The Keys to the Kingdom

“I'm having too much fun declaring & demonstrating the Kingdom of God; it's okay if He waits till he returns!"

R. Alan Woods, The Journey Is the Destination: A Book of Quotes With Commentaries

“What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.”

C. S. Lewis

What are the Keys to the Kingdom?  What Kingdom is being discussed here?  Am I in or out of the Kingdom?  If I’m out, how do I get in?

The phrase comes from Matthew 16:19, when Jesus says, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”  So the original context was spiritual and Jesus was talking about establishing God’s kingdom here on earth. 

What does that have to do with Purpose?  What does that have to do with these blogs?  I’ll be honest.   Without saying why, I will reveal that I have been undergoing a spiritual crisis in the last several years.  The reasons aren’t important, although I will say there is more than one reason.  By spiritual crisis, I mean I have come to doubt a great deal of what I grew up believing.  While this may be cause for alarm, it may also mean a deepening of my faith.

With regard to the kingdom, Jesus also said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.”  Again, what does this have to do with Purpose or blogs?

I believe my Purpose comes from God.  I believe He created me for a purpose.  I know that since I started writing I have seen my life change in unexpected and better ways.  And my faith has deepened because of it.

I also believe He created all of us for a Purpose.  Every single one of us.  One of the reasons for this Purpose is so that God can do His will on earth through each of us.  It has been said that God is a gentleman and won’t bother us if we don’t want to be bothered.  I haven’t found that to be the case, however.  Sometimes it felt like God never stopped bothering me until I started writing.

God is persistent, to say the least.  But there is a reason for it.  He has an agenda.  His agenda is for His purposes, but it is also for each of us.

In The Science of Getting Rich, Wallace Wattles said that when we do what we are called to do, it is God doing it through us.  Because He has chosen to not have a mortal body at this time, He uses ours.  So when we write, dance, sing, love our loved ones, work with children, teach, or start our businesses, if we are in our Purpose, then it is God doing these things through us.

This may be the reason I feel so good when I write.  We feel good when we are doing the things we are supposed to be doing.  Not just good, but complete or whole.  That is part of God’s purpose, too; to show us His way towards peace, happiness and significance.  This may be the reason there is often such a tremendous battle.  The kingdom is won through violence, with a sword.  Here are some of the other weapons I need:

·      Diligence

·      Patience

·      Vigilance

·      Persistence

·      Humility

·      Humor

·      Gratitude

·      Faith

·      Effort

·      Focus

·      Study

·      Love

If my Purpose truly is from God, then I have to take my stand.  And I have to do it every day.  Nothing else will do.  If I want to be part of the kingdom, then it means I must submit to my king.  That means being in my Purpose, in His Purpose for me.  Again, He doesn’t force me, but for some reason, he doesn’t let some of us rest until we are where we are supposed to be, doing the things we are supposed to be doing.

The idea that I’m fighting an earthly battle to establish a heavenly kingdom is one that appeals to me.  Put in non-spiritual terms, I’m trying my best to make the world a better place.  Put in real terms, I’m serving my King, with no apologies.  Put in everyday terms, the keys to the Kingdom mean I have to Get Started and Keep Going every day.