Gift of the Kingdom of Heaven

Are you covetous? 

Let's define covetous first of all- it's not a term we hear all the time-

'cov·et·ous
ˈkəvətəs/
adjective
adjective: covetous
    1. 1.
having or showing a great desire to possess something, typically something belonging to someone else.

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Do you ever have a great desire to possess something that isn't yours?

We call that normal, don't we? We see no harm in desiring what others possess.

Can we be content with the things we have if we are coveting, if we are in a constant state of desiring the things of others?  No, we can't.

Can coveting become an endless pursuit? Yes.  No sooner than one coveted desire is met than another pops up to take its place. There is no shortage of things to covet.

The Bible tells us that the Pharisees were covetous.  Pharisees, men of Israel, God's chosen people.  Men who prided themselves on following all of God's laws and teachings. Clearly they fell far short of keeping the tenth commandment, the moral law of our God teaching us not to covet.

Read the following, the Pharisees deriding Jesus-

Luk 16:14  And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

And Jesus said to them-

Luk 16:15  And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

That which is HIGHLY esteemed among men is ABOMINATION in the sight of God.

Do we believe this? We should. Seriously, do we believe this?  Right now is our gift giving and receiving season and it is especially notable during this time just how much we covet things.  We even covet things to give to others.  Coveting is coveting, we can't justify it.  With Christ the desire for the Kingdom of Heaven was paramount!  The desire for the Kingdom of Heaven was truly something we need to treasure. Things eternal, not things temporal. Yet right now we fill our homes with gifts and sit back wishing we could do more for others and for ourselves. When we do this are we truly placing our treasures in heaven? Are we helping others to place their treasures in heaven?

Before anyone thinks I'm against gift giving/receiving, I'm not.  But the extremes people go to are not of God!  'That which is highly esteemed among men is ABOMINATION in the sight of God.'  This  is something we cannot allow ourselves to forget. No matter what it might be the seemingly best, most selfless situation it can be turned to deceit and abomination. Satan loves nothing better than to turn our hearts to serve him, and he loves it all the more when he can do it and keep us in the dark about it all.  Let us imagine we are serving God when all the while we are serving Satan, the Evil One likes nothing more.

Do something this gift giving season- pray before you buy every gift, pray that the gift of the Kingdom of God is first and foremost in the hearts of those you are giving gifts to.

The Pharisees did not want people getting to know Jesus, they did not want to hear the kingdom of heaven preached by Jesus, they wanted to stick with their sacrificial system. Their idea of a Messiah was someone who would come and use the same sacrificial system and bring earthly power to their people.

Listen to this - from when Jesus went to Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, and then raised Lazarus from the dead-

Joh 11:44  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Joh 11:45  Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
Joh 11:46  But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
Joh 11:47  Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
Joh 11:48  If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

They did NOT want people to believe in the Kingdom of Heaven being preached by Jesus!  To believe what Jesus was saying meant believing in a way of life totally contrary to what they desired. A thief, a prostitute, a tax collector all on equal footing?! Never. They were the scum of the earth, they were a much lower class and had no right to have hope of the kingdom of heaven without a lot of ceremonial sacrificing and even then it was doubtful they'd desire the kingdom of heaven. 

These men saw and heard of Jesus doing miracles and they couldn't just let Him continue on that way or else the way of life the Pharisees and priests had come to would be forever changed. They didn't want ALL men to believe on Jesus,  if they did then those men would no long believe in them!

The kingdom of heaven, Jesus came to preach this kingdom of heaven and He taught his apostles and disciples to preach the kingdom, He wanted the kingdom preached. He want the kingdom of heaven realized! He wanted everyone to know they had hope in Him! He came to make the kingdom of heaven available to all those who would believe on Him and in believing on Him they would believe in LOVE, for He is LOVE. Love for God and love for each other.

Satan wants us to be absorbed in ourselves and our selfish, self-serving love.

We need to preach the kingdom of heaven found in Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior!

Please Lord, help us to recognize any coveting we may do, understanding that whether we are giving, getting or simply hoping to do either that ultimate that Your kingdom and Your kingdom alone found in You is the only gift - giving or receiving - that any of us really need.

