DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONAL: JULY 20 GOD’S KINGDOM LIFESTYLES ON EARTH (4) SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5: 3 – 12; Prov. 12: 22
Every Christian living must strive to live God’s Kingdom Lifestyles on earth. The “how” we live on the earth determines our going to heaven after death or the Second Coming of Christ. The gospel of Matthew devoted almost three chapters (chapters 5, 6 and 7) on Jesus’ teaching about how to live God’s Kingdom Lifestyles on earth. However, we will use Matthew 5: 3 – 12 for why we should live God’s Kingdom Lifestyles on the earth. That is, what we are to get by living God’s Kingdom Lifestyles on earth. God did not create us only just to be humans but for us to exhibit His image and likeness for people to know we are His children. He gave His words and instructions on how to live His kind of lives. Bishop Bill Winston sees God’s Kingdom as the presence of His Word in the hearts of mankind in his book “The Kingdom of God is in You.” If we have God’s word and His instructions of how to live, we have no choice other than to live His Kingdom Lifestyles.
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, “The Beatitudes” tells us why we should live God’s Kingdom Lifestyles. Jesus used the word “Blessed are those who do…” this and that all through. Some Bible versions use the word “Happy” instead of Blessed. The English word “Blessed” comes from Latin word “Beatitudenes” and the Greek word “Makarios”. The meaning of the Latin word is “happy”, “fortunate” or “blissful.” The Greek word means “blessed”. This stands as God’s pronounced favour upon someone who does right things before Him. It usually connotes a privilege granted to somebody as a divine favour. Living God’s Kingdom Lifestyles makes God rains fortune on us, grant us divine favour or pronounces special blessing on us which will make us happy. This informs us of such glorious goodness God has given those who faithfully live or lived according to His patterns.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us what we can get if we are poor in spirit; which means never being contented with the spiritual contents in us. There is a reward for living and being hungry for righteousness as well as being meek or humble against living proudly on the earth. Jesus told us what one who makes peace with all men and women gets in return. People will call them sons of God right on the earth. To be persecuted, beaten and reviled because of the gospel has its rewards too. All these and more in the New Testament, as pointed out by Jesus Christ and His Disciples, give reason for how and why we must live God’s Kingdom Lifestyles on earth. Many ways to live God’s Kingdom Lifestyles are given by the Apostles in their various Epistles. We must live these lifestyles not as we like but as those which will show we are faithful to God’s words. The Bible says, those who have “lying lips are an abomination to the Lord. But those who deal faithfully are His delight” (Prov. 12: 22). My prayer is that; all Christians should deal faithfully with God as this will make God be delighted in them.
PRAYER:
El Shaddai, fill me with zeal and passions to live faithfully for you while on the earth; living your Kingdom Lifestyles in the name of Jesus.
POSITIVE DECLARATION:
I speak to my body, soul and spirit today to respond to all works of righteousness for God.
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch
