GRACE WORKS by Randall Burton

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it  is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus [see Eph. 2:13] for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

🙌Grace is God's attitude toward you (a sinner), but not his attitude toward your sin.

🙌You don't get saved by works but after you get saved you will work. It's called kingdom. You were created "in Christ Jesus" for "good works. "

🙌You were made to represent the King in His kingdom. Go for it!

SPIRITUAL WARFARE AND GUARANTEED VICTORY by Randall Burton

We've rebuked demons, declared into the heavens and proclaimed Jesus as Lord over our problems and struggles, but is that the remedy for what we seek? In some cases yes but for the most part no. Why?  Because you can say all of the right words, quote all the right scriptures and still have a disobedient heart! The rich young ruler was a good Jewish boy but when Jesus called him out on his true heart issues, he couldn't bear the thought of selling everything that he owned.

The greatest spiritual warfare in the world is that of complete obedience to Jesus Christ.

If you really want to see strongholds broken over your life just follow and do what Jesus says. I guarantee you that you will walk in greater freedom if you do.

Supernatural Assistance When You Don’t Know Where To Turn for Help!

Supernatural Assistance When You Don’t Know Where To Turn for Help!--By Rick Renner

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. — Luke 22:43

I’ll never forget the time years ago that our ministry was under a great assault. For no reason we could logically explain, the financial gifts of our partners seemed to dry up and dwindle away for a number of months. After this drought had gone on for several months, our situation became so serious that I didn’t know how we were going to pay for our television broadcasts that covered the length and breadth of the former Soviet Union. It was time to pay the bills, and I didn’t have the money.

As I walked through the city of Moscow that cold winter night, I broke inside from the pressure I had been feeling. I stopped at Red Square, leaned against a rail, and literally wept, not even caring about the people who passed by me. I felt so frustrated because I didn’t know what to do. We had drained everything we had to keep those broadcasts on the air. Millions of people watched our television programs, and those hungry souls were depending on us. God had entrusted me with taking His Word to these former Soviet nations, and I took that responsibility seriously. But because our finances had dwindled, I found myself in an extremely hard spot.

After riding on the subway system for several hours while I tried to pull my thoughts together, I felt myself sinking deeper into a feeling of desperation. The reality was that if something didn’t happen to quickly change the situation, I would have to cancel our program, and all those millions who waited for it each week would lose the teaching of God’s Word.

I had just come up from the subway on my way to the television meeting when I leaned against that rail in Red Square and wept before the Lord. I felt so alone, so trapped, so unable to fix my problem. There didn’t seem to be anyone I could call or turn to who could comprehend the enormity of what I was tackling in the spiritual realm that night.

I cried out, “Lord, why has this happened? Is there a reason our supporters have temporarily stopped their support? Have we done anything that opened a door for the devil to disrupt our finances? Please tell me what I am supposed to do right now about this situation. What about the millions of people who are waiting for Your Word? Do we just disappear from television and leave them wondering what happened to us?”

All of a sudden, it felt like a divine force entered me! Strength and courage flooded into my soul. I knew God was touching me, giving me a new supernatural boost of courage and faith to face this moment victoriously. Within minutes, my tears disappeared, my desperation vanished, and I began to celebrate the victory! Although I still didn’t have the cash in hand to cover all the television bills, I knew the battle had been won in the Spirit. As it turned out, the money didn’t come in all at once, but the valve had been turned on again and the gifts of our partners began to flow back into the ministry. I thank God for the supernatural assistance He gave me that night!

Have you ever known a time when you felt alone in the challenge you were facing? On the night of Jesus’ betrayal, He must have felt that way. He asked His closest disciples — Peter, James, and John — to come apart and pray with Him in those last hours. But every time He came back to check on the three men, they were sleeping. Jesus was experiencing a great spiritual battle and extreme pressure that night (see April 2); that’s why He wanted His closest disciples to assist Him in prayer. However, that night they were not found faithful.

But when Jesus could find no one to stand with Him in His hour of need, God provided supernatural assistance! Luke 22:43 says, “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.” This supernatural strength made up for any lack of support from His three closest disciples.

When Luke writes that the angel “strengthened” him, he uses the Greek word enischuo. This is a compound of the words en and ischuos. The word en means in, and the word ischuos is the word for might or strength. Normally in New Testament times, the word ischuos was used to denote men with great muscular abilities, similar to the bodybuilders in today’s world. But when these two words en and ischuos are compounded together, the new word means to impart strength; to empower someone; to fill a person with heartiness; or to give someone a renewed vitality. A person may have been feeling exhausted and depleted, but he suddenly gets a blast of energy so robust that he is instantly recharged! Now he is ready to get up, get with it, and get going again!

This means that when Jesus’ disciples and friends couldn’t be depended on in His hour of need, God provided an angel that imparted strength, empowered, and recharged Jesus, renewing His vitality with the strength needed to victoriously face the most difficult hour in His life! After being super-charged, Jesus was ready to face the Cross. He awakened His disciples and said, “Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand” (Mark 14:42).

Maybe you’ve had a time in your life when you felt trapped and alone. Perhaps you thought your friends would help you, but now you feel like they let you down at a time when you really needed them. Don’t let desperation take over! Your friends may have fallen asleep on the job, but God hasn’t fallen asleep! He is absolutely committed to seeing you through the situation you are facing right now. And if necessary, He will provide supernatural assistance to recharge you and keep you moving full steam ahead. You may be tempted to feel isolated and alone, but if your spirit’s eyes were opened just for a moment, you would see that you are not alone at all! He is surrounding you with the Holy Spirit’s power, angels, and anything else needed to keep you going forward!

So remember — regardless of the particular battle or situation you are facing in life, God will always come to your assistance. If no one else is faithful, God will see to it that you receive the strength and power you need to victoriously overcome in every circumstance. Supernatural assistance is yours today!

The Necessary Attitude for Success--by Rick Renner

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord…. —
1 Corinthians 15:58

Today I want to talk to you about an attitude you must possess if you wish to achieve success in your life. If you study the lives of achievers and history-makers, you will find that all of them remarkably share certain attitudes that helped them reach success. However, the attitude I wish to speak to you about today is so essential that it should be considered non-negotiable, especially if you wish to do anything significant with your life.

This non-negotiable attitude is found in First Corinthians 15:58, where Paul urges us, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord….” The word “stedfast” in this verse is dealt with in the March 12 Sparkling Gem, but today I want you to consider the word “unmoveable.” This word refers to one of the most critically important attitudes for those who want to please God and do something noteworthy in their lives.

The word “immovable” is the Greek word ametakinetos, which has several meanings:

It means not easily excited, shaken, or affected.
It describes something that is not changeable or unpredictable.
It was also frequently used in connection with stone structures or to refer to people who are known to have a strong and unbending character.
Thus, this word portrays something that is solid, unbending, and not easily excited, shaken, or affected; a person, building, or place that is constant, stable, enduring, and dependable.
In other words, this is not a flighty, fickle, “here-today, gone-tomorrow,” “on-again, off-again” type of person; rather, this is someone who is constant, stable, and dependable. Because the word ametakinetos describes something immovable, it carries the idea of someone whose attitude can be described as:

Rock-solid
Fixed
Grounded
Established
Rooted
Anchored
Unvarying
Permanent
Stable
When you start a new project or step out in faith to do something new, there will always be obstacles that try to get in your way. If you aren’t determined to be tougher than the problems that arise, it won’t be long until you throw in the towel and give up. That’s why this word ametakinetos is so vital. It is an attitude that says, “I’m not moving until I see my dream come to pass!”

Anyone who wants to be great or to do great things must learn to be constant, stable, dependable, inflexible, unbending, and unyielding in the face of challenges. This is a common characteristic shared by all great achievers.

First Corinthians 15:58 could be translated:

“...Be constant, stable, enduring, and dependable — one who is always abounding in the work of the Lord....”

When you know God has called you to do something, you have to develop this kind of rock-solid, immovable attitude about that task or project because one thing is certain: Satan will attempt to sidetrack you. That’s what the enemy does to anyone whom God calls to do a job!

The devil will try to use people’s negative words, a lack of finances, adverse circumstances, discouragement, and a host of other tactics to move you off course from your intended goal. That’s why you have to make up your mind to be fixed, rooted, grounded, anchored, and unwavering in your commitment to accomplish the task God has set before you!

So don’t allow yourself to be inconsistent and wavering in your commitment to accomplish your God-given assignment. Remember — others around you are watching your example. In this world where a lackadaisical, “who cares?” attitude predominates, people need to see what true commitment looks like!

Be steadfast and immovable in the place where God has called you. Make the rock-solid decision that you will be a “permanent fixture” within your divine call until your task is completed with excellence, regardless of what it costs you! 

JOELS BAR

Sunday was an all around wonderful day at Northview Church. Salvation came through the doors and Outpouring was evident in both services. But there are times after the services, when the folks clear out of the building and the lingering presence of his glory remains. Many, many times I have witnessed the miracoulas happen after the service is over. Sunday night was one of those times. Several men were praying for each other in the fellowship hall after the business meeting was long gone. I was one of the men who hung around because I could sense that God was up to something. After all was said and done, I like other men, managed to pull myself up off the floor to gather my things and head on home.

I got home at 9:00PM and others got home well after 10:30PM. The reports of deliverance and freedom have been pouring in ever since. God so blessed these men, that many have reported total life changes this week.

This reminds me of something that I have learned over the years; don't ever understimate the room. You never know what God will do in a service or even after a church service. What seems like a bunch of staggering drunks to others, is one of the most beautiful things in the world to God. What appears to be foolishness to people is wisdom to God.

1 Cor. 1:27 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. (NIV)

I am so glad to see these men belly up to Joels bar and have a drink of Holy Ghost power instead of taking a drink at the Cozy Lounge, Caddies Pub or the 4th street bar. I say, let these men drink in all of the Holy Ghost joy juice that they can! Men (and women) need to drink in the things of God. So just have another drink!--Pastor Randy Burton

CLEAN UP ON AISLE SEVEN

Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much Increase comes by the strength of an ox. (Proverbs 14:4)

Imagine a brand new grocrey store has been built in your town, but at the grand opening, the owner wouldn't let any customers in the building because he thought they might make a mess in the beautiful new store? I have seen people get something new like a car, a new appliance or some new carpet in their home, but we're afraid to use these things because they might get dirty or torn up. I'm not advocating a low standard on these types of things in our lives but I think we sometimes miss the main point. It's not just the beauty but the function that is just as valuable. A house is to be lived in, a car is to be driven and a church is to be used for ministry! Ministry just means to serve.

"Where there is no action, there are no problems. To have power (the ox) one must put up with the clutter that comes with it."--Jack Hayford

Where no ____________ are, the church is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of a _______________.

Insert pastor, youth group, children's ministry, volunteers, elder, structural changes or anything that challenges the current order of things. Ask any carpenter and he will tell you that construction is a messy job.

I love what God is doing at Northview Church and I'll take all of the little messes that go with the construction of the new things that He is doing. Go God!--By Pastor Randy Burton

A Divine Stream of Supernatural Revelation

Written by Rick Renner

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his
Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of
God. — 1 Corinthians 2:9,10

I remember one January day several years ago when I was aroused from my sleep very early in the morning, and I sensed that the Holy Spirit was awaking me because there was something He wanted to tell me. At first, I thought I was just having a difficult time sleeping, so I tried to shrug it off and go back to sleep. But the longer I lay there in my bed, the more I became aware that it was God who was stirring up my spirit. There was something He wanted to say to me.

