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Kingdom Tension Part 9 Devotionals

Day 1: The Divine Plan

Devotional Have you ever marveled at how intricately planned your favorite movie or book is? Every detail matters, every scene has purpose. Yet even the greatest human stories pale in comparison to God’s redemption story. From the very beginning, God had a perfect plan to rescue humanity. This wasn’t a last-minute solution or a reactive measure – it was His loving intention from the start. When sin entered the world, God already knew how He would make things right. His plan wasn’t just good – it was perfect, purposeful, and personal. This should bring us incredible comfort. Our salvation isn’t based on chance or human wisdom, but on God’s careful, loving design that has been in motion since before time began.

Bible Verse

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Reflection Question

How does knowing that your salvation was part of God’s intentional plan from the beginning change how you view your relationship with Him?

Quote The good news is the plan of God. It wasn’t just some sort of random event. It was a plan.

Prayer

Father, thank You for Your perfect plan of salvation. Help me rest in the knowledge that You have always had my best interests at heart. Let this truth deepen my trust in You. Amen.

Day 2: Divine Accomplishment, Not Human Achievement

Devotional We often fall into the trap of thinking we need to earn God’s love or somehow contribute to our salvation. But the beauty of the gospel is that it’s entirely God’s work. When we couldn’t reach Him, He reached down to us. When we couldn’t save ourselves, He provided the way. This truth liberates us from the exhausting cycle of trying to be ‘good enough.’ Our role isn’t to achieve salvation but to receive it with grateful hearts. God has done all the heavy lifting – He sent His Son, provided the sacrifice, and offers us new life. Our part is simply to say ‘yes’ to His amazing gift.

Bible Verse

“He canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us. He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.” – Colossians 2:13-14

Reflection Question

In what areas of your spiritual life are you still trying to earn what God has freely given?

Quote The gospel is a divine accomplishment. God does it because we can’t.

Prayer

Lord, help me to stop striving and start receiving. Thank You that Your work is complete and perfect. Let me rest in Your finished work today. Amen.

Day 3: Complete Forgiveness

Devotional Imagine carrying a heavy backpack filled with rocks – each representing past mistakes, regrets, and sins. Now imagine someone taking that backpack off your shoulders, throwing it into the deepest ocean, never to be seen again. That’s what God’s forgiveness is like. Through Jesus’s sacrifice, He dealt with ALL our sins – past, present, and future. This complete forgiveness isn’t meant to make us feel guilty, but to free us for relationship with God. When we truly grasp this truth, it transforms how we live. We no longer serve God out of obligation or fear, but out of love and gratitude.

Bible Verse

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” – Romans 8:1-2

Reflection Question

How might your daily life look different if you truly believed you were completely forgiven?

Quote He dealt with all of your sins, all the ones you have done, all the ones you will do. Everything has been done against you, all that mess. It all gets taken care of in the cross.

Prayer

Father, thank You for Your complete forgiveness. Help me live in the freedom of knowing I am fully forgiven and deeply loved. Amen.

Day 4: Becoming God’s Child

Devotional Being a Christian isn’t just about following rules or attending church – it’s about becoming part of God’s family. When we accept Jesus, we’re not just forgiven; we’re adopted. We become children of God with all the privileges and intimacy that comes with that relationship. This means we can approach God not as distant subjects, but as beloved children. We have direct access to our heavenly Father, who delights in us and wants us to enjoy His presence. This relationship transforms everything about how we live and interact with God.

Bible Verse

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” – John 1:12

Reflection Question

What would change in your prayer life if you truly saw yourself as God’s beloved child rather than just a follower?

Quote I think so many people who’ve made a decision to follow Jesus get all wrapped up in trying to perform well enough to make it work somehow that they don’t really enjoy God the way they should. He wants you to enjoy him.

Prayer

Abba Father, thank You for making me Your child. Help me to live in the confidence and joy of being Your beloved. Let me experience the depth of Your fatherly love today. Amen.

Day 5: Living in Response

Devotional When we truly understand what Jesus has done for us, it naturally changes how we live. Not because we have to, but because we want to. The Holy Spirit living within us transforms our desires and empowers us to live differently. This isn’t about following rules or meeting expectations – it’s about responding to love with love. When we say yes to Jesus, we begin a journey of becoming more like Him, not through our own effort, but through His work in us. Our lives become a grateful response to His amazing grace.

Bible Verse

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.” – Romans 5:11

Reflection Question

How has your relationship with Jesus changed your desires and actions in practical ways?

Quote You say yes to Jesus, you won’t want to live like that anymore. Because when you say yes to Jesus, your life will be changed and impacted. Holy Spirit will live in you.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, continue to transform me from the inside out. Help me live in response to Your love, not out of obligation but out of joy. Amen.

Join us at Keys Vineyard Church in person or online or connect with our Bible Institute for more sermons, courses, etc.

