Conversion, Obedience and Health

God's Healing Series #5

Fred R. Coulter

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We're going to cover a little bit more concerning health and healing. Someone has already complained about what I'm covering: 'Does this mean that we're not going to be anointing?' No! This does not mean that we are not going to be anointing—quite the opposite! When we anoint, we're going to anoint for sicknesses, plus we're also going to understand that there may be some things that we need to take care of spiritually as well as physically.

Some of the things that I'm covering are in the spiritual/emotional situations that we come across, which if not resolved when they come can, over a period of time, cause the body to have weaknesses, sicknesses and things like this.

Let's go to John 5 and see what Jesus told the man who had an infirmity for 38 years. We don't know what it was, but because he was slow coming down into the pool whenever the angel came and agitated the water, we would have to say that since it is something that he has had for 38 years that we could liken unto—we don't know but we can give a guess—something like rheumatoid arthritis to where he could hardly move.

After he was healed, then he finally finds Jesus in the temple. John 5:14: "After these things, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, 'Behold, you have been made whole. Sin no more, so that something worse does not happen to you.'" What was his sin? We're not told! The implication is that this infirmity that he had for 38 years had something to do with an on-going sin—didn't it?

Since he was a Jew living in Jerusalem, chances are he wasn't eating unclean meats—was he? Since at that time there were no McDonalds, we can't blame it on Big Mac. We can't blame it on genetically engineered foods—can we? No! So, we can conclude that it is likely that it could be some of the things that we have been talking about that cause—and they know today and they also knew back then—sickness. I'm talking about avoiding chronic things.

I just had a situation with a man, and in discussing things with him there were some things that were somewhat corrective to him. What we need to understand is that when something comes along where it is corrective, whether it is something out of God's Word or something that someone is giving you some counselor advice concerning something that is going to be helpful to you, sometimes it's very hard to take. In order for it to come to the point that we repent and turn to God, sometimes the Word of God has to act.

That's why Paul writes in Hebrews 4:12: "For the Word of God is living... [Jesus said, 'The Words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life.'] ...and powerful..."—meaning there is no way that you are going to go against the Word of God in any manner whatsoever and not have some kind of result, whether it is of actual overt, outward transgression of a commandment, or whether it is one hidden in the inner, covert sin of the heart. It's going to have an action/reaction somewhere along the line.

"...and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of both soul and spirit... [You can't get it any finer than that—can you?] ...and of both the joints and the marrow, and is able to discern... [or judge] ...the thoughts and intents of the heart" (v 12). Paul was writing this because our battles and the things that we're doing—once we understand the commandments of God and we're keeping the commandments of God in the letter—then it becomes the process of:

• growing
• overcoming
• keeping them in the spirit

God is no longer dealing with just the external things that we do. If we have the Spirit of God, God is dealing with the thoughts and the intents of the heart. There are some thoughts, because we are evil by nature, which tend to put us in attitudes, emotional states and thoughts that can also affect our well being and can also bring upon us very difficult things indeed.

Verse 13: "And there is not a created thing that is not manifest in His sight..." We can fool ourselves; we can fool other people—some of the time, not all the time—but we can never fool God! We are always manifest in His sight!

Let's look at it this way: How does God handle it when we have His Spirit and we're fighting these inner battles to overcome sin, because God knows them—right? Yes, indeed! That's why with repentance you are covered by grace!

• Does God know that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked? Yes, indeed!
• Does He know that we have the law of sin and death in us? Yes, indeed!

He gave it to us.

• Does He know that we're well-intentioned as human beings and want to do good but can't find the real, true way to do it? Yes, indeed!

What He wants you to understand, though all of these things are true, He does not want you to:

• get despaired
• have a guilt complex
• get down so low that you are ready to abandon God

He doesn't want that at all! He just wants you to understand "...but all things are naked and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account" (v 13).

What do we do in this case? Do we say, 'I'm so ashamed that I don't even want to pray?' Do we say, 'How can God put up with me as a sinner this way?' Which is a little different than the one who has one foot in the world and one foot in the Church; or double-minded, thinking half the time the way of the world and half the time the way of God. No! This is different! This is so that each one of us can come to the true knowledge of self before God and realize that

• God has called us
• God has forgiven us
• God will continue to do so

That's why He is exposing these things so that you will come to Christ!

Verse 14: "Having therefore, a great High Priest, Who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, we should hold fast the confession of our faith." In the light of everything concerning:

• what our human nature is
• what the world is
• everything around us

regardless of the circumstances.

Verse 15: "For we do not have a high priest who cannot empathize with our weaknesses..." Christ knows—doesn't He? Yes, He does! If Christ be in us, which He is, then He knows—doesn't He? That's the key as to why He has only given us an 'earnest' of the Holy Spirit!

