He Came as a Thief in the Night

Believers undergo two types of interior trial without which they cannot regenerate, the trial by fire (which involves love and hate) and the trial by water (which involves truth and falsehood). Here are two verses indicating the existence of these trials side by side: "Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place" (Psalms 66:12). "And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us" (Mark 9:22). If you do not pass these trials by fire and water, then you do not overcome; if you do not overcome, then you do not go to Heaven. If you pass the trials by fire, then you have the seal of God in your hand; but if you do not pass the trials by fire, then you have the mark of the beast in your hand. If you pass the trials by water, then you have the seal of God in your forehead; but if you do...

With practice, people can weed the garden of their hearts with God so that there are fewer and fewer sexual fantasies 'married' to naked desire. Once people learn to experience sexual desire without automatically drowning in sexual fantasy, there can be an enormous drop in this sort of unconstructive thought. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 - King James Version (KJV) <4> That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Sins are each like trees, and once we have learned to shun the trunk of those trees then God will certainly bring the branches to our attention. Once we have learned to overcome these, then He will bring the twigs to our attention. Everything is done in proper order and in a way appropriate to the particular person. Someone who has stopped murdering may yet need to learn how to gentle their tongues. Someone who has learned how to gentle their tongues may yet need to learn how to stop hating/murdering in their hearts. Someone who...

A particularly useful but neglected corner of Paul is the 3rd chapter of Ephesians, in which Paul gives careful instructions to the loving on how to interpret prophecy: Ephesians 3:16-19. Paul could not be more explicit: "that they may comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ"; explicit about what? About the supposed architectural dimensions of the temples described in Ezekiel and Revelation. Those who reject living water, as Jeremiah tells, carve them out cisterns which can hold no water. Those who reject living water make much of rebuilding a physical temple, but this is a cistern that can hold no water. It does no good to someone whose needs involve learning how to become humbler and more sincere, helpfuller and less seeking for a reward; but a temple made out of LOVE that is the Church does do good to someone with these pressing needs.  So, one noted that Ephesians ch. 3 is especially instruction...