Chapter One: The Art of Hitting Yourself with a Spiritual Stick ‎ ‎Let us talk about a most exquisite, silent comedy: the secret, simmering grudge so many of us hold against the very thing we claim to be chasing—righteousness, holiness, all that jazz. It’s like a man who announces to the world that he adores swimming, but every time he approaches the water, you can see his face contort into the expression of someone who has just swallowed a wasp. He splashes about furiously, grumbling, “I love this! So refreshing! Why does nobody else understand how delightful this is?” while visibly drowning in his own resentment. The man is not swimming; he is aggressively sinking in a devotional manner. As Scripture puts it, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Matthew 15:8). Jesus said that about folks who had turned worship into a grim performance, and frankly, if Jesus were at the pool today, He’d probably hand the man a life preserver and say, “Sir, your lips are praising, but your flailing arms are telling a very different gospel.” ‎ ‎Countless souls genuinely seek the truth. They roll out of bed each morning and lace up their spiritual combat boots for another day of holy trench warfare. But if you corner them with a sympathetic smile and a cup of tea, they will confess: righteousness feels like an exhausting, forced march through treacle. It feels like they have a second job—night shift—working for a Celestial Supervisor, an Ancient of Days with a celestial clipboard, ticking boxes, muttering, “Hmm, Wednesday's prayer lacked enthusiasm, minus three points. But that spontaneous act of charity had a nice flair, plus two. We’ll deduct it from your balance of existential dread.” To them, the spiritual life isn't a dance; it's a grim rebellion against a satanic kingdom, a tiresome war where the only point of the whole ridiculous fight is to secure a payout in blessings and a future mansion just beyond the clouds—a sort of deferred heavenly pension plan. No benefit now, just overtime. And out of this sweaty, joyless striving, a deep loathing grows—a hatred of the very holiness they think they are chasing. It’s like being a baker who despises the smell of bread. You’d think the baker would just quit and become an accountant, but no, he stays in the bakery, kneading dough with the face of a man attending his own tax audit, and calls it “faithfulness.” ‎ ‎And here's the beautifully absurd critical point: every attempt to fight that loathing, to whip yourself into a better, holier emotion, will fail in the long run. You cannot, by sheer muscular will, permanently maintain a feeling against a deeply held belief. That’s like trying to hold a beach ball underwater. It’s going to pop up and smack you in the face, and you will be terribly offended. You’ll blame the beach ball, you’ll rebuke the beach ball, you’ll bind the spirit of buoyancy, but the ball obeys a law higher than your panic. The cause of the emotion is a wrong view, a piece of false knowledge lodged in the mind like a piece of psychic popcorn in the gum. That, not the feeling, is what must be surgically, or perhaps humorously, removed. As the prophet Hosea lamented, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Not for lack of effort. Not for lack of all-night prayer vigils where they’ve sweated through their prayer shawls. Knowledge. But we’d rather arm-wrestle our own amygdala at 3 a.m. than admit we might have been holding the map upside down. The feeling is just the check-engine light; you can smash the dashboard with a hammer, and the engine will still be on fire. ‎ ‎The core confusion is this: man treats the symptom as the disease, and then exhausts himself fighting the symptom while the disease quietly continues its work untouched, humming a little tune. It’s like the old proverb: “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly” (Proverbs 26:11). But the modern version would be: “As a fool attacks his own nausea while continuing to eat the same rotten wisdom, so a man rebukes his feelings while refusing to question his beliefs.” The dog gets called a fool for eating the vomit; the man gets called a theologian for fighting the resulting stomachache with fasting and decreeing. It’s a very poor reward for a digestive system that was only trying to send a memo. ‎ ‎See how the trick is played. A person holds a piece of false knowledge deep in their understanding—for example, the belief that “God is a cosmic headmaster who requires a flawless performance of spiritual gymnastics before He will even glance in my direction.” That belief, whether it’s your daily conscious monologue or a silent assumption hovering like background muzak, will produce a specific emotional harvest: dread, resentment, a heavy heart, and a sincere desire to run away from anything labeled “holiness.” The emotion is not the original problem; it is the fruit of the root. The emotion is simply the inner, felt experience of what the mind already holds to be true. It’s the echo; the shout happened long before. You don’t call the echo a liar; you check who’s doing the shouting. And unfortunately, that inner shout often sounds like a twisted version of a memory verse: “The Lord disciplines those He loves” (Hebrews 12:6) becomes “The Lord is disappointed in you before breakfast, and you should feel bad about it permanently.” That’s not Scripture; that’s a bad translation done by a committee of your insecurities. ‎ ‎Now, what does man do when he feels that dreadful inner resistance, that “Oh God, here comes another commandment” feeling? He does not trace the feeling back to the belief that caused it. Oh no. He declares a holy war on the feeling itself. He tells himself, “I should not feel this way. This resentment is a sin. I must launch a crusade against my own insides. I will try harder to conjure up authentic, Grade-A love for God and a sparkling delight in holiness.” He sets out to strangle the emotion directly—through willpower, through suppression, through whipping up a forced enthusiasm that sounds like a game show host who’s lost his cue cards, through generous helpings of self-condemnation. He approaches God’s commandments by trying to copy and paste them into his own behavioral operating system, without ever understanding why God hates sin in the first place, or why he himself, in his own right mind, might find it detestable. But the underlying belief hasn’t moved a single inch. It’s like a hidden projector in the basement, still faithfully casting its dreary movie on the screen of his consciousness. And because the belief remains unchanged, it keeps silently manufacturing the same emotion day after day. The man, in turn, keeps battling the emotion, mistaking it for the enemy, never realizing he is doing the equivalent of snipping off the leaves of a weed while giving the root a nice, warm glass of water and singing “How Great Thou Art” to the gardening shed.

GOD SPEAKS THROUGH OUR NATURAL ABILITIES We wonder, What am I to do with my life? What is my purpose here? Does God have a calling on my life? God answers these questions through our natural gifts and abilities. He leads us to our purpose through the natural skills and unique talents He bestows upon us. God-given gifts are the skills a person easily performs without formal training. Many great artists know just how to put shapes and colors together, and so they enjoy designing buildings or sculpting beautiful and useful items. Many songwriters just write down the music they hear in their head. Some people are great at organizing, while others are natural counselors, helping people sort out their lives and their relationships. We derive great pleasure from doing what we are naturally good at doing. If you aren’t sure of your purpose, just do what you are good at doing, and then watch God confirm you by blessing your endeavors. Don’t spend your life trying to do what you are not gifted to do. I tried to grow a garden and can tomatoes and sew my husband’s clothes. I wasn’t at all good at any of these things, and I even despised trying! It was obvious that God wasn’t calling me to grow and preserve vegetables or to sew. But what if no one enjoyed gardening or canning or making clothes? God keeps our world in balance by giving each of us natural talent and pleasure in doing what needs to be done for the good of everyone around us. God speaks of this division of gifts several places in His Word. Genesis 4:20-22 mentions that Jabal was the father of those who raised cattle and purchased possessions. His brother Jubal was the father of all the musicians who played the lyre and pipe. His half-brother Tubal-cain forged instruments made of bronze and iron. When Solomon built the temple, God empowered skilled craftsmen to do the work (see 2 Chronicles 2). Then again, in the New Testament church, God makes it clear that He calls us to work together as one body in Christ. He appoints some to be apostles, some prophets, and some teachers. Some people are given the faith to be workers of miracles, some have gifts of healing, some are gifted to help others, some have gifts of administration, and the Word says that some are speakers in different tongues (see 1 Corinthians 12:28). I tried to be like other women I admired, but I didn’t understand at the time that they were gifted to do what they did. If we work at doing what we hate to do, we won’t be good at it, and we won’t glorify God with our lives. God came to give us an abundant life, not a miserable one (see John 10:10). God wants us to enjoy life. How can we enjoy spending time doing something that we hate to do? There are wonderful tests available to help us discover which jobs we might enjoy. There are tests to help us understand how we process information and make decisions unique to our personalities. And there are tests that measure our spiritual gifts. When people work at jobs they aren’t gifted to do, they quickly become unhappy, and they make everyone around them unhappy too. Even in raising our children, we need to see what they are good at and give them household chores in line with their gifts. It is senseless to make everyone conform, because we are not alike. God needs each of us in our place. He needs every one of us to function to our fullness, without wasting time competing with someone with different gifts and talents. When teams of employees are in their right places with everyone in his or her niche, operations run like a finely tuned machine. If we do what we are good at doing, we will enjoy it, because we will sense God’s anointing on our efforts and achievements. God speaks to us through this inner anointing. We know we are operating in our gifts and calling when what we do ministers life to others. If what we do makes us miserable and fills us with a sense of dread, it’s possible we are not in God’s perfect will. God gives