Our Father and His Function

 

Our Father and His Function   Image by Lorraine Cormier from Pixabay Several weeks ago, in the month of February, I was attacked with a serious illness. I realized something was wrong with my body when I could not get up from the floor after falling from my chair! I didn’t know what was wrong so I called on my Father and King. While I was laying on the floor I called on the Father to ask why. My son had my wife call for an ambulance. Again, I wasn’t as concerned about my condition as much as “why me Father?”. That was the question on my mind. The enemy had attacked my body and had been attacking my mind for some time but my Father’s Word was all in my heart. I recall what King David stated in the Lord God’s Constitution:  Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11 It is vital to stay in the King’s Word because in times of trouble, it isn’t the time to start searching for a Word. When His Word is planted in the heart and mind, in times of trouble, the Word comes to you with wisdom and comfort. Keep in mind that our King is the Creator and most of all He is a Father to us all. If we haven't had a good father relationship while growing up, it is hard to see the function of a father. That makes it difficult to relate to our Heavenly Father. A father leads, guides, teaches, provides for and protects his children. He does that out of love. Looking back to my health crisis, before they took me to the hospital, they spent quite a while working on me inside the ambulance. I had no idea how ill I was until days later. I believe that I was in my Father’s care and He sent the right people to help me, but still I questioned why. Once I arrived in the hospital, they treated me like royalty. I am not the type of person that was ever sick. This was all a first for me! I have always been blessed with good health.  His Word, hidden in my heart, answered my question. He brought it to my mind:   Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 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 8:27-28 I must trust in Him that this would be used for His will and His purpose! He didn’t bring the sickness upon me, but it would be used for His Glory and no glory would go to the enemy. My Father used the enemy’s attack on my body for His good. The question remained, “Why here? Why did I have to be admitted to the local hospital? Isn’t there a less painful to fulfill Your Will?” I wasn’t thinking about dying, only what was my Father’s purpose for my life here? The next day it became more clear of His purpose. There was a young nursing student who was assigned to care for me. She was a student at a local university and you could say that I was her “test subject”. As she spent time in my room, I began speaking about my Father and the Kingdom message that His Son came to share and deliver mankind. For a whole day, she kept coming back to my room, wanting to know more about the Kingdom.  I finally realized while she was sitting in the chair or on the bed, she was taking notes as I spoke about the Kingdom. She was asking questions also! I do not know what her purpose and future will be, but I do know that I had a divine appointment with her and it took a great deal to get me to that appointment! The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23 NLT   I didn’t realize how ill I really was until I heard about a young man with the very same illness and he was still so weak from it! When you are talking about God’s Kingdom government, have a purpose and a God given assignment, the devil will try to stop you and slow you down immediately. But the King promises He will never fail. Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like Me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. I will call a swift bird of prey from the east—a leader from a distant land to come and do My bidding. I have said what I would do, and I will do it. Isaiah 46:9-11 NLT When you find yourself out of your normal position in life:  in a strange place, an unusual situation, randomly placed with people you would never have normally been with, know that you have been placed there by your Father. There is an assignment or a lesson for you...probably both!  Trust Him and follow the Holy Spirit's leading. Do not be so focused on your current situation that you miss your assignment! One of the best examples of what I am saying is Paul and Silas, when they were thrown in prison. What a terrible situation! It would be normal for them to bemoan their current state. They were beaten, thrown in prison and their feet locked in stocks! Any person would be miserable and depressed. Some would curse God. But that was not their assignment.  Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”  And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.” But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!” When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. Acts 16:25-39 NLT Not only were they bathed, fed and set free, but the government officials who put them there apologized and begged them to leave their city! God's purpose was fulfilled and they were vindicated! Every assignment from the Lord God doesn't come with a loud voice and a "Thus says the Lord"! Sometimes it is being placed in difficult, uncomfortable situations that are beyond your control. Your greatest assignments and greatest victories may come after your greatest pain. Be ever watchful and aware!  I know that my Father allowed that sickness for His purpose. He gave me great favor with the staff, who treated me as royalty. I represented my King and Father as His ambassador, speaking always about things concerning the Kingdom government. He helped me to keep at peace and be kind and appreciative when I felt at my worst. All for His Glory and His purpose! Always keep in mind that the Lord God—our King and Father—is a jealous God. Never put anything or anyone above Him--not even your own comfort or desires. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:24 He wants all your attention, obedience and praise. He deserves all the credit and honor.   Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in His Word. All scriptures are NKJV unless noted ​ W.R. Luchie  www.kingdomcitizens.org

Understanding Who You Are in the Kingdom

 

