Crowning Ignorant Kings: Cultivating A Kingdom Culture

We are here to Cultivate a Kingdom Culture. Returning to the Original Mandate of Jesus Christ for Kingdom Government, Management, Citizenship, Relationship, and Community; Manifesting the Culture of Heaven on Earth. This online content is comprised of notes, studies, and resources based on the messages of Dr. Myles Munroe, (used with his permission), and other Kingdom Citizens, to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, as taught by our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. Now Let's Adjust Our Crowns!

The Connection Between Praise and Worship

I must admit that I never really understood the relationship between praise and worship. It was only when I totally submitted my will to His—meaning the Holy Spirit—that I learned that the goal of praise is to create an atmosphere for the presence of the Lord God. This is why Abraham, Moses and King David were such close friends of the Lord God! They made room for Him in their lives. He was their priority. It was their deep hunger to know and obey Him that was the foundation of their relationship with Him. I must say this is true for all genuine worshipers. They love to be with the Lord God and He loves to be with them. He shows up because they have an authentic devotion to Him and a passion for Him. Praise and worship are related but very different purpose, activities, and experiences.

Oh, how I love Your instructions! I think about them all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of Your laws. I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept Your commandments. I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to Your word. I haven’t turned away from Your regulations, for You have taught me well. How sweet Your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life. Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:97-105 NLT

Praise is initiated by you. Worship is the Lord God’s response to it. Praise is something you do. Worship is something the Lord God releases in you. Praise is you, building a house for the Lord God. Worship is the Lord God inhabiting it. But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3

Remember this, worship cannot be generated by you. It is completely dependent on the Lord God. You may seek to enter worship through praise, but it is up to Him whether He will respond to your initiative. This is the Lord God we serve! He knows your intention. To be clear, you can’t worship Him unless you have first praised Him. I know this from personal experience. Now I know what it is to truly praise and worship my King! This is why I am sharing this with you. Of course, the praise must be genuine and focused on Him alone. Do you recall what King Jesus stated to the Pharisees—religious leaders of that time? Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ” Matthew 15:7-9 There are many who have been disingenuous with their praise and then wonder why they are not receiving from the King; wondering why their prayers are not answered. Many churches have turned their “praise and worship” into a time of entertainment and time for latecomers to get there, until the pastor preaches. It does not create an atmosphere for the presence of the Lord God.

It seems that everything in God’s Kingdom comes down to “what is your focus?”. What is your motivation and purpose for what you are doing? Why are you praising Him? Who or what is the focus of your faith…your love…your praise? The Lord God doesn’t see your outward appearance, but your heart and your motive. But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

It is easy to give a praise that lifts our soul (emotions). True praise and worship may seem tough, but the results are great because everything you need is in the Lord God’s Presence—priceless gifts like peace, joy, rest, mercy, health, provision, protection, power, victory and wisdom. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16

If anyone knew how to praise the Lord, it was King David. He certainly wasn’t perfect, but he was “a man after God’s heart” and that is someone that the Lord God can use to do great and mighty things in His Kingdom! And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus.
Acts 13:22-23

Hear King David’s heart of praise and remember that the Lord God responds to individuals who have a deep hunger for Him. As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before Him? Psalm 42:1-2 NLT

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your Presence. Psalm 21:6

Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your Presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Psalm 31:20

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak His praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt His name together. I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; He saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him! Psalm 34:1-8 NLT

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. Psalm 100:1-5

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

The Lord God’s Presence Brings Joy and Rest

I am writing the next few articles about Kingdom praise and worship to share with you what this revelation is doing in my life. I am a living example of what His power and blessing will look like in the life of a submitted Kingdom citizen. I have been led by our Governor—the Holy Spirit—to transfer this knowledge to other Kingdom seekers. When the Lord God’s Presence is in a place with you, it makes you feel so good that you want to stay in His presence for a long time. You don’t want to lose that feeling. It causes you have love and compassion for others that you may not even like. You see them as the Lord God sees them. King David knew this feeling when he stated in God’s Constitution:  You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

Keep in mind that the Lord God’s Presence is the source of all joy. If you want to have more joy in your life, spend more time with Him,. That spirit of heaviness that has been hanging over you will lift as the Lord God changes your attitude and perspective. Yes, in His presence is fullness of joy! Seek the Lord God each day of your life until joy becomes your constant companion and you become as delighted with the Lord God’s Presence as was King David. For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You! Psalm 84:10-12

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:4-5

Also, keep this in mind; the Lord God’s rest is a blessing and gift of being in His Presence. Don’t wear yourself out, trying to meet your responsibilities and commitments in your own strength. Moses did exactly that. Then he asked the Lord God to give him some assistance with the work of leading His people. Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:12-14

Remember that God’s rest was His plan from the very beginning.  And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. Genesis 2:2-3 The Lord is God, He doesn’t get tired. He rested to show us the importance of rest in His Kingdom. It is a vital part of His Kingdom. His rest restores and strengthens. His rest brings joy and contentedness to our spirit, mind and body.

