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Seeking God with a Kingdom Perspective
Do you find that Seeking God is a challenge? Like sometimes you are seeking with no answers. Maybe you feel like you are looking for something that you may never find and because of it, you have “Christian Shame”. Shame because it seems like everyone around you is “getting it right”.
Today we are going to point you to scripture to encourage you to look to Jesus. Look to His perspective on His Kingdom and receive the peace that He offers. We are going to look at Seeking God with a Heart Like Christ by Seeking God with a Kingdom Perspective.
What exactly does that mean?
In the last post from this series, Seeking the Will of God Like Jesus, we looked at the life of Jesus and at three things that He did to seek the will of the Father. I know we want to live in His will so living by the example that Jesus gives us is so very important.
Seeking God means we set our sites on the reality of Heaven. We pray to the Father just as Christ does for us and we lose the guilt about having the formula for getting it all right.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
It is about getting to really know the Father and letting Him know you. It’s about getting to know His Son and living by Their examples. They gave us a wonderful instruction manual — The Bible — and in it, we are told to seek His kingdom first. Simply put, it means to look to God for everything.
Set Your Sites on the Realities of Heaven
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. Colossians 3:1-2 (NLT)
When I was a kid, I remember thinking I don't want to die. I believed that I was a Christian going to Heaven but quite honestly, I didn't want to go. It was beyond my grasp of reality. Share on X I felt like Heaven was unknown and a far off place while my life was “known” and I was afraid of losing my life. (Luke 17:33)
The fear of death overwhelmed me to the point that I didn’t want to know about Heaven or dying or anything of a future life. Fear had its grip on me and wouldn’t let go. I would even have nightmares of dying. This thinking went into my adult life.
Perspective Shift
God changed my perspective. He put in my path a pastor. He was an amazing beautiful soul. His years of life and study were reflected in his humility under the authority of God.
He spoke fluently about all things Jesus. He could speak and read both Hebrew and Greek and knew his Bible front to back and knew this verse and how it went with that verse.
But knowing all of that, He was a humble servant and barely took a compliment. He was someone I wanted to be around for hours soaking up all there was to know about Jesus.
I took a Bible study class with Him for over two years and every time the class would meet when our two hours were up, I didn’t want it to end. He seemed to have the secrets of God I only dreamed of knowing. I wanted to sit all day and listen to him talk about Jesus.
Better is One Day
And then Jesus revealed the most precious thing to my heart. If I could sit and listen to the pastor talk about Jesus for hours, what an amazing day it will be to sit at the feet of Jesus Himself! There I will be able to hear all that I have ever dreamed of hearing. I will be in the presence of the One person my heart longs for.
And my perspective of Heaven changed. I didn't need a new reality. I needed my gaze and focus to be shifted on Heaven's reality and to be focused on things above. Share on XThe reality of Heaven is that we will physically be in the presence of God. Able to sit and worship at the feet of Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:8) And there is nothing on this earth that is more glorious than that. The things of this earth will pass but He will remain forever.
My current reality of this earth is the Lord is not in some far off place. The Holy Spirit dwells in me and the presence of God is already sealed in me. (Ephesians 4:30).
The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18 (NLT)
I am reminded of the Praise Baby album we listened to night after night when my son was a baby. The song that gives me such peace and comfort is Better Is One Day. Better is one day in your house (Lord) than thousands elsewhere.
Jesus Prays to His Father
Have you ever thought about Christ praying for you? Even while on earth, He looked to His Father and prayed for you.
There is a beautiful prayer in John 17. Christ is praying to God. He prays for Himself, for His disciples and for all believers. I love the fact that Christ prays for us. Romans 8:34 reminds us of the fact that Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father pleading for us. Let me tell you, I need to be pleaded for. He is Amazing!
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed John 17:1(NIV)
What is Christ’s prayer? His prayer is that He will be made known. That the Father in Heaven will be made known through Him and through us. He prays that the world will recognize Him through the love that we share in His Name.
And right in the middle of His prayer, He prays this
They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. John 17:16-17 (NLT)
My grandpa used to walk around singing these lyrics. This world is not my home, I am just passing through.
Jesus wants us to remember this so much that He prayed this for us. He wanted us to know the fact that we have a home and it is with Him. There we can find great comfort and peace.
Even though our home is with Him, John goes on to record that Jesus says He put us on this earth to reveal Himself through our love to others. We have a Mission while we are passing through.
In a world that is conflicted by truth, you can be certain to hold onto to this truth. The Word of God is truth and through it, you are to be sanctified or made to be holy until the day you reach Him in Glory.
Get Rid of the Guilt and Shame
Maybe you think you have to get this Christian Life “just right” or it needs to look like the lady across the aisle at church and so you are discouraged from keeping a kingdom perspective. Christ alone was perfect. We just have to keep our focus on Him.