Kingdom Tension Part 8 Devotionals

Day 1: Living Between Two Ages

Devotional We live in the present age while belonging to God’s coming kingdom. This creates a unique tension in our lives – but it’s a tension that God designed for our good. Just like a guitar string needs the right tension to produce beautiful music, this spiritual tension in our lives can produce something beautiful when we understand its purpose. We’re citizens of heaven living as ambassadors on earth. While we experience the broken reality of this present age, we also carry within us the hope and power of God’s perfect kingdom that is coming.

Bible Verse

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Ephesians 1:21

Reflection Question

In what specific ways do you experience the tension between living in this world while belonging to God’s kingdom? How does this awareness impact your daily choices?

Quote Christians exist in a unique tension between two realities – the present evil age and the coming age of God’s perfect kingdom. Since the Fall, Satan has held authority over this present evil age, but through Christ’s death and resurrection, the power of the future kingdom has already begun breaking into our world.

Prayer

Father, thank you that while we live in this present age, we belong to Your kingdom. Help us embrace this tension rather than fight against it. Give us wisdom to live as Your representatives while we await the fullness of Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 2: The Spirit’s Guarantee

Devotional Think about putting a deposit down on a house – it’s a promise of what’s to come. In an infinitely more meaningful way, God has given us His Holy Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing our future inheritance. This isn’t just a nice theological concept – it’s a living reality! The Spirit within us is actively working, transforming us day by day. While we might not be perfect yet, we’re not who we used to be. Each small victory over sin, each moment of choosing love over anger, each act of forgiveness – these are signs of the Spirit’s work in us.

Bible Verse

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” – Ephesians 1:13-14

Reflection Question

What evidence of the Holy Spirit’s transforming work have you seen in your life over the past year? How does this encourage you about God’s ongoing work in your life?

Quote We have Holy Spirit who’s in us, and he leads us and he guides us and he teaches and he nurtures. He’s a paraclete. He comes alongside to help. And we need to be aware that he’s doing that because that’s what he’s doing.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, thank you for being the guarantee of our inheritance in Christ. Continue Your transforming work in us, making us more like Jesus each day. Help us to recognize and celebrate the changes You’re producing in our lives. Amen.

Day 3: Embracing the Tension

Devotional Sometimes we try to resolve every tension in our lives, but not all tension is bad. Think of a suspension bridge – it stands strong because of carefully balanced tension. Similarly, the tension we feel as believers between the ‘now’ and ‘not yet’ of God’s kingdom isn’t something to eliminate – it’s something to embrace. This tension keeps us both grounded in our present reality and hopeful for our future glory. It reminds us that while we’re not home yet, we’re definitely on our way!

Bible Verse

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6

Reflection Question

How might viewing spiritual tension as positive rather than negative change your perspective on the challenges you face in your faith journey?

Quote The solution to the tension is that there is no solution to the tension. And what you have to do with the tension is embrace it. And that somehow in that, and embracing that tension becomes the reality that that’s where life really is. That for the child of God, tension a wonderful thing.

Prayer

Lord, help us embrace the tension of living between two worlds. Thank You that this tension serves Your purpose in our lives. Give us grace to live faithfully in this present age while keeping our eyes fixed on Your coming kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 4: Living with Holy Longing

Devotional Have you ever felt a deep longing for something more, even when life seems good? That’s not a sign something’s wrong – it’s a sign something’s right! As believers, we’re meant to feel a holy discontent with this present world. We’ve tasted the goodness of God’s kingdom, and nothing less will fully satisfy. This longing isn’t meant to make us miserable, but to keep us moving forward, anticipating the perfect fulfillment that awaits us in God’s presence.

Bible Verse

“I tell you the truth, Jesus replied, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.” – Mark 10:29-30

Reflection Question

What spiritual longings do you experience? How can these longings serve as reminders of your true citizenship in God’s kingdom?

Quote At some point the realization was, is that longing was just for what’s coming. And nothing is going to satisfy this side of that happening. It’s just part of the gig.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that our longings point us toward our true home with You. Help us not to be discouraged by these feelings, but to let them fuel our hope and anticipation of Your coming kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 5: Kingdom Power for Today

Devotional While we await the fullness of God’s kingdom, we’re not left powerless in the present. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, the power of the future kingdom has already broken into our world! We can experience genuine tastes of God’s kingdom power now – in transformed relationships, in victory over sin, in supernatural peace amid chaos. Every act of forgiveness, every choice to love, every moment of joy in God’s presence is a preview of the coming kingdom.

Bible Verse

“But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” – Galatians 1:1-5

Reflection Question

Where have you seen evidence of God’s kingdom power breaking into your daily life? How can you more intentionally live in this kingdom power?

Quote The age to come is future, but because of Jesus inauguration, how he inaugurated the kingdom at the cross, we can now taste the powers of the age to come.

