do not think it's ironically placed in scripture in Matthew chapter 6. Uh many do not look at it this way, but when you read the context of it, it is the continuation of the sermon on the mount. where in chapter five Jesus is given all of the biatitudes and he rolls this sermon. He's a little long- winded on this day. He rolls into chapter 6, actually into chapter 7. He's got a pretty long sermon that day. But Matthew chapter 6 probably could be best described as the the great kingdom manifesto. Jesus had just come through being baptized by John the Baptist. He has come through the wilderness experience and being tempted of the devil. And now his ministry was on display and the timing of his purpose was beginning to be revealed. He would perform miracles. And now we find Jesus is speaking in the mount to ordinary people, fishermen, families, workers per se, mothers, fathers, children, disciples. They knew what it meant to worry about bread on the table. They knew what it was like to to to worry about clothes on their children. They knew what it was like to to to to feel the uncertainties of their tomorrows. But Jesus would step on the scene and this ve very very real context of daily family needs. And Jesus would speak words that they had a hard time comprehending when he would interrupt their normal way of thinking and would say, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God." He would say words that took a little bit of of of comprehending or processing.

And then as God would begin to deal with me about this night, he began to tell me that there would be those of you in this room, even on this first family, that need addressing in the very things that Jesus addressed to this to this group of followers and this group of hungry disciples. Jesus began addressing the very things that families worry about. And tonight you may be sitting there and maybe you have the question, I don't know what I'm going to eat tomorrow. I don't know what we all we have is water in the cupboard. I don't know what your story may be. Uh where where are we going to get clothes and you know to the to on the surface these are not bad questions because they're necessary concerns. And some of you tonight, I felt the weight of parents, kids going back to school. And you you feel the weight and the responsibility to provide for your family. No doubt that Jesus was encountering the weight of responsibility as he began to teach them. Families today, some of you to sit here tonight facing bills that you don't know how you're going to pay them. groceries. Just a few things I thought. School needs, school supplies, unexpected expenses. I didn't factor this into the equation, but Jesus warned them. And I've come with a warning and an encouragement all in the same tone to not let these necessities consume your heart with anxiety.

Because I I read it today. It it was said by someone, "I lay down at night, but my mind keeps racing through the next day's worries, and I'm tired before I even wake up." Can anybody relate to that? I believe that it is a human condition that Jesus was addressing. Uh but in the midst of the confusion, in the midst of the anxiousness, Jesus would speak peace to the worried heart. Jesus would step on the scene and point to creation, the living evidence that God is faithful with his provisions.

Matter of fact, verse 26 even said it, "Behold the fowls of the air." Just look at the fowls of the air. They do not sow or reap, yet their heavenly father feeds them. Consider the liies of the field in verse 28. They do not toil or spin. Yet they are clothed with a beauty that the Bible would say Solomon would like to look in and see and experience what they do. What is your point, pastor? If God takes good care of the birds and the flowers, how much more will he take care of his children who love him, who trust him, who call upon his name, and who seeks him first. I've come with an encouragement uh to every mom and dad, every families uh every family represented. Hear ye the word. Your efforts are seen by God. He knows when the paycheck doesn't stretch far enough. He knows the stress of raising children in a broken world. But let me come with you with a promise. Uh not with negativity, but with positivity. in this crisis that we're in. Your heavenly father, know that ye have need of all these things. But hear me in the Holy Ghost tonight. One of the greatest traps of the enemy, he will get you distracted. And if we're not careful, this is what starts happening when things are disarraying. When when it seemed like, God, are you hearing my prayers? Or or God, what are you doing right now? And we we get into this worry trap. And we get into this cycle of trying to to be the fulfiller of what only he can fulfill. I can do this. I can fix this. I can I I'm the end all be all. But hear me. If we're not careful, we'll get distracted and chase happiness instead of joy. The joy of the kingdom. See the nature of happiness is based on happenings. It depends on the external. If things go well, I feel happy. If things go wrong, happiness slips away.

But Proverbs 14 and 13 says, "Even in laughter, the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness." Uh, can I submit to you it happiness is real. Yeah. But don't stop there. It's temporary. It's tied to the ups and downs, the es and flows of life. Uh it's much like a childh when he receives that balloon. We're happy or they're happy for as long as the balloon were floating. But if it pops or it slips out of the hand, the happiness disappears instantly. That's how happiness in this world. You got it and it's gone. You got it and it's gone.