The word rest in Exodus 33, means to settle down, to give comfort, to cease, to be quiet and to cause to rest, be at rest, give rest, have rest, make to rest. The word may also mean to set one’s mind at rest. My wife Arlene has joked with to me several times, questioning whether I am “human”. That is because I fail to be concerned about some things that most would be very emotional about. I just say that the Lord God will handle it, and it is none of my concern. Sometimes my faith and trust may come across as lacking compassion, I will admit! But I take His Word quite literally and I trust Him! That gives me rest and joy. 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

In truth, this rest is a ceasing to work because this work isn’t yours. When the Lord God is with you, He is the One who does the work and you are free from the anxiety of trying to make things right. It is His Holy Spirit working in you and through you, guiding and giving strength and wisdom when you need it. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:23-24

And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Then Moses said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”

So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” Exodus 33:14-17  I would say that the Lord God told Moses, “All you need is My Presence. When I am with you, you don’t have to work so hard. I will meet all you needs and take care of all you concerns”.

The church needs to understand this Kingdom principle. Too often they become so caught up in their plans and programs that they forget who is really the head of the church. Success arrives when the Lord God shows up on the scene. Until then we are just playing church and going through the motion.

Busyness is not a fruit of the 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! Galatians 5:22-23

“Doing” is not our first priority. “Being” in His Presence is; for in His Presence is complete joy and rest. Mary knew this:  Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

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

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

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

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

Setbacks on the Path to Your Kingdom Purpose

Setbacks are natural in life. I cannot think of anyone who has had a straight path in this world to success. The same is true when it comes to discovering and operating in God's Kingdom purpose for your life. Most of us, at some point have prayed for the Lord to reveal that purpose to us so we may begin to fulfill it. But the truth is, that though we are sincere, if we were shown the "job" he has for us to do, we would crumble under the weight of it because we are not ready yet. Then He returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with Me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” When He returned to them again, He found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.

So He went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. Then He came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up, let’s be going. Look, My betrayer is here!” Matthew 26:40-46 They were fervently committed to standing with Jesus, keeping watch. But their minds and bodies weren't prepared. They were willing but not able.

Setbacks prepare you for your future.

I have an acquaintance who recently climbed part of Mount Everest. It was so interesting to hear of this challenging adventure. I learned some things! Their goal was to climb to the first base camp, which is about 17,598 ft. above sea level. To prevent altitude sickness along the way, they would hike to their day's destination point, then backtrack to the site where they would rest and allow their bodies adjust to the altitude. To climb straight up without backtracking when the altitude change was great, would most likely make them dangerously sick, needing a helicopter rescue.

I tell that story because I see a parallel in how we should approach our Kingdom purpose for living. If we think we know God's purpose and dive in before we are spiritually, mentally and emotionally prepared, it will be more difficult and possibly even disastrous. When we move ahead of the Lord God's timing and plan, we are out of sync with His Will. Take Joseph, for example. When he was just 17, God gave him prophetic dreams about God's purpose. One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. “Listen to this dream,” he said. “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!”

His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them. Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”

This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant. Genesis 37:5-11 Joseph certainly wasn't ready to be in a position of great authority and his family wasn't ready to hear this. His brothers were jealous and hated him so much they threw him in a well, told their father he was dead and ultimately sold him as a slave. What a setback! No one in his family could even fathom the thought of Joseph having authority over them! Genesis 37

Thank the Lord God for your setbacks because He is preparing you for your Kingdom purpose and assignments. In His kindness God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. 1 Peter 5:10

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4

Distractions are setbacks

For most of us, our Kingdom purpose isn't our source of income. Where God leads, He provides. But do not assume that your Kingdom purpose is to provide your income. Most likely, He will provide through other income streams. Never let your God-given purpose become something you promote, brand or “work” to make money. Never allow money to become the focus. Daily remind yourself of what your Kingdom purpose is, once you have a glimpse of it. Money and the quest for it, can shift our focus from God’s purpose gradually until money is what we seek rather than His Kingdom and His righteousness! No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Matthew 6:24-25

