Heading Home

After the birth of their daughter, a wealthy and powerful king and his wife found out they could have no more children. Always wanting a son as an heir to the kingdom, they adopted a baby boy.

As the son grew, he could not understand his father’s ways and, although his father loved him very much, he struggled to receive that love. He never felt a part of the family.

After many years, the son decided to leave his family. Before he left, the father handed him a note, sealed in an envelope, and told him, “If you ever need anything, open this envelope.”

Missing his son and longing for him to come home, the king sent his emissary to find him.

Living by himself in an old shack for years, the son lay destitute and dying. With no insurance or money, he could not afford a life-saving operation. Though others tried to help him, he always refused.

One day, someone knocked on his door. When he answered it, a deliveryman held out a large package and said, “Your father has finally located you and has sent you this gift.”

“I do not want anything from my father,” and he slammed the door.

The next day, the same thing happened. A knock at the door. The son opened it and the deliveryman said, “I have been sent by your father to give you a gift.”

“I...don’t...want...it!” Slam!

On the third day, when the knock came at his door, the son became furious, but when he flung open the door, he found only a note taped to it. It read, “Sir, I only wish to give you something for which you will be eternally grateful. It will be held for you at our storehouse. Take this receipt, and if you should change your mind, you may pick it up whenever you desire.”

Grabbing the receipt, he slammed the door shut.

A few months later, the son died. Those who knew him contacted his family. His sister came to collect his meager belongings. As she went through his things, she found a worn envelope, unopened, and the ticket for the package.

Having no idea what they were, she opened the note and read it, “My dear son, I waited for a son for many years. I prayed to have a son just like you, and then I found you. You were so special that I chose you above all the others to be my son and be the heir of my kingdom. If you should ever need help of any kind, do not ever hesitate to ask me. I will do anything for you. All you need to do is ask. Lovingly, your father.”

After wiping away the tears, the sister took the receipt for the package and went to the storehouse to collect it.

When she got back to his shack, she sat down on the dirty floor and began to open the big box. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she removed the packing. Millions of dollars filled the box.

Her thoughts came rushing out like a flood, “The son of a king lived like a beggar! If only he had opened the gift, he could have been rescued from his situation. He could have had his operation. His debts paid. Been reconciled with his family. Had a family of his own. He could have lived like the son of a king.”

Inside the box, the sister found another note, “My son, this is my gift to you. You never asked for anything, yet everything was prepared and waiting your request. Even though we are separated, I love you with an everlasting love. You have been my greatest care, but you did not want my love.

“I am sorry you did not understand my ways. If you had only recognized my hand at work, reaching out to you, you would have been spared. I wished only for your happiness and well being, no matter what happened. I love you, my son. Please come home. My kingdom is yours. Your loving father.”

As tears once again rolled down his sister’s cheeks, she whispered, “If only he had known the heart of the father, the kingdom would have been his.”

“It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32b NKJV)

Have you opened the gift of the Father and received the wealth of His kingdom?

If you’ve wandered far from Home, hear what the Father says...

“I love you, My child. Please come home. My kingdom is yours. Your loving Father.”



This is part of Christian Writers blog chain on the topic "coming home." Please check out the other great posts in the list in the right sidebar.

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A Pause on the Path



Finding Heaven

A long time ago in a faraway land lived a benevolent King who deeply loved his subjects. They loved him in return and praised him highly for his generosity.

Every day, the King enjoyed walking through the beautiful gardens of His kingdom, which ended at the river’s edge. He would sit beneath a large oak tree, look out to the other side of the river and dream of expanding his kingdom one day, that all the benefits of his kingdom might be shared with those across the great divide.

As he watched, the King noticed that the people on the other side came daily to the river, attempting to scrub the stains from their garments. Among them was a beautiful, young maiden. The King thought it was time for the Prince to marry, and, as the custom was for the father of the son to choose the bride, he thought she would be right for the Prince.

