Blessed are those who mourn…

Have you ever, like many other Christians, struggled to adequately understand the seemingly backwards and upside-down messages contained in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10)?

For some reason, the second of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:4 NIV) “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” has been weighing heavily upon my mind lately, so I decided some research was in order.

The word “mourn” [Strong’s #3396] comes from the Greek word “pentheo”, meaning the feeling or act of grieving. So, on the surface, the verse seems to say that grievers will be comforted. I’m not sure I would get much comfort from such a statement, especially since the next six beatitudes also contain a similar future blessed state without any indication of how or when it might be achieved. To confuse the matter even further, some translations use other words in place of mourn; grieve, are sad, know sorrow, feel lost, etc.

Now I am going to add another factor which will seem to confuse the issue even more, but bear with me while I attempt to explain.

(Mathew 9:14-15 NIV) “Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.”

So, what has fasting to do with mourning, you ask. Well, Jesus is asked why his disciples don’t fast, and his response is how can they mourn? But it doesn’t end there because there is another factor added, the bridegroom. The disciples (the friends of the bridegroom) don’t fast because the object of their worship (the bridegroom) is still with them. However, they will indeed fast (or mourn) when the bridegroom is taken away. Jesus is equating mourning (grieving) with fasting because the concept of fasting in those days included the act of grieving and weeping for the thing which one has lost.

And this connection with the bridegroom helps me to get a better handle on the beatitudes; those who mourn because of a broken or non-existent connection with the Saviour (the bridegroom) will be comforted when they allow that connection to be established or restored. Thankfully, that same connection with the bridegroom provides for the fulfillment of all the blessings of the beatitudes; the down-hearted, the mourner, the meek, the spiritually hungry, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and the persecuted will all be blessed as the bride of the bridegroom.

What do you have in your hand?

It’s too hard! I am not qualified! I don’t have the training! I am not properly equipped!

These are few of the common excuses that people may give when they realize that God wants them to serve him. Many feel, perhaps in all sincerity, that they are not good enough to do something for God. This certainly was displayed in the life of a well-known Bible character, Moses. When God revealed his plan for the life of Moses, Moses responded with doubt and excuses. He felt no one would believe him or follow him. In Exodus 4:1, Moses tells God, Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, `The LORD did not appear to you’?”

In the following verse, there is a wonderful lesson to be learned in the reply that God offered. Exodus 4:2 tells us, “Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.” The answer to God’s question was that Moses had a shepherd’s rod in his hand.

Throughout the Bible, God had a wonderful habit of using whatever a person possessed if that person would simply yield it to God. Among many other items, God used a stick, a coat, a fish, a couple of pennies, a slingshot, a jawbone, a rock, and some loaves of bread. The almighty Creator of the universe is able to use any ordinary object that is yielded to him in faith. The process is not complicated.

• Examine your hand – God asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” Each person only needs to examine what they personally have. It doesn’t have to be grand, majestic or even what the next person has. God simply wants to know what you have. Whatever you have is enough for God to do something miraculous.

• Empty your hand – Moses answered God’s simple question and said, “A rod.” God’s reply was as simple as his question. He said, “Cast it on the ground.” Sometimes, this is the hardest part for Christians. Even when the possession is small and seemingly unimportant, it is human nature to cling to that possession. God wants to know if his children trust him enough to let him have it.

• Enjoy God’s hand – Once Moses let go of that simple shepherd’s rod, God used it to perform many impossible tasks (found in Exodus). That rod turned into a snake, ate other snakes, brought water out of a rock, turned water to blood, and probably performed other miracles that are not recorded. Of course, the miracles were not accomplished by the rod but by the power of God. The rod was simply a symbol of the submission and faith of Moses.

I Corinthians 1:27 confirms that “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” Simply take whatever you have and yield it completely to God. Next, sit back and enjoy the wonderful things that God will do!

Rev. Timothy Benefield, pastor of Golden Valley Baptist Church, USA.

Wise and Foolish Builders

Matthew 7:24-27

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Most Christians (and many non-believers) are familiar with Jesus’ parable of the wise and the foolish builders, and seem to understand the value of applying wisdom to our construction efforts. In fact, the house being spoken of is not necessarily a physical building, but the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit within us. However, I believe that many miss what is actually a significant aspect of this parable. Jesus makes a distinction between hearing and doing. Both Paul (Romans 2:13), and James (James 1:22), also emphasize the importance of acting upon the words we hear from God. The psalmist (Psalm 127:1) also noted that unless God is involved in our “doing”, we labour in vain, and our efforts will come to no good.

