Christian Writers Circle

Confidence in the Words Jesus Taught – Part 2
by Brenda D. Flowers

Our finite minds must be enlightened by God to the reality. . . We were given His Kingdom life when we became born again. We can fully trust God to fulfill His promises in and through us.

We have the power to cast out negative thoughts that come to mind.

Those negative thoughts, saying it is impossible for God’s kingdom to come in our lives, are not our thoughts. When we are born-again believers, we can choose not to entertain negative, doubtful thoughts and instead choose to trust God’s powerful life-giving words.

In 1975, God loved me so much that He spoke to my heart through testimonies of Christian friends while in our graduate school dorm. Holy Spirit was softening my heart.

On January 21, 1976, God spoke to me through a Campus Crusade for Christ movie. The words quoted from Scripture pierced my heart, as did the words of the speaker, “like the wind, you can’t see it but you know it is there.” These words awakened me to the Holy Spirit. I received the revelation of what God had done for me by sending His Son to die so I would be reconciled to Him. My eyes were opened to the truth of His kingdom. That night I was born again.

As I have lived my life as a Christian, now over forty years, I have grown in my understanding of God’s kingdom life. I see the importance of daily quiet communion with God in prayer and  His Word. He is changing me on the inside. The more I spend time seeking God, the more I am given an understanding of His kingdom and His will.God has provided for me in many ways along my personal journey.

There are bigger giants to face in this place of deeper revelation, but my dependence upon God continues to grow. I realize everyday that we Christians are on earth for great purpose.We are bringing His Kingdom to our communities by His love and truth through us. We are His ambassadors. He uses us with our unique gifts to be the ones through whom He can reach the lost with His Kingdom love and hope.

We are instrumental in the answer to the prayer, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Closing Prayer:
Father in heaven, Thank you for Your beautiful plan designed to bring Your kingdom and Your will on earth. I trust You to work through me with the body of Christ to be light and salt on the earth. Help us spend time with You each day to know You intimately and closely follow You. In Jesus name and life in Your Spirit. Amen.

I Trust Your Kingdom Come – Part II
by Kathleen Shore

I must say, pure delight for more of Him overtook any hesitation within me as I responded to Father’s request that quiet autumn morning…

Creation had painted a picture for me to see what my posture should look like in light of God’s faithful provision amidst the coming dormancy of fall, giving way to the death of winter. It was perfect. He is perfect.

As I focused on Him and His perfect way through the unknown of what I was being drawn into, all fear of what it might look like, or what may need to be pruned away in me, simply rested down in the comfort of what my Creator displayed right outside my window that morning. I was captivated.

Observing the level of trust with my very own eyes that all creation had for the Master, gave me a hunger for more of Him. Planted deep into my heart, a seed was shoved down into the readied soil…Left there to die, it would be a full year and one month before the Son/sun with all the warmth of His love/light would call me out of darkness, bursting forth with resurrection life.

But before the Master Gardener allowed dormancy to give way to death He spoke these words to my spirit…

                                                                  John 15:1-2
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

His sweet thoughts and intentions of me secured my heart in His hand as God graciously whispered the assurance of His desire. It was as though Psalm 139:5 was tending to me for all that would need to come. “He hemmed me in, behind and before…”
(See Psalm 139:5-6)

His promised springtime of resurrection life, whenever that would come, had to be believed in prior to God’s moment to bring it forth. It is His desire that we look to Him with hope-filled expectation during the seasons of dormancy into death, during the pruning of even the fruitful branch in our lives…for the sake of greater fruit. He wanted me to believe in all that He promised, before it took place. That’s what ‘believing’ is! Once you ‘see’ what you waited for, you’re no longer believing.

So, I received His invitation that quiet autumn morning, and believed (to the best of my ability) in all He would do. All I needed then was to simply choose (over and over) an internal posture of rest and let Him have His way…no matter what it looked like.

