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9 minutes We study about the Garden of Eden and we often feel drawn to its beauty and abundance and innocence. It must have been wonderful to live in such a pristine environment, with every need met, to experience an intimate marriage full of delight in each other, and to have a satisfying sense of purpose in ruling over God’s creation together. We sometime loose focus and talk about the future in terms of a return to, or restoration of, Eden. But to speak of the new creation in terms of a restoration of Eden is actually a reduction of what God has planned for His people and for His world. Eden was never intended to be the end. It was always headed somewhere. Somewhere even more glorious: an eternity with new heavens and a new earth. Eden met perfection but eternity will always pursue potential. Just as Eden was not all that God intended, nor was Adam and Eve. The tree in the garden brought disobedience. The tree at Calvary brought obedience. The cross is our guidepost to eternity. Eden was limited. The first pair were sinless, but they were vulnerable to temptation. They were alive, but they were vulnerable to death. They were made in God’s image, and crownedwith a measure of His glory, but they weren’t yet as glorious as God intended them to be. What eternity will have is never a temptation, it will be forever secure in holiness, never a thought of evil, of waywardness of any sort, never a death of any kind and most of all the fullness of the stature of Christ in its inhabitants. God created eternity for the escalation of all excellences. God created eternity as a focus of our learning, that we might grow a sense of our identity as citizens of heaven, that changes how we see ourselves now. Nothing can capture our anticipation of being just like Christ but seeing God face to face. Our love to Christ begins on earth and the expectation of the love relationship in eternity must inform how we live by faith here on earth. Eternity is that evidence, that substance that God has made us for Himself, and our heart is restless until it rests in Him. We are created with a knowledge of God and a longing for eternity. As God grants us the trials of life under the sun in perceiving the ways of God, He pushes us to recognize our innate awareness of eternity when God’s ways are incomprehensible. God has given us the capacity to discern that history has a purpose, even if we are unable to understand fully what God has done from the beginning to the end. Being confronted with our finitude should increase our dependence on God. We are to live our lives from the vantage point of eternity. We must show ourselves as the people of History under God’s providential rule that live far beyond just the moment. We are made to know God. Nothing apart from eternity with Him will satisfy our deepest longings. And it is Christ who provides the way for us to dwell in the presence of God forever. I Peter 3:18 We ought to recognize that every Lord’s Day is a foretaste of eternity. It developes in us this sense of “wanderlust” knowing of that soon coming journey with Christ. Eternity is more than God restoring His creation to the state of integrity that was Eden. Christ came to accomplish what was necessary to open the better way for us. When we join to the risen Christ now we have the newness and glory and life of the greater Eden breaking into our life. We aren’t yet experiencing redemption in the full and complete way we one day will, but it is breaking us up into the shivers for the potter’s remaking. Revelation 2:26-28 God’s preparation pattern for His people is overwhelmingly impressive. Consider the wilderness theme; the first couple was sent into the Edenic wilderness because of sin, the Israelites’ in their wilderness wanderings were being made peculiar in the presence of God dwelling in the sanctuary, and Jesus’ perfect contentment in the wilderness in preparation to face the enemy face to face. Note the thread of emptiness without God that was the experience. We too will have an emptiness experience of wilderness ourselves in trials and tribulations. It must be endured to heighten the sense of awareness and elevated consciousness beyond the mere dimensions of human understanding. God sees the emptiness in our life as His greatest opportunity, because God does His best work with empty as He fills it with Himself. We are God’s work on full display. This is God performing that begins to shape our perspective on whatever it is we lack. We receive instruction toward God-ward living, and how keeping eternity in mind can shape our current assessments of truth. And when God has a seriously faithful people who are informed and influenced, knowing that eternity is not simply a destination but the way of reverent expectation to worship God in Spirit and in Truth by His transcendant design...the ultimate spirituality of God’s holy law to be written in lively stone. Eternity is our ultimate rest. This world is our tour of duty per se - one continuous assignment after another of waging spiritual warfare. We are not alone in this. Christ is with us always. Our faith is that powerful means to draw upon to guide us to the ultimate eternal union with God the Father and God the Son. Our coming to Christ now is the spiritual essence of our anticipation of dwelling together with all created beings in the declared glory of God’s excellence. Our thoughts of eternity contain massive theological truths that move beyond the biblical narrative. All nations, partaking from a tree with root spanning both sides of a crystal clear river of the water of life, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, bearing twelve kind of frutis every month, whose leaves heal all who are already changed into incorruptible immortality. Humanity existing in God’s image. There is no temple there...eternity is God’s Holy of Holies. Will scripture be relevant in eternity? Hear the grand design of God that He is empowered and has undertaken to set before us. To know Him, the only true God, and all the discoveries and principles of truth, and Jesus Christ in whom we will have every excellency in duration in the vision and fruition of an eternal God. In the perfection of eternal life will be the intuitive knowledge of God and Christ. We will rejoice in eternity as it will take even longer to know the inexhaustible glories of God. Our understanding may extend itself as far as it will. Eternity is created for us that we may never exhaust the beauty and lovliness of God. We are now upon the threshold of possessing eternity. Let us not think of it as an unending progression of time. Let us think of the experience of possessing life as in Christ. It is then that eternity is not something that has no beginning, no ending, it is the ever revealing of the awareness of God where all things are woven into His love. God’s love is not the end, it is the aim declaring His eternal purpose which never ends. Our words, our thoughts, regardless of how intentional can only begin to grasp what eternity really means. God created eternity to be a motivator for our obedience and that we be called to holiness. God created eternity that we might know of our reward for walking through undeserved hatred and abuse and holding to His calling so firmly that nothing could overwhelm our mind. God created eternity that our ultimate vision is heavenward, and our purpose is to bring people there. Eternity offers us untold performances of love. From grasping the mysteries of heaven to glimpsing every promise of God. God created eternity that He may be ever present in our life. God created eternity that His infinite essence will be found in peace, in ease, in glory. Eternity makes heaven to be heaven.

9 Minutes Let’s take this hard hit and then ease into our discussion. Let us declare the love of God to be so as to passionately delight Him to create an eternity for us to live in. And to show the brillance of this love consider the alternative. Eternity is for those who sacredly find life in Christ. What of others? God’s love is so unconditionally infinite that even those who reject Him is subject to His extreme care. How so? God could have also created an eternal hell. Those who reject God’s goodness will suffer the second death and its accompanying pain yet their pain will come to an end. Thank God that we who will reside in the eternity with God will never have a thought of any continuance of suffering for the wicked. Now let’s rejoice in God’s eternalness. Eternity is not an inherent part of human existence, and it is a uniquely everlastingly theologically gifted relational event of God through which all demise is forever ended. Eternity is the event that God sets in our heart so that our confidence in what God determined in counsel from the afore beginning to the not ever end, will be infinitely diversified truth. Revealed to us will be the many-colored wisdoms of God overshadowing all that has been displayed to thrones and dominions. God has entrusted, under the Spirit’s leading, a people to teach the spiritual things hidden from the world’s beginning, which are now to be sounded universally to those who will be worthy of a seat in the heavenlies to share fully and forever all that Christ is. We can begin to see our life in eternity through heavenly eyes when we reap the harvest of truth that God seeks to fill our hearts with. It is truth that moves us beyond the past and for life with him in eternity. Eternity will be the unveiling of treasures of wisdom, of love, of togetherness, that we will find contemplation and wonderment in coming to understand how there can be no future, no past in eternity. Think on this...in this life we move at the remarkable rate of speed of one moment per one moment. In eternity events do not follow a sequential pattern. Think about a destination with no end. Everything in scripture points to eternity, and everything within us cries out for it. We are magnificently designed for life on earth, right now, with all its pressures and problems, its joys and tears. But there is yet more for us to experience. God has prepared something incomprehensibly beautiful for those who love Him and trust Him - something that is beyond time, something so beautiful and vast and breathtaking that only God is big enough to contain it. Eternity isn't the place where God lives. God is where eternity lives. When we reason with every revealed truth of God, we become a bit claustrophobic because of the tiny speck of time that you and I inhabit on earth. The only millisecond of time that we actually have access to is this very millisecond we’re living in right now. The past is closed off behind us; there’s no way back to get back there. The future is always beyond our reach, because as soon as we do reach the future, it instantly gets locked up in the present for a moment and then is vaulted as the past. The time that you and I can actually live in is about as wide as a planck – the smallest possible size of anything in this universe. This is why God has His appointed to write. They wrote the bible. The spirit of prophecy is written word. Testimonies are written. Reasoned and revealed truths are written. Why? Because God gives His people the spiritual sense to move backwards and forwards through time and are able to slow it down or speed it up at His will, that we might come to the highest understanding of His Word. This is a truth illusion because we know that time moves on, yet in the gift of writing we can step outside of time to reason with truth, even before day one of creation and beyond the seventh millennium. Think on this...even our current bodies will be changed to accomdate our life in eternity for eternity. Eternity means immediate and always accessibility to God. Eternal life will be nothing like this one. First, it will be never ending. This life is a kind of confinement, and it’s the reason we yearn to transcend it. When we have the mind of Christ, we are programmed with an inner GPS rerouting us to the mansions prepared. This may or may not be a place. It may be a scene, a setting, a situation...God’s thoughts and ways are higher. Christ stepped into time from eternity that we may follow him. Consider how overwhelming is the concept of eternity. Yet, we have no fear, only joy in desiring to be there even though it is unknown. The reason? Eternity is one of the most beautiful attributes of the God we worship. Where God is known, there is no fear. Every treasured biblical doctrine taught, and every truth learned would collapse without the reality of an everlasting eternal God who gives us eternal purpose. There is this fully comprehended truth – those who reason with God have faith that in no way puts any limit whatsoever on His Being. A God who is small enough to be understood isn’t big enough to be worshiped. God, by definition, must be infinitely great. If we have a God we can grasp, He ceases to be God. By definition, God must be incomprehensible. If we could unravel the mysteries of His Person, we would elevate ourselves to His level, which we cannot. So, we depend on what God reveals in His Word. His qualities and attributes are infinite. His character is unchanging, yet His mind is unfathomable, and yet He wants us to think about it, to consider it, to ponder it, and to rejoice in it. He filled His Word with information and knowledge about it that we may come to wisdom through understanding. Everything which happens to us in this life is directly related to what is coming. In fact, is getting us ready for it. Nothing, then, is purposeless or futile in our present experience. It is all necessary to the ultimate end of time for some and the entering eternity for others. Are you experiencing a daily inner renewal? Are you increasing in wisdom and love which mark the coming into oneness with Christ? Is your spirit broadening and growing serene as you grow from faith to faith? Reach out for light...the new covenant is glorious...the day is at hand. The mystery of God’s chosen is how in Christ they transmute each trial into a corresponding glory. By means of the Spirit, the trials are for our preparation. Something tremendous is ahead. Our present affliction is preparing it, and the very nature of faith itself guarantees it. II Corinthians 5:1, 2 Our heavenly dwelling place will be eternity. We groan because we long to be in heaven. Earth is temporary. This present time is temporary. Eternity is not a continuation on a larger and perfect scale of life as it was on earth. We will not be locked in space or time. Eternity is always now. Within that now all events happen. One may experience sequence, but only in relationship to him or herself, and events will occur on the basis of spiritual readiness. No two individuals need, therefore, experience the same event just because they happen to be together. Yes, there are many elements of speculation concerning eternity. But think of the wonderful experience of being with the Lord without the slightest consciousness of anything less than perfect. God’s way of thinking and our way of thinking are very different. God is focused on our eternity. There is too much fixation we have on things here that consumes our lives. Let’s be seriously clear - we are to have concern about the here to some degree, because that is the way of our occupation, but God clearly tells us if we will focus on Him, and the things that He desires, He will take care of the here and in addition He will secure for us a rich inheritance in eternity. The knowledge was really not in the tree, the tree was a test of obedience. Adam and Eve had access to all knowledge in God. That mistake can never be made again by God’s people. The Sabbath is the greatest test that man will face. The final test of man's loyalty to God will center around the authority of God's law. But the more considerable criterion is who blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. With all the beauty and wonder that we have here even after the affect of sin, what think we of the things in the eternities of glory with God. God took six days to create this home for us. For how long has Christ being preparing eternity for us? We are to have a mind made ready for life in eternity.

