90 | Feeling Pulled in Every Direction? Kingdom First Living in the Gospel of Matthew

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Have you ever wondered what it truly means to follow Jesus as King—not just in words, but in every aspect of your life? The Gospel of Matthew holds powerful answers that can transform your everyday experience of faith.

Matthew's Gospel opens with a genealogy that might seem boring at first glance, but reveals God's incredible faithfulness across generations. Jesus' lineage connects Him directly to Abraham and King David, establishing His royal credentials while including women with complicated stories—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. Their presence reminds us that God works through real people with messy lives, including yours and mine.

When we dive into Jesus' teachings, particularly the Sermon on the Mount, we discover a revolutionary kingdom ethic that turns worldly values upside down. The Beatitudes declare blessed those whom society often overlooks: the poor in spirit, the meek, those who mourn. Throughout Matthew's account, Jesus demonstrates His authority through compassionate miracles—calming storms, healing diseases, even raising the dead—while calling followers to a discipleship that goes beyond surface-level religion to profound heart transformation.

The gospel culminates in Jesus' ultimate demonstration of authority: His resurrection and the Great Commission. "He is not here, for He has risen," announces the angel, forever changing what's possible for humanity. This same Jesus—Emmanuel, God with us—promises to be present as we make disciples and live under His loving reign. Whether you're facing storms of uncertainty, seeking deeper connection with God, or simply wanting to understand Jesus better, this exploration of Matthew will inspire your soul and strengthen your walk with Christ. How might your life change if you truly embraced Jesus as your King today?

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Episode Transcript

Paula Behrens (00:01):
Are you feeling pulled in every direction,
trying to balance life'sdemands, and wondering how to
put Jesus first in the midst ofit all?
If so, you're in the rightplace.
Today we're diving deep intothe Gospel of Matthew to uncover
what Kingdom first living lookslike in everyday life and how

(00:23):
His Word can help us grow closerto Him.
Stay with me.
This journey will inspire yoursoul and strengthen your walk
with Christ.
But first funny story.
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
But truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find

(00:44):
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I
realized that even in my chaosthere was a lesson.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
that true success in mydevotional life requires
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.

(01:07):
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
I'm Paula and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God, but
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,

(01:29):
this podcast is for you.
Friend, have you ever sat downwith your Bible, a cup of tea
and high hopes for a quietmoment with the Lord, only to
find your mind racing with to-dolists, your spirit distracted
or your heart dry?
I remember a season when myspiritual life felt more like a
checklist than a connection.
I had a book of prayers, aseminary degree and even my

(01:50):
favorite kneeling rail in myoffice, but, truthfully, I was
just going through the motionsat that time.
I was hungry for more, morepeace, more presence, more of
God.
I was showing up with all theright tools, but none of the
soul-satisfying stillness Icraved.
My time with God becamesomething I did not, something I
delighted in.
I craved intimacy with God, butI didn't know how to break out

(02:14):
of that cycle of routinespirituality.
Then the Lord gently remindedme, he never asked me for
polished prayers or perfectdiscipline.
He just wanted my presence andfrom that moment on I began
creating a space to simply bewith him.
I built a new rhythm, one thatwas deeply rooted in grace,
filled with scripture andsupported by essential oils that

(02:36):
helped me slow down and breathein deeply.
That sacred rhythm is what Inow share in the Aroma of Christ
Coaching Hour.
This one-on-one session is forthe person who's ready to stop
striving and start resting inGod again.
Whether you're spirituallyweary, stuck in a routine or
longing for a fresh encounterwith the Holy Spirit, this hour

(03:01):
is your invitation to beginagain with grace.
I'll walk alongside you tocreate a personalized devotional
routine that works with yourreal life, not against it.
Together, we'll craft apractice that helps you feel
grounded, nourished and deeplyconnected to God, mind, body and
spirit.
You don't have to keep tryingto figure it out all on your own
.
There's a simple way to grow infaith and draw near to God, and

(03:22):
I'd be honored to help you findit.
Let's breathe in his peace.
Let's rediscover his presence.
Let's begin again together.
Book your Aroma of ChristCoaching Hour at paulabehrens.
com/ coaching.
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .
com/ coaching (no spaces).