James stresses the need to act on what we hear. He says we are fooling ourselves if we think we can be hearers only and not doers of the Word as well. People who sincerely love God are those who keep His commands (John 14:15; 1 John 5:2–3). God desires those who hear His Word to become authentic followers of Jesus, disciples who obey the Lord’s teaching because they know and love their heavenly Father (John 14:23–24).

We began by looking at Matthew 7:24-27. But we also need to back up a few verses and look at Matthew 7:21–23. Jesus says that not everyone who calls Him Lord, will enter His heavenly home. We must do His will, or He will say He never knew us. And His will is to do His words; be faithful, be obedient, be a wise builder.

The Word of God is not just a beautiful piece of literature to be savored and enjoyed. Its purpose goes beyond provoking thought and inviting meditation. It requires more than memorization and sharing with others. It demands a change of heart that prompts a change of behavior. The Word of God is to be obeyed.

Face to face with God

Is the Old Testament dead to you? Do you think of the Old Testament as a collection of myths and stories that have no bearing on Christian life in the 21^st century? If that is the case, then please let me share one of the most powerful and meaningful Old Testament / New Testament connections (one of many) that I have encountered in my studies. We need a face-to-face encounter with God in order to be born to new life from our old state of spiritual death.

The first such encounter recorded in Scripture takes place in the Garden of Eden immediately after God had formed Adam from the dust of the ground. (NOTE: During the Creation, God formed all that exists by the power of His spoken Word; He literally spoke the world and all it contained into existence. But when it came time to create Man, God knelt in the dirt and formed Adam with His bare hands. It does not get more personal than that.)

But I digress; it was what happened after God formed Adam that is pre-eminently significant. God, the Creator, the Maker of heaven and earth, kneeled down beside this dead thing He had created, and “breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person” (Genesis 2:7). Remember, that up to that point, Adam was dead. He could do nothing to receive the breath of life but lie there, dead. Can you see, in your mind’s eye, Adam lying there after having been formed, and The Father lovingly bending down and coming face-to-face with Adam? God breathed the Holy Spirit straight into Adam’s nostrils. This is what it means to come face-to-face with God.

Only the Holy Spirit causes us to breathe in His Spirit and exhale His love. Only the Holy Spirit can open our eyes that we might “see” Jesus.

Okay, so where do we find a New Testament parallel or connection? After Jesus had been arrested and convicted in a series of sham trials, after he had been nailed to a cruel cross, after he had died and been placed in a borrowed tomb, and AFTER he had risen from the dead, Jesus appeared to his disciples. They were hiding behind locked doors, afraid that the religious leaders would kill them as they had killed their Rabbi. In spite of the locked doors, Jesus suddenly appeared before them, spoke to them, showed them his wounded hands and side. The disciples were filled with joy, especially when Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you.”

And then He breathed on them, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:19-22)

Just as The Father had breathed the Holy Spirit into the dead body of Adam, Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into the spiritually dead bodies of His disciples. This was the point at which the disciples were born again! They sat under Jesus’ teaching for at least three years as Jesus sat before them and taught them, but he never released his breath into them until that day. If He had not released his breath into them, the Holy Spirit would not have come to live inside them, and they would never have been born again.

This tells us that the Son of God can sit right in front of us, but unless we receive the Holy Spirit we cannot be a child of God. How many times did you hear the message of the Gospel before something clicked within you and God became real to you, face-to-face with you? As He makes Himself real to us, it becomes OUR face-to-face inbreathing of the Holy Spirit, His bending down to us as He did to Adam.

Please don’t discount or ignore the Old Testament just because it can be difficult to follow from our 21^st century perspective; remember 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Your diligence might bring you to a face-to-face encounter with the God of all Creation.

The Seventh Seal

The Book of Revelation is sometimes quite difficult to decipher. There is so much imagery that the prophecies can be obscured and/or misunderstood. Having said that, I must emphasize that I am not a theologian, I am merely a student trying to glean God’s Truth from His Word.

