Bible Text: Mark 12:33-34 “And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.” Read Mark 12:28-34.
Memory Verse: Matthew 6:33 “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Don’t you just want to know your position with God? I mean having gone through the journey of life the way you have, will it not be nice to get evaluated and given an opportunity to improve where required? or just to know you’re in a good place so whatever happens to you or on Christ’s return you will be save to triumph with him? I guess somewhere in our hearts we have an idea of the likely evaluation results. No one can definitely count themself as attained, but we keep pressing on and improving as the Holyspirit leads.
Few days ago I was going through a devotional and I saw the reference made to Pastor Billy Graham’s life. The man practically planned his own funeral before he died at the age of ninety-nine but the key thing for me is what Billy Graham said before his death “someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God”.
Prior to stumbling on that reading, I had been in a state of complete fear. I looked around me and everything was completely falling apart in the world we hold so dear and it all got clearer according to the word of God in Matthew 24:35 which says “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”
Billy Graham was a man if God who operated with the wisdom of God in a level very different. During his time on earth, the world knew him to be someone who was called to sooth the minds of people during a stressful time and at every opportunity, Pastor Billy Graham made it known that he was just passing through earth as a journey towards his home in heaven.
The amount of God’s word you understand is all you truly have to hold unto in life. Note the conversation between Jesus and religious teachers in Mark 12:28-34, the man didn’t just know the word of God alone, he understood the word of God. Jesus’s evaluation of the man was not based on his ability to quote the bible but his understanding which is what moves you closer to God.
Stop treating Christianity as a religion where you have religious activities and continually tick the box, it’s a lot more than that and unless you have an understanding and continually grow to be more and more like Christ daily, then you may not be making progress on your journey towards the kingdom of God.
Without knowing your appointed time of death, you may not have the opportunity like Moses or Pastor Billy who had time to prepare for their own death. Therefore, your daily life should be one fashioned towards living not in fear of death but in knowing that where ever you are positioned, you are closer to the kingdom of God.
In living like that, you will see the earth very differently and your approach to the things of the world will change. You will enjoy your journey here on earth even amongst the challenges and know that after all we are all just in a road trip to the kingdom of God.
PRAYERS:
- Father I thank you for the gift of life and salvation
- I receive boldness and encouragement for the Journey towards the Kingdom, I nullify every fear of death
- I receive the grace to live right and walk daily and uprightly with God. Help me Lord to set aside my crooked ways
- Forgive my iniquities Lord and let your mercy prevail over judgement
- Thank you Father and in Jesus Name I Pray, Amen.
