Month: July 2019

Weekly words of encouragement

We Are In God’s Family – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12, NIV). Consider how amazing it is that God designed a plan that would allow sinful humans to become actual offspring of God. When we believe in the Son we become God’s daughters and sons. God is now our chief parent. He watches us, communicates to us, looks for ways to bless us, shows us how to become mature, corrects us and warns us, and makes us successful in his kingdom, his nation. This is a great encouragement that we are secure in his family. Even though he doesn’t protect us from all suffering he is making us more like his Son and we will spend eternity in a New Eden with him and his entire family. Rejoice In Persecution – Weekly Words Of EncouragementDecember 20, 2024Mercy Continue Reading →

kingdom of God

Living In The Promise Of The Kingdom – Part 4

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Our first post in this series, on promises of the kingdom, is here and our second one, on Jesus bringing the kingdom, is here. The third post on being citizens of the kingdom is here. Drawing people to the Kingdom. Jesus wants us to draw others into his kingdom by showing the world what a citizen of the kingdom citizen looks like. Immediately after the beatitudes in Matthew 5 we hear Jesus saying “You are the salt of the earth” and “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13, 14, NIV). (Paul says something similar in Philippians 2:14-16.) Then he gives the command “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16, NIV). Thus, after explaining what kind of people his disciples should be, he directs them to go out and display the kingdom of God in their lives. His Continue Reading →

kingdom of God

Living In The Promise Of The Kingdom – Part 3

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Our first post in this series, on promises of the kingdom, is here and our second one, on Jesus bringing the kingdom, is here. Jesus gives us authority to do his work the way he worked on earth. We have the Holy Spirit and Spiritual gifts to empower us to invade the kingdom of darkness and conquer it with the kingdom of God. In this way, we begin to fulfill Adam’s original mission to be fruitful and fill the earth while bearing the image of God (Gen. 1:27-28). We are also the seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:29) and we are fulfilling the promise that God made to Abraham: “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12:3, NIV). Now Jesus’ mission is our mission because we are his agents. In other words, God wants to use you to accomplish many of the promises of the kingdom quoted above Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

The Sacrifice Is Worth It – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” Luke 18:29-30 (NIV) Here Jesus promises that when we make sacrifices in order to seek the kingdom of God he will give us far more than we gave up. Even in this life, we will receive peace and the Holy Spirit because we are devoted citizens of the kingdom. We also receive the blessing of friendship with others who love God and love good. We receive purpose and meaning and satisfaction. And in the next age, we will have a harmonious, corruption-free life with God and his followers forever along with eternal rewards that we have stored up. So the encouragement is Continue Reading →

kingdom of God

Living In The Promise Of The Kingdom – Part 2

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Last week we looked at the prophecies of the kingdom of God and how Jesus began to fulfill the prophecies. In his teachings, especially in the Sermon on the Mount, he declared that he was fulfilling the Old Testament law and the prophets (Matt. 5:17) which included a new way to live that seems upside-down to the world. When Jesus was crucified his disciples were crushed. His death dashed their dreams of the kingdom. But when he rose from the dead they were ecstatic for surely now he would establish the kingdom. And so the apostles asked Jesus “are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6, NIV). He said he would not tell them when the kingdom would be restored, but he did say the Holy Spirit would come on them so they could be his witnesses to the world (Acts 1:8). They were Continue Reading →