Guide our hearts, Lord, be in our lives teaching us, chastising us when necessary, we need You Lord more than anything else in life! You are life!

All in YOU, by YOU.

All glory, praise, and honor unto You, Lord!

God's pleasure to give us the kingdom

God wants to give us the kingdom! If pleases God to give us the kingdom!

The kingdom!

I keep stressing and can't stop stressing this fact- the kingdom of God is REAL!

The kingdom of God is a REAL KINGDOM.

It's a kingdom unlike any other anywhere.

We marvel at historical kingdoms and their lavish settings. Even some modern day kingdoms are outrageously extravagant in such a way we can't fully comprehend.

'The Swisshorn Gold Palace in Hong Kong is 650 square meters of the stuff. Everything, including the desk, the bed, the couch, the carpet and, yes, even the toilet is gold. The project took five years to complete at the cost of $50 million.

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That's just one little example, google modern palaces and just read about the 'kingdoms' on earth.  None of these kingdoms, not a single one of them can begin to compare to God's Heavenly Kingdom!

Not one of these kingdoms is worth anything in eternity. Every single earthly kingdom will fail, will fade, will deteriorate, will turn to dust.  Only God's kingdom is forever yet we keep building our earthly kingdoms! We keep telling ourselves that things here matter!

We are heading into a season of giving and receiving. When you are asked what you want- ask yourself if it something God would want you to want. Seriously, ask yourself that question. Chances are you'll be able to answer, 'yes'. God isn't monster devoid of feeling and He doesn't want us to suffer, He wants us to be happy. Yet when our SUPPOSED happiness depends upon our wants, we might just be exceeding what God wants for us. He doesn't want us to be content with earthly treasures. He wants us to be content with Heavenly treasures.  If our treasures are TRULY in heaven, then nothing on earth can take away the happiness that resides in that treasure. Nothing on earth can STEAL that treasure. Nothing on earth can rob us of that wondrous treasure.

Our Savior wasn't telling us to put our treasures in heaven without reason, He had a VERY good reason. 

Where our treasure is, so is our hearts.

Our hearts need to be in heaven.

We can LOSE everything we have, every loved one, every possession, our health, and our lives. We can LOSE it all and as long as we do still have our lives even in the loss of all things, if we have our hearts in heaven that's ALL that matters right here, right now.

Luk 12:22  And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
Luk 12:23  The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Luk 12:24  Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
Luk 12:25  And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
Luk 12:26  If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Luk 12:27  Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Luk 12:28  If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Luk 12:29  And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
Luk 12:30  For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
Luk 12:31  But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Seek the kingdom of GOD.
It's the Father good pleasure to give us the kingdom.

What amazing joy we can have in our heart here and now if our hearts reside in the Kingdom of God and not here, not on anything here. The sorrow we will continue to feel over life's many hardships is normal, but they don't have to lead us to despair. All the sorrows will be over one day, all this here, right now is temporary to eternity except our love, our choice to believe in our Savior who is love!

Please LORD we would receive the kingdom that it is your good pleasure to give to us!

Pleas LORD we would be with YOU in YOUR kingdom in heaven one day! We long for Your kingdom, for You, for LOVE!

All by YOUR GRACE!
YOUR LOVE!
YOUR MERCY!
YOU!

Be our everything!

Waiting for the Kingdom of God

A disciple of Jesus.

Mat_27:57  When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple

Mar_15:43  Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

Luk_23:51  (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

Joh_19:38  And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

Joseph of Arimathaea--

A rich man.
An honorable counsellor.
A disciple of Jesus.
A dweller in a city of the Jews.
A Jew.
Fearful of the Jews.
A kingdom of God seeker.
Possessor of the dead body of Jesus.

We've been told that rich man will find it all but impossible to enter into the kingdom of heaven, yet here we have a rich Jewish man, an honorable counsellor seeking the kingdom of God. He WAITED for the kingdom of God.

We are waiting for the kingdom of God too, aren't we?

