Present in Eternity

We are Eternity

We are divine

We are love

We are light

“Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” This is the first sermon of both John the Baptist and Jesus when their formal ministries begin. Jesus says, “repent, for the Kingdom is Heaven is near.” I want to share what this means today.

God has been doing some big things this year. It has been a year of transition, growth, discomfort, but also interest in the future for many of us. The Church often looks to the future in times of change. Many pray for the return of Jesus, and long for Heaven. I want to talk to you about this. There is no reason to leave. Do not be afraid. Believe in God for the future, and this trust will allow you to live in the present. Jesus says that the Kingdom of Heaven is within you in Luke 17:21, and says He is preparing a place for us in John 14:3. These passages point to an eternal life with God which begins now. This is the Gospel which Jesus speaks about constantly throughout his ministry. The Kingdom of Heaven is in you and it is being prepared for you. The question is, will you seek Heaven within you? God, who is everywhere, is in you. Will you be silent and still enough to find God in you?

Through the past 10 years I have gotten many testimonies of people who were mowing when they heard from God, or in the shower, or running, or gardening. God shows up in times of stillness of mind. There are no barriers between you and God which can block you from being with God. So when is the Kingdom, and where is the Kingdom? The Kingdom of Heaven is eternal. It is within. Our access to it is found in the present moment. This is why even as you read this, you can pause, listen to your surroundings, gaze around the room in full attention, and you will notice your thought patterns shift. When you are present in this place, in this moment, the future and the past automatically begin to fall away. This is why Jesus says, do not worry about tomorrow, for today has enough trouble of its own. It is why He often talked about the lilies and the birds. You were not created to toil for your future. The work that God has for you is that of Mary, who sits at Jesus’ feet. This is something that is done in your heart. You can live with God moving through your thoughts all day.

Currently you go about your day and think about all kinds of things. Do not think of them as good, or bad, but rather, distracting. Several times in the next 24 hours bring yourself to full attention in the present moment. As you soak up the second you are in, remember God is in you and with you. Take a few deep breathes continuing to be mindful of God in you. As you do this several times in a day you will find you have thought about God more today than perhaps any other day previously. If you go on doing this, your life will be shaped more and more by God thoughts and you will live in deeper levels of peace. Repent for the Kingdom is near, is not about feeling bad, but changing your mind, (literally your thoughts) and thinking differently about where God is and where the Kingdom is. The Kingdom is here. The Kingdom is now. The Kingdom is within. Let us enter into it through the present moment and live with God in His Kingdom today. Begin to explore the many rooms of the Kingdom that Jesus has prepared for you. I love you all. Hope you have a wonderful month.

God bless you,

Caleb Austin