12. God’s guidelines (rules) for His Kingdom are intended to provide me with the greatest abundance and to help me live well with others, with creation, and with Him. 

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

If you could imagine your life as being as good as possible, what would it look like? How would you describe it?

If there are material things in this good life that you imagine, ask yourself, “What would those things bring me, what would they make me feel?”

In Galatians 5:22, Paul describes the outcomes of our spiritual life with God. These are “the fruit of the Spirit” and include peace, joy, patience, love, goodness, and more. How would more of this kind of “fruit” change how you feel about your life?

Think about what you most long for in your life. Ask Jesus if this might be a desire that He shares with you.

Consider that what you most long for in life may be a desire that the Spirit has actually given you and desires it for you even more than you do.

The idea in this statement is that God has given us guidelines for life in His Kingdom that, when followed, provide us with the greatest possible joy, peace, abundance, and fullness of life. We often resist rules and guidelines when the authority behind the rules, seems to not have our best interest in mind. Our human institutions and authority figures sometimes seem to make rules that do not bring goodness to our lives. For that reason, we may become skeptical of systems, rules, and authority figures. But

in God’s Kingdom, the goodness of His nature results in His guidelines always working for our good. The guidelines and goodness they bring are always evident in the relationships that we participate in—with others, with creation, and with God.

When God’s guidelines are followed, there is unity and peace among the participants of the Kingdom, there is joy and contentment in each person, the earth is well tended and flourishes, and God smiles. The issue or question is not, “Do God’s Kingdom rules work to bring goodness to me?” History proves that they do.

The question is, “Is my belief and confidence in God’s rules enough that I will choose to follow them instead of my own rules or those my culture follows?”