The Kingdom Cowboy

Equipping The Saints - Part 1 / #46

Summary:
Do you want a church where everyone remains an infant in the Lord, not mature enough or prepared to be a real asset in God’s Kingdom? Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry should be the focus of every church, to help their people grow out of infancy and into maturity in their spirits. For the many churches that don’t emphasize this principle, their people are held back from becoming what God wants them to be. The final result is a church full of immature people who expect their pastor and a few others to do all the teaching and ministering.
Show Notes:
The church cannot and will not be the true church until leaders and the rank and file of the whole body of Christ embrace the truth that all Christians should start being equipped for the work of the ministry.
In the church age Bible Belt, Christians are held back because of the concept that the pastor and a few others are supposed to do all the ministry.
So many people run from the word “ministry” because they think they have to get up in front of people and do all the talking. Wrong concept!
God gave some as apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. These ministries are given as gifts to the church. It takes all five of these foundational ministries working together to properly set a church in order and mature the people. Without all of these ministries working together, the body of Christ will never be able to attain to the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God.
Quotes:
Equipping the saints should be a part of the basic, fundamental DNA of every church. That’s how strong I feel about equipping the saints.
Paul went to great lengths to talk about the physical body, comparing it to the spirit, the body of Christ. Everyone of us have a different gift set. We have gifts, talents, and anointing, so it’s been a high priority of mine all of these years to help people to open their minds and understand that they have a calling.
References:
Ephesians 4:11-14
Takeaways:
Most of the Christian world has been held back from becoming mature believers because of a lack of understanding and teaching concerning equipping and preparing the saints to step up and minister to those who God wants blessed.
 

AT's Two Books / #45

Summary:
Andy Taylor is the author of two books: “Reading Your Bible for All Its Worth”, and “The Best Kept Secrets in the Kingdom”. Andy writes in a way that is simple to understand and is written for the common person. With short chapters, which makes for an easy read, both books are phenomenal, first in how fun and easy it is to start reading the Bible, and opening your heart and mind concerning what the Kingdom of God really is, and how to start moving in it.
Show Notes:
The book, “Reading Your Bible for All Its Worth”, gives many tips to help you to find how fun and easy it is to start reading your Bible without making it a religious chore.
The book, “The Best Kept Secrets in the Kingdom”, was written to equip everyone for the work of the ministry. It is not exhaustive in nature, but it helps our understanding of subjects like church, the gifts of the Spirit, church government, and true worship along with 16 more chapters, all of which get people into the flow of what God is doing right now.
“Reading Your Bible for All Its Worth” was written after discovering that between 75% to 90% of all Christians don’t read their Bibles on a consistent basis, which was confirmed by many of Andy’s ministry colleagues and friends.
Andy wrote these books using language that all people can understand. The books are both geared for the common person, especially those who have a hard time reading and enjoying what they read.
Quotes:
It’s been an observation of mine down through the years that people are not readers like they used to be, especially men. Men are not readers.
I wanted to gear it toward people who don’t read. So, every chapter is two to three pages in length.
What we wanted to do was create and foster people loving the Word of God.
Most people are waiting for somebody like me or another leader to do all their spiritual thinking for them.
Takeaways:
Both of Andy’s books are full of real kingdom tips that you can use in your everyday life. These tips are simple to understand and are very encouraging, especially for people who have a hard time reading and enjoying what they are reading.
 
 
 

Time With The Lord With No Agenda -#44

Summary:
Our prayer time with the Father should always be two-sided. There’s a time to talk with Him, to petition Him with certain things, but there’s also spending some quiet time where you give the Father a chance to talk and commune with you. That’s why it’s so important to go to the Father with much gratitude, and with no agenda.
Show Notes:
With all that’s happening in the world today, there’s no way not to get discouraged without having a close relationship with the Father and spending time with Him. Spending quiet time with Him with much gratitude and with no agenda opens the door for God to love, encourage and speak to you.
There is never any contradiction between what God speaks to you and what you read in the written word (Bible). He can’t do that. That’s why is so important to have a firm foundation in the written word, and being persistent in spending time reading it.
Any conversation should never be just one-sided. If all you do is go to God with all your wants and petitions, how will He ever be able to speak back to you, if you don’t take part of your prayer time just to be thankful and listen for Him to speak back to you?
Just like Jesus, when He would go to the mountain to be with the Father, we can do the same thing. Quietly sitting with Him, sometimes without a word said, you can let go of bad feelings and at the same time take on the Father’s love, compassion and be able to hear Him speak back to you. That’s how this no-agenda thing can work for you.
Quotes:
Make your spiritual life a priority. It’s about renewing your mind according to the Word of God- the written word of God (Bible), and then the word that God is speaking now. It’s a combination of the two.
Over the last two or three years, I have found it really most important in my life and in my relationship with the Father, is to just be quiet and enjoy the presence of the Lord. It’s not hard to do, but it takes time, some discipline, and it takes some learning- mostly how to deal with distractions.
Using the “CALM app” has been one of the most productive things I’ve done over the last few years. It has helped and taught me how to get in the moment.
The key is to be so in tune with the spirit that you are walking in step, in fellowship with the Lord, where you are in union with Him.
References:
Philippians 4:6
Takeaways:
Your gratitude to the Father opens the door for Him to speak to you and commune with you on deeper levels. When you go to Him in gratitude, not asking for anything, there’s no way He’s not going to bring you into a closer relationship and union with Him.

