Living in the Kingdom: Unveiling the Realm and Reality of God and His Kingdom Being Among Us Through Spiritual Insight and Communion

Can you experience the Kingdom of God while living in the here and now? Join us on "Life Around the Fire" as we unpack the profound connection between relationships, spiritual growth, and our divine reality. Discover the unique metaphor of transparencies that reveals how this heavenly kingdom is not just a future promise but a present reality illuminated through spiritual insight. We promise you'll gain a fresh perspective on how to align your daily life with the Kingdom's principles, recognizing your place in this divine realm. Our conversation is designed to ignite moments of insight and transformation, guiding you to weave newfound understanding into your everyday interactions.

We also reflect on the transformative power of the Last Supper, exploring its deep spiritual significance in today's context. Imagine the scene with the apostles at the Passover meal, where Jesus' act of sharing bread and wine symbolized a new covenant filled with profound love and sacrifice. We emphasize the vital importance of approaching communion with sincerity and awareness of its sacred meaning. As we examine the interplay of divine timing and societal shifts, you'll be encouraged to stay present and focused on the teachings of Jesus. Embrace the spiritual rebirth and eternal covenant established through Christ's love, as we invite you to journey with us into this sacred exploration.

Chapters

• 0:56 Exploring the Kingdom of God
• 16:17 Kingdom Covenant and Consummation

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:56

You know, I was asking myself this question just the other day, considering podcasting and, in particular, this podcast, life's Run Fire. I'm like what really is going on here? Why are we doing this? Again, I got to ask it. I have to ask everyone as well what am I doing this for? Because I can be that guy that can just put his head down and start doing stuff, and because I did it yesterday, I'll do it today and tomorrow and just keep doing it.

Speaker 1: 1:35

But that's really not why we're doing this podcast. In fact, the real basis behind this podcast is relationship, spiritual growth, but in spiritual growth, really highlighting relationship, relationship, not religion. Relationship, relationship with God and relationship with one another. Right, because I don't have a religion with my wife or my friends. I have a relationship and God is God. God is into relationships from the very beginning of creation. It's all about relationship and so it's about relationship. But also I, we, we want to be that podcast that you know you could be doing stuff, you could be listening to it and you're doing stuff because we all do, right, we're listening and we're busy and stuff's going on, but we want to be that podcast that you hear something in the background and you say wait, wait, wait, wait, what? What'd you just say? That kind of thing when it's like, hold on, let me rewind that. What did you just say? Did you just say what I thought you said? Or wow, really, if there's one person that hears one thing like that hallelujah, success, I mean it, that's you, are it? You know, as far as that goes, god is it, because this is an act of obedience, literally, and so that's, you know, relationship. But also being that thing where it's one thing, or maybe a bunch of things, but one thing, one person, that just says wow, really, and it impacts your life and turns into shoe leather, meaning you actually start living it. It makes a difference. It makes a difference in your relationship with God and or both, right, yeah or your relationship with someone else, another person.

Speaker 1: 4:17

And so you know, in looking at this particular podcast again, we've been focusing in on the kingdom of God, the rule, the realm, the reality, the demonstration of what's in God's heart, his kingdom, and how it affects our lives and the fact that it's present now. But there's more to come, and sometimes we really see it and other times we perceive it. Sometimes we don't the times we perceive it, sometimes we don't, but there's coming a time, coming a day. It's because always, always, always, always, there comes a day, right, there comes an hour. It's not always back then or it's going to happen. It's like now here it is, here it is, here it is. And so we've been talking about the kingdom and the fact that the kingdom of God is present. It's in what's known as the already and the not yet, meaning we see part of it, but there's more to come of it. But there's more to come. But what we have seen, or what is available now, is far more than what we have been utilizing or experiencing. Maybe there's a lot of head knowledge or maybe even religious information about it, and some of it might be accurate, some of it's bits and pieces. What kingdom?