We know that the way to the kingdom of God is our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Joseph of Arimathaea knew this too. He knew that Jesus was the key to the Kingdom he was seeking. 

When Jesus died, it was Joseph who went to Pilate to beg for Jesus' body.  Joseph knew God's Son had died. Joseph knew that it was important to get Jesus' body and bury Him in a tomb quickly, before the Sabbath which was quickly coming on. For the Savior of the world to remain on the cross any longer than necessary was unthinkable. 

Was it easy to get Jesus' body?

No.

We tend to think it was just one of those little details that aren't really important, but it is important to realize that it wasn't easy to claim Jesus' body.

It was much more common for crucified bodies to be left upon the cross for the elements and wild life to decimate. They were left on the cross as a reminder to others of the horrific punishment that awaited all who disobeyed Roman law.

Joseph - 'went in boldly unto Pilate'

Boldly. It was a very bold move on Joseph's part to go before Pilate.

Luk 23:52  This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

Begged the body of Jesus.

It simply was NOT common for anyone crucified to be taken down off their cross.  

Perhaps Pilate allowed Joseph to take the body not only because he came to him boldly and begged him, but because there was an element of guilt on Pilate's part.

Mat 27:22  Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
Mat 27:23  And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
Mat 27:24  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Pilate didn't want to order Jesus crucified. He went so far as to wash his hands before them and say he's innocent of the blood of Jesus.

It's easy to imagine that Pilate wanted to make this uncommon gesture to Joseph, do I have proof of it, no, but it's easy to imagine.

Joseph was a rich man waiting for the kingdom.
Joseph was an honorable Jewish man.

Joseph was a disciple of Christ's.

We are disciples of Christ's, we are seeking the Kingdom of God just as Joseph of Arimethaea.  Joseph loved Christ so incredibly much. We must love Him just as much as He did.

Waiting for the Kingdom of God.

Are you waiting for the Kingdom of Heaven?

We need to be described in this way- as those waiting for the Kingdom of God.

Please Lord, help us to be YOURS so fully, so devotedly as only You can help us be.

We wait for the Kingdom of God! We wait for Your Kingdom! Please, may Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done!

Please Lord.

Not far from the kingdom

Can you imagine hearing Jesus say this to you-

'THOU ART NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD.'

Just imagine it! How wondrous would it be to hear those words.  That particular scribe wasn't far from the kingdom of God. This, when Jesus went about saying that is wasn't good to be a scribe-

Mat_23:13  But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Scribes as a rule were not very receptive to Jesus . 

This particular scribe however was receptive to the Lord's teachings. 

Read the following--

Mar 12:28  And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, THE FIRST OF ALL THE COMMANDMENTS IS, HEAR, O ISRAEL; THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD:
MAR 12:30  AND THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND, AND WITH ALL THY STRENGTH: THIS IS THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.
MAR 12:31  AND THE SECOND IS LIKE, NAMELY THIS, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF. THERE IS NONE OTHER COMMANDMENT GREATER THAN THESE.
Mar 12:32  And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Mar 12:33  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Mar 12:34  And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, THOU ART NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

The scribe agreed with Jesus.

To love God and to love others is MORE than ALL WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES.

The scribe said this! It was true! No wonder Jesus told him that he wasn't far from the kingdom of God.  To most scribes and Pharisees the sacrificial system was everything. The form of godliness was everything. To have a scribe say that love meant more than all that was truly amazing.

Love is of God, to love and have all our actions, every single one borne out of that love is everything. 

Love in every single commandment, how else could our Savior tell  us this--

Joh_14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

If loving God and loving others are the greatest of all the commandments it stands to reason that loving God and loving others is found in the ten moral laws of God. Is it? We've discussed it before but let's quickly recap.

    1- Exo 20:3  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
    2- Exo 20:4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
    3- Exo 20:7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
    4- Exo 20:8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
    5- Exo 20:12  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
    6- Exo 20:13  Thou shalt not kill.
    7- Exo 20:14  Thou shalt not commit adultery.
    8- Exo 20:15  Thou shalt not steal.
   9-    Exo 20:16  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
    10- Exo 20:17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
   
The first four reveal our love for God, the last six reveal our love for others.
   
