Fast Track Ministries - KC

The Unending Kingdom Saturday, December 16, 2023

2 Samuel 7:11-13............ even from the day that I appointed judges over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that the Lord will make a house for you. 12 When your days are finished and you [a]lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your [b]descendant after you, who will come from [c]you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Of all the kings of Israel, David was the one most devoted to following God. Though he was not perfect, he had great faith and a belief that the God who had taken him from a despised shepherd to the throne would keep His promises. David acted according to what God said, which is what a faithful life is—obedience to God regardless of circumstances or the opinions of others. As a result of his dedication, God made promises to David regarding the future of the kingdom. The kingdom was divided after the death of Solomon because he did not follow in his father's footsteps. Although the northern kingdom had many dynasties, some of them short-lived, all of the kings of Judah were descendants of David.

But when God allowed the Babylonians to conquer Judah the kingdom was interrupted. Were God's promises broken? No, because God's promises can never be broken. The Davidic Covenant of an unending kingdom will be fulfilled through Christ during His Millennial Reign. When the angel Gabriel made his announcement to Mary about the birth of Jesus, he said, “And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:33). That promise was not fulfilled during Jesus' life on earth. The people rejected Him. “But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate said unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). But this kingdom will happen when Jesus comes again.

Today's Growth Principle:
Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promised Savior, and He will be the fulfillment of God's promised King.

To All People Friday, December 01, 2023

Luke 2:8-10........... In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

Shepherds were not popular people in ancient days. They were usually considered to be inferior by others in society. Often the smell of the sheep would permeate their clothing, and no one wanted to spend much time around them. This was true, not just in Israel, but in many Middle Eastern countries. When Jacob and his family moved to Egypt, Joseph warned them not to talk about sheep. you should answer, ‘"Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.” (Genesis 46:34).

Yet it was to this despised group of people that the first announcement of the birth of the Messiah was made. Angels could easily have gone to Jerusalem to the palace or the Temple to herald the birth of the King. They could have entered the town of Bethlehem and gone to the city leaders to let them know Jesus had arrived. Instead, they went to the shepherds in the fields outside of town to deliver the good news. God's Christmas gift of His Son is not limited to those who are wealthy or well-connected or well thought of by others. It is for everyone. And God's plan is for us to take up the task of the angels and spread the good news to others. There is no group or nation or race or class of people who do not need salvation. The message we have been given to proclaim is for “all people.”

Today's Growth Principle:
Every person we meet needs the story of the gospel, and it is our responsibility to share it with them.

No Accidents Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Philippians 1:12-14........... Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.


Paul faced constant and unrelenting opposition to his gospel preaching. There was a group so outraged by his message that Jesus was the Messiah and Savior that they followed him from town to town. As soon as they learned where Paul was, they went there to try to shut down his ministry by any means possible. “But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people” (Acts 17:13). Paul suffered being beaten, being put in prison, and even being stoned. Yet he viewed those hardships as something God could use for the furtherance of the gospel. Paul didn't see obstacles as a sign that he was doing something wrong; he saw resistance as evidence that he was moving forward in the right direction.

Nothing comes into the life of a child of God by accident. God knows where we are and what we need in order to be effective in His service. Often the means that prepare us for that service are not ones we would prefer. Sometimes they are painful, but always they are purposeful. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that if we are trying to do right God will remove all of the obstacles from our path, but in fact as we follow Him through the years He continues to prune away anything that would hinder our fruitfulness. Jesus told His disciples in the Upper Room, “Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:2).

Today's Growth Principle:
We can trust God's providence and purpose no matter what comes into our lives.

More Grace Tuesday, November 28, 2023

2 Corinthians 12:8-10......... Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Avis B. Christensen didn't like the spotlight. Born and raised in Chicago, she attended the Moody Church while H. A. Ironside was the pastor. Her husband was a vice president at Moody Bible Institute. She had been writing poems since childhood, but as an adult she often used a pen name as she authored hundreds of beautiful hymns. One of the best known is “Where Sin Abounded, Grace Abounded More.”

Oh, precious is the promise God has given,
My heart with rapture sings it o’er and o’er;
O balm to souls by storm and tempest driven,
Where sin abounded, grace abounded more!

Where sin abounded, grace abounded more!
My ransomed soul repeats it o’er and o’er;
Though vile as I could be, In love He rescued me,
Where sin abounded, grace abounded more!