I just got done writing the commentaries and I'm essentially done writing the detailed commentaries:

• Appendix R: What is Meant by "the Works of the Law"?
• Appendix Q: What Does it Mean to be "Born of God"—which means: begotten of God.

You're not born again, yet, but you are begotten. The reason that God has only given the begettal is because, just like a newly begotten infant in the womb, it must grow and develop and come to the point in time of being ready for birth.
Our process of overcoming has to do with growing in grace, knowledge, understanding and coming to have the mind of Christ. We are still fighting this human nature—and it is a friction and thing that we have to fight—Paul said that only Christ could save him from it. Therefore, God has only given the begettal of the Holy Spirit so that you can grow in grace and knowledge; so that you can understand the depths of human nature so you can repent of it, etc.

God is merciful and kind and doesn't show all of this to us all at once, in the beginning. If He did, no one could handle it! As I mentioned before, what God is doing with us is to His glory, to His honor, because He's doing the impossibility that no man can do; that only God can do, and that is, to make you perfect for the resurrection! God can do that, but He does want our cooperation and He does want our willingness. The truth is, we can do them! The truth is we can, because we have a great High Priest! When we ask forgiveness we are forgiven.

Here's the reason why, v 15: "...but one Who was tempted in all things according to the likeness of our own temptations; yet, He was without sin." He knows—doesn't He? The hardest thing for human nature to admit, when there are inner sins, is to admit them to God. You don't have to admit them to anyone else—to God. He knows already—doesn't He? If God brings it to your attention through the spirit that is in you, then God is also working with you. That's part of the work that God is creating in you' He creates in youby putting in:

• His Spirit
• His Word
• His laws
• His commandments
• His attitude
• the mind of Christ

That means there has to be a constant working against human nature, and that's on a daily basis.

That's why when we come before God there is no condemnation (Rom 8:1-3). Since God gave you only a portion of His Holy Spirit for a begettal, and since God has not removed human nature but He is converting it—meaning changing it—therefore, there is no condemnation to you before God. When you come along and find these different things, the inward, hidden sins of the heart and mind, and God is revealing those, you need to pray and ask God for forgiveness. I do, you do, everyone does! That's the battle that's constantly going on—isn't it? Didn't the Apostle Paul have to? Yes, indeed! We need to understand that relationship to what we are doing.

Verse 16: "Therefore, we should come with boldness... [through Christ, obviously with repentance] ...to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." That's what God wants us to do. This is a daily thing that we go through.

Let's review something in Matt. 19 just to make sure that we understand and realize it. We need to spiritually graduate as it were from just the external obedience in the letter, which, many people can do. We need to graduate from that to the internal. That's why it came up this way in Matt. 19. For those who only look to the external, this is going to be hard for them to understand. That's why it was hard for the disciples to understand it.

Matthew 19:16: "Now, at that time, one came to Him and said, 'Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?' And He said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good except one—God...'"(vs 16-17). The reason Jesus said that at the time was because: He was God in the flesh and He had human nature. He could not be called 'good' of Himself because of bearing human nature. He still had yet to finish unto the end and not sin.

A lot of people point to this and say, 'See, He was not God before He was human because if He was God, then He would include Himself in this.' At the time He was saying this, the only God there was was God the Father in heaven above. Christ was God manifest in the flesh, but He certainly did not have all the glory of God shining forth while He was in the flesh.

"'...But if you desire to enter into life, keep the commandments.' Then he said to Him, 'Which?' And Jesus said, 'You shall not commit murder'..." (vs 17-18). A lot of Protestants turn here and say, 'See! See! See! He did not mention the Sabbath. Therefore, since He didn't mention the Sabbath, we don't have to keep it. Well, He mentioned it in several other places, Mark 2, Matt. 15, etc. and inspired it in Heb. 4, 'There remains, therefore, Sabbath-keeping for the people of God.' Remember what kind of society were they living in? They were living in a society

• that kept the Sabbath
• that kept the Holy Days
• that had the temple of God

There was no need mentioning those because He lived in an environment where those were automatic. Therefore, the ones that He covered were these:

"...you shall not commit murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness honor your father and your mother; and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself" (vs 18-19). The last one, we will see, the young man didn't do.

Verse 20: "The young man said to Him, 'I have kept all these things from my youth. What do I yet lack?' Jesus said to him, 'If you desire to be perfect...'" (vs 20-21). This is going on the spiritual track—isn't it? Didn't we read where Jesus said that we're to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect? Of course, that is an impossible thing that only God can accomplish.

"'...go and sell your property, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me.'…. [that was a pretty hefty thing to do] ...But after hearing this word, the young man went away grieving, because he had many possessions" (vs 21-22). The whole story is physical obedience to the letter of the law and physical things—you can say we found the Laodicean in the Gospels—do not meet the requirements for eternal life! You have to do them in the spirit.

