There are a number of blogs and websites that have articles and blog posts that relate to the kingdom of God. For today, I wanted to share with you some posts from The Gospel Coalition, a helpful resource site for Christians. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, settle down into a comfy space, and enjoy these finds. The Kingdom Comes Not Through Maneuvers But By Repentance Thinking About the Kingdom 3 Choices in How We Respond To God's Kingdom Agenda Kingdom Opportunities Mean Kingdom Adversaries Is Your Church a Kingdom Colony or a Country Club? This post is part of a 31 day series called Seeking the Kingdom.
You can view the rest of the posts from the series here.
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I've grown accustomed to the comforting quiet of our little apartment as my husband and I fall into bed at night. After a long day, a warm bed is a welcoming friend. We read a prayer from The Valley of Vision together, and then settle down for a night's rest. As the lamp is turned off, my mind turns on, and I realize that apart from praying with Brandon, I did not talk to Jesus a lot throughout the day. As I drift to sleep, I'm reminded of Jesus' grace and take time to talk with him about the day. When I think about the majority of my days, I don't often take the time to be mindful of the fact that I am a servant of the King. When I first followed Christ as a college freshman, Jesus became the King of my life and my heart. It was no longer about me or what I wanted. It was about what my Savior wanted. But I often live as if I'm the king of my own life. My sinful heart desires to take the throne of my heart back, but the Lord then graciously does something that reminds me that my soul wants something different. In fact, my soul feels the most at peace and content when I humbly submit to Jesus' lordship over my heart and life. In a sinful and broken world, we are all rebels of the King. We daily commit treason in our hearts when we try to be our own masters and kings. But the beauty of the good news of Jesus Christ is that the King gave his life for the rebels of the kingdom, so that they could become heirs and serve the King. I am a rebel of the King. I spend most of my days trying to live like my own master and king, and then I am reminded of what the true King has done for me. He gave up his life for a rebel like me, so that I could become an heir and serve him. Earthly kings would not give up his life for rebels, but that is not the case with God. As I drift to sleep at night, I am reminded of this fact. As I confess and repent, I am reminded of Jesus' forgiveness of a rebel like me, and it makes me want to serve the King that loves me when I rebel against Him. This post is part of a 31 day series called Seeking the Kingdom.
You can view the rest of the posts from the series here. A big theme of this 31 day series is that God's kingdom is more about His kingship and reign than a realm. As such, we've been focusing on how God is the King of this world, and what this entails. As I've been sharing what I've been learning, I also want to share with you what others are learning. Here are some more posts from Desiring God that fall in line with this series... We Need a Real King Happiness Honors the King The King We Needed, But Never Wanted The King of Every Subject - Even Math You Obey the One You Fear This post is part of a 31 day series called Seeking the Kingdom.
You can view the rest of the posts from the series here. The leaves are falling, the season is changing, and soon bright colors will give way to gray, white, and long winter nights. Without fail, the end of fall ushers in one of my favorite times of year, the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year". Two months from today, I will wake up to one of my favorite days, Christmas morning. It's a day of joy for me, rejoicing over the birth of the Savior and spending time celebrating with my family and friends. My heart feels joyful just thinking about it. Every Christmas, I see advertisements for a performance of Hadel's Messiah, an oratorio that has been performed for the past three hundred years. When I was in choir in high school, a tradition was to complete our holiday concert with the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Messiah. I'm sure many of you have heard this song before... Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! The kingdom of this world Is become the kingdom of our Lord, And of His Christ, and of His Christ; And He shall reign for ever and ever, For ever and ever, forever and ever, King of kings, and Lord of lords, King of kings, and Lord of lords, And Lord of lords, And He shall reign, And He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings, forever and ever, And Lord of lords, Hallelujah! Hallelujah! And He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings! and Lord of lords! And He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings! and Lord of lords! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I say this song with my choir four years in a row, and I still still the "hallelujah" parts when I want to flex my soprano range. But it wasn't until Jesus called me to follow Him that I understood the implications of this song. It wasn't until this morning while praying through what to write for today's post that I realized how much this song fits into the focus on this series. The "Hallelujah Chorus" is a celebration of God's kingship over this world. It's a declaration that He is indeed the King of kings and Lord of lords and that He shall reign forever. He is preeminent and above all, and that is worthy of celebrating and praising Him. I love celebrating the birth of our Savior at Christmastime, but Jesus isn't just the Savior of the world, he's also Lord and King. At Christmas, we shouldn't just celebrate the fact that the Savior was born but that our King was born as flesh incarnate as well. As I'm more mindful of Jesus being the King of my life, songs like the "Hallelujah Chorus" remind me of the truth of God's Kingship and His kingdom. This post is part of a 31 day series called Seeking the Kingdom.
