APPRECIATION — Seeing God’s Goodness in Everything
DAY 2: APPRECIATING OPPORTUNITY — A SEAT AT THE TABLE
Recently, I attended an industry AGM for the first time as an Independent Board Member. Sitting there made me pause and appreciate the journey. Sometimes we become so focused on the responsibilities of a new position that we forget to appreciate that God has allowed us to enter a room we had never entered before. New opportunities should not only excite us; they should humble us.
“For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another.” Psalm 75:6–7 (NKJV)
Being given a seat at the table is not only about recognition; it is about responsibility. When God places us in spaces where decisions are made, our question should not simply be, “What can I gain here?” but, “Lord, why have You positioned me here, and how can I serve with wisdom, integrity and courage?” Opportunity becomes purpose when we understand that influence is also stewardship.
“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NKJV)
I also appreciate that no opportunity stands alone. Behind one moment are years of learning, successes, failures, difficult assignments, people who trusted us, people who challenged us, and experiences God used to prepare us. What once looked like unrelated chapters may suddenly make sense when God opens another door. Preparation often happens long before we understand what God is preparing us for.
“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 (NIV)
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for every opportunity You have allowed into my life. Forgive me when I become so occupied with responsibility that I forget to appreciate the privilege. Keep me humble when You open doors and give me wisdom when You give me influence. May every table at which I am privileged to sit become a place where I serve with integrity, courage and excellence. Help me remember that the opportunity is not only about where You have placed me, but what You desire to accomplish through me there. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Take This With You
Sometimes appreciation is simply pausing in a room you once were not in and whispering: “Lord, thank You for bringing me here.”
APPRECIATION — Seeing God’s Goodness in Everything
DAY 1: APPRECIATING CULTURE — BEAUTY IN OUR DIVERSITY
Recently, I had the privilege of attending a Zulu traditional wedding. As I watched the beautiful traditional attire, listened to the singing, saw the dancing and experienced the warmth of families celebrating together, I found myself appreciating the beauty of culture. God could have made humanity all the same, yet He allowed nations, languages and peoples to express life in wonderfully different ways.
“From one man He made every nation of mankind to live over the entire face of the earth.” Acts 17:26
I was also reminded that culture connects us to those who came before us. There is beauty in receiving good traditions from one generation and preserving them for the next. When we understand where we come from, we can appreciate the sacrifices, wisdom and values carried by generations before us.
“One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4 (NKJV)
But as beautiful as culture is, Christ remains above culture. We can celebrate our heritage without allowing tradition to occupy the place that belongs to God. In Christ, our different languages, tribes and backgrounds do not have to divide us. We bring our beautiful differences together under one Lord, one faith and one Kingdom.
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9 (NKJV)
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the beauty of our cultures, languages and traditions. Thank You for allowing me to experience and appreciate the richness of people who may express life differently from me. Help me to honour what is good in our heritage while always placing Christ above every tradition. May our diversity never divide us, but remind us of the creativity of the One God who made us all. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Take This With You
Appreciation allows me to look at someone who is different from me and, instead of asking, “Why are they different?” say, “Lord, thank You for allowing me to experience another expression of the beauty You placed in humanity.”
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 (NKJV)
Reflection & Teaching
We started this journey with one instruction from Jesus: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else.”
But how can we seek something we do not understand?
So we went back to Jesus and allowed the King Himself to explain His Kingdom. Through His parables, we discovered that the Kingdom is not merely a place we hope to enter one day. It is the rule and reign of God that we receive and live under now.
The Hidden Treasure taught us that when we truly discover the Kingdom, everything else loses its position of greatest value.
The Pearl of Great Value taught us that the Kingdom is worth everything.
The Fishing Net reminded us that the Kingdom gathers many, but ultimately God Himself knows those who truly belong to Him.
The Mustard Seed showed us never to despise small beginnings. What God plants may look insignificant today, yet carry Kingdom potential far beyond what we can see.
The Yeast taught us that the Kingdom works quietly from within, transforming everything it touches.
