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Seeking Things Above


If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Col 3:1)

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2008-08-20

The Lord's Prayer - Your Kingdom Come

Matthew 6:10 (ESV)
10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Jesus gives the disciples a very interesting instruction in His lesson on prayer.  He tells them to pray for God's kingdom to come and God's will to be done on earth just like it is in heaven. What does it mean to pray for God's kingdom to come?

The Pharisees in Jesus day were also looking for God's kingdom to come but they did not recognize it when it arrived.  They were looking for an earthly kingdom and a king to throw out the evil gentiles.  I think we Christians today often fail to see the kingdom in our midst as well.  We can be just as wrapped up in our "religion" as the Pharisees in Jesus' day.
Luke 17:20-21 (ESV)
20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, 21 nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you."
When we pray, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, we're not asking for God's kingdom to come down to earth, as it is already here.  Maybe this prayer is asking God to open our spiritual eyes and see His kingdom in our midst. How would my prayer life be affected if I really believed and lived like the kingdom of God was here and now?


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Life would be different but in some ways the same. Our response to God's kingdom come is Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to Him through God the Father.

Why we do what we do would change effecting what we do with the time we are blessed with.

Anonymous said...

Hi Tony! Are you interested in joining the Christian Carders group forming at http://quiverfullfamily.com/2008/08/20/join-christian-carders/ ?

Your blog would make a great addition to the list!

Anonymous said...

Hey Tony, I enjoy reading your posts, but I had one question. Are you, in this post, subscribing to the Dominion theology or the Kingdom Now Theology as described here:
http://www.despatch.cth.com.au/Books_D/dom_theol.htm

Don't misunderstand me, I just want to be clear on this as There hasn't been much you have said that I have disagreed on. I just wanted to find out for myself.

Thanks and God Bless

Tony said...

Carol -

"Why we do what we do would change effecting what we do with the time we are blessed with." Amen...

Jennifer - I will stop over and check this out.

Tony C - No worries brother. I don't believe the kingdom is coming into it's fullness until Christ's return.

My point is that we can fall into our Christian sub-culture and put walls around us and pray for Jesus to return. Or we can engage a lost and hurting world and tell them and show them the gospel that Christ died for them and rose again so they can experience the kingdom now. It should not be about avoiding judgment when we die (although judgment will come). It's about the gift of eternal life that exists today.

John 17:3 (ESV)
3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

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