Why the World Needs God’s Kingdom Now

Well, it's no secret. Our world is in a terrible state of affairs in many, many ways. In some respects it's definitely a good place to be. I enjoy living. I enjoy being here. I'm grateful for all of God's blessings, and He has certainly poured out rich blessings on our country and upon many countries around the world, certainly. Many good things to be thankful for and to look forward to.

But on the other hand, it is a terrible state of affairs for so many people on earth. There are so many people suffering. We really need the return of Jesus Christ. Now, it's a predicament here on earth of our own making, with no small help from Satan the Devil. Satan certainly has had his hand in what we see around us today. As the fulfillment of the Bible's end-time prophecies reached their focal point in the months and years ahead, it is clear that time is just about up for this present evil age.

In Matthew chapter 24, it says, "...and unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved." Now, that's a true statement. Unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved. God is going to have to intervene and shorten the days, lest we annihilate ourselves from this earth. No flesh would be saved alive. As Jesus Christ raised it in Mark chapter 21, verse 15, "...the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand." What did he mean, the time is fulfilled?

Certainly, he offered a marvelous solution when he went on to say, the kingdom of God is at hand. God is going to intervene. Indeed, this old world needs God's kingdom, and it needs God's kingdom now, the sooner, the better. Also, each of us, you and I, need Jesus Christ and God's kingdom in our lives now as well.

But allow me to pose some important questions. Let's consider some very, very important questions. First of all, what's ahead for America? What's ahead for America and for all nations? A second question, why can't we solve our problems? Why can't mankind solve its problems? Why can't we bring peace to the world? Lasting peace. Also, let's ask ourselves, how will Jesus Christ intervene? What is Jesus Christ going to do to prevent humanity from wiping itself off the face of the earth?

Let's ask ourselves again, what's ahead when Christ rules the world? What can we look forward to under the rule and reign of Jesus Christ? And furthermore, a very important question, how can you personally be involved? What does God expect of you? What does God have in store for you? What does God want for you? God loves us all.

He loves us. He's called us here today. We're here for a reason. I believe that firmly. You're here for a reason today. God has called you here. You responded. You're hearing the words of life. So we need to consider these questions. We need to personally connect with the kingdom of God through its King and our Messiah, Jesus Christ. As we participate in the second half of our Kingdom of God seminar today, let's cover issues that provide answers to these and other important questions.

All of these questions involve an understanding of what Jesus meant when He said the time is fulfilled. We need to understand what Christ meant. What did He mean by this critical statement? In essence, He meant that the end of man's ways of doing things is coming soon. That's what He meant. The end of man's way of doing things is coming soon.

He also meant the time is fulfilled for ushering in the return of Jesus Christ. That day is drawing ever closer. The return of Jesus Christ. We need not be taken as a thief in the night. Scripture uses that terminology, but we need not be taken in that way. We don't have to be surprised, because the truth is revealed in the Bible. We just need to believe it and act accordingly. So let's take a look at several points that show us the time is fulfilled for the Kingdom of God to bring peace to this world.

A peace that we should all long for and that we should all just hunger for. We should pray, thy Kingdom come, and we should mean it. So let's take a look at several points that show us why the world and you and I need God's Kingdom now. Again, what's ahead for America? What's ahead for all nations? Also, what was specifically prophesied in the Bible regarding the United States, where we live? Our country's founding colonists, our founding fathers, termed America as New Israel. They referred to America as the New Promised Land. They called it a city on a hill. You've heard these phrases.

In America, a system of law is based on the Bible and biblical values. We cannot deny that in this country. We were founded on biblical principles. In fact, these values are summarized by the Ten Commandments and even to this day are prominently displayed, thankfully, on many United States government buildings. I know some people are trying to do away with all that, but thankfully, they have not prevailed. For the last century, the United States has functioned as the foremost world power holding at bay the forces of tyranny, such as Nazism, fascism, Marxism, and religious extremism. Indeed, for many decades now, America has been a bastion of freedom and opportunity for the entire world. We have been a great blessing to this world. We've been a great superpower. But are we losing our power?

