Day 4 - Exchange

Day 4 - Exchange

Matthew 16:26 (NLT)
26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

Matthew 13:44 (NLT)
44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.

Everything has its price, and it’s amazing how the value of something we once thought we couldn’t live without is easily given up for a discovered priceless treasure. This is dramatically demonstrated in the loss of extravagant properties and their contents that have been given up just to preserve and hold on to life. Attempts at holding on to any of those perishing things once so dear to the heart can be perilous for the soul that gives everything else its worth. This was the difficulty for the rich young ruler. He had not yet discovered the value of the eternal kingdom over those earthly treasures that owned his heart. He surely eventually made this discovery and mourned his misplaced value.

This is also the great challenge for anyone who will reside in the kingdom we’ve accessed by the blood of Jesus. It must be the treasure of our soul over every other precious holding of our hearts. As He gave up heaven and even His own life to bring us into His kingdom, so anyone who joins Him there will treasure it above all other possessions. Jesus even indicated that precious family members might need to be left for His kingdom to be gained. The true discovery of our King and His realm, though, is the revelation that every good thing comes from Him, and seeking His kingdom first results in His provision of anything we could ever need, desire, or hope for. This is a powerful purpose in approaching Him while intentionally giving up what we might think is a soul or physical requirement. We are intentionally practicing the treasure of His kingdom above other precious things with excitement for the revelation coming in this exchange. Jesus promised in Mark 10 that there would be a 100 fold return for anything given up in exchange for His kingdom. Everything else will be willingly and joyfully sold for this great treasure when this is fully seen and believed.

Meditation

Fasting:

"Knowing Christ is far greater to me than anything else in my life. In order to know Him more, I consider those other things to be garbage that is easily cast away and disposed of.
Philippians 3:8

Praise:

"From the rising of the sun until it goes down, I will consider and praise the name of the Lord – the holiness and incredible works that are His reputation."
Psalm 113:3

Identity:

"In Christ I am freed completely from all condemnation as I walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh."
Romans 8:1

Understanding:

"As I am disciplined to what the Word says for my life, the truth is revealed to me and I live in its freedom."
John 8:31-32
 

Wholeness:

"The Word of God that I keep before my eyes and in my heart is life and complete health to all my flesh."
Proverbs 4:21-22
 

Provision:

"I set my heart and life to seek the things of God first, trusting Him to provide all my needs."
Matthew 6:31-33

Song:

"So Much More"