Tag: Kingdom of God

He is the LORD

OLD TESTAMENT: Ezekiel 38 & 39

POETRY: Psalm 132

NEW TESTAMENT: John 5:16-30

Have you ever taken a sneak peak to the end of a book? I don’t do it often, but when I do, it may be just a quick glance to see if a character is still alive at the end. In today’s reading, we have some exciting, confusing stuff! Ezekiel 38 and 39 have it all…..new characters, epic battles, armed horsemen, plundering, hailstones and burning sulfur, crumbling cliffs, overturned mountains, and all people and creatures (even fish!) trembling.  If you were to illustrate this section….you’d need quite the mural.

As one can imagine for such exciting material, there are many studies, teachings, commentaries, and beliefs associated with which modern day peoples/nations might be associated with Gog and Magog, how this prophecy ties in with end time prophecies, etc.  I learned a lot studying it, and thought it was interesting that just a few weeks ago, in an adult Bible class I attend, the teacher asked us our thoughts on these chapters and Gog and Magog and what was going on in the world today. A question I had certainly never been asked before. I’m pretty sure I’ve been asked “what are your thoughts on God”….but “what are your thoughts on Gog?!”…that one was a new one for me!  But, I’m confident that as things continue to unfold with devolving world relations, new alliances, political turmoil in so many places, these chapters will continue to prove interesting. And no matter our age or place in life, current events and awareness of Biblical prophecies and a worldview based in scripture matters.

 I remember as a kid visiting my great-grandma in her nursing home (Pinecrest Manor in good old Mt. Morris, Illinois!) and being struck by how worked up she was when she (at the age of 100, legally blind and hard of hearing by then) was listening to my mother chat about the news at the time. The Berlin Wall had recently come down and the Soviet Union had just collapsed -which I realize makes me sound ancient to many of you reading this. But, I distinctly remember looking up from my book to watch her face as she said so emphatically to my Mom, “Why don’t they TELL us these things here?!”  She was fascinated because she knew her Bible, she was interested in Biblical prophecy and how they relate to current events, and I’d imagine at the age of 100….she liked to consider the coming kingdom of God!

Regardless of precisely who all these characters are in these chapters, we see the purpose of the story clearly stated. Clearly stated numerous times. When I was reading through Ezekiel, I noticed that I had read the phrase “know that I am the LORD” a few times. Enough times that it caught my attention and I ran the phrase through Logos to see how many times it was used.  Umm…..more than a few! More like that specific Hebrew phrase is found 88 times in scripture and 76 of them are in the book of Ezekiel. 76 times this prophet reminds us of the importance of knowing that He is the LORD!

When battles rage and we are persecuted, when landscapes crumble and fires burn, when enemies pursue and God’s name is profaned, He is the LORD!

We live in a world of increasing disrespect toward the LORD, but that doesn’t change the fact that He is who He is.  If I ever need a reminder again of who He is, who will win and be alive in the end, and whose promises for a coming kingdom and eternal peace I need to rely on….I think these chapters will be great ones for me.

“So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 38:23)

“ I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the LORD.”

“And my holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel[1]  (Ezekiel 39: 6-7)

-Jennifer Hall

Questions:

  1. Make a mental list of ways God has shown you He is the LORD.
  2. Are there ways you have seen the LORD’s name being profaned recently? How can you honor Him today? How do you picture Him being honored in the coming kingdom?
  3. So, what are your thoughts on Gog?!
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The Goal of EVERYTHING

OLD TESTAMENT: Ezekiel 8 & 9

POETRY: Psalm 121

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 21

I was blessed to bring you this part of Revelation because this chapter means so much to me.

Go back to Revelation 21:3-4 and read it again. And again. And again. 

I don’t want you to read another sentence of this devotion until you dwell on the glorious truth of Revelation 21:3-4. 

God will be with us. 

That’s the goal. I don’t mean the goal of Revelation. The goal of EVERYTHING, everything collectively and every thing individually, is to be connected to the God who created it, who sustains it, who loves it. Everything God did was so that he could be among those who accepted him, so he could be their God. He would have every right to sit in the middle of the city, demanding we come and bow to him and confess our sins and honor and adore him without his speaking to us.

But the old order of things has passed. He comes to us. Instead of an unreachable, untouchable King far away and distant, He walks up to us.

He walks up to you

He walks up to me

and He wipes away our tears. 

