How Did I Get Where I Am in His Kingdom?

 

How Did I Get Where I Am in His Kingdom?   Image by Tayyab Bashir from Pixabay This is a question each of us should ask ourselves. Take a moment to think about this. Ponder your journey. We all had a journey to get where we are in this life. Most of us had no concept of God's Kingdom government. The Lord has shown me that there are some fellow Kingdom citizens who need to hear this and will be encouraged on their journey to fulfilling their Kingdom purpose! No one’s walk in the Kingdom is a straight road. There are many turns, curves, hills and valleys, detours, rough terrain and smooth roads. Keep going!   The Lord God brought His Kingdom message to my attention when I was just eighteen years old. I was in a Bible class taught by an Elder in a Brooklyn, NY, church named Washington Temple. The scripture, Matthew 6:33 stayed in my mind from that day forward. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  But for many, many years, I had no clue about the truth of God’s Kingdom! I had no clue to what my Kingdom purpose was to be in this life. The Governor—Holy Spirit—preserved me for His purpose and His assignment just like He did ambassador Paul.  As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Acts 9:3-4 It is easy to look back and see the Lord God’s protection and direction, but in the moment, we are clueless! Back in those early days, I was an accident waiting to happen! Later, there was a time that I was residing in the state of Georgia. Unbeknownst to me, the Holy Spirit—our Kingdom Governor—would lead me to meet my wife and ministry partner for the rest of my natural life. She was filled with the Holy Spirit. He had prepared her for our assignment in His Kingdom before we had even met!   You see, at that time I was asking the Holy Spirit to show me the way. I was seeking His guidance and direction. I had been single for a long time and had grown tired of that life. But the Holy Spirit had His hands on me, even though I was disobedient to His Word. But I kept knocking at the King’s door. Arlene was living in the state of South Carolina at that time and I didn’t like that state’s history. I never wanted to live there! But the Lord God has a way that is mighty sweet, and always for our best. As King Jesus stated:   “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:7-11 So I kept knocking. I asked Him to show me, beyond a doubt, if she was His choice for me. I met her online. In the photo I saw, she was among a group of fellow church members, out together to see a movie. She later told me that at the last moment, she was asked to get in the picture. So she stepped in with her arms wide open. It was as if she was giving me an open invitation! I knew that the Lord God had her for His purpose for my life. By the way, the Lord God used Arlene to help shape me into the man and Kingdom citizen I am today. That is what happens when you marry for purpose over passion! What I didn’t know at first was that when I was praying, asking to show me who should be my wife, she was praying that the Lord would show her to her husband. Even before we met, we were praying “in one accord”! Praise the Lord!   There is so much I could say concerning my journey to the Kingdom, but at 75, it would be far too long. And Arlene wouldn’t dare print it! Never think that you are not “good enough” to fulfill God’s purpose for your life. Look at the ambassador Paul. He had made a career out of killing Christians, until His life changing encounter on the road to Damascus!  Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.   As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”   “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.   And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!  Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”   The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. Acts 9:1-9 NLT   Then God sent Ananias to pray for this Christian persecutor and he would be healed and filled with the Holy Spirit. But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take My message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”   So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said,   “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Acts 9:15-18 NLT   No one is so “bad” that the Lord God can’t change them dramatically for His purpose. Our Governor—the Holy Spirit—took a man from New York who was a sinner, living a carnal life, and molded him for His purpose.   But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33 If you will do this, everything you need will be added to your life. Earnestly seek Him. You will never have to concern yourself with tomorrow. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34 Keep in mind, Jesus did not say that you would have all you want and desire. He speaks of our needs.   “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." Matthew 6:31-33 NLT   But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6   Keep in mind that the Kingdom of God isn’t a religion but a government as the Lord God spoke to His ambassador Isaiah. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. Isaiah 9:6-7a   Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in the King’s Word. ​All scriptures are NKJV unless noted ​ W.R. Luchie  www.kingdomcitizens.org

Being Obedient to His Word

 

