In Mt 6:33, Jesus gives us a description of how we ought to live as Kingdom citizens. God expects us to make His Kingdom our priority. God's promise is that all the things that you desire will be yours once you prioritize the Kingdom of God in your life. Jesus is saying to you and I that rather than chasing material things we should seek the Kingdom and material things will be given to us.
You may be asking what does it mean to prioritize the Kingdom? This is a great question because I believe that many people don't really grasp what prioritizing the Kingdom is all about.
When the Kingdom is your priority then you see all things through the lens of the Kingdom e.g. you test your decisions based on how those decisions will impact your commitment to the Kingdom.
When the Kingdom is your priority then your life is built around the things of the Kingdom e.g. attending and serving at a local assembly, sowing financial seeds towards Kingdom projects, etc.
One practical way of testing your priorities is to evaluate your schedule and your budget. If I see your schedule and your expense report I can tell what your priorities are. Do you set aside and hold time on your calendar for Kingdom activities, and then add other activities to your calendar in such a way that they do not impact your Kingdom commitments?
In Luk 12:22-34, we are given a picture of what God expects from us as Kingdom citizens. In verse 28, it is clear that one of the reasons why believers don't prioritize the Kingdom is because their faith tank is low. If you truly had faith in the fact that God will provide for you, then you will not hesitate to obey God's command to prioritize His Kingdom.
Luk 12:33 issues a challenge to each of us. Jesus instructs us that the Kingdom must be precious to us. He likens that things of the Kingdom to treasure. Are you willing to give up all that you have for the sake of the Kingdom? How precious is the Kingdom to you? Again in Mt 13:44-46, Jesus illustrates how precious the Kingdom should be to us. If a man will sell all he has in order to buy a valuable pearl, how much more should you and I do for the Kingdom? I will tell you the answer: much more!
Have you ever seen a man or woman addicted to drugs e.g cocaine, marijuana, etc.? He is ready and willing to sell anything he has including his own family just to get the next dose of drugs. He is that fixated on the next dose. He lives his life as though he would die if he failed to get that next dose. You and I must be so addicted to the Kingdom to the point that we have the Kingdom on our minds all the time.
Becoming a Kingdom citizen also comes with an associated lifestyle. There is a style of speaking in the Kingdom. You must carry yourself as a Kingdom citizen. Punctuality, commitment, diligence and performance in your job or business are attributes displayed by citizens of the Kingdom. Kingdom citizens surround themselves with friends and mentors that will push them along in their walk with God.
What kind of music do you listen to? Where do you hang out? What do you drink? As a citizen of the Kingdom everything that you do must reflect the Kingdom.
What value do you ascribe to the Kingdom? Will you give up everything for the Kingdom? Will you answer God’s call? One things is certain if you honor God's word and obey His command to seek the Kingdom first, God will reward you and you will have all that you desire. There will be challenges on the way. However you can be guaranteed of a 100% success rate because God's word never fails (Isa 55:10-11).
You may be asking what does it mean to prioritize the Kingdom? This is a great question because I believe that many people don't really grasp what prioritizing the Kingdom is all about.
When the Kingdom is your priority then you see all things through the lens of the Kingdom e.g. you test your decisions based on how those decisions will impact your commitment to the Kingdom.
When the Kingdom is your priority then your life is built around the things of the Kingdom e.g. attending and serving at a local assembly, sowing financial seeds towards Kingdom projects, etc.
One practical way of testing your priorities is to evaluate your schedule and your budget. If I see your schedule and your expense report I can tell what your priorities are. Do you set aside and hold time on your calendar for Kingdom activities, and then add other activities to your calendar in such a way that they do not impact your Kingdom commitments?
In Luk 12:22-34, we are given a picture of what God expects from us as Kingdom citizens. In verse 28, it is clear that one of the reasons why believers don't prioritize the Kingdom is because their faith tank is low. If you truly had faith in the fact that God will provide for you, then you will not hesitate to obey God's command to prioritize His Kingdom.
Luk 12:33 issues a challenge to each of us. Jesus instructs us that the Kingdom must be precious to us. He likens that things of the Kingdom to treasure. Are you willing to give up all that you have for the sake of the Kingdom? How precious is the Kingdom to you? Again in Mt 13:44-46, Jesus illustrates how precious the Kingdom should be to us. If a man will sell all he has in order to buy a valuable pearl, how much more should you and I do for the Kingdom? I will tell you the answer: much more!
Have you ever seen a man or woman addicted to drugs e.g cocaine, marijuana, etc.? He is ready and willing to sell anything he has including his own family just to get the next dose of drugs. He is that fixated on the next dose. He lives his life as though he would die if he failed to get that next dose. You and I must be so addicted to the Kingdom to the point that we have the Kingdom on our minds all the time.
Becoming a Kingdom citizen also comes with an associated lifestyle. There is a style of speaking in the Kingdom. You must carry yourself as a Kingdom citizen. Punctuality, commitment, diligence and performance in your job or business are attributes displayed by citizens of the Kingdom. Kingdom citizens surround themselves with friends and mentors that will push them along in their walk with God.
What kind of music do you listen to? Where do you hang out? What do you drink? As a citizen of the Kingdom everything that you do must reflect the Kingdom.
What value do you ascribe to the Kingdom? Will you give up everything for the Kingdom? Will you answer God’s call? One things is certain if you honor God's word and obey His command to seek the Kingdom first, God will reward you and you will have all that you desire. There will be challenges on the way. However you can be guaranteed of a 100% success rate because God's word never fails (Isa 55:10-11).
No comments:
Post a Comment