I once had a friend ask me, “What is the seventh seal?” His understanding was that the seals all represent some particular judgement to be visited upon the unrepentant, but the seventh seal brought only silence (Revelation 8:1-2). However, I believe that the seals do not represent judgements per se, but they actually reveal what each judgement will bring (after all, the book is called “The Revelation of Jesus”.)

And it is inaccurate to say that the seventh seal reveals nothing. Scripture does not specify what the seventh seal reveals; but it is so awesome, so severe, so final, that all heaven holds its collective breath in silence and shock. When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, “there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Revelation 8:1).

The question, “What is the seventh seal?” should instead probably ask, “What is revealed by the seventh seal?” The simple answer is that the seventh seal reveals the next set of judgements upon the unrepentant, the seventh of which actually contains seven more judgements.

The judgments that characterize the tribulation are now visible in the scroll and are so severe that a solemn silence falls upon all of heaven. With the scroll finally fully opened by the release of the seventh seal, the seven trumpets of judgement are revealed—the seventh of which calls forth seven angels to carry the seven bowls (or vials) of God’s wrath.

Pruned if I do, Pruned if I don’t

I sometimes feel that I no longer have control over my circumstances, of my life, of my choices. Having said that, perhaps that is a good place to be. Scripture tells us that God is in control and we must trust that He knows what He is doing in our lives.

John 15:2 says, “He cuts off [prunes] 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.”

Wait a minute! He prunes off unfruitful branches, and THEN He prunes the fruitful branches! So, for the Christian, pruning is inevitable. Pruned if you do, pruned if you don’t.

The hard part for many Christians to get their heads around is that we don’t get to make the choices about what gets pruned and when it gets pruned. God is sovereign, and He may influence us in ways that lead to some minor self-pruning, but ultimately, He decides what gets lopped off. Why then does God prune us? What is the purpose behind such trimming?

First, we must realize that our pruning is not punishment, it is discipline, it is spiritual growth. God takes away some things that are counter to His will for us, things that are not beneficial to our relationship with Him, things that should have been discarded long ago when we came into relationship with Him.

• God prunes dead “limbs”; things we try to hold onto that God wants us to release, making space for new things.
• God removes diseased or infected parts; physical, mental, spiritual sicknesses or relationships that are not uplifting or right in His eyes.
• God removes things that hinder our Christian walk; things that are not necessarily wrong, but are not good for us in our current season or situation.
• God removes distractions that make it difficult for us to stay on the right path. This allows us to stay focused so we are not burdened or overwhelmed by things He never told us to take on. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Pruning is not comfortable, but it a necessary part of following Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Sometimes the pruning may be quite painless, other times it could be excruciating, but it is always for our good.

So when I feel that things are spiralling out of control, when people or relationships or situations are falling by the wayside, I must recognize that I am being pruned to equip me to fill my place in the kingdom, not punished for some perceived shortcoming.

Do I need a Mediator?

Mediator: a person who attempts to make people involved in a conflict come to an agreement; a go-between.

So, what has that to do with the price of a tank of gas? Nothing. But it has a lot to do with your salvation.

Because of our sinful condition, human beings need a mediator to negotiate peace with God. Why do I need a mediator? Why can I not negotiate my own resolution to this conflict? Because of my sinful nature, I need a mediator to negotiate peace between God and me. But in order to negotiate with God, one needs to be pure and undefiled, and if that were the case there would be nothing to negotiate.

As much as he desired to state his case and have God explain the reasons for his predicament, the Old Testament patriarch, Job, knew that he was unworthy to approach God face to face.

Job 9:33 There is no mediator between us, to lay his hand on both of us.

Job knew that an effective mediator must be able to relate to both parties, be able to “lay his hand on both of us”, be able to touch and know the heart of both parties.

Although there was no suitable mediator in the times of Job, in His New Covenant, the Lord provided a suitable mediator. The apostle Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”

The real question is, “What qualifies Jesus Christ to mediate for fallen mankind?”

