Thinking for Myself

Thinking for Myself

 

1 Corinthians 3:3–4, For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Paul chastised these believers for being “carnal.” They were behaving like ordinary, worldly individuals instead of like Christians guided by God's reign in their experiences! These young believers were dividing themselves into competing supporter groups over Christian leaders like Paul and Apollos.

The believers were still in a carnal or fleshly state of soul. This was evidenced by the fact that there was envy and strife among them. Such behavior is characteristic of the men of this world, but not of those who are led by the Spirit of God.^[1]

“they were acting on a purely human level.”^[2]

“Carnal” means belonging to the flesh or governed by ordinary human impulses (selfishness, ego, and pride) rather than being transformed by the Spirit of God. Paul is not saying they are not saved, but that they are acting like spiritual infants (“babes in Christ”) who haven't grown up.

Instead of mature behavior characterized by humility and concern for others—obedience to God—the Corinthians were infantile, self-centered, and therefore divisive (v. 4; cf. 1:12). They wanted lives of exaltation (4:8) without lives of humiliation (4:9–13) because they did not understand that “Christ … crucified” was a message concerned not only with justification but also with sanctification (cf. Phil. 2:1–8). This misunderstanding was at the root of their disunity (cf. 1 Cor. 1:10; 3:4), which error Paul wanted to correct.^[3]

A sectarian disposition believes a person has been especially called and appointed by God to guard the true faith against false notions. Usually, pastors are responsible for this before God. Sectarianism encompasses belief that one is incumbently obligated to preserve certain ancient ideas while rejecting novelty, contemporary concepts, or new approaches. This is a little tricky because people have different preferences, opinions, and values. Certainly, unity around central doctrines is a fundamental responsibility of each NT Church, but certain values should characterize each ‘Christian’ congregation as well.

The kingdom of God centers on core moral and ethical values that shape how disciples live. These values, known as the Beatitudes, represent “the norms of the kingdom.” Rather than abstract principles, they define a radically different way of being in the world.

The Bible teaches us about the values and principles of the Kingdom of God. These values shape how believers are called to live and interact with each other and the world around us. Again, these values should govern all of God’s people. For instance, righteousness, love, justice, mercy, integrity, humility, compassion, forgiveness, peace, and joy should mark every kingdom subject.

In Romans 14:17 states: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” The emphasis is on the essence of God’s kingdom transcending dietary laws and focusing more on spiritual qualities like righteousness, peace, and joy, because these are given power by the Holy Spirit.

Once more Matthew 6:33 states: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Jesus emphasizes the importance of prioritizing spiritual pursuits and aligning our life with God’s plan, indicating that material needs will be met incidentally.

“This kingdom is not a physical place, but rather a spiritual reality where God’s will is fully done. Jesus taught his followers to seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness. The idea of the kingdom also includes the future establishment of a new heaven and earth where God’s kingdom will be fully realized and visible to all.”—Bible Wisdom Hub

Many people will speak or post on a matter referencing their research mostly, others strictly from their opinion, and yet others will merely regurgitate what they learned in the university. There will be a few who dare to say what God said in the Bible on the matter at hand!

Critically, what matters most to Jesus is how followers practice kingdom values rather than merely understanding them—they must actively embody the kingdom’s message to usher it in. The kingdom welcomes all people regardless of social status or ethnicity, blesses the meek and poor, and creates a community where the humble are exalted, the poor are dignified, and justice, hospitality, and solidarity define relationships. When God’s people live by kingdom principles in any community, God’s kingdom becomes visible there—justice displayed, righteousness established. (See citations below)

Clearly evidence of disunity or division indicate God is not necessarily leading or guiding that endeavor. He is not on the throne of that life! Sometimes ‘kingdom’ subjects have allowed themselves to be influence by something besides God. Perhaps politics, ethnicity, culture, country, religion, identity, or university has cluttered the real issues, and kingdom values are lost in the conflict. The Bible speaks of behaving like mere men (1Cor.3:3, 4). When carnal behaviors (such as “envy, strife, and divisions”) are expressed they are undoubtedly relying on the basic nature of the weak, sinful, human flesh—selfish energy dressed up like ‘holy purpose’ must be the cause.

Such immaturity often evidences a weak and frustrated Believer accompanied by an inferior prayer life, failure to studying the Bible, and limited quality Christian fellowship. A carnal lifestyle increases our vulnerability to temptation and sin even on social media platforms.

