Capacity for Truth: Man's Path to the Holy Spirit

By Bernard Fisher

Capacity for Truth is a focused and detailed study of the gospel teachings of Christ. It is a complete review and analysis of his doctrines, designed to provide a complete picture and context of his teachings and to educate Christians concerning higher spiritual principles Christ outlined for his disciples and for his followers.

Capacity f

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookTrail Publishing
• Release date: Mar 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9781951505295

Bernard Fisher

Traveling to over thirty countries, living in six, Bernard Fisher a native New Yorker, a former international model, currently an actor. Embarked on a journey around the world, unaware that it would lead him on a journey with in, healed by becoming aware of self, freeing him of generational sins.

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Copyright © 2020 by Bernard Fisher

Paperback: 978-1-951505-30-1

eBook: 978-1-951505-29-5

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of nonfiction.

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BookTrail Agency

8838 Sleepy Hollow Rd.

Kansas City, MO 64114

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Chapter 1: Capacity for Truth

Mouth of God

Doctrine of Truth

Path of Truth

Path of Truth and Courage

The Promise of The Comforter

Washed in The Blood

Who is Worthy

Battle for Truth

Search for Truth

My Search for Truth

Searching the Path

The Way of Truth

To Know Truth

Proverbs 3:

Verification of Truth

Wisdom of Choice

Proverbs 3

Wisdom of Humility

Forbidden Fruit

Fruit of The Poisonous Tree

The Fig Tree

The Carpenter

The Shepherd’s Voice

Chapter 2: The Teacher’s Path

The True Light

Christ Story

The Temptations of Man

Fame of The Great Physician

Sermon on The Mount

Our Lord’s Purpose

The Lighted Path

Forgiveness

Adultery

Swearing of Promises

Revenge

Love Thy Neighbor

To Be Seen of Men

Alms and Gifts

Prayer and Worship

Fasting and Preparation

Service of Riches

Life of Faith

Judgment

Gift of The Holy Spirit

The Strait Gate

The Centurion

The Physician

The New Wine

Miracles of Faith

The Believer’s Path

Destiny of Prophets

The Chains of Fear

The War of The Spirits

The Wisdom of Truth

The Scorner’s Generation

Chapter 3: The Divided Kingdom

The Unforgiven Sin

Idle Words

Sacrificial Lamb

Take Up Your Cross

The Daily Choice

The Hour Cometh

Thief of Hope

The Husbandmen

The Parables

The Sermon

Electric Kingdom

Hands of God

My Neighbor

The Shepherd’s Meat

Nourished Spirit

The Justified Traveler

The Traveler’s Road

The Wandering Traveler

The Good Man

The Journey of The Spirit

The Sheepdog

Chapter 4: Brotherhood of Disciples

The Parables of Truth

The Sower of Seeds

Purpose of The Parables

Discernment of Sower

Sowers of Tares

The Mustard Seed

Three Measures of Meal

Treasures of The Kingdom

Prophet Without Honor

Commandments of Men

Moment of Thy Visitation

Sign of The Times

Leaven of The Pharisees

Leaven of The Faithful

Path of The Chosen

The Healer’s Faith

Offense of Scorners

The Lost Sheep

Parable of Forgiveness

Parable of Humility

The Disciple’s Reward

Parable of The Chosen

Parable of The Fig Tree

Authority of Truth

Parable of The Husbandmen

The Wedding Feast

At the Seat of Power

Path of The Faithless

Fall of The Children

The Unknown Hour

The Wise Servant

The Watcher’s Parable

Parable of The Talents

Parable of Goats and Sheep

Chapter 5: Doctrines of God and Man

Bread of Man

Bread of Our Children

By Bread Alone

By Their Fruit

The Milk of The Spirit

Bread of The Spirit

Meat of The Spirit

Lord, I Am Not Worthy

Spiritual Life

Discerning Spirit

Eyes to See

Fruit of The Spirit

Keys of Wisdom

Light of The Spirit

Light of The World

Resurrection Power

Chapter 6: Path to Discipleship

The Unforgiven Sin

Let Your Light So Shine

Kingdom of God Parables

The Fruit Multiplied Parable

The Mustard Seed

Render unto Caesar

Two Commandments

The Porter Watches

Resurrection

The Offer of Power

Bridegroom-New Wine

Sermon on Mount II – Parable

Justified of Her Children

Tale of Two Debtors

Discernment of Sower

Brotherhood of Disciples

What Does It Profit a Man?