For months preceding that time, I had been seeking answers to some very important questions about the steps we needed to take in order to fulfill the assignment God had given us. I had spent hundreds of hours thinking over the questions I faced. I had worked my ink pen over endless pages that were scrawled with my notes. Yet I couldn’t find the right answer to the questions that were constantly on my mind. I had prayed and prayed about it, but it seemed that the correct answers kept evading me. Then in the early hours of that January morning, the answers suddenly came!

I walked back and forth in our apartment as I prayed. Finally, I went into the dining room and lay my head on the dining table to pray more earnestly. I said, “Holy Spirit, what is it that You want to reveal to me this morning? What is it that You want to communicate to me?”

Suddenly — and very unexpectedly — it seemed as if the spiritual realm miraculously opened, and a stream of information descended from Heaven and began to pour the answers I needed directly into my mind! As that information began surging into my mind, I instantly saw the solutions for which I had been seeking for so long! It was as if the Holy Spirit said, “Let Me pull the curtains off your mind, so you can see everything you’ve been desiring to see. I will remove the veil of ignorance that has blinded your sight. When I do this, the ignorance will be removed and you’ll instantly know every answer you’ve been seeking!”

This was not the first time I’d had that experience. The Holy Spirit had revealed many things to me through the years — and I know He will continue to be my unlimited Source of divine revelation for the rest of the time I live on this earth. He will do the same for any person who genuinely seeks to know God’s will for his or her life, for this is the right of every child of God.

Regarding the Holy Spirit’s supernatural revelation to believers, the apostle Paul wrote, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:9,10).

Paul begins this verse by talking about man’s inability to understand the deep things of God by himself. It could have been translated, “The heart of man could never dream, imagine, or conjure up the things God hath prepared for them that love Him.” The human mind, by itself, cannot fathom, even in its wildest imagination, the wonderful things God has prepared for His people! If this is so, then how can you and I ever comprehend what God has planned for us?

Paul tells us the answer in the above verse: “But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit….” This means the day of ignorance is gone! Because the Holy Spirit has come, we can now know all the things God has planned and prepared for us!

Notice that Paul says, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit....” The word “revealed” is the word apokalupto, which means to unveil, to reveal, or to uncover. It is actually a picture of something that is veiled or hidden at the moment when its veil or covering is suddenly removed. As a result, what was hidden for so long now comes into plain view. And God does all of this by His Spirit — just as He did for me on that early morning in January!

When the Holy Spirit lifts the cover and removes the veil that has blocked your view of God’s plans for you, the eyes of your spirit suddenly see and perceive truths that were previously veiled. This is what the Bible calls a revelation. In one instant, everything comes into clear view, answering all your questions and giving you the direction you’ve been seeking for a long time.

The word apokalupsis suggests this meaning for
First Corinthians 2:9,10:

“...God has supernaturally pulled back the veil that previously obscured
your view and blocked God’s plan from your sight. It was the Holy Spirit
who actually carried out this operation and made all of these once-concealed things now visible to you....”

Truthfully, God gave us our brains so we could use them, and we need to learn how to use them well. But there are some things the mind alone will never perceive. If we are ever going to see those spiritual truths, we will have to have a spiritual experience that opens our eyes to them.

If you have been seeking answers that your mind can’t find, why not go to the ultimate Source of divine revelation? God holds all the answers you seek. As you sincerely ask in faith and genuinely open your heart so the Holy Spirit can speak to you, He will tell you everything He wants you to know!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, now I understand that I’ve been trying to find answers I’ll never discover by myself. The things I long to know can only be revealed by You, so today I ask You to pull back the veil that has concealed those things I long to understand. I know that when You get involved, my eyes will be opened and my ignorance will evaporate. I sincerely ask You in faith to speak to me and to show me those things I need to know.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I affirm that with the help of the Holy Spirit, I clearly see and understand everything the Holy Spirit wants me to know. The day of ignorance has been removed because the Holy Spirit has come to reveal the benefits Jesus has provided for me. Now I have access to the secrets that were previously hidden to my natural mind and perception. I am thankful for the Spirit’s revealing work in my life, and I declare that I never have to claim ignorance again!

I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO ANSWER

1. Have you been seeking God for answers that seem elusive to you?

2. Why not make a list of the questions for which you’re seeking answers?

3. Have you sincerely asked in faith for answers to your questions and then genuinely opened your heart to God so He can speak to you?

The Most Damaging Attitude in Our Churches

BY CARA JOYNER
FEBRUARY 3, 2014

Cara Joyner is a freelance writer and stay-at-home-mom living on the East Coast with her husband and two sons. After years of working in student ministry, she has come home to raise her boys and pursue her Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She loves hanging out with college students, watchingParenthood and eating chocolate like it's one of the food groups. Read more at carajoyner.com or find her onTwitter @cara_joyner.

It was an attitude I learned in Church, and I used to believe it was a strength.

I thought I was simply a critical thinker, full of constructive insights. My husband and I shared a “gift for reflection” and spun many conversations around what we considered to be compelling observations about what the Church and other people were doing wrong and what they could do better. Never mind the fact that our tips were not actually being presented to those we believed would benefit from them. At least we saw the problems, right?

But with time, the satisfaction of hearing ourselves talk began to fade and a nauseating feeling settled in its place. No matter how positive a light we tried to cast it in, we were filling up on bitterness and tasting the result.

Subtly, without even realizing it, we had become cynics. And the toxic effect could be felt in our marriage, our relationships and our ability to communicate Christ’s love for the world.

We tend to think of cynicism as something that’s overt. We love watching the overt cynics—Bob Kelso, Gregory House, Don Draper. We laugh at their bitter rants and quote their best one-liners. Perhaps their extreme negativity makes it easier to justify our quiet tendency to be overly critical, especially in the name of something good.