Think of all the tears you’ve cried. I’ve cried so many. Relationships I’ve hurt. Trust I’ve broken. Loved ones who have been lost. Pain seen in the eyes of my wife and daughter. 

God will not remain distant. He will walk up to me, and he will say “My Son, the old things are gone, the new have come. Cry no more.” God Himself, the creator of all things, will wipe away my tears.

God Himself will wipe away your tears.

God will be among us and be our God.

Everything else, the grand city, the streets of gold and the walls of precious stones, all these images of the glorified future, everything is icing on the cake. Without God it wouldn’t mean anything. Because God is there among us, it means everything.

My brothers and sisters, I can’t wait until your tears are wiped away. I can’t wait until the old is gone and the new has come.

May the Lord Jesus come quickly, prepare the way for his Father, and may God come and be our God. 

Jake Ballard

(originally posted November 23, 2019 for SeekGrowLove)

Reflection Questions

  1. What are your favorite verse(s) in Revelation 21? Why?
  2. What OLD things are you looking forward to being gone? What NEW things are you looking forward to coming?
  3. Because of this passage – what ought you to do today? Do you agree about the Goal of EVERYTHING? How often do you forget this goal? How can we do a better job of remembering it and living by it?
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A Kingdom Promise

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 3 & 4

POETRY: Psalm 115

NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Peter 2

What are you tempted to do when things get bad? Especially in the USA right now, it seems like everyone is divided, the country is full of anger, and Christianity is on the decline. What’s going on? Is there any hope?

Looking through Scripture, we can find examples of difficult times for the people of God. Jeremiah chapter 3 is one such example. In the beginning of the chapter, God talks again and again about how corrupt and faithless the people of Israel and Judah have been. God uses the language of divorce, sexual immorality, and idolatry to describe the past mistakes of Israel and the current status for Judah. The problems were obvious. The solution also seemed obvious — return to the Lord. And not only did God declare that this was the right answer — He actively called for His people to return to Him.

But what did the people do?

Reading the rest of the book of Jeremiah, we know that they did not return to the true worship of Yahweh, at least before the exile.

Nevertheless, the middle of Jeremiah 3 should catch our attention. The story does not end with the faithlessness, corruption, and sin.

Jeremiah 3:15-18 (ESV)

15 “‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

16 And when you have multiplied and been fruitful in the land, in those days, declares the LORD, they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the LORD.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed; it shall not be made again.

17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the LORD, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.

18 In those days the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel, and together they shall come from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers for a heritage.

The story ends with the goodness of God. No matter what, God will send good shepherds, most importantly the Good Shepherd, Jesus. All nations will come to worship God in the holy city of Jerusalem. The people of God will be reunited again. This is a kingdom promise, a kingdom promise located in the darkest period of the history of the people of God.

Friends, that is our lesson for today: no matter how dark the world gets, no matter how hopeless our future seems, the kingdom is coming. The King is returning.

Instead of focusing on the darkness around us and the turmoil (war, politics, etc.), let’s focus on God and on the hope we have for the future. And let’s share that with others, too.

-Will Barlow

Reflection Questions

Self assessment: how are you feeling with all that is going on in the world today?

    What can you do to be a brighter light in the midst of this darkness?

    How can you stay anchored in the hope of the return of Jesus while also paying appropriate attention to the things of the world?

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    Endurance

    OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 32-33

    POETRY: Song of Songs 6

    *NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 12

    If you’re feeling sluggish, tired of enduring the hardships that come with choosing to be faithful to the end of your race in this age, caught in sin that’s hard to get disentangled from, then think on all of those faithful chosen of God from chapter 11. They made it! They’re going to the Kingdom!

    We have to have the endurance to make it to the end to, for our own good. If that great cloud of witness doesn’t move you, consider Jesus’s faith, by which he endured the cross for you. God’s will for him involved the shedding of his blood to resist the sin of others against him and to free us from it. Has God asked you to shed blood to resist sin? That’s probably not God’s will for you, thank God, though many of his children have. I pray it never comes to that.

    What’s it going to take to finish your faith race? This writer says endurance, and it comes through discipline (he may even be referencing the letter he’s penning as part of that discipline). He is reproving the Hebrews, but discipline involves more than reproof. It involves scourging (I think the definition of scourging here is “suffering”), and it takes training.

