Get Your Shine On…Living a Kingdom-First Lifestyle

What does it mean to live a kingdom first lifestyle. Find out on this Monday edition of Destin for victory. Thanks for joining us today.

Pastor Paul Sheppard shares his message get your shine on living a kingdom first lifestyle before he gets started he joined me from a studio in California pastor with a great offer go along with today's message tells about this booklet. Your purpose is calling.

Why could help everyone listening today I'm really excited about this booklet because it's based on this concept of being pushed into purpose. The fact of the matter is sometimes God brings us into our God-given purpose through people just inspiring us like Paul was with Timothy or Barnabas was with John Mark but at other times God pushes us into purpose through trouble and trials and crises. That's what happened with Esther and it happens and a lot of our lives.

So this book was going to help people understand all of us were saved are called according to God's purpose. We know that from the Bible but people need to take it seriously. You don't get to just skate through this life being aimless and carefree. You're going to have to some things to do some lives to touch and some work to be done and don't plan on leaving this earth until you get it done.

So this book was going to help inspire you and help you understand that even your troubles are pushing you toward what God has for your life.

Well, that reminds me of something your fond of saying, if you've got a pulse, you've got a purpose and is your mission just now. Sometimes God may have to get us there the hard way, but that's better than not getting there at all. Friends would love to send you the booklet. Pastor Paul was just talking about your purpose is calling is our gift to you this month by request for your generous gift to Destin for victory call 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online.

You can also mail your gift to Destin for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538.

Again, the addresses Destin for victory.

Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 Jesus came into this earth to establish a relationship between God and man and he came to do that by telling us in no uncertain terms that we are missing person and place as our highest priority God and his kingdom and make that our lifestyle speaking about the kingdom of God. Here's what Matthew had to say in the sixth chapter of his gospel. Verse 33 seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. But what is the kingdom of God and is it mean to live in kingdom first lifestyle as you see today on Destin for victory. The kingdom of God is in a geographical location but a spiritual realm.

It's more person than it is a place now. From his message get your shine on living the kingdom first lifestyle is best repulsion. I want to talk to you today from the subject. Get your shine on living a kingdom first lifestyle. Get your shine on living a kingdom first lifestyle.

I want to talk to you all about the importance of what Jesus said here in Matthew's gospel chapter 6 verse 33 seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. All these things will be added to you. This single statement from our Lord captures what I consider the cornerstone message of the faith. We are called to live by it grabs the heart of bad message and single sentence.

And here is why I say it's a cornerstone teaching because the fact of the matter is, God has not called us to follow a religion.

I don't like the idea of people considering walking with Jesus, a religion not technically it is I did it that based on the definition of religions that Christianity quote unquote is a religion, but Jesus did not come to establish a religion he didn't come into this earth to be just another way that people seek God and see things above themselves even commented just be on a smorgasbord menu.

All things that people consider higher powers. Jesus came into this earth to establish a relationship between God and man and he came to do that by telling us in no uncertain terms that we are no seek errors and place as our highest priority God and his kingdom and to make that our lifestyle now this teaching ministry.

I'm blessed to have through Destin for victory ministries and of course as a pastor for decades and the pastor at destiny Christian Fellowship here in Northern California, but because of our broadcast ministry. We are blessed to reach people and territories all over the world. So not just terrestrial radio here in the US world over 400 outlets here in the US but we are blessed because of our app and work best because of Pastor Paul.net and various podcasts and other web-based platforms.

We are blessed and I'm humbled and honored to have listeners literally and most continents around the world.

We have a very active listenership not only in North America but in South America and Asia and Africa and in Europe and also in the various other territories across the globe and I praise God for that I say that with humility and great great honor that people would listen to our ministry here is what I am pointing that out because some of the people around the world who listen to Destin for victory and they hear me now. Talk about a kingdom.

They know exactly what the word means when Jesus says seek first the kingdom of God.

There familiar with kingdoms because of where they live in the world, but we here in the states aren't that familiar with kingdoms unless we see him you know on some stories about places far away. And so I want to make sure especially my listeners here in the US.

