Behold! The Kingdom of God has come!

The Kingdom of God has come and Christians can live in the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven, just as the prayer that Jesus has taught His believers pray daily. What does it mean? It means we live in the presence of God and we live a life different from that of the unbelievers. When they believe in Jesus they can live inside this Kingdom too. While in the Kingdom we enjoy the abundant life and supernatural protection and undeserved favor of God, a supernatural living over the natural world——under the grace and mercy of God.
Is there a proof of this in the Bible? Yes. We read Acts 27 afresh today to see the proof.
God will tell us what he has planned for Christians to accomplish in this world. He will guide us to make the right decision at the right time in the right manner. This includes all aspects of our daily living. There are two things He will tell us: What His believers should do, and what the unbelieving world will encounter. The same physical natural storm comes upon both believers and unbelievers. The outcome will be different when Christians live the Kingdom of God life.
Here is a brief summary of the difference between those living in the Kingdom of God (people of God) and those living outside (people of the world): THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS REAL WHERE CHRISTIANS LIVE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND LIVE IN THE SPIRITUAL REALITY OF THE UNSEEN REALM OF GOD.
1. What the world saw was merely physical and not the unseen: In the eyes of the world at the beginning of the journey, Paul was a mere prisoner just like any other prisoners. And he had no control over the journey. (Acts 27:1-8)
2. Paul gave his advice even when no one listened: but the world chose to listen to the wisdom of the physical man and not to God through a spiritual man. (Acts 27:9-13)
3. The storm event confirmed God's words: the prediction of Paul, a spiritual man who lived in the Kingdom of God. (Acts 27:14-20)
4. God showed His favor for His own people: that even though the unbelievers chose to go their destructive way, because of the presence of His people (Paul and his fellow Christians) on board, His supernatural protection would also include those who happened to be on board with His people. An angel told Paul this, “God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” Just imagine, God favored Paul so much that the presence of Paul on board had saved the lives of all other on board as long as they stayed with Paul. (Acts 27:21-36) Why? Because Paul lived in the Kingdom of God, with the mighty presence of the living God!
5. When the unbelievers believed and obeyed God’s advice through Paul (a Kingdom of God citizen), continued to stay with Paul and even took steps to stop wanting to kill or harm him, the unbelievers were all saved and reached shore safely. (Acts 27:37-44)
This is how the Kingdom of God works.
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Acts 27
²¹ After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. ²² But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. ²³ Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me ²⁴ and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ ²⁵ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. ²⁶ Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”

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⁴² The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. ⁴³ But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. ⁴⁴ The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.

What Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God and Healing

When Jesus came to earth He preached the Gospel of the kingdom of God which included healing the sick. The Kingdom of God is about the Gospel and its application on earth as in heaven. It comes together with healing.
Here are some of the Bible verses that tell us what Jesus did:

Matthew 4:23

[ Jesus Heals a Great Multitude ] And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.

Matthew 9:35

[ The Compassion of Jesus ] Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Matthew 24:14

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Mark 1:14

[ Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry ] Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Mark 1:15

and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Matthew 6:10 New King James Version (NKJV) ¹⁰ Your kingdom come.Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Luke 9:2

He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Luke 9:11

But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.

Luke 10:9

And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

Luke 11:20

But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Luke 13:29

They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.

Luke 18:17

Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

John 3:3

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:5

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

2014: a year of giving up

Count The Cost and Journey On in 2014

Luke 14
²⁵ A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, ²⁶ “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
²⁸ “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? ²⁹ Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. ³⁰ They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’
³¹ “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? ³² And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.  

cost of the kingdom of God

³⁴ “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? ³⁵ Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”
Luke 18 
²⁶ Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?”
²⁷ He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”
²⁸ Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.”
²⁹ “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, ³⁰ will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”

The Lord says: I will make...the outcast a strong nation

Micah 4

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Lord’s Reign in Zion

4 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And peoples shall flow to it.² Many nations shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion the law shall go forth,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
³ He shall judge between many peoples,
And rebuke strong nations afar off;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.

⁴ But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree,
And no one shall make them afraid;
For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
⁵ For all people walk each in the name of his god,
But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
Forever and ever.

