Being consistent is one of the main priorities in spreading the Kingdom concept and its message.  The Lord Jesus is our perfect example of one listening and obeying His Father.  He never wavered on His mission and the message His Father assigned to Him. He gave us many examples of what the Kingdom of Heaven was like.  

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."  

The Kingdom is for all of those who choose to listen and obey His commands.  Those who are in the Kingdom don't choose to make themselves great as many religious leaders I have seen and heard.  Leaders in the Kingdom are here to serve and to teach.  The Lord Jesus made this statement concerning the Kingdom:   “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”... And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”  Throughout all His recorded time while the Lord Jesus was here on earth, you will find His consistency to preach and teach the Kingdom Gospel.  He never drifted off to do His own think.  He made this statement while speaking of His future departure:  "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”   Later on, His Father God confirmed His obedience on the mountain where He was transfigured. Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”  Now, notice that when Peter made that statement in essence to make Elijah and Moses equal with God's Son. But the Father God put His total approval for and with His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus.  "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Hear Him!"  You can't go wrong with that statement, but many have and still do.  The Lord Jesus was consistent and persistent to preach and teach the Kingdom.  Once again, He gave the comparison of what the Kingdom was like:   “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Now, I have stated in several articles that the Kingdom of God IS His principles and laws within you.  The Lord Jesus made this statement, speaking to the religious Pharisees:   Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation;  nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”  There are many leaders who preach Kingdom, who do not actually have a clue what it is, only that the word kingdom is popular and well-received.  First of all, the Kingdom is to be taught, not preached.  People have to learn what the Kingdom of God is.  When the truth of the Kingdom gospel is taught, it offends, it cuts and it stirs up religious spirits.  Keep this in mind, the one who introduced the King to the public (John the Baptist) preached and gave his introduction of the King, but the Lord Jesus began His introduction by teaching the Kingdom government. But to those that followed Him, He taught them the Kingdom concept and message, even after He had risen from the dead.  The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

The Lord Jesus never at any time slowed down or stopped to deliver another message, such as prosperity, purpose, financial wealth, how to get your needs met or even how to prolong your life.  Here is what He did say:   “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 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.  

When are we going to get a clue?  But, I know what the problem is!  These leaders think that they need to deliver a new message every Sunday or whenever they preach.  Without that it looks like they aren't doing their job.  The Lord Jesus preached the same message to the public because it was needed.  It was His focus.  It was His mission.  They were unfamiliar with the restoration of the Kingdom.  And the same message applies to this generation.  Even more so! Many in this generation embrace a religion or Christianity as the Kingdom. Kingdom doesn't fit in a comfortable familiar box and people don't understand. People have even thought we were Jehovah Witness because we say the word Kingdom!  That is a good example of what I'm saying.  

Remember, there are many who use some of the Kingdom principles, but aren't of the Kingdom mindset.  

Matthew 13:44-46   Luke 13:20-21   John 8:29  Matthew 17:1-5;
Matthew 13:47-50   Luke 7:20-21   Acts 1:1-3   Matthew 6:25-34

~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
 
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you

One of the main hurdles to embracing the Kingdom concept is to alleviate that old religious mindset...one full of tradition and customs.  It is a painful thing to try to live by tradition and customs of a religion and embrace the King's laws and principles. That is why I used the word alleviate.  To make it clear, the Kingdom concept is the Lord God's concept.  That was His plan from the beginning in the Garden of Eden, before the mind was invaded by corruptible thoughts.  These thoughts came through disobedience to the King's commands.  In essence, it was a test of obedience.  The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  By the way, that still is the test today and it always will by.  Why?  Because mankind has always thought he was smarter than his creator.  His mind is set on the things of this earth.  Yet, this world is temporary.

Do you remember the statement concerning the parable of the fig tree?  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  In order for you to grow in the Kingdom, your mind must go through the process of changing into a Kingdom mindset.  It is a process.  The ambassador Paul was right on point when he made this statement to the believers in Rome:  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.  Notice the word "renewing" which is an action word (a verb).  Renewing is ongoing.  You should constantly be putting new information from God's Constitution in your mind and meditating on it...cementing it to your mind so it will come to you in times of trouble and weakness.  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  Note that I didn't say a new revelation from some other author or from a new book.  You must always be under the guidance of the Governor (the Holy Spirit).  He is your teacher while you are here on earth. Are you aware that the Holy Spirit was left here to assist you while you are here on earth?  Are you aware that when He is with you and in you, you will have perfect peace? Jesus said this:   “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.  Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  I am a living witness to this.

