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Page 6- Angels
Now you may think, "what in the world do angels have to do with all this?" Although it may seem totally unrelated, I need to point out a very interesting fact about angels. The Bible tells us in passage after passage, that angels are on fire. In fact, angels ARE fire:
"Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord, my God, thou are very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty...Who maketh his angels spirits; His ministers a flaming fire." Ps. 104:1,4 "As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps; it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. "Ezek. 1:13
This is why Lucifer, in Isa. 14:12 was called son of the morning.
"How are thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How are thou cut down to the ground..."
Ezekiel 28:17 "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou has corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground..."
Lucifer was an angel of light, but was cast out of heaven, and cast down to the earth. Now he dwells in darkness. He is the prince and power of the air, of the rulers of darkness of this world. His light went out, and now he must "TRANSFORM" himself as an angel of light. Everything that he does now is a counterfeit of the light - a "carbon copy" of the truth, but shrouded in darkness, and this is where the whole subject of carbon is exposed. If we can shed enough light on this subject, we will see what is actually happening.
Every living thing in this world is composed of a large percent of carbon. Trees, flowers, plants, animals, and even us. The study of the chemistry of these living compounds is called ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. They find carbon in anything in this world that grows.
Satan's Goal to Destroy
"For thou has said in thine heart, I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."
Satan, as we know, hates God. He is filled with pure hatred, with a detest for all of God's creation. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind, and our neighbor as ourselves. If we are to love the human race, God's creation, we can understand why Satan wants to destroy it.
The devil wants to give us forms of hydrogen, the energy we need to survive, but he wants to put it in a "sugar coated pill". Cane sugar is refined at the factory until all of the nutrition is taken out of it. Even Saccharin is a form of imitation sweetener, made with alcohol. The sugar industry is the second largest lobbying effort in Washington, second only to the oil industry. Their attempts to get the Federal Drug Administration to include sugar in all types of products that we find on the grocery shelf. Anyone involved in nutrition and diets will tell you that refined cane sugar has no nutritional value.
Not only are we given a sugar coated pill containing nothing that is good for us, but we are also ingesting many forms of carbon, as we find in carbonated drinks and alcoholic beverages. We are taking the energy we need in the wrong forms, and it is backwards from how our body is really supposed to take it in.
The Number of Man
As we saw earlier, everything in this world is made up of atoms. The only difference between one element and another is their atomic structure. Carbon contains six protons, six neutrons and six electrons. Not only this, but it is interesting that the human body is made up of 18% carbon. "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six." Rev. 13:18.
I am not saying that if we take carbon into our bodies, we are taking the mark of the beast. I am saying that carbohydrates are good for us, and hydrocarbons are harmful. The cosmos world system has turned the whole concept up-side-down, and no wonder. It is the substance that will destroy us if used the wrong ways. (for more information on the mark of the beast and the antichrist, see my articles entitled "Money" and "We have met the enemy, and he is us")
I mentioned earlier how diamonds are a thing of beauty, but they are simply carbon put under a tremendous amount of pressure, and become the hardest substance known to man. The Bible often refers to men's hearts being hardened, or becoming hardened. Pharaoh hardened his heart. Leavening, as we have seen, is fermented bread, and is a type of sin in the Scriptures. Carbon is used for graphite, carbon paper, and toner in copying machines. It is instrumental in making images and copies of originals. Satan, once an angel of fire, is now nothing more than burned-out carbon. All he can do is transform himself as a angel of light, and produce images or duplicates of the truth - and using his system of darkness to do it - but in reality, only counterfeiting it.
Diamonds - A Most Perplexing Paradox
Coal, as we have seen, is almost pure Carbon - atomic number six in the Atomic Table. The Carbon atom contains six protons, six neutrons, and six electrons. As we have seen earlier in this syllabus, Carbon is the only element in the Atomic Table that is black. It absorbs all colors, like a black hole in space. However, light cannot escape black holes because of their gravitational effect. Light cannot escape Carbon because of it's compositional effect.
