Emotions or Trust - 3

Emotions or Trust - 3

Subject: Battling Our Emotions When a Test Comes

By Rick Welborne

Psalm 51:1-14 (NKJV)
¹  Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.
²  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
³  For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
⁴  Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight-- That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
⁵  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
⁶  Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
⁷  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸  Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
⁹  Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities.
¹⁰  Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹  Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
¹³  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.
¹⁴  Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. 

1. Miriam-Webster – Guilt - the fact of having committed a breach of conduct especially violating law and involving a penalty. A feeling of deserving blame for offenses.

2. Guilt - the state of one who has committed an offense especially consciously. Feelings of deserving blame especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of inadequacy. 

--Whenever God leads me to preach something (Emotions or Trust), He always deals with me personally or leads me to someone who is fighting guilt.

--Today we are looking at this emotion of guilt. David had to deal with his guilt after being confronted by the prophet Nathan and was told…You are the man…the guilty person. 

--I was speaking to someone just having a normal conversation and I thought we were done…this person asked…can I please talk to you about something? Of course!

--Before I knew it, this person was confessing guilt and condemnation about things that had happened in their life thirty years ago. Their pain and guilt were very real to them.

--We expressed from the first sermon of this series that there is an “Accuser of the brethren” who attacks God’s children night and day…he had not let up on this person for thirty years.

--Now, we could take a survey tonight and probably find out that there are a great number of God’s children who are living in guilt and condemnation. Satan harassing you.

--Unfortunately, Satan is good at what he does because the person I was talking to, as I shared several scriptures, said, I know what the Bible says but I still feel guilty and ashamed.

Romans 8:1-2 (NKJV) ¹  There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 

²  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 

--The Word of God says there is no condemnation and that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free. Sadly, we live in condemnation and we are not free. 

--King David evidently was not bothered by his conscience after committing adultery and having a man killed to cover his sin…it took Nathan showing up. What’s your point, Pastor Rick? 

--We cannot always trust our consciences to lead us into all truth because our consciences can be affected by how will live and what we think.

Titus 1:15 (NLT2) ¹⁵  Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NKJV) ¹  Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
²  speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 

--Our consciences can be weak, our consciences can be violated, and our consciences can be corrupted and seared…in other words our consciences can even die. I think we all have met people like this.

James Dobson –I tend to believe that a sense of guilt occurs when we violate our inner code of conduct. Guilt is a message of disapproval from the conscience which says, in effect, “You should be ashamed of yourself!”

--In over forty years of ministry I have found that there is no lack of believers who struggle with guilt, shame, and sorrow. Satan makes sure you never forget what you have done.

1. There is An Answer for This Kind of Guilt.

Romans 7:21-24 (NIV)
²¹  So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
²²  For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 

²³  but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 

²⁴  What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 

--J. Vernon McGee says this is not an unbeliever struggling with sin and guilt but a believer who is in a major battle between his old nature and his new nature…let’s face it, we have all been there. 

--Many say and I have probably said…this body of death was a practice of barbarians who were extremely brutal in their punishment: I agree with Barnes’s Notes on the NT.  

Barnes’s Notes: Some have supposed that he refers to a custom practiced by ancient tyrants, of binding a dead body to a captive as a punishment, and compelling him to drag the cumbersome and offensive burden with him wherever he went. I do not see any evidence that the apostle had this in view.

--The truth is we cannot speculate exactly what Paul was thinking but Barnes goes on to say that this is probably the best illustration that could be given about what Paul was going through.

--The friend I mentioned earlier was crying out to me basically, who is going to deliver me from this body of death…this thing that has attached itself to me for over thirty years. 

--What a wretched man I am! I can’t believe I did that to that person or those people. I can’t believe I sinned against God by doing this! I feel so much guilt, shame, and sorrow for my sin. Such torment.

--The sad thing is this…this person and probably every other person in this situation have asked God at least a thousand times for forgiveness and have truly repented. Satan is unrelenting. I am wretched!

Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee - This is not an unsaved man who is crying, "O wretched man that I am"; this is a saved man. The word wretched carries with it the note of exhaustion because of the struggle. "Who is going to deliver me?" He is helpless. His shoulders are pinned to the floor -- he has been wrestled down. Like old Jacob, he has been crippled. He is calling for help from the outside.

--So Who can deliver us from this guilt and condemnation of the enemy who accuses us night and day?

