It’s a “not my will” morning! (I’m still looking at Colossians 2:23, so I’ll use “not my will” to indicate I did not awake singing a Psalm this morning. So I had to “Keep under my body, and bring it into subjection” (1 Corinthians 9:27).) I’ll use Psalm 20 for Temple worship today.

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Acts 28. The Mind of the Spirit connected with the spirit of my mind in verse 31:

Acts 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Along the still waters, I remembered that the book of Acts begins with a testimony that after Jesus’ resurrection, He taught His disciples “the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:1-3). The disciples’ last question to Him was “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).* The book of Acts concludes with Paul preaching the things concerning the kingdom (Acts 28:30-31).

How often do we mention “the kingdom of God”? What are we telling our people to seek first when we encourage them to “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33)? Jesus and the early church spoke about it all the time, and so did the pulpits of Baptist and Protestant churches during the period leading to the American War for Independence. They conceived of the kingdom as spiritually present, with Christ as King over the earth, and separate from civil governments. Our liberties are grounded in Christ and in this world; their preaching on the Kingdom was connected with doctrines such as soul liberty, freedom of religion, and divinely endowed rights. It repudiated any notion of a human king above Christ Jesus, the only King Who presided over the souls and bodies of men (Matthew 10:28).

The assertion that Christ is King presiding over all the kings of the Earth (Revelation 1:6) was, and is, hated by all under the influence of the spirit of antichrist (See Ephesians 2:1-2. Then: Luke 23:2; see 19:12-27; Now: Psalm 2:1-12). Many believers are ashamed to confess it; many who profess Jesus as Saviour deny a present Kingdom or that Christ is presently King (2 John 7).

In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I was reminded that Jesus did not allow His disciples to declare Him Christ before the Cross (Matthew 16:20; 17:9; consider John 6:15 —He would not “take it by force”— see Matthew 11:12). He was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4). We are crucified with Christ, and risen with Him (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:1). He has made us kings and priests unto God, and commissioned us to be His ambassadors to all mankind (Revelation 1:6; 2 Corinthians 5:20). To enter into this service, we must follow Him: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

At the table, He anointed His kings with His oil, and filled the cups of His ministers with His grace. We commiserated for a while. Goodness and mercy followed the “kings” (Revelation 1:6), bearing their cross (Luke 16:24), walking in the shadow of their KING into the world (John 17:15; 1 Peter 2:21).

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap:

https://rumble.com/v70yudy-shepherds-pasture.html

[*Jesus answered, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power” (Acts 1:7). He followed this with the great challenge of His commission: “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you” (Acts 1:6). Jesus extended His offer to restore the kingdom to Israel throughout the book of Acts. He formally withdrew that offer at the end of the book. The kingdom was preached throughout the early church ministry. Peter preached to the Jews: “Repent ye therefore and be ye converted that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19; see Isaiah 28:11-12 with 1 Corinthians 14:21-22). Philip preached “the things concerning the kingdom” (Acts 8:12). Paul preached that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). He preached boldly a series of messages that lasted three months “disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8). Paul testitied concerning his ministry to the elders of Ephesus (the Gentile church) that he had faithfully preached to them the kingdom of God (Acts 20:25). He ended the book of Acts testifying that Paul spent his time in ward in Rome, preaching the kingdom of God to all who came to him (Acts 28:23, 31).]