THE STORY OF JESUS: Acts 14:21-28
“We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22)
I have often focused on the blessing of the kingdom of God.
I’ve presented it like a dream, like Martin Luther King Jr’s dream.
A vision of life where everyone belongs, everyone matters, everyone cares.
But I am living in a dream if I think pursuing this dream will be easy.
Paul is very clear that following Jesus in His kingdom dream will lead to many hardships.
To focus on and live for Jesus’s vision will put us at odds with the present world.
Living for Jesus, living for the kingdom will make life harder.
We pursue it – like MLK – because it is right, and good, and necessary.
It is a dream worth fighting for, even worth dying for.
Paul strengthened the disciples, encouraging them to stay true to the dream.
We need this encouragement too, because it will be hard to stay true.
Are you committed to Jesus, and to His dream for the kingdom?
Are you refusing to follow this selfish world, to help make Jesus’s dream come true?
Be encouraged: in this world you will have trouble, but Jesus has overcome the world!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, keep the dream alive as life in this world looks too often like a nightmare. Strengthen me with Your grace, that I may stay true to Your kingdom dream!
Dare to be a Daniel.
To stand up for Jesus is to go against the flow. But as we journey our fellow Christians continue to pray for God’s people as they and others serve the Lord. The community of believers.
Encouraging one another.
One-anothering.
SpiritLed.
SpiritDriven.
GodStrong.
Walking on the promises of God.
1
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
2
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
3
Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.
4
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
5
Standing on the promises I shall not fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call.
Resting in my Savior as my All in all,
Standing on the promises of God.