us peace and joy to let us know we are fulfilling His perfect plan. You can be called to do something that feels difficult to your flesh, but if you can get beyond your initial doubts and find that you have peace once you are doing it, then you will know that God is confirming your natural talents. It is senseless to make everyone conform, because we are not alike. A woman I will refer to as Sharon (though that’s not her real name) worked as our housekeeper a long time ago, but she didn’t feel that her work was important. She wanted to do something else, so she begged God to lead her elsewhere. When Sharon left us, she tried several other jobs, but nothing ever gave her a sense of fulfillment. She finally started keeping house for somebody else and discovered that it was easy for her to do the work and to find people who needed her. She came full circle and worked for us again doing exactly what she had done years earlier. The difference was that this time she was happy—and peaceful. People who are anointed to the “helps” ministries often struggle with the feeling that their work is not important. Satan deceives them to keep them from fulfilling their purpose. God’s ideas are never achieved without help from the entire body working together toward His common goal. The devil hates our anointing and our unity when we use our gifts to supplement one another’s calling. It is important to hear from God and find out where you are called to bloom. Then get where you are supposed to be—get planted, rooted, and grounded—so you can bear fruit. We don’t have enough years left on this earth to be miserable working at the wrong assignments. Sometimes we become tired of doing what we are anointed to do. But we find that we become miserable when we try to do something we are not called to do. God will speak to you through your own gifts and talents. Make sure that what you are doing ministers life to you and not death. Watch for the evidence of grace on your life. If grace is not present, you will struggle through works of the flesh that are not ordained of God. I know I’m into works if I’m pushing and pushing to get something done and becoming resentful of the process. When there is no desire or energy from the Holy Spirit, and I dread the task, I know that God is telling me there is something wrong with my plan. When we were working hard to get on television, I became so tired I cried, but I still loved the process. Sometimes I am so tired after our seminars that I just weep before the Lord. But then I get built up again and feel a burning desire to get to the next conference. I have to have grace on me to do that. God won’t give us the grace to do something He hasn’t called us to do. I encourage you to look at what you enjoy, what you’re good at, what God is giving you grace to do—and then let God be God in your life. He wants to flow through you in many different ways, but it may not be the same way He flows through others. Trust His ability in and through you, and don’t be afraid to be unique.

❤️BIBLICAL THINKING & CONFESSION Part 2 of 4. Continued. E. Finally, expect God to help you find a satisfactory solution. It is your attitude of faith at this time which will often spell the difference between victory and defeat. If you will believe that a solution can be found, and if you will spend sufficient time before the Lord, expecting Him to give you the necessary help and guidance, then no problem will defeat you, regardless of how it may appear at present. Here is the vitally important principle that we must see: when we actually expect God to help us solve the problem, without doubting (James 1:5-7), then by virtue of this faith, we bring all things into the realm of possibility. As Jesus promises, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes" (Mark 9:23). "But you just don't know my problems," says some depressed soul. "They appear beyond solution. I am at my wit's end. I'm already at the bottom of the heap!" Is this your feeling, too? Then I would suggest that you begin praising the Lord, because if you are already at the bottom of the heap, the only way you can possibly go is--up! Start expecting things to improve. By your own admission they cannot get any worse. Your right attitude of faith will bring all things into the realm of possibility (Mark 9:23). 2. Saturate your thoughts with the promises of God. Remember, your thoughts are the seeds you plant in the garden of your mind which will produce the harvest that you will reap. Your mind can only give back what you put into it day by day. Picture your mind as a garden which will reproduce either wheat or tares, depending entirely upon the kind of seed you sow in it. Just as there are two aspects to successful gardening, so it is with developing the habit of right thinking. A. First, you must sow good thoughts. Form the habit of saturating your mind with the precious promises of God as you start each day, even before you get out of bed! I have found that Satan defeats many Christians somewhere between the bedroom and the breakfast table. He is able to do this by implanting negative thoughts of fear, worry, anxiety, doubt, and defeat in their minds as they awaken. The first thoughts that impress themselves upon your consciousness as you wake up each day are of vital importance, because these "seeds" of thought will affect your thinking the entire day. Therefore, if you are tempted to be depressed when you awaken, then before arising let your mind dwell for a while on such promises as "the joy of the Lord is my strength" (Nehemiah 8:10), or "this is the day which the Lord hath made; I will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). If it is a time of trial and your enemies are opposing you, then allow the Holy Spirit to fill your mind and heart with the peace of God through such comforting promises as, "the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:6). Reassure yourself with God's promise to His children which says, "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him" (Psalm 91:15). When a seemingly impossible situation is confronting you, remind yourself that God has said that "we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us" Romans 8:37). Say in faith, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). If your trials seem particularly severe, and at times beyond your comprehension, let your thoughts rest on God's wonderful assurances in Romans 8:28: "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." Remember, too, He has promised, "Fear thou not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.... When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when thou walk through the fire, you shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you" (Isaiah 41:10 and 43:2). These first impressions that you willingly entertain in your mind upon awakening will precondition and affect your thinking for the entire day. So begin each day by rejoicing in the promises of God's Word, especially those that minister directly to the particular needs you may have at the time. Begin to put this in practice and watch the dramatic change! B. Next, you must cultivate the garden of your mind. You must cultivate your mind every day by deliberately choosing scriptural thoughts and weeding out all the "tares," such as idle, critical, impure, and doubtful thoughts, as well as all those of a negative nature. Every thought is a seed sown, and will eventually produce some kind of fruit. If it is a good thought, then this seed must be nurtured by prayer and faith, while tares must be uprooted immediately, and good seeds sown in their place. Such uprooting is often painful, and you may find the flesh resisting such pruning and cleansing of the mind. It is for this reason that some individuals would rather keep their doubts and fears, as well as their wrong ideas and mixed-up thoughts. The cost involved in changing their thinking habits and replacing negative or critical thoughts with wholesome thoughts of faith, hope, love, and joy is greater that they are willing to pay. The Bible refers to this process of the cultivation of the mind as being "transformed by the renewing of your mind." Satan seems to have filled the minds of most Christians with thoughts of doubt, fear, inability, insecurity, worry, and defeat. This negativism must be flushed out, and the mind saturated with the precious Word of the Lord, before the Enemy can be forced to release his hold on the mind and thoughts. 3.Develop the ability to choose deliberately the thoughts you will allow into your mind. Like everyone else, you have spent years conditioning your mind to accept wrong thoughts--idle thoughts, negative thoughts, unwholesome thoughts, thoughts of sickness, doubt, fear, and failure, to say nothing about a good deal of religious error. The mind cannot be renewed from such thinking habits and errors in a moment, not without determination on your part to allow the Holy Spirit to have full control of all your thoughts and beliefs. This is the significance of God's admonition in Romans 12:2: "Be transformed by the renewing [a process] of your mind." As you begin to develop the ability to choose the thoughts that you allow into your mind, you will discover that you are actually engaged in spiritual warfare with the thought habits you have developed in your mind. At times your human reason or intellect may want to rebel, and Satan will accuse you of being a "hypocrite," or tell you that is all just "psychology" and "mental suggestion." But scriptural thinking is not mere mental suggestion; on the contrary, it means, just as medical science has also discovered, that "as [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he." Christians who are walking in victory are those who are controlling their thoughts by emptying the mind of everything negative which Satan attempts to implant in it, and saturating their thinking with God's promises. The Word of God is clear on this point, admonishing us in Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." To heed this admonition we must deliberately empty our minds of everything negative concerning the person, problem, or situation confronting us, refusing Satan to take control of our thoughts. Victory or defeat lies in our own hands according to Proverbs 23:7. What you think about a situation has a definite effect upon the actual situation. If you allow your mind to accept weariness or sickness, your body mechanism will automatically respond to such suggestions accordingly, because your mind has direct control over your nervous system, glands, muscles, heart, blood pressure, and so on. Thus, how you think you feel has a definite effect upon how you actually feel. Medical science has demonstrated that generally it is not long hours or hard work that drain our energy so much as our wrong attitudes concerning our work. Mental attitude plays an important part in a person' s physical condition, his life span, his success or failure in his chosen profession, and his productivity and total well-being. If we learn to govern our thinking, and refuse to confess weariness, anxiety, doubt, fear, defeat, or the dislike of some situation, then we will find that it really does not matter too much how seemingly difficult the task, or how long we work at it. If you grow weary during your work, instead of complaining or confessing weariness or boredom, take mental and physical "break" for a few moments and rejoice in the refreshing promise that "the joy of the Lord is my strength," and "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." It is not long hours and hard work that drain one's energy so much--it is wrong attitudes. Developing the right attitudes toward work and your circumstances, as well as toward God, yourself, and others is the key. This prevents that energy loss which causes most people to be weary and ineffective, or bored and disinterested, all because of their negative attitudes. With God’s help, choose the thoughts that you will allow to occupy your mind. Empty your mind of all negative thoughts or suggestions the moment Satan seeks to implant them into your mind. Then allow the Holy Spirit to minister scriptural thoughts concerning the problem, person, or situation. As a result, you will find yourself experiencing the full joy of your salvation and walking in victory more and more, regardless of the circumstances. 