Kingdom 103: Staying Focused on Your Purpose Pt 2
Keep in mind, the Lord Jesus refused to be a food king or a Jewish nationalistic king. In both of those cases, it meant that Jesus would have to do everything, and His followers would do nothing except receive the benefits of His kingship. Is that like most people in religious institutions today? They want blessings, prosperity, grace and mercy, but they don't want to live by the King's Word. They want only to pick and choose, as if God's Word was a menu. Again, in both cases, it would be a handout and the prayer would be a 'gimmi". What I find is that many religious people love the blessing, but don't want to fully obey the Lord God's Word. They want His grace, but not His correction. Here is what God's Constitution states: Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
Many who claim to represent the King have made the message of the Kingdom innocuous--harmless, not likely to offend. They make the Word of the Lord God non-effective through traditions, customs and fear of speaking the Truth of God's principles and laws. He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Even though at the time the Lord was speaking to the religious leaders of that day, those words definitely apply to present day leaders who cover themselves with the words, purpose, prosperity, faith and vision of God's Word without seeing the message of the Kingdom. They get rich off those who are ignorant to the Constitution (Bible). Once again, I am reminded to read what the Lord God stated to His representative Hosea concerning His people. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Notice He uses the word destroyed.
Please note, modern attempts to reduce the Kingdom and make it innocuous are to make it synonymous with the organized church and all its traditions and rituals. The Kingdom appears to be powerless and of no effect. A good examples is the Roman Catholic church who have made the church infallible and above question, and yet spiritually powerless. But it has nothing to do with the Kingdom of God. Only God's Word is infallible, not man's. Always remember, the Kingdom that the Lord Jesus was speaking of was the government of heaven, not a religion. All of Christianity, as well as Roman Catholics and other organized churches are about membership--including rules and paying your dues. The Kingdom government is about citizenship. In religions one must go through rituals in order to become a member. However, one must be born again through Jesus the Christ to enter the Kingdom and become a citizen. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ You must stay focused on God's Constitution for there are many distractions out there.
Proverbs 12:1 Mark 7:9-13 Hosea 4:6 John 3:1-7
~~W.R. Luchie
Many who claim to represent the King have made the message of the Kingdom innocuous--harmless, not likely to offend. They make the Word of the Lord God non-effective through traditions, customs and fear of speaking the Truth of God's principles and laws. He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Even though at the time the Lord was speaking to the religious leaders of that day, those words definitely apply to present day leaders who cover themselves with the words, purpose, prosperity, faith and vision of God's Word without seeing the message of the Kingdom. They get rich off those who are ignorant to the Constitution (Bible). Once again, I am reminded to read what the Lord God stated to His representative Hosea concerning His people. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Notice He uses the word destroyed.
Please note, modern attempts to reduce the Kingdom and make it innocuous are to make it synonymous with the organized church and all its traditions and rituals. The Kingdom appears to be powerless and of no effect. A good examples is the Roman Catholic church who have made the church infallible and above question, and yet spiritually powerless. But it has nothing to do with the Kingdom of God. Only God's Word is infallible, not man's. Always remember, the Kingdom that the Lord Jesus was speaking of was the government of heaven, not a religion. All of Christianity, as well as Roman Catholics and other organized churches are about membership--including rules and paying your dues. The Kingdom government is about citizenship. In religions one must go through rituals in order to become a member. However, one must be born again through Jesus the Christ to enter the Kingdom and become a citizen. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ You must stay focused on God's Constitution for there are many distractions out there.
Proverbs 12:1 Mark 7:9-13 Hosea 4:6 John 3:1-7
~~W.R. Luchie
