APRIL 20: Living in God’s Kingdom
(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)
Romans 7:4 reads, So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.
Before faith Christ we saw the world as we wanted to see it. We were, in essence, kings and queens of our own lives and often had very self-centered ways of thinking. As the NLT Life Application Study Bible1 notes, our own self-determination was our source of power.
But after choosing to follow Jesus, we began to see the world differently. By following Christ, we can now see the world as God does. We not only see the brokenness in the world, but we recognize the solution. We not only see the destructive power of sin, but we understand we are free from its power. We not only see the overwhelming goodness of God, but we see that He will work His goodness into our lives. In short, we see that we now live in His kingdom and not our own. And we see that there’s no better kingdom in which we could live.
READING & JOURNALING:
What are some ways you now see the world differently than you did before trusting in Jesus? Be specific.
What are some ways you now see yourself differently than you did before trusting in Jesus? Be specific.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I confess that it is easy for me to see the world, myself, others, and even You in ways that may go against Your Word. This week, I simply pray that You will continue to open my eyes to see everything as You see it. Provide me the wisdom, strength, and grace to be the person You have made me to be. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)
F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)
The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.
Read: Luke 1
Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.
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