But let me ask you to flip the coin. Let me tell you about something greater than happiness. It's called joy in the kingdom of God. When you are seeking him first, joy is internal, not external. After the new the new smell in the car is gone, the happiness fades. After the new home that you bought, life settles in and the happiness you had now begins to fade. That new truck, that new car, that new job. Can I get a witness tonight? We're happy. We get that first paycheck and then we start we want to we want a raise. We we we achieve a certain level, then we want some. It's a constant chase. It's a constant race. Uh but let me submit to us joy is internal not external. It's rooted in the relationship you have with God and not things. Joy is internal. It's rooted in your relationship with God, not circumstances. Nehemiah 8:10 says, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." John 16:22, Jesus promised, "Your joy no man take from you." Joy, may I remind you, is fruit of the spirit, which means joy comes from God's presence dwelling on the inside of you. Could it be we've been chasing and and trying to aspire, chasing something that's going to vanish? We we're we're grasping for this and have I just want to be me. I just want to do me. I just I just want to be happy. I hate to tell you happiness is momentary. But let me introduce you to joy. Joy is a wellspring of living water on the inside. It keeps flowing regardless of what's happening on the outside. Uh highs, I've got joy. Lows, I've got joys. Come what may come what may. Lose a job, you can still have joy. Wreck a vehicle, you can still have joy. Get laid off, I can still have joy. Why? Because my joy comes from him in his presence. There is fullness of joy. Hallelujah.

Notice that Jesus doesn't say seek happiness first. He doesn't say chase after what makes you feel good. He says seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. This is first family. I'm trying to help our families. We're in a new month. We're in September. Do you realize we we we're going fastly toward the holidays. We're going fastly toward the end of another year. And sometimes I feel like where are our priorities? Where has this year gone? Seek first the kingdom of God. And why why do we need to seek? Because the kingdom provides what happiness never can. eternal joy, spiritual security, a foundation that will not crumble. I started thinking about the elements of joy. There's nothing like joy because it's not tied to a thing. It's not tied to a person. It's not tied to a place. Well, you go on a vacation. We're getting ready to do that. But you know what? We're going we're going to have momentary happiness. Some of you are going to get a new car in the next few months. Some of you are are pursuing a career and a job and it's going to be happy for a little while. But joy is greater than that. Joyy's not tied to a person, place, or thing. It's tied to our almighty creator. Uh the creators of the heaven and the earth. Uh he is the one and only here. O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. This foundation cannot and will not crumble. I speak to families tonight and I speak from my heart. When a family seeks happiness first, it it's a clear sign they're chasing after things. Not all in all, but it it's happiness robs you of contentment. Well, if I just had a bigger home. What if I just had more money? Well, what if we did more activities? And I'm just giving you a few. But when trials come, happiness vanishes. When a family, hear me, sec. When a family seeks the kingdom first, prayer, worship, faithfulness to God, raising your children in truth, what happens is you begin to build your lives on joy that will sustain you through any and every storm. Any and every storm. when it's built on joy. The promise of joy is in the kingdom. Jesus said, "All these things shall be added to you." He knew good and well that we would need food. He knew we would need shelter. He knew we would need provision. But he promises to take care of that when you put him first. Yeah. If you've got a long list of a a laundry list of things you need, let me challenge you tonight in the Holy Ghost. Uh are you putting him first? Have you put him first in your life? Uh because I could promise you uh there is a promise connected. Seek ye first the kingdom and all these things shall be added. The psalmist David would write, "In thy presence is fullness of joy. At thy right hand there are pleasures forever more." Forever more. I like this. Joy is found in what? Joy is not found in what we have, but in who we have. And that who is with a capital W. Not in a lower case. Happiness fades when the paycheck runs out. Joy remains when we trust Jehovah Gyra, our provider. Happiness may collapse when sickness strikes, but joy remains because our hope is in the great physician. Happiness may fail when people turn against us, but joy remains because the Lord said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

And so, here's the heart of the message. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. When I begin to read this aresh today, something struck me. I don't guess that I I've ever seen as the spirit would. This is not a suggestion. It's a command. Well, if you feel like seeking, seek. No, you do it if you feel like it or don't. It's a command. But let me tell you, when you seek the kingdom, God's saying, "Come on, this is an invitation to the freedom that comes with seeking my kingdom first. It's a freedom from I ideologies that that you can do it all, that you can be the fix all and do it all. You're the No, no, no, no. It gets you in partnership and in covenant promise with the one. The Bible says he owns the cattle on a thousand heels. He is our provider. He is our source. He is our strength. That's the covenant promise we have. That's who he is. And when we sign up for this, Jesus said it's an invite to experience freedom like you've never experienced before.