But cynicism doesn’t always present itself in the sweeping, broad negativity we see on TV. In the day-to-day, it looks more like quick, unwarranted, “constructive” criticism. I’m not talking about the critical thinking required for success as an adult. I’m referring to the way we constantly evaluate and critique people and what they do:

“Worship was great this morning! I can’t believe all those people were just standing there and not raising their hands. Some people just don’t take worship as seriously as I do."

“Worship was great this morning! I was trying to be still and reflect, but the guy next me was moving so much and flinging his arms around. Some people just don’t take worship as seriously as I do.”

“The sermon was good. If he had just said this, it could have been better.”

“I was so annoyed by this guy at the mall. He had no common sense and was so rude. Nobody teaches people how to be polite anymore.”

“The problem with the Church today is ___________.”

Sound familiar?

Subtle cynicism, or the overly critical nature of our culture, is a toxin satan uses against the Church. And it’s all the more damaging because we often don’t even realize it’s happening.

It’s time to change our posture. I’m not suggesting an extreme alternative of falsely positive, overly peppy Church culture that says nothing is wrong. Jesus, Paul, David and every writer of scripture has shown us that this is not Biblical.

But when we recognize the dangers of subtle cynicism, we are able to engage in honest conversations that are productive, loving and full of grace.

When Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, he addressed a steady stream of negativity. He pleaded with the church to rally around their shared love for Christ, sacrifice for each other and “do everything without grumbling or arguing.” With this as our example, let’s remember the following when we are tempted to snap sarcastic quips or offer unsolicited insight:

The Church is the Bride of Christ and deserves our respect

It is made up of broken people. We may not agree with everything, in fact, we may be spot on in calling out behavior that opposes the Gospel, but let’s speak truth with the love and humility of Jesus. He died for this Bride that He adores, so I’d imagine how we talk about her matters to Him.

Reject anything that resembles an “us” versus “them” mentality

Jesus was honest about truth and spoke confidently to those who challenged it with their hypocrisy and legalism, yet He did so without mocking or belittling anyone. He didn’t post open letters on the town gates and He didn’t publicly ridicule those who questioned him. He met them with Scripture and self-control. Any foolishness they felt came from getting caught with their foot in their mouth, not from Jesus laughing at them with crowds behind Him.

Focus on what is good

In the four short chapters of Philippians, Paul instructs the Church to rejoice 15 times. It’s interesting to note that he appears far less concerned with why they are negative and much more concerned with their choosing to change.

Identifying problems is easy. Following Paul’s call to focus on what is good, lovely and admirable takes intentional work, and it breathes new life into our relationships. If God can choose to no longer look on our sin, we can choose to stop focusing on the things we would change in others and get busy loving them instead.

When we become subtle cynics, our ability to grow becomes stunted

Unveiling flaws outside of ourselves requires little to no personal sacrifice. Examining the depths of our own brokenness requires vulnerability and risk, both of which are essential for growth.

Life in Jesus involves the death of self (Mark 8:34-35). This is difficult to do while clinging to the belief that we know more than someone else. But as we move into a space of grace, our eyes are opened to lessons we were blinded to before, and we begin to find the places in our hearts God longs to address. If we are too busy discussing the ways everyone else needs to change, we lose the ability to see our own need for restoration and we get stuck rather than grow.

Pray first. Talk later.

Paul begins his letter to the Philippians by writing that he thanked God every time he thought of them. If we model Paul’s heart in this way, the thoughts and words that follow will reflect Jesus.

There are times when a thoughtful, loving, critical response is the most appropriate one. But before we jump in to offer it, we should examine our hearts and consider what is most beneficial, being willing to say nothing if it tears others down and hinders the Gospel of Christ. What we say matters. Choose carefully

What Should You Do When Your Plans Seem Hindered?

1 Thessalonians 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

Have you ever pursued something that you believed was God’s will, yet obstacles seemed to keep you from doing what you thought you were supposed to do? If you have, don’t feel alone, because many people have been in that same position! Even the apostle Paul felt this way from time to time! But what should you do in times like these?

Today I want you to particularly notice the word “hindered” in the verse above. It comes from the Greek word egkopto, an old word that was originally used to describe a road so deteriorated and broken up that it was impassable.

Have you ever driven down a road on your way to your destination, only to discover that the road you’re driving on is too full of ruts and holes to continue your journey? As a result, you have to turn around, go back, and find another route to get where you are going. Well, that is exactly the image the word egkopto portrays to us!

Paul uses this word to describe hindering forces that kept him from going to see the Thessalonians. There is no doubt that this means Paul was on his way to see them — not once, he says, but twice. But the journey became so filled with danger and unexpected bumps that Paul had to turn around, go back, and rethink his strategy on how he was going to get to the church at Thessalonica. Can you think of a time when you encountered something like this in your own journey?

But the word egkopto means even more than this! It was also used in Greek times in an athletic sense. It was used to portray the moment when a runner comes alongside another runner and literally elbows him out of the race. Although the second runner was running a good race, he is shoved out of the way by the aggression of his fellow runner. As a result of this action, the runner who was elbowed loses the leading edge he previously held.

This categorically means that Paul understood Satan’s tactics. The enemy had tried to make use of dangerous and unexpected bumps along the way to throw Paul off track and to elbow him out of his spiritual race. In fact, Paul was convinced that Satan had specifically engineered these unforeseen and unanticipated hassles to keep him from getting to the Thessalonian church.

When these two ideas are combined together, the primary idea of the word “hindered” becomes that of an impasse so severe that it prohibits you from going where you need to go or an aggressor who unkindly elbows you off course in your spiritual race.

Paul is actually saying:

“...Satan created an impasse that kept me from coming to see you.”

“...Satan put obstructions in my path to prevent me from getting to you.”

“...Satan cut in on me and prohibited me from visiting you as
I wanted to do.”

“...Satan tried to elbow his way in on me to keep me from
coming to see you.”

