Kingdom of God

I am grateful for Your faithfulness!

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 2:14

Me: Good morning Father!

ABBA: Good morning Jon!

Me: Jesus told us in Matthew 6:33 to seek first Your kingdom. How does one do that?

ABBA: It would be beneficial for you to look at what the scripture says about My kingdom. How does one recognize it?

Me: Sounds like a good idea, of course.

ABBA:

5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

from Exodus 19 (please read all)

For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

Leviticus 11:45

I Am the Lord. The citizens of My kingdom are to listen to My voice, do what I say (from the heart, for what I say is from My heart and is good).

[My] throne … is for ever and ever: the sceptre of [My] kingdom is a right sceptre.

Psalm 45:6

I Am equipping them to be as I Am. In fact, if you try to be as I Am in your own strength, you will surely fail. I created you to abide in Me (John 15:7). I send My Spirit to guide you (John 16:13). Your fleshly desire to be an independent agent is of the evil one. Do not entertain his lies, which are designed to get My children to defect from My kingdom.

I Am the Truth. Those who would worship Me must worship in Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) What is worship but acknowledging My sovereignty in My kingdom and your proper relationship with Me?

27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations.

from Psalm 22 (please read all this Messianic Psalm)

In My Son Jesus, I Am making a way, a way for salvation available to the ends of the earth, to any who will receive Him:

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40 (also Messianic – read it all, if you please)

Strength in Me is the lot of those who tarry with Me, strength not known even in the youth of men. In Me, they are changed:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2

Such are the laws of My kingdom, written in the hearts of My children, every one doing My perfect will because it is right, not out of fear of retribution, but for love (1 John 4:18).

[My] kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and [My] dominion endureth throughout all generations.

Psalm 145:13

The decay that has entered the world and all flesh through sin is defeated in My kingdom. My kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36).

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 3:2

None may enter without repentance. And the time for that is now (Joel 2:1):

At that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:17

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3

The downcast shall give up their depression, for My children walk in light and joy.

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:10

Those in My kingdom always do right, no matter the cost.

Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:19

Woe to those who obfuscates the truth, but blessed is he who shows it by word and deed.

“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:20

It does not matter what men deem acceptable. I Am judge.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Matthew 7:21

Lip service does not bring change, but My will is a transformation:

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

John 7:38

I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;

Matthew 8:11

I Am not willing that any should perish.

2 Peter 3:9

And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Matthew 10:7

Those who are after My own heart want the best for everyone and make the most of the time they are given.

Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Matthew 11:11

For even John had doubts relating to being able to distinguish between My eternal promises, the power of the Spirit, and the merely temporal things affecting the flesh.

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.

Matthew 11:12

Those who would, enter the kingdom by seizing upon the chance with everything that is within them.

Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. Matthew

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Matthew 13:11, 1 Corinthians 2:9

There is definitely more to the kingdom than meets the eye, for the eye has never seen the things of the Spirit.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 14:2-3

There are many wonderful surprises ahead!

Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field…

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Beware of the deceptions of the enemy, clearing away the resulting destruction of sin requires hard work and patience. His work tends to have residual effects which have to be battled long into the future, like tares_[1] shedding seeds in a field of wheat. As Jesus’ explanation to the disciples makes clear, you must endure the children of the devil with you until I come for you. My fervent desire is that some of them will listen to you, turn, and come to Me. They can be transformed from tares – which only look like wheat until they begin to produce their toxic fruit – into real wheat by My power. Do you not realize that since the fall all were sprouted as tares? Corrupt men reproducing after their kind:

[Note 1: Tares: the bearded darnel, mentioned (only) in Matthew 13:25-30 . It is the Lolium temulentum, a species of rye-grass, the seeds of which are a strong soporific poison. It bears the closest resemblance to wheat till the ear appears, and only then the difference is discovered. It grows plentifully in Syria and Palestine. – from https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/tares/]

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Psalm 51:51, 1 Corinthians 6:11

He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Matthew 13:3-32

From the smallest start, work in the kingdom becomes great. I Am the Lord. Did not the Ransom of mankind spend His first night in a manger as a helpless infant?

He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.”

Matthew 13:33

Never underestimate the effect your words may have when you encourage another to seek life in the Son.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Matthew 13:44-46

There is nothing in the physical realm which compares to the riches of the kingdom, which I Am.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; Matthew 13:47-51

Matthew 13:47-51 (please read)

I Am going to sort the good from the bad. I Am a righteous judge.

And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

Matthew 13:52

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16:19

Even so, your body, mind and emotions will respond (transform to be conformed) to My Spirit as you bring them into subjection by your own choice.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:1-4

Little children are guileless, loving, and humbly accepting their parents.

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves… So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Matthew 18:23-35

Forgive. It is the way of the kingdom. All the ways of the kingdom are My ways. My nature and character are the nature and character of the kingdom. Be holy, for I Am holy. This is your kingdom calling.

Me: Wow! I had not noticed lately that Jesus had so much to say about the kingdom of heaven. Thank You Father! I love You!

ABBA: You are welcome! I love you!

Dear Reader,
Thanks for hanging in there if you have read this far! Here is an earlier post about Covid the Cat (today’s Featured Image) and how he came to be with us.

Also, if you don’t really care for the King James version of the scriptures, I understand. They take some getting used to. I am using the KJV because it is the only version that is in the public domain (not under copyright). Please feel free to follow along in whatever version you choose! I guarantee you will benefit from the comparison anyway. – Jon