The Wheat and Weeds taught us that although good and evil may grow alongside each other for a season, we must remain what God planted us to be and trust Him with the harvest.
The Unforgiving Servant showed us that people who have received the King’s mercy must become people through whom mercy flows.
And the Workers in the Vineyard taught us to stop comparing portions and trust the generosity of the King.
Now we arrive at the finale.
And perhaps we realise that seeking the Kingdom was never simply about finding something.
It was about surrendering to Someone.
The Kingdom Has a King
Sometimes we desire the benefits of God’s Kingdom more than we desire His rule.
We want His provision, but do we want His priorities?
We want His protection, but do we want His direction?
We want His promises, but do we want His authority?
We pray, “Your Kingdom come,” but Jesus immediately connects it with:
“Your will be done.”
That means I cannot genuinely pray for His Kingdom to come while insisting that my will must remain in control.
The Kingdom comes wherever the King is allowed to rule.
So perhaps the greatest question at the end of this series is not:
“Have I found the Kingdom?”
But:
“Has the King found a surrendered heart in me?”
What Does “Above All Else” Really Mean?
It does not mean abandoning our families, responsibilities, careers or dreams.
It means everything else finds its correct position under the King.
My family belongs under His Kingdom.
My finances belong under His Kingdom.
My ambitions belong under His Kingdom.
My relationships belong under His Kingdom.
My pain, plans, decisions, gifts and future belong under His Kingdom.
Seeking the Kingdom above all else means there is no area of my life where Jesus is welcome as Saviour but denied His place as King.
Life Example
Imagine handing someone the keys to your house but saying:
“You may enter the sitting room and kitchen, but this bedroom is mine. This cupboard must remain locked. And please don’t rearrange anything.”
You have given them access, but not authority.
Sometimes we do the same with God.
We give Him Sunday.
We give Him prayer.
We give Him certain decisions.
But there are rooms of our lives where we still say:
“Lord, please don’t touch this.”
Seeking the Kingdom above all else means eventually handing the King every key.
Pause and Reflect
After these days of seeking, ask yourself quietly:
Is Jesus only my Saviour—or is He truly my King?
Which part of my life still resists His rule?
What would change if I genuinely prayed today:
“Lord, Your Kingdom come—not only into the world, but into every part of me. Your will be done—not only in heaven, but in my life.”
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for taking me on this journey of discovering Your Kingdom through the words of Jesus.
Today I understand that seeking Your Kingdom above all else is not simply searching for Your blessings. It is seeking the King and surrendering to His rule.
Lord Jesus, You are my Saviour, but today I acknowledge You again as my King.
Let Your Kingdom come into every part of my life. Rule my thoughts, my words, my relationships, my finances, my ambitions, my decisions and my future. Where my will fights against Yours, teach me surrender. Where my priorities have become greater than Your Kingdom, put them back into their proper place.
Holy Spirit, continue the work of the Kingdom within me until the character of my King can be seen through my life.
Your Kingdom come. Your will be done in me, through me and around me, as it is in heaven.
The Workers in the Vineyard — The Kingdom Is Governed by Grace, Not Comparison
Key Scripture
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.” Matthew 20:1
Jesus tells of a landowner who hired workers at different times of the day. Some began early in the morning, others later, and some came when the working day was almost finished.
At the end of the day, something unexpected happened: the landowner gave the latecomers the same amount he had agreed to give those who had worked all day.
The early workers became unhappy.
Their problem was not that the landowner had failed to give them what he promised. Their problem began when they looked at what somebody else received.
Reflection & Teaching
This parable reveals another surprising truth about God’s Kingdom:
The Kingdom operates by the generosity of the King, not by our comparison with one another.
The workers who started early were satisfied with their agreement—until they saw what others received.
Nothing had been taken away from them.
Their blessing had not decreased.
Their agreement had not changed.
Only their focus changed.
They stopped looking at the goodness of the landowner toward them and started measuring his goodness toward somebody else.
And comparison turned gratitude into dissatisfaction.
How often does this happen to us?
We thank God for our lives until we see somebody else’s life.
We appreciate our progress until someone progresses faster.
