The greatest pearl of the Kingdom is the realization that God has written His desires on our hearts. We all reach a stage in the transition from servant to King when we have to choose to pursue our heart’s desire instead of a shopping list of do’s and don’ts. Obedience is a great starting place. We learn to lay down our carnal desires and start our lives over again around God’s plan. In our spiritual youth we know God as “the Boss” and relate to Him as a faithful servant or steward. However, when we mature in Christ, we get invited to a much more conversational and personal relationship with the Lord. We learn to trust the desires of our heart and exercise the power and authority that God has given us for ourmetron or sphere of influence.
Building the Kingdom – Doing what the Father is doing in the area of our own heart’s desire is the sweet spot of life. It starts with choosing the thing that God has placed in our hearts. We move from experiencing the presence and power of God in church to experiencing those same things in our own vocation or business. It’s an entirely new level of authority, and for the first time we understand what Jesus meant when he invited his disciples to ask “whatsoever.” We know that God is interested in what we’re doing… we understand that He’s doing the same thing!
Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. John 15:15-16 NIV
Hearts need a reason – We all eat and pay bills. When our vocation fits within a larger Kingdom scheme that belongs to God, work takes on a whole new perspective and our hearts are in touch with the real reason behind it all. We all have the opportunity to play an important role in something much larger than ourselves. This simple Kingdom dynamic releases a host of little things pertinent to our daily life. Everything starts to make a lot more sense and life becomes an adventure of exciting expectations.
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt 6:31-34 NIV
A deeper reason – It’s fun to find our purpose and touch the power of God to do exploits. It all leads to something deeper… Jesus. When we think of all the Biblical and practical principles that lead to success and ministry, it’s a big pile! Jesus explained it this way, “all the law and the prophets can be summed up in two phrases, “love God” and “love your brother.”
Guess what? The next Eureka for me was that everything in the Kingdom works through love. The deepest reason for life that our hearts need to know and experience is loving Jesus, and that one flows right into loving people, and that one flows right into making sense out of that pile of complication. Life is really simple. So is creating wealth and converting money into ministry. Our hearts long to be loved and to love.