Understanding Who You Are in the Kingdom   Image by Jean-Christophe Bouvier from Pixabay Understanding who you are in the Lord God’s government is very important. Jesus was never sent here on this earth to start or create another religion called Christianity. He didn’t give His life for that. He never stated or implied that those who believed in Him should be called Christians. When the Lord Jesus first came on the scene, His very first message was that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 The Lord Jesus was focused on His message from His Father. Even His earthly first cousin John was in one accord—in line with His 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 It is all about His Kingdom. A kingdom is a government, not a religious organization, as most would have you believe.   For many years—the majority of my life—I thought I was a religious person, part of a religious organization, known as a Christian. That was all I knew. It was only when I started to study the Lord God’s Constitution for myself, rather than only knowing what I heard preached, that I realized who I really was. The first time I ever read the word “Christian” in His Constitution was in Acts 11, after Jesus had left this earth. Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Acts 11:25-26   It was then that I first realized that the disciples didn’t call themselves Christians. King Jesus never told them they were Christians. The people around them saw them and called them Christians. They took the name after Jesus the Christ. The word Christ means the “Anointed One”. To understand who you really are, you must go back to your second birth. King Jesus stated it like this:  Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3 NLT   In order for you to become a citizen of His Kingdom, you must be born again by His Spirit; in other words, being filled with His Holy Spirit. Too many people who say they are Christians do not actually understand who the Holy Spirit is. Many join a church, participate in praise and worship and consider themselves Christian. That is all true, but in order to become a citizen of God’s Kingdom one must be born again, filled with and governed by His Holy Spirit. This is the reason we say that the Holy Spirit is our Kingdom Governor. We are led by His Spirit and He is Governor over our territory. We submit to His governing will! Jesus made it very clear; if you aren’t born again you can’t even see the Kingdom of God. Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water (natural birth from our mother’s womb) and the Spirit (filled with the Holy 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 3:5-8   Religion has combined this with “accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior”, while skimming past the importance of being filled with and governed by the Holy Spirit. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life; For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17   We cannot be “good enough” for life in His Kingdom on our own without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is only by submitting to His Will that we are able to grow and mature in His Spirit. 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 This is how we come into the full understanding of who we are in His Kingdom!   My wife Arlene and I are ambassadors of His Kingdom. We are not religious at all. We stay in His Constitution—His Word. Ambassador Paul put it perfectly: But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. Philippians 3:20a We only speak things concerning our Kingdom government. We speak the words of our King. Once you are born again, you must learn the ways of the King, by reading and studying His Word. By submitting your will to the Holy Spirit—our Kingdom Governor—He will lead you into all Truth. However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all Truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. John 16:13-14   Remember: If you allow people to name you, they will define you.   That is what they did back in Antioch. They named Paul and Barnabas by calling them “Christians”. From that point on others embraced it also.  Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” Acts 26:28 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. 1 Peter 4:16 At no times did the Lord Jesus ever called His disciples “Christians”. It was other people, who named them. That is my point. Understand who you are! If we were supposed to be called Christian and create yet another religion, wouldn’t that have been the focus of our Lord Jesus? He was focused on God’s Kingdom and what life in His Kingdom looked like!   Remember, your faith in the Lord God’s Word is your greatest asset in His Kingdom.  All scriptures are NKJV unless noted ​ W.R. Luchie  www.kingdomcitizens.org

Clarity and Focus on Your Kingdom Assignment

 