Hearing God Practical Tips #43

Summary:
As God’s people, we should all be hearing God’s voice, and not just a select few. God wants to speak to all of us. You can develop a sense of hearing Him on the run, but it is much better if you take the time to sit down, quiet your spirit, eliminate the distractions, and just listen for Him to speak to you. Even more important than that is to just learn how to enjoy God’s presence through all of this. If you make this a priority, God will start to talk to you in some way.
Show Notes
Learning God’s voice is not for a select few leaders of the church. It’s for all of us to be able to hear Him, whether it be by an audible voice, a small still voice, or so many other ways that He can, and does, speak to us.
There were many times when Jesus would sneak away to be with the Father. He took the time to be in God’s presence
When I’m sitting quietly with the Lord, sometimes I hear Him and sometimes I don’t, but the real prize is the presence of the Lord, and just learning to enjoy Him.
When faced with a situation of some sort, if you are the kingdom person in the picture, take that to the Father and see what He tells you about it before you proceed. When you feel that you have something from the Lord, don’t be afraid to step into it. We all miss at times, but let’s not miss by playing it safe and doing nothing about it.
Quotes:
God is still speaking. When I say, “Well, I heard God”, people automatically think that I heard this big, booming voice from heaven. I’ve never heard Him that way, but I believe that there’s a steady flow of information coming from the throne of God in our direction all the time, and God wants to speak to us.
You can hear God on the run, but there’s just something different, more profound, and better about sitting down, taking the time, learning to push out the distractions, and just make it a point to be quiet before the Father.
There’s a general mentality in the whole body of Christ that God uses the preacher, pastor or leader to speak to them. And, most people are waiting for someone else to tell them what God’s saying to them. What a misconception!
References:
John 10:27
Takeaways:
God desperately wants to be with us and to speak to us. Our relationship with Him means everything to Him. If you will just be willing to take to time to spend with Him, it won’t be long before He starts to speak to you in some way.

Hearing God #3 - Practicing the Presence of the Lord - #42

Summary:
The greatest thing you can ever do is to get into a place where you can truly feel and enjoy God’s presence. The problem is that we seldom can get there, because of the effort and time that it takes and the ability to get past the distractions that try to get you off track. God is always speaking, but we have to make it a real priority to get to the place where we can hear Him.
Show Notes
You must make it a priority to be able to listen and hear God speaking. He is always speaking, but if it’s not a priority for you, you will never hear Him. This takes effort on your part.
Time is the number one thing. This is the hardest part, and is the thing that people tend to neglect the most. You have to give this time, in order to feel Him close.
If all you are doing is taking these quiet times to hear Him in some way, you could be missing the point. The payoff is not what you hear or get from God, the payoff is His presence.
One of the biggest things you face is distractions.
The C.A.L.M app is a great way to get into Godly meditation and how to still your mind. Using this app is a great way to get into the moment and learn how to savor the moments with Him.
Quotes:
If I take the time where I’m not on the run and just get alone and learn how to deal with distractions, I find God to be in a really talkative mood.
I think the first thing you have to do is not overload yourself at the start. Just take five minutes. If you give yourself to 5 minutes at first, it won’t be long until you’re doing 10, and it won’t be long before it’s 20 minutes.
The hardest thing for people to get over is just to get still.
References:
Matthew 4:4
Deuteronomy 8:3
Psalms 46:10
Takeaways:
Practicing God’s presence can be challenging, because of the time and effort that it takes. But, what could be more rewarding and uplifting than to actually spend time with Him in His presence, talking with Him, and enjoying everything He is and wants to give us?

Hearing God Part-2 The 2004 Election Prophecy - #41

Summary:
Recently the Lord gave Andy Taylor a prophecy, not only for Trinity Fellowship, but for the whole kingdom. It came the first week of November, right after the election. The Lord told him that this is a time of unparalleled favor, but not a time to relax. This is a time to take advantage of the favor of the Lord, and the test for us as Kingdom people is to keep the focus and redeem the time. If it is in your heart, do it!
Show Notes
The only way for things to really change is for us in this nation and for the kingdom is, as kingdom people, to walk out 2 Chronicles 7:14; to humble ourselves, pray, and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways.
We have to be wise as kingdom people to recognized that we are in a time where people are calling good evil and evil good, and that we are experiencing a battle between light and dark.
The favor that Andy is talking about is based on our cooperation with God in what He’s trying to do, and what He wants to accomplish.
Quotes:
When you hear something from Him, you may just think that’s the Lord, and then you add your faith to that. But sometimes, it’s so clear that you just know. If you lean into that, keep your heart open and give that some time to let it marinate, the Lord will keep adding to that a lot of times.
If we can turn to God and let Him do what He wants to do, He’s going to turn this nation around.
The smartest thing someone can do is to just open the doors of your heart and say, “Lord, have at it”. If we’ll keep on listening and pursuing the truth, He’s going to fix our hearts.
References:
2 Chronicles 7:14
Isaiah 5:20
Revelation 3:20
Takeaways:
It’s not a time to relax in your seeking after the Father. God is giving us a time of favor, to take advantage in this season to grow, mature and become more like the Lord. This takes our cooperation with Him, and a drive to allow Him to work His perfect will in our lives.
 

