Reviewing from our last article, righteousness is a legal term, not a religious term.  It has to do with citizenship and the relationship with the King and His government.  That relationship is based on the citizens obeying the laws of His country, so they do not come into conflict with the government authority and jeopardize their right-standing and citizenship privileges. Keep in mind what King Jesus stated while He was here on earth: “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.

Hold those words close to your heart.  Once again, heaven is a country, invisible to us here, but a country nonetheless.  Also remember, the Kingdom of God is within you!  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.”  It is through your faith in Him that pleases Him.   And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.

Having your total faith in the Son of the living God shows that you trust Him above all else.  It was because Enoch loved and trusted the Lord God that He took him from this earth, he had total faith in his Creator.  It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying— “he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 

Your faith in the Lord Jesus leads to right-standing in the Kingdom.  Why?  Because you read and study His Word.  It is what gives you unshakable standards and principles.  Remember this, it is one thing to be a good person, it is totally another thing to be a righteous person.  Do you recall what King Jesus said concerning righteousness?  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled…Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. NKJV 

It is His righteousness, not your righteousness.  But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.  We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. NKJV

The Kingdom of God is somewhat like some of this world’s governments.  It has a constitution, known to the religious world as the Bible; but it isn’t a religious book.  Unlike many nations of this world, where the people write the laws, in the Kingdom, the Lord God wrote the constitution.  In His Kingdom, His Word is law, meaning the King’s Word.  This is why it isn’t necessary to attend a religious church service.  You should be reading and studying the constitution and allowing the Holy Spirit (our Governor) to teach and guide you.  That is why the Lord God sent His Son: for our salvation, to reintroduce the Kingdom of God into the earth and to leave the Holy Spirit to work within us to lead and teach us all truth.  But because many Believers fail to read and study His constitution, He anointed teachers to train and teach His Word, until your faith becomes strong in Him.  Even then, what they teach should be confirmed by the Holy Spirit working within you.

Remember, righteousness means right-positioning with His Kingdom government.  It is when you become a citizen of the Kingdom government that you pledge to be obedient to His laws.  Do you recall what the King stated while He was here among His people?  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.  NKJV  Those are very simple requirements.

Do you know what was meant when He said:  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”?  In essence He was saying “Seek to become a citizen of the Kingdom of God and then stay in alignment with the government’s laws—then everything you may need will be provided to you!  When you are under the cover and protection of the Kingdom—within the walls of the city, you may say—you are provided for and protected.

And remember, your faith in the Lord God’s Word is your main asset in the Kingdom.  Don’t live without it!

John 14:15-17   Luke 17:20-21   Hebrews 11:6; 11:5   Isaiah 64:6  
Matthew 5:6, 10   John 14:23-24   Matthew 6:33
All NLT except where noted.

​​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 only have two priorities:  His Kingdom and His Righteousness.  These are the two priorities that He gave to us. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
 
Those are the words of our Lord and King.  The Lord Jesus reduces the issues of life to two things:

His Kingdom and His Righteousness. That is correct; anything else in this life is a byproduct.  Remember, a kingdom always reflects the nature of its king.  In the same way, we as citizens of the Kingdom must reflect the principles and standards of our King.
 
Joining a religion or church won’t solve your problems.  In most cases it will add to them.  Seeking His Kingdom requires us to read and study His Word and setting time for Him to communicate with you in the way He chooses.  The Lord Jesus did this quite often, especially after He had ministered to a crowd of people.  He made it a point to get alone and speak with His Father God.  Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray….  Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while He sent the people home.  After sending them home, He went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while He was there alone. 
 
Remember this one thing, the Son of the living God, took time out of His busy day to speak with His Father.   But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of His power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear Him preach and to be healed of their diseases.  But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. 
 
