Just the other morning, the Holy Spirit (the Governor) gave Arlene a message to deliver to me. I realized right away it was for my next Kingdom living blog. I realized that while King Jesus was on earth, His greatest combatant was those of a religious mindset. It is the same with those who are spreading the Kingdom teaching as did our King. Back in that time, the children of Israel had made the nation of Israel a religion as well. They were still under the law of Moses, but they added rules and customs of their own. It was like adding a lot of milk to coffee because it was too strong without it. And, as is true today, they would read and quote the Lord God's laws and principles, but they themselves didn't follow it. Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
King Jesus had the most opposition from the religious leaders. In fact, if you notice, it wasn't the people challenging Him, it was the religious leaders influencing the people against Him. Listen to what King Jesus stated to those religious leaders: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also."
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." Since our ministry is internet based, we are on various social media sites. Sadly, we see far too many people embracing their religious titles and positions in their religious organizations; as if it has something to do with the Kingdom message that our King came to restore. Titles are for self esteem, pride and being elevated above those they should be serving. Yes, I must say, that religion and its leaders are some of the greatest hindrances to the Kingdom--just as it was in our King Jesus' day. He made that very clear: “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation."
When you are in a Kingdom mindset, you don't make up long drawn-out prayers. Power isn't in the length or poetry of your prayers; it is in the Holy Spirit that is working within you and is activated by your faith. You simply speak the Word by your faith in the King. Remember what the centurion said to the Lord Jesus' statement that He would come and heal him? The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this 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 it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour. Wow! That is a powerful statement! Notice that the centurion recognized the Lord Jesus' authority, that wasn't from man, but from the Lord God.
By the way, if your message isn't from the King, you do not have authority or power and will be held accountable for every single word. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
Religious people have always been a hindrance to those who are seeking the Kingdom. Rules, denominations, traditions, symbols, jewelry with religious symbols are all part of connecting you to that religion and showing everyone where you are connected. Though some of these things may seem good, they have no connection to the Kingdom of God. A Kingdom citizen's connection is through the Holy Spirit within them; no symbols, traditions or icons needed. “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. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." Read the whole 23rd chapter of Matthew and you will see how our Lord and King Jesus had to put those religious leaders in check.
Before I close, here are some clear signs of those that lead by the Spirit:
1. They teach and preach the Kingdom message as eternal, because it is!
2. They don't have to beg or ask for support because they know the Lord God will grant access to all they need by moving in others hearts and minds to give. The Holy Spirit doesn't need your help!
3. When you are in the Kingdom, your alliance is to the King and you represent Him.
4. Kingdom citizens truly operate through faith in the promises of the King. They look to Him, not the government nor other people. They know God owns it all but gives us access to all we need to fulfill our God-given assignments. (No one NEEDS to accumulate wealth and possessions for their pleasure. Finances serve a purpose.)
“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."
If you are a Kingdom citizen in good standing, He will provide. No religious hoops to jump through....just have faith!
Matthew 23:1-3,25-28, 13-14 Matthew 8:8-13 Matthew 12:36-37
John 14:15-18 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
King Jesus had the most opposition from the religious leaders. In fact, if you notice, it wasn't the people challenging Him, it was the religious leaders influencing the people against Him. Listen to what King Jesus stated to those religious leaders: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also."
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." Since our ministry is internet based, we are on various social media sites. Sadly, we see far too many people embracing their religious titles and positions in their religious organizations; as if it has something to do with the Kingdom message that our King came to restore. Titles are for self esteem, pride and being elevated above those they should be serving. Yes, I must say, that religion and its leaders are some of the greatest hindrances to the Kingdom--just as it was in our King Jesus' day. He made that very clear: “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation."
When you are in a Kingdom mindset, you don't make up long drawn-out prayers. Power isn't in the length or poetry of your prayers; it is in the Holy Spirit that is working within you and is activated by your faith. You simply speak the Word by your faith in the King. Remember what the centurion said to the Lord Jesus' statement that He would come and heal him? The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this 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 it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour. Wow! That is a powerful statement! Notice that the centurion recognized the Lord Jesus' authority, that wasn't from man, but from the Lord God.
By the way, if your message isn't from the King, you do not have authority or power and will be held accountable for every single word. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
Religious people have always been a hindrance to those who are seeking the Kingdom. Rules, denominations, traditions, symbols, jewelry with religious symbols are all part of connecting you to that religion and showing everyone where you are connected. Though some of these things may seem good, they have no connection to the Kingdom of God. A Kingdom citizen's connection is through the Holy Spirit within them; no symbols, traditions or icons needed. “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. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." Read the whole 23rd chapter of Matthew and you will see how our Lord and King Jesus had to put those religious leaders in check.
Before I close, here are some clear signs of those that lead by the Spirit:
1. They teach and preach the Kingdom message as eternal, because it is!
2. They don't have to beg or ask for support because they know the Lord God will grant access to all they need by moving in others hearts and minds to give. The Holy Spirit doesn't need your help!
3. When you are in the Kingdom, your alliance is to the King and you represent Him.
4. Kingdom citizens truly operate through faith in the promises of the King. They look to Him, not the government nor other people. They know God owns it all but gives us access to all we need to fulfill our God-given assignments. (No one NEEDS to accumulate wealth and possessions for their pleasure. Finances serve a purpose.)
“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."
If you are a Kingdom citizen in good standing, He will provide. No religious hoops to jump through....just have faith!
Matthew 23:1-3,25-28, 13-14 Matthew 8:8-13 Matthew 12:36-37
John 14:15-18 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