4. Exercise total faith in God in every situation. What is the relationship between faith and right thinking? It is simply this: the extent of your faith and trust in the promises of God has a definite effect upon your attitudes and thinking. Tension, anxiety, emotional stress, and also many instances of physical and spiritual disintegration, result from a lack of inner harmony and peace of mind. In order to help yourself develop scriptural attitudes, there are three areas of your life in which you must learn to walk in total faith and dependence upon God. A. Right attitudes result when you extend your faith to include all that God has provided for you and promised to you. God expects us to exercise total faith, without reservation, that He will do for us all that He has pledged Himself to do. We are to have complete trust in the Lord to provide all our needs, as well as to heal, protect, and deliver us, just as He has promised to do, again and again, in His Word. This will have a powerful effect upon our attitudes: knowing by faith that God will do for us all that He pledges Himself to do, if we will only ask (Matthew 21:22). Why? Because total trust in the Lord for all things eliminates emotional stress, anxiety, worry, and fear. The insurance companies have grown rich on people's fears and anxieties resulting from a lack of trust in such promises of God as are found, for example, in Psalms 37, 91, and 121; Matthew 6:19-34 and 21:22; Philippians 4:19; James 5:14-16; and III John 2. These are only a few out of literally thousands of promises which God has given to the believer. Medical science insists that most illness is psychosomatic and is the result of emotional stress. Over half the beds in the hospitals are occupied by people who are physically and mentally sick due to emotional stress, worry, fear, and anxiety, "for as [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he." People tend to become what they think; they precondition their lives by their attitudes; they receive largely what they expect. Physicians tell us that it is not so much what you eat that gives you ulcers; but it is what is eating you! Total trust in the Lord for all things will inspire in you a biblical attitude toward all circumstances of life, and will greatly help to eliminate emotional stress, fear, worry, and anxiety. B. Scriptural attitudes result from the assurance that you know God's will and are fulfilling it. Uncertainty about this causes multitudes of Christians to suffer confusion, doubt, insecurity, fear, and frustration. They exhaust themselves mentally, physically, and spiritually, running around in circles, as it were, bewildered and confused, seeking to know if they are in God's will. They find themselves wondering which course of action to take, and often worry whether or not they have made the right decision about some matter. Many pastors today find that they must function much of the time as religious psychiatrists, because their churches are filled with Christians who are going through life depressed, bewildered, and confused, without clear understanding of what God's will is for them. It is a great blessing to have peace of mind because you know that you are moving in God's will and are fulfilling His purpose for your life. It is reassuring to know how to receive His help and guidance when you face an important decision or problem for which you are seeking a solution. God has a plan for the life of every Christian; and it is His desire to reveal His will to you, help you solve your problems, and give you guidance in making important decisions. Many Christians seem to know nothing of the concept of a God-planned life. From their confusion and bewilderment, one would surmise that God has saved them only to forsake them, leaving them to struggle along in the world as best they can. Christians are everywhere who have lost their direction, who are in wrong occupations, who have made wrong choices and decisions, who are insecure, depressed, frustrated, discouraged by circumstances, and uncertain as to God's will for their lives. It is not God's will for any Christian to suffer such confusion and defeat. Why? Because He assures us in his Word that "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Psalm 37:23). This means that we can find out what God's will is in the decisions which confront us. We can know His will for our lives, and know His guidance day by day, and thus put an end to our doubts, worries, and frustrations, which result from our inability to discern His will. The believer may be assured that there is no need to stumble through life bewildered and confused, for the Scriptures declare again and again, not only that God is willing to make His will known to us, but that He has also provided the means for us to find out what His will is. Right attitudes and thinking results from the assurance that we know God's will for us and are fulfilling it. C. Biblical attitudes and thinking result when you accept, without qualification, the divine assurance of Romans 8:28. The assurance that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose," will do much to eliminate worry, concern and anxiety about our circumstances and their effects upon our lives. When tempted to feel depressed or defeated because of adverse circumstances; when everything seems to "go wrong"; when there seems to be no immediate solution to a problem we are facing; when it is difficult to understand why we must at times suffer such trials and tribulations as we do; then the heavenly assurance given to us in Romans 8:28-39, if accepted in faith, will minister an inner peace and harmony which surpasses all human understanding. Those who rest by faith in the promise have the blessed assurance that not one thing can touch them which God does not either send or allow; that nothing happens in their lives by accident or chance; that their trials, problems, and experiences are related to God's divine purpose for their lives; and that every experience, pleasant or otherwise, is being directed by God for their ultimate good and for his glory. Such assurances enables us to develop and maintain a right attitude, whereby we cease despising our trial, we refuse to complain over things that try to irritate or upset us, and we can rejoice over adverse circumstances. We can rest in the knowledge that this is God's pruning work in us, in preparation for great blessing, both to ourselves and to others, when He has completed this work in us (Genesis 50:15-20; James 1:2-4). Because many Christians do not realize the divine purpose in their trials and unpleasant experiences, they tend to resist them. They complain, "Why does this have to happen to me?" and, as a result, the real value of their trials is lost upon them. God purposely does not always give us neat, precise reasons for our trials and tests. He leaves many of the mysteries and perplexities of our lives unanswered, so that we may develop a strong, enduring faith in Him and in His promise "that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." It is important we keep before us the fact that such things as emotional stress, worry, anxiety, fear, and depression result from wrong and negative thinking. They are directly related to one's lack of faith and trust in the Word of God, which promises us healing, health, protection, deliverance, joy, peace of mind, and provision for our every need. Since the Scriptures declare that "in quietness and in confidence [faith] shall be your strength" (Isaiah 30:15), then you should learn to cultivate right attitudes and form the habit of thinking how God desires. This right thinking results from the exercise of total faith in God in every circumstance, inasmuch as the extent of our faith and trust in the promises of God has a definite effect upon our attitudes and thinking. BIBLICAL CONFESSION. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. --Proverbs 18:21. Christianity is confession from beginning to end. The Christian faith is not merely something we believe--it also involves what we say. "For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:10). The importance and necessity of speaking in harmony with scripture is evident here. Jesus also informs us in Matthew 10:32-33 and John 12:42-43 that salvation involves stating what God says as well as belief. We are admonished twice in the Book of Hebrews to "hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering" (Hebrews 10:23, 35-36), and Jesus teaches us in Mark 11:23 that whatever we say in faith (according to the will of God) will come to pass. Since "death and life are in the power of the tongue," according to Proverbs 18:21, then it is imperative that we guard our words, and form the habit of always making a positive statements based on the Word. Just as a positive statement in harmony with God's Word and you believing it will bring blessing and victory, conversely a negative statement of doubt, fear, sickness, or defeat will result in adversity and failure, for the Scriptures declare that you can be "snared with the words of thy mouth" (Proverbs 6:2). Satan will keep you bound, poor, sick, and oppressed by ensnaring you with your own words when you make such negative statements as: I don't think I can do this work. I'm sure I'll mess it up. I don't feel too well. I must be catching the flu. I doubt I'll be able to go. I don't see how I'll have the money in time. I still have my symptoms and pain although I received prayer for healing several weeks ago. Maybe it isn't God's will to heal me this time. No matter how hard I try, I can't overcome this problem. I wonder if I'll ever feel better. I just knew it would rain today. It always does when we plan anything for outdoors. I've prayed for my wife's salvation, but she's getting worse, if anything. I guess she'll never change. Why does this always have to happen to me? My husband always drives in heavy traffic for me, because I might have an accident. I wonder if these chest pains mean I have heart disease? Please don't ask me to give a testimony in public. I always get nervous and can't say anything. My sinus condition always gets worse this time of the year. I cannot eat this pork. It will make me sick. I might as well not try that. It's beyond my ability. We'll try to come if things work out, but it isn't very likely. I don't know what we'll do if the cost of living keeps rising. I didn't get the promotion I needed. Oh, well, I never seem to excel at anything. Well, I made it to work, but that's about it. The way I feel, I sure won't get much done. The influence of the powers of darkness upon the human race is nowhere more clearly seen than in Satan's control and influence over man's mind and what he says. Generally, all you ever hear, whether over the radio or TV, on the plane or in a restaurant, has a negative emphasis. The newspapers and commentators seldom present a good report, as this seems to have no value. Have you ever heard, for example, that there are about 201,000,000 Americans who are not on drugs? Was the fact reported that thousands of Christians received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues last year? Were you informed through the news media that there were millions of college students who were not involved in any form of campus rebellion, or revolt against authority last semester? Was it reported in the press that there were over 90,000,000 men who were not involved in any major crimes in the United States in the past 12 months? Did the last conversation you overheard in the restaurant where you ate edify you, or was it the usual negative report of the speaker's recent operation, his peptic ulcers, his accident, or his financial distress? When was the last time anyone complimented or reported to you any good news concerning some friend or acquaintance about whom they were speaking? Why is it we usually receive a complete medical history concerning all the pains and afflictions of most individuals when we simply address them with the friendly greeting, "How are you today?" On every hand I find Christians being defeated by their negative speech. No one would intentionally invite a doctor to inject flu germs directly into his bloodstream; yet this is precisely what you do when you say at the first symptom that you believe you are catching the flu, for the Scriptures declare, "you are snared with the words of thy mouth" (Proverbs 6:2). Your condition will always parallel your speech. The Word of God tells us why: "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7), and "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34). If you think you will fail, you will. If you say you can't, then you can't. If you say you are sick, you will be sick. If you say you cannot overcome the problem, then you cannot. If you say that you will be defeated, you will. Why? It is because you will generally experience what you think and say. Instead why not ask God in faith and believe His promises to meet your every need? It has taken medical science thousands of years to learn this truth, which God revealed to Israel in the time of Solomon, namely, that we actually precondition our lives for sickness or health, prosperity, or adversity, by what we think and say. As we have already pointed out, medical authorities tell us today that most physical illness is psychosomatic; that is, it results from wrong thinking, worry, and emotional stress. The fact is, how we think we feel and what we say about it has a definite effect upon how we actually feel. Jesus came to give us an abundant life--a life free from sin, sickness, poverty, fear, depression, worry, and defeat. However, most Christians have allowed Satan to rob them of their joy and peace, as well as their health and prosperity, through his influence upon their thoughts and their consequent speech. The average Christian keeps his mind and speech so cluttered with negatives and doubts that he has forfeited almost all hope and expectation for anything better, and has accepted a certain amount of poverty, sickness, and failure as inevitable. In order to rise above all these circumstances and walk in victory with our inheritance restored, we must change our thinking habits and eliminate certain negative expressions from our speech. Then we can begin to experience the dynamic power of faith and believing for God's promises. Edited. Shared. To be Continued. ❤️ God willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.

What It Takes to Thrive In both gardening and spiritual terms, planting and harvesting are exciting seasons. Planting is the start of an adventure; harvesting is the product of hard work. It’s easy to celebrate new beginnings and hard-earned completions—but one thing that’s not as much fun?  The pruning process. Who wants to acknowledge what’s dead and unproductive in their lives? Who wants to trim back what’s already blooming—leaving you smaller, awkward, and feeling extra weak? But pruning is exactly what we need to keep producing fruit. “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:2 NIV Jesus mentions two separate actions in this process—cutting off what’s dead and pruning fruit. Cutting out what’s dead makes sense. It’s extra weight, it’s unproductive, it’s blocking sunlight, and it’s stealing good energy from branches that could thrive. But without proper context, pruning fruit feels backwards. However, the purpose of pruning isn’t to disable something, but to revitalize it.  If a branch is weak or diseased, it could not only damage itself, but the surrounding trees as well. Without pruning, both the tree and the life surrounding it can never reach full potential. Pruning creates room for more growth. Pruning stimulates production. Pruning keeps the plant or person strong. God is a good Gardener. He wouldn’t be a good Gardener if He left you to yourself—overgrown, ineffective, and full of dysfunction. But He cares for those He loves. He cuts off what’s dead for your benefit. He lovingly trims back ineffective things in your life to make way for more fruit.  You can trust God with your life because He cares about who you are and who you can become. So what “dead branches” are you dragging around? Is it possible that God is pruning you for future growth? Take a few moments and talk to God about any areas in your life that you recognize need to change.

What It Takes to Thrive In both gardening and spiritual terms, planting and harvesting are exciting seasons. Planting is the start of an adventure; harvesting is the product of hard work. It’s easy to celebrate new beginnings and hard-earned completions—but one thing that’s not as much fun?  The pruning process. Who wants to acknowledge what’s dead and unproductive in their lives? Who wants to trim back what’s already blooming—leaving you smaller, awkward, and feeling extra weak? But pruning is exactly what we need to keep producing fruit. “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:2 NIV Jesus mentions two separate actions in this process—cutting off what’s dead and pruning fruit. Cutting out what’s dead makes sense. It’s extra weight, it’s unproductive, it’s blocking sunlight, and it’s stealing good energy from branches that could thrive. But without proper context, pruning fruit feels backwards. However, the purpose of pruning isn’t to disable something, but to revitalize it.  If a branch is weak or diseased, it could not only damage itself, but the surrounding trees as well. Without pruning, both the tree and the life surrounding it can never reach full potential. Pruning creates room for more growth. Pruning stimulates production. Pruning keeps the plant or person strong. God is a good Gardener. He wouldn’t be a good Gardener if He left you to yourself—overgrown, ineffective, and full of dysfunction. But He cares for those He loves. He cuts off what’s dead for your benefit. He lovingly trims back ineffective things in your life to make way for more fruit.  You can trust God with your life because He cares about who you are and who you can become. So what “dead branches” are you dragging around? Is it possible that God is pruning you for future growth? Take a few moments and talk to God about any areas in your life that you recognize need to change.

What It Takes to Thrive In both gardening and spiritual terms, planting and harvesting are exciting seasons. Planting is the start of an adventure; harvesting is the product of hard work. It’s easy to celebrate new beginnings and hard-earned completions—but one thing that’s not as much fun?  The pruning process. Who wants to acknowledge what’s dead and unproductive in their lives? Who wants to trim back what’s already blooming—leaving you smaller, awkward, and feeling extra weak? But pruning is exactly what we need to keep producing fruit. “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:2 NIV Jesus mentions two separate actions in this process—cutting off what’s dead and pruning fruit. Cutting out what’s dead makes sense. It’s extra weight, it’s unproductive, it’s blocking sunlight, and it’s stealing good energy from branches that could thrive. But without proper context, pruning fruit feels backwards. However, the purpose of pruning isn’t to disable something, but to revitalize it.  If a branch is weak or diseased, it could not only damage itself, but the surrounding trees as well. Without pruning, both the tree and the life surrounding it can never reach full potential. Pruning creates room for more growth. Pruning stimulates production. Pruning keeps the plant or person strong. God is a good Gardener. He wouldn’t be a good Gardener if He left you to yourself—overgrown, ineffective, and full of dysfunction. But He cares for those He loves. He cuts off what’s dead for your benefit. He lovingly trims back ineffective things in your life to make way for more fruit.  You can trust God with your life because He cares about who you are and who you can become. So what “dead branches” are you dragging around? Is it possible that God is pruning you for future growth? Take a few moments and talk to God about any areas in your life that you recognize need to change.

AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY A/F # 4 Hello family, friends, and brothers and sisters in the Christ. This is Brother Johnny Gass. Welcome to Bible study. My hope is that you will share these studies on your timelines with everyone you know, family, friends, coworkers, fellow students, and neighbors. Share in hopes of winning souls to Christ for the expansion of the kingdom of God. Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman unashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 Amazing Facts # 4 A Colossal City In Space Talk about a great city! New York, Tokyo, and London are nothing in comparison! Just wait until you grasp the amazing facts about this gigantic city that can travel through space. It's all fact, not science fiction! The information in this Study Guide will thrill your soul and give you hope for the future. 1. Who is the architect and builder of this space city? "Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." Hebrews 11:16. Answer: The Bible declares that God is building a great city for His people. And this city is as real and literal as any you have ever known. God is the architect and builder of the holy city. 2. Where is this amazing city that God is preparing? "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven." Revelation 21:2. "O Lord my God ... hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place." 1 Kings 8:28-30. Answer: This great city that is being constructed is, at this moment, in far outer space in God's dwelling place, which is called heaven. God's amazing city is located in heaven, His dwelling place. 3. How do the Scriptures describe this amazing space city? Answer: (A) SIZE "The city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs." Revelation 21:16. The city is perfectly square. Its perimeter is 12,000 furlongs, or 1,500 miles (a furlong is 1/8 mile). It is 375 miles long on each side. Notice the city's size compared to several states. (B) NAME The city is called "new Jerusalem" in Revelation 21:2. (C) WALLS "And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits. ... And the building of the wall of it was of jasper." Revelation 21:17, 18. A wall 144 cubits, or 216 feet high (a cubit is 18 inches), surrounds the city. The wall is made of solid jasper, with radiance and beauty beyond description. Think of it! Nearly 20 stories high and solid jasper! The city's jasper walls are nearly 20 stories tall. (D) GATES "And had twelve gates ... On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates." And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl." Revelation 21:12, 13, 21. The city has 12 gates—three on each side—each one made of a single pearl. Each city gate is made of one solid pearl. (E) FOUNDATIONS "The wall of the city had twelve foundations ... garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst." Revelation 21:14-20. The city has 12 full, complete foundations—each one made of precious stone. Every color of the rainbow will be represented, so at a distance the city will no doubt appear to be resting upon a rainbow. (F) STREETS "The street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass." Revelation 21:21. (G) APPEARANCE "The holy city, ... prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." "Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal." "The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal [proportionate]." Revelation 21:2, 11, 16. The city, with all of its precious stones, gold, and shimmering beauty, will be lighted with the glory of God. In its breathtaking majesty and purity it is compared to "a bride adorned for her husband." 4. What phenomenal feature of this majestic city assures every citizen eternal vigor and youth? "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Revelation 22:2. "Take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever." Genesis 3:22. Answer: The tree of life, which bears 12 kinds of fruit (and is in the middle of the city--Revelation 2:7), brings unending life and youth to all who partake of it. Even its leaves will contain marvelous sustaining qualities. This tree will yield a new crop of fruit each month. Heaven's fantastic tree of life brings unending life and youth to all who eat of it. 5. Is it true that this amazing city will descend to this earth? "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Revelation 21:2. "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5. "The righteous shall be recompensed in the earth." Proverbs 11:31. Answer: Yes, the majestic holy city will come down to this earth to become the capital of the earth made new. All the righteous will have a home in this city. The holy city will descend to earth and become its capital. 6. What will happen to sin and sinners? "All the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up." Malachi 4:1. "Fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." Revelation 20:9. "The elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." 2 Peter 3:10. "Ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet." Malachi 4:3. "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter 3:13. Answer: God will destroy all sin and sinners with fire. This fire will melt the earth and turn everything into ashes. Then God will make a perfect new earth, and the holy city will be its capital. Here the righteous will live in joy, peace, and holiness throughout eternity. God promises that sin will not rise up again. See Nahum 1:9. Sin and sinners will be eradicated by fire from God. 7. What refreshing, thrilling promises does God make to the people who enter His new kingdom? Answer: A. The Lord, in person, will live with them (Revelation 21:3)… In His new kingdom the Lord will personally live among His people. B. They will never become bored. There will be pleasures forevermore (Psalms 16:11). C. There will be no more death, pain, tears, sorrow, sickness, hospitals, operations, tragedy, disappointment, trouble, hunger, or thirst (Revelation 21:4; Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 22:3; Isaiah 65:23; Revelation 7:16). D. They will not get tired (Isaiah 40:31). E. Every saved person will be physically whole in every way. The deaf will hear, the blind will see, the dumb will sing, and the lame will be able to run (Isaiah 35:5, 6; Philippians 3:21). F. Jealousy, fear, hatred, falsehood, envy, impurity, cynicism, filth, worry, and all evil will be forever shut out of God's kingdom (Revelation 21:8, 27; 22:15). People will no longer be burdened with the worries and the cares that drive them to distraction. There will be no more nervous breakdowns. Time will become eternity, and the pressures and deadlines of earth will be gone forever. There will be no use for crutches and wheelchairs in heaven. 8. How will the new earth differ from our earth today? Answer: A. Vast seas as we know them today will be gone (Revelation 21:1). Today's mammoth oceans will not exist in God's new kingdom. The oceans and seas cover three-fourths of the earth's surface today. This will not be the case in God's new kingdom. The whole world will be one huge garden of unsurpassed beauty, interspersed with lakes, rivers, and mountains (Revelation 22:1; Acts 3:20, 21). B. The deserts will become gardens (Isaiah 35:1, 2). C. The animals will all be tame. None will prey upon others, and a little child will lead them (Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25). Children will safely play with lions in the earth made new. D. There will be no more curse (Revelation 22:3). E. There will be no more violence of any kind (Isaiah 60:18). This precludes crime, storms, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, injury, etc. There will be no more natural disasters in the new earth. F. Nothing defiling will be found in the new earth (Revelation 21:27). There will be no cigarette butts, tobacco juice, drunkards, taverns, alcoholic beverages, brothels, lewd pictures, or any other wickedness or impurity of any kind. 9. Will there be children in God's kingdom? If so, will they grow up? "And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof." Zechariah 8:5. "And ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall." Malachi 4:2. Answer: Yes, there will be many boys and girls in the holy city (Isaiah 11:6-9), and these youngsters will grow up (Malachi 4:2). We have degenerated much in stature, intellect, and vitality since Adam, but all of this will be restored (Acts 3:20, 21). Children, playing together, will fill the streets of the new Jerusalem. 10. When reunited with loved ones in heaven, will the saved know each other? Then shall I know even as also I am known." 1 Corinthians 13:12. Answer: The Bible clearly teaches that righteous loved ones who have died will be raised to join the righteous living in God's kingdom (Isaiah 26:19; Jeremiah 31:15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-55; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). And the Scriptures also teach that people in God's new kingdom will know each other, just as people recognize each other on the earth today. 