Chapter Fifteen

THE

LORD’S

PRAYER

A Prayer for Spiritual

Warfare

Matthew 6:9-13

The Almost Kingdom, The Ideal Kingdom, and Thy Kingdom Come

THE ALMOST KINGDOM

If you’ve heard Dr. Ruckman’s sermon on “The Kingdom of God Verses the Kingdom of Heaven”, or read his book The Sure Word Of Prophesy, then you know something about the Kingdom. This is the subject of current discussion.

Lucifer had the Kingdom before Adam arose from the dust. The historical account is written in Isaiah, Chapter Forteen. Here Lucifer says, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.” He tried -- but he lost the crown of the Kingdom to Adam in Genesis, Chapter Two, verse eight when God planted the garden “eastward in Eden”.

But that doesn’t last long for the Serpent comes into the scene in Genesis, Chapter Three and cast doubt on the promises of God. Adam and Eve yield to the temptation and the Kingdom is abdicated back to Satan under a curse: Genesis 3:17. If you doubt that this present evil world belongs to Satan listen to these words Satan spoke to Jesus during the mountain temptation:

And the Devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the Devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

Luke 4:5-6

Moses brought Israel out of Egypt -- a type of the world -- and led them to Canaan land to establish a kingdom. But by the time they got to Kadesh they proved themselves cowards and requested that the CIA should be sent in first. When the spies returned with their evil report they also brought some evidence of the wealth of the kingdom:

And they came unto the brook Eshcol, and cut down from thense a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.

Numbers 13:23

Can you imagine grapes the size of apples? Imagine further still the discription given to Joshua:

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine, also his heavens shall derop down dew.

Deuteronomy 33:26-29

So eventually they go in to possess the Kingdom and crown themselves a King -- King Saul -- the peoples choice (a type of the anitchrist). Behind him comes King David to fight the battles of the Lord much as King Jesus will do when He returns at Migeddo. And, as Jesus will come in and establish the Kingdom, King Solomon ascends the throne and ushers in the ALMOST KINGDOM.

The first thing King Solomon does when he puts on his crown is have a prayer meeting. He acknowledges his lack of understanding and wisdom and asks to be given an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad (I Kings 3:3-10). In answer to his prayer God establishes the Kingdom in his hand and the whole world comes knocking at his door.

The Kingdom is described in I Kings 4:20-34:

vs. 21 & 24: Gives the geography of the Kingdom:

And Solomon reigned over all Kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life....For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river; round about him.

vs. 22,23,26,27,28: Give the wealth of the Kingdom:

And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,... Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.... And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.... And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.... Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.

vs. 29 - 34: Give the wisdom of the King:

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

vs. 25: Gives the Security of the Kingdom:

And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

(compare Micah 4:3-5)

Under Solomon, -- as will be under Jesus -- the Temple was built. Its completion is recorded in I Kings 7:51. Chapter Eight follows with King Solomon offering sacrifices (vs.5,63,64); prayers of dedication (vs. 22-61); and an all-hands party (vs. 65-66).

The ALMOST KINGDOM: Solomon is a Prophet in his writings, he is a priest in his sacrifices and prayers, and he is King of the Kingdom:

But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

I Kings 11:1-11

The Kingdom is lost. It is lost in three steps:

(1) Interracial marriage; which led to

(2) Idolatry; which led to

(3) Apostasy

Back comes the antichrist and ushered in is a substitute kingdom!

Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern; Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

Isaiah 36:16-17

Israel is promised a land of equal value -- the anitchrist, when he comes in, promises a kingdom of peace:

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Matthew 24:24

THE IDEAL KINGDOM

Each generaton has had its prognosticators: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Wellhousen, Lightfoot, Marx, Freud, and the Jesuits -- to name a few. Each generaton has had its prophets, priests, and imitation kings. Its prophets have written Mein Kampf, DasKapital, and The Prince. Its priests have been the Popes of the Holy Roman Empire, and its Kings have been Hitler, Stalin, Franklin Deleno Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy.