22 Minutes Who God is - The Fact God is our creator, this is where the story begins. The fact of God’s existence is so conspicuous, both through creation and through man’s conscience, that the bible calls the atheist a “fool”. Psalm 14:1 Accordingly, the bible never attempts to prove the existence of God; rather, it assumes His existence from the very beginning. Genesis 1:1 What the bible does is reveal the nature, character, and work of God. Who God is - The Definition Thinking correctly about God is of utmost importance because a false idea about God is idolatry. Psalm 50:21 God reproves the wicked man with this accusation: “These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes”. To start with, a good summary definition of God is “the Supreme Being; the Creator and Ruler of all that is; the Self-existent One who is perfect in power, goodness, and wisdom.” Who God is - His Nature We know certain things to be true of God for one reason: in His mercy He has condescended to reveal some of His qualities to us. God is Spirit, by nature intangible. John 4:24 God is One, but He exists as three Persons - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. One Being in essence, existing eternally in three Persons. And as such, God can change to accommodate the role of His Spirit and His Son. Matthew 3:16-17 Hebrews 7:1-3; 10:5, 7 God is infinite, incomparable, and unchanging characteristically. That God is the same yesterday, today, and forever in His character, is so important. It is our anchor and hope in a world where life can be uncertain and unpredictable. It is the firm foundation we can stand on. I Timothy 1:17 II Samuel 7:22 God exists everywhere, knows everything, and has all power and authority. Psalms 139:7-12; 147:5 Isaiah 40:28 Ephesians 1 Revelation 19:6 Who God is - His Character Here are some of God’s characteristics as revealed in the bible: God is just, loving, truthful, and holy. Acts 17:31 Ephesians 2:4, 5 John 14:6 I John 1:5 God shows compassion, mercy, and grace. God judges sin, but also offers forgiveness. II Corinthians 1:3 Romans 9:15; 5:17 Psalms 5:5; 130:4 God is love. I John 4:8, 16 God is faithful. The bible is full of God’s promises: for individuals, for the ancient nation of Israel, and for us. Many times, the old testament tells how God’s people turned away and sought other gods or desires. Through it all, God remained faithful, pulling them out of their worship of false gods and reminding them of God’s own love and faithfulness. The same holds true for us today. Even when we are not faithful to our promises to God, God is always faithful to us. God will never forsake us or stop loving us, even when we make mistakes. I Corinthians 1:9; 10:13 Who God is - His Work We cannot understand God apart from His works, because what God does flows from who He is. Here is an abbreviated list of God’s works, past, present, and future: God created the world. Genesis 1:1 Isaiah 42:5 He actively sustains the world. Colossians 1:17 He is executing His eternal plan. Ephesians 1:11 Which involves the redemption of man from the curse of sin and death. Galatians 3:13, 14 He draws people to Christ. John 6:44 He disciplines His children. Hebrews 12:6 He will judge the world. Revelation 20:11-15 Who God is - A Relationship with Him In the Person of the Son, God became incarnate. John 1:14; 14:6 The Son of God became the Son of Man and is therefore the “bridge” between God and man. I Timothy 2:5 It is only through the Son that we can have forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God and eternal salvation. Ephesians 1:7 John 15:15 Romans 5:10 II Timothy 2:10 In Jesus Christ “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form”. Colossians 2:9 So, to really know who God is, all we have to do is look at Jesus. And God is yet bigger than all this. While we can come to know God through reading the bible, following Jesus Christ, and listening to the Holy Spirit, we can’t confine God or put God in a box. Even when things happen that we can’t understand or explain, when there are facts written that require precept to understand, we remain confident of God’s redemptive purpose in all things - trusting that God is good, that God loves us, and that our eternal salvation comes through God’s grace. We need to hear Him when He says, “ I Am Who I Am”!

10 Minutes The wonderful thing about scripture is that we cannot claim ignorance. The truth is reasoned, revealed, and available to us that we can have no excuse. If there be any thought that there is arbitrariness in any of God’s word, it is because someone chooses not to hear what a thus saith the Lord is saying. Because of the entrance of sin, God’s role changed from Creator to Savior while there is in Him no variableness, neither shadow of turning. For He is and always and can only be the One Divine Being. That truth confirms that we can never define all that He is with the senses of humanity; gustation, olfaction, vision, audition, tactition, memory, thought, and reason. The strongest of these senses is reason. Why? Reason is the faculty or process of drawing logical inferences. Reason can broaden the use of the other narrower senses. Reason is in opposition to sensation, perception, feeling, desire, and causes fundamental truths to be intuitively apprehended. These fundamental truths are the causes or results of all derivative facts. Next to reason is thought. Why? The sense of thought is very important in people's spiritual development, as thought enables us to consider new conceptual beliefs. Next to thought is the sense of memory. Why? Memory relates to events that are scattered across the brain's sensory centers. When one of the senses is stimulated to evoke a memory, other memories featuring other senses are also triggered. When we remember the Sabbath our thoughts highlight the goodness of God whereby we reason the source that He is the bringing forth all things created. God is the invariable Divine Being who made us to be perfect. James 1:17 The sun has no variableness, yet we say it sets and rises...perspective that is not truth. I pray that we have the wisdom to understand why the One God shows Himself in three Persons, the three in oneness. The word “God” itself suffers from some imprecision. Since every culture has “something it refers to as “god”. But what comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us and to us. Those whose faith will show pleasure to God look to the bible as an authoritative source for knowing God. And our God’s name is based on an eternal claim: “I am who I am.” In essence, God said, “My name is, ‘I exist’ - in the past, in the present, in the future. I am before and after all time. I am the harbor of eternity. The breath and depth and height and width and length of wisdom is astounding. Consider the “Word”. John 1:1-18 What is this “Word”? Pretty immediately, we learn that “the Word” refers to a Person—a “him,” in fact. And notice the wise use of truth by John. He uses the same truth for both the Father and the Son. He writes “in the beginning” as it is in the book of Genesis. The Creator entered into His creation. Humankind may have been banished from God’s presence in the Garden of Eden, but in Christ, God came “to seek and to save the lost.” And this God who walked the earth in the person of Jesus of Nazareth is present with those who believe in him through the Holy Spirit. We must come to fully understand how the truth is rooted in scripture. It is a mystery of complexities. It is on the cross that we see God as He truly is. He demonstrates His own love for us by taking away the sins of the world. On the cross, God’s manifold perfections meet in a single event. We see at once the God of justice and of love. He is just. He does not let sin go unpunished. He is love. He takes that punishment on Himself. Let’s say it this way: “The wisdom of God has ordained a way for the love of God to deliver us from the wrath of God without compromising the justice of God.” Ours is the only faith whereby its central event is the humiliation of its God. And it is in this humiliation that our God is exalted. As we ponder who God is, great and gracious, Creator and Savior, Triune Lord - may we do so with faith. God is a personal Being, and He wants a relationship with us. Therefore, He has revealed Himself. The knowledge we can thus have about God is limited but true and reliable. He tells who He is and what His will is. This knowledge is a source of deep joy, and the basis for eternal life. God reveals Himself by His works. By His creation, for example, He shows His power, wisdom, and wonderful creativity. In His answer to sin, God shows His holiness and righteousness – but also His love in offering people a way to salvation. The bible offers us an extensive report about what God has done and will do for His people. God’s greatest reasonable and revelational change was when He revealed Himself in Jesus. He is the Son of God who became human and showed humanity Who God is. John 1:18 This Son is a son to indicate that they have the same nature. They’re both personal, and love reigns between them. The bible speaks of God the Father loving God the Son, and God the Son loving God the Father, and the bible points to the reality that there is this Spirit between them, this love between the Father and Son - carries, as it were, such a fullness of all that they both are, that a third Person is them, standing forth, and has always been God. And if that’s not amazing enough, the most amazing thing of all about who God is, in His perfection, is that He wants to share it all with His created ones. God is eternal and unchangeable in His determination, His character and His purpose. He has always been and will always be. He is sovereign, self- sufficient, omniscient, and almighty. He does not have a physical body but is a Spirit. Therefore, He is omnipresent, not confined to one place. All of God’s attributes form a unity. We cannot only stress God’s love and forget about His holiness, or just talk about His wrath and keep silent about His mercy. That would create a false image of God. He is not partly this and partly that, for whatever He is, He is so in all its entirety. And God is triune, which means that there is one God existing in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Scripture begins with God. In the very first sentence we know who He is. It assumes He exists. In part that is because when the bible was written no one said He didn’t. Why answer a charge no one is making? What scripture does tell us, however, is that the God who exists speaks and reveals Himself in and through creation. He is there and He is not silent. God reveals Himself because He wants to be known, but for us to know God completely is impossible. As scripture says, how great is God - beyond our understanding! The number of His years is past finding out. This comes as no surprise. We don’t know anyone or anything completely. As finite creatures, all our knowledge is limited. But even if we can’t know God completely, that doesn’t mean we can’t know Him at all. Consider this: whatever we see that has power, God has more. Whatever we see that is good or lovely, God is better and lovelier. Wherever we see creativity, we know it started with God. But God has given us more than creation to tell us about Himself. He has spoken to people and given us His written word through inspiration. God needs nothing outside Himself. He did not create the world to fill a void within Himself, and He doesn’t need help from anyone or anything in order to exist. He created us for His pleasure, and we are meant to display or reflect Who God is. Revelation 4:11 The language used in the bible to describe God is decidedly anthropomorphic. That is, it starts with us below in order to say something significant about God above. It starts with what we know in order to say something about the one who wants to be known. But if God cannot be known completely, neither can the language we find in the bible adequately describe Him or exhaust His nature. He is the absolute pinnacle of truth and goodness and beauty. God is just, and this sense of God’s justice or righteousness is central to the scripture. God’s righteousness will ultimately extend to all creation, and He will restore creation to what it was meant to be in the first place - perfect and pure.

10 Minutes The two great commandments will be our job description for life. We will have a new illuminating view of the divine and the eternal. Divine love is in God, not as in a subject that receives it from another, but as in its original seat, where it is of itself. And from God, this love flows out toward all the inhabitants and of all the things that are sentient in creation. It flows out, in the first place, necessarily and infinitely, toward His only begotten Son; being poured forth, without mixture, as to an object that is infinite, and so fully adequate to all the fullness of a love that is infinite. And this infinite love is infinitely exercised toward Him. Not only does the fountain send forth streams to this object, but the very fountain itself wholly and altogether goes out toward Him. And the Son of God is not only the infinite object of love, but He is also an infinite subject of it. He is not only the beloved of the Father, but He infinitely loves Him. The infinite essential love of God, is, as it were, an infinite and eternal, mutual, holy, energy between the Father and the Son: a pure and holy act, whereby the Deity becomes, as it were, one infinite and unchangeable emotion of love proceeding from both the Father and the Son. This divine love has its seat in the Deity, as it is exercised within the Deity, or in God toward Himself. But this love is not confined to such exercises as these. It flows out in innumerable streams toward all the created inhabitants of God. We see that this love manifested in the new creation had its expresssion toward us from the beginning of the world. And as most reasonable, we learn that even the angels' love was exercised toward us in supreme unity in common with Christ. Every heart is wedded to this once Bridegroom who is holy and spiritually now our Husband, and all rejoice in Him, while the angels join us in love. And every being in creation all loves each other. And all of the glorious society of creation are sincerely united. There is not a single secret or adversary in thought, word, or deed among us all. Not a heart is there that is not full of love, and not a solitary inhabitant that is not beloved by all the others. And as all are lovely, so all see each other’s loveliness with full complacence and delight. Every soul goes out in love to every other; and among all the blessed inhabitants, love is mutual, and full, and eternal. This love is perfect in that it is commensurate with the capacities of our new natures. There can be no contrary principle, having no pride or selfishness to interrupt it or hinder its exercises. Every one has not only a sincere, but a perfect goodwill to every other. Sincere and strong love is greatly gratified and delighted in the prosperity of the beloved object; and because the love be perfect, the greater the prosperity of the beloved is, the more is the lover pleased and delighted; for the prosperity of the beloved is, as it were, the food of love, and therefore the greater that prosperity, the more richly is love feasted. The love of benevolence is delighted in beholding the prosperity of another, as the love of complacence is, in beholding the beauty or perfection of another. So that the superior prosperity of those that are higher in glory, the 144000 and the great multitude, is so far from being a hindrance to the degree of love felt toward them, that it is an addition to it, or a part of it. Because these are the most loved of Christ, all will rejoice in their being the most content, having endured that which brought us to the likeness of Christ. Having more of the spirit of love to others, we will so love those that are below us more than as if our own capacity and elevation were less. We, that are highest in degree in glory, will be of the highest capacity; and so having the greatest knowledge, will see most of God’s loveliness, and consequently will have love to God and love to all in creation most abounding in our hearts. And on this account, those that are lower in glory will not envy those that are above them, because they will be most beloved by those that are highest in glory. All will be equal in worth and dignity. But will we be equal in the sense of the same? God forbid! One of the chief pleasures of life will be the mutual sharing of different excellences, the pleasure of looking to someone who is determined higher and learning from him or her. There is a stunning carry over from humanity – emotion. But not like that which resulted from the fall. There will be no sadness. The past is no memory. Like God, we will live in the eternal present. Our heavenly emotions will be appropriate to present reality, not past reality. Our emotions will not drive us or control us. They will be no less passionate, but they will be less passive. Doing love, rather than just feeling love will result in a "voluptuous outpour" of pleasure. Clothing in the new creation is not artificial and concealing, but naturally spiritual and revealing. Clothing will be a pure glory as was the woman clothed with the sun. Harmony is derived from the sound of different notes of different instruments. We will be the music of creation, instruments of God, sounding individual notes, sounding harmonious is every phase of being. There will be no confines to space. We will be able to transform space into place by humanizing it, spiritualizing it. There will be nothing too small or too large in creation. In a sense, it will be in us rather than we in it. Purposes and events will be measured by mind and will, not time. That’s why on earth there is never enough time to do the things we set out to do. We were made for eternity. We long to step out of the sea of time into the land of eternity, even though we do not really understand what eternity is! What is it to never grow old, to not age, to never die? Will there be in heaven the old and the young? Whereas on earth, in our witness for God, our words were of a purer speech having the outward expression of an inward grace. In our love for him our testimony was enlarged and deepened. In the new creation we will have a pure language void of judgment. Our eternal interests will come from a pure heart and the rich treasure of wisdom will flow in our words. The vocabularies of the new creation will be transparent as to be fully understood. With what words or sounds will we converse with God? What language did God speak with Adam, with Abraham, with Moses. We will have a divine language where the elements of speech sound the power that is as the mind of Christ. Isaiah 64:4 I Corinthians 2:9 The light, oh thank God for the light, for it will be always, no darkness. The significance...when God said let there be light, He was infusing spiritual energy into the world. Light was the first created matter. The light was for our benefit. The darkness had to remain else the enemy would have accusational cause toward God’s fairness. There was no spiritual resource available to the angels that rebelled and were cast to the darkness. In the new creation, light will provide healing, balance, and spiritual awareness. We will be essentially, absolutely, and virtually light, with the polarity being drawn to God. Remember the impact that Jesus had on the world. As the angels of light are intuitive always of God’s will, so we will be powerfully engaged with the consciousness of God. Turn on a flashlight and immediately the light is where it is intended. Remember the necessary ascension and descension of the Light... John 20:17, 19 Light embraces the cessation of darkness. That is why God’s people always reach for the light of truth. On earth we simply retain a spark of divine energy that aligns us with order in Christ. We build our consciousness through the skillful learning of his truths. We hear and are present with one another as we integrate our knowledge. But in the new creation our characters will determine the brillance and the variety of the colors of light shown. We will be radiant and luminous. The Spirit will be that light in and around us. We will forever be connected with the Source of Light experiencing the continual flow of information. Our light will not only shine, it will vibrate as we grow spiritually in loving relationships. We will be the soul material of God’s mind. And the wonder of it all is that wherever we go and with whomever we are with, there will remain our residual spiritual energy. God designed it so that everything would progress in a perfect marriage with all of the other spiritual entities that progresses here; aligning with everything that exists. There will be nothing artificial, no conflict. All emitted spiritual energy is a request for balance even among and with the beings that will live in other multitudes of dimensions in other worlds. We will have an eternity of lifetime to journey in enlightenment. In our being-ness, our closeness, our likeness will be so of God that as He is the “I Am”, “we are all of I Am.

