February 18, 2002

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 kingdom under the whole heaven,' is to be given to 'the people of 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 shall there be one Lord, and His name one' (Zechariah 14:9). 'The tabernacle of God' shall be with men, 'and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God' (Revelation 21:3).

"But before that coming, Jesus said, 'This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all 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 unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified' (Acts 26:18)--they along pray in sincerity, 'Thy kingdom come.' "--Thoughts From The Mount Of Blessing, pp., 107-109.