The Way of Kings

Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Man

Nathan Clarkson

• Publisher: Baker Books
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781540900241
• eBook ISBN: 9781493433988
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

Today's man is in an identity crisis. With a never-ending barrage of confusing, condescending, and condemning voices telling him who he is and who he isn't, it can feel impossible to discover who he was made to be. Men were made to be kings, to protect the light, fight the darkness, and rule well the domain God has given them. But to be a good king, men must act in the likeness of the King.

Drawing on the ancient tradition of an older and wiser ruler passing on his wisdom, like Solomon in the book of Proverbs, Nathan Clarkson offers young men 40 short and to-the-point letters for the journey. Packed with practical, biblically based advice on real-life issues, this book helps men base their identity not in who the world says they should be but in who their King says they can be.

For the modern man looking to live out a greater story, The Way of Kings offers ancient wisdom rooted in sacred Scripture to help him discover who he was created to be.

1
A Man after God’s Own Heart

I’ve always had an affinity for King David. Being a pastor’s kid, I knew all the prominent figures in Scripture, from Adam to Paul. And as amazing as each of these people were—as influential and important as their lives were—I felt like because of the struggles I faced and my mind/personality, I couldn’t totally connect to their stories. But right in the middle of 1 Samuel, the book in Scripture where David’s story is told, was where I often found myself drawn to as a young boy.

David, like me, was wild at heart. He had a proclivity for getting in trouble, running his mouth, and picking legendary fights with fabled foes. But in his heart, he desired to be good, to do what was right, to own his mistakes, and to be God’s. He was a character I could connect with.

My mom always said I was out of the box. She said I was larger than life, just like David. And reading his story showed me how God used this flawed but dedicated man, not because David was perfect but because of the choice he made over and over again to turn his heart toward God. That gave me hope that God could do the same for me.

Despite David being quoted, admired, and regarded as a good man by many, he was deeply imperfect and broken. David stole another man’s woman and even had her husband murdered.

So how is it that we still laud this man for his faith and character? Why is it that men who were more consistently moral are less known? How is it that God chose David’s line to be the one through which he entered the world?

The Bible describes David as “a man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14). In the Psalms, we read David’s raw, heartfelt, and unfiltered prayers to God. And while you’d think that in writing about himself he would put a positive spin on his life, ignoring the broken and bad and highlighting his more honorable accomplishments, instead he stands before God in his prayer naked, baring all, acknowledging his need for God’s presence and the devastating mistakes that took him from it. In the Psalms, David calls to, petitions, and cries for God and his mercy, love, forgiveness, and friendship—not as a man who thinks he has earned it but as a child who calls out to his Father in need and want. A king with armies, women, might, and fame comes before God as a child: weak, in need, and begging.

I don’t know for certain, but I wonder if this is why David is seen as a legendary man of God. Perhaps it wasn’t his good or bad works that set him apart. Maybe all along the thing that God so loved was David’s heart, which was turned toward his Creator in humility and desire—a desire above all things that existed on both his best and worst days.

I have tried to be good and will continue to do so, but I have also been bad and will continue to be bad. Living a life of purpose and having a story worth telling will never be about me being enough. It will be about choosing to be a man after God’s own heart and kneeling before my Creator with all my good, bad, and ugly, realizing I need him—my Savior, Father, and friend.

Being the man I ought to be won’t come from the things I do or don’t do; instead, it will come out of a relationship with my Creator. A heart after God’s own.

KING’S QUESTIONS

1. What does it mean to you to be a man after God’s own heart?
2. Are you a man after God’s own heart, or do you want to be one? If so, why?
3. What’s keeping you from feeling like or becoming one?

Scripture Reading

Oh, the joys of those who do not

follow the advice of the wicked,

or stand around with sinners,

or join in with mockers.

But they delight in the law of the LORD,

meditating on it day and night.

They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither,

and they prosper in all they do.

But not the wicked!

They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

They will be condemned at the time of judgment.

Sinners will have no place among the godly.

For the LORD watches over the path of the godly,

but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalm 1

KING TIP #1

Adventure Pack Checklist

       

Going on any adventure, quest, or camping trip takes careful planning, and perhaps the most important thing to contemplate is what to take with you. You can take only what you can carry, but one of those items might just be the thing that saves your life or makes the trip epic. Below is a list of things every adventurer should consider taking.

