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Be on your guard for the Kingdom of God is at Hand

Be on your guard for the Kingdom of God is at Hand. How to be ready. Baptism Confession Communion Daily personal review Abiding by the rules given to us, by reading the bible Building up our spiritual life (bible and agpia prayers). Does the Kingdom of Heaven physically exist?.

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Be on your guard for the Kingdom of God is at Hand

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  1. Be on your guard for the Kingdom of God is at Hand

  2. How to be ready • Baptism • Confession • Communion • Daily personal review • Abiding by the rules given to us, by reading the bible • Building up our spiritual life (bible and agpia prayers)

  3. Does the Kingdom of Heaven physically exist? • St. Paul talked about a third heaven (2 Cor 12:2-4) • The first heaven is the heaven of the birds i.e. the sky, • The second one is the space with all the planets, • The third heaven is Paradise, and then there is the heaven of heavens, which is the Kingdom of heaven. Our Church believes that the kingdom of Heaven is the place of God's throne beyond time and space. It is the eternal dwelling of God's angels, and all the saints. Though we as Christians live in this world, we belong to the Kingdom of heaven, and that Kingdom is our true home that we are all looking forward to go to on Judgment Day.  However, what heaven is like can't be conceived here on earth for St. Paul says "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Cor 2:9), there is no physical description of heaven that can qualify. St. John saw a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven in a revelation and described it in the Holy Book of Revelation.

  4. From The Beginning • St. John the Baptist came preparing the way before our Lord Jesus Christ saying “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 3:2) • Christ when he began teaching started by saying in Matt 4:17 “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand” • Then when Christ sent out the 12 disciples he said to them “And as you go, preach, saying “The kingdom of God is at hand”

  5. “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Sayings of the Fathers!!! • The message is to prepare yourselves by penance (confession) and by patience to receive the blessedness of the heavenly kingdom. The time for receiving a reward is at hand. You who fear to do evil and desire to do good, pay heed, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. • No harm is being done to just people. Their troubles are over, and their good fortune beginning. The recollection of past troubles not only does not harm them but gives even greater delight. Indeed, as long as troubles are present, they seem to be oppressive. When they are a thing of the past, the memory of them is a cause for delight

  6. Because??? • From the very beginning “God created man in his image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27) • We were created like to God.....to live with God • Our ‘AIM’ = Our Life here on earth will fade away and we will be restored with our Heavenly father once again

  7. THEREFORE!!!!

  8. What to do....How do we Be On Guard?? • Well the good news is we’ve done and are currently doing things that are preparing us for the Kingdom of God: • Baptism – “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3) • Repentance and Confession • Partaking of The Eucharist

  9. Restrictions that prevent us from Being Ready • Busy lifestyles • Internet – Facebook, msn, etc.... • Work • TV • Playstation • Pleasures of this world Can you think of a few more???? • Note: we are not saying “Don’t” do any of the above but we are saying “Don’t” do it on the expense of entering into Heaven • Solution = Compromise!!!!

  10. Practical Ways to “Be On Guard”

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