Kingdom

"BUT SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED ON TO YOU." Matthew 6:33

What is the kingdom of God, and how do we enter into it?
The kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are often interchangeable. sometimes they refer to heaven and sometimes they speak about this earthly realm. The main point I want to make is that the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are about relationships. With God the Father and His Son. And the relationships we form in this life.
You might say it is how we treat others, as you read the Beatitutes, which you might call the Be- Attitudes. The kingdom of God is a Spiritual realm, attained by walking in the Spirit, and producing the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control, against such there is no law.
It is all about right living, which is what righteousness amounts to.

First I would like to talk about relationships. How is your relationship with God? A good way to look at this is to ask your self, "Do you love the Lord with all my heart, with all your soul and with all your mind." Can you honestly say that you love Him so completely? Or do you like the hypocrites give Him lip service. How can we not love Him, because
"For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16 That is amazing love!
                                                    KINGDOM OF LOVE
The kingdom of God may be accurately termed the kingdom of Love.
How are we in regards to walking in love?
A good way to measure how much we are walking in love is in reading ,
1Corinthians 13. Lets look at these verses.:
One of the problems we have seen in the church, begining in the early church, was disagreement regarding the gifts. Here Paul addresses this problem.
He says" Though I speak with men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal". So with out love it is just a lot of noise, and has no real meaning.. "And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing" This is a problem I see today, people get all puffed up with knowledge, or they get puffed up because they can prophesy, or they have the faith to move mountains, but they miss the whole thing, by not having love for one another. "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing". It would be show without the purpose to love those whom the sacrifice was made.
"Love suffers long and is kind: love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up." Are you easily offended? are you able to keep the edge out of your voice under stress? If you get jealous or envious when someone gets something you don't, you are not walking in love.
If you get puffed up with pride over how much you know or what you did or can do, that is sin. Pride exalts and builds self, love edifies and builds others.
"Love does not behave rudely, does not seek it's own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;" Real love makes allowances for others weaknesses . It is amazing   just what you will put up with when you truly loves someone. Love overlooks!

Love should be our #1 priority. Not prosperity, not signs and wonders, manifestations, or gifts. We should be studying the love walk, as if our very life depended upon it. We need to study Jesus and the gospels. learn how He loved others, forgave others, gave mercy and grace to others. How He was humble and meek. It is a heart issue.
Being nice to someone when you don't feel like it, refusing to be offended when someone says something we disagree with. Instead pray for unity of mind and heart.
Magnify peoples good qualities, and stay out of the operating room. God doesn't need your help.
"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ"! Philippians 1:6

"Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things." In the kingdom we must go through much trial and suffering, so that when we come out we will come out as gold tried in the fire. God must cut out all sin out of our lives, the works of the flesh, and that inevitably is a painful process, depending on how we yield to the work, and co-operate with Him. "But we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purposes."   Romans 8:28.
"Beloved let us love one another , for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God."1John 4:1
Jesus said, "This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you." "greater love has no man than this than, to lay ones life down for his friends." John 15:`12-13.
Think about that. could you love someone enough that you would lay your life down for that person? Jesus did that for all of us. For you and for me. But what He is asking is that you put the self life down, for others, (the "I" "ME" "MINE".) That seems to be a large order, but with God, nothing is impossible.

How is your relationsip with God? Do you spend quiet time, just listening for His voice?
Asking for is will? Just sitting at His feet and letting Him infuse you with His love? That is the way that you will be able to walk in love and the fruit of the Spirit. He longs for you to just wait on Him, He has much to say to you, just as your husband, wife, or a friend. Take time to really get to know Him and what He cares about. As your heart touches His heart, you will begin to beat as one. To know His heart's desires, for the church for the lost and dying world. for the hurt, the poor, the hungry, the destitute, the drug addict, the alcoholic, the prisoner. He cares about all of these things. Not church programs and building bigger churches, and getting them full. Listen to the heart of God, you will come to know Him and to know the love He calls us to, and you will be filled with His fullness.

                                                ENTERING INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD

One cannot enter into the kingdom of God, except by the new birth, or being what is called born again of the Spirit. "Most assuredly I say unto you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3 So here it say's you cannot even see the kingdom of God unless you are born again.
verse 5 goes on: Jesus answered, "Most assuredly I say to you,unless one is born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot the kingdom of God." "That which is flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. do not marvel when I say to you, "You must be born a again."
To read more about this go to the "Gift of Redemtion." Entering the kingdom of God is by obedience to the will of God, and the new birth is evidenced by obedience. "Not everyone who say's to me, Lord Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven."
                                                             WILDERNESS LIVING

Are you tired of wilderness living? The children of Israel, when through the wilderness for forty years, because they refused to obey God, and to love Him above all else. They continued to make idols to worship, instead of the living God. He proved over and over He was God, and there is no other.
If you are ready to live in the kingdom of God , with the kingdom privileges, as dear children of God. Then it is time to really love God and your neighbor as yourself. and to make love your priority in life. If you are still in sin, then you are still in the wilderness, and not in obedience to His commandments. not in the love walk. Love would not think of doing or saying something to hurt others. That only brings shame to our Lord. If we love Him as we say we do, then we are to be doers of the word and not just hearers. James 1:22-24
"But be doers of the word, and not just hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone ios a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediatlely forgets what kind of man he was." the kingdom of God is Spirit living instread of wilderness living.
If you truly want to be set free from wilderness living,and be born again, and to receive salvation today, please go to "Gift Of Salvation."
Ask God to forgive you of all your sins, and ask Him to come into your heart and life, and begin to change and save you! You can be walking in the kingdom and experiencing His great love, and friendship. Spend time with Him alone, listen for His voice. Wait patiently. find a good biible believing church, and read your bible. God Bless you as you embark on this new journey!
Briant and Shanna George