God does a most amazing thing with coal. Under intense pressure for hundreds of years, He produces diamonds. Now what is interesting is that diamonds are still pure Carbon, but they are not black. Not only that, but diamonds refract all light. Carbon is supposed to absorb all light! Yet diamonds are CLEAR! Scientifically, they defy all definitions of optics and color blends.
Diamonds, in essence, are God's last laugh. He reduces pure Carbon - a positively worthless substance (except to burn) to something even more worthless.
Practically, the only thing Diamonds are good for are:
1-To scratch other surfaces, since they are the hardest substance known to man.
2-To look at.
3-To impress your girlfriend.
4-To keep you warm (since they burn).
Now you may say "Wait a minute! Don't we find Diamonds as one of the precious stones in the walls of the Holy City in Revelation 21? That was what I thought as I was writing on this subject, and discovered a most interesting fact: "....The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. (Rev. 21:19,20). God is not going to have any darkness in His eternal Kingdom!
Four times we find diamonds mentioned in Scripture. In Exodus 28, we find the diamond as one of the twelve stones in the Ephod of the High Priest. Why? Look at Jeremiah 17:1 (another mention of diamond). "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a DIAMOND it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars" God uses the diamond to inscribe His remembrance of the sin and idolatry of Judah! But in the eternal state, He will remember sin no more.
But how amazing it is that God can use pure darkness and create such a supernatural gem, just as He does with us! But in the sense of earthly value, the diamond - composed of worthless Carbon - is the most priceless gem on Earth. By man's standards it is regarded as most valuable. Mankind is so ironic. He places value in all the wrong places, just as he does with putting trust in mammon (money). A whole economic system based on trust in MAN.
"....Diamonds are a con, pure and simple. The topic is vast, so we won't discuss worker exploitation or for that matter "blood diamonds" used to finance African wars. Instead I'll focus on whether diamonds are worth the exorbitant sums charged for them. Answer: Of course not. Prices are kept high by a cynical cartel that preys on vanity and stupidity." (Exerpt from www.straightdope.com).
Diamonds are an illustration of what God thinks of Satan. Carbon, such as a lump of coal, is already worthless and useless. But God goes one last step, reducing something BLACK (which has but one purpose - to absorb all light, cover up and hide things in this world system, and deceive) to a substance which is clear and TRANSPARENT. What an irony that God makes of Satan - transparent - something Satan despises more than anything. In all of Satan's existence, the last thing he ever wanted to be was to be transparent!
When I was putting this writing together, I was contemplating the question "What exactly is a diamond?" Is it a solid? Why can we see through it? We can see through glass because glass is not a solid. It is a super cooled liquid. So if diamonds are a solid, why is it that we can see through them, reflecting all light? A diamond is carbon reduced to it’s “solid state”. By that I mean that in every substance, atoms are constantly in motion, and constantly exchanging electrons with other atoms. This process is going on so fast that substances appear opaque when in reality there is an amazing amount of space between the protons, neutrons and electrons. (see "A world without string is chaos") But a diamond is a final “static” existence of carbon in which atoms are no longer moving – thus, we can see right through all the dead space that exists! God cannot do anything more to Satan's system of darkness at that point, without making him disappear altogether.
Whenever we see imitations, whenever we see counterfeits, there is a true principle that is only copied. To counterfeit means to make an imitation of the truth for the purpose of cheating. Satan wants to cheat us out of what God has for us in this life. He has come to steal, kill and destroy, but God has come to give us life and give it abundantly.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is a gas, lighter than oxygen or anything else in the air we breathe. The reason for this is because hydrogen also has an atomic structure. Just as the element carbon has an atomic value of six, so hydrogen has a value of ONE. The simplest hydrogen contains one proton and one electron. The entire realm of creation, the universe, with all of its galaxies, are made up of many different structures, but in the initial state, they all came from the basic building block - hydrogen. This is an important point to realize - that ALL things come from Him.
There is a tremendous amount of energy stored up in the hydrogen atom (and other atoms). If we were to split the protons, neutrons and electrons apart, an unbelievable amount of energy would be released.
The sun is so bright because of hydrogen explosions going off constantly on it's surface. They are literally endless nuclear reactions based on the energy stored up in the hydrogen atom. Yet this hydrogen is able to produce "light" which are "photons" traveling 93,000,000 miles through space, and strike the chlorophyll in plants and produce carbohydrates for us to exist.
Scientists say that atoms beside each other have a "repelling" force. That is, they have a tendency to want to fly apart from each other. The repelling force just between ONE SINGLE pair of atoms is 15 POUNDS! Can you imagine how much they want to fly apart when you have 13 TRILLION of these every INCH? Yet, by some "mysterious force", they are held together.
. "For by Him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers"
Bizarre Characteristics of Carbon - a system of darkness
As we have seen, the element Carbon contains 6 protons, 6 neutrons and 6 electrons. We have also demonstrated how carbohydrates decay, ferment, die and go into the ground, creating a whole world of hydrocarbons which we use to produce artificial coloring, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavoring, toner in copying machines and pigment in the printing industry that make copies of originals, etc.
In addition to this, we find some very strange characteristics of Carbon and how it behaves.
1-We have noted earlier that every single atom* in the Universe gives off light. We know this by the fact that substances, compounds, etc have the ability to "reflect" light that strikes them. This is caused by electrons excited when the light from an outside source enters the orbits, causing electrons in a higher orbit to change to a lower one, forcing an electron in that orbit to another orbit, etc. When this occurs, that atom gives off "photons", which we know as light.
2-The (*) noted above is to qualify the statement that EVERY atom gives off light. Because there is ONE element which does not! You might have guessed it - Carbon. Carbon is black in "color" because outside light sources are not reflected off of the Carbon atoms, but rather ABSORBED by them. When an electron in an inside orbit switches to an outside orbit, the light striking the atom absorbs the photons coming in.
3-Other than getting a "quick fix" energy, Carbon, in itself, is positively worthless. The only value it has is in our industry of darkness, counterfeits, counterfeit energy (gasolines, kerosenes, fire, etc. - based on carbon rather than Hydrogen). When organic chemistry is used for burning or consumption, what is left is ashes, soot, and pure carbon.
Although carbon can mix with other elements forming over two millions compounds, in and of itself, carbon is totally worthless:
Yet God in His infinite wisdom had a plan to use something totally worthless, and make incredible things out of it. Plants, trees, flowers, carbohydrates for us to exist by. But it could not be possible without the Sun! If you have the "Sun", you have life. If you have not the "Sun", you have not life!
1Jo 5:12 "He that hath the Son hath life;
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."
Here is the most ironic thing about Carbon: It is positively worthless, except to create a counterfeit system of artificial coloring, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavoring, toner in copying machines to make copies of originals, pigment in ink in the printing industry, etc.
There exists a realm in which nothing exists but Carbon, (six protons, six neutrons, six electrons). And the only thing it is good for is one thing: To keep you warm! And those who reject the Son will live without Him forever in a world made up of pure carbon, an eternal life of darkness, devoid of light or all that God provides for us in this Universe!
4-Scientists have demonstrated through chemistry and compounds that carbon can join with practically any other element in the Atomic table. In fact it can join forming thousands and thousands of mixtures, compounds to one degree or another, depending on the molecules, atomic numbers and substances. Considering characteristics of Carbon and the world of hydrocarbons, the way in which Carbon has this ability to join with other atoms, compounds, etc, is more like "contaminating" them. Carbon in and of itself is worthless, like white sugar (of no "nutritional value"), yet other elements are able to be enhanced by the new structure.
This is an amazing analogy. We know that 666 is a world of darkness. It is a world of perversion. Satan's main goal is to take truth and pervert it, twist it to some new meaning, as we have noted in Genesis 3. Carbon, being a world of darkness mixes with other elements to create a new compound, even though it is useless by itself.
5-You no doubt have found offensive odors in a bathroom. You light a match for just a second. Amazingly enough the flame from the match absorbs the odors almost instantly. It has the uncanny ability to suck everything "bad" from everywhere and anywhere around it - like a black hole! The flame from the match is based on Carbon. Hydrogen explosions going off on the Sun's surface are based on Hydrogen - with 1 proton, 1 neutron and 1 electron.