Now, having said that, when you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (our Governor) you must keep feeding your mind with the Lord God's Constitution, especially in this age of social media.  There are many people with distorted information, leading people astray from the Kingdom and into the pit of religion. Let me share with you what our Lord and King stated and compared the Kingdom to:    Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”  

Before I go any further, allow me to share this with you.  Leaders who claim to preach Kingdom but always want to be in the forefront and be catered to aren't being led by the Governor (Holy Spirit).  Did you notice what the King stated concerning leaven or yeast?  Yeast is never noticed, only the changes it makes to it's environment.  When you are in the Kingdom, it's not about you; it's about Him, meaning King Jesus.  It's about serving God's people.  In essence, the real challenge of living the Kingdom life is this:  How much faith do you put in your King?  Can you serve Him without pride or ego?  When troubles and trials come, when things don't happen as you want them to; do you trust Him, no matter what?

My final words to you:  When you start taking credit for what the Lord God has done in your life and others, that is the beginning of the end of you.  Here is an example of what I mean:   Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country.

So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.  So remember, it is all about the King!

Genesis 2:8-9   Mark 13:31   Romans 12:2  Joshua 1:8    John 14:25-27
Matthew 13:33   Acts 12:20-23

​~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
 
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you

Every since I have been a citizen of the Kingdom, I have faced many hateful and lustful spirits. When you start seeking the Kingdom and growing in Kingdom knowledge, you "stir things up" spiritually and attacks try to come at you. Remember what the Lord and King said while He was here on earth: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  

Living and obeying the Lord God's principles isn't without its tests and challenges. But you must consistently focus on His Word; for His Word is your foundation for living.  There are challenges in my life, but remember what my brother in the Kingdom once stated: Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.  My question to you is this:  Do you think you have an excuse for disobeying the Lord God's Word while you are in the midst of a trial or temptation?  No, of course not!  You always have a choice.  You can go through that trial or temptation trusting in His Word or you can crumble under the trial or succumb to the temptation.  

By the way, never allow money or material things to be the sustainer of your existence. Believe me when I say, they will definitely let you down in every way.  That brings to mind what ambassador Paul wrote in his letter to Timothy.  Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  

​This is one of the passages in the Lord God's Constitution that encourages you to stay in His Word, our only true foundation.  For without embracing His Word, your intention (whether they be good or evil) is subject to failure every time.  When you embrace His Word and make it part of you, He will give you the gift of the Holy Spirit.  If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.  Did you notice that the Lord Jesus said that He would stay with you forever?  The Lord Jesus made it very clear that He is the Spirit of Truth and that He will be in you and be with you.  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.

Do you remember the recent incident in the parking lot that I shared with you in the last article?  Well, it was the Governor (Holy Spirit) that sustained me.  Not my own power.  I humbled my will to His Will.  Do you remember what the Lord Jesus said to His disciples before He went back to His Father?  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.  Controlling your emotional behavior is part of that power.  It is called self control, a fruit of the Holy Spirit.  But you have to love Him and obey His Word.  The way to the Father is by obeying His Son.   “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”  That is why I don't allow things to upset me.  My wife Arlene used to say that I have no emotion.  Now she knows the reason.  I trust in His Word.  When you trust in His Word, you won't allow situations and things of this world to have  a priority in you life.  For you will know who has the key to life and death.   I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.

So, as citizens of the Kingdom, prepare to be attacked. No matter what it seems to be about, no matter whom it comes from, no matter what it may "look like"; it is really testing your faith and asking if you know who you are and what you are made of.  Your only response should show that your are full of God's Word and guided by the Holy Spirit.  My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 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. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Matthew 6:33   I Corinthians 10:12-13   I Timothy 6:6-9   John 14:15
John 14:17   Acts 1:8   John 14:1-4   John 11:25   Revelation 22:13
James 1:2-4

~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
 
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you

We learn and grow in the Kingdom by reading the Word and by listening daily to the Holy Spirit.  It truly is our Governor.

Recently, after parking my car in a local Wal-mart parking lot, someone shouted out in my direction "you dirty black nigger".  Another man of color in earshot, along with myself, looked at the older Caucasian man and then at one another; to whom was he speaking?  The other African American man became a little upset, but I tried to calm him down.  Then I realized the the Lord Jesus and His principles had brought me a long way, which was evidenced with my self-control and calm demeanor, which was unheard of in my past!  By the way, the man who called us that derogatory name was wrong in what he said.  1. I had taken a shower that morning, so I couldn't be dirty!  2. I'm not black, but chocolate!   Lastly, that word, nigger, could refer to anyone.  Of course, I am adding some humor to a sad challenging incident, but be aware of this:  The Governor (the Holy Spirit) had complete control of my thinking.  Just a few years ago, I couldn't have said that.