When something happens that seems to prohibit you from doing the will of God, remember that you are not the first to encounter such difficulties. Others have been in the same quandary. In time, however, the devil’s attack ceased, and the way for them to move ahead became clear. In the same way, you can be sure that God is going to empower you and give you the wisdom you need to get where you need to go!

Don’t despair — the story isn’t over yet! Don’t throw in the towel and give in just because you’ve hit some kind of impasse. The devil has never had the last word on anything, and he isn’t going to have the last word on this situation either. Regardless of what the devil has tried to do, it’s time for you to remember that what God promised SHALL come to pass as you hold fast to your faith in Him!--by Rick Renner (Sparkling Gems)

The Brain And Spirituality

Thicker brain sections tied to spirituality: studyBy Andrew M. Seaman | Reuters – Mon, 30 Dec, 2013

By Andrew M. Seaman

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - For people at high risk of depression because of a family history, spirituality may offer some protection for the brain, a new study hints.

Parts of the brain's outer layer, the cortex, were thicker in high-risk study participants who said religion or spirituality was "important" to them versus those who cared less about religion.

"Our beliefs and our moods are reflected in our brain and with new imaging techniques we can begin to see this," Myrna Weissman told Reuters Health. "The brain is an extraordinary organ. It not only controls, but is controlled by our moods."

Weissman, who worked on the new study, is a professor of psychiatry and epidemiology at Columbia University and chief of the Clinical-Genetic Epidemiology department at New York State Psychiatric institute.

While the new study suggests a link between brain thickness and religiosity or spirituality, it cannot say that thicker brain regions cause people to be religious or spiritual, Weissman and her colleagues note in JAMA Psychiatry.

It might hint, however, that religiosity can enhance the brain's resilience against depression in a very physical way, they write.

Previously, the researchers had found that people who said they were religious or spiritual were at lower risk of depression. They also found that people at higher risk for depression had thinning cortices, compared to those with lower depression risk.

The cerebral cortex is the brain's outermost layer made of gray matter that forms the organ's characteristic folds. Certain areas of the cortex are important hubs of neural activity for processes such as sensory perception, language and emotion.

For the new study, the researchers twice asked 103 adults between the ages of 18 and 54 how important religion or spirituality was to them and how often they attended religious services over a five-year period.

In addition to being asked about spirituality, the participants' brains were imaged once to see how thick their cortices were.

All the participants were the children or grandchildren of people who participated in an earlier study about depression. Some had a family history of depression, so they were considered to be at high risk for the disorder. Others with no history served as a comparison group.

Overall, the researchers found that the importance of religion or spirituality to an individual - but not church attendance - was tied to having a thicker cortex. The link was strongest among those at high risk of depression.

"What we're doing now is looking at the stability of it," Weissman said.

Her team is taking more images of the participants' brains to see whether the size of the cortex changes with their religiosity or spirituality.

"This is a way of replicating and validating the findings," she said. "That work is in process now."

Dr. Dan Blazer, the J.P. Gibbons Professor of Psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, said the study is very interesting but is still exploratory.

"I think this tells us it's an area to look at," Blazer, who was not involved in the new study, said. "It's an area of interest but we have to be careful."

For example, he said there could be other areas of the brain linked to religion and spirituality. Also, spirituality may be a marker of something else, such as socioeconomic status.

Blazer added that it's an exciting time, because researchers are actively looking at links between the brain, religion and risk of depression.

"We've seen this field move from a time when there were virtually no studies done at all," he said.

Weissman said the mind and body are intimately connected.

"What this means therapeutically is hard to say," she added.

Dealing With Wrong Attitudes the Right Way Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. — James 1:21

Today I would like to draw your attention to the words “lay apart” in the verse above. These words are taken from the Greek word apotithimi, a compound of the words apo and tithimi. The word apo means away, and the word tithimi means to place or to lay something down. When these two words are compounded together, it gives a picture of someone who is laying something down at the same time he is pushing it far away from himself. Therefore, this compound word means to lay something down and to push it far away and beyond reach.

An example would be a person who is about to sinfully indulge in eating too much pie but suddenly realizes what he is doing. So instead of diving into the extra piece of pie and eating it, he chooses instead to lay it back down on the table; then he deliberately shoves it away from himself lest he should overindulge one time too many! He lays it down, and he pushes it away. This is the idea of the word apotithimi James uses when he tells us to “lay apart” all filthiness in our lives. But there is another very important meaning to this word in the New Testament!

In New Testament times, the word apotithimi was frequently used to describe someone taking off his dirty clothes at the end of the day. How do you deal with your dirty clothes at the end of the day? You take them off and put them away in the clothes hamper! Now James uses this illustration to explain how you must deal with wrong attitudes and actions in your own life. Just as you wouldn’t go to bed in dirty clothes at night, neither should you go to bed with wrong attitudes. You must deal with them like an old set of filthy clothes. You have to decide to get rid of those bad attitudes!

James 1:21 could be interpreted to mean:

“You must make the choice to remove those filthy, stinking garments
from your life, to permanently lay them down and then deliberately
push them out of your range forever.…”

Also, it’s important to realize that dirty clothes don’t fall off your body by accident! To get them off, you have to push the buttons through the button holes, unzip the zipper, and slip the clothes off your arms and legs one piece at a time. Dirty clothes don’t automatically come off just because you realize they are dirty. They will come off only if you do something to remove them! This is exactly what James has in mind when he tells us to “lay apart” all filthiness from our lives.

When James says to “lay apart” all filthiness from our lives, he is telling us to first acknowledge what is wrong and then to take appropriate measures to remove those areas from our lives. If you are going to get free and stay free, it won’t happen by accident. You must start taking steps to remove those negative things from your life — to lay them down and push them so far away that you’ll never be able to reach them again!

