Honor the Kingdom's King

When traveling beyond our borders Americans are often easily identified by their insistence on bringing their culture and ways to whatever country they visit. They can be arrogant and brash, as if they are to be served and honored wherever they go. When this happens, an opportunity to fully experience the unique elements of a foreign land is missed. Encountering the potential of other territories requires letting go of assumed practices of where you’ve been to adopt something new and different. This will begin with honoring the leadership and their preferences, not only deferring to their established systems but embracing them. Appreciating who they are will elevate the honor of all they have established. As deference is given to them, so all they influence will be treasured as a privileged experience.

A way has been made for us to venture into an eternal kingdom where everything is very new and different from anything we’ve ever experienced. To go there, however, requires replacing old familiar ways with those established by the Leader of this new realm. Elevating the honor of Him raises the appreciation for His ways and the experience of their life transformation. In the worship of Him, His heart will be received with more than just an assenting nod but an embracing identification. This is the intent and purpose of this period of prayer and fasting that is before us. By taking our place in Jesus’ kingdom beyond the veil, we intentionally lay down other crowns to defer entirely to Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Rather than insisting on keeping our preferences to the detriment of His, all other requirements come below the requirement of Him. In this honoring of Him and His kingdom is an assurance that anything else that could have occupied our attention will follow after us, provided by Him.

Notes

Seek the Kingdom

Matthew 6:33 (NLT) 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Honoring/seeking the King

Revelation of the King elevates His honor.

1 Timothy 1:17 (NKJV) 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

He’s beyond what we’ve yet experienced

He is much more than we’ve seen

1 Timothy 6:15-16 (NLT) 15 For, At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. 16 He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.

Seeking Jesus is beholding the Father

Colossians 1:15 (NLT) 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

Love for each other produces God’s full expression.

1 John 4:12 (NLT) 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

His kingdom is eternal

Gracious promise keeper – not political

Psalms 145:13 (NLT) 13 For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The LORD always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.

His throne of justice remains sustained through the passing of all others.

Hebrews 1:8-12 (NLT) 8 But to the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice. 9 You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.” 10 He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. 11 They will perish, but you remain forever. They will wear out like old clothing. 12 You will fold them up like a cloak and discard them like old clothing. But you are always the same; you will live forever.”

Seeking Him establishes the unshakeable

Worship of Him removes things that will shake

Hebrews 12:27-29 (NLT) 27 This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. 28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. 29 For our God is a devouring fire.

Victorious with His called, chosen and faithful

Revelation 17:14 (NLT) 14 Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him.”

Casting crowns enables His glory, honor and power

Revelation 4:10-11 (NLT) 10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, 11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”