Archive for June, 2012

Kingdom of God: Part Eleven (Promises)

Monday, June 25th, 2012

There are two truths of the Kingdom of God that we want to highlight here. The first truth is that we owe our existence to God. The second truth is that God has, shall we say, obligated Himself to maintain our welfare. The second truth is the one that fuel this discussion of promises. The second truth is highly important to both our well-being and the recognition that God is consistent in His Entire Kingdom. We can rest in this truth because there is a simple fact of existence that attaches us, unbreakably, to God: we are His, and we are subject to both His care and His rule.

The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.

(Ezekiel 18:1-9)
As interactions–including interventions, along with intercessions, and even when they are spontaneous–provide the glue that binds us to God, in the Kingdom of God; promises are the grainy things inside the interactions that give them their stickiness. Before we proceed, we need to take a good look at the diversity that is in the word, promise. In our world, there are promises, and there is promise; these two need to be kept separate.The word, promise, is a double-edged sword: on the one edge are promises; on the other edge is each entity’s promise. Entities’ promise is best expressed as: the potential for evolution, leading to advancement. We will explore both of these aspects of intervention, as revealed in the kingdom of God; each in their own topic, and in their appropriate place in the flow of enhancing our understanding of the Kingdom of God. Here, let us start with the promises of the Kingdom of God. Of course, we will not try to cover all the promises, here; but we will explore a representative sample. First, let us state the bedrock that supports all the promises of the Kingdom of God.

– Explore the Kingdom of God:  Part Eleven –

The Fullness of David: Part Fourteen (Mindful Intervention)

Thursday, June 14th, 2012

We will start on the path to personalized mindfulness about our interventions, in a moment. First, though, we need a charter. Here is our charter.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

(Galatians 6:9-10)

In addition to our charter, we need some motivation. To gain motivation, let us search Scripture. One very good example of positive incentives that can incite one to be motivated to be mindful of their intervention in the world involves what may be thought of as being an addendum to the charter.

– Explore The Fullness of David: Part Fourteen –

Kingdom of God: Part Ten (Spontaneity)

Monday, June 4th, 2012

Before we delve into spontaneity, please think about the alternatives: intervention that requires action on our part versus intercession that is done without our involvement. A particular figure of history said it this way, “God helps those who help themselves”. Sometimes that is true; however, sometimes it is not. For instance, in a certain event, the intervention for the sake of the wayward kings that reigned in Israel, from time to time, was preceded by an inspiration for the king to humble himself before the LORD. The following is Scripture that describes king Ahab’s humility in a petition for intervention, and lets us see the disposition of it in the Kingdom of God. First, the king was given ample reason to turn his heart toward humility. And yet, the king was also too corrupt, it seems, to merit a good return from the LORD as an answer to the king’s humility.

And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

And Ahab said to Elijah, hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee; because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD. Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

(1 Kings 21:17-24)
However, even with a corrupt beneficiary, still the LORD gave the humility greater weight than the corruption.

– Explore the Kingdom of God:  Part Ten –