Being Obedient to His Word   Image by Andrea Pók from Pixabay ​​​People often talk about the “keys to the Kingdom”. But there is actually only this one key, with all others they mention falling under this one: Obedience to His Word. That is the key to receiving all of the Lord God’s promises. That is our focus. Reading and studying His Word is your source for entering His Kingdom. It equips you to receive from the Holy Spirit. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 14:26 It is not even about attending church. There’s an old saying that says “Sitting in a garage doesn’t make you a car!” True! Read what King Jesus stated to His disciples. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” John 12:47-50   The Word of the Lord God is what Kingdom citizens live and operate by. It is our strength and nourishment! Many people who carry the name Christian fail to embrace His Word, though it is life! They claim to love Him but refuse to make His Word their lifestyle. As King Jesus said:  “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15 Ambassador John repeated the same thing. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3 So if that be the case, why are there so many religious leaders not teaching His Word? That is because many are caught up in their own religious ambitions. It is self serving to only serve up what they believe people want to hear and leave out the real ‘meat’ of His Word. There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s Word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. Hebrews 5:11-14 NLT   Too many leaders aren’t being led by the Governor—Holy Spirit. If we fail to read and study on a daily basis, do we really believe that His Word gives us life? As Jesus said:  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are life. John 6:63 If that be truth, why do so many Christians focus on their bodies as a priority? Do you trust the Lord God for your health? If you trust in His Word that is a sure sign that you love Him. You cannot separate Him from His Word because He IS the Word! And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14   He has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit. That is all we need to live an abundant life in God’s Kingdom. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17   If you fail to have a Kingdom mindset, it is impossible for you to have a clear understanding of the Kingdom message. You cannot see His Kingdom clearly through religious eyes.   The Lord God’s Constitution is not a religious book. It is a guide to understanding His Kingdom. It is His Testament to His Kingdom citizens. This is why King Jesus stated:  But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33 If you want to know what you are seeking, think about what you are praying about. On the whole, we have gotten it wrong. We seek the things we want…money, possessions, jobs, relationships, etc. Our only focus should be to seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. It truly is just that simple, and yet so hard! He must be first. The Lord God has proven this in our lives time and time again. This is the true reason why He physically came to this earth. Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, “I must preach the Kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.” Luke 4:42-43   Now concerning His Word and religious material; the power of religion lies in its ability to serve as a substitute for the Kingdom and for the Holy Spirit. It hinders mankind from pursuing the genuine answer to this world’s problems. Also religion tries to do the work of the Holy Spirit. But only is able to try to control people from the outside. The work of the Holy Spirit is an internal, spiritual work. We must be changed from the inside. Then the inside will take care of the outside! But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25 You are not to be led and molded by man’s denominational laws. The Lord God’s way is being led and taught by the Holy Spirit. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. Galatians 5:16-18 NLT   Religion preoccupies those who are religious and hides the Kingdom of God. But here is the key. You must be seeking it to find it. Only those who are seeking will find it. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 Do that and you will find your needs being met, even before you ask.  "Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?" “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?" “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need." “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom." Luke 12:21-32 NLT Remember, your greatest asset in the Kingdom is your faith in His Word. ​All scriptures are NKJV unless noted ​ W.R. Luchie  www.kingdomcitizens.org

King Jesus--Misunderstood and Misrepresented

 