A good question to ask ourselves is “Am I living honorably according to God reign in my life?” One of the best ways to defend the truth is to live the truth. My verbal defense of the gospel will accomplish very little if my life contradicts what I say. How I live out the grace of God is just as important as what I say. We really must return to an open Bible in front of us as we open our minds to God’s Word and our hearts to the truth of the Spirit.

 

 

 

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^[1] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1754.

^[2] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1754.

^[3] David K. Lowery, “1 Corinthians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 511.

        4. Bitrus A. Sarma, Drums of Redemption: A New Testament Theology for Africa (Bukuru, Plateau: Hippo Books: An Imprint of ACTS and Langham Publishing, 2023), 83–85.

        5.  Africa Study Bible (Oasis International Ltd, 2016), 1429.

        6.    Joshua T. Searle, Theology After Christendom: Forming Prophets for a Post-Christian World (New York, NY: Cascade Books, 2018).

Why So Many Fail

 

Why So Many Fail

GEN. 13:8-13

SUBJECT: Carnality/Emotional Orientation

THEME: the Believer persisting in carnality ignoring the leadership of our Lord is destined for spiritual failure.

RELEVANCE: So many people rely on their feelings, thoughts, intuition, families, and experiences far more than God, His Spirit, or Word for guidance and decisions. No doubt we all want to be spiritually successful like Abraham and avoid the miserable catastrophes of Lot’s failures! Consider the elements that make spiritual failure; they must be avoided to be successful in fulfilling God’s plan for our lives!

INTRODUCTION:

Lot was a failure because of his carnality…he remained a feeling dominated person and never became a Spirit and Word obedient person! But how does a carnal believer think? What is his attitude toward life’s problems and perplexities? The carnal believer’s approach to life is quite different from that of the spiritual believer. Lot reminds us of carnality and Abraham of spirituality, standing in stark contrast with each other through the events recorded in this passage. We will learn “How to live by faith to fulfill God’s plan for our lives” from the life of Lot.

The revived Abraham had learned to follow God by faith and lead a spiritual life, but Lot persisted in carnality and choose his own way walking merely by sight. Because Abraham walked by faith, he received direction and comfort from the Lord; as a result, he led a successful spiritual life. Lot, on the other hand, experienced one disaster after another because he chose to live by his own ideas and persisted in his carnality.  He was without divine direction and comfort; he died a complete spiritual failure. The comfort for Abraham is the fact that he was led by the Lord and the catastrophe for Lot is the fact that he was not!

Prov 14:12, There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Prov. 16:25) This is a summary verse for the life of Lot!

Our Prayer is, “Lord lead me by your precious Word! May it be my plan, my compass, my guide, my leader to spiritual success, and my restrainer from all evil!” Ps 119:133, Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

MESSAGE:

The Disaster of Feelings Oriented Believers (Gen. 13:9-13).   

Lot's character is revealed by the major decisions he made throughout his life. He chose to pitch his tent with godless SODOM, seeking riches and a life of ease rather than a path of obedience to God. He prospered for a while, but this decision eventually led to his humiliation and the tragic loss of his wife and other members of his family.

• Gradual Compromise: Lot's action is a slow, incremental moral compromise. It starts with looking at material and financial advantages, moving close to a bad environment (“pitching a tent toward”), and eventually leading to living inside the corrupt city itself.
• Consequences: Lot moving from living near Sodom to living in Sodom, facing severe personal, family, and material loss when the city was eventually destroyed.

Lot’s life as a believer was a catastrophe because he never knew the will of God for his life, he never took many spiritual steps after his salvation and finally he made a shipwreck of all his potential to bring glory to God! That is a total waste of life! The “will of God” should be our priority!

“WHERE IS HAPPINESS?”

“Not in Unbelief---Voltaire was an infidel (God Denier) of the most pronounced type.  He wrote: “I wish I had never been born.”

Not in Pleasure---Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure if anyone did.  He wrote: “The worm, the canker, and grief are mine alone.”

Not in Money----Jay Gould, the American millionaire, had plenty of that.  When dying, he said: “I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth.”

Not in Position and Fame--Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both.  He wrote: “Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age a regret.”

Not in Military Glory---Alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day.  Having done so, he wept in his tent, because he said, “There are no more worlds to conquer.”

Where then is happiness found?—The answer is simple in Christ alone.”—The Bible Friend

What were the major contributing factors in Lot’s great catastrophe?  How can we avoid such failures?  What are the steps to spiritual catastrophe?