1. Large backpack and bedroll/sleeping bag. This goes without saying, but I said it anyway.
2. One pair of sturdy pants. Wearing a pair of sturdy pants will save room in your backpack, and they will last through whatever the adventure throws your way.
3. One change of shirt/underwear/socks. When one gets dirty, wear the clean one. Switch off if necessary.
4. Reusable water bottle. Water is the nectar of life, and a reusable bottle will ensure you will always have enough and can refill as needed.
5. First aid kit. You hope you won’t need first aid, but it’s better to have the kit and not need it than it is to need it but not have it.
6. Ranger scarf. The possibilities for this small item are endless. It can be used as a bind, sun guard, or tourniquet.
7. Knife. You will always have a need for a knife. You can choose between a folding or a fixed blade, both of which have their pros and cons, but bring one no matter what!
8. Notepad. Whether you are a poet, an artist, or just a jotter, a notepad will be necessary to write down important things like directions or just thoughts when the batteries on your digital devices die.
9. Nonperishable food. Whether it’s canned beans, a bag of nuts, a pile of dried meat, or all three, food that doesn’t go bad could be a lifesaver on your quest.
10. Fire starter. Having the ability to build a fire will make any cold night you spend in the wilderness much more bearable. Magnesium and flint are both good for starting fires. But be careful and follow local laws!
11. Hand sanitizer. Clean those hands!
12. Disposable camera. A disposable camera means no batteries to worry about and no selfies to scroll through but still all the ability to document your adventure.

2
Royal Blood

I remember looking through the pages of our family history as a kid. One of my relatives had put together a book bound in red leather that detailed my ancestry. The names and dates went back years and years. And close to the end of the book was a revelation that has changed how I see myself and the world. I found recorded evidence that I am a descendant of royalty. Though the lines have split and turned, I discovered that I was, in fact, related to kings. This might seem like an antiquated piece of useless trivia to some, but to my young heart, it meant something powerful: I had royalty in my blood and bones, and with that knowledge came the realization that my actions mattered. I was part of something bigger than myself.

In Romans 8:17, the apostle Paul writes, “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.” This means that regardless of our earthly bloodlines, or lineage, if we are in communion with God, we are heirs and descendants of the most powerful, important, and long-lasting kingdom—the kingdom of heaven.

God has not just begrudgingly accepted us to live as lowly workers or slaves of his kingdom. Rather, because of his offer of adoption, because of his gift, we have been invited into a spiritual bloodline of royalty. When we allow God to rule over us, we are given the right to be part of the royal family and to rule with him as kings.

Realizing we are royalty isn’t simply a fun little thing to discover in an ancestry test. Discovering we are royalty will change everything about us. It will put us in a c...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• How to Read This Book
• 1. A Man after God’s Own Heart
• 2. Royal Blood
• 3. The Crown and the Cross
• 4. There Be Dragons
• 5. Damsels in Distress
• 6. The Royal Council
• 7. The Round Table
• 8. Warrior Training
• 9. The Quest
• 10. The King’s Confession
• 11. A Jester of Joy
• 12. The Humble Lord
• 13. Self-Sacrifice to Live
• 14. Abdicating and Reclaiming
• 15. War and Peace
• 16. Standing Up Alone
• 17. The Castle
• 18. Rest
• 19. Important People
• 20. The Age and Reign of Men
• 21. Body of a God
• 22. The Crying King
• 23. Kingdom Treasures
• 24. Playing Pretend
• 25. In the Secret Place
• 26. More Than We Can Handle
• 27. A King in Waiting
• 28. Queens
• 29. The Wise King
• 30. New Name
• 31. Put On the Armor
• 32. Cracks in the Armor
• 33. The Value of Silence
• 34. Living Free
• 35. Smashing Idols
• 36. Who’s to Blame?
• 37. Process and Patience
• 38. Fear Not
• 39. Follow Your Skills, Not Your Dreams
• 40. King of Your Heart
• Afterword
• About the Author
• Back Ads
• Back Cover