LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD MAY 1, 2025
May Day greetings to all those seeking to follow the
example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
One third of 2025 is now gone! Many things have
transpired since January 1, among which is the fact that God has called “home”
many of his creation. If we have any belief/faith in God at all, we know He has
a plan for all his creation and that there is a time to be born and a time to
die. We have no control over either event as it is God who determines the time
of our birth and death. As someone has said, the part of our life that we have
some choice about is the dash between the date of our birth and the date of our
death. For some it is a short dash, while for others it is a long dash, or
somewhere in between. Again, God is the determining factor, but he has given us
agency to make choices as to the significance of the dash.
It is something we might not want to think about very
much and yet may be the most vital aspect of our agency. As we approach this
Sunday, we have another opportunity to cleanse ourselves of all unrighteousness
and come before the Lord in humble repentance seeking His Divine forgiveness.
Our relationship with God and our relationships with all others is determined
by our obedience to God’s commandments. We know the great commandment, we know
the Lord’s Prayer as found in Matthew 6, we know the counsel given in Matthew
5:25-26, yet just having the knowledge won’t do us any good unless and until we
live what we know.
As we are now through one fourth of this year, we might
ask ourselves, not someone else, but ourselves, am I living in the kingdom of
God or am I living in a kingdom of the world, or my own kingdom. The kingdom we
are living in is determined by who is the KING. All down through time, on
numerous occasions, mankind has “built” his own little kingdom, most of the
time in direct opposition to God’s Kingdom. Read early chapters of Genesis
about Satan, Adam, Cain, and later about Abraham, Saul, David, Laman and Lemuel,
all the “Ites”in the early and later breakaways from the 1830 Church Restored.
As early as 1828, in Doctrine and Covenants 2 Joseph
Smith Jr. was rebuked by these words:
“2:1a The works, and the designs, and the
purposes of God cannot be frustrated; neither can they come to naught, for
God doth not walk in crooked paths; 2:1b neither doth he turn to the right hand
nor to the left; 2:1c neither doth he vary from that which he hath said;
therefore, his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round. 2:2a
Remember, remember, that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the
work of men; 2:2b for although a man may have many revelations and have power
to do many mighty works, yet, if he boast in his own strength, and sets at
naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and
carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him.”
This speaks to us today, corporately and individually, as
does Doctrine Covenants 4:
“1a Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come
forth among the children of men; 1b therefore, O ye that embark in the service
of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind, and
strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day; 1c
therefore, if ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work; for
behold, the field is white, already to harvest; 1d and lo, he that thrusteth in
his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perish not but
bringeth salvation to his soul; 1e and faith, hope, charity, and
love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualifies him for the
work. 4:2a Remember: faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience,
brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. 2b Ask and ye
shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.”
We might ask ourselves and any group we associate with
the questions: Do we want to stand blameless before God at the last day? Do
we/are we qualified for the work? Since none of us controls the end of our
dash, we must each live to glorify God in all things, in the process of
“Building up His Kingdom and Establishing His righteousness.”
May 1, 2025 is a National Day of Prayer in the USA. May
we all be in consistent, earnest prayer for the coming of Jesus Christ and His
Kingdom.
Also, a Daily Devotional for May 1-August 31, 2025 is now
available. If you want a copy, check with your pastor and if that doesn’t
work contact me in a separate email.
God bless
Paul Gage
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