“Thy Kingdom Come” Matthew 6:9-13
Written by: Tim Darnell
If you’re like me, you genuinely desire independence and true freedom in life. What I’ve discovered in 30 plus years in business may come as shocking news: Lady Freedom is not going to show up at your doorstep. In fact, she stubbornly and persistently has and always will refuse to come to you.
If you want true freedom, you’ve got to raise your hand. You’ve got to volunteer. You’ve got to commit to the concept of freedom, and get into determined, bold motion. Freedom requires your intentional pursuit.
Lady Freedom is actively scanning the landscape, seeking a few volunteers who will raise their hand to establish that they truly are participants in the quest for her. Freedom is looking for volunteers. Have you raised your hand? Are you the one in a million; or are you merely one of millions?
So, what about this economy?
The financial prognosticators that I follow, to a person, predict a continued, and I’m sorry to report, worsening recession. No, they’re not negative, sky-is-falling, alarmists. They are thoroughly respected, highly seasoned and rational individuals who have been amazingly prescient in virtually all of their financial predictions. What that means is that financial freedom, and even survival, could be increasingly difficult to find. But, be not dismayed. Freedom is still out there awaiting those who truly desire her rewards.
Now is not the time to hunker down and hide behind our prior successes or the money we may have managed to accumulate (if any). Now is the time to find a way to offer more value to society and other peoples’ lives than ever before.
New York Times best-selling author, Andy Andrews, says, “Every good thing that ever happened in your life happened because something changed.” Most People (MP’s) don’t recognize the power in instituting change in their lives, their mindsets, their lifestyle, and their businesses. MP’s dread and avoid change. But, those who don’t change will see increasingly less freedom and more bondage. Those who recognize that these are indeed trying times that do and will require change will be more likely to succeed.
Prayer and Innovation are the keys to finding freedom. Prayer delivers clarity and power. Innovation sets us apart from the masses that are either waiting for freedom to come to them, or who have resigned themselves to increasing oppression and bondage. Both prayer and innovation are change agents, the former harnessing the goodness, truth, and righteousness of God, and the latter opening up the dormant potential of our God-given dreams.
Your dream may have been politely wrapped and placed in a box hidden in the corner of a dark basement. But God gave you your dream. It is your dream! And He wants you to find it now. It’s time to untie the bow and lift the lid to embrace that dream once more. The truth is, you won’t be happy until you do!
Never before has an economy made so many demands on those who value freedom. We have a political administration that wants to, by mandate, take revenues from our producers to give to our non-producers. While compassion may be the genuine rationale, to the extent that we go that route, the results will be increasingly disastrous for our economy. Freedom requires its participants to get into motion and produce. Individual and collective “action” is the only way for a nation and its people to prosper. Producers are not to be feared, but rather supported and encouraged.
So, what is the answer? I believe that the tougher the economic climate, the more we must rely on spiritual reinforcement – the truly effective rampart and ammunition needed for the battle.
After experiencing several years of drought in North Texas, it became clear to me and my family that the only answer for the parched earth, dead vegetation, and dried up lakes was God’s provision. In order to fill our lakes back to “normal” levels, each lake individually required literally billions of gallons of water of replenishment to get back to “normal.” There was really nothing that we could humanly do to alter conditions, other than pray.
God knew what was needed and He was the resource. He was, is, and always will be faithful. In His timing, God delivered literally trillions of gallons of rain to renew and raise Texas lakes back from horrifically low levels to abundant overflow well above normal! The landscape changed from dusty brown to green again; and watering restrictions were, after years, finally rescinded.
My family’s primary prayer during that seemingly unceasing drought was a line out of the Lord’s prayer, “Thy kingdom come…on earth as it is in heaven.” Indeed, heaven was the very source of that much needed rain. In this similar economic drought, the same prayer applies, “Thy kingdom come…on earth as it is in heaven.” Freedom is from God Almighty. Replenishment is God’s work, even when, and especially when our own efforts seem futile.
It is clear to me that the economy is so out of control at this point that God is our only answer. What we as mortals cannot accomplish, God surely can. He wants us to fully know that He is our answer both now and forever. Sometimes we’re not able to understand that profound truth until we’ve experienced literal and metaphoric drought and famine that has been severe and beyond our own control.
This economy is unquestionably troubled and has been for the better part of two years. But, rather than being upset and throwing in the proverbial towel, we can know in our inner-most being that God knows what is going on and has the solution at a time when we can only hypothesize and conjecture.
In your quest for the best life possible; in your quest for freedom – don’t give up. Hang tough. Raise your hand. Volunteer to intentionally pursue freedom and your dream. Use the power of prayer and your own ability to innovate. Be prepared to change and know that change is a very good thing, and not something to avoid.
Most of all, know that God is in charge. Trust Him. Obey Him – and know that the answers – all the answers and perfect solutions are in His hands.
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Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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Tim Darnell is the founder of Advantage Conferences, LLC and author of Slay Your Giant.
Abundant Blessings
Catherine Mc Lean
http://7kfromhomeblessings.com
