Have You Forgiven Yourself?

In Matthew 6, verse 14, let's start there. Matthew 6, verse 14.

After the model prayer, Jesus said these words to those on that day, For if we forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. So anybody that holds a grudge or anything like that, I mean, here's the Word of God. You know what it says, you know what it means. Let's go a little deeper today. The question I want to ask today is, how do you feel about yourself? Have you forgiven yourself? Well, how many of you are sitting here this afternoon that are truly happy with yourself, your neighbor, and with God and Christ? I believe there are far more people sitting here this afternoon who are down on themselves than there are people sitting here who believe that they are great, pulsating hunks of righteousness and goodness. Now don't get me wrong. Don't get me wrong. Both are wrong. Both are wrong. Both being terribly down on yourself and depressed or thinking you're the greatest thing in the world. Nominal Western Christianity and Western culture have emphasized success as measured by physical achievements and material possessions, and some give these achievements spiritual value and growth. Oh, they must be righteous because they have all of this, physical or material possessions.

It's similar to what Job and the Pharisees did. For example, I have worked hard, disciplined myself, paid the price, and because of my right ways, I am blessed. I measure up. Job in essence said, why are you persecuting me? I'm a righteous man. Look at Job 33 verse 8. Job 33 and verse 8. In Job 33 and verse 8, this is a chapter in which the young man, Elihu, began to speak to Job. The three older men had taken Job to task on several fronts. Finally, Elihu gets his attention, and notice what Elihu says to Job. In Job 33 and verse 8, Surely you have spoken in mine hearing, I have heard the voice of your words, saying, I am clean without transgression, I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me. Well, in the first chapter of Job, it talks about that Job was a righteous man, one who eschewed evil, got away from evil, and all the righteous things that he did. But see, in John 15, it talks about that God purges every person that he loves. In Hebrew 6, he chastens every son that he loves so that they can bear more fruit. And God wants us to understand the deep things about God, and what God does, and why he does it. And Job had a lot to learn. Even though, with regard to obedience, he seemed to be what he said he was. I'm without iniquity. Now look at verse 10.

Then he accuses God by saying, Behold, he finds occasions against me, he counts me for his enemy, he puts my feet in the stocks, he marks all my paths. Behold, in this you are not just, I will answer you that God is greater than man. Why do you strive against him, for he gives not account of any of his matters? God doesn't have to justify anything that he does. But on the other hand, God expects us to justify him, that is to justify God, in everything that he does. Job did not realize that man must be judged, and God must be justified. That is, to not blame God, because God always, what has our best interest at heart. After judging yourself and asking for God's forgiveness, do you believe God has forgiven you, and have you forgiven yourself?

Some people believe that they can have God's forgiveness without forgiving themselves. They drag the pass with them, pull out of their storehouse of memories that are buried in the subconscious and wallow in their past sins and faults. You know, I mentioned the Apostle Paul in the announcements with regard to, before his conversion, being struck down on the road to Damascus. Paul was out persecuting, and I know putting in prison and apparently killing, people who profess to believe in Jesus Christ. And how did Paul deal with that in his life? You don't find any mention of that. He does mention that he did that, but it doesn't mention that he was wallowing in that. So we ask the question, why don't people forgive themselves? Why do they desire to bear their own sins?

One of the reasons stems from the fact that they are victims of compulsive, addictive behavior. Now, compulsive, addictive behavior is not necessarily that you're on some kind of narcotic drug or pharmaceutical product that is addictive, but a addictive to the way that you might live. On the one hand, they believe that God will forgive, but they cannot view themselves as guiltless and free of sin. And we'll read later Psalm 103, so far as he moved our sins from us, as far as the east is from the west, and there's no meeting of east and west in infinity. Infinity, they never meet.

They are not in touch with their feelings because they have disassociated themselves from their feelings. More about this a little later. Many people take their Calvinistic, puritanical work ethic into the church and measure their spirituality by how much of something they have done, or can they climb the ladder? Can they become a deacon, a deaconess? Can they be ordained an elder? Can they be leading songs, giving, opening, closing prayer? And the list might go on and on as if that is the measure of spirituality.

We've several times have referred to 1 Corinthians 13, though I speak with tongues and understand all mysteries, how the gift of prophecy, and I'm not becoming as God is, becoming love as God is, prophets mean nothing. And some people just never measure up in their own minds. And thus they are robbed of spontaneity and joy. They're always on guard.

Why is it that church members oftentimes do not seem to be as joyful and happy as the average person on the street? You know, I see people shopping in various places, and I know you can tell they don't have a lot of material possessions, but they seem to be of a good spirit. They seem to be happy. They seem to be joyful. They're smiling. They're laughing.

