As I have stated so many times, the lives and culture of Kingdom citizens should stand out from those of the rest of the world as distinctly as a garden in the middle of a desert. For centuries of desert travelers, nothing has seemed more out of place, or more welcome, than an oasis. Despite outward appearances, life hangs on in a desert, occasionally revealing itself in a flourish of vegetation and vitality, especially where an underground spring bubbles on the surface.
The world is looking for the kingdom, even though they aren't aware of it. We "citizens of the Kingdom" are that Garden. In contrast to the lush beauty, richness and abundance of the Kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom of this world, under the rule of Satan the great pretender, is a vast arid desert--barren, austere and harsh. The religion and culture of mankind offer little to no nourishment to the spirit. Satan, the ever sly deceiver and trickster, lures the people of this world with false promises of hope and happiness that he never delivers. Though looking for clarity, prosperity, financial independence and freedom, they find only confusion, poverty and slavery. Does this sound familiar to you? The things they seek cannot be found in the Kingdom of this world, but only in the legitimate Kingdom, God's original "Garden"--the Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven.
In case you don't remember, Jesus the Christ, came to Earth to reclaim the desert and transform it once more into a great garden, the vibrant life and abundance of which reflect the character, nature and environment of His Father's heavenly kingdom. He was an oasis, a garden in the desert; and He planted seeds of life, righteousness and holiness that sprouted into other oases. These were His ekklesia, His church, called to plant other gardens in other places just as He had planted them. Those in turn would plant others and the process would continue until the desert would be supplanted and transformed and only the gardens would remain. I call it the domino effect.
This is the plan of the Lord God and is as sure as if it has already happened. The King's Garden Expansion Program is well under way, moving toward the fulfillment of the words recorded by the ancient Hebrew representative Isaiah:
The world is looking for the kingdom, even though they aren't aware of it. We "citizens of the Kingdom" are that Garden. In contrast to the lush beauty, richness and abundance of the Kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom of this world, under the rule of Satan the great pretender, is a vast arid desert--barren, austere and harsh. The religion and culture of mankind offer little to no nourishment to the spirit. Satan, the ever sly deceiver and trickster, lures the people of this world with false promises of hope and happiness that he never delivers. Though looking for clarity, prosperity, financial independence and freedom, they find only confusion, poverty and slavery. Does this sound familiar to you? The things they seek cannot be found in the Kingdom of this world, but only in the legitimate Kingdom, God's original "Garden"--the Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven.
In case you don't remember, Jesus the Christ, came to Earth to reclaim the desert and transform it once more into a great garden, the vibrant life and abundance of which reflect the character, nature and environment of His Father's heavenly kingdom. He was an oasis, a garden in the desert; and He planted seeds of life, righteousness and holiness that sprouted into other oases. These were His ekklesia, His church, called to plant other gardens in other places just as He had planted them. Those in turn would plant others and the process would continue until the desert would be supplanted and transformed and only the gardens would remain. I call it the domino effect.
This is the plan of the Lord God and is as sure as if it has already happened. The King's Garden Expansion Program is well under way, moving toward the fulfillment of the words recorded by the ancient Hebrew representative Isaiah:
The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them,
And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice,
Even with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
The excellence of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
The excellency of our God.
Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are fearful-hearted,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert.
The parched ground shall become a pool,
And the thirsty land springs of water;
In the habitation of jackals, where each lay,
There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
A highway shall be there, and a road,
And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean shall not pass over it,
But it shall be for others.
Whoever walks the road, although a fool,
Shall not go astray.
No lion shall be there,
Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it;
It shall not be found there.
But the redeemed shall walk there,
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
The power of the Garden Principle is irresistible,
because it is the power of the King.
And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice,
Even with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
The excellence of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
The excellency of our God.
Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are fearful-hearted,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert.
The parched ground shall become a pool,
And the thirsty land springs of water;
In the habitation of jackals, where each lay,
There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
A highway shall be there, and a road,
And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean shall not pass over it,
But it shall be for others.
Whoever walks the road, although a fool,
Shall not go astray.
No lion shall be there,
Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it;
It shall not be found there.
But the redeemed shall walk there,
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
The power of the Garden Principle is irresistible,
because it is the power of the King.
Isaiah 35:1-10
~~W.R. Luchie
~~W.R. Luchie