Righteousness is the nature and defining characteristic of the Kingdom of the living God, nothing short of that! With His Kingdom comes His Righteousness.  You can’t inhabit His Kingdom without it.  In the New Testament of the Lord God’s Constitution, the basic Greek word for righteousness is  Dikaios.  It is a powerful word that means “those who are upright, just, righteous, conforming to the Lord God’s laws”.  I don’t usually bring up Greek words, but this one is exceptional.  It also carries the quality of being without prejudice or partiality.  By the way, there is another word that is related, “dikaiesune”.  It means righteousness or uprightness. In the Old Testament of the Lord God’s Constitution, there are two related Hebrew words, “sedeq” (justice) and “sedaqah” (righteousness) are legal terms, not religious terms.  They signify justice in conformity with the legal corpus. Read what the Lord God said to Moses:  You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.  You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you. NKJV  Again, the Lord God declared His righteousness to His representative Jeremiah in the midst of giving His judgment to evil Kings.  Thus says the Lord: “Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and there speak this word,  and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David, you and your servants and your people who enter these gates!  Thus says the Lord: “Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. NKJV
 
By the way, the phrase “legal corpus” means the body of law that runs a country. Read what the Queen of Sheba stated to King Solomon:   She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true!  I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told. How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom!  Praise the Lord your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”  Do you recall what the Psalmist stated in the Lord God’s Constitution? I have done justice and righteousness; do not leave me to my oppressors. NKJV  Keep this thought in mind.  The source of justice comes from the Lord God Himself.  By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. NKJV  Always keep this thought in mind:  Heaven is a country, an invisible country, but still a country nonetheless.
 
Remember, your faith in the Lord Jesus the Christ is your greatest asset in the Kingdom!
 
Matthew 6:33   Mark 1:35   Matthew 14:22-23   Luke 5:15-16   Deuteronomy 16:18-20   Jeremiah 22:1-3   1 Kings 10:6-9  
Psalm 119:121   Proverbs 8:15   All NLT except where noted

​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

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord:  “I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously; He has hurled both horse and rider into the sea..."  

Keep in mind that in the Lord God's Constitution, the expression of praise often includes the word will.  Throughout the book of Psalm, King David said much concerning his praise to the Lord God.  I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.  NKJV  David acknowledged the goodness that the Lord God had shown him.  It was to the extent that he began to sing His praises in a song.  But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.  I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me...The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.  NKJV  The word will can imply a future time.  It can also speak of a conscious choice.  In essence, you are determined to praise the King.  It is a choice that you make.  That is what the scripture in God's Constitution calls a sacrifice or offering of praise.  King David was always grateful to his Father God.  Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is with those who uphold my life.  He will repay my enemies for their evil.  Cut them off in Your truth.  I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good. NKJV

Praise becomes a sacrifice when you offer it to the Lord God for no other reason than He deserves it and asks you to do it.  To be honest, there are times when we may not feel like praising Him, we are drowning in the emotion of the moment, but we shouldn't go by our feelings.   In his letter to the Hebrew citizens, ambassador Paul made this statement:   Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name.  And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.  ​Keep this in the forefront of your mind:  the first thing that should come out of your mouth when you wake up in the morning is a praise to your Lord and King!  When I was a young boy, I used to help my maternal grandfather harvest their fruits and vegetables.  Let me tell you, that was hard work!  Sometimes praising the Lord requires the same effort.  We don't "feel" like it.  But that is why it is imperative that we learn to live above our momentary "feelings" and grow our self-control fruit! 

Try this:  The next time you are having a difficult time or going through a crisis, instead of calling on your spiritual leaders to minister to you and help you through it, offer up some sacrificial praise.  Yes!  Have a praise service right where you are.  Sacrifice your hurt feelings, anxiety, your financial crisis, and begin to praise the Lord God for what He has already done.  No matter how bad things look, there is always something to praise Him for!  Anyone can praise Him when everything is going well.  It is no sacrifice.  But if you've just lost your job and don't know what to do or where to even start, praise Him.  Praise Him for the way He's always taken care of you...for an opportunity to get a better job...praise Him because there's food in the pantry...praise Him because you know with all that is in you that He has already worked it out in your favor...praise Him because you have learned to trust Him with all your heart and you feel God's peace in Your spirit!  