Even though it has many faults, America nevertheless has been, as Abraham Lincoln said, man's last best hope. Although America may have been man's best hope, it will be shown not to be God's best hope. Thankfully, God has much more in store. The best that America is or has ever been will be shown to be dust on the scales compared to what is coming when Jesus Christ rules in the Kingdom of God on this earth. But why is America a particular note at this time in history? Why are we so prominent at this time in history and have been for quite a few years now? The answer lies in what we're going to talk about now. At every critical historical juncture, God has identified key nations in the Bible. For example, Egypt and Israel at the Exodus in 1400 BC, very prominent. Also Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, the House of Israel, the Lost Ten Tribes, and the House of Judah. The House of Israel became lost because they were not keeping God's holy Sabbath day. The Sabbath was an identifying sign. The House of Judah continued to keep the Sabbath. That's why they have an identity today. Of course, the House of Judah are ancestors of the Jewish people, the Israelis and other Jews scattered around the world. So these countries were revealed when God punished all the Israelites with conquest and captivity in the 700s to 500s BC. The House of Israel was taken captive into Assyria because of their sins. The House of Judah followed sometime later around the 500 BCs in Babylon. So in the Scriptures, God identifies the Roman Empire, the Parthian Empire, the Medes and the Persians, the Grishan Empire, Judea, Egypt, and other countries at the time of Christ and the Apostles in the first century AD. Today, America is one of the key nations that is prophetically identified in the Bible. Let's briefly review some vital biblical background. First of all, the Bible contains a history of the descendants of basically one man, the man Abraham, as the PowerPoint shows, Abraham. To Abraham, God said, I will make you a great nation. I will bless you. He told Abraham that he would make him a company of nations, and also a great nation would come from Abraham. Now, we know that Abraham had two sons. Ishmael was the father of the tribes that became the modern Arab nations, and Isaac, the father of Esau, the father of Jacob. Now, speaking of Jacob, also known as Israel, he had twelve sons, the twelve tribes of Israel. And Jacob had a very important son named Joseph. Joseph became prominent. He became very prominent in Egypt when he rose to power there, just a second under Pharaoh because of God's direction and God's guidance. God had a job for Joseph to do, and Joseph did it. Joseph also had two sons. He had Ephraim and Manasseh. And he had another son named Judah. It's important to realize that Ephraim became the ancestor of the British nations, the British Commonwealth, Great Britain. It became tremendously powerful. And also, along with it, Manasseh became the ancestor of the United States. Now, this is what we happen to believe. You can test it for yourselves. We have a booklet, The United States and Britain in Biblical Prophecy or Bible Prophecy. If you haven't read this book, then I would strongly recommend you take some time to read it. We have a few copies out here. If we run out, you can always write for our booklet. We'll send everything free of charge. But this is The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy. Now, from Ephraim and Manasseh, again, Britain and the United States stemmed.

And from Judah, the house of Judah became the Israelis or the Jews. And then, from that line, the Lion of Judah, Jesus the Christ. Now, the house of Judah did not lose its identity because they continued to keep the sign of the Sabbath day. Now, they may not keep it exactly the way God would have them to, but, you know, God is quite merciful and they've kept an identity because of this. Christ was Jewish. So, it's important to understand this background because there's also a principle. God said, I will make you a great nation. I will bless you, Abraham. But to whom much is given from Him, much will be required. This is a principle given in Luke 12, verse 48. And to whom much has been committed of Him, they will ask the more. Israel was a chosen nation. They were to be a light to the world. They were to show the world God's ways. But, unfortunately, they sinned against God and they reaped the whirlwind as a result. In Leviticus 26, verse 18 and 19, I will make you a great nation. I will bless you. But if you do not obey me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will break the pride of your power.

Now, certainly this is true in a dual sense because the house of Israel and the house of Judah lost their power. For small nations, they rose to great prominence on the earth. But they lost their power because they did not look to God as their king. They rejected God as their king.

That was the problem. They would not give God glory. They would not look to Jesus Christ as the king of kings who was guiding them in the wilderness and guiding them throughout history.

They rejected God. And so he allowed them to be taken into captivity. And he punished them.

And he broke the pride of their power. Now, we believe that that is also going to happen to the modern nations of Israel. Of Israel and Judah in the days ahead, our power is going to be broken.