Are you struggling with a sin today? Does a wrong attitude keep trying to conquer your life? If so, you must begin to look at that sin or wrong attitude like an old set of filthy clothes that isn’t worthy for you to wear anymore. Make the decision to step out of every destructive area of your life that has held you captive. Once you make that decision, the Holy Spirit will give you the power to carry it out! --By Rick Renner

Lets Get Personal

Over 96 million smart phones are in use today in the United States. We love the techonolgy and the convenience of connecting with the world at any time of our choosing. When we purchase a new gadget, what is the first thing that we do? We personalize it. We put our contact info, our pictures, change the backgrounds, buy new apps. And don't forget that we connect to our facebook, twitter and linkedin accounts, to name a few. Seems that the world around us is srinking, and that everyone in the world is ordering their own private world, via google.

There are some spiritual parallels when we recieve Jesus as our savior. When we are born again, we are immediately renewed (spirit man) on the inside like a new born baby. Regardless of how old we are, we are newborn in our inner-man. When this happens, in a sense, God personalizes us by realigning our unique spiritual DNA with His. But over the course of time something happens as we start personalizing the kingdom of God to suit our own desires instead of His. We stop reflecting His image and start seeing our own image in place of His. When this happens, we may not realize it, but we can become guilty of idolatry. When we think of idolatry, we generally think of giant golden calfs or gargoyles on a temple roof. Actually idolatry is when we reduce God down to our size, and make Him do what we want Him to do, instead of what He wants to do in our lives. In essence we are making heaven more earthy instead of the way God intends. Our goal is not to bring earth to heaven, our goal is to bring heaven to earth! Take a look in the mirror today and tell me what do you see? May you see Him in all of His beauty.

--------------------------------------------

References:

Idolatry [ ahy-dol-uh-tree ]noun [plural i·dol·a·tries.]1. the religious worship of idols.2. excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc. (dictionary.com)

John 3:1-8 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” (NLT)

Psalms 139:14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. (NLT)

Matthew 6:10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. (NLT)

2 Corinthians 3:18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (NLT)

A Signal That Jesus Return is Near

A Signal That Jesus’ Return Is Near

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him.

—  2 Thessalonians 2:1

When Paul wrote his second letter to the church of Thessalonica, he was exceedingly excited at the thought of Jesus’ soon return. In fact, he was so thrilled about the prospect of Jesus’ coming again that he devoted the entire second chapter of Second Thessalonians to the events that would occur in the last days. As Paul wrote this famous chapter about the events of the last days, he began by declaring, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him.”

Notice that Paul uses the word “beseech” in this verse. Normally the word “beseech” would be the Greek word parakaleo, but in this verse, Paul uses the word erotao rather than the word parakaleo. The word erotao means to ask or to make a strong request. This word calls upon the listener to cautiously listen to what is being said and to respond in a fitting manner to what has been heard. Because Paul is speaking of the coming of the Lord and uses the word erotao to appeal to his listeners, he clearly means for them to take his words seriously and to let these words make a strong impact in their lives.

When we think about the coming of the Lord, it should make a strong impact in our lives. It should affect the way we live, the way we think, the way we carry on in our relationships, and the way we invest our money into the Kingdom of God. It is simply a fact that Jesus is coming for His Church, and we should constantly live in the light of His coming. When we live with the awareness that Jesus is coming again, it changes our conduct and behavior. By using the word erotao (“beseech”), Paul is communicating to his readers that they have a responsibility to respond to his message about Jesus’ soon return. They are to live in a godly, upright, and holy manner as they wait for “the coming of our Lord.”

Then he begins to speak to them about the “coming of our Lord.” The word “coming” is from the Greek word parousia. This word always places special emphasis on the Presence of the Lord — especially the Presence of God that can be tangibly felt among His people. Here it is used to describe the strong Presence of God that will be felt when Jesus returns to gather His people to Himself. The word implies that the Church will feel a phenomenal divine Presence when it is time for Jesus to gather His people to Himself at the end of the age.

This means that as we come closer to the return of Jesus, the parousia — the strong Presence of the Lord — will be strongly sensed among believers. In fact, the ever-growing, strong Presence of the Lord in the midst of the Church will be one of the signals that Jesus’ return is close at hand. As His Presence gets stronger and stronger, we will know it is time for Him to return to “gather” us to Himself.

When Paul speaks about “our gathering together unto Him,” the phrase “gathering together” comes from the Greek word episunagoge. This word is used perfectly in the apocryphal book of Second Maccabees 2:7, where it refers to that moment in the future when God will finally gather His people together to Himself. This is exactly how Paul uses it in Second Thessalonians 2:1 as he talks about that moment when God will finally gather His people together to Himself at the coming of Jesus.

In Second Thessalonians 2:1, Paul uses the word episunagoge (“gathering together”) to describe that future moment when the Lord will quickly gather or collect His people together to Himself at the end of the age. At that divine moment, all of God’s people will be quickly gathered together and collected in a common assembly to meet the Lord in the air. What a meeting that will be!

Considering the Greek words

that Paul used in Second Thessalonians 2:1,

this verse could be interpreted the following way:

“Brothers, I make this urgent, heartfelt request to you today, earnestly and sincerely pleading with you from the bottom of my heart to hear what I’m telling you and to do exactly as I say. The appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ is very near. In fact, it is so close that we can almost feel His Presence as if He were already here among us. The moment we have all longed for and waited for is almost upon us! I’m talking about that moment when Jesus will finally gather us together to Himself.”

The apostle Peter warned us that at the end of the age, many scoffers would mock at the promise of Jesus’ return, asserting that if Jesus was going to come, surely He would have already come. Peter wrote, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?…” (2 Peter 3:3,4).

The word “scoffers” is from the Greek word empaidzo, and it described one who makes fun of another through mockery. It conveyed the idea of disdain, scorn, derision, and ridicule. The Greek word empaidzo also meant to play a game. It was often used for playing a game with children or for amusing a crowd by impersonating someone in a silly and exaggerated way. For instance, this word might be used in a game of charades when someone intends to comically portray someone or even make fun of someone.

