THE KINGDOM OF GOD Does Not Come with signs to be observed
nor will they say, Look, here it is! or, There it is! For behold, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS IN YOUR MIDST.
During the Old Testament time (before Christ came)people were taught about God s Law by Moses and the Prophets.
When the time of Christ was fully come He taught something different. He taught about the Kingdom of God
This new teaching annoyed the Pharisees and they wanted to challenge His teachings. But Jesus said to them: If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe; how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things.
As the pressed Him about the matter, Jesus went even further to say: The Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to those producing fruit!
Thus, Jesus left them in bewilderment and turned to those befitting of repentance saying only to the Pharisee's: The wind blows where it wills and you hear the sound of it but know not where it comes from. So is everyone born of the Spirit.
Thus the Kingdom of God was closed to those whose hearts were hypocritical, evil and poisoned by bitterness.
And so Jesus was teaching about the Kingdom of His Father saying: How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it?
So Jesus said this: The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows how, he himself does not know.
The Disciples of Jesus were bewildered at His way of teaching and did not understand.
His disciples spoke to Jesus in private saying: We don t understand your teachings. And so Jesus explained privately to them the meaning and also why these kind of teachings were necessary.
He said to them: To you has been given to KNOW THE MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, but those who are outside they get everything told to them in parables and symbolism
And so it is today. Many do not understand the teachings of the New Testament Scriptures. Things like, signs, wonders, miracles, Speaking in Tongues, Holiness and self-denial.
It s because they don t belong to Christ. They are not His people. They do not have the Spirit of God IN THEM.
Here it is by way of a teaching: A man once gave a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time for the banquet he sent his slave to tell those who had been invited, Come, because everything is now ready.
And they all immediately began to excuse themselves! One said: I just bought some real estate I need to go check it out.
Another said: I just got a new job. I have to go for introductory orientation. I cannot come. Please excuse me.
This one said: I just got married. My wife and I schedule to go on our honeymoon at Lake Tahoe. I cannot possibly make it to your banquet.
Because the Master of the Slave went to such great expense in preparing the special Banquet HE WAS ANGRY!
He then told his slave: Go out quickly to the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the outcast, and the homeless.
The Master s slave returned and said Sir, I have done what you requested and there is still room in the Banquet Hall.
The Master then said: Go out to the highways and country roads and urge the people to come so that my house will be filled. For I tell you, not one of those individuals who were invited will taste from my Banquet Table!
And so it is with many whom God has invited to be a Witness for Him. They have forfeited their position at the table of Christ. The cares of this life have caused them to be fruitless, worthless and cut off from the invitation. The Kingdom of God is not in their midst!
The Kingdom of God therefore is conditional. Do you meet the conditions required by the Master of the Banquet Table? Jesus said: Salt is good, but if salt loses its flavor, how can its flavor be restored? It is of no value for the soil or for the manure pile; it is to be thrown out.
There was a man named Simon in Acts Chapter 8. He did not meet the conditions for the Banquet Table. The Apostle Peter called him out immediately! You have no part in this ministry because your heart is not right. I see you are poisoned by bitterness. Repent therefore of your wickedness!
Is your heart right with God? Are you able to immediately go to the Banquet Table prepared by the Master or do the issues of this life create an absence of your attendance?
The Kingdom of God has REQUIREMENTS from each participant in God s Grace of Salvation. God s Grace of Salvation is FREE however; Participation in that FREE GIFT will cost you something.
The first requirement to participate in that Grace is FAITH. Those who come to God must believe He exists and that He will reward those who believe!
The Kingdom of God in your midst works like this to those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.
As John was finishing his course he sent some of his disciples to inquire whether the Kingdom preached by his predecessor was genuinely from God. Jesus answered and said to them, Go and report to John what you hear and see:
The BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and THE LAME WALK, the LEPERS ARE CLEANSED and the DEAF HEAR, the DEAD ARE RAISED UP, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. the KINGDOM OF GOD IN YOUR MIDST!
Take careful note and receive it as a word of caution! If you do not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child you will by no means enter it!
The Kingdom of heaven attracts every kind of person, good and bad. The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and GATHERING FISH OF EVERY KIND; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away.
Who is wise and discerning among you? Let him show by his good behavior and his deeds that are done in the gentleness of Wisdom that the Kingdom of God is within Him!
THE KINGDOM OF GOD Does Not Come with signs to be observed
nor will they say, Look, here it is! or, There it is! For behold, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS IN YOUR MIDST.
The presence of the Kingdom of God OPENS AND CLOSES THE DISPENSATION OF THIS AGE. Meaning the age of Grace
When this age closes Jesus said when you see these things happening, recognize that the Kingdom of God is near.
Thus, as the ministry of Jesus began it will be likewise when Jesus returns. Many were blinded to the Kingdom of God in their midst when Jesus demonstrated God s Kingdom POWER over unclean spirits.
And so Many will be blinded to the Working of God s Kingdom when He Returns. He never-the-less warned: when you see these things happening, recognize that the KINGDOM OF GOD is near.
Don t let the cares of this life disqualify you from the Banqueting Table of Christ. On that day. straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near!
Behold the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, RECOGNIZE THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR.
Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but MY WORDS WILL NEVER PASS AWAY.
BE ON GUARD, SO THAT YOUR HEARTS WILL NOT BE WEIGHTED DOWN with dissipation and drunkenness and THE WORRIES OF LIFE, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.
But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.
So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and TAKE OUT THE WICKED FROM AMONG THE RIGHTEOUS, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus then asked them: Have you understood all these things? They said to Him, Yes!
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