May 11,
2003
YOUR
KINGDOM COME
"Your
kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10, NKJV).
"God
is our Father, who loves and cares for us as His children;
He is also the great King of the universe. The interest of
His kingdom are our interests, and we are to work for its
upbuilding.
"The
disciples of Christ were looking for the immediate coming
of the kingdom of His glory, but in giving them this prayer
Jesus taught that the kingdom was not then to be established.
They were to pray for its coming as an event yet future..
"The
kingdom of God's grace is now being established, as day by
day hearts that have been full of sin and rebellion yield
to the sovereignty of His love. But the full establishment
of the kingdom of His glory will not take place until the
second coming of Christ to this world. 'The kingdom and dominion,
and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,'
is to 'be given to the people, the saints of the Most High'
(Daniel 7:27). They shall inherit the kingdom prepared for
them 'from the foundation of the world'
(Matthew 25:34). And Christ will take to Himself His great
power and will reign.
"The
heavenly gates are again to be lifted up, and with ten thousand
times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy ones,
our Saviour will come forth as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Jehovah Immanuel 'shall be king over all the earth. In that
day it shall be-- "The Lord is one," and His name
one' (Zechariah 14:9). 'The tabernacle of God is with men,
and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people,
God Himself will be with them and be their God' (Revelation
21:3).
"But
before that coming, Jesus said, 'This
gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as
a witness to all the nations' (Matthew 24:14). His
kingdom will not come until the good tidings of His grace
have been carried to all the earth. Hence, as we give ourselves
to God, and win other souls to Him, we hasten the coming of
His kingdom. Only those who devote themselves to His service,
saying, 'Here am I! send me' (Isaiah 6:8), to open blind eyes,
to turn men 'from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are
sanctified by faith in Me' (Acts 26:18)--they alone
pray in sincerity, 'You kingdom come.'
"--Thoughts From The Mount Of Blessing, pp., 107-109.
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