So, how does this happen? How how does this kingdom living? How can I I won't say enroll or sign up, but maybe I should use this word. How do I enlist in kingdom living? Glad you asked. If you're taking notes, this may be a good place to write down a few things that I'm going to give you. Number one, you got to set your priorities right. I know this going to hit going to hit hard. I'm coming with you with a spoonful of sugar while the medicine's fing to go down. Are you ready? God's kingdom comes before everything else. We're in this kingdom living. He is the Lord of the kingdom. That's right. And here's where we must never forget. The Holy Ghost smoked me as I pinned these words. He is the Lord and we are the servant. And we must never forget that the priorities of the kingdom, the priorities of our schedules, the priorities of our activities, the priorities of our attitudes, the priorities of who we are. It should be wrapped in this. My priorities reflect who's Lord in my life. He's number one. He's Lord of all or he's not Lord at all. Now, we can come to church. We can put on our mask and put on we we can put on a good front, but we don't live in the promises of God. We don't live from the fruit of what his spirit has available for us. But when I set my affections and I set my priorities right, I step in covenant promise and I start walking as a servant in his kingdom. And it then is no longer about me. It's all about him. It's no longer what I can do, but it's what he does through me. I get joy when I serve in this kingdom. I get fulfilled. See too many I feel my health now. Too many times we're getting fulfillment or trying to get momentary satisfaction outside of the kingdom. Outside what the world can give. Can I remind you we're just pilgrims passing through. We we're just pilgrims passing through going to a place whose builder and maker is God. Some of us, we're we're putting so many roots down here when the trumpet does sound. Are we even going to be able to get up out of here? When I set my priorities, right, there's nothing in this world that's going to keep me here. You can have it all. Like that man I heard. I heard a story about a man that was at the altar preacher just got through preaching hard on the judgments of God. coming of the Lord. This old boy was in the altar praying or standing somewhere in the altar and I may get the story just butchered a little bit. Give me a little attitude. And somebody walked, one of the men in the church said, "When the rapture comes, you can have that Ford F-150." And the guy standing altar said, "You really mean I can have that truck?" That's a version of what really happened. He wasn't worried about the rapture. He was worried about that F-150. Yeah. See that that we got to get our priorities straight. Is there anything that you would Oh, man. I can't leave. I can't go up there because I'm too attach I don't want to get so attached to stuff down here that my priorities get misaligned and I miss my most defining moment.

Number two, put God at the center of your family. Do you realize the tabernacle in the wilderness? The tabernacle in the wilderness gives a reflection of how our lives should be set up. Every tent, brother Chris, was facing the tabernacle. That's right. Every direction, the doorway of the tabernacle, the doorway of your tent face the house of God. And I know we can't all pitch tents around here. I know we live in other other cities and we pull from it. We got a big draw, but I'm talking in the heart of things right now. Our hearts toward the kingdom of God. The when we get out of bed every morning, we got to start saying, "Lord, I'm in your kingdom. How can I serve you today? How are you going to organize and construct and lead me to let the kingdom of God be advanced?" When we put God at the center of our families, prayer becomes a priority. Worship becomes a necessity and righteousness becomes a lifestyle. It cannot be an afterthought. There must be a conscience effort every day to have him at the center of everything. You better be praying about taking that job. You better be praying about buying that house. You better be praying about taking that doing that. You mean you pray over? You better believe I I'm not going to get in the middle of something that I ain't prayed about. God be looking at me like, "Well, if you have if you would have prayed for if you'd have asked me, I could have saved you a lot of headache." Praying about that girlfriend or boyfriend? I know there's some young people in here. I know she fine, but have you prayed? I know he cute, but have you prayed? You better know you've prayed. And you better know you put him at the center of your family. Can I get a witness from some families in here?

And here, number three, you got to trust his order of provision. Now, I'm going make when you put God first, he takes responsibility for the rest. He adds all these things. You just put him first in everything. He takes responsibility for the all these things. I I'm telling you in the Holy Ghost tonight, if we trust his order, you can't supersede the word of God. Amen. You can't go outside of the book and expect expect him to go outside of the words that were breathed out of his mouth. and holy men of God rode as they were moved on by the Holy Ghost and think we've done arrived at at in 2025 that he's changed his mind. He's God and he cannot lie. He ain't changed his mind. It's forever settled in heaven. The grass witherth and the flower fadeth, but this word's going to last forever. So, how is this kingdom living? I gave you three things. Set your priorities right. Put God at the center. Trust his order of provision.