We celebrate what God has given us until someone receives something we think is greater.
Then quietly we ask:
“Lord, what about me?”
But I Have Been Here Longer
Perhaps the deepest challenge in this parable is the workers who could truthfully say:
“We have worked all day.”
They had sacrificed more time. They had endured the heat.
Yet the landowner reminds them that he had not treated them unjustly. Then he asks:
“Or are you envious because I am generous?” Matthew 20:15
This confronts something in us.
Sometimes we unconsciously believe that our years of serving God should give us a greater claim on His goodness.
“Lord, I have served You for thirty years.”
“I have prayed.”
“I have sacrificed.”
“I have been faithful.”
These things matter to God—but grace is never wages that God owes us.
The moment I believe another person’s blessing diminishes mine, I have moved from grace into comparison.
Someone Can Arrive Late and Still Meet a Generous King
Imagine someone coming to Christ late in life after years of mistakes.
Another person may have served God faithfully since childhood.
Both need the same Saviour.
Both enter through the same cross.
Both are saved by the same grace.
The person who came early has something beautiful that the latecomer never had: years spent walking with the King.
Serving God longer is not a disadvantage requiring extra compensation.
Knowing Him longer was itself a privilege.
Life Example
Imagine two daughters receiving gifts from their father.
The first daughter loves her gift—until she opens her sister’s gift and discovers that it is different.
Suddenly she no longer sees what is in her own hands.
She sees only what is in her sister’s hands.
Nothing happened to her gift.
Comparison simply stole her enjoyment of it.
We can do the same with God’s blessings.
Pause and Reflect
Can I genuinely celebrate when God is good to someone else?
Have I allowed someone else’s blessing to make me question God’s goodness toward me?
Do I secretly believe that because I have served longer, sacrificed more or suffered more, God owes me something?
Today perhaps I need to pray:
“Lord, take my eyes off other people’s portion and teach me to recognise Your grace in mine.”
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for inviting me into Your vineyard. Forgive me for the times I have compared my journey with someone else’s and allowed comparison to steal my gratitude.
Lord, I acknowledge that everything I have received from You is grace. You owe me nothing, yet through Jesus Christ You have given me everything that truly matters.
When You bless others, teach me to celebrate Your goodness. When someone progresses faster than I do, protect my heart from jealousy. When Your timing for another person differs from Your timing for me, help me trust the generosity of the King.
Holy Spirit, teach me to serve because I love the King, not because I am calculating what the King owes me.
The Unforgiving Servant — Kingdom People Never Forget the Mercy They Received
Key Scripture
“Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?” Matthew 18:33
Jesus tells of a servant who owed his king an enormous debt—far beyond his ability to repay. When judgment was pronounced, the servant fell before the king and pleaded for patience.
But something greater than patience happened.
The king was moved with compassion, cancelled the debt and released him (Matthew 18:23–27).
Then something shocking happened. The same servant went out and found another servant who owed him a much smaller amount. He grabbed him and demanded, “Pay me what you owe!” Although the man pleaded for mercy, he refused and had him thrown into prison.
Reflection & Teaching
This parable reveals something powerful about the Kingdom: we cannot truly understand the mercy of the King and remain merciless toward others.
The first servant had every right to say, “He owes me.”
And he was correct.
The second servant really did owe him something.
That is important because forgiveness does not mean pretending that nothing happened. Sometimes people truly hurt us. They betrayed us. They disappointed us. They spoke against us. They took something from us emotionally, financially or relationally.
There really is a debt.
But Jesus shifts our attention from what they owe us to what we owed God.
The servant’s tragedy was not that he had forgotten the amount of the other man’s debt.
He had forgotten the size of the debt that had been cancelled for him.
Seeking the Kingdom Changes How We Keep Accounts
When we seek the Kingdom above all else, we begin seeing people differently.
Before demanding, “Pay me what you owe me,” we remember ourselves standing before the King with a debt we could never repay.
God forgave me.
God showed me mercy.
God was patient with me.
God restored me when I failed.
God did not treat me according to everything I deserved.
