I Am The Lord

You really should mean it when you call him Lord.

Leviticus 19:1-4 The LORD also said to Moses, 2 "Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. 3 "Each of you must show great respect for your mother and father, and you must always observe my Sabbath days of rest. I am the LORD your God. 4 "Do not put your trust in idols or make metal images of gods for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.

Exodus 20:2-3 "I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. 3 "You must not have any other god but me.

Luke 6:46 "So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?

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Communication is a problem for everyone and God's people are no exception, we have our own language that can easily confuse newcomers, our use of certain words and phrases can be foreign to people outside of Christianity. 

In any culture, language is so individualistic, so much so that people that claim to speak the same language really don't. Just look at America's version of English that obviously came from England yet we insist that Americans are the ones speaking English correctly.

The word "Lord" is seldom spoken outside of religious circles, in a respectful way, and the concept of having a Lord over us is so against our culture that we tend to shy away from the idea. Sure we use the word Lord plenty of times each Sunday but it's meaning and the consequences of having a Lord is lost in the overuse of the word. It's like the word awesome, most of the time we use that word when things are nowhere near causing us to be in awe.

A search in my Bible study software for the short phrase "the Lord" in the New Living Translation comes back with 6,836 matches, found in 60 of the 66 books of the Bible. Perhaps the most significant thing I saw in this search is that God is usually speaking about himself when this phrase is spoken. 

Top ten books to use "the Lord"

1. Jeremiah - 600
2. Psalms - 485
3. Deuteronomy - 447
4. Isaiah - 405
5. Numbers - 358
6. Exodus - 355
7. 2 Chronicles - 304
8. Leviticus - 300
9. 1 Samuel - 238
10. 2 Kings - 225

The story of "the Lord"

God's story begins with the beginning of the Lord's work, it was the Lord that created the perfect world for the first man and his wife to enjoy. (Genesis 2:4) It was the Lord that shared his authority to reign, he gave mankind the authority as lord over the rest of creation, and it was the Lord that walked with mankind in the garden each day until the day that they questioned God's authority as Lord. (Genesis 1:26, 3:8)

It was the Lord that graciously made the first sacrifice to forgive their sins, since the offense was against him he had the authority to decide how the sins would be forgiven. (Genesis 3:21) I find it interesting that Adam, Eve nor the serpent say "the Lord" as they discuss the idea of rebelling against God which is the basis for every sin. (Genesis 3:1-7)

It was the Lord that approached Cain and gave him a choice, he could embrace sin as his parents did or he could learn from their mistake and also from his own sin to embrace God's warning to worship him correctly. (Genesis 4:1-8)

It was the Lord that had the authority to wipeout mankind, the Lord chose Noah to preserve the seed of the coming redeemer while he eliminated the rest of the population because of their wickedness. (Genesis 6:5-8)

It was the Lord that scattered mankind when they rebelled so quickly after the flood. It is amazing how fast the descendants of the flood survivors started living without any thought about the Lord, it seems that they must have known about the recent worldwide flood but they still ignored God's authority as they decided to make a name for themselves. (Genesis 11:1-9)

It was the Lord that chose Abram and even chose which of Abram's (Abraham) many children would be the heir of the promise. It was the Lord that continued choosing a son from each new generation, father Abraham had many sons but the Lord chose Isaac and then he chose Jacob over Esau and then from the 12 sons of Jacob, God chose Judah and then he chose a son from Judah.

We could keep on going through all 66 books of the Bible but it is already obvious from this quick outline of the book of Genesis that someone is in charge and it isn't the humans.

I am the Lord and I will do...

Exodus 6:6-7  “Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the LORD. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment.  7  I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt.

In the book of Exodus, the Lord is about to do something important so he goes to Moses with important information. God told Moses who he is and what he will do for his people, he will do things that only God can possibly do, and he will do it without asking for the approval of the thousands of people that it would affect.

When God was about to take his people out of Egypt, he just did it! This is a very strong argument in favor of God's sovereignty and the election of a chosen people. When our Lord decided that you are his chosen child he didn't extend an offer to you and ask for your consent, he just did it! Our Lord does not answer to anyone and he isn't depending on something that any of us might do.

In fact it is a very good thing that God didn't require a minimum amount of faith or goodness before he took them out of Egypt because they would have never been able to leave. You would probably expect the faith of God's people would have grown during each of the ten plagues that the Lord sent upon Egypt but somehow they didn't learn.

The Lord Gives Us The Perfect Example

John 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will."

God didn't just command us to live a certain way he also gave us the perfect example of someone that did live under the authority and reign of our Lord. Jesus submitted to the Lordship of God and obeyed him despite the physical difficulties and the spiritual opposition.

Philippians 2:7-8  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,  8  he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Whatever rights, control or privileges that we think we should have must be given up to please our Lord. If our Lord stooped down from his high position to submit to God's lordship then we must do the same. We need to state the same thing that Thomas declared "My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) and we also need to let it really be true in the way that we live. (Luke 6:46)

God help me to call you the Lord and grasp what it really means and allow you to truly be the Lord. Help me to live like it is really true so that your kingdom will come and your will, will be done in my life for your glory.

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The Rule Of God With Us

God's people are longing for an eternal kingdom with a righteous ruler.

Isaiah 9:6-7 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven's Armies will make this happen!

God with us should be a glorious thought that is too wonderful to describe, in the past couple of post we saw The Hope of God With Us and The Peace of God With Us, It is amazing that God would come to be with us and give us hope and peace. But God's story doesn't end there, he is going to bless his people even more when he returns to reign on earth.

We all long for a better country that is ruled by a better king, but for most of us that is just a crazy dream, it may be crazy for the rest of the world but it is reality for God's people. The day is coming when God will setup his kingdom and tear down the kingdoms of this world that stand in opposition to him.

God's people are always waiting for God's timing.

God's people have a long history of waiting, a lot of God's promises seem like they will never happen, don't forget that there are more prophecies of Jesus second coming than there were of the first so we can be sure that The King Is Coming (music video). 

When Jesus finally arrived to be God with us the first time, there was nothing to fear, as a baby he was defenseless, as an adult he was gentle and kind. Jesus had power over everyone he met but he only used his power to reveal his deity in a gracious and merciful way for our benefit so that we would believe. (Philippians 2:5-9) 

Jesus second advent will not be the same, anyone that wasn't prepared for the first advent could either carry on business as usual or they could have their life radically changed, either way there wasn't any devastating consequences. When he comes again it will be totally different.

The Eternal King And His Kingdom: 

 

The characteristics of the king:

• Wonderful Counselor - Every other counselor will be gone as the supernatural wisdom of this counselor will be far superior. We exaggerate and overuse "wonderful" so we need to pause and consider it's true meaning. Jesus is wonderful in a way that is truly boggling to the mind. (Jeremiah 23:5, Romans 11:33, Colossians 2:3)
• Mighty God - Powerful enough to return after 3 days in the grave and powerful enough to defeat every evil and restore his kingdom to the state it was in before it became marred by sin. (Deuteronomy 10:17, Nehemiah 9:32, Psalm 50:1-6)
• Everlasting Father - The only source of compassion and care that God's people will ever need. They have a peace treaty with the mighty God so they can enjoy being in his presence for eternity without fear. (Isaiah 63:16, John 10:28-30)
• Prince of Peace - God's people should strive to live at peace with each other but as Jesus told his disciples his first advent wasn't about bringing peace. The conflict that we see in the New Testament continues, Jesus is a polarizing figure, the spiritual battle is not over yet. (Matthew 10:24 and 2 Corinthians 6:14-16) Some day the peace that God's people have with him will finally be enjoyed with each other and with all of God's creation. (Romans 12:18, Ephesians 4:1-3, Philippians 4:6-7, Hebrews 12:14)

The characteristics of the kingdom:

Isaiah 11:3-5 He will delight in obeying the LORD. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. 4 He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. 5 He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.

Isaiah 11:10 In that day the heir to David's throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.

The kingdom of God will be the true creation of the "holy land" where love, justice, peace and joy are the norm. The prayer of Jesus for "thy kingdom come, thy will be done" is a summary of God's kingdom. When the kingdom comes it will be God's will done on Earth as perfectly as it is in Heaven.

The new Heaven and new Earth will not have the destructive influence of sin, man's rebellion will be overthrown and Satan will be bound. The whole story of the Bible is about our rebellion against the king and his work to bring us back under his reign.

When Jesus returns as king: 

• The new kingdom will be known for God, his presence will be all that we will ever need for eternity.
• The new king will obviously be the promised heir of King David's throne. Nobody will question who he is or why he is reigning.
• The old king of this world will be dethroned and the devastating consequences of his evil empire will be reversed and the earth will be restored.
• The promises made to Israel and all of God's people through the prophets will finally be realized and the people of every nation will be blessed. Every covenant God has made with man will be 100% fulfilled.
• The Promised Land will finally belong to Israel, all of it, the boundaries of the nation in Bible times and today do not include all of the land God promised.
• The scattered people will return to Jerusalem to live completely submitted to the rule of their amazing king. 
• The world peace that everyone says they long for, but does little to achieve, will finally be real and eternal. More than peace it will be shalom, Greater than just the absence of conflict, everything will work together in perfect harmony as creation is made whole.

Our king has gone on a long journey, before he left he gave us resources to be used to help others find their way in, when he returns we need to be prepared to give an account for how we used our blessings, our skills and our time for his pleasure. (Matthew 25:14-30)

God has made it clear that we must submit to his son, we must see our need for Jesus before we die or before his return, don't discount the opportunity to transfer your citizenship to the kingdom of God. 

Will you remain in the kingdom of darkness that leads to destruction or will you renounce your citizenship there and move to the kingdom of God that will last for eternity? (Luke 13:22-30, Colossians 1:13-14)

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The Peace Of God With Us

God's people will have peace when sin is defeated.

Isaiah 9:1-5 Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.

2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. 3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. 

4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor's rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. 5 The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire.

God redeemed his people from Egypt and ended their slavery to that kingdom of darkness but it didn't last forever. Another dark kingdom would come along and oppress God's people again and again but most of the time it was their own fault. 

God was using the nations to reprimand his people, they are living in the same darkness as the rest of the world because they are living just like the rest of the world. Despite the warnings from God through Moses that they were given before they even got to the Promised Land they have failed to live by God's standards over and over again. (Deuteronomy 31:14-30, 32:1-47)

Since Israel refused to be a light to the nations God eventually chose to punish his people, the one nation became two and later they both were defeated. First the Northern Kingdom was taken away by the Assyrians 800 years before Jesus comes, and then the Southern Kingdom of Judah was taken into captivity by the Babylonians 200 years later.

The people of Isaiah's day needed the message of hope that peace was coming to their nation. The message of peace was received by King Ahaz that he would have victory over his enemy but there is more to the prophecy than that, there was a distant prophecy and also another application of the prophecy that we are still waiting for thousands of years later.

God's message through Isaiah told about a new ruler, that would be victorious over their enemies, a ruler that will bring true peace that will end all wars. It sounds like God must be sending a mighty warrior to save the day but suddenly we get a prediction that a baby boy is on the way.

Isaiah 9:6-7 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven's Armies will make this happen!

They wanted a great military victory that would get rid of their enemy forever but that's not the way God works. The people living in darkness that heard Isaiah speak these words probably didn't find much comfort in the announcement of a baby. They wanted to immediately see a great light of hope that would give them the peace that was promised in the previous verses.

One of the most difficult things to understand is why God loves to send a baby to do a man's job. Why can't a full grown man arrive on the scene and take care of things right away? We want someone with strength, know how and determination but God prefers to send a special baby to do the job.

Jesus first advent was prophesied for hundreds of years and then there was another 400 years of silence after Malachi. When baby Jesus finally arrives it is very similar to the situation when God's people were in bondage to Egypt. 

Back when they were in Egypt for 400 years without a word from God, there was a baby that would eventually be their savior, he would have to be protected from Pharaoh, and then the baby reached 80 years old before his ministry began. 

The light of the world came in peace to be with us.

Luke 1:78-79 Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace."

If you look at world history in Europe and the Middle East for hundreds of years before Jesus arrival you will begin to understand how miserable the conditions are when Jesus is born. The Promised Land has been invaded by many different countries, various world powers will rise and fall, many of them will invade Israel, including Jerusalem, and the temple.

Finally God is with us, up close and personal, but without the fear that was always present back in the Old Testament. When God came to us as a baby there wasn't any restrictions on who could see or touch him. But, as accessible as he was and as exciting as the news was, his arrival was unnoticed by almost everyone.

Eventually the baby grew up and although he did nothing wrong, he became a disappointment for his people, they were just like King Ahaz, they wanted a military victory. They wanted a savior from today's problems but Jesus came to solve their eternal problem.

The final war that will bring us permanent peace is on the way.

Daniel 7:13-14 As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal-it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.

There will be a final war to set-up the eternal kingdom of our savior, God's people will rejoice at his arrival and his final victory over evil. (Isaiah 9:3-5) The everlasting kingdom of the Messiah will give permanent rest for his people but the sad truth is this peace is not for everyone. 

God's peace will be rejected by the enemy and the children of the enemy, they will not survive the harvest that Jesus told us about at the end of the age. You must accept God's offer of peace before it is too late, those that are not a part of the kingdom now cannot become citizens of his kingdom later. (Matthew 13:36-43)

Peace in this world can only happen if you have peace with God. 

My ultimate enemy has been defeated and I have accepted God terms to make peace with him. Even in the worse chaos I know that I am secure for eternity in God's eternal kingdom of peace. 

When this world has no peace to offer I need to remember that: "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep, The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men."

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The Growing Sin Problem

We keep denying the source of and the solution to the sin problem.

Genesis 3:1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?"

James 1:14-15 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

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So far in my study of the book of Genesis I have learned that In the beginning God created us to rule over creation and to fill the earth with the knowledge of the glory of God. Since God created us and made us in his image he must be by far the most qualified expert on what is best for us but we are arrogant enough to think that we know a better way. (Isaiah 43:7)

In our arrogance we think we are allowed to decide absolutely everything, things that we once thought were obvious facts that could not be denied are now up for debate, we are foolish enough to believe that we get to ignore God without any side effects.

It wasn't too long ago that our gender was something that was an absolute fact but thanks to science and technology we can be something we were not designed to be. I have to wonder how much of this perversion is being fueled by the desire to make a lot of money without regard for the lives that are being devastated.

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Man has deceived himself and believed that the issues are very complicated but God has made it crystal clear that all of this confusion goes back to man's departure from God's design to seek our own way. Every breakdown, every unrighteousness and every injustice is a direct result of sin.

All breakdowns are because of sin: 

• The first effect of sin happened before God even confronted Adam and Eve, before they even knew that their relationship with God was broken, it became clear to them that their relationship with each other was very different.
• Sin made them ashamed to be fully known by God or by each other, they needed clothing to hide their most intimate parts from each other. Transparency is a rare trait in the best of relationships.
• Sin distorted God's created gender roles, it wouldn't take too long for man and woman to start mistreating each other. God predicted that man will tend to make an idol out of power. and that woman will tend to make an idol out of the relationship.
• Work is not a curse but thanks to sin it is cursed, thorns and weeds always get in the way of our ambitions.
• Nature works against us, instead of being in control and ruling over the earth, in many ways it is controlling us.

This list is compiled from a podcast by Tim Keller - "A Promise of Hope"

Our sin is the source of every breakdown, from our broken bodies to the difficulty in your relationships to catastrophic weather events.  It is easy to look horizontal at what is wrong in this world and point your finger at many different causes but the root cause of our problem is the fact that the vertical relationship with God is broken. Horizontal sins happen because of our vertical sins.

Our rebellious arrogance and pride got us into this situation and it is the reason we are still dealing with the problem. Everybody is looking for world peace but we cannot fix our deepest problems and make a better society on our own without returning to God and his design and his rules.  If we keep denying the source of our problems we will never be able to solve our problems.

Psalms 2:1-4 Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? 2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against His anointed one. 3 "Let us break their chains," they cry, "and free ourselves from slavery to God." 4 But the One who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.

We are all kings, ruling our little empires, we make our choices about our lives that prove who is in control. We all plot against God to do what we want to do, he is the source of our wisdom but we think that we are wiser than he is, it is no wonder that he laughs at our crazy notions.

It is a real breakthrough when we realize and submit to the reality that God's ways are the ultimate. We will begin to heal when we get to the point that we realize that our best is so corrupt and falls short of what God intended.

Psalms 51:7-8 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; You have broken me--now let me rejoice. 

God is waiting for my will to break so that I will give up on my rebellion and give him control. When I get off of my throne and let the ruler of the universe be the ruler of my life then I will find my greatest satisfaction and joy.

When this happens the world around me will see that there is a better way, they will see a little bit of heaven on earth, my life will be a witness of the future when Jesus comes back to rule with justice.

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Heaven On Earth

Seek his kingdom first.

Video: Stars Go Dim - "Heaven On Earth"

Take my life and let it be

Set on fire for all to see

Break me down, build me up again

Don't leave me the way I've been

Take my heart into Your hands

Come and finish what You began

'Til I seek Your kingdom first

'Til I shine, shine

Like Heaven on earth

Like Heaven on earth

The Kingdom

Exodus 19:5-6 Now if you will obey Me and keep My covenant, you will be My own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to Me. And you will be My kingdom of priests, My holy nation.' This is the message you must give to the people of Israel."  Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Colossians 1:13 For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, Hebrews 12:28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe.  Revelation 1:6-7 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God His Father. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen. Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see Him--even those who pierced Him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for Him. Yes! Amen!

Did God Really Say

The conflict begins when we question God's love for us.

Genesis 3:1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?"

Genesis 3:5-6 "God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil." 6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too."

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When I think about how large the Garden of Eden must have been, I have to wonder about Adam and Eve's choice of location, it seems like they must have set up household in close proximity to the tree with the forbidden fruit.

Think about this, if you had the most awesome garden in the world to live in and if it was large enough for so many animals to live in then would you hang out next to the tree full of forbidden fruit? Yes you would!

We are always attracted to what we are told that we cannot have, none of us should think that we would have chose a different neighborhood or handled the talking snake any differently. Satan used the same tools on Adam and Eve that he has used on everybody else that has ever lived.

Satan's has a short list of tricks to appeal to us:

• The lust of the flesh - it tastes good
• The lust of the eyes - it’s nice to look at
• The pride of life - it’ll make you wise 

Satan even used these same things to try to get Jesus to rebel against God. He tries to appeal to our senses and gets us to doubt God's love for us and question the rules that were given to protect us. Any loving parent that is concerned for their child's safety does the same thing that God did.

God's love for us is already obvious in the first few chapters of Genesis. It can be seen in his willingness to meet our needs. God created a friendly atmosphere to live in, he met our need for relationships with God and with other humans, and he gave us boundaries that any good parent would give for their child's safety.

God's love continues to be seen as he meets another need, it's a new need that had never existed before, a need that man would try to fulfill on his own but it certainly didn't measure up to God's standards.

They knew they were naked and they sought to fix the problem with their own wisdom by making clothes out of fig leaves but how long is produce going to last after it has been picked?

God's response to man's sin reveals some more about the character of God and his love for the human race. God meets another need for us, one that we couldn't adequately meet on our own, God sets the standard and then he fulfilled the standard as an example to us.

Later on there would be men that were set aside for the job but for now the first high priest is God. He would offer the first blood sacrifice and teach us how to receive forgiveness long before the law was ever given. Sin brought death into the world, first the death of the first animal, then the way of Cain brought death to his brother.

Man becomes his own executioner, and takes part with Satan, the murderer from the beginning.

-Expositor's Bible Commentary

God wasn't inventing something new, the old system of animal sacrifices and imperfect priest was a picture of the heavenly system that was on the way, a perfect high priest would come that would also be the perfect sacrifice and he would minister in the perfect tabernacle. (Leviticus 4:31, Numbers 15:25–27, Hebrews 8:1-7)

Hebrews 9:10-12 For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies— physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.

11 So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world.

12 With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

The new covenant that God promised in Genesis was fulfilled in Jesus, the offspring of the woman became the bruised servant that has fatally wounded Satan and destroyed his plans, his sacrifice is perfect and final.

It is so easy to believe the lie that you are worthless to God and that he is holding back something good from you but in light of what Jesus did for you on the cross why do we listen to that snake?

Do you know what God said? The Bible is God's message to you that was preserved through the ages to show you how much you are loved and what you must do to restore your relationship.

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Worship The King

How will you respond to the newborn King?

Matthew 2:1-3 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,

2 "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw His star as it rose, and we have come to worship Him."

3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.

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The arrival of a baby usually brings great joy and celebration but in the Christmas story it doesn't stop there. If we realize that the arrival of Jesus into our world means that God is with us then the celebration should also include worship.

Mankind has such a difficult time with worship, most of us don't realize that we love to worship, but the problem is we are drawn to worship incorrectly or we worship the wrong things. (Romans 1:21-25)

What do you worship? Some of us worship ourselves while for others that seems absurd because we know that we have way too many faults to deserve such high praise. Some of us are drawn to worship other people while some are content to worship something that doesn't even have life.

Worse of all, some of us are drawn to worship evil, demons and spirits are the focus of their worship, this scares most of us but others are drawn to it without a second thought. In the last days the survivors of God's discipline will still refuse to worship him and choose to worship evil despite the consequences that it brings. (Revelation 9:20)

If we fail to worship God, we always find a substitute, even if it ends up being ourselves.

-Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

The Bible tells us that when we meet God our reaction will be worship so it is no surprise that when the wise men met Jesus their first reaction was worship. From their story we can learn a lot of lessons about worship.

Jesus should be worshipped as the King of the Jews and also as the king of the world. Herod had the official title "king of the Jews" given to him by Rome but nobody in his kingdom respected him as king and no one would ever call him their Messiah.

Genesis 49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from his descendants, until the coming of the One to whom it belongs, the One whom all nations will honor.

At the beginning of Matthew's gospel he shows us that great men came from other nations to worship the infant king, the ruler of the kingdom of God, and if you go to the last chapter of the book Jesus tells us to find other people from every nation and make disciples of them. If we do this then they will also be drawn to worship the king.

The wise men had to be educated in the Old Testament so they would know what to be watching for. Their knowledge caused them to watch with eager expectation which caused them to stop everything and go through a lot of trouble to find the child so that they could honor him with gifts and worship.

Psalms 72:9-14 Desert nomads will bow before him; his enemies will fall before him in the dust. 10 The western kings of Tarshish and other distant lands will bring him tribute. The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba will bring him gifts. 11 All kings will bow before him, and all nations will serve him.

The great effort and motivation of the wise men can be contrasted with the opposite great effort and motivation of Herod. The wise men were willing to give of their time and their treasure but Herod was only willing to protect his status and be a taker. Herod wouldn't allow anyone to challenge his position so he did anything he needed to do so that Jesus wouldn't make it from the cradle to the throne. 

The great effort and motivation of the wise men can also be contrasted with the greatest apathy of all time. The religious leaders that Herod consulted didn't have any desire to go worship, they knew the child should be a short distance down the road, but just because you have all of the information doesn't mean you will have any motivation.

Seeing all of these incredibly different responses to Jesus should be a little bit disturbing. What will my response be? How can I be sure that I will respond with the right amount of effort and the correct motivation? How great is my joy at the thought of worshipping him?

The joy that I pursue is not the hope of getting rich with things from you. I have not come to you for your things, but for yourself. And this desire I now intensify and demonstrate by giving up things, in the hope of enjoying you more, not things. By giving to you what you do not need, and what I might enjoy, I am saying more earnestly and more authentically, 'You are my treasure, not these things.'

-John Piper

Worshipping Jesus should be with great joy, I need to be thoughtful at all times about my response to Jesus, I need to stay aware of who he is and decide at every moment of my day that I will worship him correctly because I do know who he is.

If I truly believe that he was the perfect man that is worthy of my worship then I will strive to imitate him by using my time, my talents and my treasure to please him. It's the only worship that he has ever wanted. (Romans 12:1-2, Hebrews 10:1)

The Challenge Of The Eternal City

Heaven is my destination for eternity and it is my motivation for this life.

Revelation 22:3-5 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him. 4 And they will see His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there--no need for lamps or sun--for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

Titus 2:12-14 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

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At the end of the book of Revelation we see the ultimate end of our existence. We don't have to speculate or search Google to find the answer to the demise of humanity and our planet. Because we do know how it will end and we know that we will be answerable to God for this life we need to consider a few things.

First we looked at the idea that we should be excited to celebrate our final victory in Jesus and feel comfort in knowing that Heaven is in our future. We need to be encouraged to live joyfully so that other people will see the incredible hope and comfort that the world desperately needs.

Second we looked at the cause or the purpose of the eternal city and we learned that Heaven isn't supposed to be our great desire because we will get a more comfortable existence with a lot of great perks. My greatest desire should be to know God in a much more personal way.

Today I am looking at the third way that the reality of Heaven should affect our existence today. I should live a very different lifestyle with a new mindset because of wat has been done for me. I love to travel to other countries but it is always a tiny bit of anxiety while you wait to get through immigration. That anxiety is something that you don't need to have when you arrive at the eternal city.

I know that Heaven is a country where I could never get a visa without some serious help from somebody much better than myself. Since I have received such an awesome gift I should show my gratitude instead of acting like this life is all about me.

The king of the eternal city has a best selling book that tells us how to get through immigration and what is expected of the citizens of the eternal city. He wrote this book for our benefit yet there are many that have purchased the book and have never seriously thought about the author and what his intentions were for writing the book.

God's book makes it clear that the people that are looking forward to a better country are supposed to be patriotic representatives of the better country and it's King. These special people should live differently to promote our homeland and it's interest.

Romans 7:21-25 I have discovered this principle of life--that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God's law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.

24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

The challenge to live to please the king of our new country should create a tension between the new country and the country of birth. The new creation that I am in Jesus demands my loyalty but the fact that I am still stuck in this fallen world in my old carnal body is a conflict that I must deal with for now.

Titus 3:5-8 He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of His grace He declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life."

8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

Thankfully I do not have to master this conflict alone! Besides the best selling book that the king wrote I also have unbelievable power to live above the standards of this world because he also gave me the Holy Spirit. When I utilize the power found in the Bible and the Holy Spirit's power I can rise up to the challenge and live in victory.

Jesus knows that the citizens of his eternal city that take his instructions seriously will struggle against the culture and it's attitudes. That is why he gives us good news at the end of the book: “My reward is with Me.”

Will you be ready for great gain or will you suffer great loss? (! Corinthians 3:13-17)

Our Conqueror Will Rule

Satan defeated, unbelievers judged, God's kingdom come.

Revelation 20:10-15 Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from His presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds.

14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:1-3 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them.

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In the daily grind and weariness of life it may seem that our prayers are never going to be answered, it seems that "thy kingdom come" is never going to happen. Because of the delay there are many people that have given up on his second coming. They fail to realize that the Bible proves over and over again that God's timetable moves very slowly and it isn't a sign that his promises will not come true.

We don't like delay anymore than God's children in the Bible. Noah thought the first ever boat would never be completed, Abraham thought that he would never have an heir, God's children thought that they would never stop being ruled by various world leaders.

It is easy to think that God is late and his second coming will never happen. Jesus will return and stop the plans of Satan, the people of Satan's kingdom will be judged and the children of God's kingdom will finally be satisfied forever.

For every time the first coming of Christ is mentioned, the Second Coming is mentioned eight times. And the Lord Himself refers to His coming twenty-one times and over 50 times we are exhorted to be ready for that great event. 

-John MacArthur

This event is so important that scripture makes it clear that we can trust God to come through on the Bible's promises about the second coming. The first coming miraculously fulfilled hundreds of prophecies so we can have confidence that the second coming which is predicted much more often than the first is sure to take place.

Jesus will begin his rule by defeating all of the opposition to his kingdom. 

World leaders will fight “against the Lord and against His anointed” but they will all be defeated. Their weapons prove to be worthless against the sword of the Lord. God created by speaking and it instantly happened and by the sword of his mouth his enemies will be defeated. (Psalm 2:1-3, Hebrews 4:12)

The beast, the false prophet and Satan are all doomed, first the beast and false prophet are cast into hell, then after the thousand year millennial reign Satan will follow them to the same fate. (Revelation 20:10)

The next defeat will happen to all those whose names are not recorded in the Book of Life. The sad reality of everyone that loved their life on earth too much to be concerned about what would happen in the next life. At the great white throne, there will be a Judge but no jury, a prosecution but no defense, a sentence but no appeal. God's answer will be final! (John 12:25, Revelation 20:15)

The prayers of God's children throughout the ages will finally be answered. The longing for "they kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven" will be fulfilled! All of the earthly kingdoms, no matter how good some of them are, will all be gone.

Jesus has told us how to avoid defeat as a citizen of his kingdom.

You don't have to go down in defeat. if you make the wise choice and you are ready for the king that is coming then you will be a citizen of the new kingdom with the only perfect king. There will not be any illegal immigration into God's kingdom.

The Bible is the story of God restoring the kingdom that was lost back when God walked with man in the Garden of Eden. The story continued as God abides with Israel in the tabernacle and later in the temple. Jesus came to earth and “tabernacled” among us and now lives within us. At the end of time the kingdom will be fully restored and God's children will take their place in this better country that they have been longing to see. (John 1:14 / Hebrews 11:16 /1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

When we enter the kingdom we will enjoy God's presence even more fully than Adam and Eve did in the garden. We will finally be home enjoying the presence of our father.

Are you a friend of the conqueror? You can find peace with God.

RELATED ARTICLES

Our Conqueror Will Return (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)

Victory In Jesus

Victory is on the way so don't get discouraged.

Revelation 14:1-3 Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him were 144,000 who had His name and His Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together. 3 This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

Revelation 15:3-4 And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations. 4 Who will not fear You, Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous deeds have been revealed."

Revelation 19:1 After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, “Praise the LORD! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.

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A lot of people stay away from the book of Revelation because of all of the scary stuff that happens but that certainly wasn't the intention when this book was delivered to the early church. The saints that were being persecuted found these words to be encouraging as they were struggling to do church the right way.

It should be encouraging to know that the reader of this book is promised to be blessed and it should be even more uplifting to see God, Jesus and Heaven in vivid detail that is not seen very often in the rest of the Bible.

If you need to be encouraged today then check out the voices of victory that Revelation tells us about as the final triumph over evil is drawing near in the last half of the tribulation.

The first voice we hear is the combined voices of the 144,000 that lived through the tribulation. Their instruments and voices make up a huge choir that sings a wonderful new song to Jesus from Jerusalem. They don't stay on the earth much longer, their final destination is Heaven and in a little while we will see this same choir in Heaven singing the song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-27) and the song of the Lamb. (Revelation 15:1-4)

The next voices that John heard was of three angels. (Revelation 14:6-20) The first angel goes on the last mission trip that the world will experience as he goes across the sky proclaiming the gospel to everyone. The angels have never been used to share the gospel before but now there are not any believers left to share the gospel.

The next two angels announce that judgement is here and the world system is going down. If you are a child of God then you should find comfort in knowing that the burden of living in this sin filled world will not last forever. (Revelation 14:14-16)

The Son of Man comes with his harvesting tool as two angels announce that the harvest is ready to be gathered and put into the winepress. The judge is the King of kings and the Lord of lords; his tool for judgment is the Word of God. (Revelation 14:14-20, 19:11-16)

Revelation 16:17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. And a mighty shout came from the throne in the Temple, saying, "It is finished!"

"It is finished!" The same words that Jesus spoke from the cross to announce victory over death for God's children are the same words that God spoke to announce victory over Satan and the end to his rule over this world. In both instances the victory was so sure that it was announced even though it hadn't happened yet. (John 19:30)

Praise The Lord
Five reasons for their praise emerge: 1) God’s deliverance of His people from their enemies (Revelation 19:1); 2) God’s meting out of justice (Revelation 19:2); 3) God’s permanent crushing of man’s rebellion (Revelation 19:3); 4) God’s sovereignty (Revelation 19:6); 5) God’s communion with His people (Revelation 19:7). -MacArthur Study Bible

As the end draws near and the final victory is in sight there is an explosion of praise and celebration. (Revelation 19:1-10)  All of the trials and the suffering that God's children have experienced and all of the effects of sin on this world are about to be gone forever. Living without sin sounds awesome but since we have never experienced it we really cannot comprehend or fully appreciate it.

The Bible makes it clear who will be victorious at the end of time. God's children will overcome this evil world but we don't get to take credit for it. As a child of God we need to live joyfully and give the credit where it is due knowing that our victory has been guaranteed by someone far greater than ourselves! (John 16:33)

The King Is Coming

The only way to be a citizen of this kingdom is to be born into it.

Isaiah 52:1, 7, 8, 13 Wake up, wake up, O Zion! Clothe yourself with strength. Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem, for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!

The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the LORD returning to Jerusalem.

See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted.

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Someday the beautiful state that the world was in at the end of the creation story will be restored. The beauty and peace and especially the access to God that Adam and Eve had will be restored to all of God's people from every corner of the earth.

The Bible is the story of the Kingdom of God being restored, first the Bible makes it clear that we are so bad, from the original sin to the first murder and then shortly there after the story of Noah. Our tendency has always been to reject God and embrace evil.

John 3:3 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God."

The Bible lets us know that the day is coming when the king will restore his kingdom, the Book of Life will be opened and the citizens of the kingdom will be brought together to enjoy God's presence even more fully that it was in the garden.

The Book of Life is a list of all of the people that belong to God's kingdom. This country won't have any illegal immigration and there won't be any discrimination based on your color or the place of your first birth.

Have you become a citizen of God's eternal kingdom? Find out how you can have peace with God that starts now and last for eternity.

Trouble Ahead

The day is coming when God will bring mans rebellion to an end.

Revelation 6:10-11 They shouted to the Lord and said, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before You judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters--their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred--had joined them.

Revelation 6:15-17 Then everyone--the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person--all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?"

Revelation 8:13 Then I looked, and I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew through the air, "Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets."

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So far most people are okay with the Book of Revelation, we have met the glorified Jesus and we have received his instruction on how to do church, then in the next chapter we see the church in Heaven where they meet the Creator and then the Redeemer.

We don't mind talking about meeting Jesus and getting our rewards but we don't like to think about the events that are about to start now that Jesus has called the church home and now he has taken the sealed scroll from God's right hand. It is now time for mans rebellion to be brought to an end.

This information about the end times isn't completely new to John, he has already heard Jesus teach about what will take place, Revelation six looks a lot like what Jesus predicted in Matthew 24 when he was teaching the disciples from the Mount of Olives.

The wrath of God begins with the opening of the seals of God's scroll:

False Christ - Matthew 24:4-5, Revelation 6:1-2
War - Matthew 24:6-8, Revelation 6:3-4
Famine - Matthew 24:7, Revelation 6:5-6
Death - Matthew 24:7-10, Revelation 6:7-8
Martys - Matthew 24:14, Revelation 6:9-11
Cosmic Changes - Matthew 24:29, Revelation 6:12-23

To the people that are subject to God's wrath it looks like complete chaos but John shows us from his perspective in Heaven that everything is in order as each seal is opened and nothing is happening without God's approval.

There are two groups of people that react to the trouble on earth. There are the martyrs that cry out for their blood to be avenged, and even though their prayers are heard in heaven, they do not bring an end to the suffering. The other group is the unbelievers that want to he hidden from all of the calamity. It is interesting to note that they know the reason for their suffering but they love their sin more that they love Jesus. (Revelation 6:9-17)

God will continue to deal with the relentless rebellion on the earth, the seventh seal brings the next round of his wrath via the seven trumpets. Each of these judgments comes with greater intensity than the six seals. (Revelation 8:1-11:19)

Revelation 9:20  But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God.

It is difficult to comprehend that these people will know that their punishment is from God yet they will continue to refuse to turn to him. God is willing to accept them but instead of repentance the vast majority of the world will lash out at God's people and make more martyrs.

God's children throughout all of the ages are like those martyrs that ask "How long?" Even those of us that are not martyrs ask the same question as we long to be in a better place. Maybe the problem is that we live for the next minute, maybe the next day, but to wait for God to move may not come until generations later.

God will relieve his people of this sinful world and fulfill their longing for his righteousness kingdom to be established but until then it is my responsibility to bring his kingdom into my world. When I yield to the reign of Christ and surrender my throne to him then "thy kingdom come" happens in my life and it has an affect on the world around me.

Will you be a part of this new kingdom and escape God's judgement?

RELATED ARTICLES

The Six Seals (bible.org)
The Cross Absorbed The Wrath Of God (billygraham.org)
What Is The Kingdom Of God (desiringgod.org)

He Shall Reign Forevermore

Unto us a child is born, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

 Video: Chris Tomlin - He Shall Reign Forevermore

He Shall Reign Forevermore

In the bleak mid-winter, all creation groans

For a world in darkness, frozen like a stone

Light is breaking, in a stable

For a throne

And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

Unto us a child is born

The King of kings and Lord of lords

And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

If I were a wise man, I would travel far

And if I were a shepherd, I would do my part

But poor as I am

I will give to Him my heart

And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

Unto us a child is born

The King of kings and Lord of lords

And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

Here within a manger lies

The One who made the starry skies

This baby born for sacrifice

Christ, the Messiah

Into our hopes, into our fears

The Savior of the world appears

The promise of eternal years

Christ, the Messiah

He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

And he shall reign forevermore, forevermore

He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

Unto us a child is born

The King of kings and Lord of lords

And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

From the album:

Build Your Kingdom Here

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else.

Rend Collective Experiment - Build Your Kingdom Here

In our hearts again

Increase in us we pray

Unveil why we're made

Come set our hearts ablaze with hope

Like wildfire in our very souls

Holy Spirit come invade us now

We are Your Church

We need Your power

In us

We seek Your kingdom first

We hunger and we thirst

Refuse to waste our lives

For You're our joy and prize

To see the captive hearts released

The hurt; the sick; the poor at peace

We lay down our lives for Heaven's cause

We are Your church

We pray revive

This Earth

Unleash Your kingdom's power

Reaching the near and far

No force of hell can stop

Your beauty changing hearts

You made us for much more than this

Awake the kingdom seed in us

Fill us with the strength and love of Christ

We are Your church

We are the hope

On Earth

1 Chronicles 29:11-13 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O LORD, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as the One who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from You alone, for You rule over everything. Power and might are in Your hand, and at Your discretion people are made great and given strength. 13 "O our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name!

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What takes up your time and energy? Are you so concerned about your family, job, house, clothes that you don't have time and energy for the kingdom work that God wants you to do? God cares for the smallest parts of his creation so we can know that he will certainly take care of the beings that were created in his image.

As a child of God we should long for his kingdom, a place where the church and the government are blended together in complete harmony, a place where their aren't any orphanages, a place where life is respected from the womb to the tomb and where there isn't any need for a welfare program.

Can you imagine a world where justice always prevails, where righteousness and goodness is the rule and dominates, where there is total and lasting peace, where joy reigns?

-Pastor John MacArthur

The Bible teaches us that the kingdom of God comes into being wherever the authority of God is acknowledged. If God's people will live with God's concerns in mind and acknowledge his authority in their lives then this city and this nation will be a place where peace, justice and righteousness will reign.

I pray Lord that your people will be drawn back to you and that we will be concerned with the things that are important to you.

Did You Hear The Good News?

This good news of God's grace is life changing.

Colossians 1:4-6  For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God's people,  5  which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.

6  This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace.

Colossians 1:13-14  For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son,  14  who purchased our freedom [with His blood] and forgave our sins.

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Maybe you have not heard the good news, good news travels fast, but there are still plenty of people that don't know about it. The good news is that you can switch neighborhoods! When you die, you don't have to reside in the kingdom of darkness, we have access to the kingdom of heaven. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins so that my sins can be forgiven so that i can spend eternity with him.

Maybe you have already heard the good news but maybe you need to be reminded just how good the good news is. Do you realize the dreadful condition that you were in? Jesus put an end to the despair and he has given us "confident hope." Paul calls it a "confident hope" because we are not wishing on a star, this hope that we have is a sure thing for those that know the good news.

God's kingdom is built on grace.

Ephesians 2:8-9 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

God's grace changes lives everywhere it goes, everybody that it touches should be a lot different than the rest of the world, the fact that the most important relationship in our life has been repaired should give us peace beyond what the world has to offer.

My life has been changed by grace, it has changed the way that I live, God's grace came at a high price and I should not live my life for my own desires and satisfaction. The way that I treat others and the way that I use my resources should be affected by my understanding of the gospel.

Related articles

• Easy Faith And Great Faith (tillhecomes.org)
• Salvation belongs to the Lord (devotionsfordisciples.com)
• Thank God for you (devotionsfordisciples.com)
• A Dangerous Silence (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)

Seek First God's Kingdom

You Know That God Will Provide The Rest Of The Stuff

Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.

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There is no shortage of things to worry about in this world but for those of us that are Christ followers there is a major concern that we need to be interested in. It isn't the typical worry of the average citizen of our planet, it's not about the clothes that we "need" to have or the restaurant that we need to be seen at, it is a far greater concern that is supposed to be on the mind of the Christ follower.

The concern that should occupy our minds should be for the kingdom, Jesus told us that the most important thing in life is to seek first:

1. The kingdom of God- I need to seek to be in the kingdom and then I need to tell others how they can be in it as well.
2. To be righteous- To become interested in His approval, to live according to God's will

We ought to sacrifice everything else, making the other stuff that this world is concerned with of no importance so that we can work for the advancement of the kingdom, which is of greater value than all the world’s riches. God said that he would supplying every other need that we have. (Philippians 4:19)

We were transferred into a different kingdom when we were saved, I need to be concerned with the kingdom of God and allow him to rule over my life, the ruler of the kingdom of darkness should have no say over the way that I live and I should not allow him to weigh me down. (Colossians 1:13, Hebrews 12:1)

Lord Jesus, help me to be concerned with the things that concern you and to let the rest of the stuff become insignificant.

You might like to read: Commands of Jesus blog series