There is fullness of joy in the presence of God. That is why whenever we go to church, we feel so special, so joyful. The Bible asks us to be fervent in seeking His presence, so we need to be more active when it comes to doing work for the kingdom of the Lord. Verse 12 in chapter 11 says, "The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."
My mom shared an inspiring incident she saw from her childhood days. She talked about our pastor visiting my grandma's house for two days, fasting and praying for a long time before he preached in the evening. It wasn’t just a one-time effort. My pastor used to give messages in two churches, which were in different parts of the city. One day, we challenged ourselves and tried following him. By the end, we thought about how much zeal for the Lord this man had, doing so much travel and ministry for years together.
This brings us to an important reminder: the kingdom deserves all your efforts, every ounce of your energy. Yes, be violent. Hey friend, take efforts for God, and you will see God honoring them. Spend time with God; seek His kingdom. It is like a mustard seed that grows into a tree, or like leaven that works through three measures of meal. It is a hidden treasure that a man finds and sells everything to acquire. It is like a beautiful pearl. When we seek more, God will give more to us.( This is not just something about the fleeting earthly blessings )
We all know and cherish the incidents where Jesus feeds the multitudes. For example, in chapter 15, verse 33, Jesus shows compassion for the people who were with Him for three days. He made sure to provide the food they needed. hey friend, be of good cheer. Jesus was compassionate to everyone who came to Him in need. He appreciated the multitude spending three days listening to Him. Won't He look at us, too, as we spend time listening to His words every day?
In chapter 16, we can see Jesus being bothered by the Pharisees. This teaches us yet another powerful lesson. When they nagged Him for a sign, He said, "No sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah," and then He left them and departed. From this, we learn the importance of knowing when to stop unnecessary explanations or conversations.
We also see an incident where the disciples were not able to bring deliverance to a boy possessed by a mute spirit. Jesus explained, "This kind can come out only by fasting and prayer." As disciples of Jesus, are we aware of what steps we need to take to overcome the world, to defeat the enemy and establish the kingdom of God in our families and everyday lives? Let’s learn from Jesus. Let’s take due effort to sit in His presence.
Dear God, thank You for Your powerful teaching on the kingdom of Heaven. Use us, Lord, to build Your kingdom. May we be violent. May Your kingdom grow and increase in us, and through us bearing much fruit. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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