11. Will people in heaven be real, with flesh and bones? "Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." "And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them." "And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and ... while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." Luke 24:36-39, 41-43, 50, 51. "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11. "The Lord Jesus Christ ... shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." Philippians 3:20, 21. Answer: After His resurrection, Jesus proved to His desciples that He was flesh and bones by having them feel Him and by eating food. This same Jesus of flesh and bones ascended to His Father and will come again to the earth. The righteous will be given bodies just like the body of Christ and will be real people with flesh and bones throughout eternity. The difference will be that the heavenly body will not be subject to death, decay, or deterioration. The teaching that the saved in heaven will be ghosts who float on mist clouds and do nothing but play harps has no foundation in the Scriptures. Jesus did not die on the cross to provide any such trivial and foolish future for those who accept His love and nobly follow His way of life. Most people have no interest in such an ethereal existence and, therefore, have little or no desire to enter God's heavenly kingdom--often preferring it only because they fear hell. If only all people everywhere could learn the truth about God's holy city and new earth, millions would begin to understand His love and would turn to Him with all their hearts. A person who misses out on God's kingdom has made the supreme blunder of a lifetime. In heaven real people will experience real joys. The fondest hopes of the human heart will be realized. 12. How will the righteous spend their time in the heavenly kingdom? "They shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: ... mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands." Isaiah 65:21, 22. Answer: The righteous will build their own homes in the new earth. (Each will also have a city mansion built by Christ--John 14:1-3.) They will plant vineyards and eat the fruit from them. The Bible is plain. Real people do real things in heaven, and they will thoroughly enjoy it all. Gardening in heaven will bring incredible joy and satisfaction. 13. In what other thrilling activities will the redeemed participate in? Answer: A. Sing and play heavenly music (Isaiah 35:10; 51:11; Psalms 87:7; Revelation 14:2, 3). B. Worship before God's throne every Sabbath (Isaiah 66:22, 23). C. Enjoy never-fading flowers and trees (Ezekiel 47:12; Isaiah 35:1, 2). D. Visit with loved ones, patriarchs, prophets, etc. Heaven will bring us the privilege of becoming friends with Bible patriarchs and prophets. (Matthew 8:11; Revelation 7:9-17). E. Study the animals of heaven (Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25). F. Travel and explore without ever becoming weary (Isaiah 40:31). G. Listen to God sing (Zephaniah 3:17). H. Realize fondest ambitions (Psalms 37:3, 4; Isaiah 65:24). I. Greatest joy of all--the privilege of being like Jesus, traveling with Him, and seeing Him face to face (Revelation 14:4; 22:4; 21:3; 1 John 3:2). No human tongue can describe the glory and delight of the pure music of heaven. 14. Can feeble human language really describe the glories of the heavenly home? "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9. Answer: Not even in its wildest dreams can the heart of man begin to comprehend the marvels of God's eternal kingdom. All that Adam lost will be restored (Acts 3:20, 21). Heaven will be far more glorious and rewarding than anything we can possibly imagine. 15. Is this kingdom being prepared for me personally? "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Revelation 22:17. "To an inheritance incorruptible ... reserved in heaven for you." 1 Peter 1:4. "I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:2. Answer: It is prepared for you personally. The invitation from the Lord is to you personally. If rejected, friend, you will have no one to blame but yourself. Jesus is preparing heaven for you personally. You matter to Him. 16. How can I be assured of a place in that great and glorious kingdom? "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in." Revelation 3:20. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 7:21. "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God." John 1:12. "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7. Answer: The Bible makes it plain. It is simple. Give your life to Christ for cleansing from sin. When you do this, He also gives you power to do His will and keep His commandments. This means, of course, that you will begin to live as Christ lived and will overcome all sin. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things." Revelation 21:7. In short, a person is prepared for heaven when he has heaven in his heart. When Jesus lives in our hearts and abides in our homes, we are assured of a place in His heavenly kingdom. Thought Questions 1. How can heaven be a happy place when the saved think of loved ones who are lost? Revelation 21:4 The Bible says that God will "wipe away all tears from their eyes." Revelation 21:4. Surrounded by the beauty and joys of the new earth, God's redeemed people will forget the tragedies and heartaches of the past; "the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." Isaiah 65:17. 2. The Bible says, "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 15:50. How, then, can the redeemed be flesh and bones? 1 Corinthians 15:50 Here the Bible uses the term "flesh" to describe the unconverted person. A similar thought is expressed in Romans 8:8, 9: "They that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." John 3:6 says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." The term "flesh" here again refers to the unconverted person, while the term "spirit" refers to the converted or "born again" person. So the Bible is simply saying in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that no one can enter God's kingdom unless conversion first takes place and flesh becomes spirit. Christ, in His resurrected body, declared that He was truly "flesh and bones." Luke 24:39. We shall have a body like His, according to Philippians 3:21. 3. Is the apostle Peter in charge of the gate of the holy city? Matthew 16:19 No! The Bible says in Revelation 21:12 that the new Jerusalem--the holy city of God--has 12 gates, and at the gates are 12 angels. No reference is made in the Bible to any of the apostles as guardians of the gates. 4. Is the holy city really big enough to hold all the saved people of all ages? Matthew 7:14 If the city were to be crowded and each saved person given only 100 square feet of ground space, there would be room for 39 billion people in the city, which is many times the present population of the world. Many statisticians believe that if all the people who have ever lived were saved, there would be plenty of room for them in the city. The Scriptures make it clear, however, that only a few will be saved (Matthew 7:14). So there will be more than enough room in the great city. 5. Sometimes I wonder if the reward is worth the sacrifice. It seems that Satan is about to overwhelm me at times. Does the Bible offer me any encouragement? Romans 8:18 Yes. In fact, the apostle Paul must have been thinking of someone like you when he wrote, "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18. Just one glimpse of that eternal kingdom will cause the worst trials and persecutions of earth to pale into insignificance, and the redeemed will cry out: "Hallelujah, heaven is cheap enough!" 6. Will little babies who die be saved in God's kingdom? Matthew 2:16-18 We do not have a specific Bible answer to this question, but many choose to believe that infants will be saved on the basis of Matthew 2:16-18. There the Bible tells of wicked king Herod slaying all the male babies in Bethlehem who were two years old or younger. The Old Testament foretold this tragic, cruel incident, and God told the mothers to stop crying because their children would one day be restored to them. "Refrain thy voice from weeping, ... they [the slain children] shall come again from the land of the enemy. ... Thy children shall come again to their own border." Jeremiah 31:16, 17. This is an obvious reference to the resurrection. 7. Do I understand correctly that heaven, the home of the saved, will be right here on this earth? Revelation 21:2,3;22:1,3 That is correct. Although the holy city is now in God's dwelling place, He is going to move it to this earth. Sin and sinners will be destroyed with fire, and the earth will be made new and given to the righteous in all of its Edenic glory and beauty. The holy city will be the capital of the new earth, and God will move His throne here (Revelation 21:2, 3; 22:1, 3) and live with the righteous right here on this earth throughout eternity. And where the Lord abides, that is heaven. God's plan is to restore to man what Adam lost: the glories of a perfect life on a perfect planet. Satan and sin interrupted God's plan, but the plan will be carried out. We can all share in this new kingdom--and we must! It's too much to miss. 8. Why do so many teach and believe that the home of the saved is a misty place with ghostlike inhabitants who float on clouds and do nothing but play harps? John 8:44 This teaching originated with the devil, the father of lies (John 8:44). He is anxious to distort God's loving plan and present heaven as an unreal, "spooky" place so people will lose interest or become skeptical of God's Word altogether. Satan well knows that when men and women fully understand the Bible truth regarding the home of the saved, his power over them is broken, because they will begin making plans to enter that kingdom. This is why he works so hard to becloud the issue and spread falsehood regarding that heavenly home. To learn more about our lord Jesus christ, the Word of God, and the Sabbath, please visit your local Seventh-day Adventist Church. Or please visit us at Rossville Seventh-day Adventist Church, located at 1737 Mission Ridge Road, Rossville Georgia 30741 Pastor; Greg Hudson Services start at 11am on Saturday (Sabbath) morning.

