Living in the Kingdom Law of Love

Living in the Kingdom Law of Love

In this life we will encounter people who create so much frustration that you may ask God, “Please help me show them extra grace.”

Who are these people in your life?

The slow driver in the fast lane?
The coworker who refuses to apologize?
The ungrateful friend?
The rude and obnoxious neighbor?
The demanding, demeaning, and disapproving family member?

Many people have developed unhealthy responses to frustration. They might avoid difficult people, but denial only delays the problem. It doesn’t solve it. They might try to make them happy, but some people will never be happy. No matter what they do, it’s not good enough.

How can you respond like Jesus Christ?

Consider the fact that God has put these people in your life to be “heavenly sandpaper.” Although you are irritated, God is using them to take off your rough edges. God is more interested in your character than your comfort.

Learn to look past their behavior to see their pain. Hurt people will often hurt others. They’re full of fear and insecurity. Maybe they’re shouldering a pressure you don’t know about.

Instead of dismissing these frustrating people from your life, look at them as a gift from God to help you become more like Christ.

Frustration reveals something in you, and you can give this to God by having a change of heart.

“God, help me to be more patient.”
“God, help me to be better at apologizing.”
“God, help me to be more thankful.”
Frustration also gives you the opportunity to show grace to others.

One of the reasons God has forgiven you is so that you can reflect this forgiveness to others.

Ephesians 4:30-32 KJV
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

John 13:34-35 KJV
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

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What if tomorrow is the Last Day?

What if tomorrow is the Last Day?

Every day of our lives are important but in what Jesus calls the Last Day will be the most important of all.

In John chapter 6 verses 39, 40, 44 and 54 Jesus said that in the Last Day He will raise up all the Father has given to Him.

John 6:39 KJV
And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

John 6:40 KJV
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:44 KJV
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:54 KJV
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Yes each and every day of our lives are precious but in the Last Day we who are Christ’s shall be raised to eternal life in the kingdom of God’s dear Son.

So then how important is it for us to share the Good News of the kingdom of God while we are still living on this earth?

God sent Christ from heaven to preach the Gospel of the kingdom of God.

Luke 4:43-44 KJV
And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

Christ sent the Apostles to preach the Good News.

Mark 16:15-16 KJV
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Since Pentecost the Saints have been empowered by Holy Spirit to be witnesses of the King and His kingdom.

What if tomorrow is the Last Day?

Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom

Psalm 145:8-13 KJV

The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.

They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

The Battle between God’s Kingdom and the kingdoms of this world

For those who have ears to hear and eyes to see it is evident that there is a battle going on today between God’s Kingdom and the kingdoms of this world.

The victory will be ours, but for now this battle rages between good and evil.

Jesus came to usher into this world the Kingdom of God.

He said “My kingdom is not of this world.”

He said that the Kingdom of God is at hand.

He also instructed His followers that the first thing we should be doing is to be seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Where today is the preaching of this glorious Kingdom?

Where are the preachers of the gospel of the Kingdom?

Do we even know what the gospel of the Kingdom is?

How much do we really know and practice Kingdom Living?

In the first century as recorded in the book of Acts the followers of Christ were Kingdom minded.

In Acts 2:42-47 God set up His Kingdom Economy and the new followes of Christ had all their needs me.

Jesus taught His disciples about how to live in the Kingdom of God. He did this not only by word but by deed also.

The Four Gospel tell the story of how Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God. Jesus of Nazareth the Messiah basically taught this way of living to the Twelve Apostles so they could later, after they were empowered by the Holy spirit, teach this Kingdom Living to others also.

The book of Acts, which covered about 38 years, is full of signs miracles and wonders because the followers of Christ were seriously living in the Apostles Doctrine which is the gospel of the Kingdom.

So then the Gospels teach us about this wonderful Kingdom of God Jesus introduced to the world and the Church Epistles teach us the particulars that each individual must strive for to be a part of this Kingdom Living.

I will leave you with this:

Colossians 3:1-18 (KJV)

3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

What did Jesus preach?

What was his gospel? Availability of life in the kingdom of the heavens, the kingdom of God, NOW…
– James Catford

The gospel of the kingdom Jesus preached is not complicated and one doesn’t need to be a biblical research Guru to understand it or accept it by faith.

Christ was sent by His Father to make available immortality to all who would embrace Him as king and Lord.

His kingdom in an everlasting Kingdom so grand it is beyond the capability of human language to fully describe.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Luke 12:32 KJV

Psalm 22:28-31 KJV

Psalm 22:28-31 KJV

For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations.

All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Life, Death and Resurrection

Life, Death and Resurrection

As I continue to grow in knowledge and understanding of the Kingdom of God my awareness has been drawn to the pattern of Life, Death, and Resurrection.

Learning about this Kingdom theme has given me a great hope, comfort, and peace.

God the Creator is in control and He fashioned all things for the benefit of mankind.

God is Light and in Him is no darkness. Therefore, I am secure in the promises of the coming Kingdom of God. Though we may suffer trials and tribulations in this life we may still enjoy peace.

Jesus Christ God’s Divine Son said, “I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

Christ also proclaimed, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: For a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.”

Yes we may enjoy the pleasures of this life for a time but the accumulation of earthly possessions is not the determining factor of a successful life.

Christ through His life, death and resurrection lived as an example of what this life is really all about.

Life as originally intended by the Creator was exemplified in the account of Adam and Eve before the fall of man.

This Fall of man was his falling from the intimate relationship Adam enjoyed with God to his separation from God to live in a world infected by sin.

Adam and Eve fell from trusting in God’s provision to believing a lie and having to rely on their own efforts to sustain life.

God was not deterred by this because He had a Plan which included Life, Death and Resurrection.

This simple truth applies to all things in the Plant, Animal, and Mineral Kingdoms. This theme relates to every area of life and because of this, the thought of the seeming finality of death loses its damaging impact.

Why?

Because there is a hope of eternal life after death which is the resurrection in the Kingdom of God. For all who call upon the name of Jesus Christ shall be saved from eternal death.

Yes! Every follower of Christ will live forever in His glorious kingdom.

John 11:25-26 KJV

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

In I Corinthians chapter 15 the Apostle Paul deals with the question of life, death and resurrection. He explains how the resurrection works and states that the last enemy to be destroyed is death!

By this we learn that during this present evil age “Death” is an enemy! However, because of the promised resurrection it is not to be feared.

There is a deliverance from the fear of death.

Hebrews 2:14-18 King James Version (KJV)

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

In the coming “Perfect Age” God’s Kingdom will be established on this earth forever! Death will no longer be a factor for it will have been destroyed, never more to plague any and all who confess Christ as their Lord and King.

What I am beginning to realize is this cycle of Life, Death, and Resurrection is all a part of the life process created by God. This was designed by Him so that we may enjoy eternal life in His kingdom.

This is especially so when it pertains to seeing the importance of understanding the Kingdom of God applied to our lives now and not just sometime in the future.

Resurrection gives hope of a life to be lived forever in a perfect eternal kingdom where righteousness reigns. This sounds to me like the more than abundant life Christ said He came to make available to mankind.

John 10:10 King James Version (KJV)
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.