I want them to understand what I kingdom is and what it is not generally speaking, kingdom is a country state or territory ruled by a king or a queen. In the case of the kingdom of God, then we're not talking about a geographic place when not talking about a place you can point to enslave their is the kingdom of God, all you want to go to the kingdom of God. Here are the directions to the kingdom of God. It is not a geographic location. When Jesus says seek first the kingdom of God. He is talking about a spiritual realm. He's talking about the rule of God in the lives of people, men and women Boys and Girls Club everywhere who submit themselves to him. So when Jesus says seek first the kingdom he is talking about. Make sure that your life is led under the rule of God. For that reason, I find myself more and more not referring to myself or even other people as Christian, I become more and more disenchanted with the Term Ct., Christian. I don't like it at all. And here's why. Because in today's world there are a whole lot of people who say they are Christian when they're filling out some application and it has your religious affiliation, and they say I'm a Christian Bale all lot of people all over the world who identify as Christians. But when you look at their lives and their lifestyle.

You do not see the rain and the Jesus Christ and so I want you to understand we are not called to check a box and say were Christians we are called to actually not only walk with Jesus, but we are called to live under his rule under his his leadership. We are called to be exactly and completely subject to him and his will for our lives. In fact, one of the problems in today's world is a got a bunch of folks who are Christian in name only.

But if you were looking for evidence that they truly follow Jesus and truly sought to do his will and surrendered themselves to him. If you were looking for evidence to convict them of being followers of Christ.

You have to throw it out for lack of evidence that the matter is we are supposed to be known not as quote unquote Christians but as followers of Christ with the term when it first appears in the book of acts it was given by people who said those people are Christian because clearly by their lifestyle. You can tell that they follow Christ and we don't have that anymore. We got called today call themselves Christian.

And if you're like me, I don't want to associate with them at all.

I don't want be present all your Chris. If so, what I find myself saying these days as I'm a follower of Christ, follow follow him, how did put to. I will put myself in a box or put that label on because if you know some folk like I know who call themselves Christians.

I don't want to identify me is that fact of the matter is we want to be. We want to be followers of Christ according to Matthew 633 and what is that that is a person who seeks first God's kingdom and his righteousness over our lives. And so I want to make sure to walk you through this. Now let me let me make this clear. Again, especially for people in the Western Hemisphere here in America we are familiar with our republic. That's what we have a Republic. Some would call it a democracy. And so what that is a Republic of a democracy is a place where the people rule where we have folks set up a leadership we have a pattern of leadership.

In fact, here in America we have three branches of government, you know this. We had the executive branch. We have the legislative branch and we have the judicial branch so the executive branch is where you have a president and vice president and all that, then you have the legislative branch. You have Congress you have senators and House of Representatives members and all of that and then you have the judicial branch and in our country the highest court in this land. Of course, is the supreme court. That's what we have here in America a Republic, a democracy the people are in charge and we and we express ourselves through our vote and all of that, let me help you understand something when the Bible says we are to be kingdom people it means when you get in Jesus. You don't get a moment will be right back with more of today's Destin for victory message from Pastor Paul Sheppard who is senior pastor destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California.

Remember you can always listen to the broadcast on demand@pastorpaul.net that's Pastor Paul.net will find a host of great resources in our online store were called to give respect to our authorities that were called to give reference to God and God alone is Pastor Paul was arrested today's message get your shine on living a kingdom first lifestyle.

When you get to Jesus you will get to tell him what you think and he supposedly care when you get to Jesus. He gives us his work he has given us his will, he has given us his Spirit and he has said follow me and I am going to get glory out of your life. You and I are called to be followers of the Lord and be holy, surrendered to him in that process. So I want to clearly understand the difference between a republic or democracy and the kingdom because we are called to live our lives as members of a kingdom now physically we live in a democracy we live in a Republic and we are to be good citizens in this Republic, but don't get it twisted at the end of the day.

I don't answer to the White House. I don't answer to the Supreme Court. I don't answer to the Congress. I answered Jesus Christ himself. He is Lord of all and I am to be finally and holy surrendered to him and to him alone and so I want to I want to get this now look at the differences between a president. For instance Anna Solberg again the help you understand the difference between the Republic. What are the democracy we live in, and a kingdom in a kingdom. You have a sovereign a king or queen or some sovereign in our kingdom.

When the window sovereign appears typically they are to be revered versus in in a society like ours, president of peters. We ought to give some some show of honor, but frankly it is optional, and frankly, we ought to give respect because the Bible says to respect all those in authority, but the respect is not reference the respect is not obedience. Respect is just respect, but in a in a kingdom when our sovereign columns. You are to reference them. In fact, when a sovereign enters a space typically some form of deference is expected, whether it is bowing or cursing you are to reference them in some way when a president shows up. You date that they would hope that you stand in respect but a fact. But the fact of the matter is it's not it's not lawful. You don't have to. I think you should out of reverence for the office.

