"Spreading The Borders"
We hear brethren pray that "the borders of thy (God's) kingdom might be spread." I think I understand the sentiment of the statement, but it is not like the utterances of the New Testament.
We need more prayer for the planting and watering and less worry about the increase. God will take care of his part. (I Cor. 3:6, 7) The early church prayed, "Lord, . . . . grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word," (Acts 4:29) not that the borders of the kingdom be spread. Paul instructed the Colossians and Laodiceans to pray that "God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ," (Col. 4:3) not that the borders of the kingdom be spread. "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." (Matt. 9:38)
There should be more emphasis on preaching the word. Let God take care of the border and boundary lines.
Then there is I Peter 4:11, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." What saith the oracles of God? — That the borders of the kingdom are spread? No, the Spirit's phrases are "believed and turned unto the Lord," "much people was added to the Lord," and "a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." (Acts 6:7; 11:21, 24; 26:20)
While some call the multiplying of the disciples the spreading of the borders of the kingdom, the Bible styles it, "And the word of God increased" (Acts 6:7). "But the word of God grew and multiplied." (Acts 12:24) "So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." (Acts 19:20) Did someone say, "Call Bible things by Bible names?"
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