15 Minutes God Does Know Your Heart, But You Don’t... Okay...lest we be foolish beyond reason, let’s begin with this foundational truth concerning man’s wisdom that we not allow “self” to get in the way. I Corinthians 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. There is no evidence of ignorance more common than a conceit of knowledge. Any person who is vested by God with a semblance of intelligence knows most best that in most things they are ignorant, and they understand that its implication implies only that at this point they are unlearned and the imperfection of human knowledge is a consequence of sin. Any that imagines themself a knowing person, and is vain and conceited on this imagination, has reason to suspect that they know nothing properly. It is one thing to know truth, and another to know it as we ought, so as fittingly to improve our knowledge. Those that love God are most likely to be taught of God, and be made by Him to know as they ought. In response to what you think is an unfair assessment about your intent, you clarify others mistake. You say (or think) “Well, God knows my heart in the matter.” While this is an accurate statement – God does know your heart – I’m not sure it’s the right response. Why? Because you say it to imply that your intentions are good. But God knows you better than you know yourself and God knows that you could do a lot better. Here are reasons why we should stop trying to find solace in the fact that God knows our heart. Instead we should find solace in the fact that God can change our heart to be like the heart of Jesus. God Knows Your Heart... Yes, God knows your heart. There’s no doubt about that. He understands it completely. Psalms 33:15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. I Kings 8:39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men. Not to mention, He knows absolutely everything about absolutely everything. He is omniscient: all-knowing. Psalms 147:5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. He knows everything you’ve ever done, thought, spoken, or contemplated, and everything you will do, speak, think, or contemplate. Psalms 139:4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. He knows your secrets. He knows about those horrid and despicable things that come across your mind at times. Yes, He knows about them too. Psalms 44:21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. There is no part of your being (your mind, will, intellect, conscience, thinking, emotions, actions, motives) that is concealed from His sight. Your heart is laid bare before your Maker, and there’s not a fig leaf big enough or adequate to cover it up. Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. Hebrews 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. God’s omniscience should be a sobering thought. So before you declare that God knows your heart, you might want first to consider its true condition. You Have a Heart Condition... The Bible has a lot to say about your heart, and the conclusion of the matter is not good! Look at what Jesus thought about the human heart. Matthew 15:18, 19 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Jesus didn’t entrust Himself to man because He knew what was truly in them. John 2:24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men. No matter how well they cleaned up on the outside, He had the inside scoop. In the book of Jeremiah, it says there is one thing more untrustworthy than anything else. Wanna guess what it is? Your heart! Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? In fact, there was even a point in history where the human race had become so corrupted, the Bible says that all of the people’s thoughts were evil, all of the time. Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Our hearts can become hardened, dull, blind, darkened, foolish, rebellious, and unrepentant. Romans 1:21; 2:5 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Acts 28: 27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Hebrews 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness. Even the good things we do are stained and soiled with sin before a holy and righteous God. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Hmm...not such a great track record for the human heart so far. Let’s review. The heart left to itself is: 1. Unclean. 2. Capable of conceiving and carrying out all sorts of evil thoughts and deeds. 3. The most deceitful (sly, insidious) thing about ourselves. 4. Untrustworthy. 5. Stubborn. 6. Unrighteous. So to say that God knows your heart should not cause assurance, but alarm! Why? Because nobody has an accurate view of themselves. We tend to think we’re a little more unique than we are. You’re Under the Influence... While God knows your heart in every way imaginable, the truth is that you do not, at least not fully. You do not have perfect clarity and objectivity when you think about yourself. The eyes with which you use to evaluate yourself are somewhat blurred; self is standing in the way of clear vision. Your estimation about the intent and motives of your heart are under the influence of sin. When you say God knows my heart, you are saying that you have confidence that you are just in the matter. Your confidence is based on self. Self confidence is... SOP – Peter’s fall was not instantaneous, but gradual. Self-confidence led him to the belief that he was saved, and step after step was taken in the downward path, until he could deny his Master. Never can we safely put confidence in self or feel, this side of heaven, that we are secure against temptation. Those who accept the Saviour, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or to feel that they are saved. This is misleading. Every one should be taught to cherish hope and faith; but even when we give ourselves to Christ and know that He accepts us, we are not beyond the reach of temptation. God’s word declares, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried.” Daniel 12:10. Only he who endures the trial will receive the crown of life. (James 1:12.) {COL 155.1} SOP - Now all eyes turned toward the woman in question, a Mrs. Alcott. What would be her reaction to this plain delineation of her strange witness and her adultery? “What did she do?” asked Loughborough as he told the story. After sitting about one minute, she slowly arose to her feet, put on a sanctimonious look, and said, “God—knows—my—heart.” That was all she said, and sat down. Here was just what the Lord showed (May 28) that the woman would say. On June 11 she did just as it was said she would do, and said the identical words predicted she would say when reproved, and no more.—Ibid. {1BIO 281.2,3} Your depravity is why Paul says to be sober in self-assessments and warns not to elevate the view you have of yourself. Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Let’s look at a parable Jesus tells about two very different people and the perspective they had of themselves. The first, was a person of prestige and position. He was a Pharisee. The other, a lowly tax collector, not the most reputable of jobs at the time. Both of these men went to the temple to pray one day. The Pharisee bragged about his righteousness and thanked God that he was better than everyone else. He jabbered on and on about his good works and what a great guy he was. You know...kinda sounded like you when you think you’re something, kind of sounds like blah, blah, blah. The tax collector, on the other hand, had an entirely different approach. He had a humble, not prideful attitude, as he approached the Lord. He physically kept himself at a distance in the temple, and his countenance was contrite. There was no mention of his good heart or any of his accomplishments. Instead, he hit himself on his chest and pleaded for God to have mercy on him because he knew what a mess he was. Luke 18:9-13 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Jesus tells us the moral of the story: when you exalt yourself, God will humble you. But, if you humble yourself, you will be exalted. Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. The tax collector humbled himself, and because of that, he went home justified before God. The other man, the Pharisee, thought he was God’s right-hand man. In his heart, he was an asset to God’s kingdom. Because of this, he remained under God’s judgment. These two men had a perceived view of themselves. One was distorted and elevated, leading him not to exalt God, but himself. The other was a sober and accurate perception of his condition that resulted in humility and dependency on God, not himself. When you proclaim that God knows your heart, it makes you sound a lot more like the Pharisee than the tax collector. It’s like you are saying, ‘I’m something...”! Righteousness Comes From Above... If you were to take a survey asking people if there was anyone perfect in this world, I think the answer would be a unanimous and resounding "no!". Not only do life experiences attest to this, the Bible clearly affirms this truth. In Romans 3 for example, Paul says nobody is righteous. Not you. Not me. Not one single person. Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. For you to obtain righteousness, you would have to be perfect in every way, completely in line with God’s will. Here are some biblical definitions of what it means to be righteous: innocence, faultless, and guiltless are used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is conformed completely to the will of God, and needs no rectification in the heart or life. I don’t know how you feel after reading that, but for me, it knocks me down a few gazillion pegs. Even as I grow in my obedience and conformity to Christ, my thoughts, feelings, and actions are nowhere near being totally in-line with God’s will. To say that God knows your heart implies a certain air of self-confidence. In essence, you’re declaring your complete innocence and faultlessness in the matter. You believe you have an accurate assessment of what’s going on in your heart and as far as you’re concerned, your motives are pure. Better watch out friend, because self-righteousness is knocking at your door and self-deception is waiting to answer. There’s only one way to obtain righteousness, and it’s from Christ. He alone perfectly fulfilled the requirements of the definition of righteousness and even he said there is none good but one. Mark 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Jesus is the only one ever throughout history that lived a life completely conformed to the will of God. He was obedient in every way at every time, even to the point of death on a cross. Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Only when you place your faith and trust in His sacrifice can you obtain a righteous standing before God. II Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference. In Christ only, can you become righteous in your position before God, but not in your practice. While you still live in an earthly body, your deceitful heart will need ongoing correction. If you come to know anything, you come to know that is the work of the Holy Spirit and the word of God. Because of that, there is no place for self-confidence in the heart of the believer. Paul talked about this in Philippians 3 where he had quite an impressive list of things he could brag about – practices, pedigrees, and a Pharisee, hmmm! But after he was converted? He considered the totality of those things as a complete loss in comparison to what he had received in his union with Christ. He knew that none of those accomplishments or standings could make him righteous before God. His confidence was no longer in his flesh, but in his faith in Christ. Philippians 3:4-9 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Any boasting was now credited to His Savior and His work, instead of his own. I Corinthians 1:30, 31 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. How tight is truth... Now, I don’t want to neglect here the fact that you may have been judged unfairly by another person or by me. This study is not to dismiss what happened to you or imply that you should ignore it either. No one enjoys an accusation for doing, saying, or thinking something you didn’t do, say, or think. But, why not ask the reason for the assessment before you dismiss it. You might come into a knowledge of the truth. Even though the title is, God does know your heart, but you don’t, the truth is, no other person knows your heart either. So here are just a few thoughts about this: Do your part – God does know your heart and whether or not you sinned in this particular situation. More times than not, when someone sins against us, we tend to sin back in response. Reason together, asking the Lord to show you if what is said is true and what you are responsible for in the situation. You are told to live at peace with everyone, as far as it depends on you. Take responsibility where accountability is your answerability. Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. You are in good company – All throughout Scripture we see people being treated unfairly by others. Joseph by his brothers, David by Saul, Jesus by the Pharisees. If you are suffering for doing good, the Bible says this is commendable before God. I Peter 2:19-21 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. It is an opportunity for you to follow in the steps of your Savior and to show how awesome He is, not you, in the matter. Remember God is just – After you have asked the Spirit to reveal your real thoughts and attitudes, and you have done all you can to be at peace, entrust yourself to God. He will judge the situation with justice. I Peter 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. Seek help – Look for someone to bring clarity to your perceptions, not confirmation of your position. What I mean by this is, don’t just find people that will agree with your stance. You want to be selective about those you go to for counsel and advice. Look for someone that will not just tell you what you want to hear, but will bring a more insightful view to your thinking. Speak with someone that will refer only to the law and to the testimony. A person like this will be wise in Christ, inquisitive while asking specific questions, seeking godliness, mature in their faith and relationships, peaceable, have solid biblical theology, and boldness to speak the truth and bring correction, rebuke, instruction, and doctrine to you when and if needed. If you don’t know anyone like this in your life, you may have been associating with the wrong people. God has a people. When we are in conflict with an issue, not necessarily with someone, our habitual reaction is usually to defend ourselves, or excuse what has happened. It’s easy to point out the faults in others or to think that you are accused, when someone simply makes a statement of concern. Move yourself out of the way, Christ is the way, what saith the word. Self makes it much harder to see what’s truly in your heart. Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. Is that true about us??? But God is the one that weighs our hearts, and as He does, we can believe it will be with complete and thorough accuracy. There is no need to put any confidence in ourself. Any righteousness we may have comes from our righteous Redeemer. I John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