King Jesus--Misunderstood and Misrepresented   Photo by Karl Fredrickson on Unsplash ​It is 4:26 AM on a Sunday morning, as I begin this article. It is one of my quiet times with our Governor, the Holy Spirit. My mind is clear and focused on His Word. We all need times to be still and focused to hear from the Holy Spirit. We must make room for Him in our busy schedules. Make it a top priority. This is why, for me, it is always early in the morning, the “first” of my day!   Today, my mind went to King Jesus. I truly believe that no one who has ever lived on this earth has ever been more misunderstood than the Lord Jesus. People misunderstood His purpose and His mission, even though He was very clear to them of His purpose. Read what He told the men and women in Galilee:  Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, “I must preach the Kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.” Luke 4:42-43   Misunderstanding the Lord Jesus and His purpose has caused the Muslim to disrespect Him as the Son of God, the Hindus to suspect Him, the Buddhists to ignore Him, the atheist to hate Him and the agnostic to deny Him. But it just may be those who claim to represent Him the most—that go under the title of Christian—who have in fact misunderstood and misrepresented Him and His purpose the most. It is understandable because of what they have been taught by churches and denominations. They have the best intentions, but are discipled with religious information, created by denominations. Without a Kingdom mindset it is impossible accurately represent Him. Everything that the Lord Jesus said and did—His prayers, His teachings, the healings He performed and what many called miracles—was focused on His Kingdom, never a religion. The Lord Jesus was totally focused on His Kingdom only. It was His top priority. It was His heavenly Father’s mandate. And it should also be ours! Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the Kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” Mark 10:13-15 Religion is a veil that cloaks God’s Kingdom government. Remember that it was religion that called for Him to be silenced. It was religion that demanded His earthly death.  Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.” Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!” Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” John 19:4-7   Those to whom He came first--the Jews—misunderstood the Lord Jesus and perceived Him as a rebel, a misfit and a fanatic. They considered him a heretic. The original intent of the Lord God’s command to Moses was not to establish a religion, but a nation of people who would love Him, serve Him and honor Him. They were disobedient to His Word, or commands, so He sent His Son to give us an opportunity to become citizens of His Kingdom. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10   Allow me to be more specific concerning the other religious groups who misunderstand the King and His Kingdom:  The Muslim misunderstand our King as simply another in a line of prophets who was a great teacher and a good man. The Hindu misunderstands Him as a good teacher, a good man, and just another deity to add to their many gods. The atheist, agnostic and humanist see Him as a mere man, an historical figure, whom a group of misguided men made their god, an object of worship. They acknowledge Jesus existed but deny any of His miracles as well as His claim to divinity.  Of course none of these groups recognize King Jesus as the Son of God, our Lord and Savior, and King of His Kingdom.   This final group I could speak on in length. The difference here, from these other religions, is that while they misunderstand who Jesus is and His purpose, the Christian religion misunderstands and misrepresents our Lord, King Jesus. For centuries they have misrepresented Him as a founder of a religion and have transformed His teachings and life on this earth in a religious mindset, full of denominational laws, customs, rituals, and traditions. Many have even reduced His message to nothing more than an escape plan for getting to heaven, with His promises as a ‘fire’ insurance policy! What is the harm in all this, you may ask. The harm is that it hides the true purpose and plan of God’s Kingdom and King Jesus who was sent to reintroduce the good news of His Kingdom to His people. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. Isaiah 9:6-7a   “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” Luke 12:29-32   Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15   Believe it or not, the Lord Jesus had only one message and one mission—the return of the Kingdom of Heaven to this earth. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 Even His earthly cousin John had the same message. In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:1-2   Cleanse your mind of religious strongholds, be filled with the Holy Spirit—our Kingdom Governor—and you will see God’s Kingdom government as He intended. You will have a Kingdom mindset. When you see His Kingdom as a government, you will have a greater understanding of your life and purpose in His Kingdom! Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”   Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”   Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:3-8   Remember, your faith in His Word is your greatest asset in His Kingdom. All scriptures are NKJV unless noted ​ W.R. Luchie  www.kingdomcitizens.org

The Kingdom Versus the Government of Man

 The Kingdom Versus the Government of Man

Image by WikiImages from Pixabay

Today, the majority of all national and international problems facing our world stems from bad or poor government or religion.  This includes global hunger, health epidemics, wars, terrorism, racial and ethnic conflicts, segregation,  nuclear tension and economic uncertainty.

Throughout history, mankind's greatest challenge has been to learn how to live with himself and his neighbors.  From Africa to Australia, Asia to Alaska, or Brazil to Botswana, the situation is always the same. There is tribal warfare, racial and ethnic conflicts as well as full-scale war woven into the story of mankind.  This all progressed after man failed to listen and obey God's Word in the Garden.  In all of these social and cultural expressions of mankind, the one thing that has always evolved was some kind of authority structure, a form of leadership or government mechanism to establish and maintain social order.  To establish a social order, is to refrain from a choice society.