    The Hebrews seem to have forgotten that they are heirs to the Most High; they are sons of God. If you’re a son, then you will be disciplined (if not, you’re illegitimate). God’s discipline is like that of a father to his child. It is like the training up of the child in the way he should go so that when he is old, he will not depart from it. The child who was disciplined experienced how to endure as an adult.

    The discipline was for the child’s good, though it was sorrowful in the moment. As adults, the discipline will be sorrowful in the moment, but remember, the discipline of the Lord happens because he loves his children, so welcome it. If you’re not disciplined, you’re going to hurt yourself or others with sin. You might forfeit your entrance into the kingdom.

    Discipline removes sin. It shapes us into holy people – sharing in the holiness with God (because we are transformed into people who want good for others and therefore do the will of God). It yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (it turns you into a person who is faithful to do God’s will).

    With the Lord’s leading, we can take steps to discipline ourselves to resist sin with endurance, for a whole lifetime. Here are some examples from this chapter:

    Serve those in need – strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble.

    Pursue peace with all men.

    Don’t let any root of bitterness spring up causing you trouble.

    Don’t refuse the one who is disciplining you.

    Don’t trade your birth right for food (like Esau did); God didn’t forgive that sin.

    Remember, you didn’t endure what God’s firstborn son (the children of Israel) did. They were not allowed to be where God was like you are through Jesus. Through their mediator Moses, they had to stay away from the mountain where God was. And they were terrified because if they touched the mountain, they’d die. They were terrified of hearing God’s voice, sounding like thunder and lightning.

    Instead, you’ve come to the church of the firstborn (Jesus). You have approached the throne room of God, with his angels, with your brothers and sisters who have all been made perfect by Jesus’s sacrifice, and you can do it without being terrified. You’re not going to die if you approach the throne room of God through Jesus.

    Oh, and by the way, Jesus’s sprinkled blood as our living sacrifice speaks better than Abel’s blood that cried out for vengeance. Jesus’s blood cries out for love/sacrifice for others. Our job is to follow the cries of the one who’s better, who’s blood lets us into the throne room of God now to be in his presence. God will oblige both, but he says vengeance belongs to him.

    God once shook the earth when he spoke from earth. In the end, he’ll speak from heaven, and shake both heaven and earth, so that the things that can be shaken will be removed, leaving only those things that are unshakable. What’s unshakeable is the Kingdom of God. Let’s praise God that we can be a part of that Kingdom now, showing him reverence and awe for what he’s doing. It’s a new thing, and it’s better. 

    -Juliet Taylor

    Reflection Questions

    1. Can you think of something you endured faithfully through discipline?

    2. Do you have a routine of discipline that helps you stay on track?

    3. Abel’s blood cries out for vengeance. Jesus’s blood cries out for love/sacrifice to save others. God will oblige both cries, but vengeance belongs to God, not to those under the New Covenant. Our responsibility is to love, as Jesus loved because it can change hearts and allows us in God’s presence now (in spirit as we draw near). Our job is to love even those who have hurt us. How can you love someone who has hurt you?

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    Excited about Church

    Old Testament: Micah 5

    Poetry: Psalm 84 (day 2)

    New Testament: Luke 18:9-14

    How excited are you about going to church?  You might think church is boring, the singing doesn’t inspire you, the sermon puts you to sleep, the building is nothing to write home about, etc.  If you think like this, you are probably also thinking, “Why even bother going to church when there are so many more exciting things I could be doing?”

    If you think church is bad now, just imagine how bad it was when they used a tent as a church (called the Tabernacle), and slaughtered animals to cover sins.  How well would you have liked going to church then?!  (Can you imagine the smell?)

    Our reading today is from Psalm 84, which starts out, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!”  The writer wasn’t talking about the throne room of God in heaven, he was talking about the Tabernacle (tent) where he went to worship God.

    Psalm 84 continues, “My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

    The writer wasn’t getting excited about visiting a tent, he was getting excited about being able to be in the presence of God.  He was yearning, fainting, crying out to be near God.

    Verse 4 goes on to say, “Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.”

    I’m guessing the writer is referring to the singers whose job was to stay at church and sing praises to God all day long. He was envious they didn’t even have to leave there to go to work (they were at work) – they were so lucky!  They got to be near God all the time.

    Verse 10 says, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”

    You may dread going to church.  The writer of Psalm 84 dreaded having to leave church.  He’d rather spend one day at church than almost 3 years anywhere else.  He’d rather be a doorstop at church than party all the time with his wicked friends.