It makes PERFECT sense!

A summation- love God, love others.

God is love!

The scribe comprehended this. The scribe knew that even though they were bound under a sacrificial system in order to be at-one with God, that the love of God made all that possible and without that love for God and man, the sacrifices meant nothing.

Our Savior became the ultimate unique Sacrifice of all Sacrifices and His death meant the end of the old sacrificial system.  Perhaps the scribe was 'not far' from the kingdom because he had a little bit further to go, accepting Christ as God's Son, accepting Christ and His sacrifice.

I'd like to imagine this scribe will be one of those that will make it to the kingdom of heaven, that he will rise upon that day of Christ's return to call all of us to the kingdom with Him. 

By the grace of God ALL of us will enter the kingdom to be with our SAVIOR, to be with LOVE.

Please LORD we would be in Your kingdom with You!

Let us fully comprehend the truth of Your love revealed to us perfectly in Your Ten Moral Laws all by the grace of GOD, all through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Help us to LOVE GOD and to LOVE OTHERS, always!

Help us, LORD. Bless us! Keep us in You!

So is the Kingdom

Mar 4:26  And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
Mar 4:27  And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
Mar 4:28  For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
Mar 4:29  But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

The kingdom of God, this is our study and should be our study, it was Christ's gospel. Christ preached the kingdom of God over and over and over. The kingdom of God was to be a REALITY for everyone, not something fabled, not something passed down from generation to generation without much thought. The kingdom of God. No one should think of Christ without thinking about the Kingdom of God! He came to make it real to us! He came to make it possible for us. Christ's death and resurrection assured us of a place in His kingdom with Him.

The kingdom-

A seed cast to the ground.
A seed overnight springing up.
A seed growing.

As much as scientists can tear apart a seed and have explained away the hows and wherefores of how a seed grows, it is still amazing.  It's still miraculous.

The earth bringing forth fruit.
The blade.
The ear.
Then the corn in the ear.

Christ.
Christ's death.
Christ's resurrection.
Redemption of Christ's followers.

Christ's life, death, resurrection.
Acceptance and belief in Christ.
A new life in Christ here on earth.
A new life in the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Mar 4:30  And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
Mar 4:31  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
Mar 4:32  But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

A teeny tiny seed with potential that is unimaginable when you look at that tiny seed. How strange it is to imagine the huge tree from such a tiny beginning.

Our Savior - God born to a woman, an infant growing to manhood, a man grown to do God's will ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven.  The kingdom of heaven where all who would be His, where all who would choose love will be!

The kingdom of heaven.
The kingdom of God.

Our Savior Jesus  Christ, the kingdom of heaven!

The kingdom of heaven what a marvelous hope!

Living in this world we need the hope of heaven, we need the hope of life in Christ.

Please Lord, be our hope now and forever!

Do this in remembrance of me- remember the kingdom

Christ's last supper.

We all know about this because it's something that is extremely important.

Throughout the Bible, in the Old Testament, God gave to His chosen people various feasts and holy days.  When Christ came and things were changed the feasts were no longer necessary, no longer relevant.   Christ institute what we call the Lord's Supper-

Luk 22:16  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
Luk 22:17  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
Luk 22:18  For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
Luk 22:19  And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Luk 22:20  Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

This do in remembrance of me.

Act_2:46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house...

1Co 11:23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
1Co 11:27  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
1Co 11:30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
1Co 11:33  Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
1Co 11:34  And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

This command to 'This do in remembrance of me' is a Christ's instituted act that we are TOLD to perform.

Our Savior wanted us to NEVER forget His sacrifice.  And the reason for His sacrifice- to bring us into His kingdom!  He suffered and died for US to give us eternal life in His KINGDOM!!!!!!!

Read this...

Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mat 26:29  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom

Christ would NOT DRINK the fruit of the vine until He drinks it with US IN HIS FATHER'S KINGDOM!

When we partake of the Lord's Supper, when we perform the action symbolizing the death, the sacrifice of our Savior, we should do this with the realization that one day we will do this very same thing WITH CHRIST HIMSELF, and it will be done IN THE KINGDOM!