Hand to The Plough

The Laborers Are Few

Humble in Service

Eyes to See

Who Is My Neighbor?

Lord’s Prayer

Covenant of Friends

The Unclean Spirit

Blessed in Deed Alone

Light of The World

Leaven of The Pharisees

Fear Not Them That Kill the Body

Parable of Covetousness

The Watchful Steward

His Purpose

Kingdom of God Parables

Fig Tree II

Mustard Seed Parable

Three Measures of Meal Parable

The Strait Gait

Hunted for Words of Truth

Disciple Sacrifice

The Squandered Inheritance

The Wasteful Steward

Justified Before Men

Lazarus and The Rich Man

Offenses of The Scorner

The Unprofitable Servant

Search for The Kingdom

Pray Without Ceasing

Two Men in The Temple

Disciples Reward

The Talents

Moment of Thy Visitation

Signs Revealed

Fig Tree Parable

Greater to Serve

Born Again

The Condemnation

The Gentile Hour Cometh

Healed on The Sabbath

Bread of Life

Spirit is Life

Doctrine of The Spirit

The Light of Life

No Ears to Hear

Door of The Sheep

Belief on The Christ

Prepare Thy Feet

The New Commandment

Gift of The Comforter

The True Vine

Commandment of Christ

Path of The Disciple

Promise of The Comforter

Jesus Prays for Disciples

Gift of The Spirit

Chapter 7: The Battle for Light

Battle for Light

The Warrior’s Path

To Prepare Our Feet

Verified by God

Walk of The Spirit

No Idle Words

Man’s Word

Passing of The Torch

Children Without Light

Chapter 8: Lost to Truth

Opinion-Mother of Idle Words

Conditioned Response

Accept Without Question

Without the Fruit

The Greatest Deception

Path Without Light

Refusal by Israel

Vanity’s Snare

Rationalization of Truth

Justified by Men

Delusion of Power

Shadows

Path of Darkness

The Blind Guides

Laws Without Love

War of The Spirit

Known by Our Children

The Call for Disciples

Chapter One

Capacity for Truth

Man’s path to the Holy Spirit is determined by his capacity for Truth: his ability to receive and retain the word and wisdom of God within his heart. There are many obstacles each man must face if he is to be prepared for today’s spiritual warfare. The children of darkness don’t rest until they devise a way to cause man to stumble on his path.

Solomon, the son of Wisdom, gave us this proverb sharing God’s commandment to him:

Proverbs 4:

⁴He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

I started out with a plan to study the gospel of Christ and to write about what I learned. I was on a spiritual journey seeking the wisdom of God, desiring to grow in his grace. My quest led me to the words of Christ and the Wisdom of Solomon. When I studied the words of Solomon and Christ, I found comfort and direction in their teachings.

Their words inspired me to seek a higher level of spiritual understanding and awareness. I wanted to understand God’s wisdom and receive his words of Truth. I sought the ways of Truth known to the elect children of God. I wanted to know more about the Holy Spirit and become one with the Spirit of God.

The teachings of Christ became the focal point of my study and for the things I will talk about. Christ’s gospel provided me with the spiritual instructions I needed so my spirit could grow. His words directed me to seek the path of Light. I began to understand his story and see that his plight was no different than my spiritual battle.

I was inspired by the words Christ first said to the Tempter after he received the baptism of Spirit. Christ told us the Spirit of Man lives by every word that comes from the Mouth of God. He always spoke to us about our Spirits. His word symbolizes Christ is the Mouth of God. We must seek his every word because he is the Mouth of God.

The gospel of Christ is the instruction booklet for all who seek the ways of Truth and Wisdom. Christ’s words are a gift to the true believer who receives the spirit of discernment and is enlightened by the instructions of God.