    Why did the author crave going to church so much?  The answer is: because he loved God, and he associated being at church with being in God’s presence – so he couldn’t get enough of it.  

    Today, as a result of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we have far greater access to God than the people in the Old Testament (including the writer of Psalm 84) had.  We’re told in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

    God didn’t just send Jesus to die for our sins, God also wants to adopt us as His children.  And there’s an inheritance involved – the Kingdom of God.

    1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “… No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”

    I don’t know about you, but I have a pretty vivid imagination, and can imagine some amazing things.  But, according to this verse, I can’t imagine how great the Kingdom will be.  Start with no more death or mourning or crying or pain, add in a little euphoria in the presence of God forever, and you’re just scratching the surface for what God has prepared for those who love him.

    I want that!

    God wants to adopt us as His children, but there’s a catch.  He will only adopt us if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savor, are baptized, and live our lives for Him.  Only then will we get to live with Him forever.

    Maybe, our level of excitement in going to church is related to our level of excitement for God.  Once we recognize how much God has already done for us, and what He has planned for those who love him, we’ll get more excited about God.  And once we do, I suspect we’ll get more excited about going to church too. 

    -Steve Mattison

    Reflection Questions

    1. What are your thoughts and feelings right now about going to church? Where do you think they come from?
    2. How excited for God are you? What has He done for you already? What do you know about – and what can you imagine – about being in the Kingdom of God? Have you already been adopted into God’s family? Are there steps you need to do in this adoption process?
    3. Is there anything about your perception and understanding about going to church that you think God wants you to change?
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    God of Restoration

    Old Testament: 2 Kings 7-8

    Poetry: Proverbs 26

    New Testament: Luke 9


    Our God is a God of restoration. There will ultimately be a full restoration, but full restoration can only happen when the world is once again the beautiful, perfect place God created it to be, when His Kingdom is established on earth. Partial restoration, however, has been happening ever since the beginning of time. We read about restoration countless times in the Bible, and if you look, you can see it in our lives today, too. God constantly restores what has been lost to His people, whether it be a physical ability, such as sight, or movement, or a spiritual restoration, such as that of faith, or even the restoration of life.


    Today, we read in 2 Kings chapter 8 about a Shunammite woman who lost everything she had during a 7 year famine, but because of her faith in God and willingness to obey, it was restored to her. Now this woman was not new to witnessing God’s ability to restore what was lost. In chapter 4 of 2 Kings, we read about how Elisha rewarded the Shunammite woman’s kindness with fertility, and she bore a son. Sadly, the son later died, but she had faith in God’s power, so she sought out Elisha. Elisha came, and the son was brought back to life; he was restored.


    It is clear that this woman had remarkable faith. Perhaps this is why Elisha warned her about the famine that would come on the land for 7 long years, and advised her to leave. So without question, she and her household left their home and stayed in the land of the Philistines for 7 years, until the famine was over. When they returned, she had to appeal to the king to get back her home and all her land. The crazy thing is, right as she was coming to appeal to the king,
    Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, (who in chapter 5 was cursed with leprosy, and left Elisha… so perhaps these chapters are not necessarily in chronological order) was telling him the unbelievable story of the miracle Elisha performed in the resurrection of the son of the Shunammite woman. The woman, who just happened to show up during this particular story time, also gave an account of what happened, and the King was so impressed that he instantly granted her the land and all that she left 7 years ago.


    This story speaks volumes of God’s perfect timing, and adds to the common theme we see throughout the Bible of God’s willingness to restore what has been lost to those who are faithful. Look closely at the different ways in which God restores things in your life, and let it remind you to live everyday for the ultimate restoration that’s coming.


    -Isabella Osborn

    (originally posted for SeekGrowLove on June 8, 2021)

    Reflection Questions

    1. In 2 Kings 8 what does God do for restoration to take place? What did the Shunammite woman do? What did others do?
    2. Where have you seen restoration? Did faith play a part in the restoration you witnessed? What did God do? What did the recipient of the restoration do? What did others do?
    3. How can you be a part of God’s great restoration project? What restoration can you be praying for? What restoration can you be working towards, with faith in God, that He will act in amazing, restorative ways?
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    Leading Through Hardship

    Old Testament: 2 Samuel 18 & 19

    Poetry: Proverbs 5

    New Testament: Ephesians 3

    As President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln is uniquely positioned in American history as the only leader of a broken country.  No matter who he chose to serve in his cabinet, how empathetic his staff was to his role, how much they helped to shoulder the load or strengthened his areas of weakness,  no one can truly understand the weight borne by the Commander-in-Chief, whose presidency was the bookends to rebellion. A great example of this can be seen in Vicksburg, a Union siege took out the Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi which was a key route for reinforcement and supplies.   While this battle represented a great public triumph for Lincoln’s side, it also held personal tragedy.  Lincoln received the report that his brother-in-law, a Confederate general, was killed in battle.  It was stated by those surrounding him they never saw the president more moved during the war than when he received this news.

    Likewise, David’s emotions in victory are complex. Tens of thousands of men look to their king to champion their victory, no doubt hearing stories of how he famously danced in the streets as the Ark made its way into the city.  Instead, they see the lament of a father’s cry.  Great leaders, more than anything else, are human; however, the weight of leadership will undoubtedly tip the scales in favor of fostering commitment, vision, and hope for followers, rather than abandonment trials and tragedy. Joab’s words seem insensitive, “You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. (2 Sam 19:6) ” but they are actually encouragement to a leader who has made a personal sacrifice to acknowledge that tens of thousands of others had done the same.

    The words of Jesus could be thought equally cutting and unfeeling, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:60).” Our ministries do not stop because we face conflict or personal tragedy.  Conversely, I would say this is when our ministry and testimony are spotlighted. By the standards of the world, this conflict provides permission to act selfishly, but when we bear our burdens with the Kingdom of God at the forefront, we lean on God and lead others to the Good News.  Paul makes mention of this in Ephesians 3.  He tells the church at Ephesus not to worry about his suffering, because it is for their sake and to the glory of God.  The same circumstance is both a victory yet a personal hardship. Paul instead lifts those he leads in prayer, asking for the strength of the Holy Spirit to guide those for whom the letter was intended, and likewise, encourage us today.   No matter what scale Paul used, no matter what was placed in the balance, the weight of the Kingdom of God far outweighed any loss. This sentiment is again echoed from his prison cell to the church at Philippi when he states:

    “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” –  Phil. 3:8,10

    While we may not be ready to ask for suffering like Paul, tragic circumstances are the nature of this world. It may be an unfamiliar posture, but our grief, our battle, and our dire circumstance is an opportunity to demonstrate the assurances we have, to revel in the joy and love of God. We must look for opportunities to pray for and encourage others who may be participating in the same battle, asking God to give them the strength to see the victory too.  Yes, we must bear, and even welcome, hardship for the sake of the Kingdom of God because, with the help of God, we can lead within it, bringing others to the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus.

    -Aaron Winner

    Reflection Questions

    1. What do you learn about leadership from David? From Paul?
    2. What do you think of the statement: “No matter what scale Paul used, no matter what was placed in the balance, the weight of the Kingdom of God far outweighed any loss.” Do you see this in Paul’s life? Do you see this in your own life?
    3. Who will you pray for strength to see the victory?
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    Are You Asking Good Questions?

    Old Testament: Deuteronomy 3

    Poetry: Job 27

    New Testament: Mark 12

    As we look into Mark 12 and prepare our hearts for resurrection Sunday the question that I wanna ask is Are you ready for the Kingdom? Have you put your heart in the right standing with God? Have you asked good questions? One of the questions that comes up that is a good question is from the book of Mark.

    In Mark 12:28–34, Jesus has an interaction with a scribe who asked him what the most important commandment in the Old Testament was. Jesus responded by telling him that the most important commandments were to love God and love your neighbor (see Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and Leviticus 19:18). The scribe understood Jesus’ teaching and recognized that loving God and loving others were far more important than burnt offerings and sacrifices. When he heard his response, Jesus said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34).

    One reason Jesus told the scribe, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” is that the scribe faithfully interpreted Jesus’ words regarding the most important commandment in the law. After hearing Jesus’ answer to his question, the scribe didn’t correct Jesus or even challenge Him more. He simply acknowledged that what Jesus said was right and good. When Jesus heard this response from the scribe, he knew that the man was “not far from the kingdom of God” because his heart reflected God’s.

    Isn’t that what we all want. To be able to reflect God perfectly? To know God’s heart and follow in it. This was a great question the scribe asked, and it moved him towards greater understanding. Are you asking good questions?

