kingdom of heaven Archives - Daily Thoughts about God

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

Jesus says, “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:3 NLT) He means we must come to the end of ourselves. We have to leave behind any self-sufficiency or self-righteousness and come to the place where we realize our only hope is in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We must be desperate for God: “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule.” (Matthew 5:3 MSG) Bonhoeffer notes the original disciples did not have religious wealth, in the sense that they did not have Pharisaical prestige or position.

And, as they followed Jesus, they were inexperienced in this new way. All they could do was follow Jesus for each next step; they couldn’t rely on well-worn traditions that are so easily leaned upon in place of a relationship with Jesus.

They had nowhere else to turn but to Jesus—and it should be that way for us, as well. If you deeply believed there was nowhere else to turn but Jesus, how would your life change?

By Jon Walker
Used by Permission

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“Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples. Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it.” Matthew 10:38-39 (TEV)

Will we be loyal to our fears or loyal to Jesus?

Jesus says we should understand this: if we fear we will lose out on life by following him, the truth is we will lose it all anyway, and at the same time, we will lose out on the real, kingdom life we’re searching for.

On the other hand, if we abandon our fears and follow him, Jesus will lead us into the kingdom of heaven, where we will find the life we always hoped for.

It is a very practical decision unless you’re trapped in the kind of fallen thinking that tells us disposable things and temporary relationships are the end all and be all of the universe.

When someone argues that following Jesus is impractical, it shows they do not have a clue about the kingdom of heaven. “The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hell-bent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense,” says the Apostle Paul. (1 Corinthians 1:18 MSG)

When we suggest the commands of Jesus are impractical or unrealistic, we show our own ignorance about the kingdom of heaven

And so Jesus comes with his eye on the Final Judgment. With the cross, Jesus brings peace, notes Bonhoeffer. “But the cross is the sword God wields on earth.” The Word of God is “sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey.” (Hebrews 4:12 MSG) Jesus slices across our loyalties, demanding that we chose him as the priority.

By Jon Walker