Written (April 1999)
We hear phrases all the time but never stop to consider their meaning. One that comes to mind is the phrase "Kingdom of God." I imagine we have all heard this phrase from time to time without ever really knowing exactly what it means. Some things are too important to overlook or take for granted. One thing I have learned over time is that there is nothing insignificant in the Word of God. The words "Kingdom of God" or as it is sometimes referred "Kingdom of Heaven" is mentioned 96 times in the Bible. Would you not agree that it is worth investigating to determine its relevance to our lives?
Lets break it down into understandable terms. The word "Kingdom" has basically 3 different meanings;
1) it is the realm in which a "King" reigns;
2) it includes "rulees" the people over whom the "King" reigns ,and
3) the actual rule, authority and power of the "King."
To break it down further, if there is a ruler, there would also include rulees or subjects. A kingdom
has to include a realm or territory to cover. Finally, if you have a ruler, rulees and a
realm, you must also have rules, regulations and government to regulate the relationships between
the ruler and the rulees and the rulees to each other.
The Kingdom of God is no different in its description and pattern than earthly kingdoms. God is
the absolute Ruler and King. He has total and absolute authority regarding His plans and
purposes which cannot be altered in any way, by any one, at any time.
God is the Sovereign Ruler. The word sovereign refers to the supreme authority of God based on the fact that He is God, Creator and Ruler of the universe. His power is not subject to any other power, rule or law.
We don't like to think about God as sovereign, absolute and changeless, because we rather have a God who blesses our plans and agendas and one who rules by our permission according to our desires. How often do our plans involve consulting with God? But, when things go wrong, we ask for God's blessings to work them out. What we need to understand is that God blesses His plans not ours. It would serve us to find out what God's plan is and make sure that we are involved in His plan and not ours.
With the help of the Lord, we will present a 3 part series entitled, the
"Kingdom of God", "How to Know God's Plan for Your Life" and "How to Walk in God's
Plan for Your
Life". This issue will attempt to give a clear understanding of the
"Kingdom of God," the One who
rules the Kingdom and how it operates.
His Sovereignty
In my research, I found that the first thing to understand about the Kingdom of God is that it operates according to God's will. Once you are saved, you adopt His Kingdom. In other words, you have a new way of living which is God's way. Remember, God is the Sovereign and Supreme Ruler. Romans 11:36 says, For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! And Revelation 4:11 makes it clear that God created the universe for His pleasure and His glory. David writes in the 103rd Psalm, The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
God Himself speaks of His sovereignty through the prophet Isaiah 45:9-13
The truth taught in this Scripture is that there is no God besides Jehovah and nothing would exist
without Him. God says that "all" things in the world exist by His permission and serves His purpose
at all times. This should give us comfort in placing our faith in God who is the One truly in control of all things.
Surely if God rules the universe, He has a plan to accomplish His purpose. This is crucial to the believer because our heart's desire is to be in the will of God. The first step in doing the will of God is to know the will of God.
What is it that God desires from us and how can we know what
it is?
God says "this world is My house, operating by My rules." So as Tony Evans puts it,
"unless you
and I want to create our own world, we must abide by the rules of God's house." We don't want
to be as rebellious teenagers, ignoring the rules of the house while expecting food, clothing and
shelter. I can still hear my mother's words, "if you live in my house you will abide by my rules."
God rules the same way. We cannot break His laws, do our own thing and expect His blessings at
the same time. Again in
Isaiah
46:9-13, God speaks through the prophet Isaiah.
This scripture teaches two important truths. God first explains the fulfillment of His prophecy
where He made known the end from the beginning, ancient times from what is still to come. This
gives us assurance in the sure accomplishment of the will of God. That reminds me of
the saying "If God said it, I believe it and that settles it."
Another truth this Scripture brings to light is that God is able to use all things
and all people to bring about His
purpose, even those who will be stubborn toward the will of God. He says listen you "stubbord-hearted" what I
have said that will I bring about, what I have planned that will I do. He goes even further to say
His plans will not even be delayed.
What response can we have to such a declaration, the only response is that of
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
"not my will but thy will be done."
The Bible teaches there is no question as to the sovereignty of God, but the issue is how we relate
to His sovereignty. Submission is the only response to the Kingdom of God.
We were brought
into His Kingdom to love Him, serve Him, obey Him and walk in His ways (Deuteronomy 8).
This is His plan for our lives.
Colossians 1:13 states, He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Everything in God's Kingdom is designed to bring Him glory. Here is a common sense thought. When springtime arrives and trees begin to bloom, have you ever seen or heard tell of a tree refusing to blossom? How about the birds? When it is time to fly south in the winter, have you ever seen a group of birds who have decided that they are not going to fly south because they feel they can make it on their own? Not so, every tree blooms at its appointed time and all birds fly south at the first sign of winter. Neither refuses to obey their God ordained plan and purpose for their existence.
How many of you can point to a day when the sun refused to shine or a night when the moon refused to come out?
If then, everything that God created (trees, birds, sun and moon) obey and serve Him, why not us? Why is it we feel we can flatly refuse to do the will of the Father?
Psalms 74:16 says it better than I can,
The day is yours [God], and yours [God] also the night; you established the sun and moon. It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.
Jesus tells us of the major rule in the Kingdom
of God which is to love our God with all our
heart, mind and soul and the second one is like unto it which commands us to love our neighbor
AS ourselves.
Matthew 19:19.
God has set up the priority of love in our lives. All rulees of God's Kingdom must be committed to God's
way of doing things, forsaking our own wisdom and that of the world. Just like David, we should
utter the 119th Psalm:
Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.
They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways.
You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.
Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!
Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.
I will praise you with an upright heart
as I learn your righteous laws.
I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.
SCRIPTURAL IMPLICATIONS:
1. We have already established that God created the universe for His pleasure and His Glory; "You
are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all
things, and by your will they were created and have their being". Revelation 4:11. We were
created to reflect His glory.
2. We are blessed when we walk according to His ways and seek Him with all our heart. We are
blessed when we realize that His laws are to be fully obeyed. We are to be steadfast in striving
to live as Christians. God is not please when we pick and choose which of His laws we will keep.
I once heard a minister refer to this as treating God's laws as if we were in a cafeteria line trying
some of this and leaving some of that. This does not please the heart of
God.
An Invitation to Enter God's Kingdom
Do you want to become apart of the Kingdom of God? Do
you want to discover God's will for your life? He is waiting to reveal it to
you. You must make the decision to seek Him. Come to the One who knows the way
and is willing to show you the way. Behold I stand at the door and knock. Won't
you let Him in. You, too, can become a Kingdom Person and
all the promises we just studied in this Newsletter can be yours.
Click here for more details.
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