All we have to do is turn on the TV, flip through social media, or take a close look at our own lives to see how different the kingdom of this world is from the kingdom of heaven. Yet can I be honest with you?
I don’t always know what to do when I encounter someone in need. There have been days where I fiddle with my radio and try not to make eye contact with someone who is having a hard time. I’ve always wrestled, going back and forth between dreading an awkward encounter and wanting others to see Jesus in me. Do you ever feel the same?
With our eyes on the wrong kingdom, it’s easy to believe the things that matter are our next promotion or how many influential friends we’re able to collect. But all the while, the clock is ticking. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells two parables. There are ten virgins waiting on the groom and three servants who are given money to invest by their master.
In each story, the virgins and servants are given something of value. For the virgins, it was their lamps, which some brought oil for and others didn’t (Matthew 25:3–4). The master’s servants were given various numbers of talents. Two invested theirs, while one buried his in fear (vv.16–18). Both parables include a time of waiting. Both the groom and master come back when they’re least expected. Ultimately, the virgins who failed to come prepared miss out on the celebration. The servant who didn’t invest what He had lost everything.
Their action, investment, and preparation for the kingdom mattered. The same goes for us.
Friend, what are we doing with the gifts we’ve been given? Are we hiding, afraid of feeling awkward because we don’t know the right thing to do? Do we only think about helping when someone is right in front of us, or when the need feels easy to meet? What if our moments of discomfort are actually opportunities to consider how to share God’s kindness, beyond just the immediate moment? Jesus reminds us in Matthew 25:40, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'”
We don’t know when Jesus will return. But Scripture reminds us there is no time to waste. This gospel we have is the truth our world desperately needs. So what will we do with the time we have?
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48 thoughts on "The Kingdom of Heaven"
Lord we are thankful you are good!
Amen let God reveal my truth
Hello friend! I encourage you to consider what tools God given you to be His helper, his hands & feet? Jesus himself generally did not help others by gifting them money, but he spent time in prayer, and time encouraging & loving them using the talents given from His father ♥️
Don’t forget the oil ❤️
“So what will we do with the time we have?” – Abby Flynn’s reflections
❤️
Let our light shine before men, have faith, love God and our brothers, be prepared…attend to our souls, be in fear of the Lord for we know not the day or hour of judgement.
God is great
Always work to be ready
Amen. Let me use my gifts daily
Good Morning She’s! Reading through comments and am blessed by your words. Praying for each prayer request mentioned. CAROL, praying for your daughter and son-in-love. And for you and those around you as you encourage and pray and minister to them.
Thank you for sharing in the SRT community. I am challenged and encouraged by all the comments and prayer support. May we all find ways to share the blessing of knowing Christ as our savior to those around us! We truly our rich, let’s not keep this wealth to ourselves!
A good reminder to be diligent and intentional about all the moments of our lives. At the end of the year I always do a big project with my students and this year I think I’m going to try and figure out how I could do a community outreach project and help them figure out ways they could reach their community. Still mulling it over and seeing if it’s a reality but I think it would be so cool!
I am praying for each request I’ve read here tonight. Blessings to each of you and those you hold dear.