God wants something from each one of us that is greater than the external commandment-keeping.

• How many millions of people honor their fathers and mothers?
• How many millions of people do not murder?
• How many millions of people, though getting less and less, do not commit adultery or sexual perversion?
• How many millions of people do not steal?
• How many millions of people are willing to tell the truth in the letter?

So, it's possible for carnal, unconverted people—which this rich man was—to keep the commandments of God in the letter. The truth is, God requires that of all human beings—did you know that? The letter of the law is not going to produce eternal life! If it were by the letter of the law then you would have works that would compel God to give you eternal life. Eternal life is a gift from God and no law can give eternal life though you are to keep the commandments of God not only in the letter, but also in the spirit.

• What is it that God wants?
• What is it that He is going to provide?
• How is it possible to please God?

Let's come to Luke 14 because this is the rest of the story of Matt. 19. You can read the whole chapter and read what comes up to this. First of all, He talks about the Pharisees and the lawyers and what they have done.

Luke 14:11: "For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and the one who humbles himself shall be exalted." If you had works that you could do, you could boast. Then He gives the example: Don't just invite your friends, relatives and kinfolks for dinner, invite those who have nothing. He's asking people to do the opposite of what carnality normally thinks—correct? Yes, indeed! Then He talks about the wedding supper, how it was made ready and everyone gave an excuse and didn't come.

Verse 23: "Then the lord said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited shall taste of my supper.' And great multitudes were going with Him..." (vs 23-25) What does it talk about 'the way of the multitudes' vs the way of God? 'Broad is the gate and wide is the way that leads to destruction.' That's why Satan has to have broad religions covering every facet of different societies, so that he can keep them deceived.

"...and He turned and said to them..." (v 25). This is what people don't like to hear, but this is what we have to come to when we come to God; In answering the call to God, this is what we have to come to in everything that we do:

Verse 26: "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife..." That means that when you look at the account in Matt. 10 it means to love God more than any of these. They may even take it as hate toward them, but treat them in as a loving way as you can. That is before God. He his saying here that this is the requirement

"...and children, and brothers and sisters, and, in addition, his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not carry his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple" (vs 26-27).

What is it that God wants? He wants all of you! That's what He wants! He does not want a portion of you on Sabbath or Sunday, as the Protestants would put it. You put on your Sunday or Sabbath best, and you get all 'gussied up' and you go to church; you're nice, friendly, shake hands and everything is good, lovely and fine—that's okay, God expects that. He doesn't expect you to come in your worst clothing and come in blazing, shooting and all that sort of stuff. He doesn't expect that.

He wants all of you: heart, mind, soul and being! This is why God hates hierarchy that leverages that to itself. In the things that God wants us to do, we are to be completely whole-hearted to God. Part of the reason why, as I mentioned last time about the church wars that people get so disillusioned in church wars is because they have not made this commitment to God but have given it to a man! When the man goes bad or sins, which all men do to a greater or lesser degree, then they become disillusioned because they haven't given this commitment to God. Hence, you have anger, bitterness, frustration, and all of these things that come along with it. Of course, we have all gone down that road—haven't we? Yes, indeed! God wants all of you!

In order for God to have all of you, you have to forsake everything. That's what it's talking about. You may have possessions; you may have different things, that's fine. God has probably blessed you with them, that's good. Don't make an idol of them! Don't put any of those things before God. This is the spiritual commitment that we make to God. What commitment did Jesus Christ make for you? What did He do? In going over some of these things, I'm not covering something that is beyond being able to do. What did God do for you? Christ gave up being God to become a human being! To come down here and

• live a perfect life
• be taught of God the Father
• called His disciples and the apostles
• set the things in motion for the Church

Then gave His life in perfect love in a sacrifice so great that when we come to God, what He asks us to give up and sacrifice—even to our own physical life compared to what He did—is really very small; though it is great to us because the only life we have is this. That's what God desires. That's why God hates religion because religion comes between God and the individual!

Here's what God wants and there's going to be a fight against religion here, Matthew 10:34: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on the earth... [You can individually have peace with God through repentance and so forth, but not on the earth.] ...I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man at variance against his father... [Doesn't that tie in with Luke 14? Yes!] ...and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's enemies shall be those of his own household" (vs 34-36).

When you have that, what is one of the things that you want to do? We'd like to have peace rather than a family feud—correct? Mother and father come to you and say, 'If you'd just give up this 'kooky' religion of yours'—because they can't understand it in any other terms than religious terms—'then we could get along.' or 'You've quit coming to church on Sunday with me and you have just hurt my feelings.' In this case here: 'You've quit coming to synagogue and now you're going with that group over there.' Either way, the same principle applies. The ones that you will want to make peace with, are those of your own family—aren't they? Yes! That's the hardest thing. That's why He puts it this way.