    Another key reason why Jesus said to the scribe, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” is found in the last part of the scribe’s response to Jesus. The scribe said that loving God and loving your neighbor are “more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33). The scribe here understood that God is more concerned with whether people are loving Him and others than with how well they follow the law’s other requirements. After all, it is possible to go to church and not love God, it is possible for someone to bring a burnt offering and have hatred in his heart toward his brother. It is possible to do the right thing and still be wrong. Such a heart condition is not pleasing to God, no matter how many sacrifices one offers.

    By acknowledging the importance of loving God and loving your neighbor, the scribe proved that he was “not far from the kingdom of God.” The only thing he needed to officially enter the kingdom of God was to follow Jesus. Then he would come to truly understand what it means to love God and love your neighbor, for the secret of the kingdom of God is embodied in Jesus Himself. Given the scribe’s response to Jesus, it is entirely possible that the scribe ultimately believed in Jesus after the Lord’s death and resurrection.

    Today, many people talk about the importance of loving others. Some will say things like “Love is love” or “Love is all you need” to convey this message. Such beliefs and sayings show that many people understand the importance of loving others. However, until one chooses to follow Jesus—the One who performed the greatest act of love (John 15:13)—he or she will not be able to understand what it means to truly love. More importantly, our love for other people is rooted in our love for God. Jesus taught this by putting these two commands together in Mark 12:30–31.

    There may be many people in this world who are “not far from the kingdom of God.” But until believers preach the gospel to them and help such people place their faith in Jesus, these individuals cannot be a part of the kingdom of God. It would be wise for you to ask this question to yourself. Have I put myself in a position to be not far from the Kingdom of God?

    -Andy Cisneros

    Reflection Questions

    1. What grade would you give yourself for Loving the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength?
    2. What grade would you give yourself for Loving your neighbor as yourself?
    3. Where do you get stuck following the laws/traditions/giving the burnt offerings, but without a heart of love?
    4. What changes can you make to love God and others more and more?
    5. Ask yourself: Have I put myself in a position to be not far from the Kingdom of God? What do I need to get even closer to the Kingdom of God?
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    Citizen Rights and Privileges

    Acts 25 11 NIV for SGL

    Old Testament: Numbers 12

    Poetry: Job 11

    New Testament: Acts 25

    In chapter 16, we found out that Paul was a Roman citizen. Being a citizen of this vast empire was a great privilege. There were only two ways to gain Roman citizenship; you could either purchase it (something only the rich could afford to do), or be lucky enough to inherit it from your parents when you were born. Paul was born a Roman citizen.

    The reason why you would want to be a Roman citizen in the first century is that they were given rights others were not guaranteed. The rights to marry another Roman citizen, to sue and to be sued, to have a legal trial, and to not be crucified were just some of the benefits offered to those privileged enough to be Roman citizens.

    As we saw in chapter 21, Paul had already used his citizenship to get out of being flogged (Romans, legally, could not be tortured or whipped). In chapter 25 Paul exercised another of his rights–the right to appeal to Caesar. Paul knew that if he was brought back to Jerusalem, the men that had pledged to kill him would probably succeed. He also knew that he had to get to Rome to testify there. Thus Paul used his privilege to get to where he needed to go, so he could do what he was required to do (though, as we shall see in the coming chapters, this journey would not be an easy one).

    If you were born in the West (especially the United States), you, like Paul, are privileged. You have rights like freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press. But there are many parts of the world today where these rights that are taken for granted here are only the ideals of dreamers. There are Christians throughout the world who have to look over their shoulder as they travel to church (if a public place of worship is even allowed) and others who are worshiping with the knowledge that every gathering may easily be their last.

    There is another privilege you share with Paul: you are a citizen of Heaven. This citizenship cannot be purchased or inherited. It is not exclusive. The Kingdom of Heaven (or, Kingdom of God) is open to anyone. The poor and the rich, the weak and the strong, the lost and the found are all welcome. The cost of this privilege was paid for by God with the blood of His Son. It is offered to any who will receive it.

    Paul was first and foremost a citizen of Heaven. He lived his life devoted to advancing the Kingdom and the One who will establish it in its fullness. The rights his Roman citizenship granted him were nothing compared to those his Lord did. That being said, Paul exercised his privilege as a Roman in order to promote God’s Kingdom as a Christian. He wanted to make sure as many people as possible would become citizens of the Kingdom. You also can use your rights as a citizen of your country to further the cause of the Kingdom. Exercise your earthly privileges in a way that leads others to receive heavenly ones.