Happy Friday shes :) We got a big snow day today :)
Matthew 25 was one of my favorite chapters to visit and meditate on. I remember a testimony of someone that God once gave a dream, a child actually, and it was Matthew 25 that the Lord gave to this child to share with others. I have adored this text and cherished it with all my heart. I see the spectrum of humanity described metaphorically in Matthew 25, wise to foolish, skillful & hardworking for God’s kingdom to the slothful and cowardly. The church is comprised of the foolish crowd and the wise crowd, both the diligent and those pretending to be busy. The foolish will always try to ask for the grace of the wise. Each time I read this parable something new and profound was revealed, today, the thing that the Holy Spirit pointed to… is to SAY NO to the foolish crowd within the believer’s community. Isn’t the Lord stern? The tendency of “people pleasing” within me started objecting, how could I, isn’t that so rude Lord? No it’s not rude. You must say no at some point, or you will be completely without any oil. The Lord recently led me to finish a book called “The Best yes” by Lysa Terkeurst (great and fun read), and He taught me through the wisdom of the book of saying no in our practical life within the church community. I highly recommend if you are like me, I am somewhat a high performer personality who likes to outperform a task, I find it so hard to say no to several requests from church, especially from church leaders who might “demand” in the name of the Lord. Yesterday we learnt about the Pharisees who crush people with many demands/burdens without doing anything to help (Matthew 23:4). My recent “church hurt” was from this experience that this verse warns us, i fell into a depression for two years plus because of the betrayal and use of the pharisees in my community that i failed to realize. I wish none of you has to experience what I had. Say no to your “foolish virgins”, whatever form they might come in, even the Lord himself shut the door on them, saying “I never knew you”. Being Christlike is what we must be, NOT people pleasing. God does not say yes to everyone! Be kind but FIRM!
Praying for you dear shes @Kimberly Z, Carol M, Alayna, for strength and comfort and the families going through hurt/grief.
@Mari V, how is your car situation? I kept thinking about you, hopefully you have a vehicle to get around, and prepped for court.
Be blessed dear sisters. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend.
Honestly I have started asking God to nudge me if I should help someone who is on the street with a sign, sometimes He does, others not. We give to several groups who assist those on the street and down on their luck as well. If the Lord needs more I feel he will tell me where it is needed. I ask this if Him daily.
Abby’s questions that she poses in her devotional really made me think, do I do ALL I CAN for those around me, whether I know them or not? I would like to think I do, BUT GOD.., forgive me because I know I don’t. I either don’t have the time, feel I don’t have the resources or just plain ignore them.
Father God forgive my non-caring, nonchalant, I have better things to do attitude. HELP ME to be more like Your Son Christ Jesus and care for ALL those around me. Amen.
Sisters be blessed and do something special or unexpected for a stranger this weekend.
This reminds me of the daily wisdom reading I do from The Keller that said “wisdom is giving immediately when there is a need”…are we ready? For the kingdom? For helping others? For recognizing God’s blessings and putting them to use? So blessed by this reading series and accompanying podcasts. What a wonderful way to start 2023! I want to live ready for the kingdom!
Lord give me a heart of service
We are sadden that our sweet friend went home to our savior last night. At the same time we are comforted by the fact that she is not in anymore pain. This came on so quick and suddenly but I am so thankful her kids and family had time to say their goodbyes. @CAROL M. Praying for your hard situation. I am a radiation therapist who treats cancer patients so I know how hard this journey can be for people. Praying it gets better for everybody. @SEARCHING and everybody else who stopped to pray for our sweet friend thank you so much. I know how much it means to us.
I am so grateful to have a strong faith when things are heavy and hard. Even though I am stricken with more anxiety than I would like to have I know God has a better plan for all of us. Praying for everybody’s requests today. Happy Friday!
I meant NOT ideal
I would just like to share about a pastor I know (not my church). Besides her own church, in a very nice town, she recognized the need of the homeless and marginalized. She started the Church Without Walls in our capital city. Every Saturday afternoon, no matter the weather conditions, she holds a service in a park. I live in the northeast so conditions are many times ideal. Some of the homeless have formed a choir and play instruments. Not everyone speaks English but Linda manages to spread His word and give hope. My church, right now, is collecting winter coats, hats, gloves, socks and granola bars to pass out in two weeks and worship with them. Not everyone who goes will feel comfortable, but that’s the point. Jesus doesn’t always ask us to go to places where we feel comfortable but I think the opposite. Lifting all in prayer and for those grieving. Have a blessed weekend.
Im so glad to be in this community of Jesus!