What they are after is the Garden Eastward in Eden, where they can live without fear in utopial bliss forever and ever. Some of the prophets, as Henry David Aiken, believe that the welfare state is already an irremovable reality and that free enterprise is fading into a Republican myth. Robert Haber, Stephen Rousseas and James Farganis believe that we are well on our way to an international government orchestrated by ethic responsibility and international precedence.

This utopia will come to fruition by the oppressed groups who will continue to challenge the established order thereby transforming it into the good society. We find repeatedly that the utopian prognosticators will support ALL MEASURES to bring in the equalitarian state. Seymour Martin Lipset is such a one, and he believes that inequality of status and oppertunity is punitive, unfair, and immoral. Irving Kristol says that, if people wanted to, there is enough wealth in the larger countries for fulfillment of socialist equality and fraternity--they just don’t want to!

In the United States this ideal was worked on and progress started by the New Deal President. He turned the prospective of the Presidency around to be responsible to the public will. Irving Kristol would support such an idea for he is opposed to any authority, - moral, philosophical, or political, - that would set arbitrary limits on the way that scientific technology would shape our world. To him Flax is King.

The attainment of the ideal Kingdom is to be established by any number of methods. Two such methods are: (1) use of the evolutionary process postulated by Robert Haber, and (2) civil disobedience proclaimed by Albert Camus and John Dewey. To attain this society of men of good will any number of things must happen. First and foremost is to demythologize religion. Daniel Bell (quoting Hegel, Feverbach, and Marx) says we must replace theology with anthropology and religion with philosophy, and place man, rather than God, at the center of consciousness. We must recover ourselves from God, sin, and the Anabaptists.

To establish such an abolishing order in today’s society the utopian politician must be able to manipulate the system from a Machiavellian prospective. The two elements advantaged in the process are evolution and compromise. This modern political compromiser is skilled in the craft and maintains a position of non-commitment. In the American political scene, Stephen Rousseas, and James Fauganis say that Franklin D. Rossevelt and John F. Kennedy were supreme technicians of American politics. This is because neither had any fixed vision of the good society.

In the American Society, which is the only system where change can opoerate politically free, there are two items that stand in the way of the utopian evolutionary progress. One of these was pointed out by Plato --it is the family. It is the family that fosters inequality as parents tend to care for their own. It becomes therefore, necessary to institutionalize measures that will reduce, if not eradicate, the family unit for the sake of the national equalitarian society. The other hindrance to the ideological process is material...alienation...rooted in private property. Therefore, in order for the IDEAL KINGDOM to come in your family and private property must be abolished, and that the truth that will set you free will not be that of Christ but will be that doctrine...which contributes to the advancement of revolution fought by men of good will.

We end up then with repetitive history where men, as Dr. Ruckman says: “die...to govern themselves...govern others, and...to keep from being governed. Man is killing himself in order to attain a form of government where he will not have to kill his fellowman.”

So now we must re-write the hymn:

Up from the puddle we arose

Only the Baptist we oppose

We arose the monkey, or the Chimpanzee

WE arose to intelligence, all but thee

We arose, we arose

Hallelujah, Darwin, we arose

THY KINGDOM COME

Matthew 6: 9 - 13

“Our Father which art in heaven”

When you address the Father in Heaven then you are not addressing the father of lies - John 8:44

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (SEE CHAPTER ONE: Truth is a Five Letter Word)

Addressing God as Father is a positive affirmation that follows the exhortation to aggressively “resist” the devil.

This devil is also the prince of the air - Ephesians 2:2

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

By lining up with the God and Father of all we gain power to prevail over the power of the Adversary. By calling on the Father in heaven we also put in proper place our earthly fathers of the flesh:

12: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Exodus 20:12

Don’t worship your parents, but don’t dishonor them either, and don’t worship or give honor to the devil. All honour, glory, and power ultimately goes to the “Father which art in heaven”.

, Hallowed be thy name.”

Matthew 21: 5 , 9

5: Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.....9: And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

What honor to the Lord Jesus Christ does your life demonstrate? In this prayer given by Him your honor is directed toward the Father. In the words of the Apostle Paul they are directed toward Jesus. If you are going to win in the battles against the forces of darkness then you must place Jesus as Captain of the Lord’s host.

