Life Learning Series

The spiritual life giving power of the Holy Ghost, on an individual level, was demonstrated by the change that came about in Peter when it rested upon him. For a while, Peter was heading down a dead-end road, spiritually; the Lord Jesus Christ told him so.

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (Luke 22:31-32) When the Holy Ghost flowed into Peter, with the full force of its release into the kingdom of man, on a general basis . . . Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

(Acts 2:9-13) Then, Peter was a true light for all the surrounding people.

– Explore the Kingdoms of Man: Part Twenty-Four –

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One of the strongest winds of change that hit the world, in the way of repentance, is the day of Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost, the LORD God released the force that was announced by Jesus Christ when he told us of the pending release of the Spirit of truth.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

(Acts 2:1-8) The Spirit of truth is not limited by human iniquity. There is no crime so heinous that the Spirit of truth cannot redeem the person from it; except for one….

– Explore the Kingdoms of Man: Part Twenty-Three –

Now, we are approaching the capstone lesson for the kingdom of man. There are many religious folks who want the world to end. This desire is said to be based on some Scripture. Personally, I do not believe that the Scripture indicates that the earth will end, though it does indicate that the world of the early life of Jesus of Nazareth, and prior to that, would end. Indeed, the four kingdoms of Daniel’s prophecy were destined to come and go, in the history of man, along with their associated worlds. The first three of these kingdoms of Daniel’s prophecy are pure history, now; this fact is not subject to dispute. The disposition of the last kingdom, though, is still subject to debate.

I like to use a simple logical flow when going through the events of the Bible. Well, in this case, I will not use such a simple flow; I say that because I will start near the end, in order to highlight the beginning. The following Scripture describes the ending at which I will begin, and, too, how the beginning that it highlights.

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

(Daniel 7:9-14) As the end of the world of the day of Jesus Christ was occurring, a book was delivered to the seven churches of Asia. This book is The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. In this book, the end of the world of the day of Jesus Christ is described. Among the pieces of the description, is this one….

– Explore the Kingdoms of Man: Part Twenty-Two –

The example of the early church is the example of a specialized section of the kingdom of man. This example is one that should be applied to every church that exists. That is to say, the example should be applied to every church that exists in the same form as the early church of the time of the apostles of Jesus Christ.

And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people.And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

(Acts 2:44-47) I hope that I am not offending anyone, but we do not have very many of these churches in existence today. The churches that exist today have become highly politicized; and they bring to mind the discussion that Jesus had with some of the religious leaders of his day. And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give?But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.And they brought it.

And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

And they said unto him, Caesar’s.

And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.

And they marvelled at him.

(Mark 12:13-17) …

Kingdoms of Man: Part Twenty-One (Negotiation)

I am about to immerse some of you in a cruel mind game. Imagine that the earth and the current world on the earth are both here to stay. Imagine that it is our responsibility to whip the kingdom of man into shape, by purifying the kingdoms of man. Well, unfortunately for many minds (mine included), it is not just a cruel mind game; it is reality. Let us follow a path of Scripture that will get us all to a point of acceptance. First, consider these words of the apostle Paul.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:1-4) Also, consider these words of the disciple John. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. (1 John 2:18-19) Finally, for now; consider these words of God’s angel, Jesus Christ, delivered unto his servant John….

– Explore the Kingdoms of Man: Part Twenty –

NOTE

: The following is laden with broad portions

of direct Bible references,

in a

light kind of way.

The end of the world of the ascendancy of the nation of Israel was accomplished as Moses said that it would be.

But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.    I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them. They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.     I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men: Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the LORD hath not done all this. For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. ..(Deuteronomy 32:15-28) Specifically, the end of that world was accomplished as the LORD inspired the Levites to declare to the congregation of Israel. This declaration, too, was delivered to the congregation of Israel, even before the congregation became a fixed nation, in the culture of that day….

– Explore the Kingdoms of Man: Part Nineteen –

It is my opinion that the LORD performed a marvelous work in the kingdoms of man. Oh, you do not really care about my opinion. Well, in that case, here is the opinion of God.

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31) Since God saw it as being good, who am I to say that it is not? What I can say, though, is this: as a result of mankind’s intervention, the worlds of the kingdom of man needed some progressive refinement. The apostle Peter speaks of a portion of the refinement that was done to the worlds of the kingdom of man (or is it, to the kingdoms of the worlds of man?) This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:1-7) So, let us take a step back to the time of the apostle. We do this, so that we can move through the final preparations that the kingdoms made, by command of the LORD, to arrive at the world of the kingdoms of man, of now. We want to determine if this current world is also a world that is fitted for destruction. We will not try to plead its case if the Scripture says that this world must pass away for the sake of another. In that case, we will accept its (and our) place in reality as being a part of the flow of reality that the apostle Paul wrote about, here.. . .

– Explore the Kingdoms of Man: Part Eighteen –

Here, I repeat a passage of Scripture that the prior portion of this offering of understanding references. I do so because it is the prophet’s vision of a divine gear.

Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. (Ezekiel 1:15-17) The prophets are the example of the will of God, to the world. This example spanned beyond just the nation of Israel. Scripture shows us an incident of prophetic activity, outside of Israel; in an assignment that the LORD gave to the prophet Elijah. And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. (1 Kings 19:15-16) The prophet Daniel was, primarily, a prophet to the Gentile nations….

– Explore the Kingdoms of Man: Part Seventeen –

There will come a time when, individually, each one of us will be given the key that allows us to be transported from the kingdom of man, into personal awareness of our presence in the Kingdom of God. This is not a thing that must be repeated, over and over again.WARNING: I am moving into a topic that is referred to as, eternal security.

Eternal security declares that nothing is able to extract the acquired soul from the grip of the LORD. In like fashion, Jesus Christ declared that nothing can extract the ones to whom he was sent from his hands. Moreover, in making the declaration, Jesus included the aforementioned truth that pertains to God the Father, as the reason for his powerful position in the reality of eternal security.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

(John 10:27-29)It is important for us to fix in our minds that we do not have to constantly pursue the basics, either with the LORD or with the servants of the LORD–chief among which is Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ alluded to a type of person that was ready to make the transition from carnality to righteousness. This type of person is not just the ones that sat at the feet of Jesus, directly, historically speaking, such as at this time.

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– Explore the Kingdoms of Man: Part Sixteen –

On the subject of transports; the Bible can be a most uncomfortable guidepost for the modern man. In the modern time, we are accustomed to having a broad pallet of possibilities. When we go to the store to buy coffee, for instance; we do not want to be told that there is only one available brand. The same is true for most of the other things we obtain.

Oh, I should qualify that a bit. You see, there are some countries that are not so prosperous, as to have multiple options for certain things; even among the necessities. Also, there are certain neighborhoods of otherwise prosperous countries, in which there are very limited options, as well. Even so, where the mentality of choice exists, there is still a desire for a broad field of selection; this is most clearly seen in the United States of America in the broad selection of eating establishments. However, the methodology that righteousness implements, in moving the kingdoms of man toward the Kingdom of God, is much different. This is the beginning of that difference.

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

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– Explore the Kingdoms of Man: Part Fifteen –