@Carol M- God bless your family. May your faith be a testimony to those around you- that God is real and He loves and knows all their questions. May He continue to prove Himself faithful to your daughter in law & son. May the Lord continue to reveal Himself in this period of hardship. May they see His goodness despite their immense pain and suffering. He knows and He sees. God bless them to have eyes to see and ears to truly hear. Love to you, Carol!!! <3
Love all you Shes. I have felt the comfort of the Holy Spirit since typing out my comment here yesterday. I pray thanksgiving to the Lord for His great mercy towards us. I praise Him for putting us all together in this daily prayer forum. He is certainly near to it. God bless the SRT staff :) they help create such a place of encouragement and wisdom.
<3
Help me to use my gifts & blessing wisely.
To be ready for you Lord Jesus ❤️
I am humbled! Or better yet I was humbled by the “gentle” reminder by my sweet young JW friend (a couple days ago) that we all sometimes need to extend “grace“ to “that coworker” because we never know what’s going on in their lives. She remembers how unjustly I have been treated in the past and wishes I had not been treated that way therefore, we have an opportunity here to extend the same grace to “that person” who deserves it. A gentle OUCH! Happy Friday sweet SRT sisters!
KIMBERLY Z – thank you for your encouragement the other day. Praying for your hard situation too.
This reading and devo brings to mind Matthew 26:36-46. Am I “awake” in service or too much at “rest” to see what is going on around me. I so relate to your devo, ABBY FLYNN! Thank you for the challenge!
SEARCHING, you are welcome! Same decade here. Love what you share, too!
Prayers appreciated for an outreach project of our SS class. Lifting you all in prayer.
Carol,
Praying for you and your entire family as my family also walks through a season of mourning. I am thankful that we don’t walk this path alone and we will see our loved ones again. I am quickly learning that there are no perfect words to take the pain away but find such peace in resting in the everlasting arms of our heavenly Father and His Word that never changes. <3
@carol I am praying for your loved ones. I can’t imagine how hard this must be but my mantra this year is that God has a plan. My college age son seems to be questioning his faith along with his girlfriend so I too have to watch what I say -I tend to be a pretty passionate person about my faith. I will keep loving and praying and relying on God and not my own understanding. May God guide you and intervene in your kids’ lives.
And may we all seek His kingdom first and live it out here on earth.
ML
Carol M, so very sorry for your loss and continued grief for you dil who is suffering without Jesus to lean on. Praying for all of you for returned faith and a miraculous outcome in body and in soul!
Praying for other sisters who are suffering loss and ill health right now.
Good morning, Friends…Today, I am filled with both great Joy and great sadness…Brittney 34 Went home to Jesus yesterday, after a courageous 2. 1/2 year battle with aggressive breast cancer… leaving an incredible husband and 2 children, 4 and 6…as well as two loving sets of parents and siblings…not to mention a devastated church family… and yet as we gathered on the eve of her graduation to pray and worship the God she loved so dearly, and to praise Him for her life and His goodness… there was the beginning of healing… that only our precious Father, Son and Holy Spirit provides!!
On the other hand, my precious daughter in law is just in the beginning of her treatment journey..,, she is facing rigorous chemo at the start, followed by surgery and possibly radiation… the cancer is invasive and fast growing… thankfully caught in a very early stage.., the other cancer, that of questioning and deconstructing her ( and my son’s) previously strong faith is leaving her desolate… without hope… she is very courageous, but it is so difficult to know how to encourage her and walk with her/them on this journey, it’s like we have to learn a different language… encouraging verses, let me pray with you, all seems offensive… I do slip an occasional “” or “praying for you” into my texts and conversations… she seems so empty and almost like she’s stranded in a desert… Please lift her/them to Jesus.., they were both raised to love Jesus, and both have served Him well… please pray that the Word that they have studied and memorized, will be brought to their souls, and minister healing to their broken spirits, and replace the darkness that they have welcomed into the deep places of their minds and spirits…restoring them to wholeness in Christ Jesus!!
I know this is a long post, but the contrast of these two journeys is almost more than I can bear… so thankful I can share this burden with caring sisters! We serve an amazing God, and are blessed to walk this journey together!!