In a question that Jesus responded to concerning the signs of the end of the age, Jesus responded with this statement:  Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:3-14

Notice, Jesus referred in verse 14 to the gospel of the Kingdom, not the good news.  Why?  Because the gospel of the Kingdom IS the good news.  I want you to be aware, those signs which Jesus spoke of are the beginning of sorrows.  It all is a process.  In essence, there is much more to come.

We have many different leaders in that system that we call democracy or a republic, but in the Kingdom of God there is only one King and system (Kingdom).  Please note:  The need for government and order is inherent in the human spirit and is a manifestation of a divine mandate given to mankind by our Creator.  Man was created to be a ruler and therefore it is his nature to seek some authority mechanism that would bring order to his private and social world.  Government is necessary, desirable, and essential to mankind's social context no matter how primitive or modern.  This is the key reason why man continues to search for an effective way to govern himself. The fruit of the Spirit, self-control, is essential to self govern. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 NLT

Do you understand why Jesus made this statement?  "But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33 It is the governing of our King that makes the difference.  His laws and His principles. It is all about our priorities. 

Remember, man's need for some kind of formal government structure is an outgrowth of his need for social order and relationship management. This need begins in the smallest prototype of society—the family—and extends all the way to the manifestation of national expressions of constitutional order. Nations need government.

In God's Constitution, the first book of Moses—Genesis--reveals that the first prototype of government was introduced by the Creator Himself long before the first human existed on earth. In fact it gives evidence of a governmental structure that pre-existed planet earth and the physical universe itself. Keep in mind, this expression of government structure was a result of a desire to bring order to chaos and productivity to emptiness. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.  Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. Genesis 1:2-3

Here, in the Lord God's Constitution, we see that the impact of a divine, invisible, supernatural government was necessary because of disorder and chaos.  Now you can understand that the purpose for government is to maintain productive order and management.  Furthermore, the creation of mankind was also a result of disorder and the need for management.  As you read more in the book of Genesis, you will find evidence of this as one of God's motives for creating Adam. This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. Genesis 2:4-6 The Lord God spoke it all into being. When the King speaks, it becomes law. Everything created was created by His Words!

Now from these verses, you will see that the Creator allowed no productive growth to take place on the planet earth because "there was no man to work the ground".  The word "work" here implies management , administration, orderly development and making fruitful.  One of the principle motives for the creation of man was to provide a manager, administrator and ruler of the planet earth.  This is why the Creator God stated it in these words:  Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26

In the Kingdom of God, there aren't any bosses, but there are managers, leaders and representatives.  Some are known as ambassadors, such as myself.  The mandate of God for mankind was rulership and dominion, but never to dominate others.

Please note: The Hebrew word, manlakah, means "kingdom" or "sovereign rule" or government. Therefore, the first command given to man by his Creator was to establish a "government" on earth to destroy chaos and to maintain order. The government is God's solution to disorder.  Because of disobedience (sin) to the Word of God in the garden of Eden, god's institution has been contaminated. Earthly governments are necessary because mankind does not self govern, lacking the fruit of the Spirit of self control!
  
