Hawaii is often called "Paradise". The above photo was taken at an overlook on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai and depicts the taro fields found there. I thank the good Lord that I live in this "paradise" on earth. It is an artist's dream and everyone's delight. But my true delight will be when I am with the Lord in heaven during the 7-year Tribulation period, and after that on earth during the 1000 year Millennial reign of Jesus Christ (Revelation 20). And after that to be with the Lord for all eternity. I thank God and praise Him for His tender mercies in saving a sinner like me. I thank Him for His love and His provisions and for the hope He gives to all believers.
The kingdom of God is the heart of Jesus' teachings. It is also found in key places such as the preaching of John the Baptist, who proclaimed, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:2). By the way, the "kingdom of God" and the "kingdom of heaven" are synonyms.....they mean the same thing. Where Matthew uses "kingdom of heaven", Luke and Mark use the "kingdom of God." However, Matthew does use both of these two expressions in the same statement at Matthew 19:23-24.
In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the word "kingdom" refers primarily to the rule of a king, and not a territory. So it would be better, in the majority of cases, to translate "kingdom of God" as the "rule of God." A rule over all the universe by an eternal, sovereign God.
But to narrow it down, the kingdom of God is a spiritual rule over the hearts and lives of those who willingly surrender to God's authority. Since they submit to God's rule in their hearts, in a sense the kingdom of God is spiritual. At John 18:36 Jesus Himself said that His kingdom was not part of this world.
How does one become a part of the kingdom of God? Repentance is necessary.
"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." - Matthew 4:17
"Repentance is more than a change of mind or feeling sorry for one's sins. It is a radical and deliberate change that affects one's intellect, emotions, and will." - KJV Study Bible Notes
Your heart and your spirit must be "in tune" to spiritual matters; you must put the Lord first in your life. You also need to be born again to see the kingdom of God.
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." - John 3:3
There are no exceptions. You must repent, believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, have faith in Him and in His shed blood to wash away your sins, and believe in His resurrection. You must forsake your wayward, evil, and sinful ways and become a new creation.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away; behold, all things are become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
Works do not save you; it is faith and belief in Jesus as your Savior that will send you to heaven, and cause you to be in the kingdom of God. But if you are a true believer, you will not practice sin willfully and in defiance of the Creator of the universe. You will be a new creation, as previously stated.
In other words, you will seek first the kingdom of God. You will make that a priority over the things of the world. You will, out of love, willingly obey the Lord and share the good news of the kingdom with others.
Jesus had been talking about, in the Sermon on the Mount, to put God first and not to worry or be anxious about anything, when he said at Matthew 6:33,
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
If you put the heavenly Father first in your life, He will provide all of your needs. There will be no reason to be anxious. Philippians 4:19 assures us, "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
If you do not put the Lord first and do not make His will the center of your life, and do not spend any time with Him in prayer and in reading His word; if all your time is spent on worldly pursuits and pleasures and you put people first instead of God, then you are probably not truly born again and you will not see the kingdom of God.
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murder, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." - Galatians 5:19-21
Those verses above put it very plainly. See also 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11.
Following is a commentary on Matthew 6:33 by Matthew Henry. It is only 6 minutes in length and well worth your time to listen to it.
Friends, we are living in the final hours of the last days which Bible prophecy speaks so much about. Time is short. Faith and belief in Jesus Christ the Messiah is the only thing that will get you into the kingdom of God. If you keep up with the news, you realize times are desperate and that something has to give soon.
Jesus will return soon to take true believers to be with Him in heaven.
Don't be left behind.
Jesus loves you.
He is waiting for that act of faith on your part and your total surrender to Him.
Admit you are a sinner and repent.
Confess Jesus as your Savior and believe in His resurrection. (Romans 10: 9, 10, 13)
The Lord will welcome you with open arms and with love and forgiveness.
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." - Romans 10:13
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." - John 14:6
"In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." - John 14:2-3
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