THE EVER-INCREASING KINGDOM OF GOD/LOVE – Ron McGatlin
This past week, some very excited friends who are faithful Christian servants and leaders and are now in their seventies were very excited and emotionally moved as they shared about a man in his early midlife years.
This young man was very against God and anything to do with church. Years of earnest prayer and trying to convince him was fruitless. In a day, he somehow got in touch with the LOVE of God. He was instantly changed and in love with God. Now, a week later, he is contacting all the people that he had hurt in his past life to love them and tell them that “God is not about hellfire and brimstone; HE IS ALL ABOUT LOVE!”
LOVE IS CHANGING THE WORLD ONE HEART AT THE TIME.
The greatest fruit of the filling of the Holy Spirit is LOVE, and good fruit always flows through pure, holy love in us.
The kingdom of God is the kingdom of Love. God is love.
The gospel that Christ Jesus preached and that He is now proclaiming to the world is the gospel of the kingdom of God, the kingdom of love. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14.
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.” Matthew 4:23.
For the first time since the first century, the world is being implanted with the living, all-powerful, and prolific love substance of the kingdom of God.
The gospel of the kingdom of God/Love contains or is made up of the previously revealed parts of the gospel that have been restored over the past centuries. Including the gospel or good news of salvation by grace through faith and much more.
God’s (Love’s) kingdom is the reality of the existence of God’s pure love on Earth as it is in Heaven through Christ Jesus by Spirit God abiding in and with His chosen and prepared people on earth.
LOVE PRODUCES PEACE AND HARMONY
Harmonizing in music is a powerful phenomenon. Two or more voices are greatly amplified in harmony. In some way, in God’s design of all things, multiplication occurs and not just the addition of the voices or sounds.
Harmony takes very different tones and brings them together perfectly in its own sound, which is much greater than the individual sounds. The new harmonized sound is the result of the people producing the sound focusing on a corporate sound or goal and not their own personal sound or goal.
Believers experiencing the love that brings harmony greatly increase the effectiveness of changing the world with the life and love of God in Christ Jesus. A team or an army moving in harmony is much more powerful than one that is competitive among themselves.
These same principles apply to the kingdom of God and all areas of life. The world has been suffering greatly from mankind’s disharmony without God. All of man’s efforts to bring the peace that is found in harmony to the world have failed.
The many different parts of God’s gifted people in the passing church age have largely gathered with those of the same part or sound. We commonly believed that those with a different sound were wrong.
We are awakening to a much greater and higher focus on life than our own sound or part in this life. The kingdom of Love/God is far greater than our individual lives, our churches, or our denominations.
Love’s (God’s) kingdom age is forever connected to our personal and collective in-love relationship with God first and foremost and then with one another. This Spirit reality brings love, life, and order to natural life.
The supernatural Spirit reality of communing in love with Father God in Christ and then with one another is restoring the world to the kingdom of God. No longer striving to build our own life or church or to convert others to be like us and follow our ways but harmonizing with one another in pure holy love.
But in love, connecting peacefully where we can as much as is within us and allowing God to deal with all other issues. (Romans 12:18-19).
Often, two sides or views of an issue are not as far apart as they may seem to us. Instead of challenging a brother or sister about a difference that can widen the gap, ignore it and talk with love about something else. Love, expressed in communing about other areas of life, will allow peace and may lead toward resolution and agreement. Through a friendly relationship over time, the issue may dissolve in a greater revelation of truth.
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8.
LOVE IS CONTAGIOUS
As we sow love and lovingkindness, others are led to respond similarly to us. One person in love with God can begin to change the environment. A relatively small group in love with God can change the group, family, tribe, nation, or world.
Jesus said the kingdom of God was like a little leaven in a lump of dough that changes the whole batch. (Matthew 13:33).
Sowing and reaping is a valid and true principle. Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Galatians 6:7.
If we sow pure holy love, it will go full circle in others and come back to us eventually. If we sow strife and fear and expect to receive something else, we are deceived.
EVER INCREASING KINGDOM OF GOD
“6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
“7 Of the increase of His government and peace, There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:6-7.
“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13.
Ron McGatlin
https://openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net