Outlines are like blueprints. You can’t live in a blueprint. You must build it.
Text for Today – Matthew 6:9 – After this manner therefor pray ye . . .
“THY KINGDOME COME” – What a powerful petition to bring before our Lord! We’re not talking about a political party or governmental regime. We’re not speaking of a man’s kingdom. We ARE calling for the very Kingdom of God to come. Romans records that the Kingdom of God is “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Let’s take a look at it.
RIGHTEOUSNESS – Righteousness is positional in that it means to be in right standing with God. Keep in mind that if the “root is holy, so are the branches.” Well, since Jesus is holy, or righteous, so are you. Righteousness is also a very special identity. Jesus is our righteousness, but before He became our righteousness, He was made to be sin for us so we could be made the righteousness of God in Him. And one more thing I would like to interject here is this. Righteousness speaks, and what it says is very special, and is found in Romans 10. Read it often and saturate your spirit with it.
PEACE – I love this word, PEACE, or in the Hebrew, Shalom. Simply defined, it means “nothing missing, nothing broken.” Now that’s the way to live! And He is our PEACE, having broken down the wall of partition that would have separated us form the Father God. The PEACE passes understanding. People who love His law have it, and cannot be offended. It is this PEACE that Jesus gave to us, and it is this PEACE that Jesus always comes speaking in the time of storm and trouble. And finally, those whose mind is stayed on Him are kept in this perfect PEACE.
JOY in the HOLY GHOST – This joy is not a matter of happiness. Happiness is an emotion based on present circumstances. Joy, on the other hand, is a part of the fruit of the spirit, and is based on relationship, not circumstances. It is this joy in the Holy Ghost, or joy of the Lord, that is our strength at all times, and especially when there seems to be no other source for joy.
So, understand clearly, my friend, that His kingdom is not a natural thing, nor is it some state of mind. Rather it is very real, very powerful, and supernatural through and through. It is His will for it to be manifest in your life and in this earth, but there’s more to that than just praying about it. If you pray for it, you must believe; and if you believe it, you must live it. you can be assured of the fact that if you pray it, believe it, and live it, He will make it manifest in your life and in your world.
Manna for Today – Matthew 6:9-13; Mark 11:22-24; Luke 11:13
My Second Miler by Dr. Beechard Moorefield 