Humility -- 2 Corinthians 10

Humility is being who you are; not better and not worse and recognizing that you are where you are because God has placed you there.

The mentor Paul to the mentoree Timothy in the Kingdom -- 1 Timothy 2:1-4

"First of all, I ask you to pray for everyone.  Ask God to help and bless them all, and tell God how thankful you are for each of them. Pray for kings and others in power, so that we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honour God.  This kind of prayer is good and it pleases God our Saviour..."

A prayer in His Kingdom -- Matthew 6:9-13

"Our Father in heaven, help us to honour your name.
Come and set up Your kingdom,
so that everyone on earth will obey you, as you are obeyed in heaven.
Give us our food for today
Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others.
Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil."

Jeremiah 31:31-33 -- A new agreement

"I will write my laws on their hearts and minds.  I will be their God, and they will be my people." Jeremiah 31:33

A cool prayer and perspective -- Ephesians 3:14-21

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

The Kingdom's take on children -- Luke 18:15-17

"And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. 16But Jesus called for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17"Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."

Jesus take on violence

"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword."  Matthew 26:52

... and then He heals the soldier's ear!  Wow!

Jehovah-Raah (The Lord my Shepherd) -- Psalm 23

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheepthat are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” Jesus

Wisdom in the Kingdom -- James 3:13-17

Two Kinds of Wisdom

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deedsdone in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Doubt in the Kingdom -- Mark 9:14-29

Mark 4:22 "If you can" -- us
Mark  4:23 "Anything is possible for someone who has faith!" -- Jesus
Mark 4:24 "I do have faith! Please help me to have even more" -- us
...then lots of commotion
Mark 4:29 "Only prayer can force out that kind of demon." -- Jesus

The laws are simple; Matthew 22:37-40

'Love the Lord your God wit all your heart, soul and mind.  This is the first and most important commandment.  The second most important commandment is like this one, and it is, "Love others as much as you love yourself."  All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets are based on these commandments.'

Matthew 16:1-12 -- The Kingdom is seen by faith

Jesus told the religious folks you can't demand a sign; you need to look around you and remember what God has done and is doing.

I like Ravi's organization because they combine faith and thought. RZIM
http://www.rzim.org/a-slice-of-infinity/what-is-faith-2/

Control in the Kingdom of God -- Romans 8:1-17

Condemnation versus conviction; satan will condemn and say you're a looser and you can't do anything. God convicts and says you need to do "...." and He waits for you to obey Him before He gives you your next assignment.

When God, as opposed to our flesh, is in control the direction is life and peace; not death.  Life comes because of righteousness. (I could be wrong but I suspect the statistics would say the death rate amongst those involved with things of the flesh is higher)

We have an obligation to live according to the Spirit.  The Spirit does not bring about fear but adoption into the Kingdom of God.

Life Through the Spirit

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,[b]God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[d] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of[e] his Spirit who lives in you.

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[f] And by him we cry, “Abba,[g] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Luke 2:49 -- God is our Father and we need to be about His business

Did you not know that I must be about My Fathers business?”(Luke 2:49)

An interesting thing about Jesus is He never claimed to have the plan; He always talked about His Father's business.  He even told His Father He didn't like the plan because it would cost Him everything but eventually He surrendered to His Father's will.

Do we understand our Father enough to trust that He knows where He needs us and He knows what we need and He knows what we can handle?  And if so, are we willing to obey the next little thing He tells us to do?  Are we still hearing from God?  If not, when was the last time we heard from Him?  Maybe He's stopped talking because He's waiting for us to do what He told us to do last?

Matthew 4:26-29 -- the growing seed

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

Signs of the Kingdom

I'm sure you've heard it said "I don't go to church because it's full of hypocrites".  Of course the same logic applies to hospitals "I don't go to hospitals because it's full of sick people".  The neat thing is Jesus was aware of the hypocrites and He gives us a warning.  

He says:

Matthew 7:15-20
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?  17 So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit.  18 A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  20 Thus you will know them by their fruits.

So how can we identify the bad fruit and the good fruit?  Paul helps us out in:

Galatians 5

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. 

Here's a cool song to remember the fruit of the Spirit by

Fruit of the Spirit

Matthew 5:3 -- Who gets the Kingdom?

Do you feel like a looser?  Like you are small or insignificant? Like you really need a big Mighty, Awesome God around?...well if you do there's good news!  The Kingdom belongs to those who are poor in Spirit.  In other words, we don't have to take all the pressure of being at the top because He is.  We just have to obey the next little thing He tells us to do because we serve an Awesome God!!!

And He sent His Son to Show the way