The Kingdom of God is the “Big Story”

The Kingdom of God is the “Big Story”

There are countless accounts and stories recorded in the scriptures. These all have one common denominator by which they must be understood if we are to get a clear picture of The Kingdom of God and how import this is in our daily lives.

This common denominator is the “Big Story” in light of which all other Bible stories or accounts must be understood and then applied to life situations.

This Big Story of the Kingdom of God is the key which unlocks the scriptures so that we may fully comprehend what the Father desires we should know today and by doing so we may act as Kingdom Citizens in this world today.

If keep in mind the Kingdom of God when we read the various Old Testament and New Testament accounts or stories we will see and understand how the entire Bible fits together to bring enlightenment to us concerning the Father’s ultimate plan of His coming Kingdom.

A recurring theme I have begun to notice throughout the scripture is that of Life, Death, and Resurrection and in my journey of learning more about the Kingdom of God I am beginning learn more about this pattern of Life, Death, and Resurrection and its application to everyday life.

I am learning that having the understanding of how this Life, Death, and Resurrection relate to my life has given me hope, comfort and patience.

This simple truth applies to all living things in the Plant, Animal, and Mineral Kingdom’s. There is Life, Death, and Resurrection in every area of what we know today as life. Because of this even the thought of death somehow loses its negative impact. There is hope for every follower of Christ. I Corinthians 15 states that the last enemy to be destroyed is death!
However in the age to come when God’s Kingdom will be established on this earth forever, death will no longer be a factor for it will have been destroyed.

What I am beginning to realize that this cycle of Life, Death, and Resurrection is all a part of the life process especially when it pertains to seeing and understanding the Kingdom of God. Could it be that what Christ was referring to in John 10:10 as the “more than abundant life” was speaking of what life will be like when the Kingdom of God is established on earth in the Age to come?

Truly this “Kingdom Life” Christ came to give us must be the more than abundant life He spoke of in John 10:10 which is the hope of a life without sin, death, disease, pain, tears. This gives hope!

However if this is true, then the opposite must also be true when Christ said. “The thief comes not but for to steal, kill, and destroy.”

Again by keeping in mind the overall Big Story we realize this applies to our knowledge of the Kingdom of God. So when we ask, “Destroy what?” we find our answer is “Destroy the Kingdom of God.”
We learn the thief is not out to destroy us, but to destroy the Kingdom of God.

How is this destruction of the Kingdom of God accomplished? By stealing and killing the knowledge of God’s Kingdom from the people of God.

Ultimately Lucifer’s plan was to overthrown the Kingdom of God which was in full operation in Paradise before the Fall of Adam and Eve.

How did Satan accomplish this? By lying and stealing by asking the question. “Hath God really said?”
These first two Kingdom Citizens were deceived by Satan to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and thereby were sentenced to continue living outside of paradise where Original Sin was in effect and remains in effect even today during this present evil age in which we are now living.

As a result of this rebellion against God the world has been separated from the full blessings of the Kingdom of God for thousands of years until the arrival of Jesus of Nazareth who is The Messiah promised by the Father.

Christ entered into our world to put an end to this rebellion Satan directed against the true God by setting up his counterfeit dominion over mankind through the weapon of sin and its deadly consequence.

In my recent path of learning about the Kingdom of God I have come to realize the promised more than abundant life comes into ultimate fruition when the Kingdom of God is finally established on this earth in the coming Age. However during this Present Evil Age the future Kingdom of God has the power to transcend time and space and provide the promised blessings to all who will simply seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. If we will pursue this simple directive then Christ promised that all things would be given or supplied to us by the heavenly Father.

Christ came to re-establish the Kingdom of God once again to this earth and He taught His followers
How to live the Kingdom Life and share this life by the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

In Matthew Chapter five, six, and seven Jesus Christ as “King” reveals His manifesto to His disciples as He begins to introduce to them the knowledge concerning the Kingdom of God.

A definition of manifesto is:
a public declaration of intentions, opinions, objectives, or motives, as one issued by a government, sovereign, or organization.

By studying the Life of Christ as recorded in the gospels we learn many things, and the bases of all we learn stems from two important truths:

The first truth is that the life of Jesus Christ in all that He said and did was a living example of what The Father would say and do if He were a man.

The second truth is: Jesus Christ of Nazareth exemplified how a child of God should act towards The Father and towards others. Christ alone was sent and enabled to accomplish both of these tasks.

