John Steward of Jesus
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Finding the Kingdom

(1-12-04)
Our focus must always be on fundamental matters. Too often it is on secondary and even on minor, sometimes trivial matters.

The landscape is littered with the bodies of those who may have had a correct formulation of some trivial or minor matter. Sadly, their fruits demonstrated that their hearts were like most others. Their appeal was to those who had common enemies.

"Where is the kingdom...? Where do families grow, flourish and interact, create new families, Where is the nation of God, the people in whom he prevails...where is the body of Christ?" When the answer to these questions becomes obvious to our neighbors, we will know that the exodus is at hand.

So often what our neighbors see is odd individuals who have esoteric insights into new "truths", greedy individuals who delight in finding legal ways to avoid taxes, or hermits who prefer to minimize contacts with others.

Sometimes a few of these individuals will join hands for a time to publish a newsletter, to sponsor seminars, to share a dwelling, or to protect each other, but only until each realizes that the others haven't seen the wisdom of recognizing him as leader, and each again goes his own way.

The kingdom will become more visible when our hearts are broken, our pride buried, and our love nurtured. When we delight in focusing our neighbor's attention on what our brothers and sisters are doing. When we find as much joy in enhancing their lives as our own. When our hope is that others will be more impressed with them. When we are willing to settle where we can be of a greater blessing to them.

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." Phil. 2:3

"I...beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love;" Eph. 4:2

"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor
preferring one another;" Rom. 12:10

"Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." I Peter 5:5


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