Philippians 2: 5-11

5: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11: And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

At some point in time and eternity you will confess on your knees that Jesus Christ is Lord. If you do so now then you will be in a position of power and authority to bring every evil work to the feet of Jesus. You will be able to rule with Christ in the kingdom of darkness in this present evil world.

Revelation 19: 4-6 , 11-16

4: And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5: And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 6: And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.....11: And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12: His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13: And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14: And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15: And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16: And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

If you are a citizen of heaven then you should be acting in accord with that citizenship. While we know one day the last battle will be fought and won by the Lord of Glory there are many battles going on daily that we could win for that Hallowed Name of Jesus if we would but avail ourselves of His power and glory. But we don’t!

“Thy Kingdom Come”

By acknowledging that your kingdom is the same as the Father’s in heaven then you acknowledge that your kingdom is not the kindgom of darkness. If you have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb then you have been translated into that kingdom of the Heavenly Father.

Colossians 1:13

13: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

You also acknowledge that if heaven is your kingdom then you are not of the kingdoms of this world - Matthew 4:8

8: Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

The system of government and finance is under the control of the kingdom of darkness. Those who choose not to live in ignorance are “illuminated” as to who the people and organizations are that operate the kingdoms of this world (it is not the president, Sadom, or the Pope -- they are only pones). The real king is the “King of Terrors: (Job 18:14).

THE MIDNIGHT CRY

Listen my children and you shall hear

Of the mid-night cry of the Saviou Dear

The Kingdom of Heaven is likened, said He,

To ten lovely virgins and the Gridegroom -- ME

Five virgins foolish and five virgins wise

Each with a lamp for to brighten the skies

The five that were wise in their vessels oil took

so when the Groom came on Him they could look

While the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept

The lamps of the foolish burned out unkept

And at the mid-night hour there was a cry made

“Arise from the slumber where you have laid”

“The Bridegroom now cometh go Him to meet

Ye wise trim your lamps and run through the street”

The foolish arose to find their lamps out

Ask oil of the wise ones who turned them about

“Say go to the merchant and buy if you can

But do hurry back as fast as you can”

but while they were gone the Bridegroom He came

And took in the wse ones and gave them His name

The foolish returned to find the door shut

Left out in the dark for oil they had not

“Watch ye therefore” the cryer says he,

“For ye know not the hour He comes for thee.”

13: And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.....42: Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43: But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44: Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 45: Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46: Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47: Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48: But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49: And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50: The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51: And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.....33: Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34: For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35: Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.....5: While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6: And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.....1: I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. 2: I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. 3: I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? 4: My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. 5: I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. 6: I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called ....13: Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

(Luke 19:13; Matthew 24:42-51; Mark 13:33-36; Matthew 25:5-6; Song of Solomon 5:1-6; Matthew 25:13)

“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”

When we give over to the will of God being done down here where we live then we also concede to His doctrines and not the deciet of the doctrine of devils - I Timothy 4:1

1: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

When we make this prayful confession for God’s will it is also an acknowledgment not to give ourselves to the lust of the flesh, eyes, and pride of life -

I John 2:16

16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

In the California mud slides and fires what difference did it make the cost of the house? All that in your foolish pride your eyes and flesh desire is not in line with the Kingdom of Christ. As you will see when we get to Colossians Three all must be “put off”.

Luke 22:39-42

39: And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. 40: And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. 41: And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42: Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

If the Lord Jesus Christ was of such necessity of prayer about the Father’s will for His life/death, how much more is it of necessity for us low-life sinners made of dust? The most important aspect in finding the will of God for you “on earth” is time alone before the throne petitioning the Father, as did Jesus, for Him to direct your steps to drink the cup He gives you.

MATTHEW 25:14-30 14: For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15: And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16: Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17: And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18: But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 19: After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20: And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21: His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22: He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23: His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24: Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26: His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28: Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29: For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30: And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

If you are a citizen of the “Kingdom of heaven” living in this “present evil world” when the King returns from His journey you will be rewarded on you faithfulness in the warfare that is always raging between His kingdom and the kingdom of darkness. There weill be some surprises when some servants of the King are cast into that dark kingdom. A black hole would be a welcome relief for such sluggards.

