Every king has a kingdom to be inherited by someone he chooses.

But the King of the Universe has chosen to share His kingdom with us…

In fact, as we seek His kingdom first, He imparts the benefits of His kingdom to us.

“But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:31-32 NKJV

Picture three beautifully wrapped presents under your Christmas tree. God not only invites you to open them, but can’t wait to give these gifts to you.

“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17 NKJV

As you can see, God’s kingdom is quite different than our earth’s kingdom. Earth’s values are the opposite of heaven’s values. It’s God’s great joy to impart His greatest treasure into our hearts once we are forgiven. What treasure, you ask?

RIGHTEOUSNESS

This is totally different than justice. It excels anything we know. This act of God erases our list of offenses from our record. We become justified, as if it never happened. But then God imputes His holiness into us through Jesus. We now stand totally clean before God, without blemish, and now have a new identity. We are now seen as ‘saints’!

PEACE

Again, this peace is totally different than earthly peace. In our world, peace means an absence of conflict. In God’s kingdom, it means we can face any conflict, and still be ruled by His peace and tranquility. We don’t have to worry, panic, or get frustrated. His peace is infused into us because the Prince of Peace lives within us. We now live with a calm assurance God is in control, and thankfully, we are not.

JOY

This is where it gets even more exciting. Earthly happiness is dependent upon something more happening for it to continue. God’s joy is different. It’s based on what already happened at the empty tomb! We now have resurrection life living in us by the Spirit. We have direct access to our God in prayer anytime. Our Lord intercedes for us 24/7. And we are never alone. This brings us a new delight and contentment that cannot be rivaled!

Yes, these three gifts are God’s greatest joy to give away, and for us to treasure daily. With these gifts, we can face any conflict, challenge or problem… without worry.

God is with us! The Lord is our Shepherd. What else could we ever need?