Today’s devotional reading: Romans 12:16-21

If you don’t live for the kingdom today, how will you be able to live in it tomorrow? One of the most confusing things I have seen in Christianity is the selective obedience that one thinks will get them into heaven.

The Lord commands that we love Him wholeheartedly, and in that love, He commands that we love our neighbor – all of those who are around us. Yet, many of us pick and choose who we will truly love, rather than love our neighbor. Jesus taught the Parable of the Good Samaritan to teach what having compassion for one who may not love you in return looks like. Believers ought to live in conduct that is holy today, because only holy conduct will make up the kingdom of heaven.

If we cannot live holy today, don’t think for a second that God will be pleased and permit your unholiness to be a part of the eternal. Revelation 21:1-4 tells us that the former ways of the world will pass away and all things will be new when the new heaven and new earth come forth. The Lord said that there will be no more death, no sorrow, no crying, and no more pain. Wickedness and evil, the great adversary himself, and sin will be cast from the Lord for everlasting life (Rev. 20:7-15).

So, if your desire is the kingdom, live for it today! As Paul said, don’t answer evil with evil, as evil should not be within your heart. Let us do our very best to live peaceably with all of those who are around us. Even though the world is given in to darkness, let your heart continue to be filled with the fruits of the Spirit so that you aren’t brought down to the point of living against the kingdom.