Truth comes from Scripture and knowing what God says about our reality. The reality is that one day in the presence of God is going to be better than a thousand years anywhere else. Just when we think we had our best day in Heaven, God is going to make it better.
The best part of Heaven is going to be the fact that we are in the presence of the Lord and He will reveal Himself to us.
The reality is God showed mercy on us, while we were sinners. Getting this all right is only going to be the reality in Heaven. Until then we will praise God for His grace as He continues to make us more like Him. (Romans 8:30)
Don’t feel shame or guilt for what you feel. Ask God to give you a new set of eyes. Ask Him to shift your focus to things above so that you can see things in this life a whole lot clearer.
Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. Psalm 105:3 (NASB)
Personal Reflections:
- Have you been able to give yourself grace about those feelings of doubt and shame when it comes having negative thoughts about Heaven?
- Have you prayed for God to correct and align your thinking with His Word?
- Do you have a Kingdom Perspective? Do you look forward to sitting at the feet of Jesus or is that something you still struggle with? Share on X
- If you struggle, ask God today to send someone in your like that makes you see Him in a clearer way or ask God to help you crave Him more?
- Do you feel like this world is your home or are you just passing through?
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I remember as a young believer having so many conflicting thoughts about spending an eternity it the presence of God and how difficult that was to unpack. Now, as a seasoned traveler, I simply cannot wait!
I am so glad to hear your excitement! I have talked to many who still feel stuck in the place I was in. I understand it and think it is okay but that is certainly something we have to wrestle out with God so that we can live in Peace with a kingdom or eternal perspective. Thanks for joining me, friend!
Thank you for sharing these beautiful thoughts about eternity. When I was first dealing with fibromyalgia, and the difficulty it caused me to be in large group settings, I went through a time where I felt that I couldn’t even think about Heaven. But then a sweet friend reminded me that all of these issues here will be fully healed there! Of course! What we cannot understand here, will make such perfect sense there. I am longing to be with HIM there so much!
Oh, Betty, that is so understandable. We get stuck in struggling with is right in front of us. Our vision becomes so nearsighted, doesn’t it? Thank the Lord that He sends people along to speak the truth into our lives and hearts when we can’t see outside of the now. What a blessing to us to hear how you are today rejoicing in the Lord for who He is! So glad you are joining us, friend!
I love that song. I pray many times for others that God will put people in their path to guide them. I love that we are never alone he is always close by to us all we have to do is call on him.
That is such a great idea, Maree. Sometimes we want that person to be us. We want to be the one that saves the situation or save the person from whatever they are struggling through but we should be grateful for anyone who God puts in that place if the person is pointed back to Him. I love that, too, sweet friend, that we are never more than a prayer away. Blessings to you, dear friend!
My day starts and ends horribly if I do not make a conscious effort to sit at the feet our Lord . It is something I Long to do. If you had asked me 15 years ago then I would have replied how I felt God had abandoned me . But He never ever did ! The greatest lover I have met and I long to see His face one day
I love to hear that when you sit and having time with Jesus He becomes something we crave. He is not someone or something we check off of our list. He is truly a friend and a love that I, too, long for! Thanks for joining us, Diana!
As a culture, our understanding of Heaven is based more on “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Touched by an Angel” than on Scripture. I can remember thinking that Heaven would not be very heavenly to me, but the more I learn, the more I realize that just as Aslan’s Country is Narnia in all its fullness, so Heaven will be all that God intended Earth to be for His much-loved children.
(Pinned the gorgeous image!)
What great reminders here, Jaime! Sometimes I find myself not longing for heaven because I can’t picture not being married to my husband. Silly, I know, because we won’t even care about marriage when we’re sitting at the feet of Jesus! But this was a good reminder that nothing will compare to the glory of being in God’s presence. My prayer is to have an eternal mindset every single day!
Your whole post is lovely, but at the mere mention of Praise Baby I am swept away into my kids baby days. I remember the Praise Baby DVD so well, my oldest listened daily! Thanks for reminding me of those sweet memories!
Wow! Beautiful, beautiful post, Jaime! Thank you so much for sharing and thank you so much for hosting! Hugs and blessings, sweet friend! 🙂
Better is one day, oh, I absolutely love that verse.
I’m so grateful for this truth: “We pray to the Father just as Christ does for us and we lose the guilt about having the formula for getting it all right.” The guilt is too heavy a burden to bear. No condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! Thanks, Jaime.
No condemnation in Christ. I am with you, I love knowing that Christ prayed for us, even before we came onto the scene. He prayed for His people. It is a heavy burden to bear to “get it all right”. It never ceases to amaze me and confirm to me that He knew what we would need long before we need it. He is so good to His children. So glad you are here, friend!
So glad to find your blog again,I love sitting among friends,sharing God’s word.
I am so glad that you are here, Stella, and visiting us. Thanks for connecting, friend!