11 Minutes God has prepared something incomprehensibly beautiful for those who love Him and trust Him. Something that lies beyond time, something so beautiful and vast and breathtaking that only Eternity is big enough to contain it. The Heavens are those essential dimensions that eternity reveals itself in the revelation of love as revealed in Christ. But our joy of the new creation must begin here, because Christ is our joy. We do not now fully appreciate that joy, but it is here, because the very life of Heaven, the very life that flows from Jesus is here. This is what grounds our confidence and courage as we face the trials and pressures of the present time. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. We are at the ultimate end. We are the only creation whereby the breath of God brought forth a living soul. And our breath is but an exhale on earth. It is releasing what the living, indwelling God breathes into us, for the building of His kingdom and the honor of His name. Whether by word, act or presence, we breathe out that spiritual readiness that comes from God that others may have life in Christ. But in the new creation it is our God-filled spirit that touches the spirits of the other beings, and they encounter the Spirit of God. We thank God for giving us inside information about His new creation so that we do not have to speculate. In reasoning we receive divine revelation. I think God wants us to use our reason and also our knowledge, for why should we neglect any God-given faculty to explore the treasure of tantalizing hints in scripture. We are in a position very different from that of the one who doubts or denies any of the word of God. The difference lies in our willingness to come to God to reason with every truth to come to the truth. And with our reasoning with God, we acquire the timelessness of truth. We vindicate God’s original creation purposes. We are like the sighted compared to the blind, who can only speculate about things visible. We can do more than speculate about things invisible. None has experienced the new creation, but we have a very good Friend who knows. He came here to give us a view. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The world to God’s people are mountains of nonsense. But the word of God are nuggets of wisdom. This is why we ask God to allow us to help to arrange for others salvation as He has arranged for ours, because there are those persons who are a real part of us, and for us as a whole to be saved, we want these persons to come along. This is a prayer of a simple presentation of the fact – we love these persons. We trust God to do His thing: it is always more loving, more gracious, and more effective than our thing, more than we can ever imagine or desire. God put that burden on our heart for a reason: for us to fulfill His desire to want to save all. Glimpse through the eye of God. The wonder of heaven cannot be described in our dimensions or any multidimensional wonders. There will be such a glorying of motivation in loving absolutely everything that is possible to be. Every invisible thing will be visible. Whatever is probable will be and there will be no impossibilities. Every science will exist with no effect upon the minds, the hearts, the bodies of the untold mixture of beings living with God. We will have a more intimate relationship with nature. We will know the essence of every form of life. There are no secrets in the new creation. We will be able to literally touch the innerness of all things natural in their spiritual vapors to come to know the richness in the vaults of their essentiality. Where gravity is, it isn’t. Love is the power of all attraction. Where distance is, is nearer than thought. Where you want to be is where you are. What you think, all have thought with you. Every stream of wisdom is the reality already known. The power of our will can turn a universe. Where heaven is high, there is higher with Christ. What we will love about life with God will be experienced with His Spirit filling us, so that His will, will will in us to do all His will. In every wonder that is beheld will be seen the face of God. And God has as many faces as there are numbers. And each face is God in all His glory, all His holiness, all His loveliness. And here’s the scene – all things will not just be real, tangible, and beautiful, all things will be most real, most tangible, most beautiful. Heaven is not yet what it is meant to be. For we only know in portion what is heaven, for the word of God declares there are heavens of heavens. And this is certain...none, not any angel, not any other being has traversed the entirety of the heavens. Only God has His going forth from the end of the heaven, and His circuit unto the ends of it. All creation is waiting with fervent expectation for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are. Know this concerning the divine endowment that we will receive in heaven; there will be no immaturity in heaven, nothing will be left to the imagination, our faculties will be of the highest resourcefulness in their creativity. We will have intellectual and spiritual co-ordination with every world as we enter upon an eternal exploration of a giga-trillion times a yottabyte of worlds created. What gratification of glory there will be as we tour these gigantic spheres which are superinfinite in splendor. We know of water, wind, fire, and the finite elements in this universe. But we will come to know of elements rarer than astatine. All things, everything that can be will be alive in God’s creation. Even the created universe where we now live is alive. It is still growing. Telescopically our universe extends 46 billion light years in every direction from the earth. And the observable universe reaches further since the universe is expanding. There is a destiny-heaven of phenomena for us to enjoy. Life in the Father’s eternal creation is a ceaseless progression in grace, truth, and glory. The celestial personalities will invite us to new experiences. Their comprehension of reality is the equivalent of approaching God. Their perfection was not threatened by their watching us from heaven. They cared to see how we fared on earth. They witnessed the liberation from the reality and effects of sin and death. They’ve always been living witnesses to how God so loved us and what Jesus did for us in coming to us. Their logic pivots on the solvency of reason and wisdom enabled by a spirit indwelt mind that is revelational with fact, idea, and relation. Their communication is unconditional reflective loveliness. The unity of truth, beauty, and goodness is realized in the spiritual experience of their God-knowing personality. Their love is more than just sentiment. It is a spiritual progression in the continual search of God. It is the highest motivation to be like God. They are ecstatic about the actuality of resting with God’s redeemed and simultaneously learning what God means by creating all things new. Are the current unfallen worlds a pencil sketch for God? Will the things that are now be dwarfed by what life will be where all harmoniousness exists? What possibilities of God might be the most stunning panorama ever seen conceived? The beauty and grandeur of the new creation will be so staggering that we won't even remember this heaven and earth. A new design in His glory will both stun and astound all eyes. Man has never seen unblemished jewels, pure metals, transparent gold, living waters. And hold on...the continual light of the continual presence of God. Amazing bodies! Spiritual bodies: imperishable, glorious, and powerful, not restrained by the physical dimension. We will have transformed bodies, but real, physical bodies, as Christ had after his resurrection. His body could be touched, and he could eat. Yet it could come and go as he pleased, with neither walls nor distance as an obstacle. We will be radically more mature, more spiritual, more developed. Life will not be in the blood. It will however be of the blood. All things being new, we will be new also. You may say that we will be “perfectly” recognizable. We have no way of comparing or even imagining the “forever” newness of God’s creation. But we can and do know from reasoning with the word that we will be glad and rejoice forever. Our minds will be entertained with the sweet contemplation of the pure holy excellence of every world. And that not all will be the same yet all will be tending toward the holiness as it is of God in the highest. We will flow into God’s infiniteness as streams flow into the ocean. And let us not evade this truly great thing done - we shall have company with the patriarchs and fathers and sacred persons who in a special manner were made perfect because of the divine qualities awaken in some through communion with Jesus. These all were conversant by faith. This is a divinely designed, essential part of our joy. And there, above all, we shall enjoy and dwell with and shall be filled with all the fullness of the Godhead forever. The only work we will have in the new creation is love. For love is a work and work is a love. Love is a work, for it is something we do, not something we just feel or fall into. And work must be a love, for if not, the new creation would be boring.

Hearing in the spiritual sense is not an involuntary thing, it is an act that we choose to accept or refuse to do. Jeremiah 17:23 – Many will choose to disobey and to not open their ears, thus the Lord confirming that hearing is not an involuntary action but is our choice. He will not force anyone to hear His voice. When you have not received instruction nor have you been willing to hearken to His voice and not do according to our own ways, you are making the choice to not Hear His Words. Turning your mind, your conscience, your knowledge, or your memory from God you will not be able to hear Him. As we choose to walk in the spirit, so our minds are converted by the Holy Spirit and that choice provides us the ability to hear God. We serve a mighty God when we choose to. Deuteronomy 30:17 Zechariah 7:11,12 Revelation 14:6, 7 The word of the Lord is pure, simple, and it will be preached to all persons on this earth. Unfortunately, the everlasting gospel will only be heard by those chosen by God (Romans 8:29). Revelation 3:20, 22 Jeremiah 5:21 Hearing the Word... How many times have you read the following words...”hear the word of the Lord, hear the word at my mouth, hear, O’ Israel, incline thine ear?” God is calling us, who are especially His people, to hear the intent of His Word. We hear God’s voice through the conscience and by the bible. What is the conscience? It is the inner sense or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior. Conscience is a cognitive process that elicits emotion and rational associations based on an individual's moral thinking or value system. Conscience stands in contrast to elicited emotion or thought due to associations based on immediate sensory perceptions and reflexive responses, as in sympathetic responses. In common terms, conscience is often described as a warning to interrupt conflicts with our moral values. Our moral values and our discord with familial, social, cultural and historical interpretations are considered in the examination of the practice. What is the bible? It is God’s holy word, His special means of interaction with us. So, here the question to be asked...if we believe the bible is God’s word and special means of imparting truth to us, do we take the words written seriously? Do we have a holy reverence for scripture and the time we assemble together to worship and study this word from God? Do we hear to obey, or do we hear to go through the motions to play church and do a kind of nod to God being present in the body yet absent in the spirit? Isaiah 66:2 The point is simple, God has much to say to us and because He is the all- wise and sovereign God and because of our finite humanity as well as our fallenness, it is imperative for us to hear what He says precisely. But, as fallen people, even as fallen people now redeemed, but not yet saved, we are ever so prone to be distracted and drawn away with other things. Hearing God involves the Holy Spirit working in the mind and heart of the believer. Really hearing what He is seeking to say, demands spiritual preparation and active participation on the part of the hearer. In order to hear God, we must be prepared to hear. Hearing the Lord is a spiritual matter. But any kind of learning involves preparation and active participation or concentration. Because of this, God is very concerned about how we hear and worship. He is concerned about our mental attitudes and our spiritual state when we come to worship or sit down with the bible to study, either privately or corporately. God is looking for people who have a holy reverence for the word and His plan for hearing, learning and applying it. This means truly hearing God’s voice in the Word. When we choose to hear God’s word, we hear most certainly the truth of redemption and most significantly we hear the revelation of Jesus Christ. We hear God’s word in the prophecies and how they align the events of our lives. We study together and we should study in greater measure individually. But whether privately or corporately we must hear the word of God effectively. We so need to learn that we are here to listen to and to hear God even though He has chosen to use human vehicles to connect, to convey, to impart and to share, and to reveal and pass on with us truths that are our harbor to Christ. It would be well for each of us to hear seriously God’s word if we desire any real spiritual change in our lives. God is deeplyconcerned how we hearken. I Thessalonians 2:13 How do we decide to hear? Think about this...nearly one half of people calling themselves American listened to contradictory falsehoods spoken by d.t---p and others promoting misrepresentations. So, how should we hear? We need to be prepared to listen and to hear attentively and effectively statements that reside in love and grace. Our attention is to be on character and character is reflective of the principles found in the word of God. Most people are passive or uninvolved listeners with no ability to discern the importance of aligning principle with practice. These think to pursue life on their own terms. The people who hear truth and understand the message presented and then respond with faith and obedience are the evidence of those who hear His voice. These consciously depend on the Holy Spirit for insight and understanding into the effect of God’s word examining our lives and its personal application to dealing with this thing called sin. True hearers probe for meaning and application of God’s words; they want a spiritual deliverance experience. These want to be changed from the inside out. Luke 8:11-15, 18 12 - 14 – Those that are thinking, deciding, or having the feeling of following God and traveling on the path to righteousness are those that hear God. At this very moment the word of God is heard and those being chosen of God, for God will not allow the adversary to remove what has been heard. (verse 15) 18 – It is very plain to see that when we do not hearken unto the voice of the Lord and we allow the adversary to kill our body and soul (Matthew 10:28), it is as though we never heard the Lord. If this being true, then we did not take heed to how we heard and therefore we heard words that were not of Him. As it reads in II Corinthians 4:3, the gospel is hid to them that are lost. Must then we believe that all that are lost never heard His word in a moments time? SOP - But I would say to my brethren: Beware how you give credence to such reports. The Saviour bade His disciples: “Take heed therefore how ye hear.” And He speaks of a certain class that hear and will not understand lest they should be converted and be healed. Again He said: “Take heed what ye hear.” “He that is of God heareth God’s words.” {5T 694.3} Those who listened to the words of Christ heard and reported His teaching just according to the spirit that was in them. It is ever thus with those who hear God’s word. The manner in which they understand and receive it depends upon the spirit which dwells in their hearts. {5T 694.4} There are many who put their own construction upon what they hear, making the thought appear altogether different from that which the speaker endeavored to express. Some, hearing through the medium of their own prejudices or pre-possessions, understand the matter as they desire it to be,—as will best suit their purpose,—and so report it. Following the promptings of an unsanctified heart, they construe into evil that which, rightly understood, might be a means of great good. {5T 695.1} Again, an expression perfectly true and right in itself, may be wholly distorted by transmission through several curious, careless, or caviling minds. Well-meaning persons are often careless and make grievous mistakes, and it is not likely that others will report more correctly. One who has himself not fully understood a speaker’s meaning repeats a remark orassertion, giving to it his own coloring. It makes an impression on the hearer just according to his prejudices and imaginings. He reports it to a third, who in turn adds a little more and sends it forward; and before any of them are aware of what they are doing, they have accomplished the purpose of Satan in planting the seeds of doubt, jealousy, and suspicion in many minds. {5T 695.2} If persons listen to God’s message of reproof, warning, or encouragement while their hearts are filled with prejudice, they will not understand the true import of that which was sent them to be a savor of life unto life. Satan stands by to present everything to their understanding in a false light. But the souls that are hungering and thirsting for divine knowledge will hear aright, and will obtain the precious blessings that God designs to convey to them. Their minds are under the influence of His Holy Spirit, and they hear aright. When hearts are purified from selfishness and egotism, they are in harmony with the message God sends them. The perceptions are quickened, the sensibilities refined. Like appreciates like. “He that is of God heareth God’s words.” {5T 695.3} SOP - God desires us to give attention to the words of truth. We are to hear and practise them; for the truth is a message of Heaven to those who take heed. The oftrepeated charge of the Lord is, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Of the Israelites the apostle says, “The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” This opens before us the reason why so little is accomplished by the many discourses given. The words may be indited by the Holy Spirit, but if those who hear do not hear with a desire to be benefited, the words spoken do not profit them. {BEcho August 14, 1899, par. 1} It makes every difference whether the word spoken is received into good and honest hearts. The Israelites had the word spoken to them by Christ from the pillar of cloud, but like many who today hear the glad tidings of truth and righteousness, they did not hear with consecrated ears. They brought guilt upon themselves by failing to hear by faith, and practise the word spoken. Selfishness and pride, murmuring and unbelief, compassed them about as a garment. {BEcho August 14, 1899, par. 2} It was faith that men lacked in the days of Noah, and it was this lack that brought destruction upon them. How different would have been the result had they heeded Noah’s appeals as the voice of God speaking through him. But they were unwilling to hear and receive the word which would have saved them. {BEcho August 14, 1899, par. 3} II Corinthians 3:12-16 Which words will you hear? Will you hearken to the words of the Lord, or will you forbear? Our prayer must be that we are not so comfortable to where we are, not a part of the unsanctified, those in the second resurrection, those gnashing their teeth, outside of the walls, wishing that we simply heard the voice of the Lord.

