Kingdom Keys

The Kingdom of God is…
Near, at hand (Mark 1:15), and Jesus preach the Kingdom of God wherever he went. (Luke 8)
 
Yet for many, the Kingdom of God is still elusive and not close at all.
“The secrets of the Kingdom of God have been given to us.” (Mark 4:11)
How can it be so mysterious and so available at the same time?    Maybe the sticking point is in regard to where we’re looking for it.   Let me ask you to reflect on something for a moment - If the Kingdom of God is every place where Jesus Christ is Lord, then what areas of your life is He not?
At our last Marketplace Transformation Summit we gave those in attendance a wooden stake with the inscription – “Jesus Christ is Lord!” Those who took them were encouraged to ‘Put a Stake in the Ground’ where God had given them influence – be it a home, neighborhood, workplace or wherever. You and I know that a stake in the ground won’t transform a community, but the intentionality of that act may position me personally to be who God has called me to be in that setting.
One of the keys to the Kingdom of God evidencing itself among us is that we become completely reconciled; reconciled to God first and to each other in everyway possible thereafter. This is probably the hardest part about being Kingdom minded Christ followers. Shame, guilt even accusation seem to threaten our ability to be transparent and whole. And… for that reason we have little evidence of the Kingdom at hand.
God is looking for ambassadors for His kingdom; reconciled ambassadors who are flowing naturally and supernaturally in the ministry of reconciliation. In order this to happen righteousness must be fulfilled. Jesus made it clear that no one can enter the Kingdom unless he is first made righteous. This is impossible for you and me, but with God all things are possible.
How do we enter this kingdom – through the door, the access point of all eternity – Jesus Christ. He said so himself, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me.
If I’m going to enter in I have to exchange my sin, my unrighteousness for His. In Christ, nothing is excluded from this kingdom influence and blessing. Your most difficult relationships, your finances, your vocational calling, your cities – Yes, everything must come under this Lordship and King. When it does then reconciliation is in motion. Healing is on the horizon. Faith, hope and love are exercised at a premium and the windows of heaven are open over you.
Righteousness Scriptures
 5"Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD,
         "When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
         And He will reign as king and act wisely
         And do justice and righteousness in the land.” Jer. 23:5
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Cor. 5:17-21
 
“9and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,” Phi. 3:9
 
“Justice will dwell in the desert and righteousness live in the fertile field. 17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. 18 My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” Is. 32:16-18