I believe it's because we don't seem to obey the simplest yet the most important commands, those that have to do with relationship with God, with self, and others. You have to live with yourself. You have to live for yourself. A man's home is his heart, and there he must abide. And there is a relationship. It is said that people spend 70 percent of their waking time talking to themselves. Are we enslaved by a false identity? We don't seem to be spontaneous and free. We seem to be on guard. Don't let anyone see the real you, because you fear they will misjudge you, and they won't understand. You know, I don't know. I've thought about this for decades since I first stepped on the campus of Ambassador and went to Ambassador Club in 69, so the first speech is given. And now for your evaluation. Well, I noticed that your tie was not really as straight as it could have been. The jacket was not buttoned. And you do have that terrible southern accent, which is one of the great sins that you can commit. You've got to get rid of that. You can't have a southern drawl, and on and on it goes. And you wonder, well, is that what caused us? Something like that. We're always judging and evaluating that kind of thing. And of course, you do have to make judgments, and it says in Leviticus that you should judge righteous judgment. So is it because you fear they will misjudge you, they won't understand, so you have to be guarded, have to be on guard, can't see the real self. And sadly, some are ready to judge and categorize, so they control you and the real you remains guarded. You don't really know who you are. Not straightforward, not open. In the western world, we're taught from birth, you must compete, you must measure up, you won't make it. And of course, you have to have drive and goals and a plan for reaching those goals. I remember one day I was home, I guess, I was 13, 14, it was raining summertime, out on the front porch, and I was swinging the baseball bat. And I was talking to myself, at age 14 or 15, whatever I said, I'll be playing American Legion baseball. At age so and so, I'll be playing semi-pro. At age such and such, I'll be playing pro. And my daddy walked out and I heard me saying some of those things, and I was, looked like I had swallowed a frog or something.

But most of that came true, and you worked hard to make that come true. Of course, there were many other goals in addition to that, but that just, just, why it might be considered somewhat of a tried example. Almost every child in America is shoved into a vortex of commands and demands that he or she can ever measure up to. Parents are measured by their children's achievements, and children are measured by their achievements. And we've recently witnessed celebrities paying thousands of dollars to make their application of their children for admission to prestigious universities look more impressive. And so they pay thousands of dollars to people to raise those in the admission office somewhere along in the chain, to raise their SAT scores of the students, and to also plug in something they've never done. Although, there was a great athlete, star track person, or whatever the sport might have been. And there's been a lot of coverage of that, and some of it is still not settled. SAT scores were raised in false information provided regarding other achievements. God measures us by how much we love Him and each other.

God measures us by how much we love Him and each other. What is the love of God? 1 John 5.3. For this is the love of God that we should keep His commandments, and His commandments are not grievous.

By this you'll all men know that you are my disciples, and that you love one another. You love one another as I have loved you. The foundational basis for all positive and lasting things is love. And the 1 John 3.16, which everyone can quote, even those who attend NFL games. Love is the greatest motivating force in the universe. God is love twice in 1 John 4. 4.8.4.16. God is love. By this you'll all men know that greater love is no man than this. They lay down his life for his friends. The greatest thing anyone can be taught is how to love. 1 Corinthians 13, the description of love. It is antithetical to normal Western Christianity and culture.

You don't do those things. You compete. You gotta be best the best. In Eastern culture, on the other hand, what their spouse is just as bad or worse, deny the flesh, purifies the spirit, thus their feelings are suppressed. They emphasize asceticism. Asceticism means to purify the flesh by doing without. So you can live in a Hubble or whatever it is and be the happiest person on earth. That's not what God wants either. Western world success is measured in terms of material things. Job, house, car, clothes. But their goals are all ill-defined. They don't know where they want to go, much less how to get there. They can say they desire to be a good person. They want the desire in the material physical realm. But the inner man, that's what is missing today. The inner man is starving to death. The inner man is not nourished.

People tend to view themselves and others in terms of how much others can help them achieve their goals. So what is my worth to you? For a lot of people in the world, it's my worth to them would be what I can do to help them achieve. That's what politicians, that's what political rhetoric is based on. If you elect me, I can help you do whatever. I can give you more than anybody else can. Which deepens the poverty cycle and puts the people more dependent upon somebody else.

Once again, people tend to view themselves and others in terms of how much others can help them achieve their goals. This produces an entitlement mentality. Someone else should provide for me all that I want.