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made... Pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. Philippians 3:12-19

Setbacks are to move you into position

Setbacks will move you into a better position for your Kingdom purpose. Looking at a single piece of a jigsaw puzzle won't show you the whole picture, but after joining several pieces, you will begin to see the "big picture". After several setbacks of "two steps forward, one step back" come together, your perspective of your purpose in God's Kingdom will become more clear. 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. Isaiah 46:9-10

After the setback it is time to move

But to be sure you are moving in the right direction, always be listening to the leading and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, our Kingdom Governor.  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 Me. 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

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. Romans 8:26-28

Move forward one step at a time, as the Holy Spirit leads. Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

Seek only God's Kingdom

The only thing Jesus told us to seek (pursue with focus) was God's Kingdom and His righteousness. We aren't even to seek His purpose for our life. If we seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, our priority is His priority and His purpose will come His way and in His time. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33

Trust God's timing

Remember that the Lord God does not live in our time, but is in eternity. We may not understand it all, but His timing is perfect. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:8-11 NKJV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

Jesus spent most of His time on earth growing into His purpose for being here. There was a time determined by God, His Father. Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:  “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:  The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:12-17 NKJV Only about three years were spend in His ministry of teaching about God's Kingdom with both words and actions. In that time, He changed our world then and forever.

This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. Habakkuk 2:3

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Psalm 37:23-24

Deborah Luchie

www.kingdomcitizens.org

Within the Kingdom of God There is No Coexisting

Within the Kingdom of God, There is No Coexisting

I have mentioned this topic of “coexisting” on another occasion. I am led by the Governor—Holy Spirit—to mention it again, giving more clarity.

Yes, we live in this physical world among many different people, cultures and beliefs. The Lord God gives every person free will to choose whether they will believe in Him or not. In this sense, living among many varied people, we are to coexist and live peacefully among all mankind as much as is possible. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.  If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Romans 12:17-18  But when the Kingdom of God is within you, by salvation through King Jesus and being filled with the Holy Spirit—our Kingdom Governor—there is no coexisting of His Kingdom in you and the things of this world.

One of the first attitude adjustments we must make is to get rid of our religious thinking, which too often is a mixture of God’s Word and the cultural attitudes of denominations. As I have mentioned many times, Kingdom living has nothing whatsoever to do with religion or denominational laws and traditions. Religious thinking believes in coexisting with other religious cultures and traditions. It makes room for everyone, every belief system and every philosophy. That is in the world, not within a Kingdom citizen.

What is IN you is WHO you are and WHOSE you are.

When the culture and beliefs of this world are in your soul, coexisting with your Kingdom life, you are simply double minded, which causes confusion and unbelief. When you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.  Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. James 1:6-8 NLT

Many people, surprisingly even many who attend a church, think that there are “many roads to God’s Truth” and each road is just as valid as the next. This belief makes room for Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Scientology, Unitarianism, Mormonism, Jehovah Witness, witchcraft, paganism, to name a few. All these beliefs exist in this world, but not in the Kingdom of God living within you. Coexistence regards equal accommodation as its highest value. When someone embraces that belief, they will ‘waffle’ and question God’s Constitution. Our highest valued belief is only found in God’s Constitution—the Bible.

When you believe in everything, you will stand for nothing.

Keep in mind that Jesus didn’t bring His Kingdom to coexist with this world’s beliefs. There is no coexistence in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord Jesus gave us His priority: 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

The Kingdom of God didn’t come to earth to coexist, but to take over and transform all who will receive Jesus and His Kingdom. In God’s Kingdom, there is only one vision, one will, one standard, one law, one belief system, one value system, one moral code of ethics, one code of conduct and, most of all, one culture—that is the King’s culture. Do you recall what King Jesus prayed to His Father concerning us—His people? “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one—as You are in Me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent Me. I have given them the glory You gave Me, so they may be one as We are One. I am in them and You are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me.” John 17:20-23 NLT

Keep in mind that what religion does is separate and divide the Lord God’s people. Think about the churches here on earth. Right now, think about different Christian churches you know. They believe in God, believe in Jesus His Son, yet their denominational laws and traditions keep the people separated. That was not God’s plan for His people. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing—Life forevermore. Psalm 133:1, 3

There is only one King and only one Kingdom and it is a government, not a religion. He is the King of all kings and Lord of all lords! Coexistence in His Kingdom is impossible. The Holy Spirit—our Kingdom Governor—does not coexist with this world. Remember the Lord Jesus’ parable, likening the Kingdom of Heaven to yeast: Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” Matthew 13:33 NLT  If you will seek His Kingdom in your life, it will expand in you like yeast, filling every part of your being!