Speaker 1: 6:05

And one of the best ways that I can describe it involves an illustration from an old way of looking at projection. Some of you remember these contraptions that looked like ET, they looked like an alien, they had a base and they had a long neck, and then they had another lens on top and it projected things against the wall and it was a transparency, and you could lay the transparency on top of the desk top and shine a light on it and it would go up into the lens and out onto the wall. You'd say, ah, you see the picture, and sometimes you could place another transparency on top of that picture and it would change the way that picture looked. That's kind of like the kingdom of God. We have our reality, the world that we live in, and that's a transparency. That's the way it looks. And the kingdom of God is another transparency. It's another realm and it exists by itself. It doesn't require us believing in it to exist. It exists, but we can't see it. It's like a transparency that is not laid on top of the other transparency. It's there, but we can't see it Until Until it comes into the light, and then you can see as much as is shown. Maybe the whole transparency isn't there. In fact, it's not going to be there yet. It's the kingdom of God, but you see it and ah, it's like, wow the eyes to see the kingdom, the reality of God.

Speaker 1: 8:09

And so we've been, yeah, man, we've been seeing that his kingdom is in our midst and there's things that transpire as a result of that. In fact, when we are born again spiritually, we are born again into citizenship in that kingdom. We are translated from being in the realm of darkness and sin and death into the kingdom of God, into a new realm. Our spirit is no longer dead and in sin. It's alive with the very life of God, the very that is one of those, the very life of God. Not just an improved you, but a new you. Never before you couldn't do it by yourself, you couldn't do it to yourself, not self-help, not self-improvement. New you, a God in you, you, divine life in you, a God in you, you, divine life in you, translated into a new kingdom which we need to learn new things, because there are new ways in that kingdom. Some of them overlap our culture, some don't, and as citizens of his kingdom, we are loyal to his kingdom first Seek, first the kingdom of God, and everything is right about righteousness, everything is right about it, and everything else in your life is going to be added unto that. Things are going to go differently, you'll see it.

Speaker 1: 10:07

So we've been looking at this and we're going to continue to, because it's the central theme idea, reality. It's the way of life that Jesus taught and demonstrated for three and a half years while he was here on the mission, to literally bridge the gap so that we could have relationship with God and with each other eternally. Right. This is not all there is. Some people might think it is. You can think a lot of things Doesn't make them real. No, you know, just because a cat has kittens in an oven doesn't make them biscuits. Just because you think something doesn't make it real. It's real when it's real. So the kingdom of God in our midst Jesus continually taught it and is continually teaching it because it's eternal. It's the kingdom that's going to continue to grow and it's the one that's going to literally cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. His kingdom, his glory, is going to cover this planet. There's going to come a time where that literally takes place and there's going to come a time where there's going to be literally a new planet and a new heavens and they're going to coexist eternally. That's the fullness.

Speaker 1: 11:57

So in the previous episode we were looking at Gospels, because the Gospels contain, in my studies, the best description and demonstration of God's kingdom that there is written and complimented by the epistles and the Old Testament itself. But the Gospels wow, man, I'm telling you the life of Jesus. If you haven't, and if you're not studying, reading, meditating on doing your best to just immerse yourself in the Gospels. I highly recommend it. I've been doing it for years and I'm going to continue to do it because they are alive. The Word of God, the written Word of God, is alive, very relevant and it's like a diamond. There's so many different facets to it, so many different ways to see it. It's one word but there's different angles and it looks just amazing. It's God.

Speaker 1: 13:16

And so in Luke, chapter 22, starting at verse 14, and I'm reading in this particular episode, I'm reading out of the New King James translation. I like it, I have several that I use and I'm going to have several more because I love seeing different ways in which etymologies. I really enjoy it, study words. I love different languages and original meanings and just root meanings and how it applies, because a little key can open up a big door. One word, one word, one word understood correctly can open up this vast amount of understanding and revelation and application. In Luke 22, beginning of verse 14, jesus is instituting a covenant meal, and we've looked at covenant and we're going to continue to look at covenant further, but right now it's just enough to say that he is, in this particular portion of scripture, instituting the new covenant and a couple things we're going to highlight. So let's look at it together Luke, chapter 14. Excuse me, luke, chapter 22. It was 14 through 23.

Speaker 1: 15:10

When the hour had come, and right there, just stop. Right there, just stop, right. Again, when the hour had come, that hour wasn't two hours before, it wasn't two hours later, it was then, just like, right now is now. You're hearing this right now, because really you're supposed to be hearing it right now. There's something that's going to happen as a result of hearing this right now, because really you're supposed to be hearing it right now. There's something that's going to happen as a result of hearing this right now. Right, there's three to four million podcasts. This one, right, a Drop in the Ocean, but it's one of God's drops, so I like to think of it that way, and so there's a little bit of a divine mix going on here. It that way, and so there's a little bit of a divine mix going on here. And we're very, very, very well aware of the fact that there's three to four million other podcast options, but you're listening to this one, so hold on.

