May 25, 2018 – Romans 14:17

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17.

What makes God our Lord?  Isaiah 37:16 contains these words: You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth.  Can any mortal man declare such power?

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.  I Corinthians 4:20. Can a mortal man live a life of goodness and peace and joy on this earth alone?  It is only through the Holy Spirit we can experience goodness, peace, and joy.  Is this an idle life? No, it is a ‘serving and loving others’ life.  Ephesians 5:5 underlines this truth, You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

When our attitude portrays a giving and loving heart, it reveals the attitude of Christ.  Philippians 2 gives us a pattern of thinking acceptable to God. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:3-4.

Do everything without complaining and arguing,  so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.  Philippians 2:14 – 16.