     A. THE ABSENCE OF PERSONAL SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE

There are basically three things that seem to be major factors in Lot’s Wrong Choice to move closer to Sodom and his ultimate failure in life.

           1. THE EVIDENCE OF LOW LOYALTY TO GOD

Gen 13:5, And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

Lot had flocks and tents, just as Abraham but Abraham had something that Lot didn’t.  Abraham had an Altar!  There is not even a hint that Lot had an Altar, nor is there any indication that he paused to inquire of the Lord for direction.  Lot never asked God, “Lord, this move is important to me and my family, what would you have me to do?”  Lot had no quiet time with the Lord, no devotions, no period of waiting on God and no direction from God!  He had no altar.  Therefore, he was weak in his devotions.

a)     Yes, Lot Was a Believer

2 Pet 2:7-8, And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8, (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

When and where Lot was saved, I am not sure. It could have been when Abraham disclosed his plans to leave Ur or it could have been when Abraham left Haran to come to Canaan (Gen. 12:4-5). I don’t know for sure, but I do know that he was a saved man.  It is an awful thing when people must try really hard to see that we really are Christians. It ought to be obvious to everyone around us that we love the Lord Jesus more than life itself!

Loyalty to God involves devotion, obedience, trust, and placing God above all else. Signs or ‘evidence’ of low loyalty typically manifest in a person’s priorities, behaviors, and inner attitudes. Matters like prioritizing the pursuit of money, possessions, or status over spiritual growth or ethical living. Relying entirely on one’s own power, intellect, or other people rather than trusting in God’s guidance or providence. Valuing the approval, opinions, or demands of family, friends, or societal figures above God’s commands. This is basically a form of idolatry! In the Bible, idolatry is the worship, service, or trust placed in any created thing, person, image, or concept in place of the one true God.

                    b) Yes, Lot Was Also a Betweener.

He loved bordering with the World.  He never really understood Spiritual Separation! Worldly influences will certainly contribute to Spiritual Failure.  Lot Never Grew Up in the Lord—He Remained Carnal (1 Cor 3:1-3)!  That within itself is a real tragedy!

1 Pet 2:2-3, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:  3, If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

“MASSIVE JUPITER”

“On Jupiter, 318 times more massive than the earth, gravity at the surface is so intense that an astronaut in his space suit would weigh nearly half a ton.  Even if he could safely land, we cannot yet provide him with a propulsive force strong enough to get him off again.”

Beloved, we just do not have the capacity to become spirit-dominated individuals on our own!

Sometimes our Unsaved Friends, the things we Read, what we watch on TV, what we hear on the Radio, and the Goals we have set for our lives can cause us to become “Betweeners” instead of being “Distinctively Christian”.  The gravitational pull of some of these things is greater than that of Jupiter and the only thing that will give us the propulsion we need to break away from these harmful influences is the Power of God’s Word!

If you are having trouble with being a “Betweener,” then concentrate more on the Word of God—it will pry your heart,  mind, and soul from the World, Sin, and Satan. It will bring you into the reality of belonging exclusively to God and His Plan for your Life!

John 15:3, Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

John 17:17, Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Ps 119:9, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Ps 119:11, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Ps 119:104, Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

ALLOW GOD TO BRAIN WASH YOU WITH HIS PURIFYING TRUTH! For many, God will need to format your brain’s hard drive and reprogram your mind with pure truth.

ILLUSTRATION OF SPIRITUAL SUCCESS FROM THE LIFE OF JOSHUA

Josh 1:7-9, Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9, Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

                    c) Therefore, Lot Was Hyper-Vulnerable to Demonic Appeals.

Lot followed a path designed by Satan to lure him off the course that God had for him through gradual compromises.  Notice the steps in his plunge into godlessness and spiritual failure!

                                1) He Was Weak in His Devotions, No Altar or Direction from God, Gen. 13:5

                                2) He Experienced Strife and Conflict, Gen. 13:7

                                3) He Walked by Sight instead of by Faith, Gen. 13:10

                                4) He Chose Selfishly and not Relationally, Gen. 13:11

                                5) He Pitched His Tent Toward Wickedness—No Separation from Evil, Gen. 13:12

                                6) He Stayed Away from God’s Man—No Spiritual Influence, Gen. 13:12 & 14:12 &13 (He would be the kind of Believer who stays away from Christ, the Word, and church far too often!)