You can view the rest of the posts from the series here. One of my favorite movies growing up was Titanic. The sweeping scores, the beautiful scenes, and the cinematic replication of the ship and its inhabitants - what is there not to enjoy from this fictional retelling of the Titanic's maiden and last voyage? One of the memorable scenes from this film is a moment in which the main character, Jack, and impoverished artist makes his way to the front of the ship with his friend. They go the very front of the ship on the main deck, Jack stands on the railings and declares, "I'm king of the world!" It's an iconic moment for the film, because two hours later, this man is no longer on top of the world. We hear a line like "I'm king of the world," and it seems pretty harmless. However, this is a line I declare in my heart almost everyday, especially when I'm feeling particularly proud or things are going my way. Like, the main character of Titanic, I'm brought low by circumstances not long after, and my tune changes. I am not king of the world. This line is actually an act of rebellion against God. I'm not king of the world. I can't even control whether a day will be an encouraging day or a hard day. But I often believe a lie in my heart that I'm the king of the world, and that I can control things. As we're learning about God and how He is the true King of the world, I'm encouraged and comforted when things seem out my control and dominion. It's because they are out of my control. However, if God is King and Sovereign over this world, I can trust that everything, my good days and hard days are under his control. In these moments, I'm reminded of a passage from the book of Acts: The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us. (Acts 17:24-27) God made the world and everything in it and He is the Lord and King of heaven and earth. When things are going well or life is hard, I want the cry of my heart to be, "God's king of the world!" and find comfort in that truth. This post is part of a 31 day series called Seeking the Kingdom.
You can view the rest of the posts from the series here. I'm several days behind on keeping up with this thirty one day series, but I'm not too concerned about it. It is a joy writing this series, but my mind needs time to process what I'm learning about God's kingdom in His word and then translating that into posts. For now, here is an article that I stumbled upon that shows how Jesus is connected to God's kingdom. 10 Connections Between Jesus and the Kingdom of God We've talked about a number of these, but here are the ten connections mentioned:
Visit the link above to read more about these ten connections. This post is part of a 31 day series called Seeking the Kingdom.
You can view the rest of the posts from the series here. When I think about the kingdom of God, I don't often think of it being a treasure, but the more I learn about God and His character, the more I see how God's kingdom is the greatest treasure, and a treasure worth more than everything in this life. For the past few days we've been we've been looking at a parable from Matthew 13. Jesus said, The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44) The kingdom of heaven is synonymous with the kingdom of God, and we've looked at how the Bible talks about the kingdom of God as more about God's reign than His realm. With this in mind, God's rule and reign is a treasure that is worth it. If it costs us everything in this life, then the cost is worth it. Why is it worth it though? This is a question that I've asked myself when I go through trials or when life feels particularly difficult. In the midst of difficulty, I am reminded of what John Piper says in his sermon The Kingdom of Heaven Is a Treasure The worth of having God ruling over you and, for you, over everything else. It’s not hard to see why that is so valuable. If the omnipotent, all-wise God is ruling over all things for your joy, everything must be working for your good, no matter how painful. And in the end God will triumph over all evil and all pain. So this kingdom is a treasure. The worth is in being in a relationship with the God of the universe, of having him as a King, a Father, and a friend, of Him caring for us and welcoming us into His kingdom. The best part is that God offers His kingdom to us freely, like a father giving a toy freely to his child. It might require that we give up everything else in this world to receive it, but it is worth it! Ultimately, the only reason that we can be a part of God's Kingdom is because of the sacrifice of Christ. He went to the cross willingly so that rebels could become reconciled with the King and become citizens and heirs of the kingdom. Jesus' sacrifice alone so that we could be a part of the kingdom makes it worth receiving. Seeing the kingdom of God as a treasure changes the way that we view this world and our lives. If the kingdom of God is a treasure that is worth giving up everything to obtain, then that should change the way that we live our lives. In my own life, remembering the value of the kingdom of God and that it's worth helps me hold the material things with loose hands. There have been times when God has provided a gift card or money and then brought another person's need to my attention. Because I have a treasure far greater than this world, I can joyfully give the things I have been given away. Because I have a treasure far greater than this world, it is a joy to sell my possessions to support missionaries or those in need. Because I have a treasure far greater than what this world offers, the enticements of the world whether material possession or sin no longer look so enticing. God's kingdom is a treasure that is truly worth more than anything in this world, because we ultimately get to be under the Kingship of God, who is a better King than the rulers and authorities of this world. He is the better treasure, and loving and serving Him is worth more than anything this world has to offer. This post is part of a 31 day series called Seeking the Kingdom.