Verse 37: "The one who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and the one who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And the one who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me" (vs 37-38). We're now talking about spiritual things. If God did this for us and then, in turn, gives us His Holy Spirit. Since He died for us and was resurrected for our justification, when we repent and received the Holy Spirit of God, we belong to Him and Him alone!

Though we are married, husband and wife, though we have children, eternal life is worth it and the momentary strife that occurs because you

• choose God instead of your family
• choose God instead of your work
• choose God instead of whatever

God will be able to compensate you for that and much more, as He says, 'not only in this life but also in the Kingdom of God.' He's offering you eternal life. All these other little hurts and things that come along and the problems and difficulties, God is going to solve in His way, in His time and in His plan. In the long run, He's going to take care of it, because He's Creator!

Verse 39: "The one who has found his life shall lose it... [in this world] ...and the one who has lost his life for My sake shall find it." This is the exact opposite of the world and this is why it's impossible for physical things and 'letter of the law' obedience to give you eternal life! In doing those things, you are not required to give yourself wholly to God; but when you repent, are baptized and receive the Holy Spirit of God, that's what He requires! God will bless you for it. Maybe some of the blessing will be a trial.

William Tyndale had one little part that was good. He said, 'It's better to be poor and have Christ than to have riches, which God gives to His enemies.' What did Satan say when he was tempting Christ? He said, 'All of this will be Yours if You worship me.' This is why God has called us and why we're doing the things that we do.

Notice, there are some blessings, v 41: "The one who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive the reward of a prophet... [God is fair and kind and understanding—isn't He?] ...and the one who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive the reward of a righteous man. And if anyone shall in the name of a disciple give to one of these little ones... [that is, of Christ] ...to drink a cup of cold water only, truly I say to you, he shall in no way lose his reward" (vs 41-42).

What are all of these things here? These are, obviously, receiving and doing from the heart! God is not asking you to give up something that you should not be willing to give up! We'll cover some of that in just a minute. I think what we're going to cover is going to help us:

• understand more of the grace and love of God
• realize, comprehend and understand even more the work that God is doing in us
• learn how to yield to God and grow in grace and knowledge
• overcome these inner, covert, unseen sins

That God's blessing, wisdom, understanding and grace will be on us that much more.

Once we receive the Holy Spirit, this is what is to happen: I mentioned that we are to be wholly God's, that is: we are wholly belonging to Him!

• we love God
• we worship God
• we serve God
• we keep His commandments

With His Holy Spirit and His Word, He then exposes our human nature to us; our thoughts and our minds are changed over a period of time.

Romans 12:1 "I exhort you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice... [it belongs to God] ...Holy and well pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service." That reasonable or spiritual service, not only are the things that are outward, but more particularly the things that are inward.

Verse 2: "Do not conform yourselves to this world... [not only in the way of living, but also in the way of thinking, acting and doing] ...but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." God has given us a mind and created it in such a way that with the power of His Holy Spirit, He is able to renew—to regenerate, from a degenerate mind—and to change it. That is the process of conversion!

"…in order that you may prove..." (v 2). It's an active thing that happens. Not just to say BING! I got an idea, that's fine and you toodle on your own way without acting upon it.

"...that you may prove what is well pleasing and good, and the perfect will of God" (v 2). That's why we're going over these Scriptures, so we know that that's what God wants us to do.

Let's come to Titus 3 and see that the greatest majority of this work is what Christ is doing in us. Paul makes it very clear that it's not the outward works of righteousness, which we could do, but the inner changing that takes place.

(go to the next track)

Titus 3:3: "For we also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving all kinds of lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another... [listing all those things a sin] ...But when the graciousness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we practiced..." (vs 3-5). The Pharisees and scribes and all different religions have their own works.

"...but according to His mercy He saved us... ['by grace are you saved'] ...through the washing of regeneration..." (v 5) That's not baptism and that is not a new birth, or re-birth; it is regeneration. I've done a study on the word washing. The word washing here is not the same word that refers to baptism. They're two different words.

"...and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior; so that, having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (vs 5-7). That's what we're dealing with. We're not dealing with just being good and sincere people. The world should view us as that. That's true because that's all they can see of us—right? Just like you can't read anybody's mind, no one in the world can read your mind either. If we have our mind renewed with Christ, then that's what's important. Let's look at this washing.

Ephesians 5:25: "Husbands, love your own wives, in the same way that Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it; so that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it with the washing of water by the Word" (vs 25-26). That's what the washing of regeneration is referring to. What does that mean? That does not mean that there is a spiritual bottle of water that you pour on yourself!

