KyKingdomKum

I was talking to my mom some time ago about what I called the privilege of being second . I don't remember exactly when we had the conversation, but the thought has stayed with me. There are areas of my life where, if I compared myself to other people, I could easily feel behind. I've watched people become homeowners. I've watched people build businesses. I've watched people get married, raise families, establish careers, and experience things I desire for my own life. There was a time when looking at those things could have produced embarrassment or shame. Why am I not there yet? Why hasn't this happened for me? How much further along would I be if things had gone differently? But somewhere along the way, I began seeing my position differently. I began recognizing the privilege of being second . Being second means I've gotten to see. I've gotten to watch people have and do some of the things I desire. I've gotten to see what worked and what didn't. ...

I was thinking recently about the purpose of laws. Whether we are talking about the law of the land or the law we encounter in Scripture, there is something about law that is rooted in deterrence. A law establishes a boundary and attaches consequences to crossing it. In that sense, law says, Don't do this. And deterrence has its place. Paul writes in Romans 13 that rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. First Timothy 1:9 tells us that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient. Law can restrain behavior. The possibility of punishment can cause someone to reconsider an action they might otherwise take. But restraint is not transformation. I know this from experience. I spent nearly twelve years in prison. There were plenty of things I didn't do while I was incarcerated simply because I couldn't do them. My environment restrained my behavior. But when I was released, the riotous living began. The restraint had been removed, and w...

There are few things more powerful than being seen —truly, deeply seen. And there are few words more affirming than the ones God speaks in Isaiah 43:1: “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.” This verse hits with the force of a knockout punch. It’s God stepping in and declaring: “I don’t care what you’ve been through. I don’t care what name you’ve answered to. I don’t care what’s tried to claim you—I ALREADY DID. YOU. ARE. MINE.” Let’s break it down. Jacob vs. Israel: Who You Were vs. Who You’ve Become God doesn’t just call one name in this verse—He calls two. Jacob and Israel. This isn’t accidental; this is intentional. 🔹 Jacob (Ya‘aqov - יַעֲקֹב) means supplanter, deceiver, heel-grabber. Jacob was the struggler, the one who grasped at what wasn’t his, the man who schemed his way through life. His name was tied to his flaws, his past, his reputati...

... and this is the New Jerusalem Jesus once said that “the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who planted a seed in his field.” A small seed — overlooked at first — but when it grew, it became a tree big enough to house the birds of the air. (Matthew 13:31–32) This is how the Kingdom works. Small beginnings. Hidden roots. Promised ends. But this week, something opened up to me: the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). And just like Joseph’s life prophetically revealed Jesus, David’s life prophetically reveals US — the people of God. Not just what God did in him, but what God does in all whom He chooses, calls, and plants. Let me show you what I mean. 🌱 1. David Was the Seed Nobody Chose — Except God When Samuel arrived at Jesse’s house to anoint the king, he saw the first son and said, “Surely this is the one.” But God said no. Because God wasn’t choosing what man saw. He was choosing the seed He planted. David wasn’t: invited cons...