THE KINGDOM OF ME

"But seek first the kingdom of God." Matthew 6:33

"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised." 2 Corinthians 5;14-15

There are two ways to live life according to the apostle Paul:
To live for myself
To live for Jesus

Which way do you live? We always live in the service of one of two kingdoms. We live in the service of the small, personal happiness, self serving, self centered, sinful agenda of the kingdom of ME, or we live in the service of the huge, God honoring, true happiness bringing, eternally planned destiny agenda of the kingdom of GOD.

When we live for the kingdom of ME , our desires, motives, decisions, thoughts, plans, actions, and words are all directed by selfish personal desires. We know what we want, where we want it, why we want it, how we want it, when we want it, and who we would prefer to deliver it. We know what we want from people and how to get it from them. We seek to surround ourselves with people who will serve our kingdom purposes.

We are drawn to order, predictability, comfort, ease, pleasure, appreciation, fun, and personal happiness. These become the controlling wants of our lives and take precedent over what God wants. We struggle with God's plans for us because often times in reality, we don't really want what God wants. I sometimes say, we love God and have a wonderful plan for His life. We want what we want and we want Him to deliver it.

Most of my frustrations, disappointments, discouragements, and anger in my life has virtually nothing to do with the kingdom of GOD and everything to do with the kingdom of ME. I wish that I could say my heart burns with sole allegiance to the plans, purposes, calling, and advancement of God's kingdom, but frequently my zeal is for the plans, purposes, calling,and advancement of the kingdom of ME.    Oh how often I am hurt, angry, frustrated, or disappointed with God and others because they have broken the laws of the kingdom of ME. God is not doing what I want Him to do. People are not fulfilling my expectations. This causes me to work hard to get God and others reigned back into serving my needs, wants, and feelings.   thank God for His patient, merciful, loving, grace is all I have to say! In spite of my continuous quest to maintain and expand the kingdom of ME, God's purpose is to expose and free me from my bondage to me. George Mueller used to say that "the end of self is the beginning of God." God desires us to bring us to the end of ourselves so that we find true north, the place where we begin finding our identity, meaning, joy, and satisfaction only in Him. He wants us to give up, surrender, let ho, submit, abandon our dreams, plans, and purposes. He wants us to see the futility of our quest to advance the kingdom of me and to try to manipulate others into our service and agenda.   God wants to lift us out of the putrid cesspools and narrow confines of the kingdom of ME and free us to dwell in the refreshing oceans and wide open spaces of the kingdom of God.  

So many battles in my life are the result of me not liking what God is doing in my life. In the kingdom of ME I want it easy. I want health, wealth, prosperity, safety, ease, comfort, and security. I do not want pain and suffering. I would rather have that kind of life than a God honoring one. So my greatest battles are often times with the Lord and our conflicting kingdoms. I bring Him into the court of the kingdom of ME and find Him guilty of being unloving and unwise. I don't agree with His plan. I critique His will. I disdain his wisdom. I question His love. I question if His kingdom is worth embracing more than the kingdom of ME.

 Who's kingdom shapes your life? Who's kingdom defines your dreams and goals and plans? What satisfies your soul? What makes you happy? Could it be that any frustration, anger, or impatience you are experiencing with God and others reveals how zealously committed you are to the kingdom of ME? Could it be that right now in all of your trials and difficulties both relationally and circumstantially that God is really on a rescue mission for you, and that is to rescue you from you? Could it be that He is freeing you from your foolish kingdom of ME and bringing  you His beautiful, eternal, soul satisfying, heart expanding, joy producing eternal kingdom instead?

Paul Tripp writes,

The biggest protection against the kingdom of self is not a set of reformative defensive strategies. It's a heart so blown away by the right-here, right-now glories of the grace of Jesus Christ that you're not easily seduced by the lesser temporary glories of that claustrophobic kingdom of self. (Or as I call it, the kingdom of ME.)"

May you seek first the kingdom of God and may you begin praying what Jesus your king taught you to pray, "Father...let Your kingdom come, your will be done right now, right here in my life as it is in heaven.AMEN!".

Longing for his kingdom and rejecting earnestly the false kingdom of ME,
Pastor Bill