Hearing God Part-1 / #40

Summary:
There are many people who think that God no longer speaks or communicates to His people. That is not true. There is nothing in the scriptures that tells us that He no longer talks to us. As our heavenly Father, He wants desperately to talk to us. The biggest challenge for us is to actually take the time to get quiet, get past the distractions, and listen for Him to speak to us. He communicates to us though the elements, through numbers, through colors, and a multitude of other ways. One of the most prominent ways is through a still, small voice.
Show Notes
God still speaks to us, and we have to know that there’s a balance in the way God does speak. He speaks through the written word (The Bible), and He also speaks through a still, small voice, or through any of His many other ways.
It’s important, when you think you’ve heard Him speak to you, not to assume you understand all of it. You must keep the “ends open,” because what you heard in the beginning can unfold in a much greater way if you give it a little time. So don’t jump the gun and get in a hurry.
It’s one thing to hear Him while you are on the run, but a much better way is to find a quiet place, sit down with no agenda, and truly listen for Him to speak to you. Just enjoy His presence and listen for Him to speak to you in some way.
If you think you have something from God for someone, don’t be afraid that you might miss. We all miss sometimes. And if you miss, let it be on the long side, meaning that you put a lot of faith into it. If you heart is correct, you aren’t going to miss as much as you think you will.
When taking the time to sit quietly before the Lord, learn how to deal with the distractions. Quiet things down and get in the moment.
Quotes:
The reality is that God still does speak, “My sheep know Me, and they hear My voice”. God is a Father and we are His hand-picked kids. And, fathers want to speak to their kids.
He can speak through the elements, through numbers, animals, colors and even audibly on rare occasions. But my favorite is the still, small voice. That’s the voice that you hear, but you don’t hear. It’s like in your thoughts. It really kind of comes across like, “I think that’s the Lord”. Sometimes it’s clear and concise but more often than not, you’re not going to really know if it’s God until you add your faith to it and walk it out.
We need to take the time and make it a priority to listen to the Lord. And if you will jot those things down, He tends to keep adding to that.
A prophetic word can really set the course of someone’s life. When you do receive something for someone, many times it validates something to that person that has been in their thoughts, that God has been dealing with them about that they weren’t sure if it was God or not.
If you are faithful in a little, God will bless you with more. I just want to encourage people to put that to the test.
References:
John 10:27
Matthew 9:29
Takeaways:
He is a true Father and does all that He can do to speak and communicate with us. We just have to be willing to hear Him and truly take the time and listen for what He wants to speak to us.

Grace The Controversy Part - 3 / #39

Summary:
This controversy over grace needs to change. Without a real experience with grace, it’s very hard to grasp the depth of love that our Father has for us. We don’t have to work for it, or do anything to earn it. Just as the Bible says that God is love, God is also grace, a depth of which goes beyond words.
Show Notes:
It’s easy to be on opposite sides, yelling about how “they” are wrong, which has been happening in the Body of Christ too long. Until these two opposing sides can come to the table, discuss and be open to one another, not much is going to change.
There is a lack of understanding about Grace, because there are so many Christians who think that Grace and the law should go together. These two elements don’t mix. In most cases, those teaching a mixture of law and grace aren’t teaching grace at all.
Critics argue that cheap grace implies receiving God’s forgiveness without a corresponding transformation in our thoughts, our attitudes, and our morals. They have a point, if those who call themselves grace people are not changing and becoming what God whats them to be.
True grace brings discipleship and a drive to follow Jesus, even at great personal cost. It gives those walking in it a consciousness of sin and of the consequences that can occur. It promotes repentance and living in a moral and ethical way. True grace should make you want to walk, think and act differently.
You can’t truly teach something that you have not experienced. For those who teach and preach out of what they think they know, without a corresponding experience, they are producing that same lack of understanding and experience to all who you speak to. Don’t contaminate others with a wrong heart.
Quotes:
Grace is God’s supernatural ability to do everything and anything needed in your life to help you be like Jesus, and to perfectly live out the life He has purposed for you.
A proper understanding of grace always leads to less sin, never more.
I get asked if we have to repent for every sin. I would say “no,” because I can show you scripture after scripture where it says that you have been washed, sanctified, justified and forgiven. We have already been forgiven. But if you still believe that you have to ask for forgiveness, go ahead.
Your understanding of grace is a gift to be treasured and stewarded with wisdom and maturity. It’s not something you’ve earned or even deserved.
You teach what you know, but you impart who you are.
Takeaways:
God’s grace goes way beyond anything we can understand up to this point. The grace of God is what keeps us alive, and gives us a heart beat and brain wave. It fact, it the very essence of our existence.