Then I meet someone who has hurt me.
Suddenly the question becomes:
Can someone who lives every day by mercy refuse mercy to another?
This does not mean remaining in an abusive or dangerous situation. Forgiveness does not eliminate wisdom, accountability or healthy boundaries. But it does mean refusing to make another person’s debt the prison in which our own heart lives.
Life Example
Imagine somebody owing you R1,000 while you owe another person R10 million.
You cannot pay the R10 million, but your creditor says:
“Your entire debt is cancelled. You owe me nothing.”
Then, while walking away celebrating your freedom, you meet the person who owes you R1,000.
Suddenly you have a choice.
You can look only at what they owe you, or remember what was forgiven you.
That is the heart of Jesus’ parable.
Pause and Reflect
Is there someone whose debt I am still carrying in my heart?
Do I repeatedly revisit what they did, what they said and what they should have done?
Perhaps I have been asking God:
“Lord, do You know what they did to me?”
And today the King gently asks:
“My child, do you remember what I have forgiven you?”
Not to minimise your pain—but to free your heart.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, as I seek Your Kingdom above all else, help me never forget the mercy I have received from You. I came before You with a debt I could never repay, and through Jesus Christ You showed me mercy.
Lord, some wounds are deep, and some debts feel difficult to release. I cannot always forgive in my own strength. Holy Spirit, help me. Heal the places that still hurt. Remove bitterness, anger and the desire for revenge from my heart.
Teach me to give the mercy I have received. I release those who owe me into Your hands. You are the righteous Judge; I do not need to carry their account anymore.
Let my life demonstrate the Kingdom of a merciful King. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Wheat and the Weeds — Not Everything Growing Together Belongs Together
Key Scripture
“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, then went away.” Matthew 13:24–25
Jesus explains this parable later by saying that the One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom, and the weeds represent those belonging to the evil one(Matthew 13:37–39).
Reflection & Teaching
As we seek the Kingdom of God, Jesus teaches us something that can be difficult to understand: the presence of God’s Kingdom does not mean the immediate disappearance of everything evil.
The farmer sowed good seed. The problem was not with the seed. But while people slept, an enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat.
When the servants discovered the weeds, their immediate response was: “Do you want us to go and pull them up?”
Surprisingly, the master said, “No.”
Why? Because in trying to remove the weeds, they might uproot the wheat as well. He told them:
“Let both grow together until the harvest.” Matthew 13:30
This gives us an important understanding of the Kingdom.
Sometimes we look at our world and ask, “If God is King, why is there still so much evil?”
Why injustice? Why dishonesty? Why suffering? Why do wicked people sometimes appear to prosper while people trying to live faithfully struggle?
Jesus does not pretend that the weeds are not there.
He tells us that until the final harvest, wheat and weeds will exist alongside one another.
But their growing together does not mean that God cannot distinguish between them.
Don’t Become a Weed While Fighting the Weeds
There is another lesson here for our own hearts.
When we encounter wrongdoing, we can become so consumed with correcting other people that their behaviour begins changing ours.
Someone hates us, and we begin hating them.
Someone lies about us, and we want to destroy their reputation.
Someone treats us unfairly, and bitterness begins growing inside us.
We may be fighting what is wrong while slowly allowing the same darkness to enter our own hearts.
But the wheat does not need to become a weed because weeds are growing nearby.
Our responsibility is to remain what the King planted us to be.
Life Example
Imagine two plants growing beside each other. One cannot decide, “Because the plant beside me is producing something bad, I will stop producing what I was created to produce.”
Its responsibility is simply to remain rooted and produce according to its nature.
The same is true for us.
You may work with dishonest people and remain honest.
You may live among unforgiving people and choose forgiveness.
You may be surrounded by hatred and still love.
You may experience injustice and still refuse to become unjust.
The environment does not have to determine the fruit. The seed determines the fruit.
Pause and Reflect
Perhaps today we should stop asking only:
“Lord, why haven’t You removed these weeds?”
And begin asking:
“Lord, while I am growing among them, what am I becoming?”
Have the actions of other people changed my character?