Jeremiah 1:5 God knows all and sees all. I’m not so sure that we understand the depth of such a simple statement. Before He formed that zygote, He set you apart. Was that before or after we became sinners? Was that before or after we made the choice to walk after the flesh? Was that before or after we stiffened our necks and focused on self? John 17:17 We understand what predestinated means according to Romans 8:29, 30 and Psalms 45:7 and Act 2:23 yet we believe that we can fall in love and out of love with Jesus. God sees us for what we are in totality, when judgement ends, or when we rest until His return. Ezekiel 18:21, 22, 24 When He said that He sanctified us, He did so knowing who we are. Need we be reminded that we see today as today and yesterday as what it was...? Our minds can’t fathom seeing yesterday, today, and eternity – now. That is Christ. We don’t yet have the mind of Christ, but our desire should be nothing less than having such; Philippians 2:5, and if we have the mind of Christ, we would understand how He sees us for who we ARE, whether that be sinners unto death or righteous unto life, sanctified and a part from this world or servants of the prince of this world. John 17:17-19 I John 3:2, 8 From the beginning the devil sinned...Somebody please tell us when the beginning was, who was present in the beginning, and when the devil sinned... Have you ever walked in on a conversation between two people speaking a language foreign to you? Have you ever traveled abroad to a land with a people speaking in their native tongue in which you are not familiar with? Did you hear all that they said? Did their words have meaning to you, or did it sound like clutter, maybe even like thunder? Would it have had more meaning if those individuals screamed the words to you? How do two individuals of separate languages find a way of communicating without an earnest effort to do so? Have you ever witnessed a father look at his son and utter not a word, but all that is intended to be communicated is understood, received, and accepted because of their relationship one with another? How strong is our relationship with Christ? Walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh, having the mind of Christ, we must dig deeper and reject evil’s attempt to deprive us of eternal life. Hearing the Lord is not simply having the sound fall on your fleshly ear, it is having the understanding and willingness to be fully convicted by the words that have been spoken. When we falter in our speech, with our actions, in our witness for Christ or lack thereof, we have not had that willingness to hear the words of the Lord which are profitable for the salvation of all men. The Lord is plain when He defines what it is to hearken unto His voice – it is to observe and to do ALL that He has commanded us to do and His promises to us will be kept. Is that not faith? Deuteronomy 28:1, 2 H8085 shama (shaw-mah) – hearken, hear, and understand Deuteronomy 30:10 (H8085 – shama (shaw-mah)) Hearken unto the voice of the Lord – to hear intelligently (often with implication and attention, obedience, etc), obey, to understand, give heed. Genesis 3:8 – Adam and Eve heard (H8085) the voice of the Lord and they hid because they knew it was the voice of the Lord. It is not difficult to identify that which you are familiar with. Genesis 11:7 – to understand (H8085) - when God said shama He did not intend for it to mean sounds falling on one’s ear. Hearing meaning to hearken, to have an action Genesis 16:2, 3 Genesis 21:17-19 (God heard the voice of the Ishmael and spared his life) Revelation 18:1, 4 1 – The earth was imbued with great knowledge. 4 – Another voice is heard by those that reject iniquity and choose life. When Jesus taps you on the shoulder and says, “It is time to go”, do you question it? Perhaps we would if it were an unfamiliar voice, or if were not used to hearkening to it, or if we did not even recognize the source. Walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh, having the mind of Christ, we must dig deeper still and reject evil’s attempt to deprive us of eternal life. Heareth (akouo ak-oo-o) – G191 John 9:31 – God heareth not sinners (to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf, to attend to, consider what is or has been said, to understand, perceive the sense of what is said) Matthew 5:17-19, 21, 27 – if they heard and understood it, they would have walked in it. This is not the time to play with what is being spoken to this treacherous world. Matthew 7:24 – Is it possible to act on a command if the command is not received? Exodus 5:2 SOP - “The great city” in whose streets the witnesses are slain, and where their dead bodies lie, is “spiritually” Egypt. Of all nations presented in Bible history, Egypt most boldly denied the existence of the living God and resisted His commands. No monarch ever ventured upon more open and highhanded rebellion against the authority of Heaven than did the king of Egypt. When the message was brought him by Moses, in the name of the Lord, Pharaoh proudly answered: “Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go.” Exodus 5:2, A.R.V. This is atheism, and the nation represented by Egypt would give voice to a similar denial of the claims of the living God and would manifest a like spirit of unbelief and defiance. “The great city” is also compared, “spiritually,” to Sodom. The corruption of Sodom in breaking the law of God was especially manifested in licentiousness. And this sin was also to be a pre-eminent characteristic of the nation that should fulfill the specifications of this scripture. {GC 269.2} Ezekiel 3:5-7, 2:5-7 SOP- Anciently the Lord declared to one who spoke in His name: “The house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto Me.” Nevertheless He said: “Thou shalt speak My words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.” Ezekiel 3:7; 2:7. To the servant of God at this time is the command addressed: “Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” {GC 459.2} When we choose to not hear His words, we as a people cease to be and thus, we come to an end. Forebear – H2308 (Kha-dal, chadal) Proverbs 19:27 – Cease (H2308) Romans 10:17 I Thessalonians 4:16 – When God shouts, who cannot hear? John 5:25 – The righteous or the sinners? There is such a thing as being spiritually deaf and even those individuals entrenched in sin can reject the label of being such. We have all sinned and fallen short of His glory and yet we were all given the opportunity to hearken unto His voice. Matthew 13:13-19 Acts 28:28 Isaiah 6:10 Jeremiah 6:10

15 Minutes God’s word is designed to be distinguished from all other words. Many have chosen to prefer the diluted version because we make the conscience decision to remain in our current state rather than to walk in Christ. We are too comfortable to take the time to prepare to hear what those words, specifically designed for us, entail. Whether we choose to hearken to the smooth teachings of some of our so-called brothers and sisters or the soft words coming from the pulpit, we know that God’s words have been spoken to us since the beginning and they are directly in front of us, if we would only make the choice to hear them. SOP - I saw that since the second angel proclaimed the fall of the churches, they have been growing more and more corrupt. They bear the name of being Christ’s followers; yet it is impossible to distinguish them from the world. Ministers take their texts from the Word of God, but preach smooth things. To this the natural heart feels no objection. It is only the spirit and power of the truth and the salvation of Christ that are hateful to the carnal heart. There is nothing in the popular ministry that stirs the wrath of Satan, makes the sinner tremble, or applies to the heart and conscience the fearful realities of a judgment soon to come. Wicked men are generally pleased with a form of piety without true godliness, and they will aid and support such a religion. {EW 273.1} What is a soldier without his shield? A soldier without his helmet? A soldier without his breast plate? A vulnerable individual, a lost soul hoping to sneak in through the gates, a non-peculiar individual that is of this world. God’s word tells us to put on the whole armor, not just what we think we need for that given moment. SOP - Said the angel, “Nothing less than the whole armor of righteousness can enable man to overcome the powers of darkness and retain the victory over them. Satan has taken full possession of the churches as a body. The sayings and doings of men are dwelt upon instead of the plain, cutting truths of the Word of God. The spirit and friendship of the world are at enmity with God. When the truth in its simplicity and strength, as it is in Jesus, is brought to bear against the spirit of the world, it at once awakens the spirit of persecution. Very many who profess to be Christians have not known God. The natural heart has not been changed, and the carnal mind remains at enmity with God. They are Satan’s faithful servants, notwithstanding they have assumed another name.” {EW 273.2} SOP - We are in the world, but we are not to be of the world. Jesus entreats that those for whom he died, may not lose their eternal reward by lavishing their affections on the things of this perishing earth, and so cheat themselves out of unending happiness. An enlightened judgment compels us to acknowledge that heavenly things are superior to the things of earth, and yet the depraved heart of man leads him to give precedence to the things of the world. The opinions of great men, the theories of science, falsely so-called, are blended with the truths of Holy Writ. {CE 79.1} But the heart that is surrendered to God, loves the truth of God’s word; for through the truth the soul is regenerated. The carnal mind finds no pleasure in contemplating the word of God, but he who is renewed in the spirit of his mind, sees new charms in the living oracles; for divine beauty and celestial light seem to shine in every passage. That which was to the carnal mind a desolate wilderness, to the spiritual mind becomes a land of living streams. That which to the unrenewed heart appeared a barren waste, to the converted soul becomes the garden of God, covered with fragrant buds and blooming flowers. {CE 79.2) What is the difference between a fleshly Christian and a spiritual Christian? There is a reason that the judgement will begin with the church. If the word of God offends us in any way, we must take a deeper look at what our true desires are. A self-proclaimed group of peculiar people - but it is how we respond to His voice that designates us as a peculiar, distinguished, chosen people. Our Father is the one and only that has the power to place the title of His chosen upon any individual or any group of people and it is based solely on truth, not temporary emotions, feelings, or things that sway with the wind. Many today are flocking to be coddled when we should despise all words that are not to the edifying of our spirits. (Isaiah 8:20) Romans 8:1, 4-6 The chosen cannot walk after the flesh. It is our choice to walk after the flesh and when we choose to do so, we choose to listen to the lusts of the flesh and of our carnal minds. The action of disobedience is not one that occurs whilst walking after the Spirit of the Lord and when we chose to disobey, every single righteous act or thought that we have had will not be mentioned. SOP - In the night, the Lord appeared to Balaam and said, “If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.” Thus far the Lord would permit Balaam to follow his own will, because he was determined upon it. He chose his own course and then endeavored to secure the sanction of the Lord. {EP 311.3} Thousands at the present day are pursuing a similar course. Their duty is plainly set before them in the Bible or clearly indicated by circumstances and reason. But because these evidences are contrary to their inclinations, they set them aside and presume to go to God to learn their duty. They pray long and earnestly for light. But God will not be trifled with. He often permits such persons to follow their own desires and suffer the result. “My people would not hearken to My voice... . So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.” Psalm 81:11, 12. When one clearly sees a duty, let him not go to God with the prayer that he may be excused from performing it. {EP 311.4} Does anybody question whether or not it is our duty to hearken unto the voice of the Lord? Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14 Daily we search for things to occupy our time, to divert our attention from serving our Lord, all whilst placing our candle under a bushel. Are we so simple as to believe that God disregards it when we choose to ignore His words while “behaving” like Christians and not being Christ like? God’s chosen don’t go through the motions. I Samuel 15:22, 23 Sacrificial acts became meaningless, one of show, of routine, of culture, when all God has ever asked of us, is to hearken unto His words that He has placed in front of us and made readily available to all that have an ear and give it unto Him. SOP - Against these practices Christ had spoken through the prophets. Samuel had said, “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” And Isaiah, seeing in prophetic vision the apostasy of the Jews, addressed them as rulers ofSodom and Gomorrah: “Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. When ye come to appear before Me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread My courts?” “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” 1 Samuel 15:22; Isaiah 1:10-12, 16, 17. {DA 590.2} John 8:23, 24, 31, 32, 34, 38, 43, 47 We are not of God if we walk after the flesh. Being of God is death of the flesh and walking in the spirit. Often times we speak of walking with Jesus, but we carry on about our lives not behaving as though we have Jesus walking with us. Did God predetermine that the group of Jews that He was speaking to would be servants of sin, or did they choose to shut up their ears and be servants of sin? Brothers and sisters, Jesus was very plain here when He describes those individuals that cannot, not will not, but cannot hear His word. Hear His words now. We must not limit the awesomeness of God or in any way question who is the only one that knows all things. God sees the past, present, and the future at the same time. He sees the present before it is, the past before it was and the future, fully. We as humans have a tendency to lean on our carnal minds, even as professed Christians.

