THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS THE KINGSHIP OF CHRIST.

Seeking the kingdom of God means making Jesus the Lord and King of your life. He must control every area-your work, play, plans, relationships. Is the kingdom only one of your many concerns, or is it central to all you do? Are you holding back any areas of your life from God’s control? As Lord and Creator, he wants to help provide what you need as well as guide how you use what he provides.Although the kingdom of God does not appear on any map, it is a real place. It is a place where God's will is fully accomplished. It is perfect, and it is peaceful. Christ first brought his kingdom to light when he came to earth as a man. He healed the sick. He raised the dead. We will see and understand the kingdom in all its fullness when Christ comes again in glory. Jesus Christ will reign in an everlasting kingdom. He will destroy Satan and sin forever.The key to understanding the kingdom of God is to understand the original statements about it. The basic meaning of the Greek word basileia, along with the Hebrew malkut, is rule, reign, and dominion.When Jesus said, "My kingship is not of this world" (John 18:36, RSV), he did not mean to say that his rule has nothing to do with the world. Rather, his kingship-his dominion-does not come from man but from God. Therefore, he rejects the use of worldly fighting to gain his ends. Likewise, we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom with an eternal perspective. In contrast, many people enslave themselves to the pursuit of worldly ideals. We value what is eternal-the kingdom of God. Those who are outside the kingdom value what is fleeting: temporary existence on earth.