February 9, 2025 – The Bread for the Week – Kingdom Commerce: Aligning Business with God’s Purpose
Good afternoon, MKBA family.
I’m coming to you again today with another “Bread for the Week.” As I’ve decided to take a more informal and relational approach to these messages, I want to not just talk to you but talk about God with you and share some thoughts.
Lately, I’ve been having some really interesting mornings with the Lord. A lot of it has to do with my responsibilities here at Morningstar, which—though split across different areas—all come together. I’ve been working on finishing the tower, handling things around the hotel, and serving at MKBA. As Rick describes it, we have an unlimited palette from the Lord to paint our achievements for humanity, both through MKBA and the business world.
The Lord has been leading me deeper into Scripture, highlighting certain passages that I want to share with you. Recently, James 1 stood out to me, and I made some notes during my quiet time that I’d love to discuss.
The Power of God’s Word
I’ve been asking the Lord to fulfill my needs through His Word—both His logos (the written Word of God) and His rhema (His spoken Word). I’ve always loved the logos because He breathes life into Scripture for me. I believe this experience is much like prayer.
Tom Hardiman has been preaching on prayer, and I want to start instilling in us the importance of sharing these kinds of revelations with one another.
This morning, I want to focus specifically on James 1:24, but for context, I’ll read a bit more. Not all books of Scripture are as well-known as others, but this passage caught my attention because it speaks about the prize of being a servant of God—something Paul understood well and James, of course, also grasped deeply.
James could have introduced himself as the brother of Christ—because he was!—but he chose not to. To him, that detail was irrelevant. What mattered most was what the Holy Spirit brought out of him through faith—just as it does in all of us.
Suffering for Righteousness
The key takeaway here is this: Always keep your eyes on serving the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God. We are called to be the glory of God on earth.
This passage was written to the dispersion—the Jews who were persecuted for spreading the Word of Christ and were scattered into different regions. Their suffering had a dual purpose:
1. Evangelism – Spreading the gospel as they fled.
2. Fulfillment of their assignments – Even in their suffering, God’s plan was unfolding.
This dispersion expanded the Kingdom from the very beginning.
I’ve been reflecting on a term: suffering for righteousness. I’ll explain what I mean.
One of the commentaries I enjoy—despite its legalistic and Catholic elements—is by Matthew Henry. I take the meat and leave the bones, living in the freedom of the Lord’s Spirit. Henry points out that faith must be tested and proven in order to develop endurance, steadfastness, and patience.
Trials are not obstacles—they are opportunities to become overcomers. Even when our lives seem full of problems, they are actually filled with opportunities for growth in the Lord.
When you suffer for the righteousness you display to the world, you are engaging in the greatest service you can offer. The faith that is tested through righteousness draws us closer to the Father—not through our mistakes, worries, or sins, but through our desire to follow Him.
Kingdom & Business: Both, Not Either-Or
In business, we often wonder how the Kingdom intersects with the world. How do the two meet? Which takes precedence?
Scripture answers these questions: it is both, not either-or.
As I’ve read further, I’ve realized that the Bible provides clear guidance on how to navigate trials and tribulations. There are three key gifts that come to our faith in the midst of trials:
1. Joy
2. Patience
3. Prayer
These are the duties of someone walking through a season of trial. It’s a process that shapes us into warriors who can overcome anything.
The Three Duties of a Trial
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Exercise the grace of joy.
James tells us to count all trials as joy because serving the Lord in righteousness is a joy. When we do what is right, it draws joy out of us, and that joy sharpens our faith like a sword. It pleases the Father and builds perseverance within us. -
Express our faith.
Trials test our faith, so we must hold fast to the truths of Christianity. This isn’t about obeying out of legalism, but about trusting in God’s providence and power. -
Exercise patience.
Rick often emphasizes patience because it allows us to go through trials without limiting or weakening the process. The result? We become patient servants, forming a character that perseveres until the end.
