In this final study we shall *meditate upon, ‘“For Your’s is the kingdom and the **power and the ***glory forever. Amen (Matthew 6:13).”’
Do we have possessions and power? And to what extent do we exercise authority? What is under our control? Do we have a kingdom? How about God? Does He have a kingdom? Well, it’s clear from the above extract taken from the Lord’s prayer, God does have a kingdom.
On the face of it, we seem to be talking about two kingdoms. Ours and God’s. But, if we are Christians, and we dwell in God’s kingdom, we are His subjects, and we are bound to His rule and authority over all aspects of our lives. We do not have our own kingdom. We may have possessions, and we may have authority over other people, but those possessions and authority are God-given (John 19:10, 11). Because He is our King, we are answerable to Him for the way in which we conduct our affairs (2 Corinthians 5:10).
In this respect King David was a good example, apart from his lust for Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 11). David acknowledged God had made him king of Israel. Everything he did was done under the supreme authority of the LORD. David endeavoured to rule his earthly kingdom in obedience to God.
In his prayer to the LORD (1 Chronicles 29:10-22) at the time of Solomon’s anointing, David acknowledged that ‘riches and honour ‘ came from God (v 12). He recognised that God was his Sovereign King, and he and Solomon, along with the people, were subjects of God’s Kingdom. All were to obey God’s commandments, testimonies and statutes (1 Chronicles 29:19, 20).
The unbeliever and the agnostic will see things differently. They may see what they believe to be many kingdoms and governments throughout the world.
Atheists believe their is no god or gods, and if there are no gods, they cannot rule kingdoms.
Some time ago when I was out delivering tracts I met an atheist on the doorstep to his house. Once he understood why I was there, he became hostile. He told me he was an atheist, and he had all he needed. Everything he owned: his home and all his possessions were obtained by his own efforts. Supremely confident in himself, he asked why would he need a god? Furthermore, all churchgoers he had come across were hypocrites! What was done in churches was mumble-jumble – complete nonsense.
This man clearly believed his home was his castle, and he was the supreme ruler of his kingdom. He believed he was totally self-sufficient, and come-what-may, he would manage as he had done in the past.
I had no opportunity for presenting the gospel to him.
You can imagine the prayer I said for him and his family.
I know the Lord is gracious (Exodus 34:6) and compassionate (Psalm 86:15), and perhaps He will respond favourably to my prayer.
Like all men, that man has only the time allotted to him (Hebrews 9:27) for a wise response (Proverbs 3:13) to the gospel. He should seek the Lord while He may be found (Jeremiah 29:13; Luke 11:10), confess his sins and repent. Then he will know the blessedness of the Lord (Romans 4:5-8) and become a citizen of God’s Kingdom. For him, God’s Kingdom will have come to him.
A Christian knows that God is his Sovereign King. He can truly pray, “For Your’s is the kingdom and the **power and the ***glory forever. Amen (Matthew 6:13).”
* Meditation
https://thebiblicalway.blog/2018/04/08/meditation/
** The Omniscience, Omnipotence and Omnipresence of God
https://thebiblicalway.blog/2018/04/14/the-omniscience-omnipotence-and-omnipresence-of-god/
*** The Glory of God
The Biblical Way 