“The deeper we grow in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the poorer we become – the more we realize that everything in life is a gift. The tenor of our lives becomes one of humble and joyful thanksgiving. Awareness of our poverty and ineptitude causes us to rejoice in the gift of being called out of darkness into wondrous light and translated into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son.” ~ Brennan Manning
In the Kingdom of God, we must never lose sight that our spiritual domain is from heaven, not from this world. It is common to believe our spirituality comes from within because the Holy Spirit dwells inside us, and we are easily confused as to where our faith comes from and where it resides. Jesus Himself said that His power did not come from within Himself but from His Father in heaven (John 5:19,30). Suppose we divorce ourselves from the idea of storing up treasures on earth and shift our ambition toward storing up treasures in heaven. In that case, we will experience a level of serenity, understanding, and effectiveness we never knew possible. Treasure in heaven is our soul purified (Revelation 3:18). It’s hard initially to follow Jesus, but our faith begins to sweeten and illuminates a contagious light the longer we follow without wavering. Love and service dominate our actions in the kingdom of God, and our real purpose becomes helping others discover life in the kingdom.
Scripture Readings
- Joshua 1:1-2:24
- Psalm 41:1-13
- Proverbs 13:15-16
- Luke 8:26-56
Reflection Questions
- What did you take away from today’s reflection and scripture readings?
- Do you reach within or above for your faith?
- Where is your spiritual domain?
- How are you becoming poorer in this world to become richer in heaven?
- What is spiritual poverty?
- Why does Jesus say, “Blessed are the poor?”
Prayer,
Lord, Thank You for my life. You have transformed my life, and I will never be the same again. Please never let me forget where the spiritual power resides and where Your domain reigns. One day Your kingdom will rule the earth as it does in heaven. Please help me not lose sight of my real purpose and call you on my life to help my siblings usher in Your kingdom. In Your Spirit and Name, I pray these things. May Your will not mine always materialize, now and forever, Amen.
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