The Relational Kingdom of God

I was out sharing last thursday. There were three of us, so we took turns walking in pairs of two while the third person prayed. During my time praying I realized a few things I'd like to share.

I was walking and looking at people, and I realized

I can understand the big picture of salvation, and what that means for the world, and I can understand how the body of Christ functions, but the kingdom of God is about individuals. 

The kingdom of God is about that one man's story, about that woman's hurts, about that child's dreams, and how God wants to take them and make them into something beautiful that glorifies Him! God is concerned about what that lady had to go through this morning while trying to get her kids to school, He is concerned about the payroll check that didn't go through for the guy working construction and trying to provide for his two kids that don't know their mother, He is interested in the picture that the child drew for her sister, He is thinking of the teenage girl who wants so badly to be loved that she destroys her body through the way she eats or doesn't eat... 

His heart is moved to compassion for the weak, the broken, the sinful...

The kingdom of God is not about "people" in the general sense, but about each individual person in the relational sense.

Understanding that, be moved to compassion by the things God cares about; each person's stories, hurts, the sins that continually trap them. 

God desires to free them so he can lavish

Lavish

Lavish

His love on them.

Forever Engulfed by His grace, His forgiveness, His freedom!!!

I believe that is His desire.

When someone is loved, it shows by the way they act. You can tell when someone is loved, their whole attitude is different! Just look at a woman who is newly engaged, she radiates! 

Every individual person on the face of the Earth is loved by their Creator in a very real, very passionate way. Every person should be able to radiate in the same way that our newly engaged lady does!!!

Even more so!!!

The love of our Savior is infinitely more valuable, more passionate, more REAL, then the love of another human could ever, or can ever be.

Do you believe that? Really, truly  believe it?

It is true.

It is more real than the chair you are sitting on.

God's love is just as real in a strangers life, as it is in mine.

I can do nothing without Him.

His desire is for people, so my desire must be for them as well.

He has passionately and lovingly proposed to every person, and He asks me to make his proposal known.

I am relaying His affections.

His affections are not determined by status, appearance, power, money, knowledge, education, infirmities, talents, personalities, or anything else we may noticed about a person.

Also, have a quiet time at the valley west mall sometime. Sit on the coach, watch people.. read God's word.. and when it says, "Preach the word in and out of season"

... You have no excuse not to obey.