Living in a country you were not born in does not automatically make you a citizen of that country, does it?. My brother, my sister, the Kingdom of God is Good News! It was Good News to the Jews because they had been awaiting the coming of the promised Messiah ever since the Babylonian captivity. Today, it is Good news for us because it means freedom from slavery to sin and selfishness. Yes, the Kingdom of God is here and now because the Spirit of God lives in the hearts of each and everyone of us who believes in Christ. Yet, it is also coming because Jesus will return to reign over a perfect Kingdom, where sin and evil will no longer exist. Now, knowing this truth, my friend, we should always ensure we are living righteously in this Kingdom. If you live in a earthly country and do not follow the laws, you will become an outlaw, not to say a criminal. Today, you are a believer, you have to abide to the laws of the Kingdom of God, for you do no longer belong to this world (John 15:19). If you are truly a child of God and know that the world hates God, why do you compromise with the world? Why do you want the world to accept you? Why do you want to live by sight while God says no one can pleas Him without faith? Also, reflect on this: can someone who hates you love your children? Dear friends, let’s learn to accept our condition and live a life pleasing to our Lord. Some believers think they have been trapped in Christianity after leaving the world, just because they expected their lives to change overnight! No, my friend, if you are a French speaker who moves to live in an English country, you first have to adapt to the language and customs before you will even be able to get a job, isn’t it? So why do you think it is different in the Kingdom of God? Until you gave your life to Christ, you were in the world, so there is a time of adaptation, and the Bible calls it the renewal of your mind (Romans 12:2) where worldly attitudes, thoughts, behaviours, etc… have to be washed away to be replaced with heavenly attitudes, thoughts, behaviours. My friend, God hates sin, and as long as we remain attached to the world and its earthly ‘goodness’, we will remain far from God and His goodness and it will be hard for us to see Him at work in our lives. So, get closer to God first by obeying the laws of His Kingdom. As we do this, we have the assurance that Jesus Himself, our advocate at the Father’s side, is interceding for us (Romans 8:34) and asking that we be kept safe from the evil one (John 17:14-15)… Have you seen anyone Jesus prayed for in the Bible not being healed or restored? Let me tell you that he has not changed and wants to touch you too! So, if you are still waiting for answers to your prayers, do not look right or left for someone or something to blame (Hosea 4:4), check that you have really followed the rules of the Kingdom of God, repent and make the necessary corrections. God is good, faithful and alive! Stay blessed in Jesus’ name. [facebook] [retweet]