We find this word used in Luke 22:63, where the Bible tells us, “And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.” The Greek word empaidzo categorically lets us know that these men turned a few minutes of that nightmarish night before Jesus’ crucifixion into a stage of comedy at His expense. They put on quite a show, hamming it up as they almost certainly pretended to be Jesus and the people He ministered to. Perhaps they laid hands on each other as if they were healing the sick; or lay on the floor and quivered, as if they were being liberated from devils; or wobbled around, acting as if they had been blind but now could suddenly see. Whatever these leaders did to mock Jesus, it was a game of charades to mimic and make fun of Him.

Now Peter uses this same word to depict mockers in the last days who would make fun of those who believe in Jesus’ coming. I can almost hear them saying, “Come on, if Jesus was going to come, don’t you think He would have been here by now? Quit hanging on to this false hope, you dreamers!”

But the grammar used in Second Peter 3:3,4 tells us that this mocking is the characteristic behavior of these scoffers. It could be more accurately translated, “Mockers will come mocking.” In other words, they don’t only mock on occasion; they are mockers by habit. They find great delight in regularly mocking and making fun of those who believe that Jesus is coming to gather His Church to Himself.

But regardless of what doubt-filled believers or antagonistic unbelievers say as they mock us, the truth is that Jesus is coming again soon! Second Thessalonians 2:1 gives us one of the signs that will occur to let us know His arrival is upon us: We will suddenly be aware of the supernatural Presence of Jesus in the Church like never before. The closer we come to the time of His return, the more strongly this phenomenal Presence of God will be felt in our midst. In fact, it will seem as if His coming is already upon us! That strong Presence of God will signal to us that it is just about time for Jesus to quickly gather us and collect us to Himself!

So in the days to come, close your ears to the mockers who make fun of you for believing in Jesus’ soon return. Then open your heart to the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to make you sensitive to His voice inside your spirit. As you are faithful to do this, you will recognize that moment when the Presence of God becomes much stronger in the Church, and you’ll know that moment for what it is — one of the greatest indications that Jesus’ return is upon us!--By Rick Renner

Investing In Your Eternity

Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
—  1 Timothy 6:19

When Russian Czar Peter the Great died, his daughter Elizabeta Petrovna came to the throne and became the Empress of Russia. She was perhaps the most flamboyant ruler ever to reign over Russia. The extravagance of her lifestyle was legendary. She owned more palaces than she could use, and the Cinderella-type carriages she owned were hand-carved and gold-leafed. In addition, the carriage doors and spikes of the wheels of each carriage were studded with dazzling diamonds to match the solid gold crowns that were laden with emeralds and rubies and affixed to the top.

The Empress Elizabeta also had an abnormal love of clothes. She completely changed her attire three times a day and never once wore the same article of clothing twice. This was no problem for her, given the fact that she owned 15,000 regal gowns, many of which were spun from pure silver and gold and encrusted with precious gems.

This ruler of Russia came to be known as the “party queen” because she threw hundreds of parties in her massive gold-gilded palaces. To make sure no royal woman ever wore the same gown to such an event twice, she established a new rule: Servants were to be stationed at all the doors; then as each woman left the palace parties, the servants were to stamp the back of these fabulous gowns with a huge black ink stamp. The ink stamp declared that the dress had already been worn to one party and could never be worn to another one. That stamp literally ruined the dress, ensuring that no one would ever dare attend one of the empress’s celebrations in an already-used garment.

During the rule of Empress Elizabeta, she ordered the hundreds of massive columns and statues that adorned all her palaces to be covered with pure gold. However, when Catherine the Great came to power and became the Empress of Russia, she considered that much gold on the exterior of a palace to be garish and unfitting (although Catherine’s lifestyle was actually no less ostentatious than Elizabeta’s). Therefore, Catherine ordered her servants to scrape all the gold off the columns and statues and to throw it away, replacing it with white paint.

When the news of this disposal of gold reached the ears of the wealthy class in Saint Petersburg, a successful merchant came to Catherine the Great and asked if he could purchase the gold she was throwing away. Catherine sternly replied to him, “Excuse me, but who do you think I am? Do you think that I, the Empress of Russia, am so poor that I need to sell my rubbish?” With that, she ordered all the old, scraped-off gold to be thrown away.

Once when I was visiting Saint Petersburg and touring some of these vast historical palaces, I pondered the way these wealthy rulers spent such massive fortunes on themselves. I thought, Today we visit the palaces of people who once lived luxuriously but whose bones now lie in their graves. Although these people lived in opulence during their lifetimes, what good does their wealth do for them now? Did they spend it all on themselves, only to spend an eternity in spiritual impoverishment? What is the eternal condition of these people?

If we are to live wisely, we must invest not only in temporary moments of pleasure, but also in the eternity that lies before all of us. Moments of pleasure in this life are enjoyable but fleeting; however, what we invest in eternity never fades. This is why Paul told the rich in Timothy’s church that they were to be “laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life (1 Timothy 6:19). The same message applies to us today.

The words “laying up” are from the Greek word apothesauridzo. This Greek word is a compound of the word apo, which means away, and the word thesaurus, which is the Greek word for a treasure. The two words compounded together mean to store away treasure or to amass a fortune. The new word depicts people putting their investments in a safe place where they cannot be stolen, ruined, or diminished.

Most affluent and prosperous people work very hard to see that their money is invested in safe, profitable, money-making investments. This is why they put their money into stocks and bonds, property, art, or other investments that will eventually reap healthy dividends. They want to see their fortune grow. And if they are wise, they will not invest in ventures that are too risky because they don’t want to see their fortunes stolen, ruined, or diminished.

Likewise, God expects you to be wise with the finances He has entrusted to you. This is made clear in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, where Jesus commends the servants who caused their resources to grow and rebuked the servant who did nothing to increase his financial capacity.

