The scripture for today, December 28, is Hebrews 12:28 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Bible Puzzles for Young And Old-Cover“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

Notice this is in present tense. The kingdom is not something in the future, but is now.

Jesus said in Luke 9:27 that some listening to him would still be alive when the kingdom came. Colossians 1:13 says God HAS (not will) rescued us from the dominion of darkness and BROUGHT (not will) us into the kingdom.

In fact, at the end, Jesus will not come back to earth to set up a kingdom. Instead, he will at that time hand the already-existing kingdom over to the Father (I Corinthians 15:24).

So what does this mean to us? Revelation 1:5-6 says that all who have been freed from our sins by the blood of Jesus have become a kingdom of priests. And as such, we daily offer our bodies as living sacrifices in the service to our king (Romans 12:1).

Christians have dual citizenship. Christians are citizens of the earthly nation they live in, and citizens of the kingdom of heaven. What glory God has already bestowed upon us.

So let us be thankful, and worship Him with reverence and awe.

The Scripture for today, November 15, is Revelation 11:15 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK EIGHT-COME FLY WITH ME-Cover“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever!’ “

Each of us belongs to a kingdom/nation within our world. It is not perfect. Its leaders can sometimes do very bad things. And we wonder how we can stand some of the terrible things that sometimes happen within a government.

But our worldly kingdom/nation is not the only one we can live in. Colossians 1:13 says Jesus “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Rescued! Brought us! Past tense! The kingdom isn’t something in the future. It is here now. And it goes by yet another name. Verse 18 says, “And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church.”

So, when we become discouraged about the kingdom/nation in our world that we live in, take hope. We can have dual citizenship! For there is another kingdom here, a spiritual one. The king of that kingdom will love us. Forever and ever.

The scripture for today, January 22, is Ephesians 1:22 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

WORSHIP THE FIRST-CENTURY WAY-COVER-KINDLE“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”

What makes this so interesting is that the church is the body of Christ. And what else is the church? Matthew 16:17-18 says the church is the kingdom of heaven. Ephesians 5:25 & 32 says the church is his bride. Revelation 21:2, 9-10 says the church bride is the new Holy City Jerusalem.

Colossians 1:18 says Jesus is the head of his body ~ the only head ~ on earth and in heaven.

And what does Jesus think of the church? Ephesians 5:25-27 says he loved the church so much that he gave himself up for her, to make her radiant ~ no stains, no wrinkles, no blemishes.

Why would anyone not want to be part of this? Such love.

Such eternal love.

The scripture for today, December 28(12/28), is Hebrews 12:28 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

WORSHIP THE FIRST-CENTURY WAY-COVER-KINDLE“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

Notice this is in present tense. The kingdom is not something in the future, but is now.

Jesus said in Luke 9:27 that some listening to him would still be alive when the kingdom came. Colossians 1:13 says God HAS (not will) rescued us from the dominion of darkness and BROUGHT (not will) us into the kingdom.

In fact, at the end, Jesus will not come back to earth to set up a kingdom. Instead, he will at that time hand the already-existing kingdom over to the Father (I Corinthians 15:24).

So what does this mean to us? Revelation 1:5-6 says that all who have been freed from our sins by the blood of Jesus have become a kingdom of priests. And as such, we daily offer our bodies as living sacrifices in the service to our king (Romans 12:1).

Christians have dual citizenship! Christians are citizens of the earthly nation they live in, and citizens of the kingdom of heaven! What glory God has already bestowed upon us.

So let us be thankful, and worship Him with reverence and awe.

The scripture for today, April 28 (4/28), is Mark 4:28 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“All by itself the soil produces grain ~ first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.”  

Jesus was explaining that the kingdom of heaven is like a seed planted in the ground.  It grows almost miraculously.

 The church is, indeed, like this.  Planted some 2000 years ago, it has survived through every adversity and attack contrived by man.  Sometimes the attacks were even from within.  But at such times, just when it looked as though it was going to die, just like a seed dying in the earth, it would begin to sprout and grow up stronger than ever.

A little seed turning into a stalk is miraculous and amazing.  The survival of the church for some 2000 years is even more miraculous and amazing.

God is still on his throne, and all is well.

The scripture for today, April 26 (4/26), is Galatians 4:26 as found in the new Testament of the Bible:

“But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.”

What is “the Jerusalem that is above”? Revelation 21:2 says, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”

Aha! The New Jerusalem is the Bride of Christ! So, what is the Bride of Christ? Ephesians 5:25,27 says, “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy…and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

So, we see the New Jerusalem is the church which Christ brought to us out of heaven!

The Bible always interprets itself. Search through it, and you will find the answer to all your questions.