Alan W. Harris's Blog

Matthew 4:17 tells us, “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

That last phrase—“is at hand”—comes from a single Greek word, eggizó, which means to draw near. In Hebrews 7:19 and James 4:8, it carries the same weight: Come close. Step into fellowship. Enter into communion with God Himself.

This is stunning!
God isn’t merely gathering subjects—
He’s inviting people to be His family!

In Matthew 4:17, Jesus is announcing that the Father has set His plan in motion—calling men and women whose humbled, repentant hearts are ready to come close, to know Him deeply, and to trust His Son enough to let Him reign over their lives. And in that surrender, God promises something extraordinary: His protection, His guidance, and the very best life we could possibly live… a victorious life as His beloved children.

If people truly understood what happens when Jesus becomes their King, you couldn’t keep them away from His kingdom. God’s rule isn’t about domination or pressure. He doesn’t crush His people—He loves them.

His reign in us is shaped entirely by relentless, unstoppable love.

He knows we could never reach the glorious, soul-filling life He desires for us on our own. We aren’t strong enough, wise enough, or clear-sighted enough. To reach such a God-sized destiny. We need Christ within us—shaping our thoughts, directing our hearts, guiding our decisions.
We need a King.
And not just any King…we need a really good King.

As for me, I’m weary of chasing after selfish dreams and short-lived pleasures. After all these years, I’ve learned that the world’s applause, accomplishments, and entertainments leave you empty. They don’t satisfy. They never have.

But a life that carries eternal weight?
A life that echoes in heaven?
That kind of life is worth everything.

When I stand before Him one day, I long to hear my Father say, “Well done.” That’s why, from this day forward, I’m choosing to live with one simple, unwavering answer to my King:
“Yes, Lord.”

I hope you’ll choose the same path. There is no life more meaningful, more rewarding, or more breathtaking than the one lived under the loving reign of Jesus.

If you know of someone who would be blessed by this article, please share it with them.

Just a Follower of Jesus,

Alan W. Harris

The Book of Ruth has stirred my heart today in a way I didn’t expect! It’s a quick read—only four chapters—but its message has richly blessed my soul.

It starts with Elimelech of Bethlehem, who decides to flee from the judgment of God on Israel during the time of the judges. Famine had come, which God promised would not fall on Israel unless they broke faith with Him—which they had.

Faced with scarcity of food, instead of repenting and crying out to God as he should, Elimelech left his relatives, friends, and the land he inherited, and ran away to Moab, a people God had cursed (Deuteronomy 23:3), simply because he thought life would be better there—even though it was outside of God’s will.

He took his wife, Naomi, and his two sons, who married Moabite (not Jewish) women. As the story plays out, neither of these women was blessed with children, and all three of the men died in Moab.

Wow! That which began as a desperate escape became a devastating tragedy. What a heartbreaking mess!

Naomi had nothing and decided to return home to Bethlehem, feeling cursed and utterly empty. She sent both daughters-in-law back to their Moabite homes, but Ruth was so dedicated to Naomi that she wouldn’t leave her.

When Naomi pressed her to return to her Moabite home, Ruth made a profound vow of faithfulness to her mother-in-law, to the people of Naomi, and to the God of Naomi.

From that point on in the story, there is nothing but blessing after blessing heaped on Ruth and Naomi. Wow again! From cursed to amazingly blessed! From the darkest pit of despair to the radiant light of God’s grace—

all from one vow of faithfulness from a woman who wasn’t even a Jew!

From cursed to chosen.
From empty to overflowing.
From hopelessness to redemption—through one bold vow of faithfulness.

To me, the encouraging message in this story is that, in spite of how messed up, broken, and full of failure and bad decisions your life may be, God can, at any point, pour out His blessings on us and turn our empty, messy lives into something eternally significant. All we have to do is commit what’s left of our messed-up, broken life to Him.

I’m called to ask myself where I am in this story. My own life’s messiness and brokenness are evident to me, and I want to do something about it. Like Ruth, I sense a tug—a call to follow God with a deeper, more surrendered devotion than ever before.

