“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”
– Hebrews 12:28
We’ve established in the last couple of days that Jesus came into a culture that had fought for hundreds of years to stay alive and maintain its identity. How ironic, then, that what He taught seemed to contradict the only thing that had ever gotten the Jewish people to a state of freedom. While they were looking to power up, wage war, and take down the Romans, the Son of Man preached a Kingdom where the first would be last and the wise would become foolish; a place where in order to lead you must serve, and where in order to save your life, you must lose it. In essence, Jesus’ teachings emphasized that you don’t overcome evil with evil, but instead, you overcome evil with good. And the key to accessing the blessings and benefits of life in His Kingdom is an intangible thing called faith. This is what makes His domain totally different than any other ruler before Him. Now faith is really just a fancy religious word for trust, which is a gift that God gives. Like a muscle, the more it is exercised, the more it grows and yields access to His blessings on earth. Over and over again, Jesus was inviting His disciples to enter into an unseen yet miraculous world of faith that had nothing to do with “powering up” and gaining control. Whether it was calming a storm on the sea, feeding five thousand with five loaves and two fish, or providing for their needs when He sent them out to preach the Good News, Jesus was experientially teaching His friends that with Him, there was never any lack! Friend, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever and His Kingdom is unshakable! While governments and empires rise and fall and worldly leaders come and go, He is ever-inviting you into a life of faith that trusts in His goodness and sufficiency. He sees, He knows, and He cares, and you can relax and let Him fight your battles, because when He went to the cross, He won the war! Right now, He is holding a banner of love over you and inviting you to live in His grace and goodness. Isn’t that wonderful news? |
Prayer
I want to live in your unshakable Kingdom, Jesus. I choose to trust in your goodness and sufficiency and walk every day under your banner of love.
Reflection
How do you experience the Kingdom of God in your daily life? How has it prevailed over the trials of this life and the ways of this world?
4 Responses
I believe that with the sorry state of our World at the present moment. It is not easy to live in an environment where there is rampant drug abuse. Homeless people living on the street. Trash and litter strewn all around. And in our neighborhoods where street gangs roam looking to destroy places of business like liquor stores, grocery stores and pharmacies. Bombings of places of worship such as Churches. Mosques and Synagogues.Protests against abortion clinics. Hate crimes against gays and lesbians.Gun violence in schools.And also in countries such as Ethiopia Somalia and Venezuela where people are dying from starvation and curable diseases. Terror
groups such as Isis and Al Quida that are in Syria Iraq Iran and Afghanistan. I pray that the Hour of Power will continue to reach out to the World with its positive and healing messages of God. Much love and prayers to Pastor Bobby Schuller and his beautiful family.And also to the Hour of Power choir and Orchestra along with the Voices of Hope Children’s Choir for the glorious and uplifting music and singing. As always I remain your faithful viewer and Happy and Wholesome Student in Jesus Christ. He is my guiding light.The Lord is my Shepherd. In him I lack nothing
Amen! Thanks for sharing your heart with us again, Donna. You are such an encouragement, and we thank the Lord for your consistent prayers and support of this ministry. God loves you and so do we!
First let me say that for he last year, you have really stepped up the Content and quality of your Daily Devotionals. Many people in high places should be reading these and taking them seriously.
My question is how do you get every one on the same page and operating by this set principals?
Much like the people you’ve sited in the last few days they start out with the best of intentions and wind up doing exactly the opposite. I see this happen in business, particularly in politics, and just in our normal day to day relations with each other. We have tried over the years to impress on our children that they should live by these principals. One day while talking to our son, He made the comment that life was like a game of Monopoly. You work to amass the largest amount of money possible and whoever dies with the most is the winner. I guess that means Jeff Bezos is leading the race. In other words, we have a “Me First” mentality.
well, enough from my “soap box”. Keep hammering away and maybe just maybe those of us that believe as you do can turn this ship around.
Hi Luzern! Thank you for the feedback. We are so glad that you enjoy the daily devotionals! Your question is a very good one to which there is obviously no easy answer; we pray that the light of Jesus will continue to shine in this dark world and that His truth will prevail over the lies that are being propagated. We believe it will happen one heart at a time, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thanks for fighting the good fight with us and for your encouragement and support. God loves you and so do we!