Transcript: Christian Expectations in Life: Holding Firm in Faith

Music Music Today we are going to talk about what you consider to be your greatest expectation or desire in life as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ in this year of 2023. Maybe we could phrase the question to ask, what are you longing or looking forward to in life overall? In a negative sense, there is a saying that someone wrote, blessed is he who expects nothing. The saying was written by Alexander Pope, who was considered as the greatest English poet in the 18th century and was best known for his satirical verse. He is the third most frequently quoted writer in the English language after Shakespeare and Tennyson. And this says in essence, if you do not expect good things to happen, you will not be disappointed when they fail to happen. This says someone who goes into a situation with high expectations or specific expectations might end up leaving that event without those expectations being fulfilled. However, someone who is without any expectations has an open mind. He will not have to deal with the disappointment of things not turning out as planned. this saying applauds and praises people for having a laid back attitude for what they hope for in life but you must know and probably have thought that this saying is a mockery of Jesus' eight beatitudes in the Bible and represents the unregenerate soul that takes pride in empty philosophies and sayings that are generated and represented by the carnal mind which is enmity against God according to Romans chapter 8 verses 5 through 8. For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh. But those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the Holy Spirit. Verse 6. Now the mind of the flesh, which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit, is death. Death compromises all the miseries arising from sin both here and hereafter. But the mind of the Holy Spirit is life and soul, peace, both now and forever. That is, because the mind of the flesh, with its carnal thoughts and purposes, is hostile to God. For it does not submit itself to God's law. Indeed, it cannot. So then those who are living the life of the flesh, catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature, cannot please or satisfy God or be acceptable to Him. You see, to be carnally or fleshly minded is using the sense or reasoning that follows the inclinations of the flesh or the correct propensities of our nature. The word of God clearly tells us that this path leads to condemnation and eternal death. These kind of people cannot and will not see the life-giving positive side which contains the promises, the pathway to eternal life. This blessed pathway from God promises his joy and peace, all of which are divinely and supernaturally given by God Almighty himself. The expression of Alexander Pope, the great English poet, is one of great overall disablement, and shows that it not only leads to death and misery, but that it is eternal death itself. There is only woe and condemnation in the very act and purpose of being supremely devoted to the corrupt passions. Its only tendencies are condemnation and despair, because the penalty of transgressions against God Almighty is eternal ruin and eternal death. Romans chapter 5 verse 12 declares, Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as a result of sin, so death spread to all men, no one being able to stop it or to escape its power, because all men sinned. To be spiritually minded means to have the mind of the Spirit. And this, in effect, is making it the object of the mind, the very end and aim of our actions to pursue and acquire the graces of the Holy Spirit and to submit to his influence. To be spiritually minded is to seek those things and views which the Holy Spirit produces and to follow his leading. And this is clearly saying that the mind of reason needs renewal by the power of the Holy Spirit. Dear listener, this is a supernatural and divine work of God alone as a person begins to submit their will to his precious Holy Spirit. This submission of your will brings transformation of your character with the harmony and peace in mind and yes, even your personality and desire to submit to the will of God. Romans chapter 12 verses 1 through 2 declares, I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of all the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies, presenting all your members and faculties as a living sacrifice, holy, devoted, consecrated, and well-pleasing to God, which is your reasonable, rational, intelligent service in spiritual worship. Verse 2. In his sight for you. You see, this is opposed to death. In Romans chapter 8 verse 5, which we have just read in the opening scripture. Paul said in verse 1, I appeal to you brethren. Appeal means to beg, to plead, to implore. And he's more than encouraging them here, dear church. he's actually going on his bended knee to plead with them to see the importance of this momentous decision in their lives. And this decision is life-saving and it alone will lead to eternal life and is, in fact, a real life-saving outcome in the matter of life and death in anyone's life. to possess and cultivate the multifaceted graces of precious Holy Spirit is to be willingly led in a righteous path where he will guide and teach his royal subjects the purpose and design of their existence is and this is the only path of peace and joy and true inner contentment and illumines what will be the greatest expectation that you can possibly have in this life found in Jesus Christ, your Savior. This alone, dear listener, leads to one supreme law, which governs all other laws and also cultivates regal character and naturally creates and produces kings and priests in Christ's eternal kingdom. You see, this royal law is taught by our precious Lord Jesus Christ himself when he declared in Matthew chapter 22, beginning in verse 37, You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment, and the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. And dear one, this law alone will lead to making and creation of the new creature in Christ alone, who will be those who are called royal priests of the mighty God. And we see this clearly in 1 Peter 2. Come to him then, to that living stone, which men tried and threw away, but which is chosen and precious in God's sight. Come, and like living stones, be yourselves built into the spiritual house for a holy, dedicated, consecrated priesthood to offer up those spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ. Verse 6. which the builders rejected has become the main cornerstone. Verse 8. And a stone that will cause stumbling, and a rock that will give men offense. They stumble because they disobey and disbelieve God's word, as those who reject him were destined appointed to. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, God's own purchased special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display virtues and perfections of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. But you are a chosen race, a priesthood, God's own precious people. In this figurative description of Jesus Christ, he is called a stone, which expresses his invincible strength and everlasting kingdom rule and reign. This teaches his servants that he is their almighty protection and security, the very foundation on which they are built, and is a rock of offense to all their enemies. Hallelujah. He is the living stone having eternal life in himself and is the prince of life and peace to all his people. Think about this, dear listener. You belong to a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation who are God's own peculiar, purchased special people who have been bought with the price if you are willingly growing in his grace and obeying his commands and precepts. And that price paid was the precious blood of Jesus Christ, who willingly shed his blood on the cross of Calvary and died to have you as his very own. You are considered private property, belonging to Christ, to God Almighty, where no other has any claim to you. You are under obligation and accountability to God alone. Me too. You and I have the privilege that we might show forth the praises of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light and are to be the expression and revelation of a holy, fruitful life in Christ by being transformed into the image of God and walking as Christ walked himself. Apostle Paul considered his life in Christ the excellency of the knowledge of Christ himself and that superior life, the truth and also the justification through his blood and sanctification by his spirit and eternal glory all provided and promised by our Lord Jesus Christ through his death, burial and resurrection. These are the blessings held out to us by the gospel of Jesus Christ and are the sum and substance of blessedness which come directly from the heart of God to his redeemed precious masterpiece called humankind who bow their hearts and knees to the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. You understand that all of this mention is achieved by the grace of God and faith in Jesus Christ, who is who he says he is and will do what he says he will do. Apostle Paul declared in Philippians 3, verse 8, Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege and overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth and supreme advantage of knowing Christ, Jesus my Lord, and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding him more fully and clearly. For his sake, I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish, refuse, drags, in order that I may gain or win Christ the Anointed One. Dear one, you listening to this message today, you may say in your heart, I know all that. I've heard it before. Has what Paul teaches us in this last verse sunk deep into your heart to the point where you have what Paul longs for in a deeper fellowship with him? And that is a longing to know him more and more intimately? I ask you, what are you looking forward to in this life right now? Is it more and better material possessions? They will perish for you, can't take them with you when you die. Is it relationships? Desperation and parting is inevitable and unavoidable in both family and friends. Is it fame, notoriety, achievement that you long for? These will not truly satisfy in this present life on earth. Paul had and teaches us an entirely different expectation in life. His goal was to obtain the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord as we read in verse 8. Excellency in the Bible dictionary means that which is superior. Paul realized that his ultimate goal was above him. It was something he needed to continually reach for. The person who thinks he is already sufficient in all things is most miserable and doesn even know it While the blessed person is the one who possesses by faith that which is beyond his power or capabilities as Paul declares in Philippians chapter 3 verse 9 that I may actually be found and known in him. Not having my own self-achieved righteousness that can be called my own based on my obedience to the law of commands, a ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired, but possessing that genuine righteousness which comes through faith in Christ, the anointed one, and truly right standing with God, which comes from God by saving faith. Paul tells us that right standing with God comes only by saving faith in God. So then someone may be asking themselves, what is it that must be attained by faith to understand this? It begins with the knowledge, the experiential knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Experiential knowledge means relating or resulting from personal experience or experiential reality. For instance, in Luke chapter 1 verse 34, when the angel Gabriel appeared before Mary to announce that she would be the mother of the Son of the Most High, he would be the long-awaited Messiah that was prophesied to come and save people. In verse 34, Mary responded and said to the angel, How can this be, since I have no intimacy with any man as a husband? In verse 35, the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you like a shining cloud. So the holy, pure, sinless thing offspring shall be born of you will be called the Son of God. You see, Mary had faith that God would do what he promised. The virgin birth is a miracle of God that brought the eternal Son of God into the world without any stain of sin in his human nature. Mary simply yielded herself to the Holy Spirit, knowing full well that she would experience shame and misunderstanding. So Mary had no personal experience or knowledge with the supernatural ways of God. She became immersed in the realm of the divine ways of God as she was esteemed as the mother of God and who is our precious Lord and was called by Gabriel in verse 28. The angel came to her and said, Hail thou that art highly favored. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art you among women. Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead proved him to be superior to all created things. So once Mary had her personal experiential reality, then she understood the experiential, the personal experience. She had a supernatural divine experience with God. Now, Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead proved he is indeed the very creator and a sustainer of life itself. And we see this in John chapter 1 beginning in verse 1. In the beginning, before all time, was the Word Christ, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God himself. He was present originally with God. All things were made and came into existence through him, and without him not even one thing was made that has come into being. Verse 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. You see, personally knowing Jesus as the Christ, which means the Anointed One and the Anointed of God, is the ultimate knowledge that Paul had in our opening scripture and was constantly endeavoring to attain. Jesus was the long-awaited King and Deliverer. To know our precious Lord by personally following him is to possess the ultimate gift that life can offer. Dear Church, to follow Jesus is to obey his commands and precepts. Dear Church, we cannot have a relationship, let alone with the fellowship of our Lord, unless we make him our master as well as our savior and our prince of peace. in this life you cannot get to know someone unless you spend time with them you would not marry someone without knowing all about them and most of all that you dearly love them before making a lifetime decision and commitment to live with them did you know that you and I are in preparation at this time to be among the bride church who will one day be privileged to be invited to the wedding feast, the marriage of the Lamb of God? In Revelation chapter 19, verses 7 and 8, we see this. The scripture declares, Let us rejoice and shout for joy, exulting and triumph. Let us celebrate and ascribe to him glory and honor. For the marriage of the Lamb at last has come, and his bride has prepared herself. She has been permitted to dress in fine linen, dazzling and white, for the fine linen it signifies, represents the righteous, the upright, just, and godly living, deeds and conduct, and right standing with God, of the saints, of God's holy people. these garments that we are to be putting on right now while we have breath are righteousness, purity and holiness according to the word of God and this is done by faith in what God's word teaches us in these holy demands and the personal experiential knowledge that you have experienced and learned and treasured in your journey in knowing Jesus Christ personally Have you fallen in love with him yet, dear listener? Is knowing Jesus your highest and greatest expectation in your life at this time? Or do you and are you still concentrated on the physical things