God’s Power in Nature and Us February 23 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. - Romans 1:20 Creation reveals God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—so that humanity is without excuse (Romans 1:20). In agriculture and gardening, success depends upon obeying natural laws. Careful attention to soil, growth, and cultivation teaches that life flourishes only in harmony with the principles God has established. Working with nature develops character. Patience, diligence, obedience to law, and attention to detail are cultivated through caring for plants and protecting them from harm. Contact with the beauty and mystery of life refines the mind and elevates the soul, preparing one to deal wisely and kindly with others. The same divine power that sustains the stars and atoms also governs human life. Harmony with God’s physical, mental, and moral laws brings order and growth, while transgression results in discord and ruin. To those who learn its lessons, nature becomes a living textbook, revealing God’s image and drawing the heart into unity with Him. (Paraphrase of EGW’s Lift Him Up, p.67) #MyMorningDevotional #PutGodFirst #SeekingGod #InHisPresence #RestinginJesus #MyPlaceofRefuge See less

A/F # 4 Hello family, friends, and brothers and sisters in the Christ. This is Brother Johnny Gass. Welcome to Bible study. My hope is that you will share these studies on your timelines with everyone you know, family, friends, coworkers, fellow students, and neighbors. Share in hopes of winning souls to Christ for the expansion of the kingdom of God. Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman unashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 Amazing Facts # 4 A Colossal City In Space Talk about a great city! New York, Tokyo, and London are nothing in comparison! Just wait until you grasp the amazing facts about this gigantic city that can travel through space. It's all fact, not science fiction! The information in this Study Guide will thrill your soul and give you hope for the future. 1. Who is the architect and builder of this space city? "Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." Hebrews 11:16. Answer: The Bible declares that God is building a great city for His people. And this city is as real and literal as any you have ever known. God is the architect and builder of the holy city. 2. Where is this amazing city that God is preparing? "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven." Revelation 21:2. "O Lord my God ... hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place." 1 Kings 8:28-30. Answer: This great city that is being constructed is, at this moment, in far outer space in God's dwelling place, which is called heaven. God's amazing city is located in heaven, His dwelling place. 3. How do the Scriptures describe this amazing space city? Answer: (A) SIZE "The city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs." Revelation 21:16. The city is perfectly square. Its perimeter is 12,000 furlongs, or 1,500 miles (a furlong is 1/8 mile). It is 375 miles long on each side. Notice the city's size compared to several states. (B) NAME The city is called "new Jerusalem" in Revelation 21:2. (C) WALLS "And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits. ... And the building of the wall of it was of jasper." Revelation 21:17, 18. A wall 144 cubits, or 216 feet high (a cubit is 18 inches), surrounds the city. The wall is made of solid jasper, with radiance and beauty beyond description. Think of it! Nearly 20 stories high and solid jasper! The city's jasper walls are nearly 20 stories tall. (D) GATES "And had twelve gates ... On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates." And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl." Revelation 21:12, 13, 21. The city has 12 gates—three on each side—each one made of a single pearl. Each city gate is made of one solid pearl. (E) FOUNDATIONS "The wall of the city had twelve foundations ... garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst." Revelation 21:14-20. The city has 12 full, complete foundations—each one made of precious stone. Every color of the rainbow will be represented, so at a distance the city will no doubt appear to be resting upon a rainbow. (F) STREETS "The street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass." Revelation 21:21. (G) APPEARANCE "The holy city, ... prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." "Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal." "The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal [proportionate]." Revelation 21:2, 11, 16. The city, with all of its precious stones, gold, and shimmering beauty, will be lighted with the glory of God. In its breathtaking majesty and purity it is compared to "a bride adorned for her husband." 4. What phenomenal feature of this majestic city assures every citizen eternal vigor and youth? "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Revelation 22:2. "Take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever." Genesis 3:22. Answer: The tree of life, which bears 12 kinds of fruit (and is in the middle of the city--Revelation 2:7), brings unending life and youth to all who partake of it. Even its leaves will contain marvelous sustaining qualities. This tree will yield a new crop of fruit each month. Heaven's fantastic tree of life brings unending life and youth to all who eat of it. 5. Is it true that this amazing city will descend to this earth? "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Revelation 21:2. "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5. "The righteous shall be recompensed in the earth." Proverbs 11:31. Answer: Yes, the majestic holy city will come down to this earth to become the capital of the earth made new. All the righteous will have a home in this city. The holy city will descend to earth and become its capital. 6. What will happen to sin and sinners? "All the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up." Malachi 4:1. "Fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." Revelation 20:9. "The elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." 2 Peter 3:10. "Ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet." Malachi 4:3. "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter 3:13. Answer: God will destroy all sin and sinners with fire. This fire will melt the earth and turn everything into ashes. Then God will make a perfect new earth, and the holy city will be its capital. Here the righteous will live in joy, peace, and holiness throughout eternity. God promises that sin will not rise up again. See Nahum 1:9. Sin and sinners will be eradicated by fire from God. 7. What refreshing, thrilling promises does God make to the people who enter His new kingdom? Answer: A. The Lord, in person, will live with them (Revelation 21:3)… In His new kingdom the Lord will personally live among His people. B. They will never become bored. There will be pleasures forevermore (Psalms 16:11). C. There will be no more death, pain, tears, sorrow, sickness, hospitals, operations, tragedy, disappointment, trouble, hunger, or thirst (Revelation 21:4; Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 22:3; Isaiah 65:23; Revelation 7:16). D. They will not get tired (Isaiah 40:31). E. Every saved person will be physically whole in every way. The deaf will hear, the blind will see, the dumb will sing, and the lame will be able to run (Isaiah 35:5, 6; Philippians 3:21). F. Jealousy, fear, hatred, falsehood, envy, impurity, cynicism, filth, worry, and all evil will be forever shut out of God's kingdom (Revelation 21:8, 27; 22:15). People will no longer be burdened with the worries and the cares that drive them to distraction. There will be no more nervous breakdowns. Time will become eternity, and the pressures and deadlines of earth will be gone forever. There will be no use for crutches and wheelchairs in heaven. 8. How will the new earth differ from our earth today? Answer: A. Vast seas as we know them today will be gone (Revelation 21:1). Today's mammoth oceans will not exist in God's new kingdom. The oceans and seas cover three-fourths of the earth's surface today. This will not be the case in God's new kingdom. The whole world will be one huge garden of unsurpassed beauty, interspersed with lakes, rivers, and mountains (Revelation 22:1; Acts 3:20, 21). B. The deserts will become gardens (Isaiah 35:1, 2). C. The animals will all be tame. None will prey upon others, and a little child will lead them (Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25). Children will safely play with lions in the earth made new. D. There will be no more curse (Revelation 22:3). E. There will be no more violence of any kind (Isaiah 60:18). This precludes crime, storms, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, injury, etc. There will be no more natural disasters in the new earth. F. Nothing defiling will be found in the new earth (Revelation 21:27). There will be no cigarette butts, tobacco juice, drunkards, taverns, alcoholic beverages, brothels, lewd pictures, or any other wickedness or impurity of any kind. 9. Will there be children in God's kingdom? If so, will they grow up? "And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof." Zechariah 8:5. "And ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall." Malachi 4:2. Answer: Yes, there will be many boys and girls in the holy city (Isaiah 11:6-9), and these youngsters will grow up (Malachi 4:2). We have degenerated much in stature, intellect, and vitality since Adam, but all of this will be restored (Acts 3:20, 21). Children, playing together, will fill the streets of the new Jerusalem. 10. When reunited with loved ones in heaven, will the saved know each other? Then shall I know even as also I am known." 1 Corinthians 13:12. Answer: The Bible clearly teaches that righteous loved ones who have died will be raised to join the righteous living in God's kingdom (Isaiah 26:19; Jeremiah 31:15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-55; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). And the Scriptures also teach that people in God's new kingdom will know each other, just as people recognize each other on the earth today. 11. Will people in heaven be real, with flesh and bones? "Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." "And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them." "And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and ... while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." Luke 24:36-39, 41-43, 50, 51. "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11. "The Lord Jesus Christ ... shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." Philippians 3:20, 21. Answer: After His resurrection, Jesus proved to His desciples that He was flesh and bones by having them feel Him and by eating food. This same Jesus of flesh and bones ascended to His Father and will come again to the earth. The righteous will be given bodies just like the body of Christ and will be real people with flesh and bones throughout eternity. The difference will be that the heavenly body will not be subject to death, decay, or deterioration. The teaching that the saved in heaven will be ghosts who float on mist clouds and do nothing but play harps has no foundation in the Scriptures. Jesus did not die on the cross to provide any such trivial and foolish future for those who accept His love and nobly follow His way of life. Most people have no interest in such an ethereal existence and, therefore, have little or no desire to enter God's heavenly kingdom--often preferring it only because they fear hell. If only all people everywhere could learn the truth about God's holy city and new earth, millions would begin to understand His love and would turn to Him with all their hearts. A person who misses out on God's kingdom has made the supreme blunder of a lifetime. In heaven real people will experience real joys. The fondest hopes of the human heart will be realized. 