Christ gives instructions to the new believers, who must understand his principle of forgiveness in order to know the love of God. He gives instructions to the mature believers, who practice the principles of his doctrines of peace, humility, compassion, love and grace. He gave detailed instructions to his disciples. Now he gives them to all who come in his name.

He commanded his disciples to love one another and to spread the Gospel of the kingdom to the world. He prepared the instructions for discipleship and revealed the words that give eternal life to man’s spirit. Now Christ seeks the man who will follow in his path and do the work of God’s kingdom.

Christ came to teach us in the ways of Truth, giving us the Bread of Life. He came to give us his doctrines of forgiveness and love. With his doctrines, we can break the chains of fear that have taken the children as hostages in the War of the Spirits.

Our Lord’s word promise the man who humbly and diligently seeks the Spirit of God will receive the spirit of discernment, the Holy Spirit. Then he will know the voice of Truth. The Holy Spirit gives man his ability to grow in his capacity of Truth, and receive the instructions of God.

Christ walked the path of Light while he preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to all men. He spent his days teaching us the ways of the spirit, and demonstrating the principles God wants his children to keep. He reproved the ways of men who sat at the seats of power, and used their power to destroy the Light that was given to the hearts of men.

Christ came to prepare us to bring the Light of God to the divided house of man. The house of man has fallen to the ways of the wicked. Now many men walk without the Light of God within their hearts. Christ taught us to keep his words of life and to bind them within our hearts so we could be worthy to receive the wisdom of God, and become his disciples.

The ministry of Christ established the Brotherhood of Disciples. Christ sought the hearts of wise men that God may choose to do his work. This was our Lord’s main purpose. My purpose is to remind men of their God-given right to be Christ’s disciples.

Christ gave us his doctrine of spiritual life so all men could walk in the ways of Wisdom and Truth, grow strong is spirit and in faith, seek the instructions of God, and become fruitful in the works of their hands.

He warned us to beware of the doctrines of men that poison the hearts of believers who seek to do the work of God. He prepared the hearts of his servants for the battle to keep Light in the hands of man. He also delivered his messages to the children who live in darkness, and are now lost to the ways of Truth.

The children of Wisdom have always known that the Spirit is the way to eternal life. All men who seek the ways of Truth must understand this principle. We must first seek knowledge and instructions from the children of wisdom and from the mouth of God. The Mouth of God is the source of all Truth. His purpose is to guide the man who seeks the path to Spiritual Life.

Children of Wisdom must not be content just to stumble onto the words of Truth.

We must diligently seek the instructions of God, and must also seek the instructions that are only given to man by way of the Holy Spirit. God has chosen to reveal the secrets of his kingdom only unto his elect. When man becomes one with the Spirit of God, he will know the wisdom of God, and will receive God’s words that give eternal life.

The path chosen for men of wisdom is the road to Spiritual Life. Men who seek wisdom spend their entire lives in search of Truth. Their purpose is to seek the spirit of Truth and perform the deeds of Truth. They search the path of Truth with diligence and humility, and bear the fruit of God’s kingdom before his children.

For their diligence, they find the way of Truth known only to the children chosen by God. For their humility, these men come to know God’s peace. They know the call of the Shepherd and will come only to the sound of the Shepherd’s voice.

The fruit of wisdom is a Tree of Life that nourishes the spirits of all men who take their place in God’s battle for Truth. These are the humbled men of God who chose wisely and have been found worthy to receive God’s blessings. For his wisdom and diligence, the man of God is rewarded with the Spirit of discernment. He will always know the voice of Truth.

The spirit of Truth guides the wise man to seek and receive knowledge and instructions from God. This man will come to know the Shepherd’s story, and he will clearly understand his principles. They will already reside within his heart. He will come to know the Shepherd’s purpose and will make his purpose in life the same. He will seek, with excitement, to do the work of God. For his diligence, God will reward the wise man as he enlarges his capacity for Truth.

Christ’s words promise those who seek the Spirit, humbly and diligently, will find the Spirit at hand. There is no limitation on what man can do when he is endowed by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God will always provide man’s fruit, through miraculous deeds. The diligent man will be witness to these works. They will be done through the works of his hands.