Because the Word of God is Spirit and is life, it is the action of cleaning up our mind. What is the term that they coined during the Korean War when the Americans were captured and they were forced upon to think differently? It's called brain-washing! Spiritually, that's what we need. We need our brains washed and our minds cleansed but it takes the Word of God! We can liken it unto a computer program where you take out certain digits and you put in certain new ones. It's done bit-by-bit!

John 15:1: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. He takes away every branch in Me that does not bear fruit; but He cleanses each one that bears fruit... [in an analogy with a plant, you trim off the extra things that aren't necessary] ...in order that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean through the word that I have spoken to you" (vs 1-3). The washing of the water by the Word comes from studying the Word of God.

What happens when you study the Word of God? What happens when you don't study the Word of God? Pretty soon it begins to fade—doesn't it? Soon your mind gets all cluttered up with other things. In other words, it becomes spiritually more unclean! His Word does something when we study it in the process of 'the washing of water by the Word' and cleansing our minds. We've read what David did in repenting He said, 'Wash me thoroughly from my sins' (Psa. 51). Here's what happens when we:

• study the Word of God
• let it apply to ourselves
• let it apply to us spiritually
• ask God to help us to overcome

All of these things are important for spiritual and physical health! That's what I'm trying to cover.

How can we as Christians, living in this world with so many things going on in the world, and so many of the devices of Satan all around us—that no other society has had like we have today—keep our spiritual bearing, keep our spiritual perspective and not become part of the world again? That's what I'm trying to bring out. This will be for your spiritual health, for your physical health, etc.

Hebrews 10:16: "'This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days,' says the Lord: 'I will give My laws into their hearts, and I will inscribe them in their minds.'" How is that going to be done? Since you are not a robot and you can't receive a new chip in the head; since you don't have a funnel hole so you can put it in there! The only way it's going to come is: you study! It's like Paul told Timothy, 'Study to show yourself approved, rightly dividing the Word of God.' The way that people can fall into error so quickly is this; do like the Protestants:

• you open the Bible up on Sunday
• you have a good time at church
• you meet all your friends
• you close it up
• you go home
• you live your life in the world

There's nothing being written in the heart and in the mind. That's why it has to be done daily. That's why you have to let the Holy Spirit work in your mind. That's how it is written in your mind. That's how you are clean through the words which He has spoken, because He's inspired all these things—hasn't He? Yes, He has! That is how the washing of regeneration takes place!

Obviously, when you read the Bible you're not being sprinkled in the face. The water means the action of God's Holy Spirit! I've mentioned this before, so I'll just mentioned it again. Jesus said, 'The words that I speak to you, they are Spirit and they are life.' It is the spiritual cleansing and the spiritual cutting that takes place when you study the Word of God!
I would have to say that our human nature is much like unto an onion; it has layers. We're very willing to give up some of the exterior things. You take an onion and you cut it and it's got the hard skin on the outside. You cut both ends of it, then you peel away the hard skin and you also take, most often, the first layer of the onion when you do that. That's kind of like people who are willing to—as long as they can be counted good—go ahead and take off a layer or two. But when it gets right down into the heart/mind, and the real conversion that God wants us to have, it's going to take some work; it's going to take some changing; it's going to take God's Spirit—'the washing of water by the Word'—to change us!

So that we know that it is possible and you do not feel that your battle in overcoming is hopeless. By you, yourself alone, it's worse than hopeless; it's impossible! But with God, it is possible! As Jesus said, 'That which is impossible with men is possible with God.' He wanted everyone to understand how important it was so He told his disciples, 'It is easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.' He meant a literal needle and he meant a literal camel. Then He said, 'That which is not possible for men is possible with God.'

How could you pass a camel through the eye of a needle? A man can't do it! God could do it; He could do it many ways. He could go ahead and reduce the camel small enough to make it go through. After all, when it was first conceived, how big was it? Or hecould change it so much that He could string out all the DNA in one line, pass it through and reconstitute it on the other side. I suppose you could liken that to the resurrection. Nevertheless, God could do it. There is nothing impossible with God!

It's also possible for us to do the spiritual things that we have been covering here, and how we need to do it; instead of saying this is wrong, that's wrong, and I better go home, repent, get over it and come back next week perfect. That's not going to happen! First of all you have the tools—don't you? You have to have the knowledge—don't you? You have to realize that it can be done with the help of the Spirit of God. That's what we all need to understand.

1-John 3:18: "My little children, we should not love in word, nor with our tongues..." This is the outward—isn't it? We can be nice, we can be friendly, we can be sociable, we can shake hands, hug each other and so forth.

