"Are We Presently Living In The Kingdom Of God? By: Dr. Shuffel P. Hepburn

Are we presently living in the kingdom of God? That's our message.

The good news is that we are living in the kingdom of God. However, there are two things that we should be

aware of. Number one, today's kingdom is not what some people think it is. Number two the complete kingdom of God has not yet come. Contrary to what those who preach the prosperity gospel teach, the really good times of the kingdom are not here yet.

According to various sources those who push this prosperity gospel propose that faith and charitable works and most especially, giving to the church leads to material blessings. And this is linked to doctrines about the kingdom that is on earth here and now. They push a doctrine which says that the kingdom of God is a place of abundance and that believers are entitled to

prosperity because of their faith and their actions. Yes my friend God will give us the desires of our hearts, He has promised this. But there is too much focus on material things in these doctrines. Book writing and owning a business are promoted more than the saving of souls, and their followers become members of an elite group whose favorite word is favor.

According to various sources prosperity preachers paint a picture in which believers should expect to experience not only spiritual blessings but also material prosperity good health and a fulfilling life right now. And very often those who believe this doctrine of prosperity believe that those who are less fortunate, namely the poor and those suffering from health challenges are not in God's kingdom. This wealth and health doctrine is a false interpretation of scripture that can corrupt believers in Christ, causing them to become materialistic and open for exploitation by greedy

preachers. The problem according to the gospel

coalition is that the prosperity gospel discounts what the Bible teaches about wealth and suffering. They also say there's an absence of a serious doctrine of the biblical necessity and normalcy of suffering. And we see so much of it today among believers in Christ and unbelievers. In addition there's an absence of a clear and prominent doctrine of self-denial.

According to Luke 19:11 as Jesus Christ approached Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, it was clear that the people expected an immediate kingdom of God. In order to open their eyes He told them the parable of the nobleman who went to a distant country to receive a kingdom but before leaving he gave 10 pounds to his 10 servants telling them to occupy until he returned. But his citizens hated him the word says and sent a message saying that they did not want him to rule over them. He was hoping to make the people understand that the kingdom was not as near as they had anticipated, nevertheless believers are to work faithfully while being fruitful and multiplying until the good master returns.

But look around and see if the terrible times we live in look like the days when the kingdom of God shall come in its fullness. In that day when Christ will rule the earth for a thousand years the wicked will be destroyed and there shall be a time of peace and prosperity on the earth like we have never seen. And the Lord will establish His kingdom on the earth and He will rule with power and majesty.

Consider this, if ever there was a world leader whose life seemed to exemplify the life of a Christian, perhaps the late former US President Jimmy Carter can be a nominee. As all presidents were, he was a great man serving as head of the world's most powerful nation. He did some great things for America and the world, but his greatest work was done in his life after the presidency. His life exemplified Christian principles, but after leaving the White House He served his fellow man through his service to Habitat for Humanity and other charitable organizations, building homes for the homeless and doing other good work.

Now take a look at him in his last days and say whether the picture of him sitting limp in a wheelchair with his mouth open while being wheeled around is a reflection of God's glorious kingdom. Of course it is not the pretty picture of what believers in the prosperity gospel call kingdom living. His trusted nurse explained that the reason his mouth was always hanging open is because we need muscles to keep our mouth shut. At the end of life our muscles relax hence leaving some with the open mouth look. In

addition he died at 100 years old. In his later years he was sleeping 20 to 22 hours a day and so he was always relaxed and probably asleep at the times when we saw him being wheeled about.

Yet we know that if any will qualify for heaven he must be one of them and I firmly believe he was genuinely born again from above though imperfect as we all are. So then the kingdom of God must be something we cannot see. There must be a joy and a peace that he had on the inside which we could not observe. The glory of God that he had and all children of God carry around with them is not often visible to the naked

eye. Though we often see it reflected in their faces, likewise the joy of the Lord which is the strength of every believer is primarily on the inside.

This then must be what Jesus Christ meant when He said that the kingdom of God does not come by observation. Meaning it is not something we can see or behold with our two eyes. One day the Pharisees asked Christ, "When was the kingdom of God coming?" He answered them and said "The kingdom of God does not come with observation nor will they say see here or see there for indeed the kingdom of God is within you," Luke 17:20. In other words He was saying that the kingdom of God cannot be detected by visible signs. We're given help in understanding this by looking at Romans 14:17 where the scripture says, "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." So these are all internal

experiences, therefore the kingdom is not material but rather spiritual.

So if President Carter was the man of God that we thought he was then the kingdom of God was within him even as they wheeled him from place to place while he sat limp in the wheelchair with his mouth open. Nevertheless, there was something awesomely beautiful on the inside of him, something glorious that could not be observed but yet was more real than anything on earth.

Even from the time of Daniel the Word of God declared that the saints of the Most High God would one day possess the kingdom of God. And this is confirmed by Jesus Christ himself in Matthew 25 and 34 where He says that in the day of the Lord, He the king will say unto all those on His right hand come you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And this promise is echoed in various places throughout scripture, including Hebrews 12 where we are told, "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved. Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."

When Pilate asked Jesus Christ whether He was a king, Christ told him "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now My kingdom is not from here, John 18:36. Clearly at that time Christ's kingdom had not yet come but my friend it is coming.

There are many events however still to come before Christ's kingdom is established on earth. For instance, there are seven seals to be opened by the Lamb of God in heaven in that season, which will bring forth the most traumatic times of killing, wars, famine, deaths, earthquakes upon the earth. Then there are the seven trumpet blasts of the seven angels which will bring one global catastrophe after another.

And the first four trumpets will bring forth hail and fire mingled with blood, burning up one-third of the greenery on earth. A burning mountain will be cast into the sea and will cause one third of the oceans to turn into blood killing sea creatures, destroying ships. A burning star will fall from heaven making the drinking water bitter and killing many. And one-third of the sun, the moon and the stars will go dark for a third of the day and the night. And then an angel will fly through the earth warning that the next three trumpet sounds will be worse than these four.

And finally when the seventh angel sounds, there will be great voices in heavens saying, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever," Revelation 11. Presumably, we here on earth will be able to hear this announcement in heaven. It will be no secret and everyone in the world will know that God's kingdom has been established forever. At this time scripture says the 24 elders sitting before God on the throne will fall upon their faces and worship God, giving Him thanks for taking back His great power from the enemy and finally reigning in the earth. And then God's kingdom will come in the earth as it is in heaven. And what a glorious and wonderful day that will be. Hold on my friend the time is near. God bless and keep you in Jesus mighty name, Amen.

You've been listening to this message and perhaps you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we want to give you an opportunity to make that commitment today. Please say this prayer after me:

-Father I am a sinner.

-I am sorry for all my

sins.

-I crave your forgiveness.

-I want to return to you.

-Thank you for your mercy.

-Today I invite Jesus Christ into my heart.

-Dear Lord Jesus make my heart your home and give me the Holy Spirit to lead me into all truth.

-Thank you Lord for saving my soul. Amen.

Welcome friend to the body of believers in Christ. There are many of us here awaiting the return of the Good Master. In the meantime we want to

encourage you to become water baptized as quickly as possible. To begin reading the word of God.

Begin in the book of John then go to Matthew, Mark, and Luke reading audibly as often as possible. Pray daily, attend at your local church and one glad morning the Savior will come and receive us all unto himself and we shall indeed forever be with the Lord. God bless and keep you in Jesus mighty name, Amen.