The lifestyle of the Kingdom of GOD (part one)
Embrace the heavenly journey that unfolds within the Kingdom of God. Picture the Church, a vibrant tapestry of souls, awakened and alive, aligned with the celestial purpose. A community pulsing with the rhythms of a Jesus-inspired existence, breathing the transformative Spirit of God, stands as a testament to the living body of Christ manifest in our world. Such a gathering of believers, united under divine authority, transcends into a glorious Church, steadily built upon the foundation of salvation and truth as proclaimed in the Scriptures (referencing Colossians 1:13, 2:19, and Ephesians 4:15-16). How exhilarating it is to dwell within the embrace of the Kingdom of God!
Let us shatter the chains of deception that the enemy has wrought, misconceptions painting God's rule as a pressing weight ready to chastise. No, for the only spirit trembling before the Kingdom of God is Satan himself. We, as humanity, are called to be reborn, suffused with new life, stepping into this Kingdom to revel in the company of God, enveloped by His loving governance, and united with Him in a sacred communion.
This message is of the Church anointed by God, with the Holy Spirit as sovereign guide — a Church where Christ is King, and His followers form a single, unified family, pulsing with His Spirit. Consider a Church so resolute in its convictions that it would brave rejection and persecution, to uphold the truth and obey God above all, never compromising its heavenly inheritance.
Contrast this with realms marred by self-interest — where vanity, personal ambition, and the quest for individual glory eclipse the collective spirit. Divisions, conflicts over congregants, deceptive tactics, watered-down teachings all in the name of popularity, and boasts of self-importance corrode the essence of divine intent; the 'I', 'me', 'mine' — markers of a flesh-driven existence, not one steered by the Spirit of the Kingdom of God. Beware of those who claim "my church, my denomination, my ministry" under the governance of mortals; for such organizations, molded by worldly structures and aligned with earthly governments, cannot reflect the unyielding nature of God's eternal Kingdom — one which was neither accepted by the world's rulers during the times of Jesus and His disciples nor conformed to worldly patterns lest it loses its distinctive savor and becomes embraced by those who would reshape Christianity into a form far from its divine origin.
In the luminous words of Jesus, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36), we find a promise of a magnificent realm that transcends earthly bounds. The Church blooms as a divinely connected symphony of reborn souls, composing the mystical Body of Christ. It was lovingly assembled by Jesus amidst the shadow of Calvary, animated by the Holy Spirit's breath, and crowned by Our Savior Himself as its unerring guide.
Those who are called to this kingdom pursue a life resonant with Christ’s holiness, understanding that worldly estrangement and adversity are but affirmations of their chosen path, as taught in 2 Timothy 3:12. "You will be hated by all for my name's sake," Jesus cautioned, "but the one who endures to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22). And indeed, if the world spurns you, take heart—it spurned Him first (John 15:18-19).
To be continued…