and cares of the world? You know, Apostle Paul desired to know Jesus and the power of his resurrection. And we see this in Philippians chapter 3 verse 10. when he declares, For my determined purpose is that I may know him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of his nature more strongly and more clearly, that I may in some way come to know the power outflowing from his resurrection which it exerts over believers, and that I may also share in his sufferings as to be continually transformed in spirit into his likeness, even to his death in the home. You see, Paul gives us the example that to know Christ is a progressive process that grows into a deep and intimate fellowship with Jesus, which develops into personal experiential knowledge of his person, his ways, and his love. In Corinthians chapter 2, beginning in verse 14, Paul declares, But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph as trophies of Christ's victory, and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere. We are the sweet fragrance of Christ, which entails unto God, discernible alike, among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the latter it is an aroma, wafted from death to death, a fatal odor, the smell of doom. To the former, it is an aroma from life to life of a vital fragrance, living and fresh. And who is qualified, fit, and sufficient for these things? Who is able for such a ministry? We? For we are not like so many, like hucksters, making a trade of peddling God's word, shortchanging and adulterating the divine message, But like men of sincerity and the purest motive as commissioned and sent by God, we speak his message in Christ the Messiah in the very sight and presence of God. You see, we are to be active in achieving our ultimate goal as Christians by putting Christ's will above our own will in our daily lives. Making Jesus Christ our highest expectation and aim in our Christian lives should be the most important goal in our lives as we have breath on this earth. Paul prayed two of the greatest prayers prompted and inspired by the Holy Spirit, which encourages us to see the heart and will and desire of the Holy Spirit and to emulate. We see this first one in Ephesians chapter 3 beginning in verse 16. May he grant you out of rich treasury of his glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit himself indwelling in your inmost being and personality. Verse 17. 19, that you may really come to know practically through experience for yourselves the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge without experience, that you may be filled through all your being unto the fullness of God, may have the richest measure of the divine presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God himself. Verse 20. Jesus Christ throughout all generations forever and ever. Hallelujah. And the second one is found in Ephesians chapter 1 beginning in verse 17. For I always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that he may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation of insight into the mysteries and secrets in the deep an intimate knowledge of him by having your eyes flooded with light so that you can understand and hope to which he has called you and how rich is his glorious inheritance in the saints his set apart ones so that you can know and understand what is the immeasurable unlimited and surpassing greatness of his power in and for us who believe as demonstrated in the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. These two prayers were supernaturally inspired by the Spirit of the living God and are prayers that show the very heart and depth of God Almighty for his redeemed children. These prayers show us what should be the highest and greatest expectation of our goals in this life in order to attain the greater personal experiential knowledge required because true knowledge of our beloved bridegroom leads us into the divine revelation of God's righteousness and what he expects of us as his holy children and those who will one day be invited to the marriage supper of his dear son Jesus Christ. Dear Church, to truly know by personal experience and deeply love Jesus Christ as your Lord, your Savior, and one day as your Bridegroom should be your highest and greatest expectation and goal in your life at this time. Do not delay. Please do not delay. For time is short in this year of 2023. Thank you. Our subject today is called, What is the Greatest Treasure You Could Ever Desire? We are in the season of celebrating the most joyous occasion of the incarnation or the Son of God's coming into this world as a human being or coming in the flesh. This was prophesied by Isaiah the prophet, who tells us in Isaiah chapter 7 verse 14, Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Also, the New Testament account in Matthew chapter 1, verses 23 through 25, declares this truth. Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which when translated means God with us. Then Joseph, being aroused from his sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. He took her to his side as his wife, but he had no union with her as her husband until she had born her first son, and he called his name Jesus. This occasion is a celebration of the Nativity, and it is also called Christmas. Apostle Paul declared in Pelagians 2 verse 9 about our Lord He said In him Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily Our human minds cannot understand how Jesus can be fully God and fully man. You see, Jesus could not come to this earth in any other way. God's word tells us that no person can see God and live. And we know this by Moses' experience when he met Almighty God on the mountain and received the Ten Commandments. Moses himself learned that no one could approach God and live because he dwells in unapproachable light, according to Exodus chapter 33, verse 20, and in the New Testament in 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 16. Verse 16 tells us, Who alone has immortality, and in the sense of exemption from every kind of death, and lives in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. Unto him be honor and everlasting power and dominion. Amen. So be it. You see, God has come near unto us in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus has taken on the form in which he can be seen, by which he can be experienced and understood by us as human beings. Jesus reveals God the Father to us perfectly since his human life because he is the image of God exhibiting full likeness of the Father. Can I tell you that the unapproachable light is also called uncreated light? Just think about that. Jesus Christ dwelled and lived in the realm of the uncreated light of eternity. That means that he divested himself of his glory, the unapproachable, uncreated light that he was surrounded by to come to this earth and carry out the mission that his heavenly father had sent him to do. Uncreated light is not a light that is manufactured or created by humankind. The transfiguration of Christ on the mountain, where his three disciples saw him, Elijah and Moses, in a bright cloud that was so brilliant that they were only able to glimpse the three individuals and their radiant white clothing. They had to shield their eyes from the bright light. And what the disciples saw was the bright shining of Christ's own radiant uncreated light of his spirit, which was supreme and sovereign over flesh and clothing. and also regarding uncreated light Paul on the road to Damascus was blinded by the uncreated light of Christ when Jesus confronted him about what he was doing to hurt and kill his people Paul was absolutely blinded for three days until Jesus sent a prophet to pray for him and bring healing to him you see, what I have been sharing with you about the uncreated light of our Lord Jesus Christ is the same light that each believer who has confessed their sins, repented of their sins, asked Christ for forgiveness