We've enjoyed tremendous power because of the blessings of Abraham.

We give God credit for these blessings in this country. We love this country. I love this country.

But at the same time, we have turned against God as a nation. We are not following God.

In Jeremiah 30. And I'm going to read verses 4, 5, and 6 before we get to verse 7 here.

Verse 4 says, Now these are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah.

For thus says the Eternal, We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.

Ask how and see whether a man is ever in labor with a child. So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman with labor? A man's suffering is what it's talking about. And all faces turn pale, Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it. That's what it says here in Jeremiah 30, verse 7. That day is great so that none is like it, and it is the time of Jacob's trouble. The time of Israel's trouble. Trouble is coming upon this earth, as we've never seen before. And trouble seems to love company, because all earth's nations today face extreme, unprecedented, but prophesied difficulties, because frankly, the whole world has turned against God. The Scripture says that Satan the devil is the God of this world. We need to understand what that means. Let's ask ourselves another question. Why can't man solve his own problems and bring world peace? Surely we've tried. We have a league of nations that was supposed to help prevent war. Well, we've had war since then, haven't we? We've had world war since then.

Why can't Mayan solve his problems? Frankly, in man's world, warfare is chronic, and it is pervasive. It is everywhere. There always seems to be a greater war on the horizon, or potential for a greater war. We have weapons of mass destruction now.

We can literally wipe everyone off the face of the earth. If things go bad, things could happen very quickly with the nations and the people that are at the helm of those nations today. We shouldn't take this for granted. I think we take too many things for granted. Things have been too good for us. We're too soft. We've got it so good, in this country, that we're soft. We're asleep. We do need to wake up. The fact is plain that humankind simply does not know the way of peace. We don't know the way of peace is not in us. So let's go to Isaiah chapter 59. Let's read together verse 7. Their feet run to evil. Talking about mankind. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity and sin. The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways. They have made themselves crooked paths. Whoever takes that way shall not know peace. Isaiah knew what he was talking about. They will not know peace. He went on to say in verse 9, Therefore justice is far from us, nor does righteousness overtake us. We look for light, but there is darkness, for brightness, but we walk in blackness. We walk in blackness today.

Mankind has a sinful nature, one that prevents any humanly designed utopian society from being properly constructed and maintained. Didn't Adolf Hitler want to have utopia? He was a man-man.

Mankind, again, has a very sinful nature. Why has mankind's efforts to devise and build peaceful societies always resulted in failure? It's because of one simple yet momentous problem. The obstinate, the selfish, and the proud human heart. We may not want to own up to that, but that's what the Scripture tells us. It tells us about our hearts. Our hearts need to change.

It's a constant struggle. It's a constant battle. I've been in God's Church a long time. I'm continuing to fight the battle. Satan is powerful. He tries to influence us. He tries to persuade us to go his way. In Jeremiah 17, and I'm sure many of you are familiar with these verses, Jeremiah says, "...the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart. I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. We reap what we sow, and the world has been reaping what has been sown for 6,000 years, nearly 6,000 years. God is testing us. He's testing our minds, and he's testing our hearts. How well are you holding up to the test?

That's a question we constantly need to ask ourselves.

Now, besides our human nature, there is another great problem that afflicts mankind.

It is Satan, the devil, who continually and constantly foments trouble in human life. Satan is alive. Satan is the great hateful deceiver. He is our adversary. He is our enemy.

He is the co-perpetrator in the sins of all of mankind. In Revelation 12, verse 9, we read, So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world. Satan deceives the whole world.

It's just a little flock that are not deceived.

A small flock, the rest, have been deceived. This whole world is deceived.

He was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

And going on to Ephesians 2, it refers to Satan as the prince of the power of the air.

He says, You once walked, speaking to the disciples of Christ, you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. God wants all of us to repent of our sins.

He wants us to become obedient children, faithful children, loyal children.

God is looking to you to make changes in your life. He wants me to change my life.

It's a never-ending struggle. We have to continually strive to put sin out and to put Jesus Christ in. Christ is the unleavened bread that comes down from heaven, and Christ can live in us and change us. We can be overcomers through the power of the Spirit of God dwelling in us.