Since I've had my operation, though I'm doing fine, it is still hard for me to bend over and cut my toenails. Of course, since they grow, that's futile. Otherwise, I'll wear out all my socks and I'll have in-grown toenails and so forth. I know that as I become more limber, I'll be able to cut my nails in the future. I went to this nail clipping shop in Hollister. The door was open and I looked in. There was a whole group of teenage girls getting their fingernails all gussied up. I guess they had some prom or something they were going to. There were about half a dozen of them.

There were a couple of Vietnamese women who were doing the painting. This was the third time I've had my toenails done there. I looked in and said, 'Oh! You're too busy to do toenails.' She said, 'No, no! I'm almost done here; wait a few minutes.' I went and sat down and I watched the girls. I tell you what, women are women and girls are girls; that's just the way that it is! It was obvious that certain ones didn't like certain ones of the other, but they were putting up with each other because they were in the group. I imagine that there was a certain amount of competition as to who would be the leader, who would most gorgeous, etc.

I'm just sitting there watching how they do and I thought: they are really nice to each other face-to-face, but I wonder what they are like behind the back; and how they may cut each other down and say, 'Well, I was with So-and-So when she had her nails done and you know I wouldn't have that color if my life depended upon it.'

Whenever you watch sports events the two coaches come up and say nice things to each other, but they really don't mean it. You don't mean to congratulate him, you wish you could be congratulated. You can tell it when you watch that moment when the coaches talk to each other.

God doesn't want us to be that way; John says, "...rather, we should love in deed and in truth" (v 18). Not only just the deed but the truth from within. Whatever the deed is, you truly desire to do it because you love that individual. That's what He's talking about. This gives you hope that you can do it.

Verse 19: "And in this way we know that we are of the Truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him." That's where you go—as we said with the 'washing of water by the Word'; then, coupled with prayer to God to 'assure your hearts before Him.'

Verse 20: "That if our hearts condemn us..." What does that mean? This has to do with a guilty conscience! A lot of people put guilt trips on themselves all the time. Do not have a guilt trip over anything. Repent of the sin and put it away! If your heart condemns you because you have sinned, which it probably should because God's Holy Spirit is there to bring that to your awareness and prick your conscience and heart, then we have to know that:

"...God is greater than our hearts and knows all things" (vs 20). God is there willing to forgive. So, don't go around and put a guilt trip on yourself.

A lot of guilt trips are inadvertently laid upon a lot of people via the television. They don't even know it. Just an example: Everyone's been exposed to the Scott and Lacy Peterson case. What happened? They play on the emotions of everybody everyday as to how horrible that this was. Those who get emotionally involved carry a guilt feeling that it happened to this individual. It goes beyond just sorrow. This is intended to bring it upon people, because you can control people when you put guilt trips on them. That's why God doesn't want guilt trips put on them. If Christ puts a guilt trip on you because of His Spirit in you, repent! That's fine! That's what it's talking about here.

They also said, and we'll get into stress a little bit later, that the reason people are more stressed out today than ever before, is because there is news 24/7. You hear all this news, but they haven't told you that since the time that Lacy Peterson was killed until today (May,2003), there were 3,000 murders in the United States.

Don't let exterior things and the influences of the world put a guilt trip on you. If you're so easily influenced with those things that you get a guilt trip and you feel bad and you just kind of re-live what was Lacy's last moment like? or Kind of re-live in your mind and emotions what was the little baby boy's life was like right at the end; all you're going to do is be dwelling on

• something that you cannot solve
• something you cannot change
• something you cannot work out

You put a guilt trip upon yourself and you feel bad and down. What you need to do is put it all in God's hands. After all, He knew the minute she died—didn't He?

You have to praise God for the second resurrection that He's going to undo all of these things. It's a sin that she died. It's a sin that she died the way that she did. You can take any other situation—be it your father, mother, brother, sister, as we've already covered—and if they die and if things happen to them, maybe your own children, that's all a part of life and you, with a guilty conscience, cannot live their lives for them or change them one iota, except through prayer and your example! That's all you can do. So, don't put a guilt trip on yourself for anything! If there is some sin that you have committed, repent! Don't go around with a 'guilt trip.' Don't let your heart condemn you. If it does, God is greater than your heart—is He not?

What is really happening when you are getting a guilt trip and you're not willing to give it up? Not only are you hurting yourself physically, mentally and spiritually, but you're really saying that God can't handle it. You're telling yourself, 'I'm going to handle it'—which then puts you in the seat of God! Only God can take care of a 'guilt trip,' a guilty conscience or a condemnation where your heart condemns you. Take it to God! That's why He says, 'God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.'