6-Sucrose, glucose, dextrose, fructose, etc, produce sugar. We not only get sugar from beets, but also cane sugar, naturally from sugar cane. In it's natural form we find nutrition contained in it originally. But through refineries, all of the nutrition is taken out of it, leaving nothing but the sugar we purchase in grocery stores.
7-The cane stalks are stripped of leaves and transported to a sugar mill. There they are extract the cane juice. The remaining solid material, called bagasse, may be used as a fuel by the mill or may be processed into paper or wallboard. The cane juice is clarified and then concentrated by boiling. The resultant thick syrup, called massecuite, is fed into a centrifuge. This process is repeated once or twice to extract additional sugar crystals. The residue is a DARK, odorous syrup called BLACK STRAP MOLASSES.
At this stage the sugar crystals are known as raw cane sugar and are light brown because they are coated with a thin film of molasses. At refineries, the raw sugar is washed to remove the molasses and is dissolved into a water syrup. After the syrup is filtered to remove impurities and discolorants, the sugar is crystallized producing granulated white sugar, which is dried, screened, and packaged. By the time the consumer purchases white sugar, all of the nutrition has been taken out of it.
Brown sugar, technically known as soft sugar, is extracted from the syrup remaining after the granulated white sugar has been removed. The result is a mass of fine crystals covered with a film of colored, highly refined, molasses-flavored syrup.
Sugar Grades
Granulated white sugar is classified on the basis of crystal size. Brown sugars are classified by color, and their flavor increases with darkness. For household use, two grades, light and dark, are generally available.
The term "sugar coated pill" is appropriate. Sweet to the taste, but positively worthless.
The Drug Industry
A most revealing study shows some interesting things concerning the medical profession. It is called the "Germ Theory". It says in essence, that disease is caused by an invader that must be destroyed in order to restore health. The medical community is therefore driven by the causes of disease rather than the causes of health. God's design is for the human body to ingest healthy carbohydrates, nutrients, proteins, vitamins, etc. to produce natural immunity to infection or alien substances that may result in disease. The body, in essence, is to heal itself from the inside out, not the other way around.
However, we have a system that cures disease, infection, and restores health from the outside in. And what do we find in the field of medicine? Drugs are derived from the "Ester" family of hydrocarbons, along with artificial flavoring, artificial coloring, and artificial sweeteners.
It is interesting that a philosophy exists here that parallels the religious world. Religion is man's attempt to please God. It is man's efforts to clean up the man from the outside - from overt acts and going through the motions of traditions of man to somehow gain God's acceptance. God's design is to cure mankind from the inside - from the heart - and his behavior is a result of what has happened in the heart.
Perception of the light
Finally, we come to the 7th category, which is seven ways we perceive the light:
See, hear, taste, touch, smell (in the physical world), and two more in the invisible world (which are discussed later).
Deception
One of the purposes of this subject is to deal with a realm of light - and how a realm of darkness counterfeits the light.
If you only know how to get in your car and turn the key, you are totally dependent on the car dealer, the mechanic, the manufacturer, or anyone else that knows what to do if it doesn't start. But if you have some background of auto mechanics and how they work (or why they don't), you have become independent from others who want $50 an hour (or more) to fix it for you.
So it is with everything around us - including a knowledge of the truth. If you know how a magician does his tricks, he can no longer keep you in the dark. You can watch from the rear of the audience at his fascinating illusion, and chuckle under your breath because you are one at least who has an edge on the crowd. It's the same with economics, politics, technology and practically every aspect of life around us. It is also the same with things we can't see - ways we think, opinions, philosophies and beliefs. And this is where the plot thickens, because hopefully the end result is to make you think, and that is one of the keys to avoiding deception.
Optical illusions - illustrations:
We Have Met the Enemy, And He Is Us"
One of the most quoted lines, abridged from an original quote by Walt Kelley. When I first saw it, it jumped off the page at me - a perfect title for a subject dealing with OUR enemy, the carnal mind.
