Kingdom Life
by Lyniece Oyola
Living a life for Jesus is so opposite of the world. Look at these passages:
Philippians 2:3 : Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Matthew 18:21-22: Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say unto you, not seven times: but, seventy times seven.
1 John 3:16: By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
These can be challenging scriptures especially when God is confronting something in our hearts that we don’t want Him to.
In Mark 10:17-22 & 31 Jesus is having a conversation with a rich young ruler who has questions about eternal life, let’s read verses 17-22:
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Sometimes we think we’re doing everything right just like this young man, yet God knows the heart and where our devotion lies. This young man’s devotion was to his possessions, because he found his security in money. When he was asked to give it up to follow Jesus, he couldn’t.
What is the one thing Jesus is asking you to give up in order to follow Him?
Let’s read Mark 10:31: "But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Huh? The first will be last and the last first…ummm…no Jesus! I’m not gonna be standing at the front of the line and then be told to go to the back…excuse me! Yes! This is Kingdom Life!
Galatians 2:20 says "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
As a believer in Christ I’m not living to please myself but in all the things I do, say and think I want it to be pleasing AND acceptable to Him. HE died for me, HE set me free, HE gave me forgiveness, love, acceptance, truth, grace, mercy and so much more than I can express here! He is worthy of my worship, of my adoration, of my life!
We all struggle in our faith, with temptations, with believing God’s truth about us and Him, but He has given us His Word and His Spirit. Ask Him to strengthen you. Ask Him to reveal His ways to you. Ask Him to increase your faith in Him. He is faithful to fulfill His promises in your life BUT you have to surrender your ways for His, your thoughts for His.
This IS Kingdom Life!
Living a life for Jesus is so opposite of the world. Look at these passages:
Philippians 2:3 : Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Matthew 18:21-22: Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say unto you, not seven times: but, seventy times seven.
1 John 3:16: By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
These can be challenging scriptures especially when God is confronting something in our hearts that we don’t want Him to.
In Mark 10:17-22 & 31 Jesus is having a conversation with a rich young ruler who has questions about eternal life, let’s read verses 17-22:
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Sometimes we think we’re doing everything right just like this young man, yet God knows the heart and where our devotion lies. This young man’s devotion was to his possessions, because he found his security in money. When he was asked to give it up to follow Jesus, he couldn’t.
What is the one thing Jesus is asking you to give up in order to follow Him?
Let’s read Mark 10:31: "But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Huh? The first will be last and the last first…ummm…no Jesus! I’m not gonna be standing at the front of the line and then be told to go to the back…excuse me! Yes! This is Kingdom Life!
Galatians 2:20 says "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
As a believer in Christ I’m not living to please myself but in all the things I do, say and think I want it to be pleasing AND acceptable to Him. HE died for me, HE set me free, HE gave me forgiveness, love, acceptance, truth, grace, mercy and so much more than I can express here! He is worthy of my worship, of my adoration, of my life!
We all struggle in our faith, with temptations, with believing God’s truth about us and Him, but He has given us His Word and His Spirit. Ask Him to strengthen you. Ask Him to reveal His ways to you. Ask Him to increase your faith in Him. He is faithful to fulfill His promises in your life BUT you have to surrender your ways for His, your thoughts for His.
This IS Kingdom Life!