tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27404281.post115414106540741598..comments2023-02-13T09:29:58.630-05:00Comments on Ray's X-Change: Kingdom of God Part 1Raborn Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554773112202991062noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27404281.post-1155348370514645882006-08-11T21:06:00.000-05:002006-08-11T21:06:00.000-05:00DB, Thanks for your kind words. I believe I under...DB, <BR/>Thanks for your kind words. <BR/><BR/><I>I believe I understand you to be saying in this message that "laws" will not bring the kingdom of God closer to us but a sincere interest in the pain and suffering of the broken hearted will.</I><BR/><BR/>It is true that laws will not bring the Kingdom of God closer to us. But, I also believe that it is true that the Kingdom of God can't get much closer to us. As believers in Jesus, we are in the Kingdom now! It seems to me that we are trying to establish something by our own efforts that Jesus has already established! If the Kingdom of God is "within" us, why do we seem to pray to a "far-off" God? <BR/><BR/>Colossians 1:13-14<BR/>13 For he <B>has</B> rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he <B>has</B> brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. 14 God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins.<BR/>New Living TranslationRaborn Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07554773112202991062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27404281.post-1155173110473871652006-08-09T20:25:00.000-05:002006-08-09T20:25:00.000-05:00Brother Raborn, I've heard you preach and it gave ...Brother Raborn, I've heard you preach and it gave me hope; the kind of hope that heals. Now, I've read some of your writings, and I have found a spring to drink from that feeds me after the beatings to put God in a box. I believe I understand you to be saying in this message that "laws" will not bring the kingdom of God closer to us but a sincere interest in the pain and suffering of the broken hearted will. Your writing is a gift Raborn. I know God has plans for you to reach more hearts. I just praise Him for leading you to share with others your personal relationship with Him. He is talking to us by your writings. You are not saying anything new; you're just explaining things to help us better understand the "red" letters of our beloved Bible. I will continue to drink from this fountain for it encourages me to press on in my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Thank you. DBAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27404281.post-1154154164159710542006-07-29T01:22:00.000-05:002006-07-29T01:22:00.000-05:00Steve, sorry to steal your thunder! I would have ...Steve, sorry to steal your thunder! I would have to say that much of the material in my posts comes as a direct result of our conversations over sausage and gravy biscuits:)MmmmMmmm You are a catalyst in my walk with God and I appreciate it so much!<BR/><BR/>I think that the Church has invested much of it's resources into fool's gold; something that seems to be valuable and yet is eventually shown to be a waste of precious time and energy. I am thankful that believers are concerned when they see the rampant nature of sin in our society, but sometimes I wonder why we are concerned. Are we concerned because it somehow offends us or intrudes on our idea of an "ideal" nation? Or, are we concerned for the destruction and pain that it brings into that person's life? I believe that it needs to be the latter. We, as the Church, need to stop professing love to the world and actually show some. <BR/><BR/>An example from my own life:<BR/>About 6-8 years ago, I used to go out with a friend every Monday night to witness to non-believers about Jesus. I told many people that I encountered that the reason that I was sharing Jesus with them was because I loved them. In retrospect (and even really at the time), I would honestly have to say that my motivation was not love at all. Rather, it was to appease my conscience, and make me feel like I had "done my duty for God". Not only is this a wrong motivation, but people can see right through it. <BR/><BR/>When our hearts break, not for what "sinners" are doing to "our" society, but instead, for what they are doing to themselves, real change will not be far behind! The Kingdom of God will not often be established in the hearts of people through persuasive arguments, thought-out legislations or even solid creedal statements. Instead, the Kingdom of God advances where the love of God is expressed and embraced!Raborn Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07554773112202991062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27404281.post-1154143105340446442006-07-28T22:18:00.000-05:002006-07-28T22:18:00.000-05:00Well, you stole some of my thunder on a post that ...Well, you stole some of my thunder on a post that I've had saved as a draft for several days now ;) hehe<BR/><BR/>But in all seriousness, I think you have really illustrated some of the problems of misunderstanding the Kingdom of God.<BR/><BR/>Years ago, CCM artist Morgan Cryer had a great song called <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000005KRR/104-1160574-3010312?v=glance&n=5174" REL="nofollow">"Kingdom Upside Down"</A> in which he sang about the apparent "opposites" of the Kingdom of God. Jesus made these points very clear, too, often contrasting the Kingdom of God with the kingdoms of this world.<BR/><BR/>Great reminder, Raborn. Thanks for this post!<BR/><BR/>steve :)Steve Sensenighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04366847574145407186noreply@blogger.com