Wayne's World...(3May09)

Gifts of the Kingdom

Wayne Duncan 

Romans 14:17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The kingdom of God. The land where every citizen is a king, lead guided and ruled by "the King of all kings". The place where He is Lord of everything, the place where His rule is the highest, where His power is released and where His love outshines the brightest sun. The place that were born into, the land of inheritance for every soul that has called on the name of the Lord.

In this land every citizen has birth rights. It's been declared by the King Himself.

"Hear he today, I declare by who "I am", that all born in this land, every child of my Kingdom, shall, equally and freely have, righteousness, peace, joy in the Holy Spirit. I swear it, with a blood seal, and it is finished!" 

What stunning gifts the father has so lavished on us, His beloved.

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

Righteousness means to be in right standing with God.

Romans 5:17 If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 

We receive righteousness, freely through grace when we believe in Him.

This is the reason we reign in life, he treats us as righteous, for that's what he has made us. We are holy blameless and perfect in His sight, through the blood of Jesus.

So right standing with God is a gift to every believer in the kingdom. It had huge benefits for us in this life. That's why Romans says we "reign in life through the gift of righteousness and the abundance of Gods grace". We are declared innocent in the high courts of heaven, and this positions us to receive every blessing. His perfect obedience was credited to us, and this forms the basis for our promised inheritance.

So it's a gift, from the King, by grace through faith. 

Peace I leave with you

17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

As part and package, upon entrance into the kingdom, every new citizen is "born" with the inheritance of peace. His peace, freely given.

The peace of the world is temporary, and conditional. But His is unconditional, and permanent.

Phil 4:6 The Lord is at hand; 6do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

Are you troubled, are you anxious. The King says, do not be anxious…do not be troubled…you are in my kingdom…you are under my care…I am responsible for you.

Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?(Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters)  28And why are you anxious about clothing? Con sider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.  

Don't worry, it helps nothing, trust the king, he is in control. Seek His kingdom…receive your peace.

So it's a gift.  

Then there is Joy in the Holy Spirit.

John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.  

Jesus has put His Joy inside of us. His joy and filling with the Holy Spirit work wonderfully together. There is the presence of God, and the filling of the Holy Spirit…they stir up the joy deposited inside of us.

This joy surpasses happiness. It's being truly and deeply happy all the time. This is available.

If I catch a big fish, I have joy…but it fades. When we see the king, and His kingdom clearly, and have time with Him, a deep joy rises up, that is not easily subdued.

When I fish, and want more happiness from fishing, I can go fish again…but I may not catch fish, and be disappointed, but in Him, with this King there is never disappointment, he meets my need every time.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Whatever your need is, the King is available to give you though His mercy and grace. These things come freely, for he loves us, and made a way for these things to be freely given to us. Through Christ we have righteousness, peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit.

What a good king, and what an awesome kingdom.

So what do you need…assurance of your righteousness?...the reality of peace?...the delight of Joy?...a touch of His presence? The king says you can have it now.

If you feel far, if you feel unworthy, the king decalirs you righteous.

If you have lost peace, He says do not let your hearts be troubled.

Do you fear, He says do not fear.

Do you need Joy?...It's yours.

A touch from God? A filling with His presence…fellowship with His spirit…It's yours.

Believe it receive it…the King is Good and this is His Kingdom, the place of our living, moving and dwelling. He is a good King.