Jesus Christ, took on a human nature, yet remained fully God at the same time. Jesus always had been God (John 8:58, 10:30), but at the incarnation Jesus became a human being (John 1:14). The addition of the human nature to the divine nature is Jesus, the God-man. As a full partner in the triune Godhead, Jesus has access to God the Father and knows His heart. As a fully human man, Jesus knows and touches mankind in all its humanity. Jesus can “lay his hand on both of us”. The writer of Hebrews explained it well in Hebrews, chapter 9.

Hebrews 9:11-14

¹¹ But Christ has appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), ¹² he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³ For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?

AND, that is what qualifies Jesus Christ to negotiate on our behalf as mediator between us and God.

Hebrews 9:15 Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

And now you know the rest of the story.

Since Jesus came into my heart

The refrain from the hymn by Rufus H. McDaniel, strikes a chord in the hearts of many Christ followers…

Since Jesus came into my heart,
Since Jesus came into my heart,
Floods of joy o’er my soul like the sea billows roll,
Since Jesus came into my heart.

But what exactly is meant by that phrase? I have been unable to find, within the pages of the Bible, any similar phrase or concept; so, what is actually being said? Looking for an explanation, I explored www.gotquestions.org, which said…

When an Evangelist encourages people to “ask Jesus to come into your heart”, different people see different images that can lead to wrong impressions. Many people (especially children) tend to take things literally, and if asking Jesus is all that is required to be saved, then some important things like repentance and faith are left out.

The Bible does mention that Jesus resides in the hearts of believers (Ephesians 3:17); but Paul is not telling the Ephesians to “ask Jesus into your hearts”, he is reminding believers that Jesus is present within them through the Holy Spirit.

The verse usually quoted as the source of the concept of Jesus “coming into your heart” is Revelation 3:20, in which Jesus said that He is standing at the door and knocking, seeking entrance. Jesus was speaking to the congregation of the church in Laodicea. They had effectively excluded Jesus from their fellowship and He was seeking to restore that relationship.

While the idea of Jesus “coming into your heart” is nowhere used in the Bible, Gospel presentations encourage a proper response to the salvation message: believe (John 3:16; Acts 16:31), receive (John 1:12), and repent (Acts 3:19). As far as we are aware, none of the apostles ever told someone to “ask Jesus into your heart.”

More importantly, the phrase “ask Jesus into you heart” is a simple way to say, “ask Jesus into your life”, or “allow the Lord to take control.” Before a person is told to “ask Jesus into your heart”, he or she should understand sin and its penalty. They must understand that Christ paid the penalty for that sin on the cross when He died and rose again.

Salvation is NOT about asking Jesus to come into your heart. Salvation is about trusting Jesus as your Saviour, and receiving the forgiveness He offers through faith. Salvation is about being made new through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

THE END OF THE EARTH

The Bible uses the term “end of the earth” (or words to that effect) several times. But it also uses the term “ends of the earth” (or words to that effect) several times. The phrases have very similar constructs, but dramatically different meanings; and I feel that we do Scripture and ourselves a disservice when we use them interchangeably by ignoring the context in which they are used.

The more commonly used form is “ends” of the earth, meaning multiple locations at extreme distances. This happens much more frequently in the Old Testament where mention is made of peoples from vast distances, or God seeing all things even to the ends of the earth, or God’s creative power in forming the ends of the earth, etc. The phrase appears in the New Testament with mention of people coming to God from the ends of the earth, God sending angels to gather God’s elect from the ends of the earth, and bringing salvation to the ends of the earth.

The less commonly used form speaks of the “end” of the earth and refers not to distant locations but to distant times when the earth shall be destroyed; essentially to the end times. In Genesis, God stated that He would make an end of all flesh and destroy the earth. He speaks of ending wars until the end of the earth. In Isaiah, He speaks of His salvation reaching to the end of the earth. In Acts, Jesus says we will be His witnesses to the end of the earth.

One of the difficulties with using these terms interchangeably comes from Matthew 24:14 ESV (which uses neither of the terms). “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

The common evangelical interpretation of this verse implies that “the end” cannot come until the Gospel is preached everywhere and to everyone. I feel that this is a misunderstanding of eschatology and puts God in a box by saying Jesus CANNOT return until everyone on earth has had an opportunity to accept or reject Him.

I believe that Matthew 24:14 actually is a prophecy that says committed Christians will continue to preach the Gospel and witness to the world right up to the end, as emphasized in Acts 1:8.

