By Phil Astwood, Africa Mercy
Scripture Reference:
He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
(Acts 1:3).
Devotional:
The good news [Gospel] of the kingdom dominated the preaching, teaching and stories of Jesus. From the time He came out of His temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:17; Luke 4:18-19) to the day He ascended to the throne of His Father.
The Jews, Muslims and sadly Christians at various times have sought to establish the kingdom of God by force. But our Father’s kingdom is not established in this way.
Jesus said “the kingdom of God is within YOU and the people of the kingdom have been running with the mandate that Jesus gave, to take the good news of the kingdom to every people group in the world. And further they seek to establish among the people, communities of the kingdom.
These communities are commonly known as the church, groups of believers sharing their lives, their possessions, their joy’s and sorrows, and loving and encouraging one another . . . loving and blessing and doing good to ALL people . . . even their enemies. The believers are becoming Jesus’s witnesses through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of their father, God the creator, and of Jesus . . . their Saviour, their Lord and their King.
These kingdom communities should be communities of shalom [wholeness] in a world that is broken; of peace, in a world that is violent, ravaged by anger hate and revenge; communities where love is the only rule and Biblical jubilee is the normal way of life. These communities should be living witnesses to all people that the kingdom of God is come among them. The citizens of the kingdom are not known by their race, occupation or possessions but by their love for each other (John13:35).
In the kingdom communities of Mercy Ships, let us continually pray: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth (in our communities), as it is in heaven.” I pray that Jesus will speak to us about the kingdom in these 40 days of prayer and fasting; that we may receive a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit, each one experiencing our own personal Pentecost. Let us continually be filled with His Spirit so that people will say of us, “God is really among you.” May we be a living revelation that the kingdom of God is here.
Prayer Points:
* Pray that the Kingdom of God will come in our lives.
* Pray for strength to help and encourage others.
* Pray for revelation concerning the Kingdom of God.
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