To Cherish What We Aiready have

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-the knowledge of Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Fill my consciousness constantly and complete Your joy in me as I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse:Jeremiah 15:19 ESV

Therefore thus says the Lord: “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.” 

Verse of the day: Psalm 119:130

130 “The unfolding of your words gives light;    it imparts understanding to the simple.”

Readings: Psalm 68-69 Romans 8:1-21

To Cherish What We Already Have

Mark 4:11-And He said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables.”

What was the ‘secret’ of the kingdom?

Luke 11:20-“If it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

Luke 17:20-”...because the kingdom of God is within you.”

  The secret of God’s kingdom for us is that it is within us.

So in Luke 13:24, when Jesus commands us to ‘strive’ for the narrow door, He is telling us to strive for what is already in us.

Why is it so hard to understand that God’s kingdom is already in us? I mean if we understood this, how different would our emotions and attitudes be? If we understood God’s kingdom in us, we would think like God wants us to think and we would always be obedient.

This is why Jesus said for us to strive for the narrow door-to fight for understanding-to learn to be conscious of His Spirit of Truth and to learn how to live victoriously over sin.

The more we fight for the narrow way, the more the narrow way becomes our way of living-our lives become a life of sacrifice-the more Jesus becomes our ultimate treasure.

When the end of all things as we know comes, we will be living in the visible, tangible kingdom of God. Sin will be gone.

But for now, we must celebrate what is within us-the Kingdom of God with His Spirit of Truth that always points us to Jesus as the treasure of our lives.

The narrow way is hard but remember what Jesus says to us:

Matthew 11:28-30

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Why must we fight for what is easy and light-what is already inside us? Because the enemy with sin seeks our failure.

The struggle is painful but the peace of the Lord in The power of the Holy Spirit is what we strive for-the consciousness of the Lord gives peace at every turn.

Tell God you want to know how to strive in His power and peace.

...because He loves us, He will do it…

Father in Heaven,

I want to hallow Your name and become aware of Your kingdom in me. Give me today what I need in striving for Your narrow way. Forgive me for giving in to my weaknesses. Lead me away from hateful thinking.

God of goodness and strength,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen