Second Coming...Soon!

The Kingdom of God is not only here in us and in Heaven but it is also going to come in fullness on earth during the second coming of Jesus, which we call it as Rapture in Christiandom. That is when we will be changed into a glorious body like Jesus...

1 Corinthians 15:50-52 (New International Version)
50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

If we ready by that time by living a blameless life in the Lord then we need not be afraid, for we will go Home with the Lord.

Luke 21:26-28 (New International Version)
26Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

But it is those who are not in the Lord who will be left behind and has to face severe tribulations. So let us pray for all our family members, friends and relatives and share the gospel of Christ so that they too may be saved and not be left behind...Amen.

Matthew 16:26-27 (New International Version)
26What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

Persecution...

When we our life in the Kingdom of God on earth, it is not going to be easy...One we will have to live a righteous life in this fallen and sinful world, which is a challenge.

Phillippians 2:15 (New Living Translation)

... Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

Second many people who are not in the Lord will not accept our faith and our life ...We will be persecuted for our faith. But those who have chosen to follow Jesus can expect to be persecuted for the Kingdom in various ways. For Jesus said,

John 15:20 (NIV)

Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

Therefore if we going to be persecuted for Jesus sake, it should not come to us as a surprise...

Matthew 5:10-12 (New International Version)

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Let us rejoice for we are not being talked badly because we live a sinful life but because of righteousness and because of Jesus who died on the cross for us (paying the penalty for our sins). So shouldn't we be glad that we being counted to suffer on His behalf? Let us not grow weary for we have a greater reward both here on earth and in heaven when we take the stand for Him...

Kingdom life 2

To live a Kingdom life, we need to be plugged with God continuously. We cannot be on and off when it comes to taking time with Jesus. That is not the way...

If one is going to say that there are not really bothered about Kingdom life but would just be related to Jesus on a shallow level, then they need to look at the Matthew 21:43 more closely.

Matthew 21:43 (New International Version)
43"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

If we are not going to produce fruit in the Kingdom by the way we live, our faith, action, functioning our role in the Kingdom and living our talk, then we will be counted as outcasts. We cannot expect to enter the Kingdom of God for all eternity... So it is rather vital that we be fruitful in Christ. For this we need to continually abide in the Lord...

John 15:5,6 (NIV)
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

When we remain in the Lord then He will make us more like Him and will make us a blessing to others. And this is how the Kingdom of God is established here on earth...

Sheep and the goat...

A great missionary and evangelist E.Stanley Jones says that the "Kingdom of God is a divine order which we see embodied in Christ Jesus...We are therefore disciplined by Jesus who embodies that order in us..." Whoever is born again cannot have an attitude of not living for Christ or serving Him...that is the Kingdom order which will be inculcated in us and hence we will be convinced, excited to live as per that order. For true believers following the Word of God will not look like a burden, but they will do it with all eagerness and willingness through His grace.

But at the same time there may be so called believers who may be preaching the gospel and doing God's work without reflecting Christ-likeness... Only those who does the will of the Father and have Christ-like mind and heart will inherit the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers

Just because people carry out healing ministry or drive out demons or even do miracles they may not be true believers, who pose a nature contradicting their faith .That is why the Lord clearly spoke about the sheep and the goat.

Mat 25:32-34 (NIV)
32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world

Therefore let us be truly Kingdom people who will do the will of God with the divine order embodied in us through Christ Jesus...

Kingdom life

Whoever claims to be believers in Christ should exhibit Kingdom nature in them. That is believers should be people who live righteously, who are peace-makers and those who are joyful in Lord even in humble circumstances.Not only that, they are never stagnant but are people who produce fruits in the Kingdom. They are people with faith... not only for themselves but for others too.

But those who live life without active faith...where it doesn't overflow from them to others, then the Kingdom of God will be taken away from them.The Kingdom is not given to those who does not produce its fruit...of righteousness, peace, joy and harvest.

Jesus said,
Matthew 21:43 (New International Version)
43"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

So let us live the Kingdom life as we truly belong here...

Kingdom Power

When we are able to see and experience demonstration of God's power in our lives in terms of healing, deliverance, break through, miracles, provisions etc... our lives will be powerful witnesses for others to see that Our God is real and living among us. We will also be able to deliver that Kingdom power in the lives of others...

Luke 9:1,2 (NIV)
1When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Jesus gave this power and authority not only to His disciples then, but He gives this authority to all His children now to carry out His work in the world. If we ask the Lord to clothe us with the power from of High, that is the power of the Holy Spirit then we will be used by the Holy Spirit of God to demonstrate the Kingdom power. Then we can pray with faith for healing, deliverance, provision, miracle, break through and blessings in the lives of other people and become a blessing in God's Kingdom.

Kingdom expansion

How does God expand or extend His Kingdom? It is through us... God does not require our help to extend or expand His Kingdom on earth, for we know that He is all powerful. But He desires that we be a part of His Kingdom's work. God desires to work in partnership with us so that through Jesus Christ He will reconcile the whole world to Him.

2 Co 5:18-20 (NIV)
18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation...And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

And while reconciling the world to Him, God demonstrates the power of His Kingdom through signs, wonders, miracles,healings, deliverance, breakthroughs etc, to prove to this world that His power, authority and dominion rules over this whole world and universe as it does in heaven. He demonstrates them both in the lives of His children's and in the life of others.

All we need to question ourselves is that, do we see and experience the power of His Kingdom in our lives? Only if we are able to say yes to that, then will we be able to demonstrate that power in others life too.

Making our election sure...

Once we are born again, we need to take all efforts to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is an ongoing process till we reach Home and the Spirit of God will help us and enable us to do so as long as we are yielding to Him...

2 Peter 1:5-11 (New International Version)
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The moment we are born again, God's Kingdom will be built in us. At the same time as Apostle Peter exhorts us, we need to work on the above qualities with the help of the Holy Spirit so that we don't fall short of His Kingdom being established in in us... And when the Kingdom of God is established, the power of the Kingdom will be demonstrated in our lives and we will be used by God for the extending of His Kingdom...

Rightful place

We all know the story of the rich ruler in the Bible. This man hopes to attain eternal life and he asks Jesus how he can do so...knowing that he has kept the commandents and expecting a positive reply from the Lord. But deep in his heart he loved riches more than anything else. That is why when Jesus asks him to sell eveything and follow Him, he becomes sad...

Luke 18:22-25 (New International Version)
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Jesus is not saying that rich people will not enter God's Kingdom but those who are lovers of money. Money is not evil but love for money is evil.

1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV)
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

God will take care of our needs and will bless us financially if we only trust Him. But He will not even consider those whose heart is set on money and tries to attain or gain wealth through unjust means...

Hebrews 13:5(NIV)
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

We need to love the giver than the gift. He knows our heart... so let us give the right place in our hearts to the true Master...

Kingdom Folks

Many of them call themselves believers in Christ, but they don't reflect themselves as the Lord's children in any way... in their character and nature. We cannot inherit the Kingdom of God if we have Adam's nature...

Galatians 5:19-21 (New International Version)
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

God sees us and knows us. We are accountable to how we live and for the actions we take. We will surely be cast out of His Kingdom if we continue to remain with the nature of the sinful man. Unless we repent, change and be renewed in our minds and hearts; be aligned with Jesus, we cannot belong to God's Kingdom. For flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God but only those who are renewed by the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 15:48-50 (New International Version)
48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
50I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Right perspectives for God's work

Many believers in Christ have misinterpreted on the scripture which we meditated yesterday where Jesus says 'no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God..' (Luke 18:29-30 NASB) and have literally escaped responsibilities at home front to serve God.

I have heard a testimony of a believer who left behind his aged parents and a mentally challenged sister to do a degree in theology, while his family was finding it difficult to get a decent meal for a day. The believer testified saying that the Lord will take care of His family.

But look what God's Word says,
1 Tim 3:1-5 (NIV)
1If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own family well...If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?

The above scripture is not only for overseers or full time servants of God but for every believer who does God's work. People of God should not neglect family or responsibilities at home while serving the Lord. Only when we are good at handling our family will we be a solid testimony among the unbelievers and a right example among believers...

Aligning priorities...

We can really seek God's Kingdom only when we love the Lord more than anybody or anything else in this world. Only when we passionately love Him will we be serious to do God's work. That is why when Peter told Jesus that they had left everything to follow Him did Jesus say,

Luke 18:29-30 [NASB]
And He said to them, 'Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, Who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come eternal life'

This scripture does not indicate literally leaving behind our families, but our place for God in our hearts should be above everyone and everything else. To love Him is to seek to please Him and do His will all the time...Only when we are willing to love Him above all, will we be able to work for His kingdom effectively.

Seeking God's Purpose

When we look at our goals of life each one us has something to achieve or attain or possess. Some may want to buy a house or a car, a job, career, education, position, or even migration. Whatever it may be... these may be the important things in our life, yet we need to understand that they are not the most important ones.

As God's children we also have a divine goal to seek and work on... Look what the Word of God says,
Matt 6:31-33 (NIV)
(v.31) So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' (v. 32)For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (v.33) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

We are to seek first the purpose for which God created us uniquely. We have a role in God's Kingdom and that role can be done only by us. Otherwise it is left undone. So while we are busy pursuing our earthly personal goals, let us seriously take God's Word and seek to do His will for us in His Kingdom and fulfill the purpose of our life here on earth.

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, please let me know the work that you have got for me in your Kingdom and help me to do it faithfully by your grace. In your precious name. Amen.

Kingdom nature 3

Along with living the life like Jesus did, we should also share the good news of Jesus to those who are open to it. We share the gospel not only because the Lord commanded us to do but more because of the overflow of what Jesus is to us and what He is doing in our lives. Our lives are testimonies that He is real in our lives and how we have derived a meaning to this life on earth through Him.

It may be hard to share the gospel to everyone. But when we are in tune with the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit leads us to share the gospel to those who are open to listen. This we will know because we will have a clear perception as who will listen when we converse with people. But sometimes while sharing the gospel many may not receive it with open mind and heart. We should not get annoyed if the gospel is not received well. We are not hear to convince people through arguments, but to share the Love of God with the very nature of love and gentleness.

So it is better that we understand the true nature of God's Kingdom before we share the Kingdom of God.

Ephesians 6:12 (New King James Version)
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We don't fight against people but we fight against Satan and His forces who are blinding the people to know the truth.

Kingdom nature 2

As we contiue to meditate that we should reflect Jesus in everything we say and do, we see that it is not an impossible task as many perceive it. For Jesus was a human like us when He lived on earth. He lived a pure life due to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He demonstrated God's Kingdom through the power of the Spirit. We can sure have the same poise and the power that Jesus demonstrated while on earth. We should not excuse ourselves saying that we are not Jesus to be so or do so. It is possible to live like Him as long as we are willing and yielding to the Spirit of God.

The first and the foremost thing to reflect Jesus is to have the same kind of heart and mind like Him which is emphasized in Col 3:12-14 (NIV)

(v.12)Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (v.13)Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (v.14)And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

If we can only possess these attributes in us, we sure will reflect Him ...

Imitating Jesus

One of the key factor in being a child of God is that we live and be like Jesus. We need to question this often in our minds, "What would Jesus do in this situation? How would he react or decide?" We become His copy cats in everything. Be it for our own life situations or while doing something for someone...

We demonstrate God's Kingdom by exactly doing what Jesus would have done in that particular scenario or issue.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

(v.3 )Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, (v.4) who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Romans 12:15-16 (NIV)
(v.15) Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (v.16) Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

This is mind set we should have while serving others. We put ourselves in others shoes and help them find Christ...

Kingdom nature...

As the Kingdom of God lives in us, we cannot live passively but actively as God's children. We cannot afford to live stagnant lives but a life of growth. We keep growing, encouraging, empowering people around us or associated with us... We inflict others by touching lives. We preach the good news of Jesus not out of obligation or compulsion but out of overflowing.

We should never preach the gospel just because we should do it as a Christian. But when our life overflows with Jesus, then we sure cannot be quiet as it overflows automatically through our words, deeds and actions. That is the nature of God's Kingdom.

Luke 13: 18-21 (NIV)
(v.18)Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? (v.19)It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."
(v.20) Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? (v.21)It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

Reflecting the Kingdom

When we say that the Kingdom of God is in us, what we demonstrate more powerfully is the life we live. We cannot be people who live contrary to what we speak. For instance, it is so easy to talk about righteousness. purity and integrity but it not that easy to live that life. But unless we live honestly and truly before men and God, we cannot reflect the Kingdom. We cannot preach the gospel unless we and our life reflects Jesus.

For the Kingdom of God is not of mere talk but of power.

1 Corinthians 4:20 (Amplified Bible)
For the kingdom of God consists of and is based on not talk but power (moral power and excellence of soul).

Without moral power and excellence of soul we should not preach the gospel. That is why a great man of God said,

Preach the gospel and when necessary use words...

So let us make every effort to live a life reflecting Jesus so that we don't become a mockery...

In us...

Once we are born again, the spirit of God lives in us and so is God's kingdom. We are made right with God through the blood of Jesus and we are to live a clean and righteous life with the help of the Holy Spirit.

As we see that,
Romans 14:17 (NIV)
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

When we allow the Holy Spirit of God to reign and rule in us then we cannot practice any form of unrighteousness consciously or live a life displeasing God. For the Holy spirit Himself will be our sanctifier and Counselor who will lead and guide us, convicts us and correct us. Thus we will see as God's children we demonstrate a powerful life of God's Kingdom living in us.

Luke 17:20, 21 (NIV)
(v.20)...Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, (v.21)nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."

Born Again?

Once a woman said to her believer friend "I am christian since a child as I was born and brought up in a christian family. I believe in Jesus, go to church, pray and read the Bible. I have been a christian all through...But in your case since you come from a different religious background, the Christian faith is new and I guess that is why you find this whole life new and interesting...."

How wrong the woman was about whole concept of Christian faith and perhaps many out there are of the same view?

The truth is very clear in the Bible (God's Word)
Romans 3:10 (NIV)
As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one".

Whether one is born and brought up in a Christian family or has been a good Christian all through it doesn't matter. As the Bible says in Rom 3:9 (NIV), "...that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin." And again in Romans 3:23 (NIV) -"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

For all have sinned and we come short of God's standards (His holiness). Therefore we need to come to that point of realization and confess that to God. That is why Jesus said in Mark 1:15 (NIV)- "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

We need to repent of our sins. When we sit down and look deeply in our hearts and honestly ask God to show our inner self, then we will know our true color. We all have so much sins hidden deep within us which only we and God knows. There are many sins in man which only he/ she can know such as greed, manipulation, jealously, self righteousness, pride, lust, selfishness, covetousness, idolatry, hypocrisy and the like.

So if we truly desire to have a personal relationship with Jesus and enter His kingdom then we need to be born again.

John 3:3 (NIV)
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
2 Tim 2:19 (NIV)
"...Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

We really need to repent of our sins, thank the Lord for He took our place on the Cross as a penalty for our sins, ask the Lord to give us a new heart and spirit so that we will be truly be born again...and live a new ongoing life in Him with an openness and cleanliness of the heart.