The King decided to send his son down to the river’s edge in the hope that he would notice the young maiden. Always obeying his father, the Prince went to the river’s edge, veiling himself from view. He watched as the people came to wash their garments and saw the young maiden. She captivated his heart.

Each morning thereafter, the Prince arose anticipating a glimpse of the fair maiden. Each day brought another of her characteristics to his attention.

One day, he noticed sadness in her eyes. Her shoulders drooped. A frown replaced her ready smile. Something seemed missing in her life. He wanted to console her, put her life back in order. He decided to ask the King for help.

Thrilled to hear the Prince had fallen in love with the bride he had chosen, the King told the Prince that it was time for him to cross over to the other side of the river.

As there was no way to get there, they agreed a bridge must be built to span the wide divide. The Prince worked alongside all the King’s carpenters to build the bridge, which had never been done before, but he was willing and determined to reach the other side.

He worked all hours to finish his task. His hands became bloody. His feet ached. His muscles became twisted, but he never complained.

Stories circulated among the people on the other side as to what this meant. Some were amazed at this coming thing. Some looked forward to this new connection with the other side, while others were apprehensive. Some thought it outrageous.

Finally, the day arrived when the bridge was finished and it was time for the Prince to prepare to cross over. He pondered how he should approach the young maiden.

Should he cross over as the Prince? Maybe she would be intimidated. Should he march across as the captain of his father’s army? That would impress her, but then again, it might frighten her.

Should he cross over as a beggar? She might not notice him, and after all, he would be lying to her. He finally decided to leave his royal throne and be as one of the people.

He crossed over at a time no one expected. As the dark of night approached, he made his way quietly across the bridge. Once on the other side, he found a place to sleep in a hollowed out tree.

That night was glorious. The stars were brighter than ever. All the throngs of heaven came to applaud him.

The next morning, he went into the village and found work as a carpenter. He was very generous, making tables, chairs, and building homes for the people. He did amazing things for them, just as his father had shown him.

He lived among them, learning their customs, their traditions, their dialect, everything. He did all he could to show his love for the people, desiring to bring all the benefits of his father’s kingdom into their lives.

Some of the villagers accepted him right away. Others were very skeptical of someone new and different, not trusting what he said. Others were offended.

One special day, he met the maiden, and, after some time passed, she decided he was the one missing in her life.

He proposed. When she accepted, he thought his heart would burst with joy. They became betrothed. As was the custom, he came at midnight and swept her away to their new home on the other side of the river.

~~This parable, of course, illustrates the kingdom of God and how He desired to bring its benefits to earth. I hope you caught the numerous allusions to Jesus’ life.

The Son remained hidden behind the shadow of the Old Testament until the Father revealed the time for Jesus to come, to be the bridge, crossing that great divide between heaven and earth.

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:29 NKJV)

May you know the fullness of all God has promised and may you anticipate Jesus' coming with joy.

“May Your kingdom come soon.”Matt. 6:10a NLT

(This is the third part of The Model Prayer series.)

Kingdom...the territory subject to the rule of a king.

Kingdom is rule, dominion, royal power, kingship, and sovereignty.

To give you some idea of the kingdom, I recently posted a great kingdom analogy. In case you missed it, click here.

But what is God’s Kingdom? It is the rule of God upon a heart. Paul said, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 14:17 NIV)

He also said, “The kingdom of God is not in word but in power.” (1 Cor. 4:20 NKJV) The Kingdom is not in the excellence of our speech but in the influence of our power. In other words, it is the powerful influence of divine truth on the hearts and minds of others.

Where is the Kingdom? Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt. 10:7 NKJV) At hand, where? “The kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you].” (Luke 17:21 Amp)

How does one get into this Kingdom? Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matt. 18:3 NLT)

And the only way is the straight and narrow way. Jesus said, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matt. 7:13-14 NLT)

That gate is the cross of salvation.