Listening to God’s words to me in this story, I have come to the place where Ruth’s words to Naomi in Ruth 1:16–17 speak what’s in my heart to God:

“Do not urge me to leave You, O Lord, or to return from following You.
For where You go, I will go,
and where You lodge, I will lodge.
Your people shall be my people,
and You shall be my God.
Where Your Son has died for me, there I will die to myself,
and there will my old sinful self be buried.
I have committed myself to You, Lord God,
and nothing—not even death—will part me from You!”

May God draw each of us closer to Him.

If you know of someone who might benefit from this message, please share it with them.

Just a Follower of Jesus,

Alan W. Harris

Matthew 4:7 — “Jesus said to him, ‘On the other hand, it is written, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”’”

The temptation intensifies. Satan has been granted permission to confront Jesus, and he doesn’t waste a moment. Now he drags the King to the highest point of the temple—a place where all of Jerusalem could witness whatever happens next.

And then comes the shocking twist: Satan quotes Scripture!

He uses God’s own promises of protection as a weapon, urging Jesus to leap from the temple roof. If Jesus jumps, God must save Him… right? It’s a temptation wrapped in religious language, all designed to lure Jesus into gaining instant fame—crowds, applause, a massive following—without ever going to the cross.

But the real target is deeper.
Satan is suggesting that Jesus force His Father’s hand, bending the will of God to fit the will of the Son. The lie beneath it all?
“Your will matters more than the Father’s.”

Jesus’ response slices through the deception. The kingdom doesn’t operate on manipulation. God’s will is NOT a tool to use, twist, or pressure. The Father already knows every circumstance—and His will is to be trusted, not tested.

This scene reveals something sobering:
Satan may even guide us to Bible verses that appear to support what we want.
But when we genuinely seek God’s will—laying down our own desires—God brings balancing truth, clarity, and perspective. His voice cuts through confusion as we surrender our preferences.

And here’s the startling implication:
If we insist on believing a lie, God will let us.
But the good news is even stronger:
If we relentlessly pursue truth, God Himself guarantees we will find it (Matthew 7:7–11).

A powerful reminder: God’s will isn’t something to exploit—it’s something to trust.

If this post blessed you, please share it someone else.

May God bless each of us as we seek to walk closer to Him!

Just a Follower of Jesus,

Alan W. Harris

Matthew paints a stunning picture in chapter4:2–4:

“After fasting forty days and forty nights, He became hungry. And the tempter came and said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.’ But He answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

In this moment, Jesus—our King—steps into the wilderness to show us what life in the Kingdom really looks like. It’s amazing that the enemy is allowed to strike at Him just as he strikes at us. And what is the temptation? Not something obviously wicked. Not something scandalous. It’s simply this: Do your own will. Take matters into your own hands. Stop waiting on the Father. You’re hungry…make bread!

Turning stones into bread was not sinful. Jesus would later create bread for thousands. But that wasn’t the point. The real test was whether the Son would step outside the Father’s will—whether He would seize control instead of trust.

Jesus’ response reveals His heart.

When Satan whispers, “Serve yourself,” Jesus answers with Scripture—Deuteronomy 8:3. He isn’t wrestling with bread. He isn’t praying, “Father, help me not to make this bread.”

His struggle is not with the temptation—it’s with the tempter!

Jesus exposes the lie beneath this temptation: that my will, my wants, my needs—even my survival—can sometimes seemingly justify stepping away from the will of God.

But Jesus declares the opposite.

He shows us that God’s will is worth more than comfort…Worth more than relief…Worth more than our basic needs. And if obeying the Father means setting aside what I want—even laying down my life—then that is the path of righteousness.

Jesus shows us how to arrive at this wonderful place of being able to resist the power of the enemy. We get there by praying for and focusing on the will of God. The Will of God not only brings us to the best life we could possibly have, it also provides the power to defeat the pull of the world, the pull of the flesh and the attacks of the enemy!

That’s how valuable the will of God is.
It is one of the greatest treasures we possess.
The King Himself has shown us how much it’s worth.