When you are a citizen of the Kingdom, you realize that your life isn't your own, but it belongs to the King.  The ambassador Paul stated it like this:  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.  For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.  

When I arrived home from that incident in the Wal-mart parking lot, I told my wife Arlene what had happened.  She looked at me and said "Honey, you have come a long way from the person you were when we first got married".  I agreed!  By the way, the racist person who shouted out that remark was driving a late model white Cadillac with South Carolina plates. He wasn't flying a large confederate flag on the back of his pickup truck (we have also seen that in a Wal-mart parking lot down here!).  I mention this to say that racism and hatred comes out of all environments and all economic situations.  But citizens of the Kingdom must listen to the Holy Spirit and respond as our King would, not as the world would.  Why?  Because they live by the laws and principles that our King laid out in His Constitution.  They seek to please the King!  Remember the Lord Jesus gave His life for that individual, regardless of how he may live or think this moment.  That man has the same invitation as you and I.  The Lord God loves mankind.  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. He left His Constitution for you and me to obey and embrace as our lifestyle.  The Lord Jesus made this statement while here on earth:  Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.  He spoke these words to His disciples, but they apply to us as well.  

Now, concerning what happened to me, I suppose some of you would say, that's impossible!  No, it is very possible with the Governor (the Holy Spirit) living within you.  You can have self control, no matter the situation.  But, you must want to change.  Then you will start listening and learning.  The Lord Jesus obeyed His Father's wishes while here on earth. 

Those incidents have made me stronger in Him, because I stayed connected to Him and allowed the governor to guide me.  The Lord Jesus made this statement in His Father's Constitution.   “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 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. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

This is what my wife Arlene and I live by.  I couldn't have responded in the manner I did without the Holy Spirit governing me.  You must listen and stay connected to His Word.  Unfortunately, many preachers and teachers are spreading their religious mindset to their congregation and mixing it up with the Lord God's Constitution--the Bible, which is a religious term.  In doing so, they refuse to embrace their Governor the Holy Spirit.  The Lord Jesus had the same problem with the religious leaders of His day.  So He ordained Paul and Barnabas to be ambassadors to the Gentiles.  On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.  But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.  Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us:  ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

Before finishing this article, listening to the Holy Spirit, the Governor will cause you to become bold when you are in your purpose and doing His Will for your life.  
This is all part of Kingdom living!

Romans 6:12-14   John 3:16; 14:23-24; 15:1-8   Acts 13:44-48

~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
 
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you

Your purpose should always line up with the Lord God's Will for your life.  Take a moment to think about this statement: There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand. Before you begin a project, consider the Lord God's Will and Purpose for your life. How does this project line up? Seek the Kingdom first.   But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  If you will seek the Kingdom first, you will discover your true purpose; one that will be your eternal purpose in God's Will.  Remember what the Lord Jesus said while He was here on earth.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  

Keep in mind, what you do down here will reward you eternally.  Never, I say never, allow your loved ones or relatives and friends hinder you from the Will and Purpose that the Lord has for you.  ...strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”   We must separate ourselves from all those who will hinder us from reaching our goal in the Kingdom.   So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.  Have you noticed what our reward is?  Eternal life.

​You must understand that mankind is a triune being, created in the image of his Creator and Source.  He was created in the likeness of his God.  Your life should be so submerged in obeying His Word, you show some sign of being mature.  I said mature, not religious.  Wearing a robe or white collar doesn't mean that you are mature.  It just means you want to be noticed as someone special and even set yourself above your fellow man.  It also shows that you want to be known as a man of God through the religious apparel and not necessarily by your lifestyle and behavior.  Draping yourself in religious garb in no way reveals the condition of your heart.  Now, the best way to show others who you truly are is to be obedient to God's Constitution. You will be known by the fruits of the spirit that flow from you in your daily walk!  Study the Constitution of the Lord God and submit to the Holy Spirit's leading.  Then you will discover your purpose for being here!  If you are obedient to the Word and commands of the King, you shouldn't concern yourself of evil.  The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.