Have I allowed someone’s bitterness to make me bitter?
Am I spending more energy identifying weeds than producing Kingdom fruit?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I seek Your Kingdom above all else. Thank You for reminding me that You know the difference between the wheat and the weeds. Forgive me when I have tried to take Your place as Judge.
Holy Spirit, protect my heart from becoming like the things that have wounded me. When I encounter hatred, help me love. When I experience dishonesty, keep me truthful. When I am treated unjustly, keep my heart clean.
Lord Jesus, let the good seed You planted in me continue growing regardless of what grows around me. Help me trust You with the harvest and concentrate on becoming what You planted me to become. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.” Matthew 13:33 (CEB)
Reflection & Teaching
Jesus gives us such a simple picture: a woman takes a little yeast and mixes it into a large amount of flour.
Once the yeast disappears into the dough, you cannot easily see it. Yet something is happening.
The yeast begins working from within.
Eventually, what was introduced into one small part affects the whole dough.
This teaches us something beautiful about the Kingdom of God. When we seek God’s Kingdom, we are not merely seeking something that will change our circumstances. We are allowing God’s rule to enter us and change who we are from within.
Sometimes we want God to change everything around us, while the Kingdom first wants to change something inside us.
We pray, “Lord, change my marriage.” God may begin by changing how I love.
We pray, “Lord, change these difficult people.” God may begin by changing how I respond to them.
We pray, “Lord, change my circumstances.” God may begin by changing my faith, patience and dependence on Him.
The Kingdom works quietly, but powerfully.
Something Deeper
The woman did not keep the yeast next to the flour. She put it inside.
Likewise, it is not enough for the Kingdom to be something we admire, preach about, attend church to hear about, or carry in our Bibles.
The Kingdom must enter us.
Jesus said:
“The kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:21 (NKJV)
When Christ rules the heart, His Kingdom begins touching our thoughts, words, attitudes, relationships, decisions and priorities.
Eventually, what God has planted inside becomes visible outside.
Life Example
Think about someone who has genuinely walked with God for many years.
They may not notice every little change happening in themselves. But gradually, the person who once reacted immediately in anger begins responding with wisdom. The person who could never forgive begins releasing offences. The fearful person develops quiet confidence in God.
The change did not happen overnight.
The yeast was working.
This is why we should never despise the quiet work God is doing inside us simply because we cannot yet see dramatic results.
Pause and Reflect
As I seek the Kingdom of God, am I only asking God to change what is around me, or am I allowing Him to change what is within me?
What area of my character still needs to come under the rule of the King?
Perhaps today my prayer should simply be:
“Lord, let Your Kingdom reach every part of me.”
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I seek Your Kingdom above all else. I do not want Your Kingdom merely around me; I want Your rule within me. Holy Spirit, work deeply in my heart. Enter the places I have protected from Your correction and transformation. Change my thinking, my attitudes, my words, my desires and my responses.
Lord, even when I cannot see what You are doing, help me trust that You are working. Let Your Kingdom spread through every area of my life until what is inside me becomes visible in how I live. May people encounter the character of my King t
THE MUSTARD SEED — NEVER DESPISE A SMALL BEGINNING
Key Scripture
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his field. It’s the smallest of all seeds. But when it’s grown, it’s the largest of all vegetable plants. It becomes a tree so that the birds in the sky come and nest in its branches.” — Matthew 13:31–32 (CEB)
Reflection and Teaching
Jesus compares His Kingdom to something surprisingly small—a mustard seed. Looking at the seed, you would never imagine what it could become. Yet hidden inside that tiny seed is the potential for something much greater.
This teaches us an important truth about God’s Kingdom: God does not always begin big. Jesus Himself entered the world as a baby, was raised in Nazareth and began with a small group of disciples. Yet from that seemingly small beginning, the Gospel has reached nations and generations.
Sometimes we overlook what God is doing because it appears too small. We want the big miracle, the large opportunity and the immediate breakthrough. Yet the Kingdom often begins with a seed: one prayer, one act of obedience, one Scripture believed, one person helped, one decision to forgive, one step of faith.
