{"id":33797,"date":"2022-08-04T13:30:19","date_gmt":"2022-08-04T17:30:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/?p=33797"},"modified":"2022-09-15T14:50:29","modified_gmt":"2022-09-15T18:50:29","slug":"kingdom-keys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/kingdom-keys\/","title":{"rendered":"Kingdom Keys"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">There was a large group of people in the corner of a car dealership. Normally when you see a crowd you know something really interesting is going down. Naturally, I had to go check it out.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">After a few minutes of observation, it was clear that ten people had car keys in their hand. Supposedly these ten were selected from a raffle drawing. One person had keys that would start the brand-new white SUV that everyone was surrounding.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The crowd watched as one person after the other sat down inside the push-to-start car to see if their key would start it up. The suspense was real. We were down to the eighth person. They sat in the seat and the car didn\u2019t start.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Now on to the ninth. The math was pretty simple. If it didn\u2019t start for this person, we knew the winner would be the tenth.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The ninth person hopped in the driver\u2019s seat. The car didn\u2019t start. The tenth person celebrated. The camera crew started asking her about her job and how she would use the car she just won.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Just for good measure and a fun photo op, she sat in what she thought was her brand-new car. She went to start the car up and nothing happened.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The \u201cwinner\u2019s\u201d keys didn\u2019t work. The crowd was shocked. A few whispers that were easy to overhear said, \u201cWhat in the world is going on? All ten people went. How did this happen? Who won?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The other nine had a glimpse of hope again. Who would it be?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We watched five people all hop in and hop out when it was confirmed that it wasn\u2019t their new rig. The sixth person got in to find out that he was the winner. His daughter and wife started crying tears of joy and jumped up and down in a group hug. Apparently, he had forgotten to press the break as he pushed the start button the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I can only imagine the shock, joy, and excitement he was experiencing after already counting the opportunity as a lose.\u00a0 I can also only imagine the disappointment that the lady was experiencing after thinking the car was hers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This got me thinking: What if we lived like we had the key to an everlasting Kingdom that God created for us?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-33797 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/kingdom-keys\/4-14\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4.png 1080w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-169x300.png 169w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-576x1024.png 576w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-768x1365.png 768w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-864x1536.png 864w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/kingdom-keys\/1-49\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1.png 1080w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-169x300.png 169w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-576x1024.png 576w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-768x1365.png 768w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-864x1536.png 864w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/kingdom-keys\/3-17\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3.png 1080w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-169x300.png 169w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-576x1024.png 576w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-768x1365.png 768w, https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-864x1536.png 864w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As we get to know God, we learn that we hold the key to the Kingdom through our confession that Jesus is the Son of God. (Matthew 16:16-19) Isn\u2019t that worth bouncing around with joy and excitement?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This key is unlike any other. We didn\u2019t get selected because we bought a raffle ticket. It is not limited to one individual like that of this story. It was made possible because of the One who came to live on this Earth and die for every single one of us \u2013 Jesus, the Son of God.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Talk about the ultimate unexpected gift. He already paid the price for us. God cares about you so much that He cultivated a way for us to spend eternal life with Him. Can we take a minute or two to jump up and down and celebrate that today?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This key can be shared and given to those that we encounter in our everyday. Are you up for a challenge?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Friend, you hold the key that comes with the Good News. You\u2019re positioned exactly where you\u2019re supposed to be to \u201cduplicate\u201d and share this key.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Here\u2019s a verse that sheds some light on what God calls us to in our everyday: \u201cBut you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be holy people, God\u2019s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you\u2013from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.\u201d 1 Peter 2:9-10 MSG<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Your assignment is important. It is literally life-changing. Guess what? You don\u2019t have to do this work alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">God invites us to partner with Him in our everyday: \u201cNow God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It\u2019s God\u2019s gift from start to finish! We don\u2019t play the major role. If we did, we\u2019d probably go around bragging that we\u2019d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.\u201d Ephesians 2:7-10 MSG<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lean into where you are today. Focus on sharing your \u201ckey\u201d with one person. Seek Jesus and ask Him to give you opportunities in your day to shine your light. Be present and alert because He is with you in this important role you get to partner with Him on daily. Smile and celebrate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You have the key to the Kingdom that is everlasting with the One who delights in you, friend!<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Hope Reagan Harris is a wife, dog mom, encourager, iced vanilla latte drinker, first-time author, and most importantly a Jesus seeker. If you were having a coffee chat with her today, she would want you to leave believing that you are seen, known, and loved more than you could ever imagine by Jesus. Become sister friends with her today @hopereaganharris on Instagram!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advice we can all learn from<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":189,"featured_media":33801,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,35],"tags":[],"coauthors":[193],"class_list":["post-33797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life-advice","category-wisdom"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/189"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33797"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33797\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35823,"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33797\/revisions\/35823"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33797"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=33797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}