When it comes to the subject of the "Kingdom of God" there seems to be no end to the carnal-minded reasonings of man, to what it is, where it is, and how it will come to pass. For many there is a long-held belief that, any minute, Jesus will appear in the sky to take away (rapture) those who are saved and bring them to heaven to enjoy the kingdom of God. For these, the end-time means the destruction of this universe and all wicked people and the establishing of a new world in some far-away oasis called heaven. Still others believe that God's kingdom will come as a result of Christians becoming politically active and getting elected to office and ruling the earth through the power of politics. This is exactly what happened when the Roman leaders began mixing Christianity with government, which gave rise to the office of pope, and the temporal powers of government were seized by the so-called church.

Things really haven't changed much in the thinking of God's people in the nineteen hundred years since Jesus Christ came. At that time the people of God were waiting for the kingdom of God as well, and when Jesus came preaching; "the kingdom of God is at hand," they couldn't understand what he was talking about. Jesus hadn't come to deliver them from the Roman authority or to destroy the Roman government. He also said that the kingdom does not come with outward observation, but it is within and among you all. While it is true that the kingdom of God will have outward expression, to re-examine how all that will be brought to pass in the light of God revealed word.

Kingdom Substance: The kingdom of God is not nebulous (vague), but is made up of people who become available for God to express himself through them. This will include his rule, dominion, purpose, power, image, and likeness. In other words, the kingdom is made up of people who are governed by His Spirit within resulting in an expression of God outwardly. This is the very foundation of the new covenant, for it is written in

Hebrews 8:10 for this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel (church) after those days, saith the lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts (spirit); and I will be to them a God (governing free within) and they shall be to me a people, (in whom God will have expression!)

This was God's very intention from the beginning where it. Is recorded in Genesis 1:26: and God said, let us; make man in our image and after our likeness: and let them have dominion. It was God's intention that His invisible spirit nature

(Romans 1:20, Colossians 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:17, Hebrews 11:27,) would have visible expression in and through His created man.

Jesus Christ: God's Kingdom on Earth: He is the sole expression of the glory of God-the light being, the out-raying of the divine, and He is the perfect imprint and very image of God's mature...

Hebrews 1:3 (Amplified bible) John 1:14, Colossians 1:19, 1 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 2:14).

And now, through Christ in us,(Colossians 1:27) we are being transformed into His image so that the kingdom will find expression through us

(Revelation 3:14, Romans 8:29, Hebrews 2:10)

This may surprise many, but salvation is not given to us so we can escape hell and make heaven in the traditional sense. The scriptures teach that salvation is the process by which our state of being and substance of life is changed from the earthly, carnal, soulish, beings to heavenly, life giving, spiritual beings who derive their life out from Christ who dwells within. And so it is written:

*To order your copy of "Kingdom Life" by Peter Demetris simply E-mail: pastorpeterd@comcast.net