The Kingdom of God was the central theme of Jesus’ ministry. Our world today is filled with thousands of forms of organized Christianity that teach about Jesus—but often don’t teach the message that Jesus shared with His believers. Jesus Christ’s original message of the future Kingdom of God (found in over 100 places in the New Testament) is largely unrecognized by Christianity today—even though this message holds the very key to human survival.

Not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord,” will enter into His Kingdom (Matthew:7:21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.). Jesus told of the key signs about His return and how to prepare for His Kingdom! If you are a regular reader of United Church of God literature you have likely already read of the prophesied troubling times ahead for our nation and the rest of this world. But, as you have also read, there is good news of a Kingdom yet to come!

In our local area we were very blessed this past fall to have an excellent response for our first Kingdom of God Bible Seminar which focused on how God defines His kingdom and why it is so imperitive that His kingdom come to this earth as Jesus promised.

Again, our local congregation is looking forward to hosting yet another seminar this coming February 11th, so that we can expand on Mark:1:14-15[14]Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,[15]And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel., where Jesus Christ is reported to start proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom of God, saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand."

Just what did He mean when saying the time is fulfilled? How important is time to God? How does He utilize it in fulfilling His plans? If the kingdom is "at hand", just what does that mean? Was it about to enter the realm of mankind then or maybe come at a later time? Does the Bible offer us clues and even answers?

To the astute observer of world conditions, life and events may appear to have become quite complicated and troubled in our times. With a view on history, though, we must admit that the experience of mankind has proved such complications and troubles to be ever present. For even by the time of the kings of Israel found in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, King Solomon noted that "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes:1:9The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.).

Nevertheless, with advancements in technology, including the ability to express ideas, philosophies, and even attitudes so conveniently via modern communication, our personal knowledge can be greatly increased on a worldwide scale concerning the present condition of mankind compared to that which was available in the generations that have preceded us.