Sadly, as I've noted, that's what politics is based on. Vote for the one who promises me the most. They become disassociated from their feelings and the feelings of others. I'm here to receive. I'm entitled to receive it. In order for mankind to behave as they are behaving and commit the atrocities that we have witnessed in recent decades requires one to be disassociated from their feelings.

How can a person, normal quote person, kill innocent men, women, and children? 40 million fetuses were aborted in 2019 around the world. 40 million. Five plus million in the United States. And yet, the hue and cry that you hear today over, we pick and choose what is godly or ungodly, what is right, what is wrong. And we do it in the name of liberty. Or they can be so deceived by the devil that they believe killing those who do not conform to their way is doing God's service. Please look at John 16. See, what we have going on today is that not only are these acts being committed of unlawful acts, but anyone who would dare speak against it to show the futility and the fault and the hypocrisy that is involved in it. We're going to attack them. We're going to take them out. John 16 verse 1, These things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues, yes, and the time comes that whosoever kills you will think that he does God service. And so, in the current climate of what's going on, even churches and those who represent God, whether they are true ministers or not, are being attacked. Once again, I believe more people miss the mark because they feel they don't measure up as opposed to feeling they haven't made. Let's go to 1 Timothy 3. 1 Timothy 3, the first...

I think it's 2 Timothy. I said 1 Timothy. I'll know when I get there. 2 Timothy 3 verse 1. 2 Timothy 3 verse 1. These five verses here, these five verses summarize the world as it stands today.

This know also that in the last days perilous time shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves. And we're going to come back to that. 2 Timothy 3 verse 1. Covetous boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection. Naturally, parents love their children. Children love their parents.

Truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. We don't want any goody-two-shoes around. We want you to be like us. We've been liberated. Traders, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. I think when we read these verses, see, 2 Timothy is a pastoral epistle. It is Paul who ordained Timothy, writing an epistle to a younger man of how to perform his ecclesiastical duties and what it's about. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such, turn away. Now, what does it mean having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such, turn away? We'll come back to that as well. Now, let's focus on verse 2, where it says, "...lubbers of themselves, can you be a narcissist and yet be down on yourself?" You know, the story of Narcissus, he was so handsome and beautiful that he saw his reflection in the river and he fell in love with himself according to Greek mythology. And so people who are lubbers of themselves, narcissists, they're called to this day, "...can you be a narcissist and yet be down on yourself?" I submit that narcissism is a major cause of feelings of worthlessness. A narcissist who loves himself more than he or she loves others or God will, of course, deny the power of God. You see, after the description in the first four verses of the various behaviors, they have a form of godliness, verse 5, but deny the power from such, turn away. And what is that power of God?

I would venture to say that almost all narcissists have never been disciplined. They have not been taught the way of love in the family unit. In short, they are void of discipline. No one can tell them what to do. Let's go to Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6.

In scanning the, as I often do, the religious channels on direct TV to see what is being said out there, came across this black minister, and I mean he was preaching the word of God. He was telling it like it is for about 15 minutes. Of the father image and the father pattern, the father model must be restored in the home, and the father must take up his duties and his role as the spiritual leader and the one who brings the family together.

And he talked about 70% of you don't have that in your homes. That's his words, not mine. That's what he said. The father model. What about our heavenly father? You look here in Hebrews 6 and verse 6.

I said Hebrews 6. I want Hebrews 12 and verse 6. Double that 6. In Hebrews 12 and verse 6, For whom the Lord loves he chastens. And of course he talked about this. Whom the Lord loves he chastens. None of us are perfect. We are born morally illiterate. Spiritually, we know zero, and we are dependent upon being taught.

For whom the Lord loves he chastens and scourges every son whom he loves. So let's go back and let's read verse 5. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children. My son despises you, despises not you the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loves he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the Father chastens not? But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers.

That means everybody has needed it. Everybody needs discipline. Everybody needs direction. Everybody needs to be taught. The inner person needs to be nourished. If you are avoid of that, then are you illegitimate and not sons. In other words, you're not really loved. You're not really loved.

You're just sort of pacified, handed on, placated, and so on, and you become a doing instead of a person. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection under the Father of spirits and live? It is the Word of God that we are reading. We speak the Word of God. Hopefully we speak it in love. We speak it in pleading. So a narcissist, one who has never received this, it says they're illegitimate.

Nobody loves them because they're without it. They come to hate authority, even God's authority, so they deny the power of God. We've asked this question already twice. What is the power of God at work in the human mind? Let's go to Romans chapter 12. To me, Paul makes it very clear what the power of God is in the human mind and how it takes place in two verses, only under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the skill of one like Paul.

