The Kingdom of God

"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.’ ”

Luke 17:20-21

 

John baptized the people with water. He understood that the purpose of his life was just to prepare the way for the Messiah. When Jesus Messiah appeared on the scene and he baptized him, he said of Jesus in John 3:30, “He must become greater; I must become less.” He knew his ministry would dwindle when Jesus’ time had come. He preached a message of repentance and told the people that the kingdom of God was near. The kingdom of God was being manifested in power on earth. The kingdom of God which holds majesty and power was beginning an invasion on earth. The invasion was of God’s design, not of man’s design. 

Luke 17:20-21 says, “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.’ ”

The kingdom of God was never meant at Jesus’ first coming to have an earthly rule. The kingdom was meant to live within us. God designed to reign first in the hearts of His people before He would have physical, earthly rule. In some future time, Jesus will return and set up His political and geographical rule.  

Jesus is King – He came to live among us so He could identify with our humanness. Who wants a king who has no understanding of what it means to be human? He came to be one of us before He ruled over us. He gave up His riches to know our poverty. He had everything; yet to win us, He left all the riches in heaven.

Precious one, doesn’t that just astound you to know how valuable you and I are? Our King came to identify with you and me. He knows what it is like to be tempted, sad, or frustrated. He knows poverty. He knows all about physical needs.   He desires to set a kingdom in our hearts. He wants us to let Him rule over our lives not as a tyrant but as a loving, caring Father with the ability and the knowledge to deal with any situation. I hope you feel the same way that I do. I can bend my knee to this King. He is worthy to rule in my heart and yours.

Pray with me: Oh, thank You, Jesus, for leaving everything in heaven to come to earth and dwell among us. You left Your throne and submitted to the Father’s plan. You came to set up a kingdom – not politically or by geography. You set up a kingdom in our hearts. You want us. You have everything in the world except man because You gave us the freedom to choose. So Lord, we choose You every time, above all things. We choose YOU! It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study