Clarity and Focus on Your Kingdom Assignment   Image by József Kincse from Pixabay ​Many years ago, while living in Brooklyn, New York, I was involved in sports. One of the people I greatly admired was a basketball player by the name of Michael Jeffrey Jordan. I not only admired him for his skill on the court, but also for staying focused on his purpose and his assignment. He didn’t allow anyone to get him involved in anything other than his craft. That is one of the things that made him so great as a player. There were many that thought he should get involved in the civil rights movement, but he stayed focused on his assignment and craft. To this very day many consider him the greatest basketball player of all time, including myself. He always gave his parents credit for his success, especially his mother Deloris. It was stated that she “constantly kept him focused on what things were good in life”. He is a great example of how important it is to know your purpose and to never lose focus on it and your assignment! Without that focus, you will never accomplish what your have been purposed to do.                             As I think back on my life, I recall my mother made me attend church, in sickness and in health! It was attending church that caused me to seek the Kingdom. I needed answers and the preacher didn’t have them. So I began seeking on my own! 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 be successful in your assignment, you need to pick your priorities and stay focused on God’s purpose for your life. King Jesus is our example of that throughout His time here on Earth! Even when He was twelve years old, He was focused on His purpose for being here. When His parents lost him, here was His response to their worry: And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49 Focus! 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    That is what we, as ambassadors of His Kingdom, are called to do. Stay focused on our Kingdom government and what our King says. Ambassadors do not get distracted or speak their opinions and feelings. They represent the King. The Lord Jesus never set out to be well known or famous. He even told people not to tell people when He healed them. Here is one example: As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Mark 1:42-44  His focus stayed on reintroducing God’s Kingdom government to the world. He didn’t come to start and build a new religion. He kept spreading the Kingdom Gospel to a dying world. 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 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” Matthew 16:19 NLT   Always remember, the Lord Jesus was on an assignment from His Father God, who is the King. He didn’t want to go through what He went through, but for the will of His Father, so be it. Three times He pleaded to His Father. His obedience was to His Father’s will. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”   He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”   Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”   Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Matthew 26:36-42   The Lord Jesus stayed focused on His assignment and purpose for coming to this earth. King Jesus didn’t allow Himself to get involved in the world’s activities. He knew He had a limited time here on earth and this was the last chance for mankind to come back to the King through His Son, Jesus the Christ. It was the appointed time and there could be no distractions. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17   We live in a distracting world, with endless input vying for your attention. We all deal with it. Always be aware that the enemy—meaning Satan and all his demons—want to distract and hinder you from the Kingdom. If he can keep you busy and unfocused he can thwart your God-given purpose. One of the easiest ways is through religion of all kinds. With religion we believe we are doing “good”, while only advancing religion but not the Kingdom government as Jesus taught. It may be good, but it’s not Kingdom! Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8   Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4 Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. Proverbs 4:25-27 NLT ​ Remember, your faith in the King’s Word is your most valuable asset in His Kingdom. All scriptures are NKJV unless noted ​ W.R. Luchie  www.kingdomcitizens.org

Always Under the King’s Protection

 

Always Under the King’s Protection   Image by Jupi Lu from Pixabay ​As you live and operate as a citizen of the Lord God’s Kingdom, you will discover that it seems you are going through more challenges than before you had a Kingdom mindset. Well, truth be told, you probably are! Ambassador Peter wrote to those who had received Jesus Christ as their Lord and King, to be aware of the challenges that will come their way. They found that a life of obedience to the King is often a life of many difficulties. Some of their challenges came from their friends and close family members, while some came from governmental authorities and even their religious acquaintances and leaders. Ambassador Peter wrote these words of advice:  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 1 Peter 5:8-10   Keep this in mind; he said that the devil was LIKE a roaring lion. The reason he roars like a lion is to strike fear in your heart. The enemy wants to keep you from a Kingdom mindset. It is a distraction. Fear chases away faith. But more importantly, faith chases away fear! Your protection is in the Lord God’s Kingdom, and all the resources you will ever need. But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you. May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 NLT   One of the greatest challenge is from your old culture. Ambassador Paul wrote these words of the battle and challenges he was going through:  So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.  I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.  But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.   And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.   I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. Romans 7:14-21 NLT I deal with this challenge every day! I also recall what ambassador Paul said, and agree!  I love God’s law with all my heart. Romans 7:22 NLT   Our battle was also Paul’s battle. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.  Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:23-25 NLT Yet he did great work for God’s Kingdom! He persevered and overcame to fulfill His assignment in the Kingdom. Do not lose heart!   Remember, you will have personal battles concerning your old nature, but the King will always protect you from the evil one—Satan. If you truly love the King’s Word, you will truly obey His commands and He will give you the Governor to live with you and in you to guide and govern you.  “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 If you want to please the King, be obedient to His Word. People will say they love Jesus, but love is a verb and requires action. Jesus made it very clear what was required: “If you love Me, keep my commandments”. It is as simple as that.   Too many people are under the illusion that if they attend a church, that pleases the Lord God. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In God’s Kingdom, if you love your King, you will keep His commandments (laws and principles). Read this statement from John:  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:2-5 Your life source hinges on your faith in His Word. If you are truly reborn of His Spirit, you will overcome this world.   His Spirit causes us to be overcomers, not warriors. The Lord God has angels to do His bidding for us on His behalf. Angels are the army of the Lord. We are His children and citizens of His Kingdom. Citizens of His Kingdom never carry weapons to defend themselves. They trust in the King’s promises of protection.  But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9 I close with the encouraging words of King Jesus: "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NLT   Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in the King’s Word. All scriptures are NKJV unless noted ​ W.R. Luchie  www.kingdomcitizens.org