KyKingdomKum

I find it amazing how Scripture doesn’t just tell stories—it captures our stories. Thirty years ago, when I was at one of the lowest points of my life, someone handed me a Bible. No instructions. No directions. Just a Bible. A little while later, my mom encouraged me to read the Psalms. I didn’t realize it then, but that simple act was God’s hand guiding me—setting a monument I would look back on decades later. Years after that, I would fall into depression. At first, I didn’t even know I was depressed; I just felt stuck. And that’s exactly what it felt like—stuck in a pit with no way out. Psalm 40:1–2 says: “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” When David wrote those words, he didn’t just describe my life—he prophesied over it. Depression was that horrible pit. It was a slippery slope of “miry clay,” where every at...

Gold is purified in the fire. Diamonds are formed under pressure. Pearls are made from irritation. In the same way, being conformed to the image of Christ—the hope of glory—is not a painless process. Transformation always costs something, and Scripture is full of stories of those who bore that cost. Think of Jacob wrestling with God, Joseph betrayed by his brothers, David hunted and misunderstood, and Saul—later Paul—of whom Jesus said, "For I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake" (Acts 9:16).  Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 of the countless stripes he endured, the imprisonments, the beatings with rods, the stoning, the shipwrecks, and the constant dangers he faced. Yet through all of this suffering, Paul became one of the greatest contributors to the early Church, writing much of the New Testament and establishing churches across nations. His pain was not wasted; it was transformed into purpose, and his life still bears fruit for the Ki...

“Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” (James 1:2) Those are powerful words, but let’s be honest—they’re easier said than done. Trials test us in ways that can feel unbearable, and joy is rarely our first instinct. Yet as believers, we’re called to see beyond the moment, to live with the awareness that we are “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1)—men and women of faith who endured fire, both literal and figurative, and emerged as what God envisioned them to be. Joseph’s story is one that has always encouraged me. In Genesis, we watch his journey unfold—from betrayal to slavery to prison, and finally, to being elevated as lord over Egypt. But I especially love the way the Psalmist recalls his testimony in Psalm 105:18-21: “They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord tested him. The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free. He made him lord...

Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). For a long time, that verse can sound like striving: do this first, and maybe you’ll be rewarded later. But when you hold it up against the whole story of Scripture, you start to see something different. From the very beginning, in Genesis 1:28, God created mankind in His image. Being created in His image was the right standing — the alignment with Him. Then came the blessing. And from that blessing flowed fruitfulness, multiplication, and dominion. These were not things Adam and Eve had to earn; they were the natural outflow of the righteousness God had already provided. That same pattern is revealed again through Christ. What sin had broken, Jesus restored by the cross. He brought us back into alignment with God. And from that alignment flows the blessing: we have been made right with Him through Jesus, and in Him we are fruitful. He is our righteousness. A...

I’ve had conversations with people who didn’t grow up in broken homes or spend years in prison, but who still carry feelings about what they didn’t get from their parents. The impulse is always the same: I want to give my children what I didn’t have. That’s understandable and even good—but what if that’s not what they really need? When I think back on my own life, I see how the things I lacked—the father figure, stability, love, and structure—shaped me deeply. I went to fifteen different schools before sixth grade. I grew up in a violent, drug-ridden neighborhood. My father battled addiction. And from the age of 15 until 29, I was in and out of jail, with my longest stretch being 11 years straight. All of that had an effect on my mind, my worldview, and my belief system. But here’s the revelation: God has a way of working all things together for good. What the enemy meant for destruction becomes the very material God uses for construction. When the earth was formless, void, and cov...

There’s a scene in the gospels that has always stood out to me: Jesus walking into the temple, seeing the money changers and merchants doing business in a place meant for communion with God. And what did He do? He overturned their tables. He refused to let worship be twisted into a transaction. I can’t help but think about that moment every time I hear preaching that ties blessing or breakthrough to money. You’ve probably heard it too: “If you sow a seed right now, your blessing will be released.” It’s manipulative. It reduces the goodness of God to a pay-to-play system. And it makes me want to walk right out the door. 🌱 Kingdom Economics: Spirit-Led vs. Manipulative 1. Motivation Spirit-led: Giving is love-driven, not guilt-driven. The early church gave freely to meet needs, out of joy and gratitude. (Acts 2:45) Manipulative: Giving is pressured. If you don’t sow, you won’t receive. Fear replaces faith. 2. Form of Seed Spirit-led: Seed isn’t only money. In Acts...

There’s a scene in Coming to America that always grabs my attention. Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and Lisa are walking to dinner when Akeem stops and hands two homeless men a wad of cash. He calls it “a little pocket change.” The men look at the money, stunned. Then, without hesitation, they exclaim: “We’re back!” Those weren’t just words of excitement—they were words of identity and restoration . These men knew immediately what that moment meant: they weren’t just given money, they were restored to their purpose. 💡 That’s what blessing looks like. In Genesis 1:27–28, after God created man in His image, it says: “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion…’” Notice the sequence: Identity – made in His image. Blessing – empowered by God. Commission – sent to carry out the task. The true blessing is not a thing—it’s the empowerment to fulfill your God-given purpose. Money, opportunities, o...