                                7) He Sat in the Gates of Sodom (Political Power, local official), Gen. 19:1

In the New Testament, idolatry is more than physical statues, it involves our internal states of the heart. It plainly equates covetousness and greed with idolatry (Colossians 3:5, Ephesians 5:5), because loving or craving wealth or status more than God replaces God with those things!

• Idolatry occurs whenever a person looks to something limited (like money, power, career, romantic relationships, status, or self-exaltation) for ultimate security, identity, or satisfaction.
• It is essentially a transfer of trust and affection away from the Creator-God.

Colossians 3:5-7 states, Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Ephesians 5:5-7 says, For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶ Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. ⁷ Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

Direct fellowship with God and treating relationship with Him as the highest treasure is anchored in several key scriptures.

• Matthew 6:21, For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.— What you value most claims your time, devotion, and affection.
• Matthew 6:19–20, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth... But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven... — Shifting focus from temporary things to eternal communion with God.

By spending consistent time talking and listening to God, keeping His commandments as an expression of love and abiding in Christ the vine (John 15:5, 1 John 2:3–6), and forsaking hidden sin and living transparently before God we can maintain our fellowship with God as the primary priority in life.

 

Heart Surgery

 Heart Surgery

Jer. 17:9; Ps. 51:10; Ezek. 18:31 and Jer. 4:3-4

SUBJECT: Evangelism and Personal Work

THEME: It is vital we maintain a correct attitude toward God and His work. We must keep our hearts respectful, clean, compliant, and obedient towards the duties, tasks, and responsibilities of evangelism.

INTRODUCTION:

Even though the Word of God is incredibly clear on the Great Commission and personal evangelism, there is still a great deal of reluctance among believers to invest, involve themselves, and share their faith. 

Jeremiah 17:9, says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” You see our human nature is so fallible, broken, and deceptive…it cannot be trusted to respond to God or His priorities appropriately! We need to maintain or obtain the correct ‘heart’ posture to become responsive to the Lord. 

MESSAGE:

As God’s Servant, Look to Him to Help You Fix Your Heart

God can fix us with some much-needed heart surgery! We must humble ourselves before Him surrendering to His attention in the areas of inner cleansing, meaningful change, and holy sensitivity. Each of us must make this decision to avail ourselves entirely to the Lord. This may be more difficult for some of us, but it is an act of real faith in the forms of trust, commitment, and sacrifice. In such surrender we have these encouragements:

A. SPIRITUAL REJUVENATION IS WHAT DAVID PROVED

Ps 51:10, Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

We must surrender to deep cleansing and real internal scrubbing! This is a plea for total inner transformation, recognizing that only God principally can forgive our past sins, fundamentally change our sinful nature, and restore our spiritual strength and vitality.

David wrote this psalm of repentance after being confronted by the prophet Nathan about his adultery with Bathsheba and his role in the death of her husband, Uriah. David reveals his realization that his outward sins were symptoms of a much deeper, internal problem—sin in the heart.

Please reflect on these leading ideas: 

• “Create in me a clean heart”: To “create” (bara in Hebrew) is to make something out of nothing—a power uniquely ascribed to God alone. David acknowledges his fantastic moral corruption and is requesting of the Lord God radical spiritual surgery! He is far beyond needing just a quick fix or a patch-up.
• “Renew a right spirit within me”: David asks God to restore and sustain his correct inner heart. Lord, please wash away inner guilt, wrong motives, and moral failures (Ps. 51:11-12, & 17). A “right spirit” is a steadfast, loyal, and willing attitude that aligns perfectly with God’s program and requirements.

Beloved, we can renew a right spirit within ourselves by humbly asking God to forgive us for our serious sin and by turning away from wrongdoing in the future. David is proof God acknowledges this type of approach to Him.

B. SPIRITUAL REJUVENATION IS WHAT EZEKIEL PROMISED

Ezek 18:31, Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

We must surrender ourselves to meaningful change and significant regret resulting in a God-honoring course of action—expressive revolution! We have a divine plea for repentance. It urges us to turn away from sin and embrace spiritual renewal to avoid spiritual death.