Hi Ladies, I’m asking prayers for our nanny from when my kids were young. She is an amazing Christian lady and who has touched so many kids’ lives. She recently got sick and it damaged her heart. She is now waiting for a heart transplant. Please pray for healing for her.
It’s so easy to compartmentalize charity. I’m challenged today to slow down and be discerning in situations to help those that need help even if they don’t deserve it because that is the gospel. None of us deserve anything.
@Victoria E , Praying for you !
Lord take my eyes off self. Let me see others through your eyes and give me your words to share Your Gospel
How many times have I missed an opportunity to serve someone on your name Lord. Please forgive me and open my eyes to see the need around me. Amen
Great devotion today! Definitely lots to think and reflect on. Lifting up all the prayer requests especially those grieving from loved ones passing away/being very sick/hospitalized.
I hope everyone has a great weekend! <3
Today’s reading really challenged me. What am I doing with the blessings I’ve been given? Am I putting them to work for God’s Kingdom? Investing them in the lives of others so they can yield a return? Or am I burying them within myself and my own family?
What an awful feeling it must have been for the 5 virgins who were not ready when the bridegroom returned. One opportunity – lost forever. I love God and know I am His child, but I ask myself – am I doing all I could or should be doing with what God has given me? This devotional is a good reminder to do a “self-check”. Am I using what God has given me to help and bless others and to bring Him glory? What can I do today, this week, this year to help further His kingdom? What can you? Lord open our eyes to the needs around us. Show us how we can bless others, share the gospel and bring glory to Your name. Do not let us find our selves “wanting” when we stand before You. May all of us be ready when we stand before you. Amen.
Thank you for your prayers for my in laws salvation (Al & Phyllis) and for an opportunity to give them the gospel during our visit.
Happy Friday my dear sisters!
This left me so convicted. I struggle to “hide my coin” instead of stepping out in faith. Thank you for your words of encouragement!
This is a challenge to my heart as well. Thank you for this. Have a wonderful weekend ladies!
Father open my spiritual eyes and prompt my heart to be Your hands and feet. In Jesus name, Amen
First thoughts from today’s Scriptures & devo – eternity is serious and we need to be serious about following Jesus, about keeping our hearts ready and about sharing the good news of Him when we can (and may our eyes and hearts recognize these opportunities).
2nd thing – never too old to learn … in nearly 7 decades, how have I never learned or been taught the value of a Talent? In the extra commentary (thank you CEE GEE!), the value of a talent is defined as equivalent to 15 years wages. We, as Christians, have been entrusted with something SO much more valuable than the 5 talents ( value=75 years wages) given to the first servant – the knowledge of Christ, His sacrifice, forgiveness, salvation and eternal life with Him for those who accept this amazing gift. Wow!
TINA – praying you are feeling better ❤️
ALAYNA P – so sorry for your loss
KIMBERLY Z – praying for comfort for your friend who had a stroke, and for those that love her
SHARON JERSEY GIRL – praying your in-laws hearts are ready for the good news of Jesus. Safe travels.
TRACI GENDRON – praying for your friend that needs Jesus, and especially for wisdom and guidance for you (your mention of not being pulled into temptation) in determining what environments you should avoid and safe options to suggest.
GRAMSIESUE- good point and connection- thank you
MICHELLE PATIRE – praying for your family
ALLISON BENTLEY – yes, are we ready? Someone said to me this week that everyday there are thousands of things that could happen – are we ready?
*faithful
” Do we only think about helping . . . when the need feels easy to meet? What if our moments of discomfort are actually opportunities to consider how to share God’s kindness, beyond just the immediate moment?”
Great challenge to my heart today!
SHARON, JERSEY GIRL – may the Spirit go before you and prepare the hearts of your inlaws. May the words you speak bring an immediate harvest. And if they don’t, know you were gaithful to do your part. The rest is up to God.
Amen!