We are saved by grace alone, and the same grace of God that provides that salvation continues to be with us day after day as we follow Jesus. When we reach the point where we think we cannot go on, grace is there. When we are troubled and confused, grace is available to meet the need. Because of God's grace, we can face and overcome every obstacle and bear every burden. Paul wrote, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8). If we find ourselves downcast and despairing, it is not because there is no grace available to us, but because we have not humbly sought God to receive it.

Today's Growth Principle:
There is always more than enough grace for those who rely on God to receive it.

"Not Many Wise" Monday, November 27, 2023

1 Corinthians 1:26-29.......... For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the insignificant things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no human may boast before God.

The world values those who are strongest, fastest, or wisest. There are entire books dedicated to documented records in various fields of endeavor. Those who win athletic or academic competitions are lauded as heroes. Yet God does not evaluate based on ability or talent. He is looking for something else. When God told Samuel that Jesse's oldest son was not the chosen king to replace Saul despite his impressive attributes, He explained it this way: “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD see's not as man see's; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

God delights in taking people who are overlooked by the world and using them in great and mighty ways. This allows Him to display His power and receive glory. God does not need any talent or resource that we possess to make up for something He lacks. Instead, He places His power upon us to accomplish His purposes. As we remember that it is God who not only gives the assignments but allows and equips us to carry them out, we are reminded to give Him the praise and glory. “For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Pride has no place in the life of a child of God—it's all about Him.

Today's Growth Principle:
When we rely on God rather than on ourselves, we get what He can do rather than what we can do.

"I Have Learned" Saturday, November 25, 2023

Philippians 4:10-12........... But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked an opportunity to act. 11 Not that I speak [a]from need, for I have learned to be [b]content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.



Paul wrote to thank the church at Philippi for their generous financial support while he was a prisoner in Rome. A number of years had passed since Paul had first preached the gospel in this city, but the church he had worked to plant here had not forgotten him. Their help at this time was especially important while Paul was unable to work his own tent making job that he used to support the work of his ministry. No doubt, there were many ministry needs that continued while Paul was imprisoned. Additionally, in the Roman prison system, Paul would have had to pay for any personal needs out of pocket.

But as Paul wrote to thank this church for their sacrificial gifts, he told them that he had learned to be content regardless of his circumstances. In fact, it was not his circumstances at all that dictated his contentment. When Paul wrote that he could be content whether he was impoverished or had plenty, whether he was hungry or satisfied, he was not speaking figuratively. He had often suffered hunger, privation, and need for the sake of the gospel. Paul's contentment came from an understanding that God could be trusted in every situation.

God is not just good when we have plenty of food in the house and plenty of money in the bank. He is just as good when times are hard. Faith teaches us to be content in Jesus because He never changes.

Today's Growth Principle:
Taking our focus off of our circumstances and putting it on God leads to true contentment.

Genuine Christians Saturday, November 18, 2023

2 Timothy 2:14-16.......... Remind them of these things, and solemnly exhort them in the presence of God not to dispute about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the listeners. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,


Ever since gold and silver coins began being used, unscrupulous people would carefully “clip” them, shaving small amounts off the edges to make a profit. The precious metals they collected would eventually add up to quite a sum of money. Many countries struggled with this issue, and often people would be reluctant to accept coins knowing that so many of them had been altered. At the time he became Master of the Royal Mint in London, Isaac Newton estimated that one out of every five coins being circulated in England had been clipped. Despite the harsh penalties that were attached to the crime, people continued because it was difficult to prove it had been done. Newton brought that to a halt by introducing reeding—the ridges around the edge of a coin. That made it immediately apparent if the coin had been altered.

God sees through every artifice and attempt to conceal sin and disobedience. He calls us to live out His Word in sincerity and truth so that we will not be ashamed when we stand before Him. Genuine faith does not allow us to cut corners or clip the edges of God's commands. Instead, we must practice obedience, no matter what temptations the devil places before us and no matter what obstacles the world throws in our path. There is a great need for genuine Christians in a time when people are turning away from the truth—Christians not just in word but in deed. As James wrote, “But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).

Today's Growth Principle:
God assesses our lives not on the basis of our words but our actions.

"Clothed with Humility" Wednesday, November 08, 2023

1 Peter 5:5-7......... You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God is opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you.

In 1975 John T. Molloy published his book Dress for Success which quickly became a best seller. Molloy focused attention on the impact that what we wear has on the people we meet. One of the unique features of his book was the use of real world examples and illustrations that detailed the way people responded to various types of clothing. Molloy followed up the success of that first book with several others focused on specific groups of people. Today there are organizations devoted to helping people enter or improve their position in the work force by wearing appropriate clothes for the job they want.