If you genuinely fear and love the Lord, you will want to obey His Constitution (the Bible) morning, noon and night.  When you live according to the Lord God's Constitution, you will develop high standards.  These standards of living will definitely set you apart from others around you.  You will be living by the standards of the Kingdom, not the standards of this world.  It starts with your thinking and then it  will effect your behavior.  But keep this in mind.  It is all a process and that takes time.  When you stumble, when you fall short; get back up, dust yourself off and be determined to be stronger next time.

When you discover your purpose, you will find that it is designed to influence others to be drawn to the Kingdom of God by your behavior.  This gives you the opportunity to share the Kingdom message and concept. Not a religious experience.  People will want what you have.  You will find that many people are becoming tired of the religious experience and are seeking the Kingdom.

The Lord Jesus made this statement concerning the Kingdom:   The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  The Lord Jesus made it  very clear, the law and the commandments were to remain forever.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.  His Word will never fail and it never changes.  

Proverbs 19:21   Matthew 6:33   Mark 13:31   Acts 14:22
Mark 10:30   Proverbs 19:23   Luke 16:15-17

~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
 
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you

When you are submerged in the Word of the King, you will be at peace.  You will have joy in the  midst of turmoil.  Before we go any further, let's talk about the Lord God's joy. In God's Constitution (God's Word) joy is an attribute of Deity.  May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works.  It is an important part of the characteristics of the Lord God.  The ambassador Paul made this statement in his letter to the Galatians:  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  This world often equates joy with happiness, but the two are quite different.   Ambassador Paul also made this statement concerning citizens of the Kingdom:  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Happiness depends largely upon what is happening around you or what is going on at the time. Things such as good health, congenial company, pleasant surroundings, etc.  Things that affect our emotions positively and bring us "up". Happiness is temporary, joy is constant.  Happiness comes from the outside, joy comes from within.  Happiness and unhappiness are like water and fire, both can't occupy the same space at the same time.  In essence, they can not co-exist together.  However, joy and sorrow can co-exist.  Joy gives the person who is a Kingdom citizen eternal hope.  My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

Here, the prophet Isaiah is speaking of our King Jesus:  He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.  And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.  The ambassador Paul, once again, made if very clear:  Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Both ambassadors Paul and Silas, scourged and imprisoned with their feet in stocks, could hardly be described as "happy" but at midnight they sang their praises to the King, their God.   And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.  And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”

Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.  And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

Don't you just love it when the Lord God shows Himself to you?!  Kingdom living is living a victorious life, regardless of what is going  on around you. The greatest witness you have is your joy and peace under pressure.  The world doesn't understand it. A Kingdom citizen encourages others to recognize the One who created the heavens and the earth.  They had such great joy, that the Lord God caused an earthquake and not only delivered them but brought joy and salvation to the jailer's household.  

My brother-in-law and his wife lost their 16 year old daughter many years ago in a car accident.  The peace and joy they maintained through a devastating situation had nothing to do with their circumstances.  There was no chaos and their family did not fall apart.  Their trust in God shone through.  Because of their witness of peace and joy in the worst of circumstances, countless people came to Jesus the Christ.  There is no louder, more effective witness than your life.

Remember this one thing.  The kind of joy that those in the Kingdom have comes from above, not from here on earth.  It comes from the Kingdom of God.  It is given to all those who listen and obey His Word.  Living a Kingdom life is one of obedience to the King's command.  Keep in mind, Kingdom living is embracing the King's laws and principles, regardless of what is going on around you.  How is that possible?  Because you trust in the King's Word and He always keeps His Word.  

Psalm 104:31   Galatians 5:22-23; 24-25   James 1:2-3   Isaiah 53:3
Hebrews 12:1-2   Acts 16:23-34  

~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
 
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you

Men's failure to be what the Lord God made them to be, has been a problem from the very beginning because of man's disobedience.  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.  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.”  Disobedience starts when you are young and grows when parents do not give their children strong guidance, structure and teach Biblical principles from the beginning.  The ambassador Paul stated this to the Ephesians in his letter:   And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.  Now the word admonition refers to advise, to beware of, as of a person or thing.  It is also words of expressive or strong disapproval.  

The Lord God created men to be leaders.  But this world system is creating "cookie cutter" males.  Popular society is pressuring males to look like the female, or at least androgynous (being both male and female), in some form or other.  Male fashion trends are leading them to look more and more like females.   Far too many men have laid down their responsibilities as leaders and fathers and left women to "pick up their slack".  Boys have no strong fathers of Biblically moral character to look up to as examples of what manhood is supposed to look like.  That has a domino effect, getting further and further from Biblical principles with every generation.  A very wise man, Solomon, put it this way:  Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.  Training takes time and effort.  It takes commitment and sacrifice, and far too many parents are not willing or able to do this.  

