LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
FEBRUARY 3, 2022
Hello, Aloha, Hola, G'Day, Bonjour, Guten tag, Shalom aleichen, Zdravstuyte, Habari, Kumusta, Namaste, to God's faithful Saints around the world,
If one of the languages above does not fit you, forgive me. They say there are between 3nd 5 thousand languages spoken in the world today. So, what does that have to do with living in the Kingdom of God? We all know of One who can speak and understand every language. That, of course, is God/Jesus Christ.
How is the weather in your part of the world? While it is freezing in much of the United States, it is very hot in Australia and at various conditions in other parts of the world. So what does that have to do with living in the Kingdom of God? We all know One who controls all the elements and thus the weather conditions. Again, that is God/Jesus Christ.
Due to the very cold temperatures and road conditions in many places, Saints were not able to go to church. Thanks to God who has given to mankind the ability to produce methods by which the message of God can be "zoomed" all round the world. This is what we deal with as we are "Living in the Kingdom of God" at this point, but we know when Jesus comes in His Glory, there will not be all the distractions we face in our current status.
In the "Real" Kingdom of God, those present will have nothing to take away from their devotion to and worship of God. There will be nothing in God's Kingdom that is not of Kingdom quality. Patriarch Ed Gard said in a message from the Lord, that we should sacrifice or get rid of anything and everything that we cannot take into the Kingdom.
Today is Day 31 in the Daily Devotional Guide, "Jesus and You in 2022." The scripture reading is Ezekiel 36-37. If you do not have a copy of this devotional, it is on the Conference of Restoration Elders website eldersconference.org. The hymn for today is 183 in the 2007 edition of Hymns of the Restoration, "How Firm a Foundation." This is the only foundation upon which we can build and be supported by as we live in the Kingdom of God.
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.
“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”
In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.
Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when the white hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.
You will notice that there are seven verses to this hymn, but only four in the Hymnal. There is confusion as to who wrote the hymn, but there is no confusion as to the meaning of it and the source of that meaning. GOD/JESUS CHRIST.
A reminder: Waldo Avenue Men's Ministries is sponsoring a class Saturday, February 5, 2022. It is entitled: "The Grand Conclusion Part Two" taught by Elder Aaron Smith. It will go from nine am til Noon. It will be in the sanctuary at Waldo Avenue RB and is open to all and will be live streamed. Part One was presented in November and can be seen on the Waldo website. Waldo Avenue RB live stream.
God bless each one
Paul Gage