Speaker 1: 16:17

When the hour had come, he sat down and the 12 apostles with him. Now, the hour had come. So there comes a time where things happen, and right now we're living in a time where things are happening, man, spiritually, there are transitions taking place across the nations right now Major shifts, major changes spiritually, physically, yes, sociologically, but there are major shifts going on. Spiritually, there's a definite change taking place and God is revealing himself in a more pronounced way than ever before, at least in my lifetime. And anyone I've talked with and I share with quite a few people from a variety of different backgrounds, they're saying the same thing. We are living in some amazing times.

Speaker 1: 17:20

I'm talking about conservative people, scholars, that typically wouldn't talk like this or saying hold on, we're in for a, this is big. So in this instance, the hour had come, big and he sat down and and the 12 apostles were with him. Now, they were with him. Wouldn't it be just a terrible thing if one of them would have said you know, I don't think I can make it for this one tonight, just don't think I can do it. You know, I got something going on and sometimes we treat Jesus like that, like, ah, it's no big deal, you'll understand, He'll get it. The hour had come. Now there's most definitely someone's going to hear this and say, ah, you're trying to guilt me into it. Not even close.

Speaker 1: 18:30

Love is the motivating factor in the kingdom Force, factor power. But being prodded, yeah, it's good to get prodded every once in a while. We all need it. What are you doing with your time? What are you doing? Are you in a place where you are praying without ceasing Because you can? You can do two things at the same time. My dad said before he can nail while he's roofing and pray at the same time and he does a better job nailing. Where are you? Are you in a place where you are positioning yourself to be there when things really are happening, or are you busy off doing stuff? My life has radically changed. I'm focused in on Jesus all the way, his kingdom, all the time.

Speaker 1: 19:37

And so these 12 apostles were as well. And so he said to them it's amazing, with fervent desire, I desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer Now. He'd eaten Passover meals with them before, but this one, he said now, I've eagerly desired fervently, fervently, with fervent desire, before he suffered. What there's a love going on here that is so far beyond convenience or things in it for me, where there's a love that's motivating him and he wants to, because he knows that the outcome is going to be suffering. But he was striking a covenant with him, the new covenant, the covenant in his body and his blood. His body and his blood, literal were going to be given as a covenant meal, an offering, so that we could have not just redemption but we can have eternal life and relationship with him. With fervent desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I say to you I will no longer eat of it until it's fulfilled in the kingdom of God, meaning when he comes back he's going to go. He's gone now, he's coming back. Then he took the cup.

Speaker 1: 21:27

You see, in the Passover meal there were four cups that were given. There were five actually. One was called the cup of Elijah, the cup of suffering, and that's the one where he told his disciples he's not going to be able to drink the cup that I'm drinking. They said no, we'll drink it. He goes because that was the cup that he drank on the cross. Elijah's cup was a cup of suffering, a cup of sorrow, a cup of wrath, and he said you will, but I'm going to do it first, that was Elijah's cup, but there were four cups during the meal that they drank from. One was the cup of sanctification, meaning I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, right, because that's what it's all about. Egypt, meaning sin and being brought out from the bondage of sin, but literally that was a deliverance that took place for Israel the cup of deliverance. I will rescue you from their bondage, I will rescue you, I will deliver you. God will deliver us A cup. Jesus took that cup, right. He said I say to you, I will no longer drink until it's fulfilled. Take this cup and divide it among yourselves, for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. He's talking about the last cup, but there are four cups, and so they pass these cups around, right, and they're all symbolic.

Speaker 1: 23:06

Many of us have done like communion you get that little cup and a little bit of a hard piece of cracker and sometimes we kind of go through it pretty mechanically. Of course, not all of us. Some of you are very, very passionate about it, very, very. You get it, you get the depth of what's going on, but it can become tradition. Dead, empty. Not meant to be. This was not.

Speaker 1: 23:42

And he then took bread. He took the bread, gave thanks and said take this and divide it among yourselves, for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of this wine until oh, excuse me, that was the cup, I'm sorry, I was on verse 17. Again, he took bread, gave thanks, verse 19. He took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them, saying this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. If they had done that meal, if you were Jewish, you did that meal once a year and never did they ever really really realize that that was the blood and the body of Jesus Covenant.