What keeps one out of the kingdom? Of course, the first would be to not accept God’s Kingdom rule into your heart in the first place, to refuse Jesus’ salvation.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:20 NKJV)

He also said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21 NKJV)

Oh, to hear these words, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matt. 25:34b NKJV)

Poor indeed is the heart that does not know the extent of the love, forgiveness, and power of God’s Kingdom.

“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:10-12 NKJV)

Lord, Your Kingdom come...into many hearts!

This is not theology and is by no means complete. It is merely a thought-provoking (and fun) illustration that I thought you might enjoy…

In days gone by, when a king or a sovereign of a country wanted to spread his authority and influence to a new territory, he sent his son as an ambassador (or he sent an ambassador) to represent his kingdom in a foreign land and set up a foreign mission office or embassy.

An ambassador is a citizen of a country and is chosen or appointed by the ruler of his country. He is sent to a foreign land to represent his ruler on an official mission to establish a base of operation for transacting business for the home government.

During his stay, he lives in the embassy, which is the site of all official business conducted for the government it represents. The embassy is a gated community, the ambassador’s safe haven from any enemies or intruders.

Unless invited, a citizen of the foreign land (as an enemy) may not enter the sealed off district without the consent of its ambassador, because the representative of the kingdom has control of the gate.

Therefore, to enter the front gate, a citizen of the foreign land must first get permission or be issued an invitation by the ambassador. The ambassador has been given the keys of authority to lock and unlock the gate.

The ambassador is sent to represent the traits, customs, and so on, of his ruler and his country. Where the embassy of the kingdom exists, the language of the kingdom is spoken. The ambassador’s speech then reflects on the king. The land of his birth can be distinguished the minute he opens his mouth. His accent and language are a give-away, for he is speaking the language of his kingdom, his homeland tongue.

While on this foreign mission as the ruler’s spokesman, the ambassador carries the authority of the word of the ruler of his country, upholding the commands and laws of the homeland. He is critical to the ruler’s efforts of establishing a forefront of the ruler’s presence in a foreign land.

Our personal application: The Father, the King of heaven, sent His Son as His Ambassador to extend His Kingdom on earth.

As the king appointed or chose those whom He desired to represent him to other nations, we have been appointed as well. As Jesus said to the disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.” (John 15:16 NKJV)

We were all “aliens from the commonwealth” (Eph. 2:12 NKJV) until we became naturalized or citizens of the Kingdom. We are “fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household,” (Eph. 2:19 NKJV) living as outposts in a foreign land, in the land of the enemy.

Our Sovereign Ruler has endowed us with the rights, freedoms, privileges, immunities, and duties of citizenship of the Kingdom. We also have the right to be protected by the Kings’ army to defend us from any enemy that would attack the embassy gate. But we are also expected to obey our duties as citizens.

Within the confines of our gated community, we are protected; it is our safe haven. We have control of the gate. We have the keys of the Kingdom.

We carry the authority of the Word of our Sovereign while we are on our mission for Him. We play a critical role in His efforts to expand His Kingdom to others.

As a citizen of God’s Kingdom, what we say reflects on our King. The words we speak will identify which kingdom we represent, letting everyone know our native Homeland. We are to exhibit the character of the One that sent us, reflecting graciously on the Sovereign of our Homeland.

As the law outside the compound of the embassy is the enemy’s territory, so we are to stay out of the world’s manner of doing things. The world’s system has no place in a believer’s life.

As we have been chosen and have accepted this responsibility, we carry on the mission of our Ruler amidst diverse and hostile natives. We represent our King as ambassadors to a world of foreigners.

We are to make known the dominion of our King, to give His perspectives on life, to show others what life is like in the Kingdom in which we live, and to recruit new citizens for the Kingdom.

As Jesus sent the disciples out into the world to spread the influence of the Kingdom, He has also sent us to do the same. Therefore, having been commissioned by God to do the business of the Kingdom, we are to go to foreign places to represent the Name and the work of the Sovereign One sending us...

“Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this-that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” (Matt. 28:19-20 TLB)

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else.”(Matt. 6:33a NLT)

Do you know you have a call on your life? Maybe you probably already know that. Or maybe you don’t know that. Or maybe you’ve been sensing that the Lord is calling you to something but you don’t know what it is. Or maybe you are searching for that calling.

Whether you are searching or not, you are called. As Christians, we are all called.

Paul says that God “called you to become His child” (1 Thess. 5:24TLB) and that “You also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:6 NIV), “called into the fellowship of (God’s) Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor. 1:9 NKJV).

So, what does the Word say about being called? We are…

* to “be all the more eager to make (our) calling and election sure.” (2 Peter 1:10 NIV)

* urged “to live a life worthy of the calling (we) have received.” (Eph. 4:1 NIV)

* “called to liberty.” (Gal. 5:13 NKJV)

* to be holy, “as the One Who called (us) is holy.” (1 Peter 1:16 Amp)

* to be “flooded with light so that (we) can see something of the future He has called (us) to share.” (Eph. 1:18 TLB)

* to be “of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that (we) were called to this, that (we) may inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9 NKJV)

Not the specific kind of calling you were looking for? Well, if we cannot step into the callings listed for us in the Word, how can we seek our life’s specific calling that the Lord desires for us to share with others?

God does have a distinct plan and purpose for our lives, a calling that only each of us can fulfill. So, how do you find out what it is? Think about what fuels the passion of your soul and what sparks the fire in your heart. What do you love to do that you would do even if no one thanked you?

God has called each of us to do certain things, to be His hands of help, comfort, or assistance to others in one capacity or another. If we are called according to His purpose, we share that calling with others. But if we do not do for others what God has called us to do, we hinder the fulfillment of His purpose. How are we then profitable to the Kingdom if we refuse to function in our calling?

Whatever your call may be, “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Rom. 11:29 NKJV) They are without change of purpose and bring no regrets.

Each calling is a ministry to others. The Lord called me late in my life to write for Him, something I would never have guessed. It is now my passion and I wholeheartedly and humbly obey His call.

In your seeking, you may find a surprise calling on your life, at any time of your life. It may merely be to witness to your next door neighbor or serve the homeless at a local shelter. God’s list is endless.

Rest in the knowledge that the Lord will tell you at just the right time, so that “you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” (Eph. 1:18b NKJV)

Whatever God calls you to do, “work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Col. 3:23 NIV)

May you be blessed as you obey God’s calling on your life and may others know the benefit of your obedience.

photo by joshuaBENTLEY at flickr.com
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matt. 5:3 NKJV
This is the first of the beatitude series...

The poor in spirit…

What does ‘poor in spirit’ mean? The word ‘poor’ in Greek means to crouch, a beggar (as cringing), pauper, asking alms, needy, and lacking in anything.

The one ‘poor in spirit’ is lowly in heart, convinced of his or her spiritual poverty and pleads as a beggar to God to be replenished.

One who is ‘poor in spirit’ has emptied himself or herself of all pride, selfishness, and ambition through humility, gratitude, and submission to God.

…are blessed…

‘Blessed’ in Greek means happy, supremely blest, fortunate, well off, and of that which is the highest good.

…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…

The Greek word for ‘kingdom’ means royal power, kingship, dominion, rule, the territory subject to the rule of a king.

Without recognizing one’s lack of spirit, one cannot realize God’s fullness. Grace cannot be poured out to one oblivious of his or her necessity for it. The poor in spirit have the fulfillment of heaven’s kingdom dominion.

The poor in spirit are blessed with the kingdom’s abundance of riches. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33 NKJV)

Scripture tells us that we share in the God’s kingdom because we are His children, “For [God’s] Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering.” (Rom. 8:16-17 NLT)

Are you poor in spirit? Then, shout because you are blessed. The riches of Christ are yours. The kingdom of heaven is yours. Hallelujah!

Have you every thought about what man’s first home looked like?

God designed an opulent home for earth’s first inhabitants, which I’ll collectively call ‘man.’ God did not assign man to a cozy bungalow or a gold-inlayed palace, but rather He placed him in a gorgeous, prolific garden - all for man’s pleasure.