Verse 21: "Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us... [there are times when we're not sinning] ...then we have confidence toward God. And whatever we may ask we receive from Him because we keep His commandments and practice those things that are pleasing in His sight" (vs 21-22). The things that we do that are pleasing in His sight:

• love God with all our heart, mind, soul and being
• love our neighbor as ourselves
• love the brethren as Christ has loved us
• love our enemies
• work on overcoming the sin within through the power of God's Holy Spirit
• be transformed, regenerated and renewed in the spirit of your mind

That's what'll be pleasing to Him!

Verse 23: "And this is His commandment: that we believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and thatwe love one another, exactly as He gave commandment to us. And the one who keeps His commandments... [you can see that outwardly; you can know inwardly, yourself, individually] ...is dwelling in Him [Christ].and He [Christ] in him... [In you, and that's what's important!] ...and by this we know that He is dwelling in us: by the Spirit which He has given to us" (vs 23-24). That's why these things take place. That's why we are to change, grow, and overcome.

God has called us because He wants to do something so unique and fantastic through the power of His Holy Spirit. Of course, the world doesn't know this and really doesn't completely understand it, even those who are religious. They may be able to read the words, but it's an entirely different thing here. Christ is dwelling in you! That is what is the important and profound thing. That is what is going to help overcome these difficulties, problems, attitudes and inner sins that we're going to talk about.

1-Corinthians 3:16: "Don't you understand that you are God's temple, and that the Spirit of God is dwelling in you?" That's what God wants us to know. That's what John said: 'Hereby we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight; that He is in us and we are in Him.' That's a tremendous thing—isn't it? Everyone wants to know: Where is God? God says, 'If you repent and love Me, I will dwell with you.' That's a tremendous thing—isn't it? Comprehend that, if you can.

That's something that's really hard to grasp. That the great God, Who created the heavens, the earth and everything that there is, desires to dwell with His Spirit in us, so that we, at the resurrection of the dead, can be changed and conformed to be like Him and live with Him forever! That is so awesome and fantastic that it makes all of this plain, little, law-keeping and religion ridiculous—doesn't it? Yes!

Then He gives a warning, v 17: "If anyone defiles the temple of God, God shall destroy him because the temple of God is Holy, which temple you are." That's something to consider.

Proverbs 4:20: "My son, attend to my words..." Remember all the words that Jesus spoke were Words of the Father—correct? Yes! All these are the inspired Words of God even though this is David, at this particular point, talking to Solomon. Solomon, unfortunately, didn't follow his advice.

"...incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart" (vs 20-21). Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks and God is interested in the heart, the mind, and so forth.

Verse 22: "For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh." We can put in there: 'and spirit.' What we're talking about here is not only health to the flesh, which we need to be concerned with, but also the spirit. If you are healthy before God spiritually, you're going to be healthy physically, nine times out of ten. This is true today. How many things bother people's health because they're not keeping their hearts right with God; rather, they're letting too much of the world in and too much of the past to continue to dominate.

He says, v 23: "Above all guard the door of your mind with diligence... [part of the thing we need to do] ...for out of it are the issues of life." Physical life! Spiritual life!

As we read Prov. 3 let's bring together what we brought concerning the commandments of Christ, 'If you love Me, keep the commandments, namely, My commandments.' Let's see if this will help us give a little better understanding concerning spiritual health and physical health.

Proverbs 3:1: "My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commandments... [again, we're dealing with the heart] ...for they shall add length of days, and long life, and peace, to you" (vs 1-2). Of course, ours is to eternal life—isn't it?

You can look at all these 'rock idols/rap idols that are in the world, they are breaking every one of God's laws and what happens? They die young! Some in their 20s, some in their 30s, some in their 40s, some in their 50s. They don't live long because they're going against what God has said. Likewise, with young people; they get their parent's car and they go out driving 100 miles an hour, crack it up and kill everybody in it. They didn't listen! So, they're dead!
Verse 3: "Do not let mercy and Truth forsake you..." Always, always keep both. 'Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.' Truth is the Word of God! Never let the Truth of God forsake you. Always keep it there.

"...bind them around your neck; write them upon the tablet of your heart" (v 3). That's what we covered earlier concerning the washing of water by the Word by study and God's Holy Spirit together.

Verse 4. "And so you shall find favor... [grace] ...and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding" (vs 4-5). This is where we need to be all the time. That's the battle that we're fighting. That's the battle we need to work on.

Verse 6: "...In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." That ties in with 'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God' (Rom. 8). He'll direct our paths. Many times God has us do things that we don't even know what He may have spared us from. Nevertheless, when we have 20/20 hindsight we can look back and see: 'Oh, yes! Oh God, You saved me from a mess!'
Verse 7: "Do not be wise in your own eyes..." That's where a lot of these things come in. They trust in the flesh and trust in the outward keeping of the commandments. To this very day, the Jews are so locked in to their Judaism and that they're the chosen people that they just don't comprehend that they are the rejected. One of these days, they'll repent. I use that as an example to take it to the extreme. Let's not be wise in our own eyes.

