Charlie Lewis

In Part 1 of this series, we discussed how Jesus gave us a mandate to “seek first His Kingdom and His way of doing and being right,” (Matthew 6:33); however, in many areas of our lives we get this instruction backwards. For instance, instead of seeking first His Kingdom in our churches, we wind up seeking first the advancement of our churches. So instead of having Kingdom churches (churches that prioritize the Kingdom of God above all else), we often end up with “church kingdoms” that are primarily concerned with institutional self-preservation. This is a sad reality, because it means that so many churches today are completely missing out on the Kingdom reality and Kingdom relationship that our Creator so desires to share with us.

How do we reform our churches into Kingdom churches? How do we move past a counterfeit reality and back into a Kingdom-first reality? I believe the answers to these questions, and so many others, can be found in our Constitution, the Word of God. Read these passages below, and let them bring renewal and inspiration to guide you into a Kingdom-first reality.

“Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Romans 12:2 King James Version

“Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”

Romans 12:2 The Passion Translation (TPT)

“2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Romans 12:2 New Living Translation (NLT)

The process for renewal begins with you and me. We must personally “seek, strife for, go after with all of our might, and we must be ravenously hungry for His way of doing and being, and that will be right/correct for us,” first and in all that we do and in every area of our lives.

“3 Roll your works (everything that you do) upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly/completely to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to/with His will, and] so shall your plans be established, and your plans will succeed.”

Proverbs 16:3 AMPC paraphrased

“5 Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart (spirit) and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

6 In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 AMPC

Are there plans for you, for each of us who enter time and this planet before we are born, before we arrive in our here?

“29 For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was [a]aware and [b]loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.”

Romans 8:29 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

“10 For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship, His masterpiece), [a]recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].”

Ephesians 2:10 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) paraphrased

“16 You saw me before I was born.

    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

    before a single day had passed.

7 I can never escape from your Spirit!

    I can never get away from your presence!

8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;

    if I go down to the grave, [a] you are there.

9 If I ride the wings of the morning,

    if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

10 even there your hand will guide me,

    and your strength will support me.”

Psalms 139:16 – 7-10 NLT

“10 Wherever I go, your hand will guide me;

your strength will empower me.

11 It’s impossible to disappear from you”

Psalm 139:10-11 The Passion Translation (TPT)

“11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

“5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born, I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; (dedicated to a sacred or divine purpose) and

I appointed you as a prophet (a person regarded as an inspired teacher and/or proclaimer of the will of God) to the nations.

10 See, I have this day appointed you to the oversight of the nations and of the kingdoms to root out and pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Jeremiah 1:5, 10 AMPC paraphrased

“11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 1:5, 10 AMPC paraphrased

Each of us are creatively designed by our Creator and our Designer for a very specific and unique purpose, a divine purpose. Our purpose is found in our eternity and in our eternalness. Our success cannot be accurately measured nor correctly defined from any other perspective than that of our mission in our eternity. Our DNA is specifically programmed by our Designer to prepare us for our service to humanity in a particular area of society. This process is a function of the eternal component of our being and who we really are forever, our spirit. We cannot just decide intellectually with our ability to reason in our mind, our emotions, our feelings, and our personality, but we must engage our spirit, the eternal component of who we are forever. It has been said that one of the most tragic experiences for humanity is for us to be what the world calls successful in an area where our Creator God did not call them/us and design them/us to function. Not only do they miss the joy, the peace, the relationship and the fulfillment and contentment of accomplishing their God-given mission on the earth, but all of humanity, present and future misses the benefit of their gifting and their unique ability that our Designer, God has given them/and placed inside of them to deliver to the earth for the benefit all of humanity.