12. How will the righteous spend their time in the heavenly kingdom? "They shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: ... mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands." Isaiah 65:21, 22. Answer: The righteous will build their own homes in the new earth. (Each will also have a city mansion built by Christ--John 14:1-3.) They will plant vineyards and eat the fruit from them. The Bible is plain. Real people do real things in heaven, and they will thoroughly enjoy it all. Gardening in heaven will bring incredible joy and satisfaction. 13. In what other thrilling activities will the redeemed participate in? Answer: A. Sing and play heavenly music (Isaiah 35:10; 51:11; Psalms 87:7; Revelation 14:2, 3). B. Worship before God's throne every Sabbath (Isaiah 66:22, 23). C. Enjoy never-fading flowers and trees (Ezekiel 47:12; Isaiah 35:1, 2). D. Visit with loved ones, patriarchs, prophets, etc. Heaven will bring us the privilege of becoming friends with Bible patriarchs and prophets. (Matthew 8:11; Revelation 7:9-17). E. Study the animals of heaven (Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25). F. Travel and explore without ever becoming weary (Isaiah 40:31). G. Listen to God sing (Zephaniah 3:17). H. Realize fondest ambitions (Psalms 37:3, 4; Isaiah 65:24). I. Greatest joy of all--the privilege of being like Jesus, traveling with Him, and seeing Him face to face (Revelation 14:4; 22:4; 21:3; 1 John 3:2). No human tongue can describe the glory and delight of the pure music of heaven. 14. Can feeble human language really describe the glories of the heavenly home? "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9. Answer: Not even in its wildest dreams can the heart of man begin to comprehend the marvels of God's eternal kingdom. All that Adam lost will be restored (Acts 3:20, 21). Heaven will be far more glorious and rewarding than anything we can possibly imagine. 15. Is this kingdom being prepared for me personally? "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Revelation 22:17. "To an inheritance incorruptible ... reserved in heaven for you." 1 Peter 1:4. "I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:2. Answer: It is prepared for you personally. The invitation from the Lord is to you personally. If rejected, friend, you will have no one to blame but yourself. Jesus is preparing heaven for you personally. You matter to Him. 16. How can I be assured of a place in that great and glorious kingdom? "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in." Revelation 3:20. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 7:21. "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God." John 1:12. "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7. Answer: The Bible makes it plain. It is simple. Give your life to Christ for cleansing from sin. When you do this, He also gives you power to do His will and keep His commandments. This means, of course, that you will begin to live as Christ lived and will overcome all sin. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things." Revelation 21:7. In short, a person is prepared for heaven when he has heaven in his heart. When Jesus lives in our hearts and abides in our homes, we are assured of a place in His heavenly kingdom. Thought Questions 1. How can heaven be a happy place when the saved think of loved ones who are lost? Revelation 21:4 The Bible says that God will "wipe away all tears from their eyes." Revelation 21:4. Surrounded by the beauty and joys of the new earth, God's redeemed people will forget the tragedies and heartaches of the past; "the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." Isaiah 65:17. 2. The Bible says, "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 15:50. How, then, can the redeemed be flesh and bones? 1 Corinthians 15:50 Here the Bible uses the term "flesh" to describe the unconverted person. A similar thought is expressed in Romans 8:8, 9: "They that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." John 3:6 says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." The term "flesh" here again refers to the unconverted person, while the term "spirit" refers to the converted or "born again" person. So the Bible is simply saying in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that no one can enter God's kingdom unless conversion first takes place and flesh becomes spirit. Christ, in His resurrected body, declared that He was truly "flesh and bones." Luke 24:39. We shall have a body like His, according to Philippians 3:21. 3. Is the apostle Peter in charge of the gate of the holy city? Matthew 16:19 No! The Bible says in Revelation 21:12 that the new Jerusalem--the holy city of God--has 12 gates, and at the gates are 12 angels. No reference is made in the Bible to any of the apostles as guardians of the gates. 4. Is the holy city really big enough to hold all the saved people of all ages? Matthew 7:14 If the city were to be crowded and each saved person given only 100 square feet of ground space, there would be room for 39 billion people in the city, which is many times the present population of the world. Many statisticians believe that if all the people who have ever lived were saved, there would be plenty of room for them in the city. The Scriptures make it clear, however, that only a few will be saved (Matthew 7:14). So there will be more than enough room in the great city. 5. Sometimes I wonder if the reward is worth the sacrifice. It seems that Satan is about to overwhelm me at times. Does the Bible offer me any encouragement? Romans 8:18 Yes. In fact, the apostle Paul must have been thinking of someone like you when he wrote, "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18. Just one glimpse of that eternal kingdom will cause the worst trials and persecutions of earth to pale into insignificance, and the redeemed will cry out: "Hallelujah, heaven is cheap enough!" 6. Will little babies who die be saved in God's kingdom? Matthew 2:16-18 We do not have a specific Bible answer to this question, but many choose to believe that infants will be saved on the basis of Matthew 2:16-18. There the Bible tells of wicked king Herod slaying all the male babies in Bethlehem who were two years old or younger. The Old Testament foretold this tragic, cruel incident, and God told the mothers to stop crying because their children would one day be restored to them. "Refrain thy voice from weeping, ... they [the slain children] shall come again from the land of the enemy. ... Thy children shall come again to their own border." Jeremiah 31:16, 17. This is an obvious reference to the resurrection. 7. Do I understand correctly that heaven, the home of the saved, will be right here on this earth? Revelation 21:2,3;22:1,3 That is correct. Although the holy city is now in God's dwelling place, He is going to move it to this earth. Sin and sinners will be destroyed with fire, and the earth will be made new and given to the righteous in all of its Edenic glory and beauty. The holy city will be the capital of the new earth, and God will move His throne here (Revelation 21:2, 3; 22:1, 3) and live with the righteous right here on this earth throughout eternity. And where the Lord abides, that is heaven. God's plan is to restore to man what Adam lost: the glories of a perfect life on a perfect planet. Satan and sin interrupted God's plan, but the plan will be carried out. We can all share in this new kingdom--and we must! It's too much to miss. 8. Why do so many teach and believe that the home of the saved is a misty place with ghostlike inhabitants who float on clouds and do nothing but play harps? John 8:44 This teaching originated with the devil, the father of lies (John 8:44). He is anxious to distort God's loving plan and present heaven as an unreal, "spooky" place so people will lose interest or become skeptical of God's Word altogether. Satan well knows that when men and women fully understand the Bible truth regarding the home of the saved, his power over them is broken, because they will begin making plans to enter that kingdom. This is why he works so hard to becloud the issue and spread falsehood regarding that heavenly home. To learn more about our lord Jesus christ, the Word of God, and the Sabbath, please visit your local Seventh-day Adventist Church. Or please visit us at Rossville Seventh-day Adventist Church, located at 1737 Mission Ridge Road, Rossville Georgia 30741 Pastor; Greg Hudson Services start at 11am on Saturday (Sabbath) morning.

Mathew 7:17-20 "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit: but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." I feel that this is a good verse for today's times. Within the last few months so much has happened, not only in the world today but in the Christian community. People are not sure where to look or what's happening next in their world. That's where Mathew chapter 7 comes in. It's more about cause and effect. You must have good soft, healthily soil that is free from rocks and anything that may affect its growth (root system), clearance from other trees, and a source of nutrition . In our walk with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we must have a relationship with them. In gardening there's a word called grafting . Grafting is a technique that whereby tissues of plants are joined to grow together. It takes time and patience for this process to work. The success of this joining requires that the vascular tissues grow together. We must have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit rooted into every aspect of our lives so that we can grow in their ways, free and clear from the traps of this world- giving God 100% of ourselves. The Bible must be our source of nutrition . It will supply us with what we need in our everyday life. When we look at how superficial appearances can often mask true intentions, the lesson of Mathew 7:17-20 is profound and relevant to today's times. It reflects on whether our actions align with our professing beliefs and values, prompting a very deep examination of our core integrity and authenticity. It serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of living out our Christian Faith in all practical ways. not just lip speaking or poor actions. These verses along with others call us to examine our fruit, values and beliefs. We are to strive for a life characterized by good deeds and righteousness, demonstrating our faith though tangible expressions of love and compassion. These verses are a compelling exhortation to live in authenticity, with integrity and consistency, allowing our actions to testify the depth of faith and the sincerity of our own convictions. Just remember our choices reflect the desire and condition of our hearts, just as a good tree produces good fruit and a bad tree produces bad fruit. Characteristics of good fruit are love, kindness, patience, self-control, and other qualities that align with God's character. On the flip of the coin you have bad fruit which consist of selfishness, deceit, immorality, and any behaviors against God's will for our lives. In having good fruit we will be able to lead by example in our family, church, family, and with our friends, co-workers, etc. By them seeing what fruit we bear, they may look to produce the same within themselves for the Kingdom. So let us reflect on our actions because each choice that we make will impact our world one way or the other. Our good fruit can go bad if a bad choice is made and will effect others in our world. So we have to look upon the word of God to guide us in our decision making. He wants only good for us. . humbly : Pastor Billy Chavis edited by : Angel Chavis