You can view the rest of the posts from the series here. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:44-46) For the past few weeks, we've been on a journey to learn more about God's kingdom from Scripture. What we've looked at so far is that God's kingdom is more about God's rule and reign in our lives than an actual location or realm. We've looked at how when we believe in Christ and accept the reality of his kingship, we become citizens of the kingdom and ambassadors. What we have yet to look at is the kingdom's value, or rather the value of having Jesus as King over our lives and being a part of his kingdom. Jesus told parables to help people understand deep concepts, and the heart of the parable is the main point. In the parable above, we see that two men find treasures of great value, and once they find it, they sell everything that they have to obtain it. Jesus is trying to make a point about the kingdom of God in the parables above. In the words of John Piper, a preacher and theologian, the point of the parables is that "the kingdom of God is so valuable that losing everything on earth, but getting the kingdom, is a happy trade-off. Or to be more personal and specific, we can lose everything with joy if we gain Christ." These men sell everything to gain the treasure, but the kingdom of God cannot be bought. You can't buy, earn, negotiate, or barter for God's kingdom, because it is received without pay. It is a gift freely given. However, the point is that if it costs you everything in order to obtain it, the cost is completely worth it. The apostle Paul elaborated upon this in his letter to the Philippians: "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:7-8) Paul counted knowing Christ as being of greater value that everything, and he counts everything as rubbish (trash, garbage, filthy rags) in comparison to knowing and gaining Jesus Christ. So why is the kingdom of God a treasure worth giving up everything you have? And how does one receive this treasure? We'll take a look at these questions tomorrow. This post is part of a 31 day series called Seeking the Kingdom.
You can view the rest of the posts from the series here. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44) Jesus often used parables to help people understand deep concepts. The kingdom of heaven, also known as the kingdom of God, was the topic of a number of Jesus' parables. In the parable above, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a treasure hidden in a field. As we see in the parable, a man finds a hidden treasure, covers it up, and joyfully sells everything he has to buy the field and obtain the treasure. But why did the man sell everything he had? Because the treasure in the field was worth it. Just as the treasure was worth it for the man, the kingdom of heaven, God's kingdom, is of far greater worth than everything in this life. Join me tomorrow as we look at why the kingdom of God is of greater than anything in this life. This post is part of a 31 day series called Seeking the Kingdom.
You can view the rest of the posts from the series here. Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread,and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”' (Luke 11:1-4) When Jesus' disciples asked to be taught how to pray, Jesus taught them a prayer that is now known commonly as the Lord's Prayer. I could spend an entire 31 day series focusing on this prayer and it's implications, but I want to focus on one line from this prayer. Jesus tells his disciples to pray for their Heavenly Father's kingdom to come, and this supplication is weighty. Praying for God's kingdom to come has three implications for the disciples and for us. God Is Sovereign When we pray for God's kingdom to come, we submit to God as our King and sovereign. If God is King, that means He has the power and authority to order our lives, to give us rules, guidance, and direction. He is the ruler and authority over our lives. If God is king, then we are not. His Kingdom Come, Not Ours When we pray that God's kingdom would come, we are praying that His rule and reign would be made known among the earth. We are praying for the realization of His kingdom not our own kingdom. When we pray for God's kingdom, we put His kingdom before our fleeting and crumbling kingdoms. Waiting for a Coming Reality When we pray for God's kingdom to come, we're praying for an "almost, but not yet" reality. While God is King and sovereign over everything in the world NOW, the knowledge of His Lordship is not a reality in all of the hearts of mankind. One day, the name of Jesus will make "every knee bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11)," That is what is to come, but it is also what is happening now. Knees are bowing and confessing that Jesus is Lord, and one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess. When we pray for God's kingdom to come, we're praying for a coming reality. I've witnessed these implications in my own prayer life as I've prayed for God's kingdom to come, just as Jesus taught his disciples to pray. When I pray for God's kingdom, I am reminded that He is my King, that His kingdom is more important than my kingdom, and that His kingdom is a present but also a future reality. Jesus taught his disciples this prayer as a model of what his disciples should pray for. If we are his disciples, this is a model of prayer for us as well. Jesus taught his disciples to pray for God's kingdom to come, and we should pray for His kingdom to come as well. This post is part of a 31 day series called Seeking the Kingdom.
You can view the rest of the posts from the series here. |
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