There are huge ramifications of this for society. Why have we not discovered the cures for cancer, for Alzheimer’s, for ALS, for Parkinson’s, and for all of the other horrible diseases and sicknesses that cause such enormous pain and catastrophic suffering to humanity? Could it be that we have chosen not to allow those who came bearing the gifts and the abilities from our Creator and from our God access to our planet? Have we chosen to destroy their earthsuit and not to allow them to grow to maturity and to be able to deliver their gifts from our Creator to/for humanity?

C.S. Lewis said, “you cannot go back and change the beginning, but you can begin where you are and change the ending.”

 Perhaps we should revisit and reevaluate our position on the unborn. We can begin now and change the ending, the outcome for our planet. Our God delivers His benefits to humanity through other humanity, through you and me. Giving is the transference of value. What do you have to give that is of value to others? You have something to give, I promise you. Everyone does. This is our design.

The pursuit of success is a lifetime quest. Success and the desire for success are part of our DNA. The desire to be successful is built-in to who we are. Every day the pursuit of success guides our thoughts, our actions and our desires. When we awake each morning, we have an idea in our minds of what our success for the day looks like, and we know how we go after our goals for that day to be successful. Our desire for success is an integral part of our makeup and who we are. No one wants to be nor plans to be a failure. Everyone wants to be successful.

Of the estimated more than one hundred thirty million books that have been published in human history, a significant number have been about success and how to achieve success. The challenge for humanity does not appear to be a source for information about the knowledge and the understanding of “how” to be successful, but rather a clear, correct and understandable explanation and definition of how to determine “what” success really is for each of us. Success is completely individual and is not and cannot be a comparable exercise. Yet, there is a framework and there are established parameters and guidelines that must be included in our personal definition of what our personal success really is for our understanding to be accurate and for our pursuit to be effective for us. Can you define, can you articulate, and can you write out what success is for You? Have you done this? This is important. When each of us do this – when we define, when we can articulate and when we have written down our understanding and our belief of what defines our success – the results of our lives will reflect this clarity and this direction in our actions and in the outcomes of our lives.

For some time now, I have felt the unction from the Holy Spirit God to write the explanation of what true success really is from the understanding that the Holy Spirit God has given to me about how success is defined from the Kingdom perspective. Even more specific, what is defined as success in the Kingdom government system of our Creator and our God. I have known for some time that the Kingdom System of our God defines success much differently than does the kingdom of darkness. I have learned this personally through my life experiences on this planet. What society and the cultures of our world define as success are often major failures in the success system of our Creator and our God. Huge successes in the Kingdom of Light are very often considered failures in the Kingdom of Darkness. We must know clearly what our Creator and our Designer defines as our personal success or we will be played like a puppet on a string by society and by the cultures of this world.

Having written considerable material on achieving a successful life, including four books completely about success I began to recognize the need to define what true success looks like for humanity. Not the version of success that is presented and promoted by the Kingdom of Darkness, but success that is lasting and does not expire. Money, power and fame are the most prominent determinants used to define success by the Kingdom of Darkness. That definition is very pervasive in society and this is what the systems of the world use as their primary standard for describing and defining success. Money, power and fame can be part of success, but none of them are primary indicators nor are they necessary for true success.
It is interesting that none of my writings, including the books, began with an explanation of success as the primary focus. My motivation was to share life lessons that I had discovered on my journey of life. I knew that there were solutions and better ways to effectively address the challenges and sometimes the struggles that I had experienced and that I continue to experience daily. Life is not fair, nor is success in life a destination at which we can arrive and end our search for fulfillment. Every day that we are on this planet, we must choose the actions that determine the experiential outcomes that we innately desire. Knowing this and understanding the process will bring great peace to the process. Humanity has tried many things to define and to achieve success. Many turn to religion, or power, or fame or money in their search only to discover that the achievement of any or all of these will not provide the success that our DNA given to each of us by our Creator God calls for. Be encouraged there is an answer that works. Where and how then, do we find abiding peace, and how do we experience fulfillment? Only through knowing and understanding how we are designed to operate and to live on this planet, while we are in-time, in a vibrant, living relationship with the living God, our Creator and our Designer can we experience success that is for now and forever. The living Word of God declares that my people are being destroyed because they do not know me. Our God is RELATIONAL. He is not religious. His design for our success is not found in what we know about Him, but that we know Him personally and intimately. All of our success begins here.

