Conversation Conversations

Week 27 — The Kingdom of God

"Seek first His kingship over you, His way of holiness, and all these things will be given you besides." —Matthew 6:33

Jump to day: Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

Sunday

"The reign of God is like a buried treasure which a man found in a field." —Mt 13:44

Conversation:

King Jesus: To live and work for Me 24 hours a day, to do My will and not yours, is the greatest privilege possible for a human being. You can buy into My kingdom, no matter how much or little you have. It costs all, 100%. If you've invested a nickel elsewhere, you're a nickel short. Give all. Commit your life to Me. Be born again of water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom (Jn 3:5).
Citizen: King Jesus, Your kingdom is the most expensive thing imaginable, yet I can afford it. If I re-invest a few things, I could get into Your kingdom. I have my own little kingdom where I'm on the throne. I will have to dethrone myself.

Response:

Kneel before the God Who made you.

Monday

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come." —Mt 6:9-10

Conversation:

King Jesus: I want you to live every second for the kingdom. May your constant prayer be for My kingdom to come on earth as in heaven. The only way you'll be able to do this is by dying to the world's kingdom. A dead man loses his citizenship. Then you are born again through faith in Me by being baptized. You become a citizen of My kingdom by birth, new birth.
Citizen: King Jesus, I've already committed my life to You, but I have a hard time seeing myself as a citizen of Your kingdom (Phil 3:20).
King Jesus: You need to learn about My kingdom and know who you are.

Response:

Kneel; at His feet we belong.

Tuesday

"The kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power." —1 Cor 4:20

Conversation:

King Jesus: Many earthly kingdoms don't mean much. You may pay taxes, vote every few years, and abide by a few laws. My kingdom is much more serious. It's not just words but power. Some choose poverty (Mt 5:3), renounce sex (Mt 19:12), and suffer persecution for My kingdom (Mt 5:10).
Citizen: King Jesus, speak to me about Your kingdom for an extended period of time (Acts 1:3; 20:25). I've never realized what's involved in my commitment to You.

Response:

Kneel at the name of King Jesus (Phil 2:10).

Wednesday

"The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking, but of justice, peace, and the joy that is given by the Holy Spirit." —Rm 14:17

Conversation:

King Jesus: You're still more like a foreigner than a citizen. You should be a foreigner to this world's kingdom, but you have it backwards (1 Pt 2:11). You will find help in My Church. It holds the keys of the kingdom (Mt 16:19).
Citizen: King Jesus, the Church is more compromised with the world's kingdom than I am. It won't teach me to live for Your kingdom.
King Jesus: I will work through the Church despite its sinfulness and worldliness.

Response:

Kneel before Jesus in church.

Thursday

"I tell you, I will not drink this fruit of the vine from now until the day when I drink it new with you in My Father's reign." —Mt 26:29

Conversation:

King Jesus: Every day, I invite all My citizens for a kingdom meal. I have it at various locations throughout the world. Here I speak to My citizens and give Myself to them. With Me in you, the kingdom is in you (Lk 17:21).
Citizen: King Jesus, I thought of Communion as a personal devotion. You make it sound like an international movement to take over the world.

Response:

Kneel for Communion today.

Friday

"He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son." —Col 1:13

Conversation:

King Jesus: You are a member of a spiritual guerilla-group who are sabotaging the kingdom of darkness, destroying the world's institutions (2 Cor 10:4), and snatching people out of darkness into My kingdom of light. You are in a spiritual revolution.
Citizen: King Jesus, it seems as if all Your citizens are soldiers (2 Tm 2:3).

Response:

Kneel and pray in spiritual warfare.

Saturday

"This is the time of fulfillment. The reign of God is at hand! Reform your lives and believe in the gospel." —Mk 1:15

Conversation:

King Jesus: Tell everyone you meet about My kingdom. You should be more proud of My kingdom than the most patriotic person is of his country. If you're proud and possessive of anything on earth, you can't be proud of and possessed by My kingdom. You can't serve two masters (Lk 16:13).
Citizen: King Jesus, I must become like a little child to enter Your kingdom (Mt 18:3; 19:14). I see why it would be hard for a rich man to do it (Mt 19:23). I abandon my life to You and to Your kingdom.

Response:

Kneel in submission, adoration, and thanksgiving.

Excerpts from Scripture are taken from The New American Bible, copyright 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright holder. All rights reserved.

Nihil obstat: Reverend Robert J. Buschmiller, July 13, 1995.

Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati, July 25, 1995.

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