I CORINTHIANS 3:10-15

10: According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11: For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12: Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13: Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14: If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15: If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

If you try to build your own or another’s kingdom on any foundation other than the Lord Jesus Christ is will fall as surely as a mansion on the waterfront in a super - hurricane. But if you will build on the Lord it will be like the caves tunneled into the rock of Gibraltar that are still there after hundreds of years of facing the sea. Note also the diminishing order of value of the six types of building materials used by the different builders. You can build a life using the good things of God that will stand the test of fire, or you can use the things of this life that disappear like a house in a California mud slide.

“Give us this day our daily bread”

Asking for our daily subsistence is not the asking for the care of this world that chokes - Luke 8:14

14: And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

Neither is it the asking of the things of this world that belongs to Satan - Luke 4:6

6: And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

But it is the ultimate asking for the bread which God gives us through the Son:

MATTHEW 14:15-21

15: And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. 16: But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17: And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 18: He said, Bring them hither to me. 19: And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 20: And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21: And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

What Jesus supplies is satisfying and filling, especially to those who hunger after righteousness.

MATTHEW 15:32-38

32: Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33: And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34: And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. 35: And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36: And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37: And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38: And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

John 6:27- 58

27: Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28: Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29: Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 30: They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31: Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32: Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33: For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34: Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35: And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36: But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37: All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38: For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39: And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40: And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 41: The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42: And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 43: Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44: No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45: It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 46: Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. 47: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48: I am that bread of life. 49: Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50: This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51: I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52: The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53: Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54: Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55: For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56: He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57: As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58: This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

Have you been made a partaker of Jesus Christ? Have you eaten of His flesh? Not in the means a cannibal might do, but in faith accepting His fleshly sacrifice as the atonement for your sin and salvation. When was the time, and where was the place that you responded to “O taste and see that the Lord is good (Psa. 34:8).

REVELATION 22:1-5

1: And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2: In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3: And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5: And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

What daily bread do you want or need from God for your today? God through the Lord Jesus Christ has told you to ask for your daily bread “this day”. When was the last time you asked? It would be easier if you were an active participant in the Kingdom of the Father.

“And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”

What we need and want is God’s unconditional forgiveness, not what Lucifer got in being cast down - Isaiah 14:15

15: Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

We need repentance, but not that of Judas - who hanged himself -

Matthew 27:5

5: And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

We want a blessing but not the blessing of Esau who sold out to the flesh - Hebrews 12:16-17

16: Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17: For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

What we need and truly want is a blessing of forgiveness from the grace of God given to us in Jesus Christ. You can have it, and you can have it right now! There is a place for you to repent. It is not too late if you will choose to respond to the Word of God in Christ, administered to you by the Holy Spirit. If you will accept His grace He will remove your sin.

PSALM 103:12

12: As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

JOHN 3:16

16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

I JOHN 1:7

7: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

MATTHEW 6:14-15

14: For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

MATHEW 25:31-41

31: When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37: Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38: When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39: Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41: Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

So how do you stand in forgiveness with the Father? Is there someone you have not forgiven that is standing in the way of the Father giving you His forgiveness? Why don’t you forgive them even now and then find them and tell them face to face?

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”

We need to pray that we are not tempted by our own lust - James 1:14

14: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

We need to pray that we do not fall to the temptation of the tempter - Matthew 4: 1-3

1: Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2: And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3: And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

We do not have to fall into temptation because the Son of God has come to deliver us from this present evil world and the powers of darkness.

ISAIAH 61:1-3

1: The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2: To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3: To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

God wants to deliver us that he may be glorified in our lives. He is capable of setting us free from Satan’s yoke of bondage. Whatever prison of his kingdom that you are locked in (Simon Peter, Paul & Silos) Jesus holds the key and can let you out. In your deepest dispair and heavy load Jesus wants you to spring up as a well watered tree beside the still waters.

