Living in the Kingdom of the Lord God means walking by faith in His Word. The Lord Jesus made that quite clear as He replied to a woman who spoke out in a crowd: And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:27-28
 
Obeying His Word in this three dimensional world is the key to living a victorious life. In doing so, the Son will speak to the Father on our behalf and He will give us the Comforter—meaning the Holy Spirit. I call Him the Governor because He governs our actions. “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
 
When we put all our faith in the Lord Jesus and trust in Him and walk according to His Word, we belong to Him. By the way, in the Lord God’s constitution, the writer of Hebrews tells us: Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.  “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And My righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” Hebrews 10:36-37 NLT
 
Keep in mind, living by faith in His Word is the life of every Kingdom citizen. It is definitely mine! But it is a growth process. Our faith will only grow by being full of God’s Word. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17 His Word detoxed me from my old nature and the way I did things in that old life. Do you recall what the Lord Jesus stated?  “I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.” John 15:1-3 NLT
 
One of our priorities is to always stay connected to the King. His Word purifies us. This is why it is vital to stay in His Word, reading and studying it. Once you see His Word as your nourishment, your strength and your lifeline, your faith will be your unshakable foundation. It gives you victory over EVERY thing that is not like Him!
 
Please note:  When you surrender your life to the King and leave all to follow Him, He promised us eternal life. That alone should encourage you; it does me! And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for My sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. Matthew 19:29-30 NLT
 
Focus Point:  The more you read and study His constitution, the stronger your faith in Him becomes. When a person isn’t able to take in nourishing food, in time their body will show the signs of malnourishment. So it is with a Kingdom citizen who neglects the nourishing food of His Word. Their life will begin to show signs of spiritual malnourishment!
 
We must learn to detox our old ways by daily “taking in” the nourishment of His Word. Ambassador Paul made this statement: And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s Will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 NLT
 
It is very important that our minds be renewed by the Lord God’s constitution because it is food for our spirit man and cleanses us from all unrighteousness and brings us to the standard of our King. Think of this comparison, listening to teaching and preaching may be like your dessert, but reading the Word of God is your meat, potatoes and vegetables.
 
Living a Kingdom life is all about being connected to the King. King Jesus gave this example:  Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
 
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:4-7 Now, notice the very next verse:  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15:8 He said “that the Lord God will be glorified”. Not that you or I would be glorified but the Lord God! In essence, we should live in such a way that the Father God will get all the glory from our lives.
 
Once again, always remember that your faith in the Lord God’s Word is your greatest asset in the Kingdom. 

W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org

All scriptures are New King James except where noted.

These articles may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are sited at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you.

The Father has been challenging me on our praise to Him and the focus and motivations behind it. So I ask you, "What is your primary motivation?"

A common characteristic of all religions is that they are motivated to “please their deity” to secure that the basic needs of the people will be met. For example: food, weather, protection, financial, etc. Please note that after mankind became separated from the Lord God because of his disobedience, he began to fear that his needs would not be met.
 
Focus Point:  Mankind invented religions in an effort to appease their gods into giving what they needed for daily life. If they did things that would “please the gods” their crops would thrive, the rains would come at the right times, the animals wouldn’t fall ill, sickness wouldn’t enter their homes, and the sun would shine. Life was pretty harsh back then and full of violence. Again, I must say, the purpose of religion was to win the good favor of the gods by words, actions and possessions. Mankind's natural instinct is self preservation and desire for comfort. It is those feelings that drive mankind. 
 
Resetting priorities: I don’t say this to condemn, but to ask, “What drives your prayers? When you talk to the Father, how much time is focused on pure worship and how much is spent praying for needs and requests to Him?”  This is what the Lord Jesus said about our needs: Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?”
 
“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.”
 
“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.  Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches or moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:22-34
 
We pray for material possessions, better schools for our children, better jobs, favor and prosperity, etc. Sometimes we pray for “more”. But the Lord Jesus told us not to worry about ANY of those things. We were to seek only the Kingdom of God and our Father will take care of everything else. He said it is the Father’s “good pleasure to give you the Kingdom”! But that doesn’t mean He will give us everything we ask for, rather everything we need.  You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. James 4:3
 
Focus Point:  In the Kingdom of God, the number one priority is to worship the Lord God through obedience to His Word and our worship and praise to Him because of who He is, not what He can do for us! “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. John 14:15-17a NLT His Word will stand when everything else is gone.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Mark 13:31 In essence, being obedient to His Word is key to being a citizen in good standing to the King. If we love the Lord Jesus, we will obey His Word.
 