    -Joel Fletcher

    (originally posted March 6, 2019 for SeekGrowLove)

    Reflection Questions

    1. Do you think of yourself first as a citizen of the country you were born in/live in – or a citizen of heaven (where God dwells)? What are the differences?
    2. How can you use your rights and privileges to promote God’s Kingdom?
    3. Who do you know who needs to know more about how to become a citizen of the Kingdom of God? How can you share with them?
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    Little Money but Lots of Good

    Old Testament: Leviticus 1

    Poetry: Psalm 37 (all week)

    New Testament: Acts 4

    Psalms 37 is one of my favorite psalms. It holds a special place in my heart. When I saw there was a whole week dedicated to this passage, I knew for which week I wanted to write. This week we also will look at some exciting and pivotal moments of the early church. Finally, we start Leviticus. As someone who enjoys culture and history, I appreciated these passages in Leviticus as they gave insight to what life was like for the early Israelites. Without further ado, let’s dive in!


    I am poor. I do not say this to gain pity, but rather as a matter of fact. I make
    $17.50 an hour working full time at a daycare. I live by myself, with no roommates to split rent. I’ve got a senior dog who is on a special diet and needs joint supplements. I’ve got car payments, insurance, internet bills, and an expensive prescription medication I need every month. I am the woman in the grocery store with her phone–not texting but using the calculator feature to ensure I stay under budget. I have a second job teaching dance to give myself a small savings cushion. I tithe and trust God. I do this living from paycheck to paycheck life for one simple reason: I love my job!


    I have been teaching preschool for the past five years. I am in my second year of
    having my own classroom of five year olds to prepare for Kindergarten. I have a
    college degree and could make more money elsewhere, but I truly enjoy what I do. I also feel I am using my God given gifts to serve my community. So, while I am poor, I chose to be. This makes my situation easier as I am not stuck like so many in real poverty are. There was a time, though, when I did not have as much financial peace as I do now.


    There are videos going around on social media of women who make adult content bragging about how much money they have and showing off their amazing homes. When I discovered these videos, I was infuriated. Here I was struggling to get by, while these women who were deliberately going against God lived worry free. What’s more is they had a surplus of money to give away! There are even videos of them passing out cash to random strangers or handing out mystery electronic gifts. How I would love to be able to surprise bless people like that. My anger turned to jealousy. It was not as if I was jealous of some amazing singer, actress, or athlete whose hard work and talent was deserving of the monetary recognition. The internet has made it easier than ever to create adult content. Many of these women were the same age as me. We both had access to the internet. It was not a matter of opportunity but of morality that separated us. My jealousy soon turned to bitterness. I felt like I was suffering for doing the right thing.


    Through my studies in scripture I came to realize this was not a new concept; that those who live lives of sin may also live lives of luxury. The first few verses of Psalms 37 address this:


    Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass.
    they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the
    LORD and do good, then you will live safely in the land and prosper. (verses
    1-3 NLT)


    The writer addresses the financial differences between those who follow God and those who do not: “It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. For the strength of the wicked will shatter but the LORD takes care of the godly.” (verses 16 & 17 NLT). Throughout this passage the writer refers to a future reward. It is described as “an inheritance that lasts forever” (verse 18 NLT). We know this to be the Kingdom of God. This writer urges God’s people to refrain from anger but trust in a future land of prosperity and peace. It took me a while, but eventually, I began to let go of my frustrations and take the advice in Psalms 37 to not fret and worry about the success of the wicked. Soon, the bitterness, jealousy and anger I felt faded away and was replaced by a quiet peace in God.


    Psalms 37 tells of a great future for those who trust in God. Jesus brings news of
    this future in the Gospels. It is the promise of this same future that gave the early church members boldness when they first began facing persecution as we see in Acts 4. My prayer for you is on days when the world seems full of evil and
    unfairness, you too will hold fast to the promise of eternal inheritance and future glory in the Kingdom of God.

    -Emilee Ross

    Reflection Questions

    1. What are your feelings when you see evil people prosper? What can you gain from Psalm 37?
    2. Do you have the promise and hope of an inheritance that lasts forever? If so, what difference does it make in your life now? If not, do you want it?
    3. What is the problem with putting your trust in money? What is better than money?
    4. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your own trust in God? Would you like to see it grow? What do you already know about God’s character? How can you learn about His character? How have you seen God provide?
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