We don't have to be sons of disobedience. We must fight and strive against sin.

So what is the answer to the monumental problem of our age?

Precipitated by our human nature and stirred to the boiling point by the devil.

This brings us to the next item that we need to talk about. Let's talk about the real solution.

The real solution is that the world absolutely needs God's kingdom now. There is no other solution. Only one. We need the return of Jesus Christ. Only then will we see world peace, and it's going to get difficult prior to that time.

So what tremendous event is going to occur to initiate the establishing of God's kingdom on earth. We've mentioned it a number of times. It is the second coming of Jesus Christ. We await the return of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 24, verse 29, we read, Soon after the trouble of those days, the sun will grow dark, the moon will no longer shine, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers in space will be driven from their courses.

Going on, in verse 30, then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the peoples of earth will weep as they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Christ is coming back, and all people will see him return.

The great trumpet will sound, and he will send out his angels to the four corners of the earth, and they will gather his chosen people from one end of the world to the other.

God is going to bring his elect, his chosen, his firstfruits. He's going to bring us together just right before his return, and at his return.

Jesus Christ will literally return to the earth at the sound of the seventh prophetic trumpet, which is described in the biblical book of Revelation.

The elect, also known as those who are Christ at his coming, are gathered to him when he comes to earth. The resurrection of the dead will take place at that marvelous time. At the return of Christ, there will be a resurrection of the dead. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 describes this resurrection. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. It's clear the kingdom of God is not here yet. In the fullest sense, it's not here. We're still flesh and blood. We haven't entered the kingdom of God. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. That day is coming, a wonderful resurrection to life. Those who have died in Christ will rise to meet Christ in the air.

Those who are alive in Christ, they will be changed in the moment. In the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet, they will be changed to spirit, and they will rule and reign with Jesus Christ. This is what your Bible teaches.

Don't let anyone deceive you about what the Bible teaches.

We just read the term, sleep. You've heard the term to sleep in Jesus, which in biblical parlance refers to being physically dead. But when the resurrection occurs, God awakens a person to live again. People aren't in heaven now. They're awaiting a resurrection. They're sleeping.

They're awaiting a resurrection to life. So when the resurrection occurs, God awakens a person to live again. God can do this. So the resurrection of the dead of the elect, still physically living at that time, takes place at the sound of the seventh trumpet at Christ's return. Now, it is critical to realize that a person must be changed to spirit in order to enter or inherit the Kingdom of God. Remember, flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. The resurrected saints, now changed to spirit composition, will rise to meet Christ in the air. That's what your Bible teaches. 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 13. But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, those who have died, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus, those who have died in Jesus, who are believers. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. Those who are asleep will rise first. Now, it will be basically simultaneous, but quickly on the heels of this resurrection of those who are in the graves, those who are alive will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.

We shall live for eternity, as we mentioned earlier. We will live forever, and we will rule and reign with Christ. If we are in the first resurrection, we will rule and reign with Jesus Christ. So again, to sleep in Jesus is to wait in the grave until he returns to earth to resurrect his elect. Note again the reference to the sounding of the seventh trumpet of God, which describes the resurrection from the dead. The faithful saints will rise into the clouds to meet Christ, and then they will return to earth. As is mentioned in this next passage, Jesus will stand on the earth. He will stand on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Christ is coming back, and he's coming to the Mount of Olives. We see this in Zechariah 14, verse 1.

Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, for I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem. Then the Lord will go forth and will fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. And in that day, his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. Christ is coming back, and he's coming to the Mount of Olives. So those in the first resurrection will rise to meet Christ in the air. They will come to the earth with him as he returns and puts his feet upon the Mount of Olives. So Christ will go to the Mount of Olives at Jerusalem, and there he will fight a great final battle with the human armies that are arrayed against him.

The great battle of Armageddon will take place. Christ proclaims victory over man's forces of evil and claims the nations as part of the Kingdom of God. Now we see this very clearly in Revelation chapter 11 verse 15. Then the seventh angel sounded, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. Christ is going to reign forever and ever for eternity. This is what your Bible teaches. In this next passage, we read of the Apostle John's vision about Christ coming as King of Kings to govern on the earth.