Just as there are ways in which we are deceived by things we see (as per optical illusions above), and deceived in ways in which we are deceived by other senses, so we are deceived in ways we think as well.
We are attacked on three fronts - lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. They attack the body, soul and spirit correspondingly. These temptations deal with the flesh - sins against ourselves; the soul - relationships with others, (the eyes are the windows of the soul), and the spirit - relationship with God.
1-Empiricism - that which we can determine by our five senses - see, hear, taste, touch and smell.
2-Emotionalism - when we use feelings or aspects of emotion as a criterion rather than God's Word.
3-Rationalism - when we pervert or twist His Truth to our own devices, to mean what we want it to mean.
These are the three enemies of faith, and replace faith. These are the three areas that Satan has attacked mankind since the beginning:
"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat." Gen 3:6
Since all three persons of the Godhead dwell in Jesus Christ ("In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily". Col. 2:9.) There are three areas that he attacks God, as we see in the temptation in the wilderness:
1 -God the Son -"And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Mt 4:3. (Lust of the flesh)....to which Jesus replied: "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Mt 4:4
2-God the Father - "And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." Mt 4:6. (Pride of life).... to which Jesus replied: "Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Mt 4:7
3-God the Holy Spirit - Mt 4:8 "Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. (Lust of the eyes)... .to which Jesus replied: "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Mt 4:10
Some interesting observations should be noted here:
1-Satan attacked Jesus Christ in all three areas. It is significant that he approached Jesus on all three fronts.
2-Satan attacks mankind in all three areas. "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Col 1:27. The new age teaching promotes the counterfeit: "You are your own god" and "You are god". "Whatever is truth for you is the truth (for you)", etc. It is the epitome of idolatry, especially in light of what we have noted above with the Trinity.
1-Lust of the flesh
"Addictions" in the area of the body. Controlled by one or more of the following: Caffeine, Nicotine, Alcohol, Drugs, Food, Sex, Gambling. Although there are others, these are the main problems mankind experiences with regard to the body and his insatiable appetite. Problems with addictions in the area of the flesh are because we orient our lives around those addictions. Decisions we make, the mindset of our lifestyle is conditioned, flavored and colored by those addictions. For this reason, we find it difficult to determine God's will in a decision.
2-Lust of the eyes
"Addictions" in the area of the soul. Controlled by emotion, and using emotion as a criterion, upon which one bases their opinion, beliefs and way of life. It replaces faith. Some examples are looking for approval from others, flattery or approbation based on performance and how others evaluate you. This is one reason often those who are vulnerable in this are "seduced" in the area of the soul when their mind goes into neutral and the emotions take over. Related to this is also a lust for power, control, looking for security or affection in material possessions, covetousness or recognition from others. Satan offered Jesus "all these kingdoms" - lust of the eyes - power, materialism. The pattern bears this out. Not only this, but also we notice that in this temptation, Satan offered Jesus "all these kingdoms...if thou bown down and worship me." What is interesting is the fact that the reference to possessions, power, control, etc. deal with covetousness. Colossians 3:5 says ....and covetousness which is idolatry."
Many "personality" cults often appeal to affection, emotion or flattery, especially with victims who have been rejected by parents or peers. A low self esteem, resentment or bitterness complicates it even more.
Characteristics of the Lust of the Eyes:
A-Lust for power, control, manipulate.
They want to be in charge. They want it their own way. For this reason, they may even persuade those in authority over them to their way of thinking.
B-Materialistic, covetous.
They are never content with what they have - always wanting more. They may rationalize by insisting that "God wants you to give me _______" or some other similar way of thinking.
C-Lack of wisdom and discernment, mainly through the deceitfulness of riches. Many are naive and gullible, and believe lies. They deceive themselves, and are being deceived. They may also persuade others to believe lies.
D-Controlled by emotion.