Romans 7:25 (NIV) ²⁵ Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! 

Romans 8:1 (NKJV) ¹ There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

2. Help in the Word of God - Children Who Are Not Serving God.

--One of the tools the enemy likes to use against us is condemnation and guilt about kids who have chosen a different path. You got angry in front of them…you sinned in front of them!

--If the only children who grew up to serve God were the ones who had parents who did everything right, or who never sinned, there wouldn’t be any kids living right!

Romans 3:23 (NKJV) ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

--The Book of Romans tells us later that each one of us will bow our knees and confess with our tongues Jesus is Lord and we will give account of ourselves before God. 

Ezekiel 18:19-22&30-32 (NLT2)
¹⁹  “‘What?’ you ask. ‘Doesn’t the child pay for the parent’s sins?’ No! For if the child does what is just and right and keeps my decrees, that child will surely live.
²⁰  The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness.
²¹  But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die.
²²  All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done.
³⁰  “Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you!
³¹  Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel?
³²  I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live! 

3. Guilt or Sorrow That Is Good.

--I believe we have the opportunity to turn these feelings and emotions of guilt around for good. Listen to what Paul said to the people about a tough letter he had written to them:

2 Corinthians 7:9-11 (NKJV)
⁹  Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.
¹⁰  For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
¹¹  For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

--Godly sorrow or guilt that drives us to our knees and to repentance is good. It can lead us into a right relationship with God and with each other (our families and our church).

The Joy of Discovering Hidden Treasure – 3

The Joy of Discovering Hidden Treasure – 3

Subject – My Heart Always Goes Where I Put God’s Money

By Rick Welborne

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)
¹⁹  "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
²⁰  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
²¹  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

--If you were to go to Cairo, Egypt, and find your way down one of their allies you would find an overgrown graveyard for American missionaries. You would find a name…William Borden 1887-1913.

--Borden was a Yale graduate and heir to great wealth. He rejected a life of ease in order to take the gospel to Muslims. He even refused to buy himself a car and gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars to missions.

--After only four months on the mission’s field in Egypt he contracted meningitis and died at the age of 25. As you dust off the epitaph, after talking about his love and sacrifice for the Muslim people the inscription said:

Epitaph for William Borden – Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life. 

--If you leave the graveyard you can drive to an Egyptian Museum where King Tut was buried. He died at the age of 17. He was buried with solid gold chariots and thousands of golden artifacts. 

--His gold coffin was buried within gold tombs within gold tombs. Ancient Egyptians believed that you could take your earthly treasures with you into the afterlife. 

--But all the treasures that were intended for King Tuts enjoyment in the afterlife stayed right there where they were buried for more than 3000 years until Howard Carter discovered them in 1922. 

--What a contrast of two graves. Borden’s grave was obscure, dusty, and hidden off a back street littered with garbage. Tut’s grave glittered with unimaginable wealth. Yet, where are these two men now?

--One who lived in opulence (luxury) and called himself a king now lives in eternity without Christ. The other lived modestly in service to the true King of kings, is enjoying his everlasting reward in Jesus’ presence.

--Tut’s life was tragic because he discovered too late that you can’t take it with you. Borden’s life was one of triumph because instead of leaving his treasures, he sent them on ahead. 

1. Our Eternal Rewards 

--If you think Heaven is just a place where you sit on a cloud and strum a harp for eternity, you will probably dread going there. Maybe laying on the cloud and sleeping for about a hundred years would be good. So tired.

--But on the other hand, if you read the Word and believe it, Heaven will be an exciting place of worship, of relief from pain and sorrow, of receiving rewards for our faithfulness, and most of all, seeing Jesus. Wow!

--Think about this; Jesus notices everything we do in His Name. God keeps very good records of all we do.

Matthew 10:42 (NIV)
⁴²  And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."

Malachi 3:16 (NIV)
¹⁶ …A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored His name. 

--Try to imagine this…someone in Heaven has the responsibility to record the things you do here on earth to be a blessing. That bike you gave, the extra money you gave a waitress, money to missionaries, all recorded.

Luke 16:9-10 (NLT2)
⁹  Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.
¹⁰  “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. 

--This blows my mind…the people I help on this earth through random acts of kindness or through my mission’s giving will welcome me into their homes in Heaven. They will be my friends for eternity. Wow!