Prayer

King Jesus, thank You for bringing Your kingdom power into our present reality. Help us to live as kingdom people today, demonstrating Your love, power, and presence to a watching world. May Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

Join us at Keys Vineyard Church in person or online or connect with our Bible Institute for more sermons, courses, etc.

Kingdom Tension Part 7 Devotionals

Day 1: More Than Bricks and Mortar

Devotional When you hear the word ‘church,’ what comes to mind? Perhaps a building with stained glass windows or a steeple reaching toward the sky. Yet God’s vision of church is far grander and more beautiful than any physical structure. The church is a living, breathing community of believers spanning all of time and space, united by our faith in Jesus Christ. You are part of something truly extraordinary – a family that transcends geographical boundaries and generational gaps. This identity gives profound meaning to our daily lives and relationships.

Bible Verse

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. – Ephesians 1:22-23

Reflection Question

How does understanding that you’re part of this vast, eternal family of believers change the way you view your role in God’s kingdom?

Quote If you are a follower of Christ, you are a part of the body of Christ, the church. And it’s just so amazing when we think about the thought of that we’re a part of a group of all Christians who follow Jesus that have ever lived. That is a really big church.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for including me in Your global family of believers. Help me grasp the magnitude of what it means to be part of Your church. Guide me to live worthy of this calling today. Amen.

Day 2: God’s Wisdom Through the Cross

Devotional In a world that often prizes complexity and intellectual sophistication, God’s greatest wisdom comes through what appears foolish to many – the cross of Christ. This profound paradox reveals God’s heart and power. Through Jesus’s sacrifice, God made a way for humanity to be reconciled to Him. When we embrace this truth, we become living testimonies to God’s wisdom. Our lives demonstrate that true power lies not in human strength or wisdom, but in humble surrender to Christ.

Bible Verse

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:18-24

Reflection Question

In what ways has the ‘foolishness’ of the cross proven to be wisdom in your own life journey?

Quote This mystery that we’ve read about is this, that it’s God, the wisdom of God on the cross. It’s the wisdom of God is that on the cross. Jesus made a way not just for eternal life, but for people who believe in Him.

Prayer

Father, thank You for the wisdom of the cross. Help me embrace its power in my life and share its truth with others. May I never be ashamed of this beautiful mystery. Amen.

Day 3: Created for Good Works

Devotional Have you ever wondered about your purpose? God has already thought about this! You weren’t created by accident – you were intentionally crafted as God’s masterpiece with specific good works in mind. These aren’t just random acts of kindness, but divine appointments prepared in advance for you to fulfill. Each day presents opportunities to live out this purpose, making a difference in ways both big and small. Your life has profound meaning in God’s grand design.

Bible Verse

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10

Reflection Question

What good works has God placed in your path today that you might have overlooked?

Quote You were created to do good things for the kingdom of God. That is one of your missions of life. Know that you were created to do good for the kingdom of God.

Prayer

Dear God, open my eyes to see the good works You’ve prepared for me today. Give me courage to step into these opportunities with faith and joy. Amen.

Day 4: Contentment in Every Season

Devotional Life’s circumstances can change dramatically – from abundance to scarcity, from joy to challenge. Yet through Christ, we can find contentment in every season. This isn’t about passive acceptance but active trust in God’s presence and provision. When we keep God in the equation of our lives, we discover a strength that transcends our circumstances. This contentment becomes a powerful testimony to others of God’s faithfulness.

Bible Verse

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:12-13

Reflection Question

What situation in your life right now needs to be viewed through the lens of God’s presence and provision?

Quote Always keep God in the equation. You know, always keep God in the equation. No matter the situation, whether it’s yours or someone else’s, always keep God in the equation.

Prayer

Lord, teach me the secret of contentment in all circumstances. Help me trust Your presence and provision in every season of life. Amen.

Day 5: Armed for Battle

Devotional Each day, we’re engaged in a spiritual battle that requires spiritual preparation. This isn’t about physical conflict but about standing firm in faith against forces that would pull us away from God’s truth and purpose. By putting on God’s armor – truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and His Word – we’re equipped to face whatever challenges come our way. Remember, you’re not fighting alone; you’re part of God’s army, supported by His strength and your fellow believers.

Bible Verse

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. – Ephesians 6:12

Reflection Question

Which piece of God’s armor do you most need to strengthen in your life right now?

Quote The armor of God is something that we need to prepare us for these battles that we face. We have this opportunity to arm ourselves fully in the suit of armor that God gives us when we pray, and we make that a part of our lives.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me put on Your full armor today. Strengthen me for the spiritual battles I face, and help me stand firm in Your truth and power. Amen.

Join us at Keys Vineyard Church in person or online or connect with our Bible Institute for more sermons, courses, etc.