So let's go to Revelation chapter 11. I'm sorry, it's Revelation 19 verse 11. Revelation 19 verse 11. Now I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse. This is John speaking. He's envisioned during the time of the day of the Lord, just prior to Christ's return.

Now I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse, and he who sat on him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. And the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him on white horses. Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that with it, he should strike the nations. And he himself will rule them with a rod of iron. Christ is going to rule on the earth with a rod of iron. He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God, because God is angry because mankind has turned against God.

For all these centuries, for these millennia, they have rejected God as their king, and they have sinned against God, blatantly sinned against God, and have not repented of their sins.

So God is going to shake this earth mightily in the days ahead.

He's going to pour his wrath out upon the world. But thankfully, God is a God of love.

And we always have to keep that in mind, that God is a God of love. Now he is a God of punishment as well, just as you who love your children punish your children for their own good.

God will do the same. It's for our own good.

We will continue on in Revelation 19, verse 16. And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Christ is the king of the kingdom.

So Christ will return as a conquering king to rule the nations. After resurrecting his saints, Christ will strongly discipline the remaining human powers that oppose him and his governing authority. God is not going to put up with any nonsense at this time. God is going to bring into subjection all nations and all people. All people will bow before the Almighty God.

That has not been happening. That is going to happen.

So what astounding event occurs next in the process of establishing God's kingdom?

Next, we see that Jesus Christ has Satan bound. Revelation 20, verse 1, I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and he bound him for a thousand years. And he cast him into the bottomless pit, and he shut him up and he set a seal on him so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. He's going to take care of Satan the devil at that time.

So again, we look forward to that happening because Satan has plagued this world. In verse 4, John continues to write down, I saw thrones on which were seated, those who had been given authority to judge. They came to life and they reigned with Christ a thousand years.

The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. So we see another resurrection, a second resurrection here. The rest of the dead, those who did not know and understand the truth of God's way of life and that God is truly a God of love and that God loves them, they're going to come to that understanding and that knowledge.

So the first resurrection is referring to the return of Christ. That's when the first resurrection will take place, at the return of Christ. And those who are changed and those who are resurrected at that time will come to life, to eternal life, and they will rule and reign with Christ for the thousand-year millennial rule of Christ. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. They will be priests of God and of Christ and they will reign with Him for a thousand years. This is what your Bible teaches that, frankly, it hasn't been taught at all with power around the world. It needs to be taught with power. These seminars are going on around the world. Now, we have just a little power today, but there are well over 160 seminars going on in the United States and around the world today preaching the very message that I'm bringing to you today, the message of the Kingdom of God. So Satan is going to be incarcerated at Christ's return. He will no longer be able to deceive the nations for a thousand years. This deceitful, sinful, hateful fallen angel will have no impact on mankind for that entire period, for a thousand years. Just imagine the monumental societal and cultural changes that will occur on earth during the reign of Christ for a thousand years with Satan bound and no longer able to influence mankind. So it's wonderful to be in the first resurrection, to be there to rule and reign with Christ. The faithful elect of God will rule with Christ. Reigning with Christ means that there will still be people to rule over as they repopulate the earth. The earth is going to be devastated before the return of Christ. Billions of people are going to die according to the Bible. That's what the Bible teaches us. Billions of people are going to die before Christ returns. And at the return of Christ, so the earth will be repopulated. Millions will live over into God's Kingdom, the millennial reign of Christ. There will be human beings living for a thousand years on the earth, repopulating the earth. Now, we're going to cover a lot more about this important topic in the next seminar, coming up in a few months, probably in January. So be looking out for our next seminar in January. So what we have covered so far is the launch of the Kingdom of God on earth for the first 1,000 years on the way to forever. Now, let's take a look at the wonderful time of peace, prosperity, and goodwill that will transpire when God's government rules on the earth.

Let's ask ourselves, what about world peace? Thankfully, the Kingdom of God will bring real peace, world peace, to the earth. First must come peace with God through Jesus Christ.