W.R. Luchie 
www.kingdomcitizens.org

Drifting: The False Gospel of Self

Drifting:  The False Gospel of Self   Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:24-25 NKJV   Drifting. How does a boat end up lost and far off course? The captain of that boat didn’t keep a close eye on the map and the gauges and make course corrections when needed. If that captain allows the boat to get just a few degrees off course, in time, he will be hopelessly lost.   How does this relate to our life as a Kingdom citizen? We are that boat, the map is God’s Word and the gauge is the Holy Spirit leading us through this life. The water is this world’s culture!   I am seeing a disturbing trend in today’s church that appears to be good but is actually a deception. That is the ever increasing focus on SELF—working on our physical, emotional and mental self. But what about our spiritual self—and most important of all, our God given purpose for life? Again, there is nothing wrong with improving yourself, but not to the point of missing God’s assignments!   What are you missing while you concentrate on your “self care” and self-improvement?  What are you missing as you “work through” the wounds, traumas and triggers of your past as the world says you should? What will you miss on the road to becoming your best “you”? It is a distraction. What blessings am I missing out on because I am too focused on "me" to do what God has called me to do?   Most importantly, who won’t hear about Jesus and His Kingdom because you need to spend your time and focus on fixing yourself?  No one’s God given purpose and assignment is to fix themselves. That is His work! Read the rest of that passage that I opened with: From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.   Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying,“Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”   But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”   Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:21-26 NKJV   If you want to keep that boat on course, you don’t focus on the boat; you focus on the map and the gauge! For your life to stay on course, you must focus on God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. When we don’t, we begin to drift until one day we will wake up and wonder how we ended up “there”!   Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.  Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Philippians 2:3-8   You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2 Timothy 3:1-5   There are many who twist scripture for their own purpose. Are they promoting a book, counseling or ministry? What is the motivation? Study God’s Word, get it down in your spirit and pray for wisdom and understanding. My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. Proverbs 4:4-7 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11   Listen to the Holy Spirit. That is why He was sent—to lead us and be our guide in our life as citizens of God’s Kingdom! We cannot stay on course without Him! When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring Me glory by telling you whatever He receives from He. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever He receives from Me.’ John 16:13-15 You cannot fail. . . cannot lose with God’s Word and the Holy Spirit leading you!   When you have God’s Word in you and listen to the Holy Spirit you cannot be deceived. Blatant sin probably won’t deceive you, but it is those things that give the appearance of being of God that will cause you to drift! They may seem like a good thing but are not God’s Will. Be aware! Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 2 Timothy 3:5 NKJV You may say, "But what about 'your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit'"? Yes, we are to guard His temple, and keep it up. But that is talking about sexual sin, not spending our life focused on diet and exercise. A healthy diet and exercise are important, but it should not be the focus of our life! Some people seem to "worship" their own image more than the Lord God. We don't seek it, we seek His Kingdom and His righteousness. Read what Paul says:  1 Corinthians 6:9-20  We do not need to work on ourselves for God to use us. He uses cracked imperfect vessels. We need to give ourselves wholly and humbly to Him to use and fulfill the purpose for which we were born. When we do it in spite of our imperfections and weaknesses, God gets all the glory. People will see what God is doing through us and give Him all the praise for it because they know we aren’t “that good”! We just need to get out of our own way and let God move in our lives. No self care, no self love, no self focus needed! When you focus on yourself, your world is very small and borders on New Age beliefs.   As Paul said, “That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message,  even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.  Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:5-10   And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 Be a Kingdom light shining in the darkness, Deborah A. Luchie ​ www.kingdomcitizens.org

 

Kingdom 102: Staying Focused on His Word in Time of Conflict

 Kingdom 102:  Staying Focused on His Word in Time of Conflict

Staying focused on His Word will result in positive chain reactions in your life. It gives you the power and authority of a citizen of God's Kingdom. It empowers you to withstand conflicts and trials far beyond what you think you could handle.

There will come a time when you will feel forced to give in to some ungodly demand that goes against God's Word. This is a time of testing. Before that day comes, the issue of standing with God's Word or giving in to the world's pressure needs to be settled. That way when the time comes, you will be able to stand and not waver! 

You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Matthew 10:18-20 NLT

Take notice of Daniel in the Lord's service. Remember, Daniel didn't have the Governor living inside of him.  What he did possess was obedience to God's Word handed down through Moses.  “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  You shall have no other gods before Me.  You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." Exodus 20:2-6  Daniel was obedient and focused on the Lord God's commands and principles, to the point that he continued praying three times a day, regardless of King Darius' decree.  By the way, King Darius put it in writing.  Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.  Daniel 6:10

Conflicts, troubles or decrees from this world's leaders do not change the Lord God's Word.

Regardless of conflict--knowing that King Darius' decree could not be changed--Daniel knew his priority and stood on the Lord God's command.  Now, if Daniel was able to stand against that challenge with God's Word but without the Holy Spirit in him, how much more should those who have the Governor (Holy Spirit) living within them stand strong!

