From: Paul Gage
LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD JULY 28, 2022
Philippians 1:2-11 Grace be unto you and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine, for the steadfastness of you all, making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, Being confident of this very thing: that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, That ye may approve things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
As we are now closer to 2023 than 2021, how are we, you, me, doing in our efforts to “build up the Kingdom of God and to establish His righteousness?” Are we tightening our seat belts or just “hanging in there?” Are we planning and preparing or just hoping everything will work out for us. Things will definitely “work out” but how depends on our efforts to be ready. The redemption of Zion requires a people whose goodness shines in their faces and is confirmed by their actions. If we, of the Restoration, who in general live below our potential, truly had the light of the gospel in our faces and thus in our lives, the good and righteous from all nations would flock to join us. We all know it is difficult to be that light in our everyday world, but that is our calling. Jesus said, “I give unto you to be the light and the salt’” Matthew 5, Inspired Version.
A church member neighbor shared a testimony with me this week. It was a dream he had while in the hospital. He was crawling on the ground, it was dark, the wind was blowing strongly and blowing objects into his face. He did not know where he was. As he slowly crawled along, his head hit something very hard. He looked up to see a rock and heard a voice that said, “this is the Rod of Iron” take hold. As he did so, he pulled himself along until he was at the feet of Jesus.
Jesus is the Rock, the Rod of Iron, the Way, the Truth, the Light and Life. As a hymn states, “On Christ, the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand. Don’t sink, stand firm in and for the Lord and His Kingdom.
God be with you always, is His promise,
Paul Gage
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