Learn to make a conscious choice to lay aside all that pulls you down and brings fear and anxiety, depression or hopelessness.  Open your mouth and talk to the Lord God.  In those times, give Him your sacrifice of praise.  Tell Him how wonderful and great He is to you!  Tell the Father that He is worth more to you than everything else in this world.  Tell Him there is nothing this world can offer that is worth more than Him.  

Remember, the sacrifice of praise won't cost you anything financially, but it will cost you your self-centeredness and your natural tendency to dwell on whatever is wrong in your life.  Stop focusing on problems and praise the One who has the answers.  Giving the Lord God your praise means that you choose to dwell on Him instead of yourself.  He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”  

One more thing I must say for clarity.  This sacrifice can never be forced from you by someone else.  You may sing or raise your hands because someone may tell you to, but an outward show isn't an inward praise.  A sacrifice of praise comes from within and bubble over!  Read what the Lord God told Moses:  And when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, offer it of your own free will.  NKJV

Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in the Word of God.

Exodus 15:1-2   Psalm 7:17; 13:5-6;  28:7;   54:4-6   Hebrews 13:15-16
Psalm 91:1-2   Leviticus 22:29   All NLT unless noted

​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

There are many things that can cause us to lose our focus on the Word of the King.  Notice I said "can cause" us to lose our focus, not "will cause" us to lose focus. What you focus on is a choice.  For example:

Wealth, entertainment, sleep deprivation, homelessness, hunger,  sickness in your body, family who want you to be someone you are not, people who want you to help them fulfill their dream, and of course, relationships.  The list is endless!  This is only a fraction of what could cause you to lose your focus on His Word.  This is why it is vital to have a solid foundation that is based on faith in His Word; not on any religious philosophy. 

It is so important that we set our priority, before distractions set in.

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."

The evil one has many tempting distractions to throw at you to cause you to lose your focus from the Lord God's Word if you allow it.  Yes, anything can be a distraction if you allow it!  Fame, money, internet, TV, husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend and even your children!  Can you identify your top three distractions?

"I was going to read and study the Word this evening, but_________ one of my favorite movies came on and before I knew it, I was falling asleep."  

"I just started reading when ___________ called and I couldn't be rude and not answer!"
​
"I was going to spend time in prayer, but _________" 

Fill in your blanks!  The more excuses that pile up, the blurrier your focus on the Lord God becomes. It is inevitable! But:

"You shall have no other gods before me."   

During the time Jesus was in the wilderness, being offered things of this world by the evil one, the Lord Jesus stayed focused on His purpose and assignment. When the enemy of the Kingdom offered Him the pleasures of this world, the King quoted His Father's law.  Next the devil took Him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”

“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’”

Another very serious distraction comes from close family members who aren't filled with the Holy Spirit, and who don't have a clue who the Lord Jesus is.  They may only attend a religious institution, yet they want to give you advice on how to live a righteous and holy life.  They may even go so far as to chide you for being "too spiritual" and a "wet blanket" at family events.  Do you recall what the Lord Jesus stated when His parents and siblings came calling on Him while He was focused on His Father's business?  The Lord Jesus' response was straight forward and to the point:  As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, His mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to Him.  Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.”

Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”  Then He pointed to His disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers.  Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

That should be the viewpoint of ever Kingdom citizen concerning their families and the Kingdom.  Do you recall what King Jesus stated to His public? 

“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.

‘I have come to set a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
     Your enemies will be right in your own household!’

“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.  If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.  If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."

It is the Word of the living God that will save and keep your focus on the Kingdom, not your religious beliefs.  Whenever you find yourself losing focus, remember what King Jesus said to Thomas when he wanted to know the way:  "When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.  And you know the way to where I am going.”

“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where You are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me."  

Keep focused on the Word to stay on course!

Remember, your faith in Him is your greatest asset in the Kingdom.

Matthew 6:33-34; 4:8-10; 12:46-50; 10:34-39   John 14:3-6
All NLT, unless noted

​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