ISAIAH 35:4-10

4: Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 5: Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6: Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. 7: And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. 8: And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 9: No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Look at these descriptive words wherein we may be tempted to falter in faith, or be bound in Satan’s prison. Now look again at that which the Lord will do for you while you are in the way with Him.

ISAIAH 25:6-8

6: And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. 7: And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. 8: He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off allfaces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

“The Vail” See Chapter Eighteen

I CORINTHIANS 15:51-54

51: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53: For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54: So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

One of these days we will completely overcome temptation in the resurrection of the body. What a day that will be! The final stage of the redemptive plan when death to the body is given. John says those who have hope purify themselves (I Jn. 3:1-3).

REVELATION 20:11-15

11: And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12: And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13: And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14: And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15: And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Those who fail, or whom we fail to tell, to obtain this eternal power over temptation will resurrect to a judgment of their mis-deed and reap the rewards of their labor in a baptism of fire. The armour of Ephesians Six includes boots prepared with the gospel. Have you been carrying the gospel lately to those who need power over the tempter?

REVELATION 21:4

4: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

LUKE 4:16-21

16: And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17: And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19: To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20: And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21: And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

“For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever”

“The Power.” A power that overcomes timidity and fear, and renders cognitive behavior. It is power to wrestle with the forces of the kingdom of darkness including the prince of darkness. It is power to prevail in all the enticing elements of this worldly kingdom that is in the Devil’s hands. It is power to return to God the glory due His name. It is the only “force” that should go with you.

Not spirit of fear but power - II Timothy 1:7

7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Ephesians 2:2 ;

2: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Ephesians 6:12

12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Luke 4:6

6: And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

I Corinthians 1:31

31: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

For Thine is the kingdom,

Isaiah 65:17-25

17: For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18: But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19: And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 20: There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. 21: And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22: They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23: They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. 24: And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25: The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

Jesus is going to start all over again but in this new kingdom all the things of this present evil world that the prince of darkness has inflicted upon us will be revoked. Do you yet understand that the kingdoms of this world are not God’s and that Jesus is not yet King of kings? God may be sovereign but the current resident king is Lucifer. It is therefore absolutely imperative for the success of the church that your only investment in this society is that which God directs for your sustenance. Any other entanglement is a violation of orders (II Tim. 1:4: No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.)

Revelation 21:1-3

1: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2: And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3: And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Matthew 24:14

14: And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

I emphasize the “gospel of the kingdom” as different from the “gospel of grace”. Study and learn the difference.

and the power,

John 19:10-11

10: Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11: Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he

Note the mistaken possession of authority that Pilate believes is his. Jesus quickly lets him know who gave him that power. The reason for wars is not the people but the evil ruling monarchs.

Psalm 75:6-7

6: For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 7: But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Matthew 28:18-20

18: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Under the authority of the only begotten, only risen, Son of God we have orders to go teach the gospel, baptize the converts, and teach them obedience. Under His authority all the power that is His from heaven is ours on earth to do battle for the kingdom. There is no force, at any level, that can over power the saint of God when he is engaged in spiritual warfare for the King of kings. “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Romans 8:38-39

38: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39: Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Colossians 2:9-10

9: For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10: And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

I Timothy 6:13-15

13: I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; 14: That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

Ephesians 1:17-21

17: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19: And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20: Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

and the glory forever

The “Glory” is to be forever. It is to be in the land, and it comes with mercy, truth, righteousness, and peace. It comes with Jesus Christ following His suffering. When the shepherds were visited by the angels they had a preview of that heavenly glory.

Psalm 85:8-12

8: I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. 9: Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. 10: Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11: Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. 12: Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

I Peter 1:10-11

10: Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

Luke 2:8-11

8: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9: And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10: And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

We can participate in this eternal glory by being in the kingdom, and by bringing others into the kingdom. We will be crowned in glory according to our representation of the King. How you love Him and present Him to others will determine your crown. Some will even be able to sit with Christ in the throne of His glory. So get busy for the King before he comes again.

Philippians 4:1

1: Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

I Thessalonians 2:19

19: For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

II Timothy 4:8

8: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

James 1:12

12: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

I Peter 5:4

4: And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Matthew 19:28

28: And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Revelation 22:20

20: He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.