[If you know of others who might benefit from this message, please consider sharing it with them.]

Just a follower of Jesus,

Alan W. Harris

#walkingwithJesus#spiritualgrowth#thewillof God

Matthew 3:7–8 — “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”

The kingdom of heaven isn’t a place for spiritual pretenders. It’s a place where lives are transformed—from the inside out. God’s desire isn’t to polish up the old you; He wants to remake you into the likeness of Jesus. Think about that.

New thoughts. New desires. New direction.

Because the unmistakable proof of genuine faith is one thing: CHANGE.

That’s why John the Baptist didn’t celebrate when the Pharisees and Sadducees showed up for baptism. He didn’t applaud their religious appearance. He exposed their empty motives. They wanted a religious merit badge… not a spiritual breakthrough.

God wants to reshape our thinking until we carry the mind of Christ.
He wants to rewire our actions until His will is visible on earth through us as it is in heaven. 
God wants change—real, undeniable, unmistakable change.

John’s message to the religious leaders was sharp because the stakes were high:

Outward religious activity without inward surrender is worthless to God.

And that warning still stands.
If repentance is real, it will show up in your life.
If faith is alive, it will bear fruit.

Because true repentance doesn’t whisper.
It doesn’t hide.
It doesn’t blend in.

True repentance always produces Christ-revealing change…

ALWAYS.

Now be honest with yourself. Is godly change happening in you?

Matthew 3:5–6
“Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea, and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.”

Picture it—crowds from every direction streaming toward the Jordan. Men, women, families—all stirred by the voice crying out in the wilderness. John’s message was simple, yet piercing: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

And the people believed him. They longed to be part of what God was about to do. So, they came, confessing their sins, stepping into the muddy waters, letting John lower them beneath the surface as a sign that their hearts were turning toward God.

But here’s the fascinating part: they weren’t actually entering the kingdom yet. Jesus would later say the kingdom was still to come (Mark 9:1). What they were doing was preparing—aligning their hearts, taking a step of faith that would make them ready to receive further instruction when Jesus came. The actual King was coming, and He would explain to them what this kingdom of heaven was like and why they needed a king to reign over them.

John’s call was clear: the door to the kingdom opens through repentance—a heart humbled and ready for grace. Those who came to the river didn’t yet understand all that God was doing, but their humility positioned them to recognize the King when He arrived. As Scripture says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

That truth still holds today. If I want to walk closely with Jesus, if I want to recognize Him when He shows up in my life, if I want His reign to shape how I live—it starts the same way it did for them: with a heart soft enough for God to work on.

Repentance isn’t about guilt; it’s about honesty before God. It’s about daring to ask, “Lord, show me what You see when you look in my heart.” That’s what being spiritual is all about.

That’s not easy. It’s humbling. But it’s also where transformation begins.
Because the kingdom doesn’t come to the proud—it comes to those willing to ‘step into the water’.

God keeps bringing me back to this same truth. Apparently, I really need it. Please pray that I get it!

Just a follower of Jesus,

Alan W. Harris

“For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”
— Matthew 3:3

John the Baptist was sent ahead of Jesus with one clear mission — to prepare the way for the King. The Son of God was about to step into a broken world, moving through the wild, rebellious territory of human hearts to proclaim a message of repentance and freedom. But before Jesus ever spoke a word, God sent John to break up the hard soil — to cut a path through hearts that had grown calloused and cold.

John’s job wasn’t to complete the work — it was simply to begin it.

And maybe that’s something we all need to remember.

So often, God’s work in the human heart takes time — layer after layer, truth after truth, moment after moment. Sometimes it takes years, even decades, for the light of truth to finally pierce through the darkness of deception or pride. John’s calling was just a step in the process — a process that began long before he arrived, and that would continue long after.

And that same process is still happening in us today.

The Bible calls this lifelong journey sanctification — the ongoing work of God transforming our minds, our wills, and our emotions to look more like Jesus. It’s slow, often uncomfortable, and rarely neat.

