The kingdom of God is not about argument.

Which do you think is more effective in showing the kingdom — debating abortion or praying for someone’s migraine and seeing them relieved of pain? How about a biblically correct argument against gay marriage, or praying for someone’s lost wallet and seeing it returned with nothing missing?

No one is ever swayed by debate or accusation. Ever. It just makes them mad and convinced that Christians are heartless and mean. That is polar opposite to how we should be viewed. They should know us by our love, not our hate. They should know us for the good that we support, not what we oppose.

But more than anything, people need to see the power of God in action to heal and change lives. That can only happen when you experience it yourself. You have to be praying for healing and seeing miracles in your own life, then you can release in others. Once you get started, it’s fun. Who doesn’t like seeing anyone free of pain or problems suddenly fixed?

The world needs to see the reality of God, not vindictive arguments that only serve to widen the gap. God is good, that’s the message. He wants to save, heal, and deliver. That’s what we should be showing. Get behind that message and people will be interested.

Ask to know the mysteries of God.

It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 13:11)  How cool is that! God has kept back blessing and revelation for us to discover. He’s not hiding them from us, He’s hiding them for us. He wants to give them to those who hunger and thirst for more. He wants to reward those who are willing to go deeper.

What could those mysteries be? I don’t know, it’s a mystery. But I do know that God made the universe and He has all power, creativity, and genius, so His mysteries will knock your socks off. Imagine getting revelation straight from God about some area that you are intensely curious about. It could be a new medical breakthrough, social media concept, or a business decision that changes a company. It doesn’t have to be “spiritual” to be revelation from God.

So how do you get it? What’s the key? Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (Mat 7:7) It’s that simple. God promises to give good things to His children. And He delights in those children who want to know more about His mysteries. Go ahead and ask. Somethings will never be discovered, because no one asked.

It’s never too late for God to use you.

Do you ever look at your life and wonder, what happened? We have goals. We have dreams. We were supposed to be something else by now. It can be depressing if you are nowhere near where you wanted to be. But you don’t have to beat yourself up. It’s never too late.

It’s also good to remember that God is more impressed with your journey and how you are living as opposed to where you are. But He will use you anywhere. He can resurrect a field of dry bones and make an army. He can take an old shepherd and make him the leader of a nation. He can take a shy introvert and make him a general.

God takes people from all walks of life and opens doors that they never saw coming. The key is that they put their lives in God’s hands so He could do something with them. He can do the same thing for you. All you have to do is submit to Him. Let Him have your time, your talents, and your dreams. He can make suddenlies happen.

Life can be as exciting as you think it should be if you trust Him, no matter where you are or how old you are. God can do anything.

The dangerous part of experiencing the joy of the Spirit, is assuming that everyday should be joyful. I’m all for joy. I think it’s a bad idea to lose it, but I don’t think we’re supposed to expect it everyday, especially when we’re called to mourn with those who mourn.

It’s very easy to get caught up in certain aspects of the kingdom and set  up camp there. For some people, it’s all about power and miracles. For others it’s about compassion and serving. They get offended if they don’t have complete support from everyone around them in the area they’re excited about.

The kingdom of God is about balance.

Don’t get me wrong, power and miracles and compassion and serving are all good. But there are seasons and times in our lives when we are called to one and then the other. We can’t get hung up on experience and demand more of that experience.

The kingdom is about balance and order. Jesus spent a lot of time healing the sick, then He hung out with the kids. There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. (Ecc 3:4) God is multifaceted and so is our life with Him.

Enjoy the season that you are in now, but don’t expect it to be like that forever. There is so much more to learn and experience.

Salvation is a decision that only you can make.

We are each responsible to work out our own salvation. (Phil 2:12) That means that it’s our decision to receive salvation through Christ. We can’t rely on our spouse or parents, or even our church. No wonder the Lord often called us sheep,  because we are so ready to follow anyone with a loud enough voice and let other people tell us what is right and wrong.

Pay attention to who you listen to. Is the message Biblical? Or is it Biblical to a point? Is it a message that includes part of the Bible, but not all of it? The Word is very clear: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. (2Tim 3:16)

Don’t be a hearer and not a doer. (Jam 1:22) You are responsible for knowing the truth and acting on it. God will send you the help that you need, if you are willing to find it. Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, for they shall be filled. (Mat 5:6)

If you sit back like a baby bird and wait for other people to feed you, you are in danger of being fed unhealthy food. Ask God to show you truth. Be hungry for it. Rise up and take hold of your place in the kingdom with both hands, and I promise you, God will meet you there.