Devotionals

God’s Plans Must Be Your Preoccupation

by Tony Evans
by Tony Evans

 

Matthew 6:10

As a citizen of the United States of America, we have a commitment to a nation – a kingdom. We also have constitutional rights because we are citizens. Well, guess what? If you are a believer, you are a citizen of another kingdom. When you believed in Jesus Christ as your Savior, you became part of the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:10 states, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” When we use the word kingdom, we are talking about the comprehensive rule of God over all of His creation. God is king.

Your kingdom come means being in the Lord’s presence. Remember Moses? When Moses saw the burning bush, he took off his shoes. He realized he was experiencing something sacred, holy, or hallowed. Moses was encountering God. After he saw the burning bush and came face to face with God, that is when God showed Moses His program to go tell Pharaoh let my people go. The fastest way to get what God’s program is for your life, your calling, your purpose, your direction, is to get in God’s presence. It is in His presence that you find out how to be of service in His kingdom. Your goal in prayer should not be, Lord, I’m coming in your presence so that you can serve my kingdom. Your prayer should be, Lord, I’m coming in your presence so I can serve your kingdom. “Your kingdom come.” We want God’s will to be done.

Prayer is important because it is heaven that informs earth. When we pray “Your kingdom come,” we are saying, Lord, I want the invisible kingdom that I am relating to now in prayer to become the visible kingdom that I need in my experience (on earth as it is in heaven). I am asking for you to come out of the invisible realm of your kingdom into the visible realm of your kingdom. I am asking you to manifest your kingdom not only in eternity, but to make it visible to my five senses in time. I’m asking you to demonstrate yourself.

God’s plan or His program must be the preoccupation of our lives. Of course this starts with conversion. In Matthew 18, Jesus said that the kingdom of God is at hand. He said the kingdom is here and you must repent (have regret and turn away from wrongdoing), and you must come to me (Jesus) in order to get the king (God) and enter the kingdom.

You need not only to be converted, but also committed. You can’t experience God’s program for your life without being fully committed. You can’t be a part-time Christian. You want to have His power – the power of the Holy Spirit that is within you as a believer. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8a). Why are we so powerless if we’ve got all this God power in us through the presence of the Holy Spirit? It’s not a problem with access, but perhaps it is a lack of interest in God’s program. Or is it that some are so detached from God’s program, they cannot bear witness to His power.

Getting Started

  1. Before today, if you thought about the word “kingdom,” how would you describe it?
  2. Understanding now that when you pray “Your kingdom come” that you are talking about a king who rules a kingdom that overrules everything else, how does that make you feel?

Let’s Get Personal

  1. Have you ever thought about the rights you have as a citizen in the kingdom of God? Do you think you are fully taking advantage of the benefits you have as a citizen in the kingdom of God?
  2. Do you know your purpose or what God would have you do at this time in your life?
  3. How do you need God to demonstrate His power in your life right now?
  4. Do you feel that you are fully committed to God’s program in your life? What is preventing you from doing so.

Take the Next Step

  1. Bear witness to God’s power in your life by sharing with someone an experience of how He met your need?
  2. This week, pray that God helps you to be more committed to Him.
  3. Want to go deeper? Take a look at the following passages: Psalm 103:19; 145:13; 1 Chronicles 29:11- 12; Romans 11:36; John 18, Daniel 4; 2 Corinthians 4:18; Matthew 18; Colossians 1:13; Acts 1; 1 Peter 2; Isaiah 9:6-7

Renew Your Mind

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Romans 11:36

 

 

Dr. Tony Evans is one of the country’s most respected leaders in evangelical circles. As a pastor, teacher, author and speaker, he serves the body of Christ through his unique ability to communicate complex theological truths through simple, yet profound, illustrations. The first African American to graduate with a doctoral degree from Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), he served as an associate professor in the Pastoral Ministries Department at DTS in the areas of evangelism, homiletics and black church studies. He continues to serve DTS on the Board of Incorporate Members. Dr. Evans holds the rare honor of serving as chaplain of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks over the last three decades, the longest standing NBA chaplaincy on record. He is also the former chaplain of the Dallas Cowboys. Dr. Evans holds the honor of writing and publishing the first full-Bible commentary and Study Bible by an African American. Through his local church and national ministry, Dr. Evans promotes a kingdom agenda philosophy that teaches God’s comprehensive rule over every sphere of life as demonstrated through the individual, family, church and society. This philosophy connects biblical spirituality with social responsibility. Dr. Evans teaches that the church, not the government, is the best social service delivery system since it is closer to the needs of the people, offers the largest potential volunteer force, has facilities for outreach programs, and provides a moral and spiritual frame of reference for making right choices. At the heart of this vision is the use of church and school partnerships to effect spiritual and social change in communities. Dr. Evans’ church and school outreach philosophy has been attributed as a catalyst for former President George W. Bush’s Faith-Based Initiative, which was his first formal act of office. Dr. Evans seeks to train churches, schools and volunteers in this philosophy, as well as in the functional practicalities, through the National Church Adopt-a-School Initiative which is a ministry underneath the umbrella of The Urban Alternative. BACKGROUND  Dr. Evans has served as the senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship for over 40 years, witnessing its growth from ten people in 1976 to now over 10,000 congregants with over 100 ministries. Dr. Evans also serves as president of The Urban Alternative, a national ministry that seeks to restore hope and transform lives through the proclamation and the application of the Word of God. His daily radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on over 1,300 radio outlets throughout the United States and in more than 130 countries. Dr. Evans launched the Tony Evans Training Center in 2017, an online learning platform providing quality seminary-style courses for a fraction of the cost to any person in any place. The goal is to increase Bible literacy not only in lay people but also in those Christian leaders who cannot afford nor find the time for formal ongoing education. Dr. Evans has authored over 100 books, booklets and Bible studies including his legacy work, Oneness Embraced, as well as his vision work, The Kingdom Agenda. Some of his most popular books include Kingdom Man, Kingdom Woman, Prayers for Victory in Spiritual Warfare and The Power of God’s Names. Dr. Tony Evans is married to Lois, his wife and ministry partner of over 40 years. They are the proud parents of four, grandparents of thirteen and great-grandparents of two.    

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