The power to know what is of God is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. The power to do what is of God requires a union between man and the Holy Spirit. When the deeds of man are guided by the Spirit, his actions will be fruitful and glorify God.

Solomon, the Son of Wisdom gave us these words of guidance, establishing his Proverbs:

Proverbs 1:1

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; ²To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; ³To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; ⁴To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

⁵A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: ⁶To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

⁷The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. ⁸My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: ⁹For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

If the spirits of God’s children are to be fed, and live by his word, it would be wise for his children to read every word of Christ, and come to understand his story. Any man who reads his words, and follows his teachings, must ask, seek, and allow the Spirit of Truth to guide him toward wisdom and spiritual discernment.

The man who prepares himself so opens new channels to the Holy Spirit. This spirit has power that is only limited to doing the work of God. Once a man seeks instructions from God, to learn through his own study, the Spirit will manifest to him, revealing his spiritual fruit for the season.

Many men who teach from the word misunderstand our Lord’s messages. We allowed the words Christ spoke to be taken out of context by these teachers, who rarely understand, or explain, the real messages behind his stories. We allowed his teachings to be crumbled before they are fed to us, rather than to eat whole from his word.

Christ gave us a way to know who we follow, and where we are on the path of spiritual life, when he said …you will know them by their fruit. Through his words, we also understand the hearts of men, merely by what men say. He said to us out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.

When a man speaks, the content of his heart is always revealed. The wise man will know the health of any man’s Spirit, merely by what he says. Some men say talk is cheap. They say that the deeds of a man will always reveal the contents of his character. A man’s deeds and words are only considered fruitful when they glorify God, and bring hope to the hearts of other men.

We should know a man by what he does, and measure him by the fruit of his actions. Man is therefore deemed to be good only if his deeds are fruitful, bring glory to God, and bring blessing unto other men.

Some men choose their path in life with personal motives in mind. Then they seek God to verify their actions. But the motives of men are transformed when they come to know God, and their spiritual eyes are opened. What a man does for the glory of God sets him apart as a great man. What a man does by himself is an entirely different matter. Man is free, but must choose daily if he is to do the will of God. Many will, instead, choose their own will, and will then ask for God’s stamp of approval.

Mouth of God

Children of God, who choose to go beyond the boundaries set for them by men of power and deceit, must first understand what was prescribed for us by the Great Physician, as he responded to the antics of the Tempter. Our Lord’s very first response to evil, after being baptized by John, and after fasting forty days, identified his true purpose and his destiny. He gave guidance to us in these matters when he said Man does not live by bread alone: but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God.

Solomon, Son of Wisdom, gave us this Proverb, reminding us to seek the gifts of the Father:

Proverbs 8:

⁸:¹Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? ²She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. ³She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

⁴Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. ⁵O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. ⁶Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. ⁷For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. ⁸All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. ⁹They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

¹⁰Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. ¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. ¹²I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. ¹³The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

¹⁴Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. ¹⁵By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.¹⁶By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. ¹⁷I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

¹⁸Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. ¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. ²⁰I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: ²¹That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

²²The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. ²³I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. ²⁴When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. ²⁵Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: ²⁶While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

²⁷When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: ²⁸When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: ²⁹When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: ³⁰Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; ³¹Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

³²Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. ³³Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. ³⁴Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. ³⁵For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. ³⁶But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Christ used his words symbolically and metaphorically, speaking to us about spiritual life. He spoke to us as the Mouth of God. He spoke for God, and God spoke through his words. The words Christ spoke are now a testament to his life, and our foundation for Spiritual Life. In his life, and in his doctrine, he gave us the words of Spiritual Life so all men could be perfected in God.

The children of light must seek every word of Christ, and we will know Truth. We must come to know his story, and know that his story is also our story: the story of God’s children who seek to do the will of God, and desire to build his kingdom.

Doctrine of Truth

When Adam ate from the forbidden fruit, the eternal path of man was altered in a moment. By one corrupt motive, the desire to be as a God, man was tempted and chose to eat from the forbidden tree. He would now come to know both good and evil. When man came to know both good and evil, he lost something that was even more precious. Because he was vain in his motive, desiring to be as a God, and because God feared he may also eat from the Tree of Life, and live forever, man was exiled to no longer live under the protection and nurturing he once received from God.