When we trusted Jesus as Lord and King over our lives, God instantly made our spirit righteous — forgiven, cleansed, and made holy before Him. That part is settled. But the process of becoming like Him — that refining work — takes a lifetime.

And if you’re anything like me, you know how discouraging it can be when you keep tripping over the same sins, the same weaknesses, the same fears. Sometimes we focus so much on our failures that we forget what God is actually asking for.

Here’s the truth: spiritual maturity isn’t the goal — faithfulness is.

God’s aim isn’t that you “get it all right.” His desire is that you stay in the process — that you keep showing up, keep surrendering, keep trusting Him as He shapes you into the likeness of His Son. That process will humble you. It will break you. But it will also make you whole.

Even John the Baptist — the man who baptized Jesus — wrestled with doubt. Sitting in a prison cell, he sent word to Jesus asking, “Are You really the Christ?” (Matthew 11:3) Imagine that — after all his bold preaching and faith, he still questioned. But Jesus didn’t rebuke him. He encouraged him. And then He turned to the crowd and praised John’s faithfulness.

And the disciples? After three years of walking with Jesus, listening to His teaching, watching His miracles — they still didn’t get it. On the night before His death, Jesus told them that they would all abandon Him. He named their failure before it even happened! But instead of scolding them, or even charging them to be strong, He said something breathtaking:

“Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.”
— John 14:1

Jesus knew their weakness. He knew they were about to fail — and He still told them not to lose heart.

He wasn’t excusing their sin. He was reminding them that God’s work doesn’t stop when we stumble. It’s all part of the process of becoming more like Christ. Our part is to keep believing — to keep trusting — even when we’ve fallen flat.

So, the next time you feel frustrated with your spiritual growth — when the journey feels slow, messy, or discouraging — remember what Jesus said:

“Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in Me.”

He knows your weakness. He knows your story. He knows your future failures and successes. And He’s not asking you for perfection.
He’s asking you for faithfulness.

Because in the end, that’s what walking with Jesus is really about — faithfulness, not success.

Just a Follower of Jesus,

Alan W. Harris

#FaithfulnessNotSuccess #WalkingWithJesus #SpiritualGrowth #KeepBelieving

“Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” — Matthew 3:1–2

That one short sentence—“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”—wasn’t just John the Baptist’s message. It was Jesus’ message too. And when Jesus sent His disciples out to preach, it was their message as well. Clearly, God wanted this to be front and center. Obviously, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,’ was an incredibly important message to us from God, BUT it’s been relegated to insignificance by us today.
So, why was repentance such a big deal to Jesus?

Let’s think about it.

If the people who heard John and Jesus really believed that the kingdom—the rule and reign of God—had come near to them, the only right response was repentance. Why? Because repentance isn’t just feeling bad for our sins; it’s humbly admitting that God is right and we’ve been wrong. Repentance is honestly searching your soul and, in brokenness, recognizing that you daily need Jesus to reign over your life…ALL of your life.

Peter puts it simply in 1 Peter 5:5: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
That verse explains everything. God doesn’t want to oppose us. He’s not standing there with crossed arms, waiting for us to mess up. He longs to give us grace—but grace can only flow into a humble heart. That’s why repentance is absolutely essential for anyone who wants a real, saving, joy-filled relationship with Him.

When Jesus truly reigns over your life—not just a part of it, but all of it—something beautiful happens: God’s will starts being done in you, just as it is in heaven. You begin to want what He wants. You stop clinging to your own will and start trusting His. Your whole life changes!

So, when John and Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” they weren’t just announcing a coming reality—they were offering an invitation. They were saying, “You don’t have to live under the tyranny of sin, fear, and self anymore. The true King is here. Come live in His freedom.”

Now let’s be honest—what do we really get out of having Jesus as our King?

Well, for starters, He’s not just any king. He’s the Son of God—the One who loved you enough to die for you, paying the full price for all your sins. That means you’ll never have a King who is selfish, harsh, or corrupt. Every command He gives is for your ultimate good. Every challenge He allows is part of His plan to shape you into His likeness (2 Peter 1:3–4).
And as Paul reminds us in Ephesians 1:3–14, with Jesus as King, you’ve already received an eternal inheritance. You’ve been chosen, redeemed, forgiven, and sealed with the Holy Spirit. You’re part of God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ. The Spirit Himself lives within you, guiding you, comforting you, and guaranteeing that one day you’ll experience the full riches of heaven with Him forever.

When you stop and think about it… that’s an unbeatable offer.

And it all begins with one humble, beautiful word: repentance.

If this encouraged you, would you share it with one friend who might need it today?

Just a Follower of Jesus,

Alan W. Harris

As John the Baptist stood in the wilderness and his voice broke through centuries of silence, what was the message God sent him to proclaim?
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2)
Then Jesus came to declare what God had given Him. What was the gist of His sermons?
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)
And when Jesus sent His disciples into the world, their message was no different:
“As you go, proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 10:7)

Three voices. One message. The kingdom.

So why, after my seventy-two years of church life—sermons, songs, and Sunday schools—does it seem that so few sermons I’ve heard truly center on the kingdom of heaven? How could something so central to Jesus’ teaching be so peripheral in ours?
It troubles me deeply. Because the kingdom wasn’t a passing topic for Jesus—it was His obsession.
He spoke of it again and again, constantly weaving it into parables like threads of gold:
“The kingdom of heaven is like…”
a sower scattering seed,
weeds in a farmer’s field,
a net cast into the sea,
a lost sheep, a hidden treasure, a mustard seed, yeast in dough.

Over and over, He was trying to show us what life looks like when God reigns—not someday, but now.
In Mark 9:1, Jesus told His disciples, “Some standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.” That means the kingdom isn’t some distant realm waiting in the clouds. It’s already here.

Then in Luke 17:21, He said, “The kingdom of God is in your midst”—or, as some translations put it, “within you.”

So, if the kingdom is here, if it’s within us, we must ask the question:
What is the Kingdom?
A kingdom, by its very nature, requires a King. And it requires subjects who willingly live under His rule.
Simply put:
The kingdom is the realm or place where the King reigns. That’s it!

We know who the King is—Jesus.
The real question we need to ask ourselves is this: Am I in His kingdom?

Here’s the test, and it’s not complicated:
If the King tells you to do something, will you do it?
If your heart says yes—if you trust Him enough to obey even when it costs you—then you are living in the kingdom.
But if your heart resists, if you insist on your own way, then it doesn’t matter how many church services you’ve attended, who your parents are, or how many times you’ve been baptized—you’re standing outside the gates. You are not in the kingdom.

Jesus told a sobering story about this in Matthew 22:1–14. The kingdom, He said, is like a wedding feast. Yet one man entered unprepared—clothed not in the righteousness of Christ, but in the garments of his own self-righteousness and self-will. When the King saw him, He cast him into the outer darkness ‘where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
That image should make every one of us pause.
So let me ask again—gently, but firmly:
Is Jesus truly your King…in everything?
When He leads, do we follow? When He speaks, do we obey?
Do we trust Him enough to let Him reign—not just in heaven, but in our hearts, our choices, in our very lives?
Because the kingdom of heaven is not a faraway land—it’s a present reality, unfolding wherever Jesus is obeyed.
And it begins the moment we each let go… and draw near.
So, if the king tells you to do something, will you do it?

Just a follower of Jesus,
Alan W. Harris

I HAVE EXCITING NEWS!!! I have just published the first book in a brand new series which is called “The Martyr’s Friends series”. The first book is entitled,

The first book in the new Martyr’s Friends series

It’s an exciting Christian fiction story about courageous believers dealing with the challenges and hardships of persecution. You can read about it here: https://storieschangehearts.com/books/thomas-westcott-gods-shadow-agent/
The way the world is now, I believe this is an exciting and challenging story that all followers of the King need to read. Because I believe that, I want to encourage all of you who support my work to consider sharing this post with as many friends as possible. God’s blessings to all of you, Alan W. Harris
P.S. The audio version is coming soon!