Focus Point:  As the Lord Jesus said, “Don’t worry”!  “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 6:25 NLT  Yet that is exactly what many who claim to love the Lord do—worry! Our days are filled with anxiety about the very things the Lord Jesus said not to worry about—all the basic necessities of life. Our every waking moment is filled with thoughts and concerns of how we are going to make it in this life. How will we get ahead? How will we survive? How often are our prayers merely speaking our anxieties out loud? We have worry and fear over those things because we are trying to make it on our own and focusing on “self” rather than our mighty Father.
 
Please note: Most people either work to live or live to work. King Jesus told us our first priority. It is that alone that we focus on and live for.   Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:33-34 NLT  Work is important and fulfills a need, but it should never define who we are. The Lord Jesus wants our total faith to be in Him. And the King rewards those who have faith in Him and His Word.
​
A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, “for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.”
 
Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
 
When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick. Luke 7:2-10
 
Your faith in Him is the answer to all your needs. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:6 Your true worth, your strength, your power is only found in Him! And 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. If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:13-15
 
Yes, your faith in His Word is your greatest asset in His Kingdom.

​​W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org

All scriptures are New King James except where noted.

These articles may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are sited at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you

From the very beginning, the Lord God commissioned Adam to focus on having dominion (not domination) over 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 1:27-28 The commission was one of Kingdom rulership. It was one of management, stewardship and certainly governmental administration over this planet earth.
 
Please note:  This was all before the fall of mankind due to his disobedience to the Lord God’s command. It is very important to note that there was no mentioned “working for survival and food” but only for development and fulfillment. Keep in mind that priority was never a problem in the Garden of Eden.
 
Focus Point:  As long as mankind walked in full and open fellowship with the Lord God, their Creator, they had no concerns. He provided for all their needs. It wasn’t even a concern. Food, water and other resources were in abundance and the perfect temperature and climate made clothing and shelter unnecessary. Adam and Eve’s first priority was to obey the Lord God’s command: to rule over the garden and all God’s creation and commune with Him. It was not to pursue resources. Adam was preoccupied with living life rather than making a living.
 
Keep in mind, all of that changed when Adam and Eve lost their dominion authority through disobedience. Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden and their fellowship with the Lord God was disconnected. Now they had to pay attention to things that they once had taken for granted, such as water, food, shelter and survival itself. Now they had to strive to survive! Remember what the Lord God said to Adam:  Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:  Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:17-19
 
Please note:  Everything that man does outside the Kingdom of God is motivated by the drive to meet his personal needs. In mankind’s never-ending struggle for survival and significance living in this fallen world, they realize that they are separated in spirit from the Lord God who created them. From that point on, man invented religion as a vehicle to reconnect with the Lord God and to find the Kingdom that he lost; a kingdom state of rulership and regain dominion over earth’s resources to meet his needs.
 
Focus Point:  After reading and studying, I have discovered that all forms of religion are built on the promise of meeting the needs of mankind. All religions from Baha’i to Islam, from Judaism to Christianity, from Confucianism to Scientology. It all comes back to “what it can do for me” and how my faith will ultimately benefit “me”.
 
When my Father allows me to wake up to another morning, the very first thing I do before my feet touch the floor is to give my King the praise for another day! My wife Arlene and I maintain that spirit of praise throughout the day. He deserves all our praise for everything! I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. Psalm 7:17 There are times when I drive to see my good friend at his workplace and share with him the praises of my King. Give the Lord God your praise and tell others also! Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people. Psalm 9:11 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name. Psalm 18:49 I will proclaim Your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise You among Your assembled people. Psalm 22:22 NLT
 
There is much more to say so I will save it for my next article. I just can’t say enough of the goodness of my Father!
 
Remember, your faith in the King is your greatest asset in the Kingdom.

​W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org

All scriptures are New King James except where noted.

These articles may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are sited at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you