Jesus and the Kingdom of God by Jill Carattini

Happy Monday!

-So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6)

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, (Colossians 1:13)

A Slice of Infinity snippets:
...But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” In other words, they were not only going to be recipients of the kingdom of God, they were going to be agents as well--agents of a kingdom that was already among them...
In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we have not only been given a means to enter the kingdom of God, we have been made agents of its very presence among the world as we know it today, even as we wait eagerly for Christ to come again. Indeed, come, Lord Jesus.

Chad's Comments:
Jay noted that this was not a concept only practiced by early Christians. This is something he believes we would find if we visit any Catholic church on any given Sunday. Thanks for the insight into your faith Jay!

This is an apologetic I had not previously considered:
How was it that the earliest confessors, who had expected a messiah that would boldly rescue Israel from its political oppressors, came to articulate these words? What would have caused them to speak of the arrival of a present and eternal kingdom, though injustice and repression remained throughout the land?...

With great evidence, we continue to see the hand of God, not the hand of man, succeeding in HisStory.

As one great song states: "I did not make it, no it is making me. It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man."

I also note that people have asked what Jesus has for them NOW; not just what He has in store for their eternity. In what ways are we being agents of the kingdom today?

COUGARS' NeighborDAy weekend: We are able to love and minister to our hurting neighbors simply because we invite them over for dinner. Pick a weekend in June or July and share your story on the blog.

Prayer requests: (Please email us and share yours)
Please continue to lift up Elaine's family, My neighbor Gerry and his wife Terri and my aunt Barbara who struggles with depression and alcoholism.

* The Street Church still needs volunteers and donations. (there are very few washers and dryers available for the homeless. So, even though they may not need coats, they will wear a shirt until it is really ragged and smelly, then simply throw it away. Clothing donations in the summer are strongly encouraged.

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