Stay focused on obeying His Word and He will give us the Gift of the Holy Spirit to live effectively in this present world. Ambassador Peter made this same stand when faced with a conflict at his trial.  Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”

But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.  Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.  And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” Acts 5:26-32

When you start putting the Lord Jesus first in your life at all times, He will put you as a priority.  Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me."  John 14:23-24 

There are so many distractions around the world.  It is vital to stay in His written Word.  Without that word down in our spirit, we are to easily distracted and deceived.  Wrong becomes right, black and white becomes gray.  We need to put first things first:  But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:33-34 If we do this, He will provide for all our needs.  By the way, again, when you embrace the Kingdom and learn to trust in Him more, you will become bold in the time of conflict and trials.  

Kingdom citizens don't fight their own battles or go to war; but they stand on the foundation of God's Word, which is Jesus the Christ.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. ​John 1:14  Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ Deuteronomy 20:3b-4

Remember the faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego.  By the way, their names were changed to these Babylonian names. (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah Daniel 1:7)  But when the time came to stand on God's Word, listen to what was said to the king. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”  Daniel 3:16-18

I suggest you read the whole story here:   Daniel chapter 3

When you are filled with God's Word, you intimately know Him and His Nature.  That gives you the strength to withstand any conflict without fear or worry! 

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand. See, all your angry enemies lie there, confused and humiliated. Anyone who opposes you will die and come to nothing. You will look in vain for those who tried to conquer you. Those who attack you will come to nothing. 

For I hold you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, "Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you." Isaiah 41:10-13 NLT

Keep in mind, your greatest asset and foundation is your faith in God's written Word--the Lord Jesus the Christ.

All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
​
W.R. Luchie 
www.kingdomcitizens.org

Transforming From Religious to a Kingdom Mind

 

Transforming From Religious to a Kingdom Mind   Many years ago, the Lord God spoke to His representative, Hosea, stating:  My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Hosea 4:6 In response to this, Hosea spoke those words to the Lord God’s people. In the upper room, when the Holy Spirit came and filled all who were there, because they were of one mind. They were all "in one accord". It is so important that you read and study God’s Constitution and not only listen to what is preached. By reading and studying His Constitution, you are saying that you want to get to know Him and you want the Holy Spirit in your being. You are actively seeking the Kingdom of God. As King Jesus stated, “If you love Me,keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17   It is because of the lack of knowledge of the King’s Constitution that we fail to be like Him. Many religious Christians use most of their time following religious traditions, bylaws and customs and rarely take serious time to seek the Knowledge of the Lord God for themselves. They get too entangled in this world and religious activities and fail to see the Governor—the Holy Spirit—is trying to get their attention.   While growing up in the church many years ago, there were many activities—men’s day, missionary Sunday, Pastor appreciation week, vacation Bible school, fellowship dinners. The list is endless. So much so that a church can become just another community club with members, dues and lots of activities!  We even had an evening service and a midweek service. But what I noticed was that the leaders had to “pump up” the members to come to Bible study and prayer service. Why? Because they fail to study God’s Constitution for themselves. There is no hunger for the Word of God. They equate “busy” with doing the Lord’s work. Being busy doesn’t always equal being in right-standing with our Lord and King. That’s religion.    When you read, study and live by the King’s Constitution there is no need for a revival. That concept is religious. The Word will always revive you…rejuvenate you…refresh you…and recharge you! This is how my wife and I live. We don’t need to be “revived” because we are “renewed” daily with God’s Word. To be revived is to be brought back to life. But when you are full of God’s Word you are alive in and through Him, our Lord and King!  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63 A revival meeting is designed to give you a “boost”.  A religious mind needs that boost as a drug addict needs their drugs. That may sound extreme, but they both want to feel something but seek it in different places. A religious mind tries to change people from the outside. It focuses on the external to make them more like Jesus. While the Kingdom mind knows it is an internal work only through the power of God’s Word and our Kingdom Governor—the Holy Spirit. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” But it was to us that God revealed these things by His Spirit. For His Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.   When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.   For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach Him?”   But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 NLT   When you are filled with the Kings Word, you live by it each and every day. For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:9-10   To embrace a Kingdom mindset, you must see Him as a King, not a religious symbol. Pilate viewed Jesus as a king of the Jews. And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.   Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.” ’ ” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” John 19:17-22   In order for you to recognize Jesus as King, you must see Him as King, you must think of Him as a King not a religious leader. Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”   Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”   Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”   Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” John 1:47-49 Nathanael viewed Jesus as a King.   When the Lord Jesus fed the five thousand people, not including women and children, they recognized Him as a king, not a religious leader. Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.   Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. John 6:10-15   Finally, When He was born, He was recognized as a King by the wise men. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:1-2   They never stated a religious leader, but a king. This is why King Herod was afraid of Jesus. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. Matthew 2:3-4 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Matthew 2:16 ​To assist you in this Kingdom mindset, also read this article:  Decluttering Your Soul of Religion   Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in the King's Word. All scriptures are NKJV unless noted ​ W.R. Luchie  www.kingdomcitizens.org

