From: Paul Gage
LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD SEPTEMBER 15, 2022
Greetings to all the Saints throughout the World, may God’s blessings be in abundance to each of you and as beautiful as the falling leaves in many places,
Living in the Kingdom of God! What does that really mean to each of us every day of our lives? Suppose that you are actually in Zion- that is Enoch’s city, before it was translated. What would it be like? How would it be different from your daily walk?
The purpose of these articles is to encourage the Saints in our daily life as we anticipate the return of Jesus Christ. If something is stated in these articles that seems to apply to you, take it as a “hint’ from the Lord and not as something directed toward you personally. We all have our “ups and downs,” stained relationships, times of “wandering away” from God and so forth. These things are a part of our efforts on the earth to achieve Heavenly places and have been evidenced in human nature since the Garden of Eden. However, we cannot just easily dismiss them without taking a good, solid look at ourselves. It is better that we “judge ourselves,” and take positive steps to improve, rather than waiting until we have crossed the veil and stand before the True Judge.
Take some time, soon, to seriously read the Book of James and see if anything applies to you.
Also, take some time, soon, to seriously read Genesis 6 and 7 which tells about Enoch and the process by which Zion came into existence. He had to work with the people, preaching repentance and having a number of them respond, before the city was built. We do not know what the population of Zion was when it was taken up to God. It could have been two, two hundred, two thousand, or two million, but the point is that they had learned to live together and become of one heart and one mind. It seems only “natural” that in their coming together they had to learn how to resolve their differences and how to sincerely repent and forgive one another. They had to learn and obey the commandment from Jesus in Matthew 5:25-26, that reconciliation is two-way street. Both, or all parties, are required to forgive and be reconciled to each other before they/we can be reconciled to God.
Brother Elbert, as Elbert A. Smith, Presiding Patriarch of the church, at one time, was lovingly called, wrote a beautiful hymn which speaks very strongly to conditions and situations in the church and among church people and no one is excluded. It is page 335 in the Hymns of the Restoration, 2007 edition and is referred to as a hymn of Reconciliation. The title is “What a Strong and Happy People.”
Some of the words are: “When we learn to walk in kindness, wear the smile, forget the frown;
When we gladly shall forgive men full and free; Every small and bitter envy, every malice trampled down, What a strong and happy people we shall be. When no two of all our number, Lord, shall longer be at strife, When we walk in love and mercy close to Thee, We shall know a joyful service, we shall find abundant life, What a strong and happy people we shall be! There are two other verses.
That is how it had to be in Enoch’s city, since they were of one heart and one mind and dwelt in righteousness. This is what must be demonstrated in our own life, if we think we are living in the Kingdom of God.
May each of us and each Branch respond to God’s commandments that we may be His people,
Paul Gage
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