When we seek the Kingdom, we must learn to value God’s beginnings. The question is not, “How big is it now?” The question is, “Did God plant it?” If God planted it, do not despise it because it is small.
Life Example
Imagine someone whom God places in your heart to help. Perhaps you cannot solve all their problems. You cannot change their whole life. All you can do is provide one meal, pay one small account, make one telephone call, pray with them or speak one encouraging word.
It may feel insignificant.
But Kingdom seeds grow.
That person may regain hope because somebody cared. Their restored hope may strengthen their family. Their testimony may later encourage another person. What started as one small act of obedience can produce fruit you may never personally see.
This is how the Kingdom works. You plant what God gives you; God determines how large it becomes.
Pause and Reflect on Your Life
What small thing has God placed in my hands that I have been overlooking because it does not appear important?
Have I delayed obedience because I am waiting until I have more money, more influence, more confidence or a bigger opportunity?
Perhaps God is not asking you for something big today. Perhaps He is asking:
“Will you plant the seed I have already given you?”
Do not compare your seed with somebody else’s tree. Their tree also started somewhere.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have overlooked small beginnings because I wanted something bigger. Teach me to see my life through the eyes of Your Kingdom.
Help me to obey You in the small things. If You give me one person to encourage, let me encourage them. If You give me one opportunity to serve, let me serve faithfully. If You give me one Word to believe, help me hold onto it.
Lord, I will plant what You place in my hands and trust You with the growth. May every small act of obedience in my life become a seed through which Your Kingdom touches others.
I will not despise the seed because I know the God who gives the increase.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When it was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and put the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away.” — Matthew 13:47–48 (NLT)
Reflection and Teaching
Jesus now describes the Kingdom as a fishing net thrown into the sea. The net does not catch only one kind of fish; it gathers “fish of every kind.” This is a beautiful picture of God’s invitation. The Gospel reaches people from every nation, background, status and history. The Kingdom is not reserved for a special class of people. Everyone is invited.
But Jesus does not end the parable with the gathering. When the net becomes full, it is brought to shore and the fish are separated. Jesus explains that at the end of the age there will also be a separation between the righteous and the wicked (Matthew 13:49–50). Therefore, being caught in the net is not the same as truly belonging to the King.
This challenges us. We can be surrounded by Christianity, attend church, know Scripture, participate in worship and still need to ask: Has Jesus truly become King of my life? Romans 10:9 reminds us that salvation involves confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead.
Seeking the Kingdom is therefore more than seeking God’s blessings. It begins with surrendering ourselves to the King. The Kingdom cannot be separated from the authority of its King. If Jesus is King, then His Word directs me, His will matters more than mine, and my life should increasingly reflect His character.
Life Example
Think about a fishing net pulled from the sea. While everything is still underwater, all the fish appear to be together. Only when the net reaches the shore does the distinction become clear.
The same can happen in church. Two people may sit next to each other, sing the same songs, hear the same sermon and carry the same Bible. Outwardly they appear similar, but God sees the heart.
Jesus warned, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21 NLT).
This is not meant to make us live in fear. It is an invitation to examine whether our relationship with God is genuine. Do I merely know about Jesus, or have I surrendered my life to Him?
Pause and Reflect on Your Life
If Jesus is truly my King, what evidence of His rule can be seen in my life? Does His Word influence my decisions, relationships, finances, forgiveness and behaviour?
Am I seeking the Kingdom because I want what God can give me, or because I genuinely want God Himself?
The treasure taught us the Kingdom is worth everything. The pearl taught us to seek it above everything. The net now reminds us: make sure your relationship with the King is real.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You that Your Kingdom invitation reaches everyone, including me. Search my heart and reveal anything that is merely outward religion without inward surrender.
I confess Jesus Christ as my Lord and King. Let Your Word govern my decisions, Your Spirit transform my character and Your will direct my life. I do not want merely to stand among those who know about Your Kingdom; I want to belong completely to You.
As I seek Your Kingdom above everything else, make my life evidence that the King truly lives and reigns within me. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