Zion’s Future Triumph

⁶ “In that day,” says the Lord,
“I will assemble the lame,
I will gather the outcast
And those whom I have afflicted;
⁷ I will make the lame a remnant,
And the outcast a strong nation;So the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion
From now on, even forever.
⁸ And you, O tower of the flock,
The stronghold of the daughter of Zion,To you shall it come,
Even the former dominion shall come,
The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”

⁹ Now why do you cry aloud?
Is there no king in your midst?
Has your counselor perished?
For pangs have seized you like a woman in labor.
¹⁰ Be in pain, and labor to bring forth,
O daughter of Zion,Like a woman in birth pangs.
For now you shall go forth from the city,
You shall dwell in the field,And to Babylon you shall go.
There you shall be delivered;
There the Lord will redeem you
From the hand of your enemies.

¹¹ Now also many nations have gathered against you,
Who say, “Let her be defiled,
And let our eye look upon Zion.”
¹² But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord,
Nor do they understand His counsel;
For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

¹³ “Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion;For I will make your horn iron,
And I will make your hooves bronze;
You shall beat in pieces many peoples;
I will consecrate their gain to the Lord,
And their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.”

 

 

5 am lesson: How to live God’s will?

The supernatural God has placed eternity in the heart of man ever since creation. Man was not created for death. Adam’s fall was not meant to be. Death entered because of his fall. However, since then man has continued a lifelong quest to seek the everlasting design to be restored. The utmost wish is how to live a long and healthy life. Sicknesses is the number one enemy to mankind.
Why do most people prefer to linger as long as possible on earth? one main reason is fear. The fear of eternity. An average man does not know or concern with spiritual matters because spiritual matters cannot be seen and it is hard to ascertain. Oftentimes faith is required. Living in the eternal realm means living in the spiritual realm.
Faith is a key word in accessing the unseen and yet real realm of existence.
Can faith be acquired? How? Faith is a title deed given to those who want to believe in the unseen God. It is given freely to those who seek. God awards those who come to Him by faith. Eternity is not frightening. It merely means knowing God and the One Whom He sent (Jesus). It means even while on earth the believer can live and walk in eternity. There is a change of citizenship to that of a heavenly kingdom. He lives under God’s rulership and abides by God’s laws. He enjoys the rights and privileges of a citizen in this special kingdom (royal priesthood, holy nation and special people of God).
How does one enter this kingdom? By faith believing in God, and the ‘Entrance’ He has provided. The ‘Entrance’ is Jesus. Believe in Jesus having died and redeemed you on the cross, paid for your sins and suffered all the penalty for you. Believe that He is the Son of God, Who came to the world to save sinners and heal the sick. His death on the cross had paid for all sins, and the stripes He bore on His back prior being nailed on the cross had absorbed all diseases and pain. The hanging on the cross had broken all the curses on mankind.
Believe that Jesus not only died He was buried and on the third day He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. He now sits at the right hand of God in heaven. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Believe that there is a heaven and a hell. No one can avoid going to either one after death.
How does one enter the kingdom of God? Believe in the salvation of Jesus. By faith just believe in God’s word telling you this Good News.
What happens at the moment you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Savior and Lord? Something happens supernaturally and spiritually in heaven.

1. The Holy Spirit (Spirit of Jesus Christ) gives birth to you.
2. The word of God becomes the incorruptible seed planted in you.
3. Your name is recorded in the Book of life in heaven.
4. You are given the citizenship in the Kingdom of God (Kingdom of Light).
5. You are given the Holy Spirit as a deposit/guarantee for your final salvation when Jesus comes again to give you the new heavenly body.
6. You are given the privilege of the citizen in the kingdom of God: the status of the son of God, the authority of the name of Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of the truth and the life).
7. You can receive and enjoy all the blessings given to Abraham the father of faith.
8. You can enjoy all the gifts of the Holy Spirit and bear fruits of the Holy Spirit, living the divine nature of God.
9. You can put on the whole armor of God, overcome the devil and You can live under the supernatural divine protection of God. All the promises of divine protection in the Bible are yours to claim and receive.
10. You can live the super-abundant life that Jesus has promised to all who believe.

