Monday, January 14, 2008

1.14.8 "The Kingdom of Heaven is Near"

"The Kingdom of Heaven is Near"

Genesis 30:1-31:16
Matthew 10:1-23
Psalm 12:1-8
Proverbs 3:13-15

In Matthew 10 Jesus is commissioning his disciples. He's giving them instructions to go change the world. His message is very clear. "Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near." Sometimes we so caught up in the calendar of life, it's easy to forget the urgency of the message.

We first need to live like the Kingdom is near. Do you remember those old 70's end times movies? They used to scare me as a kid. At the time watching it, there was such a sense of reality to the rapture of the church that seems to be gone today. We need to prepare ourselves as a bride ready for the wedding day. it could be today. This needs to be the urgency we live in. Knowing that we must be ready should keep our hearts on the mission.

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure the lepers, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!" (vs 8) How's that for a "to-do" list? "Honey I gotta run out for a few minutes and raise the dead. I should be back for dinner!" How do we make that a part of our lives? the last phrase is key, "Give as freely as you have received!"

We need to experience God working in and through our lives as never before. Our lives have become clouded with so many "things". They're not bad things necessarily, but they have distracted us enough to keep us from spending time in his presence. They keep us from being laid bare before him. When we consecrate ourselves to be fully in his presence, we receive a fire in our soul that cannot be quenched. There is a light that shines to the world around us that cannot be dimmed.

We must have an urgency to spend time in the presence of the Lord. This needs to be the highest priority. Usually my thought process is, "let me finish one more thing & then I'll do it..." There needs to be a setting aside of everything and a diving in to spend time with him.

When that happens, I know the power of God is present. He fills to overflowing. He builds my faith. He renews vision. I believe the day is coming when we will see more Healing of the sick, raising of the dead, etc. It's going to come when the people of God throw off everything that could hinder & make meeting God the only thing on the agenda.

I imagine when Jesus came to earth. It must have been so frustrating to KNOW how real eternity is, and yet see people so wrapped up in their day that they totally enter eternity unprepared for the true reality. Must continually have eternity in mind. The Kingdom of Heaven is MUCH closer than we realize!

We are on a Mission to Reach our World for Christ. This is our purpose. To not take the path of living in this realm is to not be who we are created to be. Live the "M" today.


Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ

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