of their sins, and has committed their lives to live for him and obey him. In 1 John 1, beginning in verse 6, declares, So if we say we are partakers together and enjoy fellowship with him. When we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are both speaking falsely and do not live and practice the truth which the gospel presents. But if we really are living and walking in the light, as he himself is in the light, we have true unbroken fellowship with one another. And the blood of Jesus Christ and his son cleanses us, removes us from all sin and guilt, keeps us cleansed from sin and its forms and manifestations. Verse 8. If we say we have no sin, refusing to admit that we are sinners, we delude ourselves, lead ourselves astray, and the truth which the gospel presents is not in us and does not dwell in our hearts. If we freely admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just and true to his own nature and promises and will forgive our sins, dismiss our lawlessness, and continuously cleanse us from all unrighteousness, everything not in conformity to his will and purpose and thought and action. verse 10 and if we claim we have not sinned we contradict his word and make him out to be false and a liar and his word is not in us the divine message of the gospel is not in our hearts john's claim here is that christians who profess to have fellowship with god the father and his son Jesus, yet disobey God's commandments, is lying. John says in verse 7, but if we really are living and walking in the light, as he himself is in the light, we have true unbroken fellowship with one another. And the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanses, removes us from all sin and guilt, and It keeps us cleansed from sin in all of its forms and manifestations. You see, Apostle John makes it clear that a practicing sinner cannot have a close relationship or fellowship with a holy God. There's a story about a joyful Christian man who was walking along the road one day and met an Irish peddler and said to him, It's a wonderful thing to be saved Yes, that is true, said the peddler It certainly is true But I think there is something more that is equally as good as that Wow, what can you possibly think that is equal to salvation? Said the joyful Christian man The roadside peddler said I believe that fellowship with the man who has saved me is equal to salvation. That was his reply. He continued, when we know that we can rejoice with John and say, truly, our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. Dear listener, this is saying that just to be saved is not enough. There are a lot of professing Christians in name only who say they are saved and know Jesus. But their lives and fruit of their salvation does not depict a personal, intimate fellowship with their Savior. If we genuinely understand this as true believers in Christ, the source of the light that lives within us is the divine light of Jesus Christ's uncreated light. In John 8, verse 12, the Word declares, Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the light which is life. Jesus says, those that follow him shall not walk in darkness. In other words, those who follow him will be saved from ignorance, faithlessness, disloyalty, and sin. And this is saying that if we sincerely follow him, we become his disciple and will receive his Holy Spirit to bear witness that we are truly a child of God. Jesus said, we shall have the light of life, which brings the fountain of eternal life with it. You see, in a contrast analogy, the sun is the fountain of life by its vitalizing life, giving influences in all things in which neither animal nor vegetative life could exist if it were not for the influence of the sun. And who do you think created the sun? Jesus is the word who spoke all things into existence at the beginning of time. And we read this in the opening scriptures of Genesis. And according to Malachi, chapter 4, verse 2, Jesus is the Son of Righteousness, and he is the fountain of all spiritual and eternal life. In the Gospel of John, life is the main term that allows access to understanding of this key word. there are key necessities for human life and these four are described as light water, air and food and if the sun stopped shining everything would die and Jesus Christ is all of these he is the light of life and the light of the world and he is the son of righteousness which we just read in John chapter 8 verse 12 when he declared once more Jesus addressed the crowd and he said I am the light of the world he who follows me will not be walking in the dark but will have the light which is life and by his Holy Spirit he gives us the breath of life as stated in John chapter 3 verse 8 which declares The wind blows breathless where it wills. And though you hear not its sound, yet you neither know where it comes from or where it's going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. Precious Holy Spirit, who is noted as the water of life in John chapter 4 verse 10, when Jesus met the woman at the well and said to her, If you had only known and only recognized God's gift and who this is that is saying to you, give me a drink, you would have asked him instead and he would have given you living water. And as for food, Jesus is the bread of life that came down from heaven and not only has life, but gives life. but he is life in which he himself in his own word declares I am the bread of life he who comes to me will never be hungry and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on me will never thirst anymore at any time John chapter 6 verse 35 Jesus is speaking here of the spiritual food that only he can give in John's gospel light and darkness are reoccurring themes God is light while Satan is described as the power of darkness he teaches us that people who either love light or darkness and this is what controls their actions and their words you can find that in John chapter 3 verses 16 through 19 Those who believe on Christ are the sons of light. And just as when the first creation began with the word who is Christ and declared, let there be light. So the new creature or creation in Jesus Christ begins with the entrance of the uncreated supernatural light of life of Christ into their hearts as a believer. in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 beginning we read but even if our gospel the glad tidings also be hidden obscured covered up with the veil that hinders the knowledge of God is hidden only from those who are perishing and obscured only to those who are spiritually dying and veiled only to those who are lost verse 4 for the God of this world has blinded the unbelievers minds so that they shall not discern the truth, preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ the Messiah, who is the image and the likeness of God. Verse 5. For what we preach is not of ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves merely as your servants, slaves, for Jesus' sake. Verse 6. Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts, so as to beam forth the light, the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God, as it is manifest in the person and is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ the Messiah. Verse 7. However, we possess this precious treasure, the divine light of the gospel, in frail human vessels of the earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not ourselves. You see, there is an excellency of power of the divine light in the gospel of Christ Jesus, which enlightens the mind, convinces the conscience, and is able to convert one's soul and cause the heart to rejoice. Hallelujah! but you must understand dear listener all of this power is from God and it is a gift from God who is the author of light this is not from man men and women may be instruments of imparting this truth but it must be God above all things who must be glorified because of his precious Holy Spirit opens up the spiritual understanding of this truth and imparts it as divine knowledge and revelation into a hungry heart. James chapter 1 verse 17 declares, Every good gift and every perfect, free, large, full gift is from above. It comes down from the Father of all that gives light in the shining of, whom there can be no variation, rising or setting or shadow, cast by his turning in an eclipse. this divine, supernatural, uncreated light of Jesus Christ brings life with it. And they who walk in his light live in his life and grow in their relationship with him. And this relationship grows and matures into a wonderful and beautiful treasure called fellowship with the almighty living God who waits for you to come to him. In 1 John 1, beginning in we read, We are writing about the word of life in him who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard, whom our eyes have seen, our own eyes, whom we have gazed upon for ourselves and have touched with our own hands. Verse 2, and the life and aspect of his being was revealed, made manifest, demonstrated, and we saw as eyewitnesses and are testifying to and declared to you the life, the eternal life in him who already existed with the Father and who actually was made visible, was revealed to us, his followers. Verse 3 and what we have seen and ourselves heard we are also telling you so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us And this is fellowship that we have which is a distinguishing mark of Christians is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ the Messiah And we are now writing these things to you so that our joy in seeing you included may be full and your joy may be complete. Praise God. You see, without the light of our light, which is found in Jesus Christ alone. We cannot experience the divine and supernatural joy that Paul spoke of in Romans chapter 15, verse 13, which declares, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. Dear ones, what we are talking about today is what is the greatest treasure that you could ever have in this life on earth. And I think this little testimony involving a little child with her daddy portrays a simple analogy of a divine and supernatural happening in a true believer's life. It starts out by saying, If you really know God as your loving Heavenly Father, you consider companionship with Him your greatest treasure. I heard of a father who had to be away from home about seven months on his return back. He took his family to a shopping center. Hending some money to his little girl, he said, Lydia, take this money and buy anything you want. The little child's eye is filled with tears. She clung more tightly to her daddy's hand. What's the matter, honey? he asked. She said, I don't want more money, daddy. I just want you. You see, from out of a child's heart and mouth comes the desire within, because to a little one in the natural, their daddy is the closest resemblance to God that they could ever have. And I remember this as a vivid truth as a little girl. My Italian father traveled a lot on business, on business trips all over the United States. We would all gather around the telephone each night that he was gone, and Mother would pass the telephone around to each one of us five children to express how much we missed him. And of course, it was we girls out of one boy who would cry between our expressions of how much we missed him. And each one of us girls today think that our Papa was the most wonderful father that we could have ever had. but taking this into the supernatural realm our Heavenly Father is a true and revelatory truth that comes by inspiration of the Holy Spirit within each believer's life and soul that makes it known that God is real and the cry from within us should be I need you my Heavenly Father and I thank you for giving me the greatest treasure in your son, Jesus Christ. Jesus becomes the Lord of your life and you know that through the help and the power of precious Holy Spirit you must guard and protect the knowledge of the truth that you have learned which is inspired by the true light that came into your soul on the day that you invited Jesus into your heart and truth became illuminated in God's word. John chapter 1 beginning in verse 9 declares, There it was, the true light was then coming into the world, the genuine, perfect, steadfast light that illumines every person. He came down into the world and that the world was made through him, The world did not recognize him, did not know him. He came to that which belonged to him, to his own, his domain, creation, things, world. And they who were his own did not receive him and welcome him. But to as many that did receive and welcome him, he gave the authority, the power, privilege, and right to become children of God. that is, those who believe, adhere to, trust in, and rely on his name. So, as we grow in this wonderful understanding, our prayers should be like King David, who cried out, Keep me and guard me as the pupil of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings, O God. David's intent in this prayer simply means that he needed God's constant care and oversight so that he might honor the Lord and enjoy all the promises and many blessings that only God could give him. God alone is good and apart from him, oh dear listener, we have nothing. We come to understand that our greatest treasure on this earth that we could ever have is a wonderful relationship and fellowship with our precious Savior. Jesus is the highest privilege in life that we could ever desire or want. When we have this kind of relationship building in our lives, everything else is added in the blessing of becoming Christ-like in our outward demonstration of love and care and concern for others rather than just thinking of me, myself, and I. And when Jesus Christ is your Savior, your refuge, and the Lord of your life, you experience God's goodness even in the midst of fiery trials. Our relationship to our circumstances with other people in the future depends with our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. And what we're talking about here is the love of God in the hearts of each true child of God. God loves us much more than we could love our children or our spouse or siblings. He loves us more than we love ourselves. Our loving creator loves his people so much that he gives them all that he has. How do we know this? because he gave us his only begotten son who became poor and died a horrible death on the cross so that we could become rich in him. Jesus Christ is the greatest treasure or gift that we could ever desire, dear ones. He is eternal life. In closing, we read in Romans chapter 8, beginning in verse 35, where Apostle Paul expresses, Who shall ever separate us from Christ's love? Shall suffering and affliction or tribulation or calamity or distress or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword? Verse 36, Even as it is written, For thy sake we are put to death all day long. We are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet, amid all these things, we are more than conquerors, and gain a surpassing victory through him who loved us. For I am persuaded, beyond doubt and sure, that neither life, nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers. Verse 39, nor height, nor breadth, or anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in our Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. This is divine love in motion, dear one. You will never find a limit in the almighty power, all-knowing and all-seeing God, who loves you dearly and gave you his Son to be cherished and worshipped, to be adored for what he has done in making eternal life possible for all who choose him as their Savior. God's steadfast love endures forever, and his knowledge extends to the fall of a single sparrow and the number of hair on our heads. Just think about that. Sparrows are some of the kind of birds that are very numerous, maybe one of the most numerous of all birds. God knows when one of them falls. And he knows on each and every one of you when one hair falls, he knows that. That is amazing. All-knowing, all-seeing, and all-powerful. Nothing will ever separate us from the love of God if you always make Jesus Christ your treasure, your greatest treasure in this life, and obey and worship and honor him until your very last breath on this earth. For all who do this, they have cherished and understood the supernatural divine light, the unapproachable light that lives within them. Hallelujah. Thank you. The title of this message in which I bring you today is called The Wonderful Supernatural Miracle of Being Rescued from the Power of Darkness. Before we begin this awesome word today, I must preface this liberating word by informing and alerting you first to the unpleasant fact that we live in a day and an hour in which much uncertainty meets us face to face every day. Many things in the news are surfacing in this year of 2021 as to the evil and wickedness of the perversions of men and women which has permeated the world over. This movement is led by satanic cults who work around the world and who feed and prey on little children, young boys, young women, and is absolutely despicable, nauseating, and abominable in God's eyes and in the eyes of those who love God and his human creation. Not only is this an insidious worldwide movement designed to capture the children, but it also spreads its evil net to blot out Christianity throughout the whole world. The COVID-19 pandemic is really biological warfare in a movement and has afforded these evil people the ability to control whole populations around the globe and to dictate what is allowed and what is not permissible. We who are citizens of the United States of America are being threatened with our freedoms, which we have enjoyed for many years as the only free nation on this earth. If you have noticed, the meeting of Christian churches has been strategically targeted and many times forbidden to hold and meet in their services where they honor the great and living God whom they adore. This evil movement has closed down private businesses in our nation, causing many to fall into bankruptcy. This insidious evil plot left many with no means in which to take care of their families, leaving many to become homeless and wander hungry in the streets. The comforting aspect of God's righteous justice is, yes, it is a total disgrace, and yet the many who are architects behind the scenes will one day stand before their almighty maker who takes notice of every single move and evil doing that they orchestrate against people on this earth. The end for the wicked comes quickly and suddenly. And Psalms 73 verses 18 through 20 declare, What a slippery path they are on. Suddenly God will send them sliding over the edge of the cliff down to their destruction. Verse 19. an instant end to all of their happiness and eternity of terror. Their present life is only a dream. They will awaken to the truth as one awakens from a dream of things that never really were. When they awaken to the truth, as verse 20 declares, it is too late for them to repent because there is no basis to debate or argue any longer. Suddenly and unexpectedly destruction falls upon them. They are totally consumed with terror and they perish and are destroyed and live in their own fears for eternity. This is the divine administration of God. Their power and greed, ill-gained wealth cannot save them. They have entered into what the Bible calls eternal death. But as believers in Jesus Christ living in this evil world today, the Lord tells us in John 8, verse 30, So if the Son liberates you, makes you free men, then you are really unquestionably free. Hallelujah. And this says that Jesus is the only one who can set you and me free from the bondage and dominion of sin. He will truly make you and me unquestionably free. We shall be blessed with the most liberating freedom that does not necessarily represent the chains of oppression of earthly rulers and wicked politicians, but this is a freedom from the bondage of sin. Praise God! People can become truly free by becoming a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, who is the very Son of God and is the door and the way to the Father. For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. Galatians 3.26 Let's turn to Colossians chapter 1 to begin this word today. Colossians chapter 1 In the epistle of Paul, he lays out and establishes so clearly what we are looking at in this word today, called the wonderful supernatural miracle of being rescued from the power of darkness. And we must first establish the one who is the power behind the one who is being rescued from the clutches and devices of the evil one called saint and the devil. Let's turn again. Colossians, beginning in verse 1. Paul, an apostle, special messenger of Jesus Christ the Messiah, by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to saints, consecrated people of God, and believing the faithful brethren in Christ, who are at Colossae, grace, spiritual favor, and blessing to you, and heart peace from our God, our Father. Verse 3, we continually give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, as we are praying for you. We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, the leaning of your entire human personality on him in absolute trust and confidence in his power, his wisdom and goodness and of love, which you have shown for all the saints, God's consecrated ones. Verse 5, because of the hope of experiencing what is laid up, reserved and waiting for you in heaven, of this hope you have heard in the past in the message of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you. Indeed, in the whole world, that gospel is bearing fruit and still growing by its own inherent power, even as it is done among yourselves ever since the day you first heard and came to know and understand the grace of God in truth. You came to know the grace or undeserved favor of God in reality deeply and clearly and thoroughly, becoming accurately and intimately acquainted with it. You so learned Epaphos, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ in our stead and as our representative and yours. Verse 8. Also he has informed us of your love in the Holy Spirit. For this reason we also, from the day we heard it, have not ceased to pray and make special requests for you, asking that you may be filled with the full, deep, clear knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom, comprehensive insight into ways and purposes of God, and in understanding and discernment in spiritual things. Verse 10, that you may walk, live, and conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him and desiring to please him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition. Verse 11, we pray that you might be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of his glory to exercise every kind of endurance and patience, perseverance and forbearance with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints, God's holy people in the light. Verse 13, the father has delivered and drawn us to himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the son of his love. 14, and whom we have our redemption through his blood, which means the forgiveness of our sins. Hallelujah. This is so rich and so full and so pregnant. You see, this liberation and freeing from the control and the dominion of darkness is totally due to the price and the cost of Jesus Christ. The price that he paid for the forgiveness of our sins by his precious blood. These verses name the name of Jesus five times. And we see in verse 10, Jesus is referred to as Lord. Jesus must be both Savior and Master to each one of us individually. We must personally see our dear Savior as the one who holds all power over all darkness. Jesus Christ is mentioned as having delivered believers from the power of darkness and their sinful lives. When he said, it is finished, Jesus had completed the work of deliverance for us. And this is considered an accomplished fact. It is done. It is finished. Finito. He's delivered us from the power of darkness. Can't say it any different way. This deliverance took place once and for all at the time that when Christ Jesus died on the cross at Calvary. As a truly redeemed, we should always have the deepest heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the cost and the price that he paid for each one of us. If Jesus was not who he was, that is the incarnate God, he could have not accomplished deliverance and forgiveness of sins for us. But this is not the case. even though he was accused of being a heretic. We see in Mark chapter 2, verse 7, that when an individual stood up in the crowd and said, Why does this man talk like this? He's blaspheming. Who can forgive sins, remove guilt, and remit the penalty and bestow righteousness, except God alone? And notice in Colossians 1.15 how Paul stresses Christ's deity, who is the image of the invisible God. Verse 15, now he is the exact likeness of the unseen God, the invisible representation of the invisible. He is the firstborn of all creation. And also, in Colossians 2, verse 9, he declares, For in him Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. So, the very fact that Jesus could be seen due to his incarnation proved the reality of the invisible God. Hallelujah! And this tells us that Jesus Christ willingly took upon himself all of humanity's sin. What love! What love! Adam was our representation for sinful nature due to the fall in the garden. But Jesus alone acted not as our own representative, but also our substitute. Praise God, dear listener, what a Savior. He took upon himself our sins and became sin for us. And yet he did not become sinful. His sacrifice was once and for all, and it delivered humanity from its sins, both inherited and personal. And he did it all. Then he never asked permission from us for help in any way. He did it because it was the only way in which we could be forgiven of our sins. And it was by his precious blood. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 22 declares, In fact, under the law, almost everything is purified by means of blood and without the shedding of blood. There is neither release from sin and its guilt nor remission of the due and merited punishment for sin. Jesus took our sins and our diseases, which are consequences of our sins upon himself. What a Savior, dear church. What a Savior. He accomplished his work on the cross when he said, It is finished. The work he came to do was finished, but he was not finished. His work was effective when he delivered us from the power of darkness. No one else could have done what Jesus did because no one else was God-man. Not only did he forgive our sins in verse 14, it says simultaneously he liberated us as individuals. Who has delivered us? Jesus Christ, amen. Jesus Christ not only takes away our sins, which is the meaning of forgiveness, but our Heavenly Father also transfers us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light of his dear Son. Salvation is not a mere rescue operation, but it is to be a fellowship with him who rescued us. Praise God. We become his subjects, and he becomes our king. He is a loving, kind, generous king who has only our best interest at heart. It is a fact of history. This is our fixed position in salvation. When Jesus transfers us to darkness to light, Acts chapter 26, verse 18 declares, to open their eyes, that they may turn away from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so they may thus receive forgiveness and release from their sins and a place and portion among those who are consecrated and purified by faith in me. so Paul reiterated the statement in Acts praise God we think about this once we are rescued the true believer in Christ Jesus is set in place where they share inheritance which is their legal right to what our heavenly father allots to each one Ephesians 5 verse 8 declares For once you were in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light, lead the lives of those native born to the light. So, you see, darkness is the same as spiritual death, which characterizes the sinner. And Ephesians 2, 1 declares, And you he has made alive when you were dead, slain by your trespasses and sins. John chapter 17 verse 2 and 3 tells us that the redeemed are given eternal life, which is the life of God. Just think about this. When we came to Christ and live in him by our obedience to his commands, we are rescued from the power of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of the Son. To be in Christ, or yoked to him, is the utmost of salvation. One of my favorite scriptures is found in John 15, verse 7, where Jesus tells us as his children, If you live in me, abide vitally united to me, my words remain in you, ask whatever you will, and it will be done for you. Another version that I like is, if you live in me and my word lives in you, ask me what you will, and it will leap into existence and become a fact. I like that version. So you see, these words of God abide in us by our, this is the way that it happens, that the words of God living in or abiding in us will be truly by knowing them, by believing them, by remembering them, and also by being faithful in the observance of them and living them. Hallelujah. And the effect of them abiding or living in us will be that they purify us. They make us clean from the defilement of our old life when we lived in darkness. And lastly, they bring forth good fruit in us. Jesus said in John chapter 15, verses 4 through 8, Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. Verse 5. I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away in withers. such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. And if you remain in me and my words live in you, then ask what you wish, it will be given to you. This is to my Father's glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. Dear listener, this is a wonderful supernatural miracle of being rescued from the power of darkness. But you must know, we who are in Christ are not immune from the attacks of the devil or from evil people or from sin. But that divine love which brought us to Christ will never allow anyone to steal us from our precious Savior. Listen to what our chief apostle tells us in Romans chapter 8 verses 35. Who shall ever separate us from Christ's love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation, or calamity and distress, or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword, even as it is written, For thy sake we are put to death all day long. We are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet amend all these things we are more than conquerors and gain surpassing victory through him who loved us. I am persuaded beyond doubt, am sure, that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor things impending and threatening nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in our Lord Jesus Christ. This love of God, which is in Christ, not only rescues us, but also keeps us, saves us completely to the highest degree. Paul in Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25 declares, Therefore he is able also to save to the uttermost, completely, perfectly, finally, and for all times and eternity. Those who come to God through him, since he is always living to make petition to God and intercede with them and intervene for them. So then, who are those who are actually delivered from the power of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of God, you might ask. But listen, not everyone is automatically delivered from darkness God universally provides some things for all to enjoy whether they acknowledge God as the almighty creator or not The common benefits of his provision or his providence to people who do not know or acknowledge him enjoy the air that he provides to their lungs, which sustains life to their bodies. They enjoy the rain, the sunshine, the physical life which he provides. The particular supernatural benefits and gifts and blessings of God are only to those who acknowledge and repent of their sins before God and confess the need for his son Jesus Christ before they can enjoy the wonderful gifts that he provides. this precious gift is the gift of salvation and you can have peace towards God and be justified before him have access to and fellowship with God and you can rejoice in tribulation only if you by faith receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and obey his every command notice how Paul states his remarks to the Colossians in verse 4. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, that is what you need for deliverance from the sower of darkness and for your transfer into the kingdom of his son, of his love. Well, then what really is the power of darkness? You see, Jesus delivers us not only from the realm of darkness, death, and sin, but also from the power of it. For example, regarding Jesus delivering us from Satan and his not having authority over us any longer, I share this account of my life. Years ago in my walk with God, I was involved in an accident where my first cervical vertebrae in my neck was fractured I went through years of physical therapy and surgeries in my jaws for TMJ repair. One year after my first accident, my husband and I were involved in another accident where we both received injuries. Almost a year later, my son and I were in an accident where a car ran into us. When Lee and I were in the prayer meeting, I shared with the prayer group the incidents of these accidents. Some precious individual stood up in the group and said, The devil has an assignment on your life, and we all need to agree that this assignment be broken over you and your family. and dear listener since that time we have not been plagued with accidents because the power of darkness was broken over our lives as long as we are living in christ and yoked to him we are protected from the arrows of the evil one if we are truly living in christ and walking in his spirit. We are not under the authority of sin, although sin at times comes to tempt us. Now remember, temptation is not a sin unless you grab a hold of that temptation and do what it encourages you to do. Satan's power of darkness will never have mastery over us unless we partake of the apple like Eve did. We may have a couple of battles to fight, but we will not lose the war. Hallelujah. Amen. In Romans chapter 8, verses 31 through 37, the apostle declares, what then shall we say to all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who can be our foe if God is on our side? He who did not uphold or spare even his own son, but gave him up for us all. Will he not also with him freely and graciously give us all other things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect when it is God who justifies, that is, who puts us in right relationship with himself? and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, who acquits us, who is there to condemn us? Will Christ Jesus, the Messiah, who died, or rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, actually pleading as he intercedes for us? Verse 35, who shall ever separate us from Christ's love. Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation or calamity and distress or persecution or hunger and destitution or peril and sword? Verse 36, even as it is written, for thy name's sake we are put to death all the day long. We are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet amid all these things, we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through him who loved us. Praise God. Praise God. You see, our deliverance continues and is ongoing. He who delivered us and transferred us into the light told us to pray for and expect continued deliverance. Hallelujah. But we must ask this question, from whom and what are we delivered. Well, we're delivered from the devil. Amen. And any work arising or proceeding from him. In Matthew 6, verse 13, Jesus says, and lead, bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours, Father, is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. And 2 Timothy 4, verse 18, the word tells us, And indeed the Lord will certainly deliver and draw me to himself from every assault of evil. He will persevere and bring me safe into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. we are also delivered from temptation according to 2 Peter 2 9 if this is so then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for that day of judgment while continuing their punishment and we're delivered from our enemies and evil people and also from depression and defeat and suffering 2 Peter 2, verse 7 declares, And he rescued righteous Lot, greatly worn out and distressed by the wanton ways of the ungodly and lawless. We see so much today in the same kinds of evil that Lot saw back in his day. And we cannot grow weary or grow tired and let it override or overcome us. We are delivered, dear ones, from the mouth of a lion that is from those impossible and overwhelming situations that happen and seemingly come out of the blue. We are delivered from persecutions of all kinds, from the wrath of God, which is the tribulation period. We shall be delivered. Dear listener, what we have seen through this word should greatly cause an excitement within our hearts and our spirits to the great revelation of God himself and how great and truly awesome he really is. And this should cause us to eternally be thankful and express this praise daily in our hearts. You see, God is looking for this gratitude and this praise from his redeemed who are delivered and rescued from the power of darkness because of what his son did for us personally. God desires to invoke this thankfulness within us once this revelation of himself is revealed. Please know that God being love is truly something he longs to share with us. Divine love yearns for its object to respond, even as our need yearns for a being to meet that need. And this is what he created us for. Isaiah 30 verse 18, Yet the Lord still waits for you to come to him, so he can show you his love. And this is truly the wonderful supernatural miracle of being rescued from the power of darkness. Almighty God who is creator of all things longs to share his love with human beings whom he created. And nothing could be more beautiful or sweet or precious than union and oneness with our almighty creator and savior Jesus Christ. He waits patiently for all of mankind to come to him so he can show them his love. Dear listener, allow him to conquer you so he can bless you with an inheritance in heaven. And he tells us in Isaiah 30 verse 18 that he loves us with an everlasting love. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, blessed be our great God and creator and savior and Lord Jesus Christ our King. The End of having a cheerful heart. God's Word declares in Proverbs chapter 15 verses 13 through 15, a merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness. All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast. A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by the sorrow of the heart, the spirit is broken. And also in Proverbs chapter 17, verse 22, the word tells us, a happy or merry heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. In Hebrew, the word for Mary means joyful, happy, full of cheer. You see, the heart is representative of a person's inner self, their thoughts, their emotions, and their will. And we just read that a joyful heart is good medicine. As we all know, medicine is something that treats or alleviates the symptoms of disease. Scripture repeatedly testifies to the powerful effects of the mind on the body. Proverbs chapter 14 verse 30 declares, a calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body, but envy, jealousy, and wrath are li