MY KINGDOM COME???? (CONCLUDED)

From the "gospel" garnished American Dream, which is all about living in comfort, and getting your own, and enjoying life NOW. A "gospel" that tells us God wants to give us everything we ever dreamed about if we come to him Dream Career,Great Kids, Lovely Spouse, $$$$$. We have been so locked into that mindset and latched on like leeches that i wonder how many of us, would in the face of; trails, difficulty, persecution declare, like Shedrach,Meshac and Abednego, "even if he does not save us from the furnace", we will not deny our God.. I ask myself that every so often.

I think that is something we REALLY need to come to terms with in the days that lie ahead for true Christianity in a God hating world.

A day and age, where one person can file a Lawsuits to
take down a cross on public property,which the rest of the town likes

remove the Ten Commandments plaques in schools and court rooms

remove any identification of Christianity on public property

be fired or sued for sharing your faith in your own business premises, when the other party initiated the conversation

be ordered to take down bill boards that say "satan is not welcome in this town"

YES, that really happened

A day that all you have to do is mention you are a Christian and doors are slammed in your face.

When you can be fired, sued or arrested for sharing your faith. A pastor can be arrested in his own church, for "hate crime" or preaching intolerance, can be forced to hire a person whose lifestyle goes against everything the church against or be charged with discrimination.

We are not talking about iron curtain countries this is happening in "the free world".

Things are not going to change no matter how we fast and pray.The current social,moral and political occurrences have been predicted in both the old and new testament. It's said that the last days will be like the days of Noah. (read Matt 24)

Men would become lovers of themselves,Aren't we in a time where it's all about YOU, The adverts, the movies,the songs, the divorces(MY needs weren't being met).

Like the people in Noah's days, they denied and hated God. They disregarded morality ,silenced their conscience, and sin increased, they living hedonistic self serving lives; they mocked Noah and his "fairy tale " God. Noah lived in preparation for the flood, he was not concerned about having a mansion ,the best cars.

Does this mean we should fold our hands and resolve to be the bottom of the barrel in finances or our careers ? NO

Does this mean one should not be responsible, contributing citizen while on earth,NO .

Does it mean that we should abandon everything and all flock to a mountain resort and live like monks waiting for the Rapture. NO.

Does this mean we should live in mediocrity and not make an effort NO


The point here is , where was his focus, where did he channel most of his energy, and

WHO was he listening to? Societal expectations? Criticism/mockery from the ungodly?

Was he concerned with Impressing the sinners with "God's material blessing", so they could run to him for those things they are already chasing? NO.

His concern was with his assignment; building the ark, and warning, preaching, trying to save as many people as possible before the inevitable. But they went on ,acquiring, partying and leaving Noah to his ark building "Don't worry, Live, there is no God" ,Sound familiar??

I may be wrong ,but It is quite possible that there were other men and women that feared God in that time. But they didn't want to get involved in Noah's "taking it too far and he's making the rest of us look bad". Maybe he was delusional after all that time in the sun, early stages of Alzheimer or something. Who wants to look like a fanatic after all ? .

So they carried on, business as usual, thanking God for the customers that made them richer, a large turnover, the new barns they built and livestock they'd bought. Perhaps even threw a party for a bountiful harvest. All while Noah, worked on that ark, babbling about some unheard of phenomenon happening . To destroy THIS WORLD!!!!, the one God had just blessed them with lands, livestock,vineyards and over flowing barns? NAH.That's not MY God, The devil is a liar
(a parallel to those that were too busy with "taking care of business" to attend the great feast Matt 22)

Noah may have won most valuable customer 120 years running ,at the local B&Q of his day. Sadly the CEO,shareholders, board of directors,manager, check out boy and the staff watched their best customer sail off as they sank down to a lost eternity.

Once again,
This is not to say that we are only righteous or saved if we are poor or barely getting by.

This is not to say that there is anything wrong with earning well in our careers. Or

Having a business that grows phenomenally or even wanting to have more than enough for our spouse and kids.

BUT

Whether we admit it or not, When financial prosperity is our BIGGEST and SOLE goal,

when those are the only scriptures we know.

When building OUR Kingdom on earth puts on such blinders, that we can't even see the world sinking around us in sin, and they march right pass us in gleeful conga a line to hell, and our eyes are so focused on ourselves or asset building, that we ignore them, THAT is a huge problem.

Jesus himself said "My Kingdom is not of this world", why then are we so blinded to think he has promised us one HERE. Why aren't we pointing others to him and HIS kingdom???

Im not going to pretend I have it all figured out(i haven't even scratched the adamantium like surface ) nor i have reached that position like the apostles.Nor do i smile when i think about it or that i look forward to it.The possibility of being called to a life that is not cushy or flowing easy.Facing Constant conflict to my faith/life , swimming against the tide,as everyone else relaxes and seemingly "enjoys life" carried by the ebb. Believe me, i am still coming to terms with it all the time and it is HARD, Ko Easy.

Like most people ,I have lofty dreams, goals, ambitions, i'm not a masochist, so im not venturing out looking for suffering or discomfort.

BUT

At some point we just have to surrender it all to the Lord, instead of wanting to Live La Vida ,spiritually living in comfort, in the sweet by and by, getting fat and lazy with no challenge or REAL building to our faith. We have to submit our ambitions, goals, dreams, intentions,assets. and ask the Lord, if all we are doing is IN LINE with what HE wants us to do.

"Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church, should not be of failure but succeeding at things that in Life, don't really matter- Tim Kizzar"

We need to be the ambassadors that he called us to be. An ambassador does not try to establish his own embassy in the land he has been sent to, he is a representative of that from Kingdom, which he has been sent and his commander in chief makes sure that his needs are met at all times.

What should most concern us, is, when it's all said and done,

After all the employee awards, mansion, 4 apartment building,tightest whip in the hood , 2 month global holidays, 40 page balance sheets, paid off mortgage , platinum album, appearance on the magazine front cover,blockbuster movie.

How would we answer when he asks,

WHY SHOULD I LET YOU INTO MY KINGDOM