Remember, as Kingdom citizens, we must be prepared for clash and conflict as this world and God’s Kingdom clash. We cannot enter the Kingdom of God and continue to live like our unsaved family, friends and associates. All of the sudden everything changes…our culture, our nature, our priorities, our mind. You are a new creation in Christ, the old is gone and everything has become new. People will even say that “you’re different”… “you’re no fun anymore”… “where’s the person I used to know?” Well, that person died, is under the blood of Jesus, and you are now a new creation and citizen of God’s Kingdom. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Always remember that you are in this world but not of this world. Our battle is not with the world but within our self as we become more and more like Him. I have given them Your Word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth. John 17:14-17

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. Philippians 2:13 NLT

Our purpose and assignment on this Earth isn’t to coexist or compromise our Kingdom citizenship to get along. Our lives are to be totally transformed into what the Lord God has purposed. 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.

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. Romans 12:1-5 NLT

Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in the King’s Word.

All scriptures are NKJV unless noted

W.R. Luchie
D. Arlene Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org

On Earth as in Heaven

The Lord Jesus taught His disciples and those who followed Him to pray in this manner: For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your Will be done. On earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:8b-10

Keep in mind, with those words, He was calling on His Father to once again restore His Kingdom laws and culture on this Earth, as it has always been in Heaven. The question is what was the Lord God’s Kingdom on this Earth like? What was life like in His Kingdom colony here on Earth? Can you imagine? The Garden of Eden was a direct reflection of this supernatural realm. For one thing, it had land and territory. Every Kingdom must have territory, for without territory, there is nothing for the king to rule over. Keep in mind, although invisible, the supernatural realm of Heaven is very large and infinite. It is much larger than the visible natural realm. Eden was a physical realm with physical territory. Genesis 1

Eden shared a common language with Heaven. Any Kingdom or nation needs a common language or it will lose its ability to hold itself together. There must be communication and a “meeting of our minds”. Adam and Eve shared a common language with the Lord God, who was their Creator. They communicated openly with Him in a completely transparent relationship, always knowing what He expected. All of that changed when the evil one took over. He was a pretender…a master manipulator, as are many today. They became under his influence. All he wants to do is to get you to believe a lie.

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:1-6

Mankind spoke a common language with one another for many centuries, until the Lord God confused their language at the tower of Babel. At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.”

But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. “Look!” He said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”

In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way He scattered them all over the world. Genesis 11:1-9 NLT

So then, when Adam and Eve listened to the evil one, they lost their ability to understand and speak the Lord God’s language, the language of the Kingdom of Heaven. See what allowing sin and disobedience in our lives can do! That is why, when you are outside the Kingdom, you do not understand what the Lord God says and no longer know what to expect. Sin separates us from the Lord God, His Kingdom and His Kingdom Governor—the Holy Spirit. One characteristic of Kingdom life is that you can speak and understand the language of the Kingdom in a way that those outside the Kingdom cannot.  And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” Matthew 13:10-17

Keep in mind that the Garden of Eden shared the laws and Constitution of the Kingdom of Heaven. It was to be a colony of Heaven. Their laws weren’t written down, but the Lord God had them inscribed in the hearts and minds of both Adam and Eve—the people He created—His first Kingdom citizens. They knew what He had declared and expected of them. They knew their responsibilities. He stated to them “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and cultivate it”.

He placed only one restriction on their activities. It was for their protection:  Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:15-17

At first, Adam and Eve had no consciousness of a moral code. They lived in perfect harmony with the Lord God. Keep in mind, there was no lying, or stealing, or murder, or sexual immorality or any other corrupt behavior that characterizes life in a fallen world. There was no sin against God. Eden and Heaven shared common values. In the Kingdom of Heaven the most important value is obedience to the will of the Lord God, who is the King. The disobedience of Adam and Eve violated not only the God’s Kingdom moral code, but also its customs and social norms. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Genesis 3:7-11

The next verses show us that from the very first sins of disobedience to God, mankind blamed someone else for their disobedience!  Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”

And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Genesis 3:12-13

This set a pattern that remains even today. But to be forgiven, we must repent. Repentance never blames anyone else for our sin. We must see our wrong, repent for what we have done and turn away from it. This is vital to know and understand, as citizens of the Kingdom of God.

