God’s Kingdom

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1 Chronicles 12:23 Armed For Battle

These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said: 2 Chronicles 12:23

Soldiers in the army are always armed for battle when they are getting ready to go to battle. Each one will have some form of weapon to be used against the enemy. The type of weapon used is always determined by what the enemy has that he will be going up against. Along with the weapons he will also have equipment to protect him from the attacks of the enemy.

The writer of Chronicles begins to list out the number of men that came from each tribe of Israel, armed for battle, to help turn Saul’s kingdom over to David.

Outside of the military, most people are not armed and ready for battle. Many, in some nations, may carry a private weapon, but it is often not the majority, and it is not carried expecting to go into battle. Even less people desire to go into battle at any point in their life.

Although most people will never be in a physical battle with guns and other weapons, every person is in a battle for his soul. Born into sin, every person is at war with God and is on the side of the devil.

Those who have seen Jesus and believed His word have switched sides and are now in army of God and need to be armed for this new battle against the devil and the world.

In order to be armed for this battle, one needs God’s word in his heart as a sword. He needs to be filled with the power and direction of the Holy Spirit. He needs to have his shoes on ready to spread the gospel message. He needs to be protected by the shield of faith in God. He needs to be ready for battle.

You are in a war. Either you are on God’s side or the side of the devil and this world. Both sides have their separate weapons used in battle. This is a spiritual war, not a physical war.

Choose to be on God’s side, the side that will win in the end. Put on His armor and be ready for battle. Be ready to face the enemy and turn people over to the kingdom of God.

Are you ready for battle?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will have on the whole armor of God; that you will be ready to do battle for God; that you will take back what the enemy has stolen from God; and that God will remove all fear of the battle.

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1 Kings 5:5 Do What God Called You To Do

I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’ 1 Kings 5:5

People work hard to build things up in their lives. Some have natural skills to be able to build something specific or do some type of work that benefits thousands of others. Few will run with these abilities and do what they are made to do, while others will go a different direction and not do it.

After Solomon gained peace throughout the kingdom, he chose to begin to build the temple God called him to build.

The majority of people throughout the world are focused upon building their own kingdom up, building things to build themselves up. Some of these things may be good, but all of them are temporary. It will help only in the short term of life here on the earth but in the end will fail.

God has a plan for each person as to what that person should build while on the earth. It begins with building his life in Christ Jesus as Lord. Once this is started the next part of the plan for every believer is to build His kingdom–being a witness and making disciples. How this looks and is accomplished may be different for each and every believer, but the goal is the same–building an eternal kingdom.

Every believer has started with building his life in Christ, but many will stop there. They forget or ignore what God has called them to do focusing on building their own little personal kingdom, rather than God’s kingdom.

True believers will remember and do what God wants them to do.

Whether you are a believer or not, God has a plan for you. This plan will begin with believing in Jesus and being saved. Then He has a plan for what you are to do with your life while here on the earth.

Every believer is a part of the temple of God to dwell in on this earth. Seek God to find out how you can be His witness and make more disciples, building that temple.

Do not ignore the calling God has for you but be all that you can be for God.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know what God has called you to do and be; that you will build God’s temple on this earth; and that God will give you the strength to do His work successfully.

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Numbers 26:64 Will You Be Counted As God’s Child?

Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. Numbers 26:64

America does a census counting of all the people once every ten years. This is done for various reasons, though primarily for taxing purposes and to see how many people live in America and where they live.

Only those who live in America and are still living are counted in the census regardless of how young or old they are. Those outside the country are not counted at all, with the exception of some who are temporarily living outside the nation.

God had Moses take a census of the Israelites. None of those who were counted in the Desert of Sinai were counted for they were dead.

While nations take censuses on a regular basis, God will also be taking a census one day. God is counting the number of His children that will be able to enter His kingdom in heaven some day.

Just as with nations the number of people go up and down with each census, the number of people in God’s kingdom goes up and down. Every time a person repents of his sin and chooses to believe in and follow Jesus, the number goes up. At the same time, there are people who are deceived by the world and the devil and choose to walk away from God. This is when the number goes down.

Any believer who chooses to grumble and complain against God and decides to go the way of the world, refusing to obey God is leaving His kingdom. Salvation is guaranteed only when a believer continues to believe, obey God and repent when he fails to obey God.

Every believer must live in a way so that they will be counted when Jesus returns.

The moment you chose to believe in Jesus and repent of your sins, you became a citizen in God’s country. God began to count you as His child.

Do not hold this lightly or give it up to go back to the world, leaving God’s kingdom. Walking in sin and refusing to repent will cause Jesus to say He does not know you when He returns. You will not be counted as His child.

Ask yourself today if you will be counted as a member of God’s kingdom when Jesus returns.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will repent of all sins before God; that you will obey God’s commands to you; that God will be able to count you as His child; and that Jesus will be able to say He knows you when He returns.

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Mark 16:20 Go And Do It

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. Mark 16:20

Every day, all over the world, people are given instructions as to how to do something. Along with the instructions, many are also given the tools to help them accomplish the task taught.

While many will use those tools and actually work to do the task, there are also many who reject the instructions. They choose to either not do the task at all, or they choose to do it their own way.

After Jesus had left the earth, the disciples went out and preached the gospel message everywhere. God was with them and confirmed it with signs and wonders.

The entire purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to seek and to save those who are lost. In His few years of ministry He taught the disciples how to carry on His mission.

That purpose is still in effect to this day. Jesus still wants to seek and save the lost. He is also wanting every believer to go out and pass that message on to others.

God has given every believer what he needs to accomplish His task. The bible is filled with instructions as to how to accomplish His task.

While there are some who are actively trying to accomplish God’s task, there are many who are not doing His work. Most believers are living their own life, taking care of self and not reaching out to the lost. Others are going out to do the work, but are doing it their own way, not the way God has directed them to do, thus signs are not really following them.

God has created you for a purpose. It was to have fellowship with Him and to build His kingdom. The only way you can work at building His kingdom is to follow His instructions and actually go out and do it.

As you step out in faith, doing what He has asked of you, God will pour out signs and wonders confirming His word and the work through you. Over time you will see lives changed and God’s kingdom being built. This is not done for your glory, but for His glory.

Each day God will give you opportunities to do His work and be His witness. Are you willing to do what He has taught you to do?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will know what God has called you to do; that you will do what God has called you to do; and that God will confirm His work through you with signs and wonders.