So how do I make this applicable? If you would do this very few days that I don't start my day with prayer. Even if it's a short prayer, it's a prayer. Start your day with prayer. Before school, kids, young [name redacted], before school, pray. [name redacted], before school, pray. [name redacted], before school, pray. Before you go to work, pray. Some of you drive 30 miles to work. Some of you got that windshield time. Pray on your way. I can't tell you the blessing and benefit of that. Here, the first family, hear me. Let your children see you putting God first in decisions. No, we're going to pray about this. Yeah, we're going to pray about going to pray about this. Yeah, we're going to pray about you know what you just did in that kid's mind, man. Mom and dad really going to pray about it. And if they say no, you've known they prayed about it. If they say yes, you know they prayed about it or we hope they have. Let your children see you putting God first. Brother Kenny, you got me a few months ago, but I'm coming tonight. You're going to hear it. Let God Let your children see you putting God first in tithing. Boy, I can hear rat licking ice in here right now. Let them see you write that tithe check. Let them see you write that off. Let them hear you. We're going to give $500 to missions. And you look at them say, "My Lord, I didn't think we could buy enough food and groceries for the month." See, some of your kids are watching you right now as you process how you're going to respond in giving. This is kingdom living. When your children see you respond in tithing, you know what you're doing? You're putting yourself in covenant blessing with him. This is his word. But when they see you do it, when they get a job, they're going to start doing it. I want to brag. There are young people and there are children that every week. I opened up one today. I saw as I prayed over all of the I this is just what I do. I pray over all the finances of this church. I pray over them. And when I see a 75 cent envelope come into the I'm saying thank a mama and thank a daddy, thank a teacher. Thank a Sunday school. Thank somebody for giving them the exact. It probably was birthday money or chore money, but somebody said, "I've watched my mom and daddy return unto God. Now I want to join in to this kingdom life. Messes me up when I when I start thinking of all the sacrifices and all of your families and what you do to advance the kingdom. Let your children see you as parents. Put God first in your commitments. You sacrifice your schedules. You come to prayer meeting. You come to Sunday morning service. You come to midweek service. You come to Sunday night service. You come to activities that take place here in the kingdom of God. I have no fear. Will there be a church of tomorrow? I have no fear of there being a church of tomorrow. If parents today will be the church today because your children are going to learn by example. Guard family time for church. These are things that I just guard family time for church. Make the house of God a priority, not a leftover. Never let your kids have to ask, "Hey, are we going to church today?" Never let it be. Dad, are we going to church today? Are we going to move the mission rally? Oh yeah, we going. The doors are open, ain't they? We going to be there. Here's one thing I believe. When families seek kingdom first, they create a spiritual covering that brings peace and stability into the home. The beauty of the command I try to come to a close.

The beauty of the command that Jesus gave is the attached promise. All these things shall be added. Food, clothing, shelter, the necessities of life. He didn't promise luxury. He does promise efficiency. God's economy works differently than ours. The world says work harder, worry more, secure yourself. But the kingdom says put God first. He will add what you need. put me first. You got a budget sheet. This is often I I've used this in counseling. I've used it even across this pull pit. If we were go to our check ledgers, if we go to our bank account, we'll see where our priorities are. That should convict all of us. Next to the Lord, food would rank right up there close to the top. Anybody was My Lord them cows ain't getting no cheaper I don't think from what I heard. Thank God eggs have come down just a little. When we put God first, he will add what you need. Jesus closes. I like to say with a gentle reminder, take therefore no thought for the tomorrow, for the tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. If we're not careful as families in the kingdom, we can waste today's joy worrying about tomorrow's problems. But I stand before you tomorrow is only in the hands of God. He gives daily bread, not tomorrow's bread today. He said, "I'm going to give you enough for today." If he gave us tomorrow's bread today, it would violate his word. Matthew chapter 6.

