LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD MAY 22, 2025

 

LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD MAY 22, 2025

 

Dear Saints,

 

May the Lord God Almighty bless you greatly as you seek to build up the Kingdom of God and establish His righteousness. This was the commandment Jesus gave to his disciples as recorded in Matthew 6:38. This is also repeated in 3 Nephi 6:11 though the wording is a little different, and in Doctrine and Covenants 65 as well as being reinforced in Doctrine and Covenants 102:2 and 9.

 

What are we then waiting on? The old structured church as we knew it prior to 1984? Many have ventured off into paths seeking the “Old church” and so we have many groups going in one direction or another, many branches going one direction or another, many individuals going in one direction or another. Thus we see the condition of all those who would have a place in God’s Kingdom on earth and when Jesus returns in His Glory.

 

We are assured, by the Lord, that the real success of having and being a part of His Kingdom lies in the greatest commandment. To effectively seek first to build up the kingdom of God and to establish His righteousness must begin with our obedience to the commandment to love God with ALL we are or ever hope to be. A five-year-old boy was asked on a talk show about Jesus. He made many astounding statements about Jesus. One being when he said, “Jesus doesn’t want us to be perfect, He wants us to be honest. An interesting statement. Some would immediately take issue with that statement, but can we be perfect without being honest? Honest about our self, not everyone else. I have to ask myself, as do we all, am I loving God with all my heart, might, mind and strength. If the answer, as God sees us is yes, then we would likely be translated. If the answer is no, God has promised He would be with us to help us achieve that level of love. God’s love.

 

God’s love transcends all else and we are called upon to focus our lives on and in the Love of God. It takes us back to all of God’s promises, “If or when you will, then I will.” as so clearly stated in Doctrine and Covenants 81:3. We all have to deal with all the problems and situations of life as have all others who have gone before us and those living with us in this day and age. Our choice, basically, is no different than that of Adam and Eve and we have record of many who chose to love God with their all and many more who chose to go their own way. Our task, if we are to build up the Kingdom of God and establish His righteousness, then is to concentrate all our efforts toward loving God with our ALL.

We have direct access to God for guidance and direction. We have many testimonies of others who have faithfully fought the fight and ran the race. We have many scriptures, hymns, songs, poems, stories, etc. that are inspired and thus able to help us in achieving that great desire and hope for the Kingdom of God on earth, as it is in Heaven. One is entitled “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” As we acknowledge the faithfulness of God, so He acknowledges our faithfulness when we are obedient to all His commandments.

 

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father There is no shadow of turning with Thee

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest Sun, moon and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide

 

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow Blessings all mine with 10, 000 beside

Great is Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness Morning by morning new mercies I see

 

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

 

God bless

Paul Gage