God calls Christians to wear the "clothing" of humility. Pride was at the heart of the devil's rebellion against God, and pride will keep us from experiencing the closeness of fellowship with Him that He intends us to have. Jonathan Edwards wrote, “Pride is the worst viper in the human heart! Pride is the greatest disturber of the soul’s peace, and of sweet communion with Christ. Pride is with the greatest difficulty rooted out. Pride is the most hidden, secret, and deceitful of all lusts! Pride often creeps insensibly into the midst of religion, even, sometimes, under the disguise of humility itself!”

If we are focused on bringing Him honor and glory and lifting Him up, we will not put ourselves forward or insist on getting the credit. God's grace is always available to help those who are striving to put aside pride and put on humility in its place. We can trust God to ensure that our work for Him is rewarded. Even things that are never seen by others here in this world do not escape His notice.

Today's Growth Principle:
We are not prepared to go out into the world unless we have first put on humility.

The Faith of Rahab Friday, November 03, 2023

Joshua 2:9-10........ and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.


Rahab was an unlikely person to not only believe in the God of Israel but also become part of the ancestral line of Jesus Christ. She was a Canaanite, not part of the Jewish people. She was a harlot, not someone living a holy life. She did not have access to anything written about God and had never seen the Tabernacle or the Ark of the Covenant. Yet when she heard what God had done for the Israelites, she recognized His power and believed that He would fulfill all of His promises. In fact, this heathen woman had more faith in God than many of the Israelites had shown forty years before.

When the Israelites had forty years previously heard the report from the ten spies about the giants in the land, the people refused to go up and fight. They ignored the instructions of Moses and Aaron and the pleas of Joshua and Caleb to trust in the God who had delivered them out of Egypt. They did not believe that God was able to give them victory over the strongholds of the land. As a result the people spent forty years in the wilderness until the entire faithless generation had died. In contrast, Rahab had complete confidence that her people would be defeated because that was what God had said. She risked her life to hide the spies and get them safely out of town simply because she believed God. “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:31).

Today's Growth Principle:
Faith is simply believing that what God said is true and then acting accordingly.

Active Faith Thursday, November 2, 2023

Colossians 4:2-6............
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way that I ought to proclaim it. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Your speech must always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.



At a time when sailing from England to America took six to eight weeks, George Whitefield made the trip thirteen times. He preached up and down, back and forth across both countries and is believed to have delivered some 18,000 sermons during the course of his ministry. He was one of the sparks that lit the revival known as the Great Awakening. As a famous preacher, he could easily have taken a pulpit in a large church and stayed in one place. Instead he continued to travel and speak despite increasingly poor health. He died in 1770 at age fifty-five following a final sermon delivered in Newburyport, Massachusetts. George Whitefield said, “A true faith in Jesus Christ will not suffer us to be idle. No, it is an active, lively, restless principle; it fills the heart, so that it cannot be easy till it is doing something for Jesus Christ.”

God does not need us to accomplish His purposes and work. He could do all that He has planned with a single word or thought. But He has chosen to use us, giving us the great privilege of being part of His plan to reach the world. Paul wrote, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). It is imperative that we carry out the work God places in front of us in light of the awesome responsibility that being entrusted with the gospel places on our shoulders. Our love for God should keep us busy for Him as long as we live.

Today's Growth Principle:
We must seize the opportunities God places before us while there is still time.

"What Mean These Stones?" Wednesday, November 01, 2023

Joshua 4:19-22............ Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal, on the eastern edge of Jericho. 20 As for [a]those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set them up at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the sons of [b]Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground".

God doesn't have any grandchildren. Each new generation must come to faith in Him on their own. While we cannot make others believe, we can give them reasons to believe, showing them through our lives and actions that God is real. When God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape from Pharaoh and the Egyptian army, they were leaving it behind, never to return. When He parted the Jordan River so Joshua and the people could cross to attack Jericho, they were in a place they would be staying. So Joshua instructed them to construct an altar made of stones taken out of the bed of the river while the water was held back. These stones would be an ongoing testimony to what God had done, allowing fathers an unmistakable lesson to teach their children about Him.

We are commanded to give thanks and praise to God for what He has done for us. This is only right because He deserves all the glory. But it is also something that makes an impression on those around us. Even the lost world sees God's power when they hear us praise and worship Him. “When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them” (Psalm 126:1-2). Each one of us has a responsibility to make our lives a memorial to God's power, and to remind others so that His greatness will not be forgotten.