He writes this in Romans chapter 12 verse 1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. I mean, that's just what is expected because you are bought with a price, you're not your own. And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed in the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, transformed in your mind by the renewing of your mind. That renewing of your mind comes through the Holy Spirit because through the Word of God and the Spirit of God, you can become a new creation. You can be viewed as sinless.

You can be set free. And if the Son set you free, you shall be free indeed. Please look now at 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Verse 15, and that he died for all, that is Christ, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore, henceforth, know we know man after the flesh, yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now, henceforth, know him no more after the flesh. He is a glorious, radiant spirit being. He has received the crown of righteousness, the crown of life.

He has been glorified. He is a glorious, radiant spirit being in the kingdom of God. He is the forerunner. He is called our elder brother. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are now new to him. Yes, say, a narcissist denies the power of God. So according to 2 Corinthians 5.17, if any person is in Christ, he is a new creation. And the principal fruits of the spirit will be made manifest in his life love, joy, peace.

And I believe that we have concentrated far too much on showing people their sins and trying to set up marks of righteousness and emphasizing the path to love, joy, peace, and true righteousness. Some people are quick to point out what they perceive to be flaws in other people in order to keep them down. All you know him, you've seen him do this, and you've seen her. What does she do? Well, maybe more than you. Categorize them so they're labeled in some way so they can be exalt themselves over those that they label. Oh yes, we have had people ladder climbers through the years, through the decades, in the Church of God.

We need to learn how to actually grow up to the fullness, the measure, the stature of Christ. Look at Ephesians chapter 4. Forward a few pages there. Ephesians 4 and verse 8. Ephesians 4 verse 8. Wherefore he said, When he ascended on high, that is Christ, he led captivity captive, gave gifts unto men. Now that he ascended, that is, but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth, he was in the grave three days and three nights. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things, that he gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, some teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

It is the Word of God that quickens.

It is faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, under the measure of the stature and the fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, cared about by every wind of doctrine, by the slight of man and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie and wait to deceive. Brethren, the truth is in the Word of God. Oh sure, we can always say man is walking according to the prince of the power of the air, according to the spirit that works in the children of disobedience, or just to simply attribute everything to human nature. But Paul states in Romans 7 that we have two minds warring within us, and that we must rule over the mind of the flesh. So in Romans 7, if you turn there, Romans 7 and verse 18, Paul talks about this war that is going on between the mind of the flesh and the mind of the spirit.

Some misunderstand they want the mind of the flesh removed. And one of the letters that I got somewhere, I don't even know what church area it was this week, saying, listen to your sermons and all this. And he had a question. It says, can we be partakers of the divine nature? Well, it says in Peter that we can, first chapter, that we can be partakers in divine nature. But at the same time, it also says in Romans 7 that this human nature will always be with us. But chapter 8 says you have to rule over the human nature. So in Romans 7 and verse 18, For I know that in me that is in my flesh, well, it's no good thing for the will is present with me. But to perform that which is good I find not. And some people will take that to say, well, Paul just knew there was a law of sin, so he went along with it. But that's not what he's saying. For the good that I would do not, but that evil which I would not that I do. Now if I do that, I would not. It is no more that I do it, but sin that dwells in me. So human nature is there warring against it. I find a law that when I would do good evil is present with me, for I delight in the law of God after the inward man. But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Who can deliver me from the war, the mind of the flesh, the mind of the spirit? I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind, that is with the spiritual mind, I serve the law of God. But with the flesh, the law of sin. That's the way verse chapter 8 verse 7 says, a carnal mind is an enmity toward God, neither subject to it, neither indeed can be. That's going to always be there. But the admonition, the exhortation, in fact, the command is, you must rule over the law of the flesh. We'll look at Romans again here. I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself serve the law of God. But with the flesh, the law of sin. And look at verse 7, the carnal mind is enmity. Look at verse 13 then, for if we live after the flesh, we shall die. But if we threw the spirit, through the spirit, through the spirit and the word of God, the word of God reveals the mind of the spirit. Do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. Some are filled with shame or guilt because they still have the mind of the flesh, thinking that that should disappear. No, it doesn't disappear, but it can be ruled over. As one author stated, many people live in shame. Shame has to do with what you believe you are, and guilt has to do with what you have done. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And when we come before God and repent, God said that He is just and faithful to forgive us of all unrighteousness, removing our sins as far as the east is from the west.