"   fear the LORD and depart from evil" (v 7). That's the proper kind of fear that we're to have. The other kind of fear, we're not to have.

Notice what it's going to do for you physically—not only spiritually, but physically—v 8: "It shall be health to your navel and marrow to your bones." In other words, you're going to have good health from the inside out! Marrow produces the blood and the life is in the blood. The blood is that which heals or makes sick.

Verse 9: "Honor the LORD with your substance and with the firstfruits of all your increase." Substance is other than agricultural products. There are still some people, to this day, who are hung up in bitterness toward men because they misuse the laws of God concerning tithes and offerings. They, to this day, are bitter against God. They think it's against the man, but it really comes down to that they're bitter against God and do not believe that they ought to tithe. They do not recognize that likewise, just as you break any of these things that are here, you come under a curse. That's what does happen.
My observation has been, through the years, that God is no respecter of persons. People believe that way concerning the things that God has bless them with—the physical things—and they thumb their nose at God and say, 'I don't believe the New Testament teaches tithing,' when it does. I've seen them in physical and spiritual distress; in some cases, because of the 'locking of their minds' on that thought, and their resentmentbecause of it has affected their health and their spiritual standing with God.

God says He will bless you. Do you believe Him or not? You want to believe Him in everything else, but not that! Trust me, if you don't believe Him in that, you don't believe Him in the other things either! You're not exercising faith and belief that God says He would bless you. No wonder that so many have to spend so much for their health when they don't realize that they are sinning spiritually, as well as physically. What they need to do is repent! God will heal them! Won't God heal them? Didn't He say that He would heal them? Yes, He did!

Verse 10: "And your barns shall be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst with new wine." God is going to take care of you. I'll tell you what, there are many widows on our mailing list that put a lot of rich people to shame. Who do you think God is going to look to? Just read Luke 21. When they were looking at all the rich men casting in their offering into the treasury, the little widow came and put in two mites—which was everything she had—because she loved God and believed God. Jesus didn't tell the widow, 'You're exempt, go back and take it out.' She gave it from the heart and wanted to. What did He say of the rich who just cast in of their abundance? They haven't done anything at all because they just gave of their abundance!

• they didn't give anything from the heart
• they didn't give anything because of love
• they didn't give anything but because of the outward necessity of doing it

We could tie in another Scripture, 'Verily, they have their reward.' One other thing that David brings up here, because in order to do up through v 10 you have to accept:

Verse 11: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD..."—because there's going to be that correction that has come! As Paul wrote, that's an assurance that you are the sons of God.

"...nor be weary of His correction; For whom the LORD loves He corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights" (vs 11-12)—so that

• he may be better
• he may be perfected
• he may grow in grace and knowledge

We need to understand and have this whole perspective so next time we'll be ready to talk about some of the things that we need to overcome along those lines and how we can do it.

A comment was made that what we covered concerning keeping the commandments of God, tithing and so forth, you can liken that to 'preventive maintenance.' What if you had your car and you spent 'X' number of dollars—they're almost as much as a house used to be 20 years ago—and you never changed the oil and you never did anything to it. Just think what kind of shape it would be in at 200,000 miles, because you did no preventative maintenance, it all fell apart and you had to by a new one. Because you didn't pay the maintenance, did you save anything? or Did you loose? You lost!

The same person can take the same car. With preventive maintenance and what it takes to do it, he can drive that thing 300,000 miles or more. Did the preventive maintenance help? Did it prolong it? Yes, indeed! That's the exact same thing we are talking about here spiritually!

You first have to have the physical, then you have the spiritual and then you have them all combined in Christ. It is a preventive maintenance so you don't get the curse for stealing from God!

All Scriptures from The Bible In Its Original Order, A Faithful Version by Fred R. Coulter

Scriptural References:

• John 5:14
• Hebrews 4:12-16
• Matthew 19:16-22
• Luke 14:11, 23-27
• Matthew 10:34-39, 41-42
• Romans 12:1-2
• Titus 3:3-7
• Ephesians 5:25-26
• John 15:1-3
• Hebrews 10:16
• 1-John 3:18-24
• 1-Corinthians 3:16-17
• Proverbs 4:20-23
• Proverbs 3:1-6
• Proverbs 3:7-12

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Romans 8:1-3
• Mark 2
• Matthew 15
• Hebrews 4:9
• Psalms 51
• Romans 8
• Luke 21

Also referenced:

From The Holy Bible In Its Original Order, A Faithful Version:

• Appendix R: What is Meant by "the Works of the Law"?
• Appendix Q: What Does it Mean to be "Born of God"