Who Is on Your Throne?
Have you ever felt that sinking sensation in your gut? That realization that something you valued, something you worked hard for, was just... disregarded? I started praying, "Lord, please, give me that back!" I was frustrated. I was agitated. I felt like all that effort was for nothing. But in that moment of silence, the Holy Spirit brought a scene from the book of Jeremiah to my mind.
I pictured Jeremiah’s scribe, Baruch, handing a scroll to the King. This wasn't just any scroll; it was the word of the Lord. And what did the King do? He didn't just ignore it. He took a penknife, ripped it to shreds, and tossed it into the fireplace. He watched the truth turn to ash. He didn't value it because his value system was entirely different from God's.
This is the pain point we all face. We try to build our lives, our ministries, and our families, but we find ourselves constantly clashing with a world—and a flesh—that doesn't value what God values. We feel the pressure to "make it," to play it safe, and to keep ourselves on the throne of our own lives. We want the blessings of the Sermon on the Mount, but when we read it, we realize it’s impossible. We can’t do it. And that is exactly the point. The solution isn't trying harder; it’s dying daily so that Christ can live through us.
Main Message
When you first read the Sermon on the Mount, if you are being honest with yourself, your first reaction is probably, "This is impossible." Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek, to love our enemies, and to take no thought for tomorrow. It’s enough to cook your noodle! It’s upside down from everything the world teaches us.
I remember reading about Heidi Baker. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, raised in a world of comfort and plenty. But when she and her husband got married, they headed to the mission field with thirty dollars in their pockets. Thirty bucks! They ended up in Mozambique, living among the poorest of the poor. Why? Because she understood a different value system. She understood what it meant when Jesus said, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3 KJV).
She didn't do that by her own strength. She did it by dying to the "American Mantra." You know the one: get the diploma, get the job, get the house, play it safe. That mantra is almost entirely motivated by Mammon. It’s about security in the world rather than security in the Rock.
Think back with me to a time when I was with a youth group out in the California woods. The air was crisp, the smell of pine was everywhere, and we were gathered around a campfire. There was this seventeen-year-old kid there who had a wisdom that seemed way beyond his years. He took a piece of paper and drew a heart. Inside that heart, he drew a chair—an empty throne.
He looked at all of us and asked, "Who’s on the throne of your heart?"
That question has rattled around in my spirit for years. Every decision we make, every worry we carry, is a reflection of who is sitting on that chair. When we live check-to-check and we’re making all our life calculations based on whether we’re eating at Red Lobster or eating Top Ramen, who is on the throne? Is it God, or is it Mammon?
Jesus was very clear about this: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24 KJV).
To live the life Jesus described in the Sermon on the Mount, we have to deal with the "I" problem. Paul gave us the secret in two powerful precepts. First, he said, I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily (1 Corinthians 15:31 KJV). And second, he explained the result: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20 KJV).
You see, the Sermon on the Mount is impossible for you. But it is not impossible for the Christ who lives in you. When you die daily, you are vacating that throne. You are stepping off so He can step on.
Personal Reflections
I’ll be the first to tell you, I haven't arrived. I’m not 100% there yet. I’m still a co-laborer with the Lord in crucifying parts of my life. I’m working toward sanctification because I want to be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use (2 Timothy 2:21 KJV).
There have been times when I let the "take thought for tomorrow" spirit creep in. I start looking at the bank account instead of looking at the Provider. I start worrying about my "stature" or my reputation instead of just being a servant. And every time I do, the house starts to shake.
Jesus said that if we hear His sayings and do them, we are like a man who built his house upon a rock. When the storms come—and they will come—the house stands. But if we don't do them? The fall is great. I’ve had some "great falls" in my time because I tried to keep a little bit of Conrad on the throne.
I’ve learned that the "dying" part is actually where the fun begins. I know that sounds strange, but there is a reckless abandonment in following Jesus that brings a peace the world can’t understand. I remember a story my friend Pastor Howard told me about a dream he had. He was running around a car, and Jesus was chasing him with a knife! He thought the Lord was trying to kill him! Finally, he got tired and stopped. He asked, "Lord, why are you trying to kill me?"
Jesus simply handed him the knife and said, "Now you do it."
We have to willingly take up our cross. We have to be the ones who say, "Lord, I’m giving this part of my flesh to You. I’m stepping off the throne in this area." It’s a lifetime process. It’s why I’m always telling you to "dig deeper." You can find more about this journey in my book,
Biblical References
When we meditate on these things, we have to do it "precept upon precept." I like to focus on at least two scriptures at a time to let them balance each other out. The Bible says, For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little (Isaiah 28:10 KJV).
If we want to avoid sinning against God, we have to hide His word in our hearts. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psalm 119:11 KJV). This isn't just about memorizing facts; it’s about letting the Word abide in us until it changes our very nature.
Jesus told us to look at the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26 KJV).
When we worry, we are essentially saying that God isn't a good Father. We are saying that we have to be on the throne because we don't trust the One who is supposed to be there. But when we die to that worry, we open the door for the miraculous. George Mueller understood this. He ran orphanages without ever asking a person for a dime. He only asked God in the "closet" of prayer, and God always showed up. He was a vessel meet for the Master’s use because he refused to serve Mammon.
Key Takeaways
The Sermon on the Mount is a lifestyle, not a rulebook. You can’t do it in your own strength; you need Christ living through you.
Value systems dictate your destiny. If you value the world’s security over God’s Word, you will always be tossed by the storms.
Dying daily is a prerequisite for power. To see the blind see and the dead raised, there must be less of you and more of Him.
The "Empty Throne" test. In every decision, ask yourself: Who is sitting on the throne of my heart right now?
Meditation brings success. Hiding the Word in your heart through constant meditation is how you stay yoked with Jesus.
Conclusion and Call to Action
Living for Jesus isn't about arriving at a destination; it’s about staying on the "Way." It’s about being yoked with Him. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Matthew 11:29 KJV). A yoke is a working instrument. We learn as we work alongside Him in the field.
Are you yoked with Him today? Or are you still trying to pull the plow by yourself?
I want to encourage you to take that "penknife" of the Spirit and start cutting away the things that are keeping you on the throne. Let’s be a people who are sold out, reckless in our abandonment to the King of Kings.
If this message has touched you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. We need more laborers in the harvest! Dig deeper and go higher. You can find more resources, podcasts, and my other books like Overcoming Night Terror at
Action Items
The Throne Audit: Throughout the day tomorrow, stop three times and ask: "Who is on the throne of my heart in this moment—God, Mammon, or Me?"
Scripture Immersion: Choose two verses (like Galatians 2:20 and 1 Corinthians 15:31) and meditate on them every hour. Don't just read them; "chew" on them.
The "Least of These" Challenge: Intentionally do something to help someone who can do absolutely nothing for you in return. See if you can see Jesus in them.
Identify Your "Mammon Mantra": Write down one area where you are playing it "safe" because of financial fear, and ask God how to trust Him in that area instead.
Until next time, this is Conrad from
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