20 Minutes 1 Corinthians 2:12-14 KJV [12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. [13] Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. [14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. The scripture says that we may know the things of God when we are taught by the Holy Spirit and not by the wisdom of man and that we as His friends, His sheep, have received the spirit of God, not the spirit of the world. We make the choice to follow God by following His word or to follow man by following man’s traditions or things that simply are not found in the Word of God. Have you ever heard someone comment about living a life, fully devoted to Christ as being foolish, or that you will be missing out on something? (That is for you to answer for yourself, maybe it is something that is said subconsciously) Isaiah 8:19-20 KJV [19] And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? [20] To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Many will say that we should go find people that think like we do. Shouldn’t people seek unto their own God and if our God is the God of heaven that has spoken to us through Jesus Christ and has made it plain what He desires of us, shouldn’t we seek that God? The Word goes on to say that what they are saying is not according to the Words of God, which is a very powerful reason, for there is NO light in them. The Word is saying that if you are not following the Word of God, but you enjoy being around people that are not following the Word, then which god are you seeking? James 1:17 KJV [17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Every perfect thing comes from above from God from whom is no variation. No variableness… Does that mean that we can’t just choose to follow God the way we choose to, or based on what is convenient for us…? Hebrews 13:8-9 KJV [8] Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. [9] Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. Christ’s character is the same, always. His Word is the same, always. We should not be taken away from God by listening to strange doctrines and things that are not of the Word of God. He states that our hearts should be established with grace and not with meats because many lost focus on what God gave us instructions for and placed higher meaning on traditions (such as the foods to eat) than actually loving God. Luke 6:46-49 KJV [46] And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? [47] Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: [48] He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. [49] But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. Many will call Him Lord but will not do what He says, and Jesus makes it clear that this is the example of not building your house on a solid foundation (Psalms 62:1, 2) will fall immediately when adversity strikes. This does not lead to peace in the heart. Psalm 62:1-2 KJV [1] Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. [2] He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. Jesus again informs us that we cannot be professed followers of God by word only but that our very actions must be in direct correlation with God’s Holy Word and what He commands us. Jesus is that rock. Does that seem rigid of God to say that? If so, let’s see what He tells us yet again… Titus 1:14-16 KJV [14] Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. [15] Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. [16] They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. When we are pure and of God, ALL things are pure, not some things, ALL things. Is that rigid or is that God? Many will and do profess to know God, but their actions show that they deny Him. When the Word says that unto them is nothing pure, it does not mean that they don’t read the Word as being pure, it means that because of their unbelief, nothing they do is pure. A reprobate work is a work that is not fit in the eyes of God. 1 John 3:18-24 KJV [18] My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. [19] And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. [20] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. [21] Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. [22] And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. [23] And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. [24] And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. Love in deed and in truth, not just by what comes forth from our mouths. Deeds, of course, then being our actions, the way that we live our lives day by day. Our heart can condemn us and by our heart condemning us, it is finding fault within us, but if our own heart condemns us, how much more does our Father in heaven know? We know that we are of Him when we listen to, obey, yield to Him, as these things are pleasing to Him. When we are doing the things that please Him, we can then have confidence towards Him, and our hearts will not be troubled. Is your heart troubled at this very moment with the truth that God is placing before us? God tells us that those who keep his commandments are in Him and He is in them. What better place can we be in? Proverbs 15:14 KJV [14] The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. When we obtain knowledge and truth in our mind and our hearts are no longer stony, the Holy Spirit can unite the two; the heart then seeks the knowledge from the mind and our actions reflect the love, the truth, the knowledge, given to us through Jesus Christ. Matthew 12:34-35 KJV [34] O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. [35] A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Job 9:20 KJV [20] If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. Often we justify the life that we choose to live with our words and in our own minds. We must be especially careful in doing so. None of us is perfect and when/if we say that we are, we are condemning ourselves. We are striving to be perfect as Christ instructs us to do and if our heart and mind are connected, we have the knowledge and understanding to know that we have not yet attained perfection. But when the heart is speaking what it feels, without seeking after the knowledge that is in the mind, false statements can be made. Matthew 5:48 KJV [48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 1 John 5:1-6 KJV [1] Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. [2] By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. [3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. [4] For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. [5] Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? [6] This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. If we believe that Jesus is Christ, then we are the children of God. And how do we show that we love Him? John 14:15 KJV [15] If ye love me, keep my commandments. His commandments are not grievous and that is what He means, it is not a difficult thing to follow God, it is not a chore to follow God, it is a beautiful thing that brings peace to our troubled hearts. We must understand the influence that satan has had on this world and how he has “normalized” the distance from God’s truth. This makes it “strange”, “inconvenient” to follow God’s Word but it does not change God’s Word. It is us that has changed, our perception of how things should be. Imagine if ALL, followed God’s Word, the peace that would be on this planet. It is satan that brings about confusion, doubt, and wants to destroy you. 1 Peter 5:8 KJV [8] Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV [33] For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. James 2:10 KJV [10] For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Is God so rigid to hold us accountable for breaking just one law…? Do we really need to keep the whole law? Seems pretty clear to me that we do based on the Word of God. If that is true, then who gives us or anyone else the authority to pick and choose which of the commandments we will keep? Proverbs 3:11-13 KJV [11] My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: [12] For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. [13] Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. God loveth those that He corrects, and we must recognize that because He loves us so much that He gave His life for us, to be an example for us and how we should and can live perfectly in harmony in Him while providing a blueprint for us to have eternal life. That is part of the love that He instructs us to have one for another and especially for our children. Hebrews 12:5-9 KJV [5] And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: [6] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. [7] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? [8] But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. [9] Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? Revelation 3:19 KJV [19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Jesus corrects us and points out our mishaps through His Word because He loves us and wants us to have eternal life with Him. Psalm 31:1-5 KJV [1] In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. [2] Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. [3] For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. [4] Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. [5] Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. We must put our trust in Him, not in any man. He was never ashamed of us, why are we ashamed of Him? Ask the Lord to hear us and accept Him as that rock for us to be saved and have eternal life. That net is one that is impossible for us to escape alone, hence why we depend on Christ to be our strength and our rock. In order to allow that we must commit our spirit to Him. To commit means to make a commitment to Jesus. Are we ready to make that commitment or would we prefer to live on with a troubled heart? Luke 9:26 KJV [26] For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. We cannot be ashamed of God or God’s words but if we are, Jesus will be ashamed of us when He returns. The Son of man is Jesus. Matthew 4:4 KJV [4] But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Not just some of God’s words, but every single one of them as the scripture tells us through the words of Jesus himself. We are not to pick and choose the words that we want to live by based on what is comfortable for us, but we must live by ALL of His words. Psalm 64:10 KJV [10] The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory. We may not be doing things the right way, we may be viewed as extreme, we may appear to be rigid, we may appear to live a very boring life in the eyes of others in the world, but I love the Lord, I am striving to be a friend of His, and I am doing my very best to serve the Lord the way that I believe is right and I am glad knowing that by trusting in Him, I will glory because I have lived upright to the best of my ability. We will all have to answer to God, and He will determine if we did enough or if we were righteous or not. No man can do that. Psalm 139:23-24 KJV [23] Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: [24] And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Should this be our prayer daily? Shouldn’t we be asking the Lord to search every crevice of our lives, identify any way that opposes God, and for Him to lead us to everlasting life? The Lord tries our thoughts when we are put in every situation, do we apply the knowledge that He has given us? Do we allow the Holy Spirit to connect the mind to the heart? In doing so, our heart will not be troubled. When any portion of that path is altered, the heart suffers greatly and we feel a sense of being lost, of confusion, of sadness. Matthew 5:48 KJV [48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Does He tell us that we can be perfect, just as He was…? Perfection is ONLY attainable through Christ Jesus. He would not have instructed or commanded that we be perfect if it were not achievable for us and we know this to be truth because He tells us that He gives us a way. Luke 18:27 KJV [27] And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. John 14:1-3 KJV [1] Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. [2] In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Knowing this very thing, that Jesus tells us not to have a troubled heart because we believe in God and He will return to get those that believe in Him, in His words, and in His commandments. This truth gives my heart peace. What does it do to yours? Lord we ask for you to give us a brand new heart, one that does not have fear, concern, sadness, desires that are against your will. Psalm 51:10 KJV [10] Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Ezekiel 36:26-27 KJV [26] A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Luke 9:61-62 KJV [61] And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. [62] And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Don’t wait to follow the Lord, follow Him while the light is available to show us where we are going. If we are walking in darkness, we have no idea where we will end up. If we take hold of that plough, let us look forward and not backwards as God has instructed us that looking backwards and going back to our old ways makes us individuals that are not fit for the kingdom of God. Ponder that very thought. Please verify that every Word read here has been truth according to the Word of God, the Holy Bible.

