Peace is in the Lord God’s Presence

 

Peace is in the Lord God’s Presence   Worry comes from a lack of faith. Worry will steal your peace. As I write this article today, I think about Believers in our Lord and King, Jesus, who still worry about every little thing that isn’t going right in their lives. They may even borrow things from the future to worry about that may never even happen. I have always said that fear and faith do not mix. They may know God’s Word but it hasn’t been anchored down in their spirit and fear rises up rather than faith. The Lord Jesus’ disciples had to learn this lesson if they were going to have peace in their lives. The disciples learned this lesson one night on the Sea of Galilee.   Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”   Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?”   And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” Luke 8:22-25 They did not yet truly know who He was!   When you have total faith in the Lord God’s Word, you have peace and no fear of what can happen to you. When you genuinely praise Him and spend time in His Presence you will feel calm and at peace. When you intimately know someone, you trust them. This peace has nothing to do with your immediate circumstances. You could be in the middle of great turmoil and stress, but His Presence will keep you in peace. The Lord God’s peace means that you aren’t worrying about anything because you trust in Him. You know He is working every situation for your best. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 I can say that I am a living example of this. Religious people worry, but Kingdom citizens trust in their King; and they know who they are in His Kingdom. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20   I will always make it personal, because it is! Sometimes people get uptight and stress when things aren’t going the way they expect. They may rush around, giving orders, telling others what to do until everyone around is as uptight as they are. They have changed the atmosphere, spreading their fear and chaos. The problem is that they are trying to fix the problem in their own strength, rather than taking some time away to get into His Presence and just simply praise Him and trust Him. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. Psalm 145:17-18   I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you. The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. Psalm 121:1-8 NLT   The Lord God wants you to fully understand that you don’t have to solve your problems yourself. All you must do is invite Him into the midst of them. Just begin praising Him until His Presence starts making a difference in your situation. Then you will have total peace, total quietness in you spirit and total union with the Lord God. Total peace says “God’s Way is better than my way and if my way doesn’t work out, then it will be best for me!”   Take a minute right now and stop reading. Lift your hands right now in complete surrender to the Lord God. Praise Him for the good things He has brought into your life. You may not feel like it at this moment, but Kingdom citizens do not live by their feelings. Now is the time to make your will overtake your emotions. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives Galatians 5:22-25 NLT.  Thank Him for the gift of peace He has for you. Thank Him that He is the center of your life. Thank Him for His concern for you and His never ending faithfulness to you. Thank Him that He will never leave you nor forsake you. Thank Him for His grace and mercy over your life.   Bring Him this sacrifice of praise until you sense His Presence in your spirit. Let His peace wash over you. This is what life in God’s Kingdom is like! It will make a complete difference in your being. As King David said:  Praise the Lord! For He has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. The Lord gives His people strength. He is a safe fortress for His anointed king. Psalm 28:6-8 NLT I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1   I would also challenge you that if you find yourself talking about what the devil is doing in your life and how the ‘enemy is coming against you’, stop and praise the Lord God. There is always something to praise Him for. Get into His Presence! The enemy is nothing in God’s Presence! He is no more that an annoying gnat, flying in your face! Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered. Let those also who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God. Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Sing to God, sing praises to His name! Psalm 68:1-4a   Protecting the Lord God’s Presence in your life is absolutely essential. In essence, you are protecting yourself by making room for Him. As soon as you are aware of anything that is disrupting His Presence, activate praise and take authority over whatever is threatening His Presence and your peace. Your peace of mind demands this. Do not ignore it. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3   Without the Lord God’s Presence, we will always be looking for help. With His Presence, your soul is at rest and your labor is easy. Do you recall what our Lord and King, Jesus said? Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30   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

The King Will Not Share His Glory

 