If you have read to this point, you may be saying, “So what? What does this mean to me?”

I think there are at least two implications for us:

1. We must exercise our God-given intellect to discern the actual meaning of Biblical terms rather than skim through the Bible without ever stopping to contemplate the underlying truth of what is being conveyed.
2. As Bible-believing, Holy Spirit empowered Christians, we must continue to share the Gospel of the Good News of Jesus Christ as if the world would end tomorrow because we really have no way of knowing the time and date of His return.

Knowing God – Eternal Life

What is “Eternal Life”?

Eternal life traditionally refers to continued life after death, as outlined in Christian eschatology. The Apostles’ Creed testifies: “I believe… the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.”

In that phrase, “life everlasting”, we find the basis for the Christian concept of eternal life. Life without end. There is debate among sincere Christians as to when this everlasting life begins; whether at Christ’s return to gather the faithful into heaven, or at one’s conversion into Christianity by repenting of sin and asking Jesus to be your Lord and Master.

John’s Gospel in particular goes beyond the concept of eternal life as a future experience and places emphasis on the present experience. John says that this is the very reason why Jesus came to earth.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

In John, those who accept Christ can possess life “here and now” as well as in eternity, for they have “passed from death to life.

However, John goes even further in Chapter 17 by defining “eternal life” as more than merely hearing and believing (it has been said that even the demons do that).

John 17:3  Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (emphasis mine)

Eternal life is knowing God. You may be disappointed with that definition. You think you know God and you still aren’t satisfied.

Eternal life, by definition, is knowing the Triune God personally. It is knowing and having fellowship with the God who watches us every moment. It is real communion with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. What a gift. It is companionship with one’s Creator. It is friendship with the Almighty. It is heart of devotion to our Saviour and Lord. It is interaction between the infinite Person (God) and a finite person (me).

So, since “knowing God” is part of the definition of “eternal life”, HOW do we know God rather than know about God?

God delights in those who understand and know Him. To know God is to recognise His voice, be well-acquainted with His ways, be able to discern His sovereign will, and be fully assured of His perfect character. The more we know God as our Lord and Best Friend, the more we can live with spiritual authority, hope, joy, and peace. We enter into a full-time empowering relationship with Him. This is very different from knowing about God.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

The apostles spent years living with and observing Jesus. Despite their close physical proximity to God, they had difficulty truly understanding God. Jesus even said to the apostle Philip, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me?” Many of us may have spent years in church but find ourselves in the same shoes as Philip – struggling to “get” God on a deeply personal level.

John 14:6-10 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you really know me, you will knowmy Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.”

Even if we could see God with our own eyes and observe Him for years, we still may not really know God. Moreover, the Bible states that we won’t get to know God through wisdom either. It appears that we do not get to know God simply by the power of observation or our intellect.

1 Corinthians 1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

The only way we can truly know God and have the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16) is by being baptised and inviting His Holy Spirit to take permanent residence in us, just like Jesus showed us by His own example. Who better to acquaint us with God than His Spirit?

It also takes dying to (or crucifying) our identity as we know it now, and putting on a new one that is led by the Holy Spirit. Outwardly we may look the same, but inwardly, we are transformed. We no longer rely on limited human mechanisms to try to reach God but are now connected directly to Him through His Holy Spirit, the guarantee of our relationship. We will overflow with God’s hope, joy, and peace. 

As with any relationship, we need to be intentional about setting time aside to get to know someone. It is the same with knowing God. Here are some suggestions from the Bible about knowing Him.

• Quiet down and make time for God | Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
• Call upon God, our good Father | Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” says the LORD…
• Repent and turn away from idolatry | 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
• Invite God to give us a new spirit and heart through His Holy Spirit | Jeremiah 24:7 I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.
• Enjoy God’s love | Romans 5:5  God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
• Choose to obey the Holy Spirit | 1 John 2:3-4 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
• Mature in our knowledge and understanding by studying the Bible | Ephesians 4:13-14 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

In parting, there is one detail we must never forget; the human spirit (our soul) is designed to never die, to live on into eternity (eternal life). The real crux of the matter is with whom we will spend that eternal life. If we “know God”, we will spend eternity with Him in the place He has prepared for us. If we don’t “know God”, we will spend eternity with Satan in the place prepared for him and his demons.