Today's posting is taken from a June 8, 2014 posting here @ The Greene Street Letters
Mark 1:14-15
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel."
The Kingdom of God....God's dynamic rule and reign here on earth.
The Kingdom is here. We see it every time someone is prayed for.
We experience the kingdom dynamic every time someone is delivered from the bondage of sin.
We see it every time someone is healed.
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel."
The Kingdom of God....God's dynamic rule and reign here on earth.
The Kingdom is here. We see it every time someone is prayed for.
We experience the kingdom dynamic every time someone is delivered from the bondage of sin.
We see it every time someone is healed.
We, as followers of Jesus, are called to extend and carry this kingdom dynamic out into the market place...into our communities and towns. There isn't an agenda behind this call. No hidden motives or political positioning. There is just the love of God that should drive us to want to see others freed from the kingdom of darkness.
I John 3:8 says that the reason Jesus was manifested here on earth...or the reason He appeared, was to destroy the works of the devil. In doing so, He frees people to become disciples of His kingdom. He, in turn, empowers them to go out and make more disciples.
That is where my heart is, to make disciples. To help equip people so that they can follow Jesus on their own. That they become able to "hear" God and follow what He is instructing them to do. To be able to trust God's Holy Spirit as He teaches them and, as they move out into the place God has called them to.
It's all a part of the "Kingdom Now/ Kingdom Not Yet" view of God that has made more sense to me as I have studied it. We see glimpses of God's power and His Kingdom rule as we minister and pray for those we come in contact with. At Vineyard Recovery, we are experiencing this right now.
I John 3:8 says that the reason Jesus was manifested here on earth...or the reason He appeared, was to destroy the works of the devil. In doing so, He frees people to become disciples of His kingdom. He, in turn, empowers them to go out and make more disciples.
That is where my heart is, to make disciples. To help equip people so that they can follow Jesus on their own. That they become able to "hear" God and follow what He is instructing them to do. To be able to trust God's Holy Spirit as He teaches them and, as they move out into the place God has called them to.
It's all a part of the "Kingdom Now/ Kingdom Not Yet" view of God that has made more sense to me as I have studied it. We see glimpses of God's power and His Kingdom rule as we minister and pray for those we come in contact with. At Vineyard Recovery, we are experiencing this right now.
We have two people we are praying for, and have been for some time. One of them, an older gentleman, has cancer and seems to be recovering and getting better. The other, a young woman, has cancer and is not getting better. In fact, her cancer is spreading and the prognosis is not good. This is the part of Kingdom work that we scratch our heads and ask, "Why, God?" I wish I knew the answer to that. I wish I could tell you in some sort of neat package as to what is going on. I can't. I can tell you this. If we quit praying for those who are sick, then no one is ever going to get healed.
When you look into the book of Revelation, you get a wonderful picture of the Kingdom of God in its fullness. Revelation 21:4 / And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Unfortunately, we don't see this dynamic in our world at this point, do we? No. But we do see glimpses of it. We do see some who are delivered and some who are healed. We are able to participated with God and see salvation come to others. We are able to pray effectively and break the demonic presence in the lives of some.
We see brain tumors disappear.
We see kidney's healed.
We see digestive problems removed.
We see insomnia taken away.
We see family relationships restored.
We see salvation to those who have lived their entire lives on the outside looking in.
We see joints and muscles relived of pain.
We see back joints put back in place and pain removed.
We see women who previously not been able to conceive, give birth to beautiful babies.
Such is the kingdom of God.
When you look into the book of Revelation, you get a wonderful picture of the Kingdom of God in its fullness. Revelation 21:4 / And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Unfortunately, we don't see this dynamic in our world at this point, do we? No. But we do see glimpses of it. We do see some who are delivered and some who are healed. We are able to participated with God and see salvation come to others. We are able to pray effectively and break the demonic presence in the lives of some.
We see brain tumors disappear.
We see kidney's healed.
We see digestive problems removed.
We see insomnia taken away.
We see family relationships restored.
We see salvation to those who have lived their entire lives on the outside looking in.
We see joints and muscles relived of pain.
We see back joints put back in place and pain removed.
We see women who previously not been able to conceive, give birth to beautiful babies.
Such is the kingdom of God.
I never go into a situation where I am going to pray for someone, knowing what is going to happen.
IN fact, such things usually are accompanied with a lot of "O God...O God...O God...O God!" prayers. I realize that I am just a conduit through which God can work. It is His presence...It is His power...and it is His purpose that is being played out in this situation. But I will go. I will not have any answers to give other than, "Boy, this God......He truly is something else, isn't He?"
IN fact, such things usually are accompanied with a lot of "O God...O God...O God...O God!" prayers. I realize that I am just a conduit through which God can work. It is His presence...It is His power...and it is His purpose that is being played out in this situation. But I will go. I will not have any answers to give other than, "Boy, this God......He truly is something else, isn't He?"
He loves us when we are healed.
He loves us when we aren't, and are left with a million questions as to why not.
If you can wrap your head and heart around how much God does truly love this world, it can change the way you view life. It really is all about the Kingdom of God here, but the kingdom not yet.
God on you....
mb
He loves us when we aren't, and are left with a million questions as to why not.
If you can wrap your head and heart around how much God does truly love this world, it can change the way you view life. It really is all about the Kingdom of God here, but the kingdom not yet.
God on you....
mb
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