December 1, 2022
Stephanie Nanton
Righteousness, Peace, and Joy – that’s the Kingdom of God
Can you imagine…. living in a world, a kingdom where there is nothing but Righteousness, Peace, and Joy residing? Wow, what a different world that would be. This kind of world is absolutely possible, as well as offered to us in the form of a sacrificial gift. The Bible says…. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Eternal life begins when you first believe and accept Jesus as your Savior. When you accept God’s gift of Salvation, He then gives you the tools to actively Live Out Loud eternal life. You become a citizen of Gods Kingdom. In Gods Kingdom, is Righteousness, Peace, and Joy. So, when the storms of life come your way; because you are a citizen of Gods Kingdom, you will have peace through it. When the world says, “why aren’t you sad or worried about this or that?” Because you are a citizen of Gods Kingdom you will have Joy and Peace about it, because you know that know that God has it. In fact, you will see God in your circumstances.
I’ve learned over time about the importance of not allowing circumstances to steal my joy. The seeds of positive information that is taught to me from the Bible, are meant to be planted in my spirit, and take root and grow. The circumstances of life come to test and teach us and make us stronger and wiser. We have two choices in the moments of learning and testing…. We can lose the seeds, gain nothing, and have no fruit to show for, or…….we can be sure to protect the seeds, allow them to take root in our hearts so that we have nourishing fruit to share with others. This means I need to purposely practice righteousness. Purposely practice and testify to what it’s like to be at peace in the midst of a storm. Purposely show the joy that God gives me, even when the world thinks I should be sad or angry.
Did you know that the Bible says….
“We are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us.”
And.…” I/We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.”
The bible also says that….” The tongue has the power of life and death”. (What you say can preserve life or destroy it); so, you must accept the consequences of your words.”
The Bible is a powerful reminder of just how much negative or positive we can bring about in our personal lives just by speaking. Many of our circumstances in life are due to words, and what we believe in the moment about ourselves. We tend to make our circumstances bigger and more powerful than ourselves, than God.
Did you know that if you belong to God, He has given you weapons to defeat and overcome whatever challenging circumstance comes your way?
My mom would always say to me, “you come from strong stock.” I would say back to her, “what am I, cattle?” …. lol!
So, if you belong to God, you have accepted Jesus in your heart, just simply believe what God says about you and what He says you are capable of. If you just take a moment and believe that you are a conqueror, then you are – and you will conquer any circumstance that comes your way. God said in the Bible, not to worry or be anxious about your life, He is the Author of your story, and He has the last say.
The bible says…. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, with prayer and petition, and thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.” Philippians 4:6-7
And to….” Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; acknowledge Him, and He WILL direct your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
So, if you want to know what path to take, if you want to be confident in how your life will go, if you want to be at peace and not worry, if you want to have joy instead of sadness, if you’re feeling weak and need strength, just look to the Way, the Truth, and the Life…..God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
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