The other day, while doing some yard work, I noticed a weed growing by the edge of the pond. It had grown so big it was almost like a tree. I thought about pulling it up, but then I realized: no wonder it’s thriving—this is the perfect spot for any plant to grow. Even though it was just a weed, being right by the water gave it the nourishment it needed to flourish. That picture took me straight to Psalm 1 : “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water…” There’s something powerful about placement. In Genesis 1, God created us in His image. That’s alignment—reflecting Him, carrying His likeness. From that alignment comes blessing, and from that blessing comes fruitfulness, multiplication, replenishing, subduing, and dominion. But it all s...

I saw a story yesterday that the National Guard is being brought in to police Washington D.C. For years, I’ve thought maybe military personnel should replace the police. Not because I’m anti-police, but because the military is better equipped, more disciplined in high-pressure situations, and often trained with a stronger sense of accountability when it comes to civilian lives. But in the same article, I saw something else — lawmakers considering trying kids as young as 14 years old as adults. And that’s where I have a problem. To me, that’s throwing the baby out with the bathwater. For as long as I can remember, laws have been changed to make penalties harsher and harsher. Yet the problems remain. Why? Because what they call a “deterrent” isn’t really one. Speaking from my own experience and my community’s reality — when your life already feels worthless, risking a life sentence is just part of the cost. Instead of always tightening penalties, why don’t we ever stop and say: “Hey,...

 I’ve been thinking a lot about the people in the Bible and how their lives were shaped by God’s promises. Abraham was given a command and a promise — his future was tied to his obedience in that moment. Gideon too was given a command, and his victory depended on following it. But then there are others — David, Joseph — whose journeys didn’t start with a command. They were chosen. Anointed. Set apart. And then… they waited. They endured. They were taken on long, winding paths that didn’t look like the promise at all. I relate to that. Years ago, God give me one clear instruction: Let go and let Me do it. No battle plan, no list of steps — just release. Like David in the wilderness. Like Joseph in the prison. My “job” has been to trust, to keep my heart steady, to refuse to force the promise into being. And when I’ve tried to “help” God make it happen, it’s failed — always bringing me back to letting go. Over time I’ve learned that everything I’ve walked through has been prepar...

 There’s a lot of talk about blessing these days—how to get it, how to keep it, and the danger of missing it. But I’ve come to believe that blessing isn’t something we chase, earn, or lose. It’s something we walk in when we’re aligned with God. It flows from identity, not activity. From who He is, not what we do. When God made mankind in His image, He blessed them—not because they did anything to deserve it, but because they were aligned with His purpose. And that blessing wasn’t random. It came with a clear direction: “Be fruitful, multiply, replenish , subdue , and have dominion…” (Genesis 1:28) That was the assignment then, and it’s still the assignment now. Every true blessing still serves that purpose. Whether it’s healing, provision, open doors, or deliverance—God’s blessing is always unto fruitfulness, multiplication, replenishment, and dominion. Not ego. Not revenge. Not compensation. Blessing Isn’t Compensation for Pain Sometimes we treat blessing like it’s God’s w...

📖 “You shall not do as they do…” – Leviticus 18:3 📖 “Do not be like them…” – Matthew 6:8 There’s a powerful thread that runs through Scripture—one that connects God’s instructions to Israel in the wilderness with Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels. It’s the call to be different. Set apart. Holy. And it often begins with a simple warning: “Don’t be like them.” In the Old Testament , when God led His people out of Egypt and into the wilderness, preparing them for the Promised Land, He gave clear instructions. They weren’t just told what to do—they were told who not to become . “You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt... and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan.” (Lev. 18:3) God warned them not to copy the practices, customs, or worship of the nations around them. He was forming a new kind of people—people who would reflect His nature, His justice, and His mercy. ✨ Then Comes Jesus... Fast-forward to the New Testament, and the warning still echoes. But th...

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He told them to ask: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” — Matthew 6:10 For a long time, we saw this as a request for the future — something to happen at the end of days or in some far-off revival. But lately, we've come to see it as an invitation to alignment . This wasn’t just a prayer to be repeated. It was a pattern for how heaven touches earth — through people who carry the Kingdom . Jesus modeled this perfectly. He didn’t just talk about the Kingdom — He embodied it. Everywhere He went, the will of heaven broke in : Healing came because there’s no sickness in the Kingdom. Provision came because there’s no lack in the Kingdom. Peace came because storms don’t reign in the Kingdom. Demons fled because the Kingdom has no rivals. Resurrection happened because there’s no death where God reigns. What Jesus did wasn’t magic — it was alignment . He said, “I only do what I see the Fa...