Eternity is wonderful. It is the answer to your prayer, as taught by the Lord Jesus to all His disciples of which you become one, “God’s Name be hallowed; God’s Kingdom comes; God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven”! Jesus advises all: “Seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you!” (‘All these things’ means everything you need to live the super-abundant life that Jesus has promised evey believer of His.)

5 am lesson: How to carry out your divine appointment?

Every follower of Jesus has been given a divine appointment. Jesus demonstrated how this can be carried out when He was walking on earth. Just as He had promised, His yoke is easy and His burden is light. It is an easy job as far as Jesus is concerned. The disciples too carried out the same just as Jesus had commanded.

The appointment: And Jesus came to them saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the edge.” (Matt.28:18-20)

Mark 16:15-18 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.” 20 “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.”

How were the ordinary disciples sent out? Jesus showed how this was done.

Luke 10:1 “After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.”

2 Then He said to them, “...pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

3 “Go your way; behold, I send you out...”

4 “”Carry neither money bag...and greet no one along the road.”

5 “But whatever house you enter...”

6 “And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it...”

7 “And remain in the same house eating and drinking such things as they give...”

8 “Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.”

9 “And heal the sick there and say to them, 'the kingdom of God has come near to you.'”

It is clear that the only mission Jesus gave the disciples was in verse 9: heal the sick and preach the kingdom of God Good News in the city that received them who went in Jesus' name.

What was the purpose of Jesus asking the disciples to do these two things?

Jesus gave the answer: Luke 10:17-20, 22

17 The disciples returned and reported that demons were subject to them in Jesus' name.

18 Satan's authority and power had been superseded when the disciples took up the authority of Jesus and moved in the power of the Holy Spirit.

19 It proved that the authority Jesus gave to the disciples was indeed superior: they can trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt them.

20 But the more significant issue is: the disciples have proved their worth by demonstrating their citizenship in the Kingdom of God, their sons of God status, both in authority and power over Satan's subjects.

22 The display of the superior authority and power of Jesus confirmed to the disciples that Jesus is the Son of God as He had claimed to be. His supremacy in the spiritual realm is evident to those whom He chose to reveal Himself.

And this is the message of the gospel: the Kingdom of God is what Jesus has brought to the world. All who believe Him and follow Him as the disciples did could enter through His gate. He is the Gate. Citizenship in the Kingdom of God is far more superior than that of all the other kingdoms on earth.

The disciples tasted this Kingdom and continued even after Jesus ascended to heaven. They moved in the supreme authority and power of Jesus, the Son of God. They lived out their divine appointment.

The Kingdom of God has continued to advance since then. Are you part of this Kingdom? Have you received your divine appointment?

Walk with Jesus: Matthew 28 – another war between kingdoms has started. You are recruited.

Jesus and end time war

Matthew 28 is a new beginning, a new war between two kingdoms has started. The kingdom of God versus the kingdom of darkness. There is no third path. Either you are in the kingdom of light or you are in the kingdom of darkness. Everyone on earth is given one choice. No in-between. Heed the warning from the resurrected Jesus through John in the book of Revelation to the seven churches (representing all churches through out the history since the first church was established during the apostles’ time. 

Matthew 28 (ESV)

The Resurrection Truth – the Truth will set you free!

28 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. ² And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. ⁴ And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. ⁵ But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” ⁸ So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

More human deception and strategy (with Satan, the ruler of this world, directly in command) for those who choose to remain in blindness (due to unbelief and spiritual rebellion)  

11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place.12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes tothe governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

 The Great Commission for Kingdom of God Citizens, sons of God led by the Holy Spirit, with the authority of Jesus, in His name, and His might, the power of the Holy Spirit!

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

________________________________________A new war has started between two Kingdoms:

KINGDOM OF GOD – KINGDOM OF LIGHT

John 18:36  (NKJV) 

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” 

John 17:14-18 (NKJV)

14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Mark 16:15-20  (NKJV)

 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

1 John 2:15-20 (NKJV) 

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.  20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 (NKJV) 

7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

1 John 3:8  (NKJV)

8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

 Kingdom of darkness

John 14:30 (NKJV) 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

Luke 22:53 (NKJV) 53 When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

What will happen at the end of time of this world

Revelation 20:10 (NKJV)

10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.