In my personal pursuit of a successful life I found that my effort must be based on an eternal, living relationship with our eternal, living God whom I know personally. This is not spooky or religious, but an active living relationship where I fellowship and communicate with my Creator and the One who designed me, continually and constantly. How did I come to this understanding of relationship? My search led me to five fundamental questions that I had to know and had to answer for myself. I believe and am convinced that these are the same questions all of humanity has and they must answer personally for themselves. Whether the awareness of this search is cognitive or even if they have no idea of their search, everyone who arrives on this planet has these same questions, and needs to know the answers for themselves. This desire that we have defines the relational aspect of who we are personally and what our relationship with our Creator is designed to be. I have discovered that the correct understanding of this search and the subsequent accurate results, determines our path for success. I believe these questions are both fundamental and foundational, and that we must understand and that each of us must answer for ourselves for each of us as well as all of humanity to achieve the abiding peace and the personal fulfillment necessary for true success. For me, this was the method, and this is how it works.
I want to share these questions with you.

1) Who am I?
2) Where did I come from?
3) Why am I here?
4) What are the Standards of Conduct and behavior I am to live by?
5) What happens to me when my spirit leaves my body?

The knowledge of these facts, the wisdom to know how to apply these facts to our life experiences personally and effectively, and then the understanding of how this process impacts all of humanity (our culture – how we think and how we live) is the only successful foundation that is provided to us by our Creator and our Designer for the success of an abiding peace and a fulfilled life, now and forever.

Many of you have noticed a lack of blog activity since the end of last year/beginning of this year, and I am glad to report that the drought is over!

The beginning of this year has been extremely busy as we plan and prepare for a remarkable year in ministry (I am looking forward to several speaking engagements lined up throughout the year. If you are interested in having me come speak to your church, business, civic group, conference, or any other group, please email my team at speaking@charlielewis.net so we can get you on the calendar as soon as possible). But I have also been very busy writing something that the Holy Spirit God has laid upon my heart.

It is an introduction of sorts to the Kingdom System Series — a look into the heart cry of every person who has ever lived, and answers to the questions that humanity longs to know. God has been waking me up in the night, prompting me to write down what He has been speaking to me. This material I have been writing will most likely be further developed and edited into a book, and perhaps an accompanying e-course. But for now I want to share it with you all in a more raw, immediate form.

I have a fair amount written already, so I plan on releasing it in small segments over the next few weeks. I hope you will stay tuned here and follow along. And, as always, please feel free to send me feedback if this material impacts your life (you can leave comments below, or reach me at my Facebook page).

I will begin by sharing a summary of this new material:

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All of humanity is searching for the purpose of their lives. We want to know why we are here. Are we just matter, physical substance that is occupying time and space at rest mass, without influence and without consequence? Or, is there meaning to our life and purpose to our being here? There is a longing for hope, the knowledge and the assurance that there are good outcomes that are planned for our lives. Are there plans for us? If there are plans, we want to know what those plans are, how we engage them, and how we go after them with all that we are and all that we are capable of mustering. We want to know clearly and without doubt, how we are to live our lives so that we are successful in achieving our purpose and in fulfilling our destiny.

These questions and the desire for correct answers are universally held by all of humanity. To obtain accurate results for our search, we must know where to begin our search, what questions we are to ask, and where to find correct, verifiable answers to our questions.