No one should partake of the Lord's Supper without this realization. The connection to the Kingdom, our SAVIOR, giving His life, suffering so horrifically for us the REASON, Christ would have us in HIS KINGDOM. Christ WANTS us to be in His kingdom when He returns to bring us there with Him.

None of us can get into the kingdom without Christ!
Christ will return for us and bring us to the kingdom!

Christ and the kingdom- the two thoughts must be together.

Please LORD let us drink the fruit of the vine new with YOU in the FATHER'S KINGDOM! Please! We would be YOURS, we would be with YOU! Please KNOW us LORD, please!

All by Your amazing GRACE!
All by Your amazing LOVE!
All in YOU and YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS!

Inherit the kingdom

Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Matthew 25:34

Inherit.

To inherit you must be an heir.  The very essence of inheriting something even from a complete stranger makes you one of their heirs.  We are heirs with Jesus Christ.

Rom_8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

The kingdom is to be inherited ONLY by those who are the heirs of God! No other will inherit the kingdom.  You cannot lay hold of any pagan belief,  you cannot lay hold of any religion that is not the truth, you cannot keep lies and expect to be an heir of God. You cannot expect to be an heir of God if you are not in good standing with God. And all it takes to be in good standing with God is a believing in the Son of God.  It sounds simple, and people jump on that quickly. They shout they believe, but the truth is, they believe in a fairy tale fable of Jesus Christ and not the true Jesus Christ, the Savior, the Son of God who lived and breathed, who preached and taught for three years lessons for us to learn and live by.  They believe in a mythical Jesus that they can call on once and that's enough. They believe they just have to believe in the Him but NOT believe and live by  anything He taught. 

If a person says they believe in you, then you are under the assumption that they believe in what you stand for, they believe in the whole idea of you. If you tell a confused young adult that you believe in them, you are telling them you believe they are of a good moral fiber, you believe in the possibility of their being capable of living a good, moral life. You tell an erring young adult that and they know that you are saying you believe they are more than what their errors are showing you, that you are more than your mistakes, there is more in you. Tell a husband or wife that you believe in them means the same thing really. You believe in their goodness, their ability to be genuine, you have hope for them and their future.  Contrary to these examples, not believing in someone- a young adult, a husband or wife, you are giving them no hope.  Tell someone you don't believe in them as a person and you are essentially telling them they are a hopeless cause, and have no worth in your eyes.

There is believing, and there is BELIEVING.

I believe in my children because they are real. We believe in things that are real.
I BELIEVE in my children because I have the hope they are in good moral standing as human beings, and regardless of what setbacks might come they will be able to weather them by the grace of God.

If we say we believe in Jesus Christ, we can believe without BELIEVING. You can believe He existed and exists. You can believe He died for you and rose again. You can believe that all He stands for is good and just.  You can do all that believing and then turn around and live your life totally contrary to all the things that Jesus stands for in His word, all the things He taught.  If you do that, if you live contrary to all the truth that Jesus taught, are you really BELIEVING in Jesus?

If I told my son I believe in Him, and then turned around and shook my head and told others I have no hope in him, that everything he is doing is wrong and he'll never do anything right-  did I lie to my son?  

Yes, I lied to my son.

People live lies about Jesus all the time. They believe in word only.

Jas_2:26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

A dead belief.

How many people have a dead belief and think it's enough?

How many profess with their mouths, but lie in their hearts?

Tit 1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him…

Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Matthew 25:34

There is a kingdom that has been prepared for us since the foundation of the world.  The kingdom is REAL and it is a kingdom that we shall inherit as God's heirs.  We are God's, we belong to Him! He is our FATHER!

Do we believe in our Father?
Do we believe in the Word of God?
Do we truly believe, or are we pretenders?

Please, Lord, help us! Save us! Love us!  Help us to believe as You would have us believe! We would be Yours! We would be in the kingdom that You have prepared from the foundation of the world for us!  Please, Lord.

By Your love!
By Your grace!

All in YOU!