Speaker 1: 24:43

It was going to take that to deliver us from the internal bondage of a life separate from God. And once again, we didn't go. I think I did not go looking for God. He came looking for me. He determined within himself that he was going to save me and through my own resistance and rebellion, he got me, has saved me, and I have taken that bread and I've seen it as his body and consumed it because I want to have him in me. I get it. There's life, his life, and he's laying it all down. He said I'm laying it all down, my body, which is given to you to do this in remembrance of me, my body, which is given to you to do this in remembrance of me.

Speaker 1: 25:51

Likewise, he also took the cup after supper, saying this is the new covenant in my blood. That cup that he gave, that was the cup of redemption. That was the cup of redemption, meaning his blood. He's going to redeem us. His blood was going to redeem us. That was the third cup His blood, his blood. When we take his blood, his blood, when we take his supper, we're actually saying I'm in covenant with you. I want everything of you in me. Life is in the blood. I want your life in me. Life is in the blood. I want your life in me. It keeps us focused in on Jesus.

Speaker 1: 26:58

Now we know that we're not consuming things like barbarians, but what we're doing is the most intimate thing that can be done and that is saying I receive your sacrifice, I receive you, I accept what you've done for me. I accept it, I ingest it, I take it all in, I want everything. But then he said the hand of his betrayer, my betrayer, is with me on the table and through the son of man goes, as it has been sermons, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed. They began to question among themselves which of them it was who would do this thing. Right, of course, and it was Judas. And the whole progression continues to the point where the literal body of Jesus is nailed on the cross and his blood is literally shed, drained of it. That's him saying will you marry me? I can't give you more than my life, but I want you to be mine here, here is me, all of me.

Speaker 1: 29:20

But there's one more cup. It's the cup of praise or the cup of consummation. That was the fourth cup. And it's the cup of praise or the cup of consummation. It was the fourth cup and he said I'm not going to drink that. I'm not going to drink that until I drink that in the kingdom, in the fullness of it, meaning the marriage separate of the Lamb, when it comes time to consummate our relationship, spiritual consummate, when it comes time for the fullness of who he has created us to be in us, in him, us in us and him, us and him, him and us, and us and him One.

Speaker 1: 30:19

There is a divine romance concerning the kingdom of God that is so potent and powerful, the more that we focus in on it and allow him to show us the purity of it, to remove from us the impressions that we can get that are limited to our own human experiences when it comes to things of an intimate nature, and realize that there's things beyond that that God is saying that's how one I want to be with you, relationally connected, divine, consumed consummation, and it's called the cup of praise. It's a celebration, it's a complete deliverance from all bondage. Never to be like that, ever, not even a hint of it Again, eternally. Right now we face it all the time, we're confronted with it all the time we don't even know what it's like not to live with that kind of stuff around us, let alone when it's completely removed. Completely removed. What's that feel like? Oh, come on, man, I get taste of it.

Speaker 1: 32:01

But I'm in a position right now where I'm daily, hourly, moment by moment in communion with God, because I want to be there in that hour when things happen. I want to have my hands raised and receive his glory when he manifests it in a stronger way. So I'm already in a position to receive it. I encourage you to be in that same place, consumed with him, being ready for that hour, when it fully unfolds, because it's going to happen. The hour is going to come in which the things we talked about, that you talked about, that you heard about, actually are happening. Get ready, get ready, all right, come on now let's pray.

Speaker 1: 32:59

Father, I thank you, I thank you, I thank you, I thank you, thank you that you take my literally, my open, my literally, my open, humble attempt at expressing divine things and you can use that. You can use that. Sometimes it just seems almost foolish, but you use it. Someone's heart just got touched, man. Lord, thank you, man, whoever you are, god bless you. Receive it, receive it, receive it, receive the blessings of the Lord. Let him come upon you, rise up within you, make his face shine upon you and give you peace. All right, amen, amen, amen, amen. I'm telling you, folks, I love you. I really do Feels good to say that and mean it and know what I'm saying. I love you. If you have any thoughts, questions, concerns, please feel free to drop us a line at lifearoundthefire at gmailcom. That's lifearoundthefire, all lowercase, all one word. Lifearoundthefire at gmailcom. Or type in lifearoundthefire and look us up on the web. We would love to hear from you In the meantime. God bless you. Adios amigos.