(03:42):
All right, it's time to getstarted.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal and cozy up to your
favorite beverage and let's divein.
I'm so glad you're joining metoday for this special time of
digging deep into God's Wordtogether.
Whether you're in your kitchen,your car or curled up in your
favorite chair, I want you toknow that you are loved, you are

(04:04):
chosen, and God has greatthings in store for you as we
explore His Word.
Today we're going on a journeythrough the Gospel of Matthew.
This book in the Bible is oftencalled the Gospel of the King,
and for good reason.
Matthew's message is clear fromthe very beginning.
Jesus is the promised Messiah,the King who fulfills God's

(04:25):
promises and invites us tofollow him into his kingdom.
So grab your Bible, maybe anotebook and a pen, and let's
open our hearts to receive allthat God has for us today.
Let's begin with a prayer.
Dear God, thank you forbringing each and every listener
here today.
Open our eyes to see your Sonin fresh ways.

(04:46):
Help us to know you moreintimately and teach us, guide
us and transform us by yourSpirit.
In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen.
I want to start by inviting youto think about family trees for
a moment.
Maybe you've looked at your owngenealogy, names and dates on a
chart, some familiar, many not.

(05:07):
Sometimes those lists can feeloverwhelming or even boring,
right, but Matthew opens hisGospel with a genealogy that is
anything but boring.
In chapter 1, verse 1, hebegins: The book of the
genealogy of Jesus Christ, theson of David, the son of Abraham
, and then he lists namesAbraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah,

(05:30):
and so on.
Now, if you're like me, youmight be tempted to skim or skip
this part, but hang on with me.
Matthew's point here is profound.
He's showing that Jesus isconnected to the very promises
God made centuries before, toAbraham, the father of the
Jewish nation, and to David,Israel's greatest king.

(05:52):
What Matthew is telling us isthat Jesus is no surprise.
His coming was planned from thevery beginning.
And here's something thatalways encourages me.
Among these names are womenwith complicated stories, like
Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba, women who, well, weren't
perfect, who faced hard things,but who are part of God's

(06:15):
redemptive plan.
That means that God can useyour story too, with all its
twists and turns.
This genealogy reminds us thatGod's faithfulness is real.
He works through real people,including you and me, with real
histories.
From there, Matthew moves to thestory of Jesus' birth, focusing

(06:36):
on Joseph's perspective.
Have you ever felt like Josephfacing a situation that didn't
make sense, trying to do theright thing, and suddenly God
steps in with a word thatchanges everything?
In chapter 1, verses 18 through21, Joseph is told by an angel:
Do not fear to take Mary asyour wife, for that which is

(07:00):
conceived in her is from theHoly Spirit.
The angel says, you shall callhis name Jesus, for he will save
his people from their sins.
And then Matthew reminds usthat this fulfills Isaiah's

prophecy, which says (07:12):
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and
bear a son, and they shall callhis name Emmanuel, which means
God with us.
God with us.
Think about that for a moment.
No matter what you're facing,God is with you, Emmanuel.

(07:34):
And then comes the visit of theMagi, the wise men from the east
who come looking for thenewborn king.
They followed a star and theycame to worship him.
Even at his birth, Jesus drewattention from beyond Israel.
God's plan was always for thewhole world.
I love to imagine those wisemen traveling a long, difficult

(07:56):
journey following a mysteriousstar, with nothing but faith and
hope.
Maybe there's a season in yourlife where you feel like you're
on a journey without cleardirections.
Hold on, God is guiding yoursteps, even when the way feels
uncertain.
Next we meet John the Baptist,who appears as the voice calling

(08:16):
out in the wilderness preparethe way of the Lord.
That's Matthew 3, verse 3.
John's message is simple buturgent: Repent, because the
kingdom of heaven is near, hesays.
Jesus steps into his publicministry with well, that same

message (08:33):
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand ( Matthew

4 (08:40):
17).
The kingdom Jesus announcesisn't a distant hope.
It's a present reality, a callto live under God's reign here
and now.
What does living under God'sreign mean for us?
Well, it means trusting hislove and authority in every area
of life, our homes, ourrelationships, our jobs and even

(09:01):
the quiet moments when no oneis watching.
One of the most beautiful partsof Matthew's Gospel is the
Sermon on the Mount in chapters5 through 7.
It begins with the Beatitudes,where Jesus turns the world's
values upside down.

He says things like (09:16):
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven,and blessed are those who mourn
, for they shall be comforted.
These words reach into thedepths of our hearts, especially
when we feel weak, broken oroverlooked.
If you're feeling tired or likeyou're not enough today, know

(09:38):
this, Jesus calls you blessed,just as you are.
His kingdom lifts up the humbleand fills the hungry with good
things.
Jesus also teaches us thatfollowing him means going deeper
than just obeying rules.
For example, he says in Matthew, chapter 5, verses 21 and 22,
that anger can be as serious asmurder.