In the waiting, more specifically, what I chose to be doing in the waiting was a great lesson. SO MUCH IS GOING ON IN THE WAITING. Even if I had to wait in the refinement of humiliation, in false accusation, in heartache, or physical suffering…my response still needed to be at rest, trusting Him, expecting Him, just like the painted picture outside my window. These are the moments our lives crown Him – King!

May you see the glory of John 12:32 from the resurrection life in you…
“And I, If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all peoples to Myself.”

Rest to Reign
by Judy Hitson

Psalm 37:7a NKJV  Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;

When the Lord first spoke to me from His word on rest, I didn’t realize it was a life-long lesson. Deeper still, I continue to learn from our key verse to rest in Him and wait patiently for Him. What He revealed to me was the importance of waiting to hear Him speak to me on matters that concerned me. He promises in Psalm 138:8 that He will take care of that which concerns us. That is all the more reason for us to position our soul (our mind, will and emotions)  to rest in His presence and wait to hear Him.

At first, I thought resting and waiting on the LORD were spiritual exercises in quiet time, hear Him speak and be on our way to follow Him. Yet those of us who learned to rest and wait on the Lord, also discover He may answer at the time or it might take days, months, even years. He develops His character in us that we learn to rest in Him to reign with Him.

As children of God, we each have a place to rule and reign with Him on earth as it is in heaven. I hear, “Come up here.” These words found in Revelation 4:1 are also for us today. God wants us to experience open heavens. We are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:6. Let us take our place seated with Him to live and walk in the Spirit day by day.

As we rest in the LORD and wait, let us remember His promise, My sheep hear My voice, John 10:27. Many books written on this topic are helpful. The best book and teaching for me is by Mark Virkler, “4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice. Quiet down, focus on Jesus, tune to spontaneity (the flow of the Spirit) and journal (write it down). We are to hold the words of life spoken to us in the place of rest in the Lord to reign with Him from the kingdom place He has for each of us.

Prayer: God, our Father in heaven, bless us Your children with kingdom rest to reign with You through Jesus Christ by Your Spirit giving us life to live Christ day by day until He returns. Amen.

Interested? A new book I purchased and look forward to reading:
Called to Reign by Leif Hetland

I Trust In Your Kingdom Come – Part I
by Kathleen Shore

A full year has passed since Father caught my attention with His creation that was crying out for me to know Him in a new and powerful way. Yet, I will never forget that one particular autumn morning and the way God drew me into new life.

In the quiet of my house with everyone still asleep, I stood with my coffee and gazed out the window. Dawn had just broken through, the fog lifted, and light was shed on all He wanted me to be awakened to. It was as though God said, “Good morning.” And creation responded back to Him, with a resounding orchestrated movement. The birds fluttering about with twigs in their beaks, putting the final touches of warmth on their nests…squirrels scampering here and there to find the best place to dig and hide their nut mix…while the leaves danced about in the trees and floated to the ground on a breeze to show their array of many colors… It was magnificent!

It truly was the perfect picture that readied me to say, “Yes” to Him.

As peace filled my heart, Father whispered clearly to my spirit, “Notice how all of My creation is not resisting or complaining about the coming seasons of dormancy in fall, giving way to the death of winter…but everything moves with My hand and My way, preparing themselves, trusting me with great expectation, knowing that the resurrection life of spring is sure to follow.”

In awe of His truth displayed right before my eyes, He then gently whispered again, “Do you trust Me this way? If you knew ahead of time, as creation knows, that I am bringing you into a season of dormancy that would give way to a season of death…like a pruning of the dead branches, and even some fruitful branches in your life, for the sake of greater fruit (see John 15:1, 2)…would you move with Me, as this picture of My creation does, that I have shown you this morning?”

