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Priorities in the Kingdom
The Task-Filled Life Bible Study β Week 5, Day 3
Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).
There is a mindset by many today that all religions lead to the same god and the same eternal end. Therefore, we should acknowledge each belief as true and acceptable. While this thought may be enticing in order to appease persons following this mindset, these other paths cannot and will not take us to the path of eternal life with Christ. Jesus states in John 14:6, βI am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.β
After Pentecost, Peter had the strength and courage to profess this fact boldly as he spoke to the rulers and elders in Jerusalem. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he said to them, βAnd there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be savedβ (Acts 4:12).
No matter the beliefs of others, the way of the cross and resurrection through Jesus Christ is ours to proclaim and share in a loving way, whenever He opens that door. We know also that in His time, all people of the world will profess that Jesus is the Christ and will see His kingdom revealed.
So what is our personal priority in the kingdom of God, whether in the workplace, raising children, or settled in a retirement community? Where is our greatest treasure found? Are we all to be like Peter, boldly standing before ruling officials, giving testimony of our faith? Are we teachers in a classroom, or a speaker professing our beliefs among the multitudes? The likely answer from most of us is, βNo. Not even close.β Yet if our greatest treasure rests in the loving hands of Jesus, our hearts will seek His will as well as the desire to speak of His kingdom, no matter where He places us. Because Christ first loved us, we will choose to love others, even the seemingly unlovable. Love will rule and love will reign.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us (1 John 4:10-12 NIV).
The greatest treasure and priority of our lives is to know the full measure of His love. Pray that God may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith β that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19).
Prayer: Christ, give me a faith, strengthened with power through the Spirit, rooted and grounded in You, that I may grow to know Your love that surpasses knowledge. Reveal Your priorities for me as I walk through this day, filled with Your fullness. Amen.
