Here is the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven (they are the same) coming down from Heaven.

This is how God is working. Much of the work of perfecting His Kingdom is performed in the earth. But the product is being reserved in Heaven until the Kingdom, the Church, is perfect and complete in detail. Then the Kingdom will descend from Heaven and be located forever on the earth.

God is not leaving it up to people to finally come around to His way of doing things and thus establish the Kingdom on the earth. I think people are trying to do this today. They are seeking to bring righteousness into the United States by electing Christian officials.

I would not say one negative word about anyone who is trying to bring some righteousness into our nation. But I believe God is going about the problem another way.

God's way of bringing His Kingdom into being is to begin with the individual. He brings us to the cross of Christ and there we are nailed. Then God using numerous devices, some spiritual and some natural, begins to transform our inner nature. He destroys our love of the world. He destroys our love of the passions of sin. He destroys the biggest problem which is our self-love and self-will.

During this time He gives us (if we are presenting our body a living sacrifice) one or more gifts and ministries. These we are to exercise faithfully and consistently. The gifts and ministries of the Spirit build up Christ, the Kingdom, in our inward nature.

In the meanwhile we must, by the help of the Spirit of God, keep our physical body under control because it is dead as a result of the sin that dwells in it.

When we die our body is laid aside and our inner personality goes to be with the Lord. My personal opinion is that going to Heaven when we die will not be what we imagine. I think the degree to which Christ has been formed in us will make a considerable difference as to what we experience.

I believe also that many believers whom God deems worthy of His Kingdom will undergo much instruction after they die, perhaps some of it painful. I don't think Heaven will be the same for everyone. We will just have to wait and see.

The rewards will be handed out in the Day of Christ, not when we die and go to Heaven. The Bible is clear on this.

The point is, God's way is first to develop the inner kingdom, the kingdom that is in us. Then, when He comes, the kingdom that has been formed in us will be revealed for all to see.

This fact teaches us at least two things.

While we certainly should do what we can to make our nation righteous, as I am trying to do on the Internet, the important work is being done within our personality. This is true of me as well as you. The inner work is the eternal work.

The second fact the concept of the inner-outer kingdom teaches us is that in the Day of the Lord that which has been formed in us will be revealed. I think Christians are hoping against hope that while they may fool around now, in the Day of the Lord they will be mighty monarchs ruling from the heavenlies.

This is nonsense. The change you will experience in the Day of the Lord will be in your outer appearance as it is changed into what has been formed in your inner personality during your sojourn on the earth. Your outer form will match your inner form in that day.

In other words, you are fashioning your resurrection today. Isn't this the perfect justice of God? No one is getting away with anything.

Follow the Lord with all your might today. Then in the Day of the Lord you will shine as a star.

But if you fool around and waste time today, not serving the Lord as you should, this fact will be revealed to the whole universe in the Day of Christ.

Like Daniel says, some shall be raised to life and glory; others to shame and everlasting contempt.

What's it going to be for you?