15 Minutes The words written in this document that appear in “black” come directly from the Bible, the Word of God. The words that appear in “red” are the words that Jesus spoke as documented in the Bible, the same way they are written in the Bible. You should read along in your own Bible to confirm that the information is accurate of course. The words that appear in “purple” are my words based on what I believe the scriptures are telling us. As you navigate this study, you should read the verses and see what understanding the Holy Spirit gives you and not just accept what understanding I was given. It is simply a guide to be used to begin to understand what the anatomy of a troubled heart is. If you do not believe that the actual verse is stating what I have written in “purple”, please discuss this with me so that I may grow as well. Please do not continue to read if there is any error that you may see here, bring it to my attention so I may correct myself to be aligned with the truth of God and the truth of God only. Please answer every question for yourself before moving forward through the study. This is not a race and there is no timetable on when this study will end. We are discussing here why we may have a troubled heart but why God does not want our hearts to be troubled. Let us pray and ask for guidance and understanding. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. These verses state that ALL scripture is given by the inspiration of God. If we agree on this… Let us begin: John 14:1 KJV [1] Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. If we truly believe in God we must believe in Jesus and when we believe in God and in Jesus, our hearts will not be troubled as the heart is the center and seat of not only the physical life, but also the spiritual life. John 10:30 KJV [30] I and my Father are one. The words of Jesus Himself stated that He and His Father, God, are one. These being of one mind, forever in agreement, and connected always. It is very important to understand this very point that God and Jesus are ONE and we must understand the impact this has on our minds and our hearts. John 1:14 KJV [14] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. The Word is the word of God, this was made flesh and Jesus lived a perfect life, a life that was a living example of God’s words, perfect in ALL ways and Jesus was the ONLY begotten of the Father. Jesus is the Word and the Word is Jesus. This Word is able to guide us into peace, physically, mentally, and spiritually. John 5:37-47 KJV [37] And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. What does it mean when it says that God borne witness of Jesus? God spoke of Jesus through divine revelation that He gave to Isaiah. This is what confirms for us that God borne witness of His son, long before Jesus was born. Isaiah 7:14 KJV [14] Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. [38] And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Jesus here speaking to the Jews and informing them that God’s Word did not abide in them and that because they did not place confidence in Christ, this meant that they did not believe in Christ. [39] Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. The Jews here thought that all the scriptures that they were taught were sufficient enough to give them eternal life, but their understanding was limited. They did not understand that Jesus was the Word and that the Word was Jesus and that it told of Him. They thought that the scriptures were more than enough evidence and they did not heed to the words written in Isaiah that spoke of Christ. [40] And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. [41] I receive not honour from men. [42] But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. [43] I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. [44] How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? [45] Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. The truth of God is truth and that is what accuseth us. Even Moses who they saw as a Saint wrote the early books of the Bible which is the Word of God and is Jesus. [46] For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. [47] But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? What are the words of Moses that Jesus speaks of here? Are they the 10 commandments? Jesus tells us to search the scriptures and that the scriptures testify of Him, meaning that they tell you who He is. If we just come to Him, He will give us life. Jesus did not show us so much love and tell us what He tells us for Him to be honored by man, He did so because He loves us so much. As Jesus is speaking to this group of people, He states that He knows that they don’t have the love of God in them because they don’t believe in His words. Instead, these people and often we, believe in the words of a person that may or may not be seeking to be honored of man over the plain words of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:4-10 KJV [4] And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. [5] This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. We must walk in the light to be cleansed as it is clearly stated here. Walking in the light is what cleanses us because God is that light. Ephesians 5:26-27 KJV [26] That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, [27] That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. There is no darkness in God at all and if we choose to walk in darkness but claim to have a friendship with God, we are lying to ourselves. We have all sinned and we must understand that we have the ability to confess our sins and that Jesus, and Jesus only, is able to forgive us and cleanse us of those sins. We must also understand that Jesus is the light and that it is our choice to either walk in the light or to walk in darkness. How can our heart not be troubled when we are choosing to walk in darkness? Never forgetting that Jesus is the Word, and we have the choice to either walk in the Word or to walk in darkness. John 8:12 KJV [12] Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. This then reiterating exactly what it means to walk in darkness vs. walking in the light. Jesus is the light of the world and IF we follow Him and the example that He provided for us, then we will have the light of life. The light of life is a very precious thing and is a gift from God that we should be very thankful for and that we can trust in to provide us peace in our hearts when we walk in that light. And remember that Jesus, the Word, was made flesh, therefore Jesus and the Word are ONE. Isaiah 32:17-18 KJV [17] And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. [18] And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; Christ is what makes us righteous and the work of this righteousness brings our heart peace. Romans 6:23 KJV [23] For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. This gift is a gift from God. Notice that this living is in reference to eternal life not the temporary life. We receive this gift from God, through Jesus because we are to follow Jesus, follow His example, His words. How much more joyous should our hearts be knowing that God wants to give us this gift? 1 John 2:1-4 KJV [1] My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: [2] And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. [3] And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. [4] He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. God gives us hope and something to look for, knowing that although we have sinned, God instructs us not to continue to do so. That is a specific instruction given to us through God’s word, do not continue to sin. He paid for, was the propitiation for, the sins of every individual in the world. But we know Him and have a fellowship with Him when we keep His commandments. This fellowship provides the ability to not have a heart that is troubled. What is the definition of a commandment? A commandment is any instruction that has been given unto us by God. But what is the definition of a commandment to you? John 13:34-35 KJV [34] A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. [35] By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Was this one of the 10 commandments? Again, I ask you, are the commandments of God limited to the 10 written on two tablets? It certainly does not appear that way to me. God sent Jesus to be a propitiation for our sins as clearly stated in… 1 John 2:2 KJV [2] And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Christ paid the price for our sins. For we all know that the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23 KJV [23] For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Have we all sinned? If so, then that debt has to be paid for the sins that we have committed. Fortunately for us, we have an advocate in Jesus Christ that gave His life for the forgiveness of our sins so that debt can be paid. We must accept that this debt can be paid by acknowledging that Christ is our savior and if this be true, then ALL words spoken by Him must then also be true. John 3:29-36 KJV [29] He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. Jesus is the bridegroom for the church, His followers. He desperately desires our friendship. Hearing His voice and accepting His guidance is designed to be a joyous thing. John 15:13-14 KJV [13] Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. [14] Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. If you read through verse 36 in John chapter 3 which you will find just below, it will make it clear who the bridegroom is that is referred to in verse 29. But notice how this verse speaks to the friend of that bridegroom, Jesus. This is why we look at John 15:13, 14 to see just how Jesus calls us His friends. Did He not come to pay the price for the sins of every person in the world? He laid down His life for us and these verses confirm that He did that because He desires to be our friend. But we see the conditional aspect of it in verse 14, IF we do whatever He commands us. That the friend of the bridegroom stands and hears Him and rejoices greatly because it is the voice of Jesus! John 10:27-28 KJV [27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: [28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. These verses went on to confirm that His sheep, His friends, hear His voice and follow Him and to them, Jesus will give eternal life. Are we included in this group if we do not hear His voice or follow Him? Are we still friends with Christ? [30] He must increase, but I must decrease. [31] He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. [32] And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. [33] He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. Wow, Jesus tells us here that the person that received the testimony of Jesus Christ also recognizes that God is true. When you receive His testimony, it is received in both heart and mind and therefore your actions reflect that. This is that seal that is spoken of, that sign, that mark placed upon His true followers. [34] For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. God gave Jesus unmeasureable Spirit and he also sent us into the world, IF we speak the words of God. Meaning to live the life that reflects the Word. John 17:16-18 KJV [16] They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. [18] As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. [35] The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. [36] He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Christ is that bridegroom and if we want to be that friend of Him, we will stand and hear His words and as a result of that, He will increase in us and we will decrease, meaning that self must decrease. Our selfish nature of doing whatever we want to do, to please us, must decrease. Here again we also see that God sent Jesus to speak the words of God and Jesus sent us to the world to do the same thing. Mark 7:6-9, 13 [6] He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. [7] Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. [8] For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. [9] And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. [13] Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. It is important to avoid worshiping God in vain or just in word, but we must worship Him in action, going away from the learned traditions of man. He refers to this several times in the bible. A tradition, by definition, is simply this: “the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way, or a doctrine believed to have divine authority without any scriptural support”. God says that by keeping our own traditions that do not come from the Word of God, we fully reject the commandment of God, and we choose to make the Word of God to have no effect on our lives. Thus, Jesus has no effect on our lives. Does this not trouble our hearts? Romans 2:28-29 KJV [28] For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: [29] But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Don’t just be a follower of Jesus outwardly by simply displaying the love of Christ on the surface, be one inwardly by removing the harsh selfishness that surrounds our hearts and allow Jesus in that we may be born again. 2 Timothy 3:5 KJV [5] Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. Many will deny the power of God by believing that it is impossible to understand His Word, to do His Word and to be perfect as He commanded us. Deuteronomy 10:16 KJV [16] Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart and be no more stiffnecked. Stiffnecked, being one that is unwilling to change, a stubborn individual. By changing your heart, your actions change; the individual that everyone sees changes. Deuteronomy 30:6 KJV [6] And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. The opposite of not living is…?