Today's Growth Principle:
Our lives should be living testimonials to God's power and faithfulness that the generations who come after us can see.

Profitable Lives Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Mark 8:34-37.......... And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?



One of the most common and important measures of how a business is doing is found on the profit and loss statement. A business can lose money some years and make money in others and survive, but a business that never turns a profit is headed for extinction. There are segments of the investment industry devoted to applying calculations of profitability to the decision making process. They measure ROE—return on investment—to see whether putting resources in to that business makes financial sense. Our lives may not come with a printed balance sheet, but it should be our desire to make a “profit” on our time and our work for Christ.

Jesus presented the concept of an unprofitable life not just to lost people, but to His disciples. A life lived apart from God is wasted no matter how much wealth the person accumulates. A life lived for God is profitable no matter how little the person may have in the way of financial resources. Andrew Murray wrote, “The world asks, 'What does a man own?' Christ asks, 'How does he use it?'” Jesus called His disciples, and He call us, to put His interests and purposes above our own. We must take up the cross for our lives to truly count. Financial success is meaningless apart from God and no substitute for godly living. “Perverse disputing's of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself” (1 Timothy 6:5).


Today's Growth Principle:
God's priorities and values must be at the forefront of our decisions and desires.

Called to Account Saturday, October 28, 2023

Luke 19:13-15............ And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

In one of His final parables before the crucifixion, Jesus told about a group of ten servants who each received a pound with the instruction to put it to work while their master was gone. Upon his return he summoned them for a report. One man had multiplied his single pound tenfold. Another had five pounds to show for his efforts. Then one came who had hidden what he had received, not even putting it into the bank to earn interest. His effort to excuse his failure to accomplish anything was flatly rejected by his master: “ He *said to him, ‘From your own lips I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow?” (Luke 19:22).

God has entrusted each of us with a variety of talents, skills, opportunities, and resources. The main thing He is concerned with is not whether we had good intentions, but whether we actually did something about them. He knows perfectly what could have been done with what He gave, and He expects us to seize the opportunities placed before us. Though our sins were covered forever by the blood Jesus shed on the cross, we will still face a day of evaluation when God examines our work for Him. Paul wrote, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). Knowing that the day of accounting is coming should motivate us to make the most of every day given to us.

Today's Growth Principle:
If we want to be happy with the results when we stand before God then we must be diligent in our work for Him today.

Good Gifts from God Thursday, October 26, 2023

1 Chronicles 29:10-13........... So David blessed the Lord in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, “Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and on the earth; Yours is the dominion, Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. 12 Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. 13 Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.



It's easy for us to give in to the temptation to take the credit and praise when something goes right. But the ability and resources to do right come from God, not from our own merit. All of the good things we have are a result of His grace and goodness to us. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Success in any part of life is not a cause for pride but a cause for gratitude and praise. The more we understand God's generosity and compassion, the more we have to be thankful for and to share with others.

God is never limited to doing just enough. He is able to do all that we need and more, even more than we can imagine or dare to dream. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20). There is never a failure of resources or will on His part. There is only a failure on our part to follow Him faithfully and trust in Him to do what He has promised. God's goodness to us is because of His nature and love for us.


Today's Growth Principle:
Directed praise toward God for what we have accomplished honors Him and protects us from pride.

God's Certain Promises Wednesday, October 25, 2023

1 Chronicles 17:11-14........... When your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, then I will set up one of your descendants after you, who will be from your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My favor away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. 14 But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.”



When the Israelites insisted on having a king, God directed Samuel to Saul from the tribe of Benjamin. Saul was at first a humble and courageous man, but over time his pride grew to the point where he thought he could choose whether to obey God or not. In response to his rebellion, God announced that Saul would be removed from the kingship and his children would not inherit the throne. Saul spent years trying to kill David to keep that prophecy from being fulfilled. In the end he was slain by the Philistines and David did indeed become king over Israel.

Although David was not perfect, he did devote his whole heart to God, and sought to follow Him. “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” (Psalm 63:1). Because of his obedient heart, God made a promise to David that unlike what had happened with Saul, his descendants would continue to rule over Israel. When the nation was divided, the northern kingdom had numerous short-lived dynasties but the southern kingdom was always ruled by the house of David. Of course the Babylonian captivity ended Israel's time as an independent nation with a king. But the promises of God are sure, and Jesus, the son of David, will rule over all the world.

Today's Growth Principle:
People may fail or let us down, but God never breaks a single promise that He has made.