The Kingdom Way

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Romans 14:17

Have you ever felt that being a Christian is all about obeying the do's and don'ts rules? Well, I used to think that to be a good Christian, I need to be this and I cannot do that. I was striving to be perfect. I was trying too hard. I was practicing a religion rather than living in a relationship with the living God.

Imagine your relationship with your parents. What fun is there when it is all about doing what they tell you to do and being forbidden to do what they think it's not good for you to do. Although obedience is good and godly, but true obedience lies in knowing true freedom.

Now I do not obey God's rules, I obey God's voice. It's far more than performing a set of prayers or rituals or good works, it is living and abiding in His presence at all times. It is so much more fun, I can know so much more freedom in doing what I ought to do and to refrain from doing what I know I ought not to do as it will displease my Father in Heaven.

It's no longer living in a place of fear but of freedom and reverence. That is why the fear of the Lord is not supposed to be scary but to be enjoyed and understood from a place of love.

God wants to empower us. He wants us to know Him so that we can be like Him, like His Son. He told us His plans so that we can partner with Him, we can hate what He hates---sin, iniquities, injustice; and love passionately what He so loved---the world, people, the creation.

Even though the world is not where it is supposed to be, not as God has intended it to be, knowing His heart will enable us to move with God to restore the world back to what He has always intended it to be. That is the our calling, that is our hope and our destiny.

That is why the kingdom way is so much more than the religious rules. It's about intimacy with God, knowing Him through His Spirit, empowered with joy and peace to do all that He purposed us to do.

He is able, so are we!