It’s often misunderstood what it means to live by grace.  There is the notion that because of grace, we are set free from obedience to the law.  But God’s offer of obedience is not an “either — or” proposition.  It’s a “both — and” responsibility.  We’re still obligated to be obedient to the law, but not out of a sense of fear and judgment, but because we are motivated and led by our faith — the same faith that allowed Abraham to become the father of many; the same faith that invited Saul into a faith he once persecuted, only later to proclaim it as his life’s purpose for living.  It’s the same faith we have, but the law that we now so genuinely hold to is the law of love — love of God and love of neighbor.  And it’s to this end that we bring forth both the old and the new.  We maintain the integrity of God’s law as it was given, knowing that the law is good, even if we’ve failed in our obedience to it. 

         Enter the law of Grace — life by faith in the life, death, and resurrection of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus, the Christ.  It is through him that we claim and maintain our faith — the same faith that was accounted to Abraham as righteousness.  This is how we are able to claim that — “ … by grace, we are saved through faith; not by works (of the law) so that no one may boast; it is a gift of God.”  That is the fullest extension of God’s love toward us — grace — and the example of forgiveness and mercy that we receive instead of condemnation and judgment.  It is only by the grace of God that we, who are not Jewish by birth, acknowledge the one faith — that the same as Abraham — is the faith that has enabled and given us the power to experience and realize the kingdom of heaven now, and live — by faith for the rewards of the kingdom of heaven alive within us at the final judgment.

• What comes to mind when you realize that it was God’s grace offered in Jesus Christ that opened the doors to the kingdom of heaven for us?
• Is it important enough that you would share your story with those who are searching for life in all of its fullness?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Merciful God, I thank you for opening the door of grace that I might enter into the kingdom of heaven through faith in Jesus Christ. Strengthen me to grow in my faith that I may realize the kingdom of heaven as a reality at this life’s end.

         We’ve heard the stories about the Kingdom of God and the separation that will eventually occur.  It’s always at some time in the future, but never now.  And we’ve also heard about how the Kingdom of God currently exists.  Within it, there are some people deemed to be good and some people deemed to be bad.  This shouldn’t surprise us.  Jesus told stories about, wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15).  Perhaps the story of “Little Red Riding Hood” provides an image of the same.  What must be understood by those who walk by faith is that within the worldly kingdom of God, there are perpetrators and frauds pretending to be on the Lord’s side, but who are out to destroy those trying to live trusting in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and living according to their faith in him.  Yet, because the kingdom of heaven is hidden, it’s inappropriate for us to judge who has the kingdom living within them, and who doesn’t.  For human eyes, it’s difficult — if not impossible — for us to determine who is masquerading as a real wheat and those who are simply a resemblance of the real wheat that go into God’s barn.

         The coming judgment is going to be a painful reality for those who have not inherited the kingdom of heaven.  What is clear is that though the kingdom has already been ushered in, it has neither eliminated nor prevented the survival of those who are evil.  Nor has it removed from the landscape those who are merely pretending, keeping up a false front until their real nature is revealed.  All we can do is be true to who we are as children of God, doing everything in our power to ensure that our faith is authentic, and that the kingdom of heaven — though hidden — is alive and growing within us.

• Are there times in your life when you question the reality and integrity of your faith?
• What in your life gives you the assurance that you’re “doing the best you can” and you’re still growing in your faith?
• How would holding one another accountable ensure that we are remaining true to our faith?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Merciful God, empower me to live my life with integrity and faithfulness to the life and Spirit of Your kingdom alive within me. Help me to grow in Spirit and in truth that others may see the power of Your kingdom of heaven working in and through me.

         At Fast Company — a leading business media brand, Richard Bolles, the author of a book titled, “What Color Is Your Parachute?” was asked “What stands in the way of people finding their mission?”  Bolles replied:

         Prior agendas.  For example, my wife, Carol, is a well-known career counselor in her own right.  She was meeting with a counselor who worked in the rubber industry — let’s call him George.  George told her in the first session, “I’ve got to get out of the rubber industry.”  So, she gave him some homework to do before their next session.  He came back the next week, and he hadn’t done a lick of the homework.  My wife, rich with intuition, asked him, “What will happen if you don’t get out of the rubber industry?”  George said, “My wife will divorce me.”  Carol said, “Do you want your wife to divorce you?”

         He couldn’t keep the smile off of his face.  She knew then that he would never change his job until it had given him what he wanted: a divorce, with his wife taking the initiative — and the guilt.  Based on his behavior, my wife named this “the doctrine of the prior agenda.”  You can’t help people change or find their mission when they have a conflicting prior agenda.

         People will never change until they truly want to.

         When we consider the benefits of realizing the benefits of embracing the notion that the kingdom of God is within us, we would think that people would desire to change, all in an effort to make it happen.  But no matter how many times we pray “ … thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven … “ the kingdom will not come until people are willing to truly accept God’s agenda and invitation to enter the kingdom through a relationship of faith.  As long as people have as their prior agendas honoring their race, wealth, privilege, status, class, gender, ethnicity, or religious loyalty above God’s invitation to enter the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of heaven will always be an unrealized spiritual reality.  When people sincerely commit to making the kingdom of heaven a reality within themselves and stop pushing their own “prior agendas”, the kingdom — which could be realized on a large scale — will only be visible within those who have chosen to attend the party at the invitation of the gracious host.  That means that some will be left out by their own choice of honoring their prior agendas.

• What are some of the “prior agendas” in your life that you’ve let go of to experience the kingdom of heaven from coming alive within you?
• In what ways has realizing the kingdom of heaven within you transformed your life?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Gracious and loving God, empower me to search my life for any “prior agendas” that prevent me from fully realizing the kingdom of heaven present within me.