People must be at one with Him and learn to be obedient to Him. That's something we, frankly, haven't seen in the world of people obedient to Christ. In Ephesians 1, verse 7, here it says, He is so rich in kindness, speaking of Christ, or speaking actually of the Father, He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son, and He forgave our sins. He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. Again, this is from the New Living Translation. And then in verse 9, God has now revealed to us His mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill His own good pleasure, God's good pleasure. And this is the plan.

At the right time, He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ, everything in heaven and everything on earth. Christ will rule supreme.

Christ will bring peace to this world.

The elect, those God is calling now, seek peace with God and with their fellow men. We are seeking peace now as the ambassadors of Christ. We want peace. We want unity.

We want to be close to Jesus Christ, and we want to reflect His character in the way we treat each other. The mystery of His will reveals to us that humanity does not yet know God's plan. We also once again consider the phrase, the fullness of the times.

What this means is that this present age must come to an end. And then the new age of the millennial rule of Christ, the Wonderful World Tomorrow, begins. Also, we read the phrase, things which are in heaven, which describe God and His angels. When heaven and earth are simultaneously ruled by Christ, then mankind can be at peace with God the very first time.

This is something our upset, topsy-turvy world has never known. Now, let's look at the millennial picture of peace that is described in the Bible. Just imagine a time when the very nature of animals is changed, when vicious animals no longer hunt and kill and eat each other. That wonderful, stunning time is coming, and the Scriptures make it clear. We see this in Isaiah 11, verse 6.

And notice the picture. The lion, the lamb, the little child. In that day, the wolf and the lamb will live together. The leopard will lie down with the baby goat, the calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. What a time to look forward to!

Again, I want to be there during the reign of Christ on this earth for that thousand years. And I know that now is my time to make changes in my life. I've been in the church a long time, close to 40 years now, and I'm continuing to make changes, continuing to grow and overcome.

I fall short, I'm human, I sin. But I know God loves me, I know He gives me the strength to grow and overcome. And He's allowed me to endure this long, and He will allow me to endure until the very end, if I just do my part and look to Him, and if I submit to His rule in my life.

So, a stunning time ahead of us when the very nature of animals will be changed.

So, the nature of animals will be changed. So, what about human nature? Will things change at all?

Surely, without Satan around for a thousand years, this change in the animals illustrates a vastly more important change, a change in the very nature of human beings.

The ancient prophet Ezekiel describes this epic coming event. Now, I don't have this particular verse in the PowerPoint presentation, but I'll read it to you. You can look in your Bibles if you'd like, of course. Ezekiel 11, verse 19, and verse 20.

Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit. It's talking about this time, the reign of Jesus Christ on the earth. I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and I will give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. Now, we know that God will be our God today if we will allow Him to be, but all people will come to know God in the future. And we'll talk more about that in other seminars. We'll have many, many more verses from the Bible, showing what the Bible teaches about these days that are coming, and the wonderful world tomorrow.

Warfare will become non-existent during the millennium. What a wonderful change that will make, just that one change. No war. The whole world will know and follow the true God of the Bible. The beauty of divine law will bring worldwide disarmament and genuine world peace.

Now, we see this... well, I left out a verse. Let's read it. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

And now we're going to go to Isaac... well, I've got one more verse. At that time, the new king from the family of Jesse will stand as a banner for all peoples. The nations will come together around him, and the place where he lives will be filled with glory. These are exciting, wonderful verses from your Bible. Now we go to Isaiah 2, verse 3, Many people shall come and say, Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways, and that we may walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. This is taken from the English Standard Version this time. Many peoples will say, Come up and let us go to the mountain of the Lord. Let us be taught the way of God. And he shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nations shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

Now let's look at one final point today. What about the personal inner peace that you and I can have right now? I can say for the past 40 years, God has given me tremendous personal inner peace. It's been a tremendous blessing to have that peace in my life. For 40 years, I was only 18 when God called me and opened my mind to his truth. It's made all the difference in the world in my life. I thank God greatly for his calling. I'm so grateful that God has opened my mind to his truth and given me this inner peace that you can all have. Our soon-coming King Jesus Christ desires that we change our minds, our hearts, and our lives today. He wants us to live the way of the coming kingdom right now. He wants you to be an example to the world. He wants you to be different.

