From: paul gage
pauljg_64055@yahoo.com
LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD AUGUST 3, 2023
Hello Saints around the world,
Time is marching on. Hopefully, we are Marching to Zion! As we enter the last five months of 2023, it might be a good time to give ourselves a “self-check.” That is to take time to see where we are in our “March toward Zion.” Vince Lombardi, coach of the professional football team, the Green Bay Packers, who never had a losing season, would always begin a new season with a meeting of all his players. The first thing he would do is hold up a football and say, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” In other words he was saying, “We may be world champions, but this is a new season and we go back to the basics.”
As we, individually and collectively seem to be marching somewhere, is it where God wants us to march? You can’t stay seated and sing, “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.” We can’t drag our feet and sing, “We’re Marching to Zion.”
Sunday, August 6, 2023 is the “Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.” What does this holy ordinance, which Jesus established in His Church, really mean to you? How can we truly be worthy to partake? Only by complete repentance, holding nothing back! Not even one little tiny sin, thought, feeling or deed.
In Charles Allen’s book, “God’s Psychiatry,” the fourth section deals with the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. These are referred to as “The Keys to the Kingdom.” Do we exercise the keys to the kingdom in our daily walk, or are we like some of those in the following story?
"RAG TAG ARMY"
When Jesus selects the twelve disciples, also called apostles according to Luke 6:13, he spends the previous night in prayer. It must have been a difficult thing for him. He knows from the beginning that one will betray him. He knows from the beginning that one will vehemently deny him. He knows from the beginning that they will sleep when he needs them awake; they will lash out when he needs them to be quiet; they will question when he needs them to trust; they will wonder when he needs them to be strong. Yet he chooses them anyway. Isn’t that just like him?
I think God must be very old and very tired. Maybe he used to look splendid and fine in his uniform, but no more. He’s been on the march a long time, you know. And look at his rag-tag little army! All he has for soldiers are you and me. Listen! The drum beat isn’t even regular. Everyone is out of step. And there! You see? God keeps stopping along the way to pick up one of his soldiers who decided to wander off and not walk IN HIS STEPS. He’ll never get anywhere that way. And yet, the march goes on. Do you see how the marchers have broken up into little groups? Look at that group up near the front. Now, there’s a snappy outfit. They all look pretty much alike—at least they’re in step with each other. That’s something! Only they’re not wearing their shoes. They’re carrying them in their hands. They won’t get far before God will have to stop again.
Or how about that other group over there? They’re all holding hands as they march. The only trouble with this is the people on each end of the line. Pretty soon they realize that one of their hands isn’t holding onto anything—one hand is reaching, empty, alone. And so they hold hands with each other, and everybody marches around in circles. The more people holding hands, the bigger the circle. Of course, a bigger circle is deceptive because as we march along it looks like we’re going someplace, but we’re not. And so God must stop again. You see what I mean? He’ll never get anywhere that way! If God were more sensible he’d take his little army and shape them up. Why, whoever heard of a soldier on duty going off on their own? It’s ridiculous. But even more absurd is a GOD who will stop the march of eternity to go and bring him back. But that’s God for you. His is no endless, empty marching. He is going somewhere. His steps are deliberate and purposeful.
God really is not old or tired, but is the same, yesterday, today and forever. But he knows where he’s going. And he means to take every last one of his tiny soldiers with him.
Only there aren’t going to be any forced marches. And, after all, there are things along the way that distract us. And even though we may have made a covenant with God, we are only human. And most of us are afraid and lonely and would like to hold hands or cry or run away. And we don’t know where we are going, and we can’t seem to trust God—especially when it’s dark out and we can’t see him!
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And he won’t go on without us. And that’s why it’s taking so long. Listen! The drum beat isn’t even regular. Everyone is out of step. And there! You see? God keeps stopping along the way to pick up one of his soldiers who decided to wander off the path and thus not be IN HIS STEPS. He’ll never get anywhere that way! And yet, the march goes on… BUT IT WILL END ONE DAY! AND WHERE WILL YOU, ME, WE BE? Read Matthew 5, from the Inspired Version. Note the differences between the IV and the King James. Are these blessings a part of your Kingdom living or are you part of the Rag-Tag army?
We must all be valiant soldiers in the army of the Lord.
God bless
Paul Gage
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