And I close. musicians can come. Matthew chapter 6 spoke to me so revvelatory today and so powerful. This one chapter as I reviewed it teached on giving on prayer on fasting on the treasures in heaven. And the last portion the whole synopsis is teaching on worry. I started I started looking at Nelson is the Thomas Nelson wrote is the uh printer of the or the publisher of this Bible and he highlighted those emphasizing points of Jesus and it hit me today. You will eliminate seasons of worry and frustration if you trust him. And the only way you truly trust him is not by chasing things but seeking the kingdom. Happiness is nothing but a mere mirage. You seek it until you're miserably disappointed. But when you seek the kingdom and find that in it is joy unspeakable, fulfillment is lasting in his kingdom. When our priorities are in alignment, my joy is steadfast and sure. I find my greatest fulfillment when I do for others rather than what I do for myself. That's an act that that's that's my love language I love doing for others.

So I close with this to every parent as I prayed over you today. God sees your sacrifice. But rest in this promise. Put him first and he will supply. to the to the from the if you can comprehend what I'm preaching, I would say elementary, middle school, junior high, high school, hyphen. If you'll learn this principle early, God's kingdom matters most. It'll save you a lot of heartache. It'll save you a lot of decisions and regrets and battles that you'll have to process mentally. But I speak to the whole collective family unit. Build your house on the rock of obedience to the word of God. That's when you step into true kingdom living. When you make a vow, as for me in my house, we will serve the Lord. Everything changes. When you say those words and you come into covenant with him and you enroll or enlist into the kingdom, you now serve a master. You now come under submission to the Lord. You come under an umbrella of promises, but it's directly directly a it it's proportionate to you out of your obedience to him. It's hard for him to bless something that's living under a curse. It's hard to bless with a disobedient servant. It's hard to for God to open his hand unto the willing, unrighteous, disobedient. But when we when we say, you know what, I've I've missed the mark. I've lived my life lately for me. I've been very selfish. I've not been really kingdom living minded. God said, "I I've been waiting on you to awaken to you to this moment, and I welcome you into the fellowship of my kingdom.

My kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost as you stand right now all over this house." Oh God Jesus, I wish that we could just step out of our seats right now and walk to this altar. God sees where you're at. God sees what you have need of. God sees the heart. God sees the pain. And God sees the struggle. God sees and has heard your prayers. And he's saying, "If you want to live in my kingdom, if you want to live, we're a citizen of another kingdom." We're not a citizen of this world. We're a citizen of a world to come. Oh, maybe this is a time where you you just have a prayer with you and the Lord. Maybe you grab your wife's hand and you take your children by the hand and whatever is permissible. Maybe you're standing next to someone and you say, "You know what? It's time for me to embrace the kingdom principles and start living like I know to live. It's time for me to live sacrificially toward his kingdom. It's time for me to commit myself Could it be the key to the weariness you're feeling? Could it be the key to the weariness and the heaviness? Could it be the key to the burnout? We've all experienced seasons in our life where I don't know how much more I can take. I don't know how much. Could it be a fresh reminder to you it's the cure to where you're at right now. Get the focus off of you. Slap the towel of servitude on and say, "Lord, I'll serve wherever I'm needed. I'll do whatever you ask of me. I'll submit to your word." Yes, that towel of servitude puts you in a dimension of his favor that you could get nowhere else and no place else. But when I step into agreement in the kingdom, else the kingdom life is the best life. Nothing else. Oh God, Holy Ghost, would you just let that be your prayer? Nothing else. Nothing else, God. Nothing else to do. I just want you else. Hallelujah. I just want you and nothing else. Thank you, Lord, for the kingdom of God you're establishing in this church. Thank you for what you're establishing in our family. You have called us to this home. You have called us to this place. You have called us to be kingdom advancers. Nothing else. Nothing else. else. Nothing else will do, Lord. Nothing else.

Father, I pray right now in the name of Jesus. God, you have given me the you have given me the most unbelievable, highest honor in all the land to be the pastor of this great church. new Lord. God, you have put these kingdom principles in me and I've tried to pastor for the last 16 years by everything that I just taught this church. God, you help put it together in my spirit today and compile. Now God, I pray Lord as I look across this sanctuary and I see new disciples. I see saints that have been here for many, many years. I see families. I see children. I see young adults. God, I pray tonight that something was caught. Lord, that a spirit of advancement of your kingdom, oh God, would be caught because that's where true fulfillment and that's where true joy comes when we seek the kingdom first and then all these things are added. Now Lord, I pray you bless. I pray you keep. I pray tonight, God, that there would be a an ushering in of your presence and power. Bless our service on Friday. Let what we have experienced tonight flow into this house and may many lives be advanced and many lives be changed. God, let this church be a an example of who you are, what you are. God, let somebody leave this house with a burden to advance the kingdom and seek it with all of our hearts. It's in Jesus name we pray. Everybody say amen.