The King Will Not Share His Glory   To truly understand the Lord God, our King, we must read and study His Word. His Word shows us who He is and who we are in Him. He is our Creator, Father, Lord and especially our protector. He sent His Holy Spirit to us as our Kingdom Governor, to guide us and protect us. He did not leave us here to fend for ourselves. He left us His Spirit to dwell with us and in us, with a condition:  that we embrace and live by His Word. “If you love Me, obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.” John 14:15-17 NLT Do you recall what He stated to His representative Isaiah? “I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.” Isaiah 42:8  This is reason enough that He deserves all the glory! It was even the desire of His Son, Jesus, that He glorify His Father.  “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14   The Lord God’s Word is ageless, eternal and unchanging. His Word stands to this very day. It is Truth and His desire for His people! This is why you should never place anything or anyone before your King, if He is your King. And God spoke all these words, saying:  “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 20:1-6   But mankind is more likely to worship God’s creation rather than the Creator. Sadly, they need to see it in the physical realm to worship it—Sports superstars, actors, entertainers. God never intended that. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator Himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. Romans 1:25NLT   Remember, He is the Creator of the heavens. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 King David glorified the Lord God’s handiwork. For the Word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. Psalm 33:4-9   What can you say about the Lord God? Has He healed your body, without the hand of man? I can say yes and testify to that question. I do! And give Him all the honor and glory!   When I refer to Him as Lord, to what am I referring? He is the “landlord” of everything! In a kingdom, the king owns everything in his kingdom. Those who live there live on his land, in his homes and farm his land. They drink from his well and eat his food. That is how it is in the Lord God’s Kingdom! He created this earth and everything in it. You live on His land, in His home, drink His water and eat His food! He deserves ALL the glory, honor and praise! The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them. Psalm 89:11 As the Lord God’s representative, Jeremiah, says:  But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation. Jeremiah 10:10 He deserves all the glory and praise, as no other does! So, my question today is, “Why would you depend on mankind for your healing when He made this statement—which is His command to us?” 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   It grieves my spirit to see what many churches call praise and worship. Many have what could only be called religious entertainment, with the congregation mere spectators. Where is His glory? Real praise and worship comes from within a person. It springs from a grateful heart overflowing with praise and the knowledge of who He is. It gives my King all the Glory! Worship is what praise is all about:  Seeking the Lord God until He graces us with His Presence. Once He is present, everyone and everything else is dismissed. “What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation—a god that can’t even talk! What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols, ‘Wake up and save us!’ to speechless stone images you say, ‘Rise up and teach us!’ Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside.” Habakkuk 2:18-19 NLT In our case, it is our bodies, not a building made of brick and mortar. Ambassador Paul made it very clear.  Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 1 Corinthians 6:15   Please read 2 Chronicles 5th chapter. It isn't long. Take your time, but before doing so ask our Kingdom Governor—the Holy Spirit—to open up your understanding. By the way, it describes the dedication of King Solomon’s Temple.   Remember, your faith in the King’s Word is your greatest asset in the Kingdom. All scriptures are NKJV unless noted ​ W.R. Luchie  www.kingdomcitizens.org

Understanding God’s Original Intent

 

Understanding God’s Original Intent   I have touched on this subject before, but I feel led to go into greater detail today. The key to understanding mankind’s presence and purpose here on earth is to understand the Lord God’s original intent for his existence. Intent may also be described as His original purpose for which something was made. It is more important for you to know what an individual’s intention is than to know what they actually said or did. If you do not properly discern their intent, believe me, misunderstandings will follow! It is a common source of strife between people. It is vital that you understand their intent, especially from the very beginning. That is one reason there are so many confused, offended people in this world. Where purpose is not known, abuse—or misuse—is inevitable.    For example:  I have a friend that built a birdhouse bird feeder for me to put in my yard, specifically for small birds. But the squirrels kept climbing the pole, getting into it and eating the seeds. The intent was to accommodate the birds, not other animals. It couldn’t fulfill the purpose for which it was made because it was taken over by the squirrels, driving away the birds for which it was created! Understanding the original intent gives you the big picture to understand fully. If you see or hear only a part of the whole, you will misunderstand and draw the wrong conclusion. The Lord God has a purpose for everything He does and everything He has created. All citizens of His Kingdom are part of His overall plan. But too often what we can see is the tiny portion that involves us at any given moment. If you regularly start referring to the Lord God’s Constitution, which is the guidebook for life in His Kingdom, it will inform you of His intent, which will in turn, assist you in keeping that picture before you. As ambassador Paul said:  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 Our minds may only be renewed and transformed by God’s Word. His Word washes away the lies of this world and fills it with God’s Truth. It tells us of His intentions for His people and will reveal who we are and why we are here—our purpose!   Yes, to understand the Lord God’s intent, you must be filled with His Word, while being filled with the Holy Spirit, our Governor. The phrase “having the mind of Christ”, is to listen to the Holy Spirit in you. No amount of education will give you the mind of Christ (remember that Christ means “anointed one”); it is only through the Holy Spirit. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.   These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:10-16   As I stated earlier, if intent is unknown, misunderstanding is inevitable. By the way, misunderstanding the intent or purpose of anything guarantees a waste of time, talent, energy, gifts and resources. Unless you know what the Lord God intended, everything you do will be a waste of time and energy. This is where a transformed mind comes into play. That is the problem with religion and its people. Their focus and energy is on programs, campaigns and ministries that were not the Lord God’s intent for them. Remember, religion, at its best, is mankind’s well-intended guess at the Lord God’s original intent.   God’s original intent was laid out in the beginning. 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.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:26-28   Note that He said nothing about a man ruling over another man. Also note the difference between dominion and domination. To have dominion is to have all authority and power over a designated territory. With that authority and power comes responsibility. On the other hand, domination is a carnal, fleshly term, describing when one takes away another’s free will and imposes their will upon them.   When the Lord Jesus came on the scene, He came to restore the Lord God’s original intent for mankind. In order to facilitate this, the Lord God prepared a special environment for mankind, a “home base” from which he would fulfill God’s intent and fill the earth with the culture of Heaven. The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. . . Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. Genesis 2:8, 15 The Lord God’s original intent was to populate the earth with mankind, who then would rule and have dominion over this planet for the Lord God, all in His Name. And the Lord God would commune with mankind. It is really that simple. Once again, He didn’t say that one man would dominate another man. That was not His intent.   Now we have been restored and empowered to commune with the Lord God through the Holy Spirit, our Kingdom Governor. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:9-11   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