The Bishop’s Mind: Christian Wisdom, Daily Devotionals & Empowering Messages for Kingdom Living

Keep it 100 - The Kingdom Key of Sowing & Reaping R EAD | Matthew 13:1-23 As it relates to good ground, Jesus started with 100 because 100 represents perfection. In Kingdom, we start with your perfection. God created us perfectly. God sees us as perfect. When you start with God, you start with perfect, whole, and complete where nothing is missing, broken, or out of place. Start your day with perfection. Focus on what's right instead of what's wrong. With God, 100% and perfection are always possible. When you are not feeling 100%, remember that your spirit is already perfect, and it is possible to align the eyes and ears of your soul to that Truth. This will cause a physical manifestation in your health, relationships, and wealth. Good ground yields a bountiful harvest. You have permission to grow at your own pace, as much or as little and as long as it takes. If you are 30-fold, you can progress to 60- fold unt...

A Variety of Responses The Kingdom Key of Sowing & Reaping R EAD | Matthew 13:1-23 Telemarketers sow seeds for the business or product they are selling. They spread the message and receive various responses. Not everyone will like, appreciate, follow, agree with, or understand what you are sharing. Jesus said that spreading the Good News and the Kingdom message is like sowing seeds. The teachings will take root in some people and not others. When they do not take root, it is because they fall on ground that is not fertile. Some hear the message, and it falls by the wayside. It sounds good, they like it, but they do not understand it. When an individual does not understand it, the message cannot take root. It is not enough to hear; there must also be understanding. Others hear the message, get excited, and do nothing with it. Excitement fades quickly if no action is taken. Then there are those who hear that message but have a ...

Sowing vs. Planting - The Kingdom Key of Sowing & Reaping R EAD | Matthew 13:1-23 There is a difference between sowing and planting. With planting, you have a designated place, a plan, and the preparations to make it grow and produce fruit. With sowing, you throw the seeds out and let the seeds fall where they may. In planting, you control the outcome. In sowing, you surrender the outcome to the Source, God. We all have the same seeds. We used to call those seeds the 3T’s for tithing our time, our talents, and our treasure. Now, we use the acronym of T.I.M.E. which represents our time , our individuality (skills, gifts, talents, abilities), and our money , all given from the energy of love. We are all givers. The question is not whether we are givers. We are all givers. The question is where are we giving from? When we give out of duty and obligation, we are giving out of our cups, and it often leads to frustration and burn-o...

Lesson or Blessing? The Kingdom Key of Good & Evil R EAD | Deuteronomy 30:11-20 I have set before you this day the choices of life and good, and death a nd evil (Deuteronomy 30:15).” We see good in every situation. Every situation and life event that takes place in our lives is good because it is either a lesson or a blessing. “All things work together for good to them that love God to them who are call ed according to God’s purpose (Romans 8:28).” Like Joseph, we understand that even what people mean for evil God uses for our good (Genesis 50:20). Good that is not apparent is a lesson. The Good that is apparent is a blessing. The coin is a symbol of this Kingdom Key of Good and Evil . Everything that happens in our lives is like a two-sided coin. A coin has two sides: heads or tails. We can choose heads or tails. Heads is the positive view. Tails is...

I Call it like I See it! The Kingdom Key of Good & Evil R EAD | Matthew 6:19-24 “The light of the body is the eye; therefore, if your eye is single, your whole body will be full of light (Matthew 6:22)!” There are three major perceptions that people have. One perception is the single good eye. With the single good eye, we see only the good and it gives light or positive energy to the whole body; everything and everyone in our lives. Another perception is the evil eye. With the evil eye, we see only the negative; therefore, the whole body (our entire lives) is full of darkness and negativity. The third view that people have is that some things are good, and some things are evil. Therefore, it is not the people and situations of our lives that impact us, but it is how we choose to see them. As Kingdom citizens, we are fully aware of our choice to look at God, self, other people, places, and things the way that we desire. No on...

I Color it Good! The Kingdom Key of Good & Evil R EAD | Genesis 2:15-17 “F inally, family, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Philippians 4:8).” The Kingdom Key of Good and Evil does not suggest that evil does not exist. It just empowers us not to focus on negativity or to give evil power through our thoughts, words, and actions. Instead, we choose to see and focus on God and the good, in every person, in every place and in everything. We see good in every place . There is no God forsaken place. God is omnipresence. Therefore, God is in every place (Proverbs 15:3). When our hearts are pure, we see God in every person, in every place and in everything (Matthew 5:8). We see ourselves and others as only ...

Mustard - The Kingdom Key of Least & Greatest R EAD | Matthew 13:31-32 “ He spoke another parable to them, saying, the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed (Matthew 13:31). ” Mustard is a condiment that is often put on hot dogs and hamburgers. It is also used in various foods such as potato salad and barbecued  spareribs to spice up the flavor. Mustard is so potent that you don’t need a lot of it, just a little bit or it will completely dominate the dish. From a biblical perspective, when people think about mustard they think about “faith as of a mustard seed.” In this parable, Jesus is not talking about faith but about greatness. The mustard seed is considered the least of all the seeds of the field because it is so small but when the mustard seed matures it becomes the greatest herb. A mustard stain is one of the hardest stains to get out of cloth because it is so potent. Jesus is demonstrating that ...