For good and correct answers, we must begin at our origin, the place where our life in-time began for us. Are we merely the result of someone’s egg being fertilized by someone else’s seed and that is all there is to us? We have no plan and we have no purpose. Is it up to us to make the best of this life we have been given and hope everything turns out okay? Or, are we creatively designed by an amazing Creator and Designer who has provided a written plan of purpose for our in-time journey and for our eternity? Recorded history for thousands of years provides indisputable proof and absolute, verifiable evidence of the transcendent relationship that exists between humanity and their Creator. For humanity to live a meaningful life of successful purpose, there must be an open, continuous, and free flowing relationship of fellowship and communication between the eternal spirit of man and the eternal Spirit of their Creator and their God. Life is completely about eternity and not the temporary “things” of time.

For us to live successful and meaningful lives, we must know who we are. Not the trappings of our earthly lineage, but who we are forever before we became who we are in-time. There is a nexus where who we are in-time and who we are eternally and forever meet. Our consideration for living in time consists of the temporary and the horizontal plane where our body is now, and the forever and eternal plane, the vertical, transcendent relationship between our spirit and the Spirit of our Creator. This is where we came from and this is where we will be forever. All of our choices and all of our decisions in-time must be viewed from this vantage point. Our priority and the deciding factor for actions that we choose in the living of our lives must always be based on the forever, the eternal.

As the song written by George Wyle and Edward Pola says, “it’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” We hear the melody in our minds as we recall that line. Celebration is in the air. We honor our Creator and our God. There are beautiful decorations and bright, colorful lights everywhere. We gather with Friends and Family for festive meals and parties, and we exchange gifts as we celebrate the greatest gift humanity has ever received.

Recalling the reality of our Creator and our Designer clothing Himself in flesh and becoming one of us, so that He could redeem humanity from the tyranny and from the oppression brought on us by the lies and the deceits of the defeated Satan, our enemy, and so that He can restore us to an unrestricted relationship with Himself, stirs my spirit to overflowing joy.  My spirit within me leaps with excitement and with appreciation. My spirit swells with thankfulness. How incredibly wonderful are His plans for you and me. The whole of who He is and what He does is about us. He is not lackadaisical about our lives and where we are now, He tells us that every day of our life is written in His book before our first day begins, and before our first moments have passed. He tells us that He has plans for us and that His plans are good. His plans include a future and they are full of hope. He has no plans for disaster for us.

Our life does not begin at conception. The home of our eternal spirit begins at conception, but our Creator said, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb, before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations,” (NLT).  We are eternal. We will never die. We existed before our journey and our experience in time. We entered time with gifts, talents and unique abilities for our “appointment” while we are in time. We are ambassadors of our King. We represent the country of our origin. We return to our country when our spirits leave our bodies, our home in time.

The joy of Christmas increases when we know who we are and who our Creator is to us. He has made us special. We are unique, one of a kind, an original. No one else has your gifts, your talents and your unique abilities.  As challenging as this is for our finite minds, our Creator designed us for success and for happiness. His plans are for our design to bless us, to bless our families, and for our gifts and our talents to be a blessing to all of humanity. The AMPC translations says “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you and I approved of you as My chosen instrument. And before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you (dedicating you for a special purpose) I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” A prophet is an inspired teacher or a proclaimer of the will of God. That is who you are designed and set apart and anointed to be. You may be an engineer, a pilot, a politician or any number of other things as your employment in time, but your deployment by your Creator is to be an inspired teacher and proclaimer of the will of God to and for your benefit and for the good of all of humanity. We are all ambassadors and ministers of the Gospel, the Good News of the Kingdom, the plan of our Creator for our success. We are on assignment. Our employment may not be our deployment, but it may be our platform for our deployment. Which is more important, our employment or our deployment? One is temporary, the other eternal. A slight difference in perspective with an exponential increase in results. Income versus Outcome.

Why are we celebrating? Because we know the real meaning of our lives in time and we have hope. This is not all there is to us. We have joy. We have relationship. We are in a living relationship with the living God. We know Him. We celebrate His birth in time, and His wonderful and powerful provision for all of humanity. Rejoice.

Luke 2:10-11New Living Translation (NLT):

10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!