JESUS' KINGDOM VERSUS SATAN'S KINGDOM
The American Holocaust Against The Animals - Article Series From The Caring Heart with Dr. Joyce from Spokane Washington

“Jesus answered, My Kingdom is not of this world…” (John 18:36)

“Love not the world. Neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (I John 2:15-16).

The above two Bible verses seem confusing, at first glance. Jesus’ Kingdom is Heavenly, and not of this world. The verses from I John are referring to the world as in Satan’s world, or “worldliness,” which is a depraved, lustful grasping, or “loving,” and not Godly loving at all. I believe the Father wants us to really appreciate His creation and lovingly take care of it, with Holy love. The American holocaust against the animals is definitely part of Satan’s “worldliness,” and never a part of Jesus’ Heavenly Kingdom.

JESUS’ KINGDOM I’m convinced that, as followers of Jesus, we are to live in accordance with the values and activities permeating His Holy Kingdom. As we grow in likeness to Him, we are able to – more and more – live those values down here on earth NOW, learning to be mature, perfect citizens of Heaven forever. I have heard Heaven is filled with incredible beauty all around, with sounds and colors far surpassing those on earth. Also, pure love, kindness, gentleness, and compassion are everywhere, with an absence of anything less pure and wonderful. LIFE is unending and celebrated. Death never happens up there. Injury or deprivation never happen up there.

To make it possible for us to participate in Kingdom-style living, we “Followers of the Way” need to be in constant connection with the Holy Spirit, which acts upon our own spirit to guide our lives. Here’s where “dying to self” comes in. Our self – our personality – does not run us anymore, the Holy Spirit runs us, through our spirit. THE MORE WE ARE INFUSED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE MORE OUR PERCEPTION OF THE WORLD AROUND US IS POSITIVELY AFFECTED.

With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can look around us and be totally awed by the essences of so much! The incredible beauty of the luminous, gorgeous creation leaps out at us, such as perfectly fashioned blooms with awesome colors, the miracle of little birds flying around and stopping to take drinks in puddles, squirrels, dogs, cats, and zillions of other animals, whose bodies are composed of quadrillions of cells, all working in synchrony. Amazing!! Herein lies so much joy for us and gratitude for the blessings God has bestowed on this earth – for us to live among, to perceive, and to enjoy. Even man-made objects can have their precious essences, I believe. They, too, were made with materials God created, by artisans whom God endowed with the intelligence and abilities to express themselves through art for art’s sake.

MOREOVER, as true Jesus followers, being overcome with the incalculable preciousness of what lies “out there,” WE WILL BE VERY HIGHLY MOTIVATED TO CARE ABOUT, PROTECT, AND NEVER HARM ANY LIVING CREATURE. OR TO TRASH AND DESTROY THEIR HABITATS. Our minds have been renewed and transformed, and our perceptions, too. The MEANING of what we see, hear, and touch around us is different now, so much fuller and deeper. The choices we make as we live through our days now converge around what will fit in with Jesus’ Kingdom living. We feel securely connected to the Kingdom, and incredibly humble, as being created creatures among other created creatures. We can feel a real kinship with other species we never felt before. (I had a special spiritual connection with my wonderful Morgan gelding, Buddy. When I would ride him bareback, I would feel unusually safe, secure, and finally “at home.” I would feel aware of and existing in a Heavenly world far beyond the normal earthly one. It felt so peaceful and good! I experienced this many times.) The more we are infused with the Holy Spirit in our spirits, and the more we have the desirable attitude towards ourselves and our lives in God’s beautiful creation, the more we will feel, and we will know the “Peace Beyond Understanding.” We will be sincerely grateful for everything God has provided and will be kind and loving to all life.

SATAN’S KINGDOM Satan’s kingdom is, of course, the direct opposite of Jesus’ Kingdom. It has been called by various derogatory names, such as “the world of the prince of darkness.” It is the world of unregenerate man, whose life direction and involvement is “worldliness.” The perceptions of totally unregenerate men lack Godly spiritual influence from above and are thus quite devoid of the perceptual transformations of love and kindness of the spiritually whole and mature. Any spiritual influences operating out of such persons are influenced by real Satanic evil. So, therefore, objects in their world are seen, quite a bit, for their utilitarian value only. Or the total lack of any value whatsoever. The focus is upon “what can it do FOR ME?” Nothing else is important. Nature is most often seen as areas of land, sea, and skies to be exploited, beauty and life being destroyed in the process, most often to make exploiters rich. Incredible, massive, and irreparable damage to vast areas has happened countless times.

Animals, those in the air, on the ground, under the ground, and in the waters, are NOT perceived as being the incredibly aware, wonderful creatures they are. They are seen as food, beasts of burden, entertainment, novelty, experimentation, or whatever other extrinsic value. No intrinsic value is recognized. Amazingly, unregenerate man seems utterly incapable of registering the fact that animals experience as much pain as man would under similar experiences of starvation, abuse, injury, and being killed. (Certain categories of personality disordered persons are believed to be totally incapable of feeling empathy.) Forests are clear cut so that huge, luxurious homes can be built, destroying the habitats of countless birds and other wildlife. Such homes are far, far beyond what anybody needs to live comfortably in. Air is polluted. Oceans are overheated and horribly trashed.

The unthinkable horror and evil of today’s factory farms doesn’t even register a mild concern in the minds of so many of our “nice” citizens. I remember how I perceived and felt as I grew up. Meat was just food to eat. I had only a fuzzy awareness that meat came from sentient creatures I would come to love very much. In about my thirties, I picked up a library book that would change my life profoundly. It was Dominium, by Matthew Scully, who had resigned from being one of President Bush’s speech writers to write this book about man’s treatment of animals throughout history. I was upset for weeks! --- and forever changed.

As we are painfully aware of, not only is unregenerate man uncaring and destructive of the environment and the animals, he is destructive of his fellow humans as well. He is also destructive of himself, committing suicide, being addictive to drugs, alcohol, junk food, being lazy, and what-all. No peace can seem to be found for such persons. No real joy. Unregenerate man is influenced by Satanic spirits instead of the Holy Spirit. He lacks fulfillment and self-control, is angry, and is consequently driven to find peace and fulfillment in the wrong places! (Never really works.) Materialism is a real favorite to focus his interests, motives, and goals upon. Gotta keep spending! Gotta have more! Gotta appear socially “with it” and affluent! Debt is just fine because debt allows for more accumulation of “stuff” to go on, People buy things they don’t need with money they don’t have. Hoarding of small animals and of “stuff” is a national problem. Lacking any sense of real humility and gratitude, their hallmark is arrogance – “the big ME.”

What a mess!!! Such lives are spiritually bankrupt!!! Such persons are evil and dangerous. Stay away from them!!

WE HAVE A CHOICE

Well, there are two kingdoms to choose from – Jesus’ Holy Kingdom and Satan’s thoroughly evil kingdom. Do we really know which side we are on?
Are we cognizant about how spiritually mature we are? (On the good side, of course). Can we find really good guidance as to how to grow more spiritually Holy? I’ve found valuable help from reading Jesse Penn-Lewis’ books. She has written several, and the most basic and comprehensive seems to be War On The Saints, by Jesse Penn-Lewis, Whitaker House, (New Kensington, PA, 1996).

It makes a vital difference how we perceive the physical world around us, for our own peace and joy, and for how we treat the earth and the animals, who are innocent and who want to live and bear their young in a safe environment. WE NEED TO DO AND BE ALL WE CAN!! Make a habit of TAKING A CLOSER LOOK.

Copyright 2017 – Dr. Joyce The Caring Heart

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