From: Paul Gage
LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD MAY 18, 2023
The Lord, God, Almighty’s best blessings be upon you,
Did you ever think you “got away” with something only to find out later that someone found out what you did? Does anyone remember the TV show “Candid Camera?” A camera was concealed and then actors did something that got others involved and showed it on “Candid Camera.” Where was the camera that “caught” King David in a sin and David thought he “had it made,” until the prophet Nathan had a talk with him and made the statement, “Thou art the Man”? 2 Samuel 12:1-12.
In Matthew chapter 5 as Jesus was preaching the “Sermon on the Mount,” he makes several statements along the line of “Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time… BUT I say unto you… v.23 or “...It is written by them of old time...BUT I say unto you...v 30. Jesus tells us here, “Behold, I give unto you a commandment, that ye suffer none of these things to enter into your heart…” v 31. Jesus was giving us the guidelines for “living in the Kingdom of God” in Matthew chapter 5 beginning with the steps required to enter the Kingdom and then His plan for living in the Kingdom, the Beatitudes and the rest of the scriptures.
So, is there a “Candid Camera” somewhere? 2 Chronicles 16:9 answers that question. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” An old saying states: “You can fool some of the people all the time, and you can fool all the people some of the time, BUT you can never fool all the people all the time and you can not fool God anytime.
Neither can we “fool” others by claiming to be a “Christian” when they see us in real life situations We are reminded in Revelation 20:12 that several books are opened including the Book of Life which will be used to judge us when we go before God and that every man (person) will be judged according to their works. How can anyone then think thy can hide something from God and not be found out. There must be a “Candid Writer” as well as a “Candid Camera.” How can anyone who knows about the scripture think they are “once saved, always saved, by grace alone?”
God has made it very plain how to be freed from our sins. We must repent and ask His forgiveness and we must forgive others AS we expect God to forgive us. It does not matter whose fault it was or what the issue were, we must forgive as God forgives us. How else did Enoch’s city become of one heart and one mind and dwell in righteousness?
If we are truly “living in the Kingdom of God,” then this must show in all our relationships, beginning at home, then in church, and then to our daily lives. Review I Corinthians 13 and Moroni 7:46-53. SMILE, you are on Candid Camera 24/7.
“The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make HIS face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto Thee...”
Paul Gage
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