Somehow, I ran to Him and shrunk back from Him all in the same moment. Clearly His word, sharper than any double-edged sword, had penetrated me…divided my soul from my spirit, and left me standing perfectly bare before Him (see Hebrew 4:12). I recognized my desire for more of Him, and I longed to respond to Him in the way He had shown me that morning. However, I just as clearly recognized my hands of ‘self’ grasping tightly to all that could potentially be stripped away.

In full view of the ugliness of ‘self’, I ran to Him…weeping. “Father,” I cried out, “Please do in me what You have shown me this morning. I see how perfectly You take care of, provide for, and protect all that You have made down to the smallest animal. I want my life to declare, “Will You not do even more for me, than these! For have You not already given Your Son to die that I might have eternal life with You?”

In full love of me, a year later, He brought me into a springtime of new resurrection life, by Way of a season of dormancy and death.

                                                              John 12:24-26 NIV
“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Confidence in the Words Jesus Taught – Part 1
by Brenda D. Flowers

In many churches and homes this week and for centuries, since the time when Jesus first taught His disciples these key words to pray, people have been praying, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” If asked, some of the people who have said these words may admit honestly that they did so with little or no thought about what they were saying.

Many people may have prayed these words without the faith to truly believe the words of this statement. Some people may be wondering if God’s kingdom will come and can we REALLY know God’s will.

Many people who have prayed these words may still be lost, not having been enlightened to their need for a Savior and Lord.

At times, I am even challenged as I pray these words.

While I am saying these words, a negative thought tries to plant doubt in me…”Do I TRULY believe that God’s kingdom can come and His will be done in my life as it is in heaven based upon what’s happening around me?”

Now, when I have these thoughts, I realize they are not my thoughts. God’s Word states clearly we are in a spiritual battle. I must deliberately focus on who I am as a daughter of the King of kings and put on my helmet of salvation and other pieces of God’s armor. I am clothed in Christ’s righteousness, and I can pray with confidence.

I know I have been given the measure of faith to believe. I can pray believing that Jesus would not have taught His disciples to say these words if the request was not possible to be answered. I can and we can together trust that Jesus’ words are true and He answers our prayers. Jesus is coming in all His glory, but we must also realize He is here with us now showing us the Father’s will.

Yes, God’s kingdom is coming. His will can and is being done on earth as it is in heaven.

It is being done in me and in other image bearers of Jesus Christ today throughout the world. This is a mystery.

God (in His eternal plan) chose to make known to them how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in and among you, the hope and guarantee of (realizing the) glory. (Colossians 1:27 AMP)

Relationships in God’s Kingdom
by Judy Hitson

Psalm 22:28 NASB For the kingdom is the LORD’S And He rules over the nations.

In God’s kingdom, our relationship with God is of primary importance and then our relationship with man. The Lord’s prayer comes to mind, Matthew 6:9-13. The first instruction Jesus gave His disciples to pray, Our Father who is in heaven. That is all about relationship. The first request He teaches in verse 10, Your kingdom come…..on earth as it is in heaven.

As a follower of Christ ponder this question with me:

How is your relationship with God as your Father in heaven?

Will you join me in this prayer?

Father in heaven,
I draw near to You. Thank You that You draw near to me, James 4:8a. I am Your daughter/son, John 1:12. Thank You for our relationship through Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior, my Lord, my God, yet my brother, my coming Bridegroom, my life, my all. Your kingdom come, your will be done in my life by Your Spirit in me. Strengthen my relationships pleasing You for Your kingdom purposes on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. Amen.

Thinking of God’s kingdom, another scripture comes to mind for us to consider:

Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 Through an intimate relationship with God, it is profound to consider His kingdom and our part with Him. I hear, “Relate to those in God’s kingdom in love and with a winsome spirit for those without that some might be saved. Always relate truth in love which can only manifest by the Spirit of God in us. Go forth now to love and serve the Lord your God, Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords. Prepare for His coming. Disciple those who know Him and warn those who do not.
On closing, I hear, “Faith of our Fathers.” Check it out on YouTube. Amazing!