In the first “beatitude” Jesus said that the “poor in spirit” are blessed because the “kingdom of heaven” belongs to them. What does that mean? Our entire culture of religion is based on the promise that if we pray the right prayer and that we will one day go to heaven, but Jesus doesn’t say that, He says that the poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Is there a difference? If there is am I missing something by just waiting for an eternal destination rather than living in a present tense awareness of this kingdom? In today’s message we will briefly see the kingdom of heaven as the presence, authority and activity of Jesus–where He is, there is His kingdom, where He is working, there is His kingdom, where He is giving full authority, there is His kingdom. If this is truly the definition of the kingdom of heaven then it is not a far off place or some time in the future, it is within me as Jesus said, in fact, I believe that we can begin to see that we are the kingdom of heaven here on earth, we are those that are praying for His kingdom to come and His will to be done and then we are the very ones that He is living and coming through. We have an opportunity to do far more than go to heaven, we have the opportunity to take ground for heaven, to advance the kingdom of God right here and right now. I pray that we will not only be looking for a kingdom, but that we will, today, be the kingdom of heaven here on earth.