Let me emphasize here that we are talking about being CONTROLLED by emotion. There is nothing wrong with emotions or feelings. But we are living in a day and age that promotes empathy, sympathy, inciting of animosity, offenses and feelings - in Hollywood, on talk shows, in music, etc. It is becoming a CRITERION, and people are no longer thinking with their head but with their heart. To base doctrines opinions and beliefs on emotional responses is a treacherous betrayal of objectivity and truth. It often winds up in a "lynch mob" mentality - even in the courts.
E-Self pity.
Their needs and attention is centered around themselves. They can't see past their own hurts. Everyone around them suffers at their expense. Nothing is more important to them than their own problems. Even their prayers are for selfish motives. The old adage "If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy. If papa ain't happy, nobody cares", lends itself to a great extent in the fact that mama is basically emotionally oriented, and her emotional needs have to be met. But emotional instability is a disaster. Nothing can satisfy it.
F-No respect for authority.
There is little or no submission to authority. In any authority situation, there may not be a problem, as long as things go their way. Once they meet up against resistance, the true attitude surfaces. There may be no regard for civil laws, and often the passage is quoted as an excuse "We ought to obey God rather than men."
G-No respect for others' property.
Since their needs center around themselves, everyone - and everything else is at their disposal. For this reason, they will use whatever means necessary to get whatever they want, with no regard for others' feelings or consequences. If the point is brought up with them, in any attempt to try to explain it, the response is "gee....whatsamatter with _______. He must be having a bad hair day." In other words, they are totally oblivious to objectivity.
H-Will not respond to discipline.
This is why the principle is so true that "He that spares the rod spoils the child." He also "Hates his son." Our humanistic culture of children growing up with no male father role in the home, along with a mentality that shuns physical discipline, is creating a Frankenstein. Children grow up with no respect for authority and despise discipline as well as teaching. They have a warped view of Divine discipline, and often feel that unfortunate circumstances in their life have no relationship to God trying to get their attention or chastisement. They often are a product of an era where one was told to explain "why" to their children, rather than obey without explanation. (another means of encouraging rationalism in a generation).
I-Insecurity.
They are emotionally insecure. They look in all the wrong places for security. Their instability is closely elated to this. Because of insecure home life or marriages, they become unstable and crave security in affection, often leading to compromising situations or cults.
J-Approbation/flattery.
They crave approval, recognition and appreciation by performance. Many people manipulate them into making "slaves" out of them, flattering them and giving them pats on the back for their efforts.
If you feel that you fall into this category because of past hurts, rejection, or low self esteem, God wants to perform a supernatural healing in your soul. He wants to uncover that wound and treat it. You need to stop trying to gain recognition or approval by your performance. You must go to God for his recognition. Accept God's love just as you are. Accept Him just as he accepts you. He already loves you. You do not have to work for His approval. He loves you infinitely more than you can ever know on this earth. Tell Him of your hurts, your bruises, your past. Tell Him of the injustice done to you, how you were wounded by rejection, violence, or molestation. He can take it all away. Then you can know of the intimate relationship with Him, and you can get all of your security from Him. You will be content to get all of your happiness and acceptance from God, and His love will overshadow any and all suffering you have ever experienced, or will experience, for the rest of your life.
3-Pride of life.
False teaching, truth mixed with error. This carnal mind of ours wants to add to what God says, and wants to add to what Jesus did on the Cross.
In Genesis 3:6, Eve said to the serpent "Of the fruit of every tree in the garden, we may freely eat, but of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we may not eat of it, neither shall we touch it, lest we die."
God never said anything about touching it. Why did Eve add that? She must have thought there was something deadly about the fruit, that if she touched it she would die. However, it was not the fruit that was deadly, but the DISOBEDIENCE.
God never said anything about the fruit, but told them not to eat of the TREE. Why did Eve add that? For the same reason we add that. We emphasize the mechanics - the overt acts in the Christian life, and equate it with spirituality. But the fruit is to show what is going on inside- in the heart - what has already taken place. But we make an issue of the fruit, and our mentality is centered around what we DO. This is not to minimize it, but we totally miss the point in the Christian walk about how we think. This is the reason Jesus emphasized points in his teaching about hating your brother being just as wrong as murder, or lusting in your heart just as wrong as adultery.
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