If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Heb 11:15-16)
Abraham left his home in Ur, and God promised that his descendants would one day possess the entire land of Canaan. Yet all their lives Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived in tents without any land to call home. They could have gone back to Ur if they wanted, but they did not. They were looking ahead to what God had promised. The author of Hebrews holds them up as examples of faith. We, too, have left the country of our birth and long for a new home in the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem. I was born into the kingdom of the world, under the domain of the prince of this world, Satan. But God rescued me from darkness and made me a new creature in him. Now I am a citizen of God’s Kingdom. My eternal home is there, but for a while my tent is still pitched in this world. This passage prompts me to ask myself, where does my heart live? Am I longing for the new country or the old? Lord, help me to keep my heart firmly set on you and your Kingdom. I am here on this earth as your ambassador. One day you will claim it all again for your own. When that day comes I hope I will have led as many people as I can into your Kingdom, to live forever with you in your heavenly realm.
Showing posts with label Kingdom of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kingdom of God. Show all posts
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Like A Rising Tide
After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. (Judges 2:10)
And so it begins. After one generation of faithfulness came centuries of apostasy. The generation of those who were born in the wilderness and saw the conquest of Canaan were faithful to God themselves, but they failed to pass on that deposit of faith to their children. One day we who are alive today will all be dead and gone. Everything we have done to build the church and spread the gospel will come to ruin and loss if we fail to plant that spark in the next generation. And, sadly, throughout history that seems to be the rule, rather than the exception. It certainly was in ancient Israel, but even in the church age, don’t complacency and apostasy always seem to follow faithfulness and devotion? Revivals grow cold and worldliness seeps into Christian institutions. We are delighted when God is doing a “new thing” but it is because the old thing has failed. In this way history testifies to the reality of the Fall. The postmillennialists are wrong. No perfect millennial kingdom will ever arise in this life through the slow accumulation of godliness.
But there is still hope. Of course the Day is coming when God will banish all evil and glorify his saints, but that’s not all. There is hope for this age, too, because no matter how many times we falter God never lets us fail utterly. The Kingdom advances like a rising tide. Each wave slips back, but soon another one comes that reaches further inland. The gospel has advanced generation by generation throughout the whole earth and millions upon millions have been saved. Faithful fathers do raise their sons to know and love God. A remnant always remains and God does indeed do a “new thing” when darkness seems to be getting the upper hand. God never gives up on us. He has a plan and he will not be thwarted. Lord, I want to do my part in your plan. Help me to lead my sons into faithful manhood. Show me how to do my part in the advancement of your Kingdom in this generation and the next. Let me be found faithful. Amen.
And so it begins. After one generation of faithfulness came centuries of apostasy. The generation of those who were born in the wilderness and saw the conquest of Canaan were faithful to God themselves, but they failed to pass on that deposit of faith to their children. One day we who are alive today will all be dead and gone. Everything we have done to build the church and spread the gospel will come to ruin and loss if we fail to plant that spark in the next generation. And, sadly, throughout history that seems to be the rule, rather than the exception. It certainly was in ancient Israel, but even in the church age, don’t complacency and apostasy always seem to follow faithfulness and devotion? Revivals grow cold and worldliness seeps into Christian institutions. We are delighted when God is doing a “new thing” but it is because the old thing has failed. In this way history testifies to the reality of the Fall. The postmillennialists are wrong. No perfect millennial kingdom will ever arise in this life through the slow accumulation of godliness.
But there is still hope. Of course the Day is coming when God will banish all evil and glorify his saints, but that’s not all. There is hope for this age, too, because no matter how many times we falter God never lets us fail utterly. The Kingdom advances like a rising tide. Each wave slips back, but soon another one comes that reaches further inland. The gospel has advanced generation by generation throughout the whole earth and millions upon millions have been saved. Faithful fathers do raise their sons to know and love God. A remnant always remains and God does indeed do a “new thing” when darkness seems to be getting the upper hand. God never gives up on us. He has a plan and he will not be thwarted. Lord, I want to do my part in your plan. Help me to lead my sons into faithful manhood. Show me how to do my part in the advancement of your Kingdom in this generation and the next. Let me be found faithful. Amen.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
King of Hearts
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. (Mt 4:23)
What was “the good news of the kingdom”? In v17 Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” The good news was that “the kingdom of heaven is near.” Jesus had come to bring the kingdom of heaven to men’s hearts. The people were expecting the conquering messiah, but first the suffering servant must come (Isaiah 53). God must first be king of our hearts before he can be king of our world. The good news was that, as surprising as it may have seemed, the kingdom of God was about to burst forth in men’s hearts through the unlikely agency of a humble carpenter’s son from Nazareth. Let us never doubt that God’s deliverance is near even when our earthly eyes see none of it. Let Christ be king in our hearts and we will never walk alone.
What was “the good news of the kingdom”? In v17 Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” The good news was that “the kingdom of heaven is near.” Jesus had come to bring the kingdom of heaven to men’s hearts. The people were expecting the conquering messiah, but first the suffering servant must come (Isaiah 53). God must first be king of our hearts before he can be king of our world. The good news was that, as surprising as it may have seemed, the kingdom of God was about to burst forth in men’s hearts through the unlikely agency of a humble carpenter’s son from Nazareth. Let us never doubt that God’s deliverance is near even when our earthly eyes see none of it. Let Christ be king in our hearts and we will never walk alone.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
One Heart at a Time
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the Kingdom of God is within you.” (Lk 17:20-21)
The Pharisees were looking for an earthly kingdom, but Jesus said the Kingdom of God is invisible because it is within you. Jesus told Pilate he is indeed a King, but his kingdom is not of this world. In this age, God is not interested in setting up a theocracy in America or Israel or anywhere else. He desires to rule over the hearts of men. This type of kingdom advances quietly. One man shares the Gospel with another. A food pantry helps a woman feed her children. A teenager feels God’s call on his life. A grown man finally makes peace with his father. This type of kingdom is harder to build, too. Mass outreach has its place, but you can’t mount a campaign and conquer a city for God. Every heart must turn to him individually.
The Pharisees were looking for an earthly kingdom, but Jesus said the Kingdom of God is invisible because it is within you. Jesus told Pilate he is indeed a King, but his kingdom is not of this world. In this age, God is not interested in setting up a theocracy in America or Israel or anywhere else. He desires to rule over the hearts of men. This type of kingdom advances quietly. One man shares the Gospel with another. A food pantry helps a woman feed her children. A teenager feels God’s call on his life. A grown man finally makes peace with his father. This type of kingdom is harder to build, too. Mass outreach has its place, but you can’t mount a campaign and conquer a city for God. Every heart must turn to him individually.
God help me finally to do my part in the advancement of your kingdom. I have been limited in my vision. Help me see that in you all things are possible. I want to really believe that and live into it. “Thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.” And in my heart as well. Amen.
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