Transitioning From One Culture to Another

 

Transitioning From One Culture to Another   The way you think will affect your behavior. Your culture is revealed by your behavior. Did you know that your level of respect toward those in authority—your parents, teachers, law enforcement—will speak volumes about your culture? Our world is currently a culture of disrespect. That culture has no place in God’s Kingdom culture. For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.                                                                                        It is God’s Will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king. 1 Peter 2:13-17 NLT   Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12   Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise:  that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. Ephesians 6:1-3    Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:3-4 NLT   Your behavior reveals the content of your heart—mind, will, and emotions. Unhealthy behaviors are always a sign of an unhealthy culture. My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:20-23   We as citizens of His Kingdom must be very careful of how and what we say and how we behave. We always are to represent our King well! Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:25-32 This is Kingdom culture!   In God’s Kingdom culture, we have His unchanging standards, written in God’s Constitution. Every culture on this earth has standards of conduct that determine how people treat one another. The world’s culture as a whole operates by a standard that is essentially selfish (self-focused). It puts one’s own welfare and desires ahead of all others. This is basically Hedonism--the pursuit of satisfying your wants and desires above all else. There are even many who say they are Christians, who concentrate on grabbing their “own piece of the pie”, using and discarding people in their attempt to get what they desire. They believe they “deserve” everything they can get. Their focus and motivation is more in line with the world than God’s Constitution. Yes, it may be a “dog-eat-dog” world, but not in the Kingdom of God! Keep in mind that the Kingdom culture operates by a completely different standard; and the Lord Jesus demonstrated that culture in both Word and by example.   The night before His crucifixion, the Lord Jesus shared a final Passover meal with His Disciples. He took off His outer garment and wrapped a towel around His waist, as a servant, and proceeded to wash their unclean feet. Keep in mind that this was a task normally relegated to the lowest of slaves. Then He explained what He had done:    So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 13:12-17   On another occasion, when His disciples were arguing about which one of them was the greatest, Jesus taught them about His culture:   Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” Mark 9:33-37   The standard of conduct for greatness in the Lord God’s Kingdom of Heaven isn’t self-promotion but servanthood. The world’s culture of self-promotion is the very opposite of God’s Kingdom culture. There is another feature of a culture that is found in the celebrations it observes. Remember this one thing:  whatever you celebrate, you will elevate. Whatever you elevate, you worship. Whatever you ignore, you will destroy. For example, if your nation or state celebrates ‘Gay Pride day” every year, often with parades and special events, it says a great deal about that culture. The same applies to celebrating legalization of abortion. This culture has nothing to do with God’s Kingdom. You may always do as you want, believe what you want, but know you are operating in the kingdoms of this world—the kingdom of darkness—not the Kingdom of God. When your mind has a clear picture of what the Kingdom of God looks like and what the kingdoms of this world looks like, it is far easier to decide what your culture is.   Kingdom citizens should always be celebrating the time when the Lord God delivered them from their sin. I celebrate the King for giving me my family, and especially my wife. She is such a great help to me!  I celebrate and praise the King for delivering me from my past life and giving me my purpose and assignment!   I have heard the phrase “What you feed grows. What you starve dies.” What cultural traditions do you feed? What ones do you starve? That will ultimately determine whether you have both feet firmly in God’s Kingdom or the kingdom of this world.  Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NLT   Remember, your greatest asset in the Kingdom is your faith in His Word. All scriptures are NKJV unless noted ​ W.R. Luchie  www.kingdomcitizens.org