Understand this is God’s requirement and promise issued by His servant Ezekiel: 

• “Cast away from you all your transgressions”: The Lord is calling upon us to actively and completely reject past sins and rebellion. No excuses…full responsibility for our failures! This is not just feeling bad about our sin, or regretting the fact that we got caught or even mourning messing up our reputation or that of our family. God wants us to physically and spiritually put our sinful behavior away. That is the first condition.
• “Make you a new heart and a new spirit”: God wants a total inner transformation—heart surgery. Because out of the heart come our actions, a “new heart” entails a complete change in desires, thoughts, and attitudes, allying them with God’s ideas instead of sinful idolatry and wickedness. We must embrace God’s own power to help us live the right way!
• “For why will ye die, O house of Israel?”: God is expressing a heartbreaking, loving appeal to free will. He makes it clear that we do not have to face ruin in this life, and that our chastening or destruction is a result of our own choosing, not His desire. 

Beloved, all of this highlights the deep tension between human responsibility and divine grace. While a person cannot physically create a completely righteous heart on their own, God places the responsibility of choosing to repent and seek Him on us as individuals. Later God reveals that He will ultimately provide the power to achieve this transformation (Ezekiel 36:26). This is God’s promise to the repentant individual; a promise always demands our faith—believing God’s promise!

The very next verse (Ezekiel 18:32) emphasizes that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, underscoring that His ultimate desire is for people to turn away from destruction and live. (Unknown)

C. SPIRITUAL REJUVENATION IS WHAT JEREMIAH PERSCRIBED

Jer 4:3-4, For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. 4, Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

We must surrender ourselves to God-wrought holy sensitivity to God’s guidance and leadership. No longer indifferent, complacent, stubborn, or passive about God’s priorities! Meaningful advocacy, leadership, support, and involvement are now characteristic of such believers! God calls His people to perform inward spiritual renewal. He warns that unless we break up the hardened, overgrown “fallow ground” of our hearts and “take away the foreskins of your heart” or ‘circumcise’ themselves to remove inner spiritual uncleanness, God’s judgment will burn like an unquenchable fire because of our wicked motives and behavior.

God’s imagery carries a rich, historically based significance:

• “Break up your fallow ground”: In agriculture, “fallow” ground is hard, unplowed soil that has sat untilled for a long time. Spiritually, this represents a hardened, unreceptive heart that has grown complacent towards the Lord. God is saying to actively till the soil of our souls so we can receive His word. Plow it up! Plow your souls!
• “Sow not among thorns”: If you plant good seeds in overgrown areas, weeds will choke them out. God warns the people not to try planting good seeds of obedience or worship while leaving sinful distractions and worldly desires in our lives, as these will ruin any spiritual fruit.
• “Take away the foreskin of your heart”: Physical circumcision was an external sign of the covenant between God and Abraham’s descendants. Cutting away the heart’s “foreskin” applies that physical imagery to the inner person. So, God uses it here as a metaphor for an inward, spiritual transformation. This involves stripping away the pride, stubbornness, and evil intentions that shield our innermost being rendering us sensitive to the Lord’s will.
• “Lest My fury come forth like fire”: Because God is just, He cannot ignore wickedness. He issues a stern, urgent warning that sincere repentance is mandatory; if they refuse to change their hardened ways, His judgment will be an unstoppable, devastating fire.

Beloved, God-wrought spiritual sensitivity is still the unvarnished and undiminished requirement. The need is deep, internal change of heart rather than merely relying on external religious rituals is what the prophet Jeremiah prescribes to us.

CONCLUSION:

Beloved, we must humble ourselves before God surrendering to His attention in the areas of inner cleansing, meaningful change, and holy sensitivity.

“Heart surgery” is a powerful metaphor for divine revitalization, where God cleanses us of our sin and replaces a stubborn, sinful nature with a spiritually obedient heart. The scriptures repeatedly emphasize this transformative, spiritual work God performs in our lives:

• Ezekiel 36:26, A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
• Psalm 51:10, Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
• Romans 2:29, Paul talks about that sacred "circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter".
• Acts 16:14, Paul noted that the Lord gently opened the heart of Lydia so she could attend to the things Paul was preaching.

These passages use medical and surgical imagery (like removing a heart of stone) to symbolize the inward change that happens deep within us through faith in the Lord and His Word.

In Christian evangelism an service, it is vitally important that we maintain a correct attitude concerning the work of God. It is necessary to keep our hearts clean and tender to what God would have to be done. Our Lord Jesus wanted the will of God and sacrificed Himself to see it done (Luk. 22:42; Matt. 26:39; Mk. 14:36; Matt. 6:10; 1 Pet. 2:15. 1 Thess. 5:18; 4:3)

This is how we can hear with our hearts and do again what is pleasing to God!