There are people who have hopes and dreams that a new season is just ahead and that it will hold something fresh and fulfilling. There is a God-something in us that urges us to reach beyond what we have experienced and strive for more than we have known. We so desire to eagerly respond to the “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” invitation of Jer.33:3. We want to see and experience the “never seen” and “never known” which is beyond our own capacity so that we may know resolve and victories and fulfillment that have, heretofore, been beyond our reach. So, we must lift up our heads from where we are and look to where there is transforming power and radical answers that change individuals and grip them with an insatiable vision for the Kingdom of Heaven in the earth. Ps.121:1-2,NASB—“I will raise my eyes to the mountains; From where will my help come?2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”
KATHY GABLER — His Kingdom has already been in effect, now is in effect and will be in effect always. That contradicts that silent “someday” that would keep the Kingdom of God out of reach during our lifetime, or keep “righteousness and peace and joy” in His presence only a future, someday realization (Rom 14:17). How messed up is it to think that righteousness, peace and joy are unreachable until you die? That thinking would make “Thy Kingdom come” a death request. Could we get any more perversely opposite to the heart of God than that? Could we deny His New Covenant provision any louder than that? If we think that His Kingdom (meaning His rule and His order) cannot come into earth now when we pray, is it any wonder that manifestations of His power show up piecemeal rather than bulk, or sporadically rather than continually? Poor God. When His stewards on earth think like that, they only accidentally stumble into agreement that opens the earth to God’s will in the now. (Hear Kathy at KINGDOM CONGRESS 2023.For info click on this link: martygabler.com/kc2023/)
Kathy — Let me say something softly so our souls hear liberation and not accusation: a Kingdom lifestyle is not self-focused or self-absorbed. Jesus thrust us into the momentum of a Kingdom lifestyle when He taught us to pray: Father, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven; and Father’s answers to that prayer are continually incoming into earth. A Kingdom lifestyle is staying positioned to participate in that incoming process.
Looking in the Bible and looking at the decisions and actions of its victorious characters, it is obvious that the possibility exists for us to have a Kingdom mentality and act victoriously out of that mentality regardless of the pressure of overwhelming circumstances and insurmountable opposition. When we pray “Thy Kingdom come” we are praying: Thy will come, Thy authority come, Thy power come, Thy rule come, Thy order come, Thy sovereign activity come, Thy heavenly culture come (cf.”Kingdom of heaven; as it is in heaven”; also Acts17:6). If we truly pray “Thy Kingdom come” we will not be of the mentality that dismisses the extraordinary of God Who is able to “do the undoable, change the unchangeable and provide the impossible”. If we are of a Kingdom mentality when it comes time to break loaves and fishes, we will not be thinking, “Oh, swell, now I will simply have two pieces of fish and two pieces of bread.” Rather we will be set up for the extraordinary of God since we know that, in our lifetime, we have only seen a fraction of the many-layered, many-sided wisdom (Eph.3:10) of God that can feed 5,000 with a sack lunch (Jn.6:9).
Kathy — No matter what has been religiously emphasized thus far, we are NOT here just to spend a lifetime packing our bags for heaven singing, “This world is not my home” and threatening to rapture out on bumper stickers! This world IS our home while we’re here and God told us to take dominion and see His Kingdom come and see that His will is done. If we live a lifetime doing just that, we’ll have fulfillment in life and a legacy for the future.
What of the New Year? — Thoughts, Plans & Inventions
The Psalmist declares he is aware that He is included in God’s thoughts. One of the meanings of “thoughts” (Jer.29:11) is “an invention.” God has a plan for you in 2013 and, if necessary, He will INVENT required elements to work together to get you to that goal that glorifies Him and serves His purposes. He is beneficent and He is creative.
“thoughts”: a device, a plan, a purpose, AN INVENTION (Thayer)
“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” (Jer.29:11, Amp)
Kathy — No matter what has been religiously emphasized thus far, we are NOT here just to spend a lifetime packing our bags for heaven singing, “This world is not my home” and threatening to rapture out on bumper stickers! This world IS our home while we’re here and God told us to take dominion and see His Kingdom come and see that His will is done. If we live a lifetime doing just that, we’ll have fulfillment in life and a legacy for the future.
martygabler 