(10:01):
He calls us to a hearttransformation to forgive and
love even those who hurt us.
Throughout Matthew, we seeJesus' authority on full display
.
In chapter 8, for example, hecalms a storm with just a

command saying (10:18):
Peace, be still.
The wind and the waves obey him, and the disciples are amazed.
This miracle reminds us thatthe same Jesus who calmed the
sea can calm the storms raginginside our hearts, storms of
fear, anxiety or grief.
No matter what you're facingtoday, Jesus' power is greater,

(10:41):
and he doesn't stop there.
He heals the sick, gives sightto the blind and even raises the
dead.
Each act of healing points usto his compassion and his
authority over all things.
Now, following Jesus isn'talways easy.
In chapter 16, Jesus tells hisdisciples: If anyone would come
after me, let him deny himselfand take up his cross and follow

(11:04):
me.
This is a call to radicaldiscipleship.
For us as Christian women, thismay look like choosing
forgiveness when it's hard,stepping out in faith, even when
we're scared or livingdifferently than the world
around us.
But here's the good news Jesuspromises that if we lose our

(11:24):
lives for his sake, in otherwords, if we surrender our
hearts to him, we will find truelife.
The joy and peace he gives faroutweigh the cost.
Finally, the Gospel of Matthewends with the most incredible
hope of all, the Resurrection.
The angel tells the women atthe empty tomb: He is not here,

(11:46):
for he has risen as he said.
That's Matthew, chapter 28,verse 6.
Death has been defeated, sinhas been conquered.
Jesus then gives his followersthe great commission, saying: Go
, therefore, and make disciplesof all nations.
As women who love Jesus andwant to deepen our faith, this

(12:07):
is our calling too, not just tobelieve, but to share His Love
and Truth in our families, ourcommunities and beyond.
And to take that a littlefurther, I want to remind you
that the Gospel of Matthew showsus a King who knows our stories
, meets us in our struggles andcalls us to live with hope and
purpose.
He is the King who reigns withlove, power and grace.

(12:31):
If you're walking through adifficult season, remember
Emmanuel, God with us.
If you feel weak or overwhelmed, remember the Beatitudes and
the promise that the kingdombelongs to the humble and those
who mourn.
And if you're ready to stepdeeper in your faith, remember

(12:52):
the Great Commission and knowthat Jesus is with you every
step of the way.
As we wrap up today's journey,through the Gospel of Matthew, I
want to invite you into adeeper, more personal encounter
with God's presence.
If you've been encouraged byhow Jesus invites us to live
under his loving reign andyou're longing for practical
ways to cultivate that kingdomconnection every day, I would

(13:15):
love to walk alongside you.
That's why I offer the Aroma ofChrist Coaching Hour, a
personalized coaching experiencewhere we'll craft a devotional
routine uniquely tailored toyour spiritual journey.
Together, we'll explore how toblend scripture, prayer and the
calming power of essential oilsto create sacred moments that

(13:36):
will nurture your heart anddeepen your faith.
As a special bonus, thiscoaching hour also includes a
complimentary Peace RESET, aguided refreshing practice
designed to help you releasestress, refocus your spirit and
embrace the Peace of Christ inthe midst of life's busyness.
This is an investment in yourspiritual growth and a

(13:56):
meaningful step toward livingmore intentionally in Christ.
If you feel God nudging youtowards this next step, I invite
you to book your Aroma ofChrist coaching hour at
paulabehrens.
com/ coaching.
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .
com/ coaching (no spaces).

(14:18):
Let's make space for God'spresence to transform your daily
life.
One breath, one prayer, onepeaceful moment at a time.
Okay, that's a wrap.
I'm praying that this studystrengthens your faith and draws
you even closer to Jesus, ourKing.
Thank you for tuning in todayand remember, just like setting

(14:38):
biblical boundaries, it's okayto say no to things that don't
serve you well, like that thirdpiece of cake at the church
potluck.
If you were blessed by thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend and leave a reviewso that we can reach more women
like you.
Check the show notes for allthe links.
Join us next week as wecontinue to discover how to live

(14:59):
on purpose in Christ.
Until then, keep leaning intoHim and walking in His wisdom.
See you next time.