Starting with the roof, God made a never-ending, sapphire canopy, arrayed with a flaming chandelier of light to warm the man and illumine his path during the day.

Through the windows of heaven blew breezes for natural air conditioning. The tree of life spread out its limbs of shade for a cool respite in the afternoon.

For man’s bedroom, a luxurious carpet of green welcomed him as the first Serta Perfect Sleeper mattress, followed by a visitation of the counting sheep! Fields, overflowing with their harvests of grains and vegetables, all begging to be picked, contained the first outdoor kitchen.

The tree branches bowed to the ground under the ample supply of succulent, ripe fruit. For man’s drinking pleasure, crystalline water gushed forth from the center of the garden, meandering around its perimeter and forming four fluent tributaries, as a continual current of bubbly refreshment.

Saturated with the plentiful riches of the earth - gold, oil, spices, and precious stones - the garden provided man with abundant wealth.

While animals provided man with amusement, only man’s mate could provide him with the warmth of companionship, the arms of comfort, and the readiness to help.

All this provided not only man’s lodging and welfare but also his own personal art gallery. God colored in the canvas of creation with a palette of yellows, reds, greens, and blues, as if painting royal robes around creation’s shoulders.

At day’s end, when twilight hovered, God drew the curtain of darkness shut, poking holes in it for the stars to sparkle through like bazillions of twinkling lights sprinkled across a drape of black velvet. Choreographed like a dance of angels with flashlights and orchestrated by the man in the moon, these nightlights lit the path to the throne of the Creator. It must have been a breathtaking panorama!

God had lovingly clothed His Garden in an eye-popping ensemble of heaven’s finest garments, adorning it as a bride in her wedding finery. Created as a garden filled with joy and pleasure, Eden flourished as a little Patch of Heaven, a pure paradise, for its name means delicate, delight, or pleasure.


“So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed.” (Gen. 2:1 NLT) God’s creation completed. The seeds of His Word had transferred their power, done their job, producing all God had spoken.

Of all the garden’s lovingly created elements, no more precious element existed in the garden than God’s presence. In ancient times, when a Persian king wanted to present a special honor on one of his subjects, he granted the subject the title of “a companion of the garden,” which gave him the privilege of walking in the garden as a special friend and companion of the king.

And man did so unashamedly – for a while.

The garden of creation was God’s kingdom on earth, which contained health, wealth, welfare, safety, prosperity, peace, all God’s plan of salvation.

All that God created speaks of His forethought for benefiting all mankind, “The Father, Who is the Source of all things and for Whom we [have life],” (1 Cor. 8:6 Amp) created all things for the sustainment of life, so man should have The Light of the world, The Living Waters, and The Bread of Life. And “His divine power has given to us all things pertaining to life and godliness.” (2 Peter 1:3 RGT)

The Father filled the emptiness of earth with His kingdom, and only the kingdom can fulfill man’s emptiness.

Photo by INSPIKS
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matt. 5:3 NKJV
The poor in spirit…

What does ‘poor in spirit’ mean? The word ‘poor’ in Greek means to crouch, a beggar (as cringing), pauper, asking alms, needy, and lacking in anything.

‘Poor in spirit’ does not mean poor in spirituality. The one poor in spirit is lowly in heart, convinced of his or her spiritual poverty and pleads as a beggar to God to be replenished.
One who is ‘poor in spirit’ has emptied himself or herself of all pride, selfishness, and ambition through humility, gratitude, and submission to God.

…are blessed…

‘Blessed’ in Greek means happy, supremely blest, fortunate, well off, and of that which is the highest good.

…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…

The Greek word for ‘kingdom’ means royal power, kingship, dominion, rule, the territory subject to the rule of a king.

Without recognizing one’s lack of spirit, one cannot realize God’s fullness. Grace cannot be poured out to one oblivious of his or her necessity for it. The poor in spirit have the fulfillment of heaven’s kingdom dominion.

