The Secret Kingdom

The Secret Kingdom

"Kingdom" is a word rarely used among the religious today, but it was all that Jesus preached - (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Mark 1:14-15). There is a reason for this and I want to remind you of it from scriptures. "Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as we received mercy (from God, granting us Salvation, opportunities, and blessings), we do not get discouraged nor lose our motivation. But we have renounced the disgraceful things hidden because of shame; not walking in trickery or adulterating the word of God, but by stating the truth (openly and plainly), we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel is (in some sense) hidden (behind a veil), it is hidden (only) to those who are perishing; among them, the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves (merely) as your bondservants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the glory and Majesty of God (clearly revealed) in the face of Christ." - (2 Corinthians 4:1-6_ Amplified Bible). Note in verses 3-4 "it is hidden to them that are lost (unbelievers) whom Satan has blinded their minds lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine into them." The gospel Jesus preached then, and he still preaches now (Hebrews 1:1-2), is the gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 9:35). It is mainly called "The Kingdom" because of its superiority to all other kingdoms! Jesus made it clear to his disciples why he spoke of it in parables to the world (Matthew 13:10-15). It is because of the pride they have taken in the things of this visible, materialistic and corrupt world (Kingdom of Satan) that restricts them accepting the destruction and replacement of government from another invisible, immaterial and incorruptible world (kingdom of God). Their pride restricts them from receiving of God's grace (James 4:6-10). Paul declares the prophecy of Isaiah, For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." - (1 Corinthians 1:19; Isaiah 29:14). "For since the world through all its (earthly) wisdom failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was pleased through the foolishness of the message preached (regarding their salvation and his kingdom) to save them that believe (in Christ and welcome Him as their King)." - (1 Corinthians 1:21). Jesus said, "For this nation's heart is waxed gross (grown hard), and with their ears they hardly hear (dull of hearing), and their eyes they have tightly closed (refusing to see or carefully examine), otherwise they would see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and would understand with their hearts, and be converted (turn to Me), and I would heal them." - (Matthew 13:15). The devil robs unbelieving humanity of the word (the gospel of Christ and his kingdom), uses intimidation tactics of persecution or tribulation to cause offenses to push us away from obeying the word, and if that doesn't work he uses seduction through the love of money, deceitfulness of riches and possessions to choke the effectiveness and fruitfulness of the word of God in our lives - (Matthew 13:21). In each of these three cases of unfruitfulness, both offense and neglect of this gospel is the cause of failure and ultimately ends in rejection by God. For all believers, it is important to recognize Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, our true Savior and Redeemer! But it is also of the utmost importance that you continue in His Word (the gospel of the Kingdom) to be truly his disciple (John 8:30-32). Don't just be a branch (a member of the body of Christ), but be a fruitful branch! As Jesus says, "If you abide in Me, and my word (the gospel of the Kingdom) abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples." - (John 15:7-8). "For every branch in me that beareth not fruit, He (the Father) taketh away (cuts off); and every branch that bears fruit, He (the Father) purges it (repeatedly prunes; corrects it), so that it may bear more fruit (even richer and finer quality fruit). - (John 15:2_KJV & Amplified Bible).