Christ is the living example of the great commandment the first of which is to love God with all your soul, mind, heart, and strength. And the second is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.

In Kingdom Living we learn that everything in the scriptures point to Christ and He alone is the King!

True Repentance

True Repentance

True repentance in the Kingdom of God is not only a change in direction, but a change in direction for the sole purpose of producing godly fruit in one’s life.This alone gives glory to God.

True repentance is a character and lifestyle change under the supervision of the free gift of the Holy Spirit.

One example of this is told in the parable of the unfaithful steward who was given a talent to invest. However he never used it to bring increase to the one that gave it to him. Because of this he was called a wicked and unfaithful steward by his master.

Others who were also given talents used their talents to benefit the master and were given rewards because they were faithful to produce fruit and increase what was given them.

In a similar manner our Heavenly Father makes an investment in each of His dear children. Like the master in this parable, He expects an increase in His investment.

So then to repent to be saved just to escape the torment of Hell is not in itself pleasing to the Father.

Why not?

Because The Father expects an increase in His investment in you.

On the other hand true repentance is bearing good fruit which makes the Father happy and brings blessing to the every faithful child.

His children were saved for the purpose of bearing good fruit.

What is this good fruit?

The good fruit is being conformed into the image of His Dear Son.
The Father desires that all of His children grow into the fullness of Christ. Jesus gave the body of Christ gift ministries for the perfection of the saints, for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ until we all grow into the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-15 KJV)

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

In the Kingdom of God the Father expects His children to be fruitful. He is not pleased if we just sit around in some man made religious venue without bearing good fruit giving Him Glory.

So then how is this fruit produced?

The answer to this question is not using our own efforts or will power to change our ways, but by remaining connected to the True Vine, who is the person of Jesus Christ, in a personal relationship with Him. It is the Vine that produces the good fruit in us not us alone for without Christ we can do nothing..

Christ is always with us and in us and available 24/7 to teach us and guide us into all truth.

So then with true repentance there is a change in character and lifestyle and this is the good fruit that is produced in us as we remain connected to the True Vine who is our Lord and our King

Kingdom Minded

I need your help finding scriptures that have to do with being “Kingdom Minded.”

I would appreciate any contributions of any scriptures you can make.

Some examples are:

Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV)

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things”.

Philippians 3:20 (NIV)

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Happy Fathers Day to our Heavenly Father

Let all of His children give Him all honor,glory,and praise!

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

Amen.

Kingdom Living

The Apostles had lived with Jesus on a daily basis for three and a half years learning from Him many things about the Kingdom of God and how to live life as Kingdom citizens.

Christ actually spent his last forty days on earth after His resurrection teaching them “the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:1-7 (KJV)

On the day of His ascension from the Mount of Olives, He commanded them they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father. (Acts 1:4 and 5 (KJV)

Acts 2:42-47 shows us how God met the needs of these new followers of Christ under what is called the “Apostles Doctrine.”

God immediately set up His Kingdom Economy through the Apostles Doctrine on the day of Pentecost when the Apostles, along with about three thousand souls, received the Promise of the Father.

Acts Chapter 2 states that all who believed were steadfast in praying, breaking bread, and sharing their plurality with one another. Because of their new belief in the Messiah these people possibly had been marginalized by the Temple authorities. However somehow under God’s Kingdom Economy or the Apostles Doctrine all the believers had their needs met and their numbers began to increase.

From then on we see in the Book of Acts various places where these followers of the Way, “sold their property and houses” for the advancement of the Kingdom.

Today as we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness we may begin to see a clearer vision of what Jesus meant about the life style of the Kingdom of God which Jesus came to introduce to mankind.

Christ did not come to move His gospel by forming a regimented military type of operation, but He came to make available for his followers a life style of Kingdom Living.

The Battle Rages

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.

http://www.kingdomlink.wordpress.com

Kingdom of God Call to Prayer

Please pray for a young woman in Pakistan who has embraced Jesus Christ and Christianity after being raised Islamic.

This woman has been disowned by her family and her Father has given her the ultimatum to either return to Islam or be executed.

This woman has been living in a prison of sorts in the sanctuary of her Pastors home for the past 5 years.

Please pray for wisdom for those who are trying to assist her in obtaining Political and Religious asylum in America and that the Lord will open a door for her to be set free.