The man, who once walked with God, was now exiled from the Garden, and destined to toil by the labors of his hands to feed his body. The man who chose knowledge, above God’s peace, would be confounded by the very knowledge he has chosen.

Since that time, the whole of man would have knowledge that is without wisdom and Truth. Knowledge man received has been separated from wisdom and Truth. The knowledge we received has been given unto the hands of man. But wisdom and Truth are the doctrines of the Spirit. Man must now go to God, in Spirit, and ask to receive the fruit of Wisdom and Truth.

Solomon, who received Wisdom from the hand of God, said unto us:

Proverbs 2:

²:¹My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; ²So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; ³Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; ⁴If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; ⁵Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

⁶For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. ⁷He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. ⁸He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. ⁹Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

Men who live without wisdom and truth still have knowledge. But their knowledge has been tainted by the children of darkness. They are the children of deceit who perform their deeds only to confound the Spirit of man. All that man learns now puts his knowledge and his ability to discern truth to a test.

When man is confounded in his knowledge, he will eat bread from the children of darkness. Their faulty doctrines will be his doctrines as well. These children took the commandments of God, and made his words into doctrines of vicious men.

Children of light must be aware of the commandments of men. It has become man’s responsibility to discern Truth for himself. But the man who walks without the Spirit has no tool by which he may discern Truth. This is why Christ was sent to walk among us, to demonstrate the principles of wisdom and Truth, to be perfected in God, and to give the Holy Spirit unto all men.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son: that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life. From these words alone, we know God gave man a way to heal his spirit.

Many new Christians say this passage is the cornerstone of their faith. They say their belief in Christ gives them everlasting life. But what is this belief based on? If a man has read and understood the teachings of Christ, up to this point, his belief in Christ is based on the teachings and deeds Christ performed. Belief in our Lord is a great beginning, but it is only the beginning on the road to Faith and unto Spiritual Life.

Those who believe in his name, yet have not read and understood his teachings, have limited their own spiritual growth. I once heard a man say One can look upon icy waters and believe it has frozen. Yet his faith is only tested when he walks upon the icy waters.

Many of these men have hearts that have waxed cold, and their ears are hard of hearing. Their eyes have closed shut and they have turned their heads away from the Spirit of Truth. These children are offended in Truth, and confounded when they hear the words of Truth.

Those who heard his sermon on the mountain were astonished at his doctrine. They were surprised that he spoke as if he was the man in authority. His teachings were not the way Scribes and Pharisees taught. He compared the traditions of Israel with the laws of God, and warned that the traditions no longer reflect the love of God, nor show compassion for any man. When our Teacher spoke Truth, he deferred to no one, other than God, as the authority for what he said. He often said to them you have heard that it was said by them of old time…but I say unto you …

Path of Truth

Throughout all time, God has given his Spirit unto man to guide his way, so that he can be fruitful in his deeds. Since the resurrection of Christ, another has come unto all men as a Light to guide the way. This Light is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. All men, upon sincere desire, can receive the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes only to the man who seeks God’s instructions. It is this Light that walks the path of Truth, and gives man his ability to discern her messages.

The Path of Truth is obscured to those who walk the Road of Life, and walk it without the Spirit. For these travelers, truth has no relevance. They have a consensus on certain opinions and issues, and they stick to those ideals often without fail.

For these men, there is no shaking by principles of Love, Forgiveness, Compassion or Truth. They consider these to be a weakness, and they follow the ways of the Scorners. But what they come to believe, no matter how false it is, is always confirmed to be what is right, by those men they join forces with.

The ways of God, and the ways of Truth, are not open to democracy or philosophical debate. Truth is a living spirit that has life and gives life to the Spirit of man. Truth is an absolute authority within herself, given only by God to those men who do his work. It is a logical absolute that cannot be evaded with fallacies of illogical syllogisms.

Many travelers have been conditioned, even from birth, to seek approval or verification from other men. They find comfort in vain confirmations they receive from their comrades. For the man that has Spiritual Life, and does Truth, his confirmation must come from God. Those who know God, and are as