The poor in spirit are blessed with the kingdom’s abundance of riches. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33 NKJV)

Scripture tells us that we share in the God’s kingdom because we are His children, “For [God’s] Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering.” (Rom. 8:16-17 NLT)

Are you poor in spirit? Then, shout because you are blessed. The riches of Christ are yours. The kingdom of heaven is yours. Hallelujah!

This is not any theology and is by no means complete. It is merely a thought-provoking illustration that I thought you might enjoy…

In days gone by, a king sent his son to represent his kingdom in a foreign land. When a king or a sovereign of a country wanted to spread his authority and influence to a new territory, he sent his son or an ambassador to set up a foreign mission office or embassy.

The reputation of the king reflected on his subjects and vise versa. The king appoints or chooses those whom He desires to represent him to other nations. Jesus said to the disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.” (John 15:16 NKJV)

An ambassador is a citizen of a country and is chosen or appointed by the ruler of his country. He is sent to a foreign land to represent his ruler on an official mission to establish a base of operation for transacting business for the home government.

During his stay, he lives in the embassy, which is the site of all official business conducted for the government it represents. The embassy is a gated community, the ambassador’s safe haven from any enemies or intruders.

Unless invited, a citizen of the foreign land (as an enemy) may not enter the sealed off district without the consent of its ambassador, because the representative of the kingdom has control of the gate.

Therefore, to enter the front gate, a citizen of the foreign land must first get permission or be issued an invitation by the ambassador. The ambassador has been given the keys of authority to lock and unlock the gate.

The ambassador is sent to represent the traits, customs, and so on, of his ruler and his country. Where the embassy of the kingdom exists, the language of the kingdom is spoken. The ambassador’s speech then reflects on the king. The land of his birth can be distinguished the minute he opens his mouth. His accent and language are a give-away, for he is speaking the language of his kingdom, his homeland tongue.

While on this foreign mission as the ruler’s spokesman, he carries the authority of the word of the ruler of his country, upholding the commands and laws of the homeland. He is critical to the ruler’s efforts of establishing a forefront of the ruler’s presence in a foreign land.

Ambassadors cannot be detained or arrested, or, in other words, the law outside the compound of the embassy has no jurisdiction over the ambassador. He has diplomatic immunity, but while in the foreign land, ambassadors are obliged to refrain from meddling in the host country’s internal affairs.

Our personal application: We were all “aliens from the commonwealth” until we became “naturalized,” or citizens of the Kingdom. We are not illegal immigrants. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you].” (Luke 17:21 Amp)

This is our embassy here on earth, in our hearts, for we are “fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household,” living as outposts in a foreign land, in the land of the enemy. (Eph. 2:19 NKJV)

Our Sovereign Ruler has endowed us with the rights, freedoms, privileges, immunities, and duties of citizenship of the Kingdom. We also have the right to be protected by the Kings’ army to defend us from any enemy that would attack the embassy gate. But we are also expected to obey our duties as citizens.

Within the confines of our gated community, we are protected; it is our safe haven. We have control of the gate. We have the keys of the Kingdom.

Our King is responsible for our upkeep, providing for us and protecting us. You are God’s ambassador, sent on a mission to take care of His business; He is responsible for taking care of you.

We carry the authority of the Word of our Sovereign while we are on our mission for Him. We play a critical role in His efforts to expand His Kingdom to others.

As a citizen of God’s Kingdom, what we say reflects on our King. The words we speak will identify which kingdom we represent, letting everyone know our native Homeland. We are to exhibit the character of the One that sent us, reflecting graciously on the Sovereign of our Homeland.

The law outside the compound of the embassy is the enemy’s territory, and we are to stay out of the world’s manner of doing things, not indulging in its affairs or activities. The world’s system has no place in a believer’s life.

Only the law within the gates of the Kingdom reigns over the citizen of that Kingdom. In essence, we cannot serve two governments, two authorities…either the government of heaven or the government of the opposition.