Will we accept it? Will we believe it? Will we live as if that is the case? In some ways, it's easier to remove guilt than it is your perception of yourself. Your perception of yourself is more difficult, usually, to change than the removal of guilt. However, overcoming the perception of oneself and guilt are closely associated. If you really understand what having your sins removed us, it is liberating. It frees. But perception of self is often skewed based on feedback from others. Oh, I'm going to listen to the crowd. I'm going to listen to the peers. I heard somebody say that they thought I was this way or that way. What does God say about you?

Perception of self is often skewed by feedback from others and the environment in which you live. Studies clearly show that alcoholics begat alcoholics. If you grew up in a family of alcoholics, the probability of you being an alcoholic is much greater than those who grew up in a home in which there are no alcoholics. Child abusers begat child abusers. Wife beaters begat wife beaters. Liars begat liars. Flatterers begat flatterers. And so it goes. These behaviors are learned in the family. The initial set of rules that I grew up with that I internalized and used to manage my life until I came into the church were learned in my family. Thankfully, most of those meshed with the Word of God. But some didn't because achievement was emphasized. Oh, your mother was valedictorian of your class. Are you going to be valedictorian? Oh, you're... and you fell in the blank. Was this or that? What about you? What you believe about yourself is the map used to make decisions about your life. What do you believe? Do you believe God? Do you believe the Bible? You see that the more I believe that upon repentance God will forgive my sins, see repentance, the more spontaneous and happy I can be because I have no guilt. I am set free. Now let's go to Psalm 103, which we have referenced already two or three times. Psalm 103 beginning in verse 8. So comforting, but sadly, I know I have had a problem internalizing because I grew up in an environment in which you had to compete. And basically, in today's world, that is the environment. You have to compete. You think.

You do have to work hard to discipline yourself. Set goals. Set strategies to reach your goals. Psalm 103 and verse 8. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. If he's that way, how am I? What am I like? He will not always chide, neither will keep his anger forever. He had not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. As it says in another place in the Psalms, if God were to mark iniquities, who would be able to stand? The wages of sin is death. None of us would be alive because we've all sinned. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities them that fear him. For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his eyes are as grass as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the eternal is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousness unto children's children, to keep as such his covenant and to those that remember his commandments to do them. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

If we cannot be encouraged or enlightened and hopefully help change our perception of ourselves if we need to, I don't know what would. This is the Word of God. Not my word, but it is the Word of God. Will we accept it? Will we believe it? Now, let's cover a few concrete steps in forgiving yourself and changing your perception of yourself. Awareness. You cannot change that which you are not aware of and admit that you need help. Of course, in the 12-step program with Alcoholics Anonymous, that's one of the first things they do. You must admit that you have a problem. You see, you come before God. Let's go to 1 John 4, verse 1. Now, 1 John 4. I'll get it right in a minute. In 1 John 1 and 4. 1 John 1 and 4.

And these things write unto you that your joy may be full. Notice that your joy may be full. You may be happy. You may be joyful. You're not laden with guilt. You're not unguarded. This then is the message which you have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light. And in him is no darkness at all, unlike what the Gnostics taught. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. See, Job was one who feared God and eschewed evil, and couldn't understand when he was afflicted. And see, God always has our best interests at heart, and he purges every son and chases every son that he loves. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from unrighteousness. See, you have to be aware of, you have to confess, you have to admit you can't be in a state of denial. You have to stop what is called the delusional denial cycle.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

So if you hope to get out of the rut, you must admit where you are, confess, and ask God to forgive you. Hide the word of God in your heart, Psalm 119 verse 9. Several times when I was at the college, students would come to me and say, I have a problem, I have an addiction, and that addiction buried from alcohol to drugs to sexual things.

And I would always come back here to Psalm 119 verse 9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to your word, with my whole heart have I sought you, or let me not wander from your commandments. Your word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against you. See, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. And one of the great things that I would always counsel people with is remove the temptation. Remove the tempters. If it's people, remove it. If it's a magazine, get rid of it. If it's a movie, burn it. Do whatever it is. Get rid of it. Change the environment. Another is deal with hurt and grief and bitterness. And generally that means you have to go to the source and face it.

And then you have to believe and trust in God. So God has called you and I to liberty to produce and enjoy the fruits of the Spirit. You can be spontaneous and free. If the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed. So, brethren, let's take these things to heart. Let's think about them, and let's see what we can do. We moved so that our lives can be more joyful, more spontaneous, more filled with the way God wants us to be. He doesn't want us to be weighted down all the time. Remember what we read from 1 John chapter 1. These things I write unto you. This is the words of John, the Bible. These things I write unto you that your joy might be filled, might be full. So let's live our lives as God intended, bearing the fruits of the Spirit, which glorifies God.