--Yes, we will celebrate and worship Jesus as our eternal reward but we will also have fellowship with those we have blessed financially and those we have led to the Lord. Heaven will be so exciting.

2. Store Up for Yourselves Treasures in Heaven.

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)
¹⁹  "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
²⁰  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
²¹  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

--You cannot understand what Jesus is trying to say in this passage as long as you think it is wrong to value treasure in Heaven. You must believe it is right to do what Jesus tells you to do…Store up for yourselves…

--People often say that they believe it is wrong or ungodly for us to want rewards even if it is in Heaven. The Word is filled with promises about rewards for those who are faithful to God. 

Alcorn – If it were wrong to want rewards, Christ wouldn’t offer rewards as motivation. Rewards are God’s idea, not ours. Love for God, love for people, and compassion for the poor are all vitally important. But these motives for giving are in no way contrary to the fact that God calls us to be motivated by rewards. 

--Sometimes we want to give to people who can give us something back. If we give to those who can’t reward us, Christ guarantees He will personally reward us with treasures waiting on us in Heaven. Verses please!

Luke 14:12-14 (NLT2)
¹²  Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward.
¹³  Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.
¹⁴  Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”

--I believe this includes helping those who are poor but also those who are poor spiritually, giving to missions.

3. Our Hearts in the Right Place.

--God promises us wonderful rewards in Heaven and on the New Earth free from the curse…no more tears, sorrow, pain, or even death. We will be with the One Who gave Himself for us!

--Even though this is absolutely true, many Christians dread the thought of leaving this world. Why? We have stored up so many treasures here on this earth. Each day brings us closer to death and closer to losing our…

--I remember my father-in-law sitting on our porch out in the country and saying something, in light of this sermon, that was powerful and sobering. “Why would you want to ever leave this and go to Heaven?”

--How tightly are we hanging on to the things, the treasures, of this world? How many treasures are we laying up in Heaven by our extreme generosity? Why is that important? It shows us where our hearts are.

Matthew 6:21 (NIV) ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

Alcorn – My heart always goes where I put God’s money.

--Yes, Pastor Rick, my heart goes toward the 10% (tithe) I give and the amount I give to missions. Please, let me remind you a couple of verses from last week. All your money is God’s money.

Psalm 24:1 (NLT2) ¹ The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 

Haggai 2:8 (NIV) ⁸ 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty.

--What we do with our money doesn’t simply indicate where our hearts are, according to Jesus, it determines where our hearts go. Our hearts follow our treasure…show me your financial records and I can show you where your heart is. 

--Imagine you invest in or buy shares in GMC or Ford, what happens? You suddenly develop an interest in what happens with those companies. If you hear their names on the news, you perk up.

--On the other hand, let’s say you are investing in Impact Africa or Missionary Ann Steward through your mission’s giving, and you hear about those countries you pay attention. Where your treasure is your heart goes...

--As surely as the compass needle follows north, your heart follows your treasure. This is such a remarkable truth. If I want my heart somewhere, all I need to do is put my money there. 

--People say they want more of a heart for missions and seeing the lost come to Christ. Jesus says the easy solution is to put your money (your treasure) into missions and your heart will follow.

--If you want your heart to gravitate toward eternal things, then, reallocate some of your money, a bunch of it, from temporal things to eternal things and your heart will follow your investment. Souls are eternal investments.

Matthew 13:44 (NIV)
⁴⁴  "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 

--In his joy he got rid of all his worldly wealth and treasures to gain a better eternal treasure. God is looking for disciples who for the sake of eternal treasures are investing their money, time, and prayers where they matter…

Hebrews 11:24-26 (NIV)
²⁴  By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
²⁵  He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.
²⁶  He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

--If we believe each places us closer to the time we leave all our treasures behind, we will be miserable. If we believe each day we live moves us closer to our eternal reward and treasure, we will have joy.

Alcorn – My heart always goes where I put God’s money.

Emotions or Trust - 2

Emotions or Trust - 2

Subject: Battling Our Emotions When a Test Comes

By Rick Welborne

Mark 8:34-38 (NKJV)
³⁴  When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
³⁵  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
³⁶  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
³⁷  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
³⁸  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

--Tonight I want us to continue this series Emotions or Trust. We will look at our personal feelings verses what the Word of God says.

1. Trusting our Personal Feelings or Trusting the Word of God.

--Years ago a lady came to me and told me her plans to divorce her husband and to go back to a previous husband. I told her that biblically she could not do that.