As we have been chosen and have accepted the responsibility, we carry on the mission of our Ruler amidst diverse and hostile natives. We represent our King as ambassadors to a world of foreigners.

Jesus said, “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (Matt. 6:26 Amp) Therefore, having been commissioned by God to do the business of the Kingdom, we are to go to foreign places to represent the Name and the work of the Sovereign One sending us.

We are to make known the dominion of our King, to give His perspectives on life, to show others what life is like in the Kingdom in which we live, and to recruit new citizens into the Kingdom.

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.” (Rom. 14:17-18 NIV)

What makes us, as Christians, stand out from the crowd? Do we look like the world?

Christians are to stand out and make a difference, in a positive way, of course. But are we doing it? Are we distinct, in any way, or divergent in the manner in which we run our lives or our businesses from the way the world runs their lives and businesses? Or do we just blend in with everyone else?

At a young age, Jesus declared, “I must be about My Father’s business,” (Luke 2:49 NKJV) in other words, the affairs of His Father, all those matters that pertain to the activities and establishment of the Kingdom.

If Jesus’ mission involved all that pertained to the working of His Father’s Kingdom, then we need to learn to function in, take care of, and promote those same concerns. What kind of “business partners” or “sales reps” are we?

So, let’s look at it as a parable…

God is the Owner, the Proprietor, the Manufacturer, and the Repair Department of His establishment. His Son ran the business for a while. However, He had to go on a long business trip and, in His absence, He transferred His authority and power to His beloved by signing the company policy over to her in blood. Leaving her in charge as the administrator of all His work, He commissioned her to act in His Name and invest on His behalf.

Using her authority, the Bride is to run the Kingdom’s business, to watch the store, to be in charge of maintenance, to supervise the workers, to keep an eye on overhead, to replenish inventory, and to do all according to the Owner’s business plan that the Kingdom business might grow.

How then is the Bride living up to her duty and responsibility? How is she spending her time while waiting for her Beloved Bridegroom to appear? Is she equipping herself? Is she a good manager of the Kingdom’s business? Well, let’s see.

Her schedule is so full of forty million activities that she doesn’t have time to read her handbook with her job description, and, consequently, she doesn’t even know how to behave on the job.

She is negligent to exercise her authority and to uphold the duties of her position. Her management skills are less than desirable, as she fails to keep an eye on her salespeople, for some are no longer persons of ethical character.

She lost the ability to manage the cash register and debt proliferates from her multiplicity of credit cards. Her advertising lacks appeal and promotes her own name. Her public relations people sometimes use questionable tactics, turning others away from the benefits of the business.

Her business practices are no different from anyone else’s. No longer seen as upright in character, she looks the same, talks the same, and acts the same as her competitors, who just laugh at her hypocrisy.

Her job is in jeopardy, for she is slowly forfeiting her business rights and she doesn’t even realize what she is losing. She is lax in asserting her influence, so the opposition flourishes while she is out on a coffee break.

Will the tactics of her biggest competitor cause the company to go bankrupt before she sits up and takes notice? Will he seize the property, rendering the business inoperable?

What is she to do? It’s simple. She needs to follow the Manufacturer’s Instruction Manual! The Owner left it for her to read. Why doesn’t she follow it?

After telling one of His parables, Jesus asked Peter, “Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time?” (Matt. 24:45 AMP)

The Lord asks the same of each of us, “Are you a wise and faithful servant of the Lord? Have I given you the task of managing My household, to feed my children day by day? Blessings on you if I return and find you faithfully doing your work. I will put such faithful ones in charge of everything I own!” (Matt. 24:45-47 TLB)

On the other hand, Jesus said that the “servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes… For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:47, 48b NKJV)

And this servant’s penalty for being unprepared? God will “appoint him his portion with the hypocrites,” (Matt. 24:51b NKJV) for “it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” (1 Cor. 4:2 NKJV)

Are you faithful and daring enough to stand out as a different Christian?

~~Blessings, Lynn~~