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that His word has no place in our hearts. 1 John 1:5-10 NLT

When we sin, we are actually saying that our will is greater than His Will. We think we know better what we want and need. That is a lie and deception from the devil.

From this we learn that we must:

Take responsibility when we sin against the Lord God. We must never blame anyone else for our sin. That isn't repentance.
Humbly repent and change what we are doing. We must see our wrong, repent for what we have done and turn away from it. This is vital to know and understand, as citizens of the Kingdom of God.
Ask for His mercy to cover us, and
Pray “Your Kingdom come and Your Will be done…” That is the greatest prayer you can pray in every situation. You are inviting God’s Heavenly Kingdom culture and laws into your situation. When that is your prayer, you are submitting your will to His. His way is always for our best, whether it turns out the way we planned or not! A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. Romans 8:27-28 NLT

Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in the Lord God’s Word.

All scriptures are NKJV unless noted

W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org

The Roman Empire and the Kingdom of God

To gain a better understanding of the Lord God’s Kingdom concept, we will look back to the Roman Empire in Jesus' time on earth. Earlier empires, such as the Assyrians, Babylonians and Medo-Persians empires, conquered new territories and expanded through a process of invasion, destruction and enslavement. Their invading armies would sweep into a region, destroy its army, lay waste to its cities, tear down its infrastructure and slaughter its people. Most of those who were not killed outright were enslaved and taken away from their own country to the home territory of the conquering power. This is exactly what happened to the Northern Kingdom of Israel when it fell to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. and to the Southern Kingdom of Judah in 587 B.C. when the Babylonians invaded.

But Rome followed a different kingdom expansion strategy. Instead of wreaking widespread destruction and slaughter in a newly conquered territory, the Romans recognized the wisdom and value of preserving the people and leaving their infrastructure intact. While the Roman occupation army maintained order, Roman citizens and government officials were sent in to establish Roman government in the new territory. Their job was to reproduce the culture and society of Rome and teach the conquered people to think, act and live like Romans. The Roman Empire was the first human kingdom to practice colonization to any significant degree.

Remember, in doing so, it also became the first manmade kingdom and culture to illustrate by example the process by which the Lord God would reproduce the Kingdom and culture of His heavenly Government throughout this earth. Keep in mind that the Lord Jesus Himself certainly acknowledged the legitimacy of Rome’s authority in mankind’s government. There was a day when Jesus’ enemies tried to trap Him with a religious and politically motivated question. They asked Him whether it was correct to pay taxes to Caesar. His answer surprised them:

Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which He could be arrested. They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with Him.

“Teacher,” they said, “We know how honest You are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” He said. “Why are you trying to trap Me? Here, show Me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed Him a Roman coin, He asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

“Well, then,” He said, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

His reply amazed them, and they went away. Matthew 22:15-22 NLT

Everything Jesus said and did while here on earth was done to teach His citizens what life in God’s Kingdom looks like.

God’s Kingdom didn’t come to rebel against or dismantle the earthly government. To do that, would lower the Kingdom of God to an earthly kingdom. His Kingdom has come to change individuals, thus changing the culture around us. We represent our Lord and King. When the world sees us, they see our Kingdom’s culture.

When the Lord Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, he asked Jesus if He was a king. Throughout His public ministry, the Lord Jesus never plainly referred to Himself as King because He knew the people, as a whole, would misunderstand. But when He was asked if He was a king by Pilate, He never denied it. Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”

Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”

Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My Kingdom is not from here.”

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”

Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. John 18:33-40

Keep in mind, the Lord God waited to send His Son to the earth until an earthly kingdom, however imperfect, appeared that modeled His Kingdom. When the Lord Jesus preached about His Kingdom, everyone would know what He was speaking about. It was a model of how God’s Kingdom operated. The Lord Jesus came at the right time, into the right setting, the correct culture, and correct earthly kingdom to frame His Kingdom message. He was teaching exactly what was happening at that time in the world under the Roman Empire. The Lord God’s timing is always perfect and will perform exactly as He has ordained that it would! But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5

When we see and understand how the Roman government colonized new territories—keeping the people in their home land while changing the culture into the Roman culture—we gain a better perspective of the workings of God’s Kingdom colonization. It also helps us to understand how we live in this world without becoming like this world, while not striving to take over this world’s system. We must have a clear picture of how God’s Kingdom government works and what it is to be an ambassador in a foreign land, representing our Lord and King. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in the Lord God’s Word.

All scriptures are NKJV unless noted

W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org

Pages