There is a Jezebel spirit loose in this world that robs the man of his masculinity and man has allowed this to happen.  That spirit strips man of the person the Lord God created him to be and of his purpose.  Why has this been allowed to happen?  Mankind has failed to embrace the Lord God's Son, who was sent to restore the Kingdom within mankind through His Holy Spirit (the Governor).  They also have never discovered their purpose.  Sadly, it will get worse before it gets better:  But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!  For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,  always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Read those scriptures carefully.  Does it sound familiar to you?  This is what happens when you fail to instruct and train up your sons and your daughters and teach them what a man of sound moral, Biblical character looks and acts like...men who model those characteristics.  Morality is reaching an all-time low.  All you need to reverse this failure is to know the Lord God's Constitution--the Bible--and live what you read.

Our responsibility as Kingdom citizens is to learn the Kingdom concept and message and teach them to others, especially our sons and our daughters.  Prepare them for the King's physical return.  Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.  Keep in mind, the Lord's principles are eternal and unchanging.  There are certain things that He hates that come into conflict with His Character and Principles.  

These six things the Lord hates; yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

The same things that the Lord God hates, we as Kingdom men, should also hate, if we are born again and filled with His Spirit.  If you don't, you are just a religious person that attends a religious institution.  Being filled with the Holy Spirit and God's Word, we should love what God loves and hate what God hates.  We should be one with His Spirit.  Remember what the Lord Jesus stated to the religious leader.  Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  

Regardless of what others may say, men without Kingdom (Biblical) principles cannot be totally trusted.  If they don't behave in the manner of what they say they believe, or if he cheats on his wife, what do you think he would do as an employee or a business partner?  Think about this before you associate with someone:

If a man is dishonest with his wife and family--the people who are the most close to him--how can he be trusted to work for you or run a business with you?  His wife is supposed to be his best friend and he has betrayed her.  Why would he treat you any better?  When they reveal who they really are, believe them!

Genesis 2:8, 15-17   Ephesians 6:4   Proverbs 22:6   II Timothy 3:1-7
Revelation 1:7   Proverbs 6:16-19   John 3:5  
​ 
~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
 
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you

Upon going through cities, preaching the Kingdom of God, Jesus gave this invitation concerning His message: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  That was an invitation, not an order.  They had a choice to come or not to come.  He at no time told them that they must come to Him.  Keep in mind, He even informed them of the conditions and environment they would enter into.   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.  This same invitation extends to us.  Keep this thought in mind, we always have a choice.  He gave us that power, but there are consequences that come with the choices we make.  The Lord God wants us to accept His Son, whom He sent to restore mankind to his original state.   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.  That original state is being filled with His Governor (His Holy Spirit).  His Spirit living in your mortal body is the key for your citizenship in the Kingdom of God.

​There are many leaders who are called but fail to obey and allow His Constitution (His Word) to be their lifestyle.  Jesus speaks of this in this parable.   “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son,  and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.  Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’  But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.  And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.  But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.  Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.  So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.  Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”  ​

Now, notice this statement.  "The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy"  The reason they weren't worthy was because they failed to embrace His Word.  They treated His Word lightly.  Sadly, many who call themselves Christians attend religious services because of the music, dancers and to feel good.  The preacher speaks about everything except the Kingdom, most of which are religious-based messages, based on their doctrine.  They don't take the Kingdom seriously.  They see Kingdom is a word that refers to the "sweet by and by".  But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.  It is the same in today's world.  They put business--and entertainment--before the Lord God; not thinking that this world is only temporary.   Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  ​

Keep in mind, the king who arranged for the wedding invited them.  He didn't force them to come.  It was an invitation.  ...and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.  "They weren't willing to come"  Now what can be so important that you can't stop what you are doing, and learn the Kingdom way of living?  Remember, He created heaven and earth.  He didn't create religion.  Mankind made religion and rejected the Kingdom.

Look back into history of the religion of Christianity.  For example, during the Saxon wars, many people were killed because they refused to convert to the Roman Catholic religion. They weren't given a choice.  The free will God granted them was taken from them.  In the Kingdom, there is only one alliance.  That is to the Lord God and His Son and They are One.   Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.   All authority has been given to His Son.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  He made that perfectly clear.

​Matthew 11:28-30  John 3:16   Matthew 22:2-14   Mark 13:31;12:29
Matthew 28:18

~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
 
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you