Kingdom of God Ministries

Every year, for almost 30 years, my personal tradition has been to open my journal and looked back at my accomplishments over the last 12 months. I try with all earnestness to balance my victories against failures ratio and find some comfort in having survived and overcome another year. I look to my triumphs in the Lord as a source of strength and hope to propel me into the New Year. However this year God is challenging me to reevaluate what I assess as a triumph.

 

First God had me look at my resume. Resumes are door openers for success and moving forward into the next phase of one’s personal vocation. When I look at what are the highlighted triumphant markers for my professional life I can’t help but think that in eternity most of this will not matter. What I’ve written, shown and sent off to impress potential employers (or what have you) may look good for business but has pursuing business been good for me? The question is raised as to WHY am I pursuing and for what purpose is the triumph in it so valuable. I can be as pragmatic as anyone citing survival, retirement, quality of life, etc; but as a Christian my pursuits void of genuine divine purpose are not only superficial but wasteful; Bull S#*@ as Paul so eloquently put it. Not only have I glorified my superficial dung but people are actually impressed by it.

"But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord"

2 Corinthians 10:17

Second, God has challenged me to look deeply into my relationships. Who I relate to and for what reasons do I pursue fellowship, acquaintances and companionship? Are these relationships stepping stones towards a higher purpose in life? Are they conveniences for a specific time? Am I positively changed by them and am I at all spiritually accountable towards them? What triumph is there in a relationship? Jesus found a triumph in releasing all who believed in Him from the grip of Satan and delivering them from death. To do so He made Himself intimately acquainted with their sufferings and identified with their sorrows. Then as a High Priest, Jesus carried their sins, with His own blood as atonement for them, to His Father. His ultimate sacrifice of Himself to redeem us is the only true example of triumph.  Are there any relationships worthy to be spoken of as triumphant in my life when compared to that? Do I have a Friend who I would lay down my life for? And if not is it safe for them to consider me a true friend?

“How deep in the deep are they

that do not cry from the deep?” - Augustine

Third, but not last, the challenge came for me to know Him. For over 30 years now I thought I was doing that; seeking Him. “Why have you been seeking?” That is the question that the Spirit challenges me with. Like Peter I want to respond “you know that I love you Lord”. And the answer Peter got is the one I hear; “then feed my sheep.” Who are Your sheep?  I thought they were the Church. The response is astounding…. “My sheep hear my voice”. Do I hear God’s voice; and even more important, after hearing do I obey? Do I question God’s voice and then measure what I hear according to my value system? Is hearing His voice a triumph or is hearing only half the battle? When I measure my victories against my defeats am I using the right metric system or has the world’s standards corrupted my scales? What am I comparing victory to and who has become my benchmark for success?

“No Cross no Crown” – William Penn

Pretty soon I will be closing this Website but hopefully not ending this blog. A new chapter is opening for my life and I want nothing more than to look back next December, God willing, and be able to say I heard Him and I obeyed His voice. Obedience is the only Triumph worthy of lying at His feet. The subsequential accomplishments or fallout from obedience is not what is to be measured.  Our ability to say at the end of our course nothing hindered me from serving God is all that matters. Service to God is neither designated nor restricted to church affiliations, non-profits or religious proselytizing. Obedience can’t be measured by fame, number of attendees, bank accounts or personal satisfaction. Service is fulfilling my purpose and not allowing anyone else’s expectations or standards to hinder me; not even my own.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that I posed far more questions than answers; which in essence for something as simple as a blog is how it ought to be. There are no pat simple answers.  It’s our own ignorance, provincialism and credulity that keep us from asking the right questions. But once those questions are confronted with a sincere heart seeking the will of God change occurs. A change that transforms this meager existence into a purpose filled divinely appointed life for Christ.

Happy New Year and I pray you never settle, sell out or allow deception to hinder you from building the Kingdom of God while still living here on earth.  

I'm CB Murray and I take responsibility for this blog. The opinions and views are my own and open to debate and/or discussion.



Click to Purchase