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How can we come to a better understanding of God’s kingdom? One of the best ways is by learning how to pray, “Your kingdom come.” These three simple words from the Lord’s Prayer explain the plan, the purpose, and the progress of God’s kingdom.

This petition first helps us understand God’s plan for ushering in his kingdom. The very fact that we are to pray for the kingdom proves that it is not the kind of thing we establish through our own efforts. It is something we must ask God to do because only he can do it.

God’s plan was to establish his kingdom through his Son. Jesus Christ lived the perfect life we ought to have lived. He died the painful death we deserved to die. And when he had fully paid for all our sins, God raised him from the dead and exalted him to his kingly throne. Now that Christ is King, God does not tell us to go out and establish his kingdom, he invites us to enter it. This is why God’s kingdom comes through the announcement that Christ, who was crucified, is now King. The kingdom comes mainly through proclamation.

Philip Graham Ryken, When You Pray: Making the Lord’s Prayer Your Own

Justin Taylor has a great article at New Attitude about the one way to God. Even if you don’t read the whole article, at least go read the title…

Of course, if you skip the rest of the article, you’ll miss gems like this one:

…you can only practice true tolerance if you disagree with something.

Question: Is it appropriate to give Justin a hat tip for linking to his own article?

Recollect that there are two kinds of perfection which the Christian needs-the perfection of justification in the person of Jesus, and the perfection of sanctification wrought in him by the Holy Spirit. At present, corruption yet remains even in the breasts of the regenerate-experience soon teaches us this. Within us are still lusts and evil imaginations.

But I rejoice to know that the day is coming when God shall finish the work which he has begun; and he shall present my soul, not only perfect in Christ, but perfect through the Spirit, without spot or blemish, or any such thing…

Yet let not the hope of perfection hereafter make us content with imperfection now. If it does this, our hope cannot be genuine; for a good hope is a purifying thing, even now. The work of grace must be abiding in us now or it cannot be perfected then. Let us pray to “be filled with the Spirit,” that we may bring forth increasingly the fruits of righteousness.

from Morning and Evening, Charles Spurgeon (emphasis/formatting added)

The Reformed faith proposes the highest aim for evangelism. It is not the salvation of souls. Nor is it the growth of Christ’s church. Nor yet is it the coming of Christ’s kingdom. All those aims of evangelism are important, even of inestimable importance. yet they are but means to the accomplishment of that end for which all things were brought into being and continue to exist, unto which God does all that He does, in which the whole of history will one day culminate, and on which the never-ending ages of eternity will be focused–the glory of God.

R.B. Kuiper, God-Centered Evangelism

HT: Timmy Brister

A group of concerned Christians have put together a declaration of care for the environment and the poor. You can read more, watch a short video, or endorse the statement at the We Get It website.

The We Get It! Declaration:

God Said It

God created everything. He made us in His own image, and commanded us to be fruitful and multiply and watch over His creation. Although separated from God by our sin, we are lovingly restored through Jesus Christ, and take responsibility for being good stewards.

We Get It

Our stewardship of creation must be based on Biblical principles and factual evidence. We face important environmental challenges, but must be cautious of claims that our planet is in peril from speculative dangers like man-made global warming.

They Need It

With billions suffering in poverty, environmental policies must not further oppress the world’s poor by denying them basic needs. Instead, we must help people fulfill their God-given potential as producers and stewards.

Let’s Do It

We will follow our Lord Jesus Christ and honor God as we use and share the principles of His Word to care for the poor and tend His creation.