--I even read to her the scriptures that said what she would be doing would be an abomination unto the Lord. She said to me…I agree that is what the Bible says but I also know what the Lord spoke to me.

--I asked her if she truly believed that God would tell her to do something that was contrary to His Word and her answered blew me away…Evidently, because I know God’s voice and this was God!

--To me this is an example of how people let their personal feelings (actually desires) have precedence over the Word of God. We want what we want so much, we convince ourselves we are hearing from God.

--If you did not know this, there are sixteen fundamental truths in the A/G. The first of these truths is “1. The Scriptures Inspired”. This is number one and not up for debate.

1. The Scriptures Inspired - The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 (NKJV) ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
¹⁶  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
¹⁷  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NIV) ¹³  And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NKJV) ²⁰  knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
²¹  for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

--Poor God gets blamed for so many things…some I have heard…God told me to marry this person, God told me to go to California and start a ministry, God told me to buy this house I can’t afford. 

--I can remember as a single youth pastor having moms in the church coming to me and telling me God told them I was going to marry their daughters…show me a pic! Nope!

--So much abuse has happened in the body of Christ because of these feelings or desires. A word is given to someone because someone thinks they have heard from God on their behalf.

--From someone who loves you…before you make a major decision based on a word given to you by someone in church or at a conference…let God confirm it to your heart and in His Word. Proceed with caution.

--When someone who perceives themselves to be spiritual gives you a word, and you know it is wrong, confront them. A sign of a true prophet is that their prophecies come true. 

--You have my blessings to tell them “no thanks!” I do not want someone speaking into my life who is just speaking their feelings and do not have the heart or mind of the Lord. Tell your pastor!

--Pastor, are you saying that God does not speak directly to the heart and that all impressions are false and unreliable? Of course not, Holy Spirit wants to communicate with us daily. 

--So many believers are so immature and cannot distinguish between God’s voice and other voices. Our selfishness makes us desire things contrary to God’s Word. Easy to hear what you already want!

--An easy rule to follow…No matter how much you think God has spoken to you, if God’s Word has already said “No!” the answer is still no! It wasn’t Him speaking. 

2. Be Careful of the Downward Spiral.

Mark 8:34 (NKJV)
³⁴  When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

--How do we get to the point where we feel that God has spoken to us but it is okay for us to live contrary to His Word? The downward spiral.

Romans 1:21-25 (NKJV)
²¹  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
²²  Professing to be wise, they became fools,
²³  and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
²⁴  Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
²⁵  who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

--Listen to your pastor…when you get to this point in your journey with God (they knew God) you are opening yourself up to hear voices other than God’s. You will hear voices and truly believe that it is God.

--Satan wants to come as an angel of light and you have very little power to resist him because you are not giving glory to God, nor are you thankful, and then, your thoughts are messed up.

--Have you ever wondered how someone can seem to be so close to God, and then, it appears they totally turn away from Him. The downward spiral explains this. Bible example:

Revelation 2:1&6 (NKJV) ¹ "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 

⁶  But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 

--In two churches in Revelations the Nicolaitans are dealt with. This was a group who believed you could live anyway you wanted and still be Christians. Who was Nicolas, the founder?

Acts 6:3-6 (NKJV)
³  Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
⁴  but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
⁵  And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
⁶  whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

--Nicolas was once a man in the church known to be of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. My guess is that he started the downward spiral and became deceived. 

Romans 1:28-32 (NKJV)
²⁸  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
²⁹  being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
³⁰  backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
³¹  undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
³²  who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

--Again I want to reiterate that I am not just speaking about just one particular sin…I am speaking about those who are disobedient to God’s Word and go with their desires, passions, and feelings.

--God gave them up to vile passions and because they did not retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things that are not right. The downward spiral is deadly.

--So you will know this is not just about one category of sin, look at this list of sins caused by this downward spiral:

²⁹  being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
³⁰  backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
³¹  undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 

3. We Must Trust God!

Romans 1:21 (NKJV)
²¹  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 

--How do we reverse this downward spiral and learn to trust God? Because I know God, I glorify Him! Because I know Him, I am filled with thanksgiving.

--Because I know God, my thoughts, my feelings, my impressions are biblical because I have the mind of Christ. Because I know God, my heart is enlightened and filled with wisdom!