The Kingdom of God is . . . The Best Fruit

"Brother, I see you reaching way up for the fruit at the top of the tree - but Jesus said the Kingdom of God is at hand!"

That was part of the word spoken over me by Brother Arrowwood in 1997. At the time I was diligently working to find acceptance in some sort of full-time ministry. Though he'd never met me, he knew what God was saying. I WAS overlooking the small opportunities to minister, and serve my local church and community; all in hopes of getting something big.

Both Jesus and John the Baptist said that the "Kingdom of God is at hand." (Matthew 3:1-3, Matthew 4:17) This week your faithful Kingdom Bloggers will talk about what the Kingdom of God is to them, and why you don't want to miss it!

So what is the Kingdom of God really? It is the spiritual reality that we can access all the power and glory of our heavenly home, right here, right now, and without any conditions other than faith in Jesus.

The kingdom, like our salvation, is "now" (at hand), still being "delivered on a daily basis" (new mercies, gifts, answered prayers), and "not yet;" as an eternal end point. How can it be now, continually on tap, and eternal? I don't exactly know - it's a little over my head.

The real questions are, what is the Kingdom in terms of you and me right now? How do we go about the daily business of work or school, and touch Heaven too?

For me, the Kingdom is an awareness of His presence at all times. It is usually an unseen world that is as alive and active as Times Square on New Year's Eve! It is a realm, not something with an earthly time and place; yet it is as tangible as the computer screen you are looking at right now. It is filled with power and healing and mercy and grace and love and light and His glory! (Sorry, I got a little excited)

Many years ago I read The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Laurence. He found the kingdom in his everyday chores as a monk. I later read Watchman Nee's Release of the Spirit where many of his followers would wait for meeting after meeting to experience God. Nee, however; found the presence of God; His Kingdom, was ever present. Nee was an amazing man. It was rumored that the Chinese cut out his tongue so that he could no longer speak of the Kingdom.

It was in reading those two books that I began to pray and actively look for the Kingdom of God. If the Kingdom of God is at hand, then I should be able to grasp it, right?

At first I suppose seeing the Kingdom was like a cat trying to catch a moving flashlight beam - he is never quite sure where it goes when he pounces on it. He is only certain when it is near. It was the same with me. I knew when the Kingdom was near, but I wasn't always sure when I had apprehended it.

Eventually, I would see it in my spirit during prayer, and I could eventually see the realm that surrounded believers - a prophetic sense. And one evening, angels. You don't forget something like that.

The Kingdom of God according to Jesus, is a place, is like a field where seed is scattered and it grows. The Kingdom is growing, alive and fertile. He said it was like a mustard seed, and the yeast that is used in bread, as well as a treasure. (MORE) According to Jesus, it even suffers violence. (Matthew 11:12)

Finally - I have decided that the Kingdom is the place; from this moment on, where everything that Jesus is, said, did, and will do, happens. As a child of the King, I get to see it, participate in it, and enjoy Him in it. HERE is a list to stir up the kingdom in your life.

Jesus said, "I do what I see the Father doing." That is the Kingdom of God Here here on earth. It is touching the spiritual realm, and like a turnbuckle, pulling the power of Heaven closer to our daily lives.

More on the theological Kingdom HERE.