Sometimes a person's in the office and I've been true for decades. I've been to all administrative sometime somebody's in the office that you don't personally care for.

I think the artist still give respect to the office. Even if you don't have personal respect to the individual in the office but the fact of the matter is that individual in the office they what they say and what they do is not according to Scripture, I'm not going to pay attention to what they say or do, because I have a sovereign over my life because I'm called to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ I give honor to whom it is due here on earth. Jesus taught us to do that, but honor is not worship and it is not reverence. And so I wanted understand where called to be part of a of an order from heaven where we have a Solberg not only do we have any Solberg but we have be solver when you talk about following Jesus you got even take this outside of the realm of a earthly kingdom because his kingdom is not of this earth. It is above all things and that the Bible is clear of first Timothy six verses 15 and 16 let you know he's the King of Kings. He's the Lord of lords. He is the one who alone is immortal. He is the one who lives in on approachable light, Jesus is Lord.

He's not just a Solberg piece sovereign over all the so-called earthly Solberg. That's why Paul said when he wrote the church at Philippi. One day we will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, you know why we gotta get harsh I know we've got a letter dying world know that all of us are marching toward a day when we will all give an account to the sovereign of the universe and so the fact of the matter is we have got to get this thing down.

We are called to live a kingdom first lifestyle. When that groundwork laid let me then take you earlier here in in Matthew six and show you what that kingdom first lifestyle is is to look like. Look at verse 19 here in Matthew six it says do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Now, in terms of living this kingdom first lifestyle. Jesus says in these verses, one of the ways the kingdom first lifestyle is the manifest in your life and mine is, he calls us to prioritize things heavenly value that you said what is it mean to prioritize things of heavily value. I live on earth, going to have any impact on heavenly values well. Heavenly values have been given to us on earth through Jesus and through his apostles and through the word of God himself. You know what heaven want you to do by being in touch with the Lord through his word and by his spirit. And so when Jesus calls us to prioritize things of heavily value not saying don't have a earthly bank account though lay up treasures on earth he's just giving you a comparison to help you understand. In other words, your priority shouldn't be earthly bank account.

Your priority should be on a heavily bank account.

I hope you know that you are laying up something for the day to come, and the question is what Elana for that has heavily significant you know is a verse in the book of Revelation. I quoted often when I'm doing funerals where it says blessed are the dead that.I am the Lord for the before they rest from their labors and it says and their works do follow them. The Bible says that when you die in the Lord and you leave this earth. You got some stuff following you and what's going to follow you. Your works will follow you because they had heavenly value.

I want you to think about it when you leave this earth. One of these days what's going follow you to heaven. Nothing of kingdom value on earth you will have anything following you and I'm here to tell you.

God calls us to be people who live such a life that when we leave this earth, we have made a an eternal statement about the kingdom of God that follows us literally into eternity.

And so I want you to know that were called to prioritize things of heavenly values look at this passage carefully. Don't lay up for yourselves treasures on earth doesn't mean you should have a bank account but it says comparatively. You want to lay up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust don't destroy where thieves can break in and steal and watch this key sentence for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. You know what that means. That means kingdom first living as gotta get in your wallet kingdom first. Living has gotta get in the way you spend money it's gotta be and what you see money as having the purpose for which God gave you resources that will show where your heart is and How you don't know where my heart is yet according to Jesus, if I look at your at your check register.

I'll get a pretty good idea.

I get a pretty good idea based on how to use all your money is about the way you live in the way you look here on earth did not show. You don't yet have kingdom priorities because it's fine to look a certain way to live a certain way. If it's within your means here but your priority has gotta be advancing the each final kingdom of God. But God is eternal and so what you're going to change lives for time and for eternity is what matters to God when you make God and his kingdom your first priority.

You will not only provide all your needs. He will send blessings your way that you wouldn't get otherwise. Thanks much for joining us for today's message get your shine on living a kingdom first lifestyle. If you'd like more information about Destin for victory or if you need prayer, or interested in our special offer for everyone who gives a generous gift this month. Be sure to stop by our website Pastor Paul.net that's pastor Paul.net kingdom first living as gotta get in your wallet kingdom first.

Living has gotta get in the way you spend money it's gotta be and what you see money as having the purpose for which God gave you resources that will show where your heart is what your priority has gotta be advancing the eternal kingdom of God.

That's next, I would pastor Paul Sheppard shares his message get your shine on living a kingdom first lifestyle. Until then, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in Christ, you are destined for victory