Every day we are offered endless definitions of happiness, each promising fulfillment if we would only chase harder, possess more, and climb higher. But Jesus invites us into His radical kingdom where true happiness emerges in the most unexpected ways. He turns the world’s ideas on their head, revealing that blessing belongs to those who pursue mercy and peace, devote their hearts to God, and endure persecution. These are the family traits of those who have been transformed by God’s grace, who have chosen to live in His upside-down kingdom. Which kingdom are you living in?

You’ve worked tirelessly to control life, earn approval, and construct your own version of happiness, but now you find yourself surrounded by all your exhausted attempts, realizing that you’ve come to the end of yourself. Congratulations! This is the moment that real change can happen. The kingdom of God isn’t for the proud or self-reliant, but for those willing to admit their own spiritual bankruptcy. True blessing, it turns out, is found when you’re empty of yourself and finally have room for Him.

From the very beginning of creation, God desired to bring forth life out of darkness, so He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. This separation is representative of two opposing kingdoms; one to which His children belong, and one to which His enemies belong. Scripture tells us that God is light, and there is no darkness in Him, and those who belong to Him are children of light. Join us as we look at some of the attributes of each kingdom, and the separating choices each person will face as a reflection of the kingdom to which they choose to belong.

What has the power to truly make a person new—not just a resolution to do better or try harder—but a total metamorphosis from the inside out? Romans 6 says the old you, the one enslaved to sin, had to die. And in Christ, that’s exactly what happened. When He was nailed to the cross and buried in the tomb, your old self died with Him. But you were also raised with Him into a new life, free to walk in His resurrection power. Christ now lives in you, equipping you with strength and victory that are not your own. That’s what baptism proclaims: not a cleaned-up version of who you were, but a new creation, born again, alive in Christ!

So often we allow out worst failures, fears and scars of the past to define who we are and convince us that we’re too broken or too far gone for help. Yet Jesus doesn’t recoil from our mess; He steps into it with compassion and mercy, reminding us that grace is not for those who appear perfect, but for those who know they’re not. In Him, the untouchable becomes clean, the paralyzed soul walks again, and the outcast finds a home. He’s not waiting for you to be cleaned up or strong enough; He’s inviting you to bring every unhealed part of yourself to Him so He can make you truly whole.

Our world is ravaged by sin and filled with broken people as far as the eye can see. Some days it feels like the kingdom of darkness is winning. But our hope stands firm in knowing that the same Jesus who healed diseases, calmed storms, and silenced evil spirits will come again to finish what He started. His displays of power on this earth were only a preview of the day when He will return to vanquish sin & darkness forever. The One who cast out demons will cast out Satan himself. The hands that restored the sick will make all things new!

When you open your heart and really listen to the words “Follow Me,” you realize Jesus isn’t merely asking you to add more religious activities to your existing priorities and plans. He’s calling you to reorganize your entire existence around His lordship and His purposes so that He becomes your focus. Yes, surrender has a cost — old ways abandoned, priorities redefined, identities reshaped. But in exchange, you’ll discover purpose and joy that no other path can give, and you’ll be transformed by His grace into something you could never become on your own! So, are you simply wearing the “Christian” label, or are you an actual follower of Christ?

You probably have a mental picture of what God’s blessings should look like, and who should receive them. The first century Jews were convinced that they would be the exclusive recipients of God’s grace when the Messiah arrived, and that their enemies would be excluded. But Jesus shattered their assumptions by announcing that God’s favor would flow outside their borders to the very people they despised. Upon hearing this, they were filled with rage and tried to kill Him! This ancient scene holds up a mirror to our own hearts: we readily accept God’s mercy for ourselves, yet quietly keep a list of those we consider unworthy. His love exceeds our man-made boundaries, and it always will. So, is there anyone you’re still overlooking?