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May 21 - How His Kingdom Comes - Devotional
GracetoYou.org ^ | 2008 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church

Posted on 05/21/2022 1:28:06 PM PDT by metmom

“‘“Your kingdom come”’” (Matthew 6:10).

It is obvious that Christ is not physically ruling on earth today, but one day He will. Therefore we should pray that God would hasten that time when His Son returns to establish His earthly kingdom, defeat sin, and ensure obedience to God’s will. After a thousand years, this kingdom will merge into the eternal kingdom, and His earthly and heavenly rule will be the same (see Rev. 20–21).

There are two major ways in which God’s kingdom comes, and they ought to inform our prayers as we ask Him to complete His purpose. First, His kingdom comes by means of conversions. Thus we should pray for sinners to repent (Mark 1:14–15) and to embrace the gospel (Luke 9:61–62). Our prayers must be simply that the Spirit will add new citizens to God’s kingdom.

Second, the kingdom comes through believers’ commitment. If we pray as Jesus commands, we will constantly ask that our lives and those of other Christians might obediently honor and glorify God in heaven.

The kingdom that we hope and pray for is of infinite value. Jesus elsewhere teaches that it “is like a treasure hidden in the field” or like “one pearl of great value” (Matt. 13:44–46). When the kingdom fully comes at His return, God will have completely answered our prayers. As the hymn says, “Jesus shall reign where’er the sun does its successive journeys run. His kingdom spread from shore to shore, ’til moon shall wax and wane no more.”

Ask Yourself

How focused are you on these twin elements of kingdom advance? How do these priorities show themselves in your daily choices and activities? If they are commonly missing from your field of reference, ask yourself why this is the case.

From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: gty

1 posted on 05/21/2022 1:28:06 PM PDT by metmom
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To: Alex Murphy; boatbums; CynicalBear; daniel1212; ealgeone; Elsie; Gamecock; HossB86; Iscool; ...

Studying God’s Word ping


2 posted on 05/21/2022 1:28:38 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith… )
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To: metmom

Thanks, sweet lady!


3 posted on 05/21/2022 1:34:13 PM PDT by SouthernClaire (God Bless America)
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To: metmom

Strong’s Concordance Kingdom;
basileia: kingdom, sovereignty, royal power

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”
The Kingdom is not a place, it’s a position given to man. You can’t earn or work your way to it. It’s an inheritance


4 posted on 05/21/2022 2:04:38 PM PDT by Joshua (Keep paying attention to the shiny orb!)
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To: Joshua

Of course, Christ presently rules the subjects of his kingdom internally, but not those who are not of his kingdom. As the lead article states, his kingdom has not been externally manifested yet, he is not physically ruling this world yet. Not until the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, Rev. 20.


5 posted on 05/21/2022 2:14:57 PM PDT by sasportas ( )
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To: Joshua

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.


6 posted on 05/21/2022 2:37:15 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith… )
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To: metmom

Yes, be ready!


7 posted on 05/21/2022 3:16:29 PM PDT by Huskrrrr (Alinsky, you magnificent Bastard, I read your book!)
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To: Huskrrrr

Amen!


8 posted on 05/21/2022 4:57:54 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith… )
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To: metmom

17 “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”
********************************************************
Exactly! The Kingdom has nothing to do with the external (eating or drinking i.e. works). It is within.

Righteousness of the Holy Spirit
Strong’s Concordance:
dikaiosuné: righteousness, justice
Usage: the righteousness of which God is the source or author, but practically: a divine righteousness.

It’s divine righteousness that is given to you. You don’t earn it.

John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.


9 posted on 05/21/2022 6:34:58 PM PDT by Joshua (Keep paying attention to the shiny orb!)
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To: sasportas

his kingdom has not been externally manifested yet, he is not physically ruling this world yet. Not until the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, Rev. 20.
******************************************************
This is a mistranslation of the word.

Strong’s Concordance,
basileia:Definition: kingdom, sovereignty, royal power
Usage: kingship, sovereignty, authority, rule, especially of God, both in the world, and in the hearts of men;

God’s reign on earth as spoken of in Rev 20 is different from “Kingdom of God” in the context of the NT.

The last time Kingdom, “basilea” in the NT context is used in Revelation chapter 17


10 posted on 05/21/2022 6:54:22 PM PDT by Joshua (Keep paying attention to the shiny orb!)
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To: Joshua

On the kingdom, I am a premillennialist, more precisely Historic Premillennialist (not dispensationalist).

How about you? your kingdom-now explanation of the kingdom sounds Amillennialist of Postmillennialist.


11 posted on 05/21/2022 9:29:01 PM PDT by sasportas ( )
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To: sasportas

On the kingdom, I am a premillennialist, more precisely Historic Premillennialist (not dispensationalist).

How about you? your kingdom-now explanation of the kingdom sounds Amillennialist of Postmillennialist.
************************************************************
None of the above


12 posted on 05/22/2022 7:48:33 AM PDT by Joshua (Keep paying attention to the shiny orb!)
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To: Joshua

None of the above?

The issue I’m posing here is about the millennial of Rev. 20, as far as I’m aware, there are only the three beliefs on it I mentioned. What is the name of your doctrine of the millennial?

And how do you interpret the second coming, the first resurrection, and the thousand years that are ushered in by that second coming and first resurrection?


13 posted on 05/22/2022 9:49:23 AM PDT by sasportas ( )
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To: sasportas

doctrine
dŏk′trĭn
noun
A principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief, as by a religious, political, scientific, or philosophic group; dogma.

Sorry, I don’t fit in any of the categories you presented.
It would probably take hours and pages to explain how my beliefs on Rev 20 have changed over the years. Something I don’t have time or see a reason to do at this point


14 posted on 05/22/2022 10:48:36 AM PDT by Joshua (Keep paying attention to the shiny orb!)
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