What the Bible calls on all of us to do is to repent and to believe. In Mark 1.15, we go back there. The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel. Believe and act on it. Do something about it. Live it. Repent and believe in the Bible. We show our belief by doing something in our life, by making changes in our lives, by hanging in there and sticking with it over years and years and years. That's how we show our faithfulness. And it's not because we're so great, but it's because God is so great. And God will live in you if you allow him to. In John 14, verse 27, Christ says, peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

No, repent and believe in the gospel.

Don't be afraid. Have peace in your lives. All of us absolutely need inner peace in this troubled, upset world. How can that come about? By personally connecting to the kingdom of God right now. By making a choice and living for God now. In Colossians 1, verse 13, a very exciting verse, a couple of verses here, it says, God has freed us from the power of darkness, and he brought us into the kingdom of his dear son. God is calling people to him at this time. He's calling you to make changes in your life. The Son paid for our sins, and in him we have forgiveness. So we are to walk in newness of life. We are to walk in newness of life.

The kingdom of God is coming. Jesus Christ as King will rule the whole world in righteousness, in love, and in compassion. But he will, if we choose to let him, rule in our lives right now as our King. But you have to accept him as your King.

This age of man is coming to an end very soon. That's what this series is all about.

Mankind's time is just about up. It's just about up. The time of Jesus Christ returned to bring the new world of the kingdom of God on earth is coming. Surely God the Father and Jesus Christ want each of us to inherit a great part in that spiritual kingdom. They want us to partake of that new world. They desire all of us to come to them. They welcome us to the kingdom of God.

So thank you so much, all of you, for attending this kingdom of God seminar today.

Thank you for taking the effort. Thank you for responding to God's call in your life. Now be sure to watch for the announcement in the Good News magazine in the future beyond today's television about upcoming seminars. We're going to have other seminars.

In January, we'll have another seminar. It's going to occur in about four months.

You are also invited to our follow-up Bible studies on topics related to God's kingdom and his way of life. We have a monthly Bible study here in the Tulsa area.

If you'd like to come, just let us know. You're welcome. They're in-home Bible studies. We really enjoy the fellowship together. We have good food. We share with one another, and it's a wonderful opportunity to get together during the week for a Bible study.

Also, we have Sabbath services here every Sabbath. Every Saturday at 10 o'clock in the morning, this is where we meet. You're all welcome to come. The choice is yours. You can wait for four months. We will welcome you back then, but you're certainly welcome to come, each and every Sabbath as you see fit. If you have questions or would like to know more, please be sure to ask us. I'll be around here until about one o'clock. We look forward to seeing you at the next Kingdom of God seminar.

In even greater detail, we'll analyze Jesus' statement that the Kingdom of God is at hand.

Now, let's ask a closing prayer on our seminar series today. So please rise and bow your heads, and we'll ask God's closing of this seminar today.

Eternal God and Father in Heaven, we come before your throne of grace, your throne of mercy.

We come before your throne of salvation. We know, Father, that we are saved by your grace, for you are indeed a gracious and loving God. We thank you for the truth that you have revealed to us and that we can share with one another today. Help us not soon forget what we heard today. Help us instead to continually think about your coming Kingdom, to think about the sacrifice of your Son Jesus Christ for us, what it should mean to us, and how we should live for you. Help us dedicate ourselves more faithfully, Father, in the future.

Help us to make changes in our lives. Help us to be more pleasing to you. Help us to do those things that are right and good in your sight.

So again, Father, we thank you for your awesome Kingdom. We thank you for your love. We know that Jesus Christ is here to look after us, to protect us, to deliver us from evil.

We pray, Father, that you will certainly do that for everyone here.

And we pray, Father, that your Kingdom come. We long for that day because many people are suffering on this earth today around the world. We need the return of your Son soon. So, Father, help us to preach your gospel message with power to this world. As you see fit, we know that two witnesses will come and finish the job for us, but help us to do our part now. We give you thanks, Father. We ask all this. We ask your protection as we travel home. We ask your blessing and guidance on all the other Bible seminars such as in Oklahoma City that will take place this afternoon.

We just pray for your blessing there and around the world. We ask this all in Christ's holy name. Amen.