Based on Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25, we know that each of us should do everything possible to increase the size of our wealth. However, this financial increase isn’t to be gained so we can hoard it or spend it on ourselves! Paul says that if we’ve been blessed with wealth, we need to also think very seriously about how to “lay it up” where it will never be diminished. In fact, he goes on to say that we should use our money to amass “…a good foundation against the time to come….”

The word “good” in the phrase “a good foundation” is the word kalos. As noted in yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, the word kalos pictures something that is sound, healthy, fine, or excellent. The word “foundation” is the Greek word themelios. This word is most likely an early combination of the Greek word lithos, which means stone, and the word tithimi, which means to place. It depicts that which is set in stone; a foundation that cannot be easily moved or shaken; or something so solid that it will endure the test of time. This is the reason it later came to be translated as the word foundation.

The words “time to come” are taken from the Greek word mello and describe events that are coming in the future. Later in the verse, Paul proceeds to talk about eternity, leaving no doubt that he is referring to eternity when he speaks of a “time to come.” He wants to urge people to invest not only in the present, but also in the eternity that lies in all their futures.

You see, the money you spend on your own pleasures right now is gone once it is spent. As noted earlier (see November 23), it is normal for you to enjoy the finances you have worked so hard to attain. You should enjoy them. But to spend all of it on yourself here and invest none of it into your eternal future is simply stupidity. What you spend on yourself right now in this life is gone once you have died. On the other hand, what you sow into the Gospel reaches into the next life as an investment that keeps growing for all of eternity — an investment that amasses for yourself an enduring, never-ending reward in the life to come!

If you are a wise investor, you are already aware that you must think long-term when you make your investments. Likewise, as you sow your seed into the Gospel and into those who take it to the ends of the earth, you must remember that you may not see the tangible fruit of your investment in this life. But one day when you get to Heaven, you will at last see the phenomenal reward of your giving. Then you will reap the dividends of the finances you sowed into the Kingdom of God!

So don’t spend all your money on your earthly existence and forget to lay up a good foundation for the eternity that lies in your future. Give now, and by faith prepare for yourself a wealthy existence in the eternity that lies before you!--By Rick Renner (Sparkling Gems)

Siblings, Slaves & Sons

If you don't want to be treated like a slave then start acting like a son! That's what I would like to say to some people. Especially when they can't get past their feelings of jealously when others are raised up to sit in papas lap for a season. Though they have access, as children of God to the same Father, they cannot handle it when God restores or uses one of their spiritual siblings in the ministry. We call this in the natural realm, sibling rivalry. While at times it is cute to see this play out when children are at a very young and innocent age, it's not so cute if they keep exhibiting this kind of behavior on into their young adolescent lives. In fact its rather appalling to watch grown men or women act like children and fight over things that they see as their territory, or their toys, so to speak. Things get really sad when they start fighting and scraping over their parents affection.

Look at one of the greatest examples of sibling rivalry in history, its the story of Cain and his younger brother Able (Genesis 4:1-15). This tragic story goes even deeper than a botched offering or the chosen profession of these two brothers. It is a classic example of "sibling rivalry" or what the scriptures would deem as a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Like the story of the two brothers in Luke 15, this story involves a Father, two brothers, a house, a field and an internal struggle. But the story in Genesis chapter four ends far worst as the older brother ends up murdering his younger brother in a fit of jealous rage.

While the story In Genesis has a sad ending, the story in Luke has a much happier ending because the younger brother is reunited with his family. But the story doesn't leave us with much hope about the elder brothers future.

The elder brother didn't get tripped up over his brothers new shoes, his royal robe or his fancy new ring. He only complains to his father about the "fatted calf." Isn't that always at the bottom of every wrong motive? If you search long enough, you'll find mad-cow disease at the bottom of almost every carnal jealous sickness in the world!

You see sons serve the house, servants serve their own agendas. The older brother had access to everything that his father owned, but he chose to live as a servant in his own house instead of an heir to his own inheritance.

Stop living as servants and start serving the  fathers house. Dad has everything that you, as a son or daughter needs. Walk in the light of sonship and not as slaves.--Randy Burton

One Another

“…be at peace with each other” (Mark 9:50b)

“…wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14)

“A new command I give you: Love one another” (John 13:34a)

“As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34b)

“…love one another” (John 13:35)

“Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12)

“This is my command: Love each other” (John 15:17)

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love” (Romans 12:10a)

“Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10b)

“Live in harmony with one another” (Romans 12:16a)

“…love one another…” (Romans 13:8)

“Stop passing judgment on one another” (Romans 14:13a)

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you…” (Romans 15:7)

“…instruct one another” (Romans 15:14)

“Greet one another with a holy kiss” (Romans 16:16a)

“…when you come together to eat, wait for each other” (I Corinthians 11:33)

“…Have equal concern for each other” (I Corinthians 12:25)

“Greet one another with a holy kiss” 

(1 Corinthians 16:20) “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (II Corinthians 13:12)

“…serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13b)

“If you keep on biting and devouring each other…you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:15)

“Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” (Galatians 5:26)

“Carry each other’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2)

“…be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2)

“Be kind and compassionate to one another…” (Ephesians 4:32)

“…forgiving each other just as in Christ God for gave you” (Ephesians 4:32)

“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:19)

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph. 5:21)

“…in humility consider others better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3)

“Do not lie to each other…” (Colossians 3:9)

“Bear with each other…” (Colossians 3:13a)

“…forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another” (Colossians 3:13a)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach one another” (Colossians 3:16a)

“…admonish one another with all wisdom…” (Colossians 3:16b)

“May the Lord make your love increase and over flow for each other…”(I Thessalonians 3:12)

“…love each other” (I Thessalonians 4:9)

“…encourage each other…” (I Thessalonians 4:18)

“…encourage one another…” (I Thessalonians 5:11)

“…build each other up…” (I Thessalonians 5:11)

“Encourage one another daily…” (Hebrews 3:13)