Be Of Good Courage

"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD." Psalm 31:24

Something will always discourage our heart, but if our hope rests in the living God's cause for our wellbeing, our discouragement will receive an enlightening balm to nourish our confidence in the hope that whatever we are currently passing through is for the good of our person. It is therefore well to know just what "hope" we are to rest in.

It is easy to imagine some confidence to keep our heart by, which confidence will inevitably be the means our mind is taken from the Bible’s voice or instruction. The psalmist informs us of what our "hope" in the living God should be, and this "hope" is what strengthens our heart to take courage when discouragement is all that is perceived, allowing us to know that this "strength" is what adds sobriety to our heart for possessing self. It is herein well to know that "wisdom strengtheneth," Ecclesiastes 7:19, and that this "hope" in the Bible is forwarded through our taking courage on its wisdom, even when life gives us no reason to do so.

If the Bible will encourage our heart by its wisdom, it is then our assignment to know what this wisdom is, that we may learn of it, to do it. For this cause we read: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom," Colossians 3:16, and, "Thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom," Psalm 51:6.

This wisdom is the "truth" or "word" of "Christ," which wisdom directs our attention to how it says, "Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God," 1 Corinthians 1:24. The BIble’s wisdom, or word, or truth, is called "Christ," and by the manner in which Paul uses this phrase, "Christ," we learn that he references no man, or no tangible thing, but rather uses "Christ" to figuratively illustrate a doctrine or philosophy. In proper context of language, "the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour," Titus 1:4, is "the commandment of God our Saviour," Titus 1:3, teaching us that "henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more," 2 Corinthians 5:16. 

Paul, through his doctrine, is trying to get us to understand that there is a higher course of learning for our conversation’s personal training. His speech informs the reader that, if they are to benefit in any thing by the Bible, what is thought to be physical or tangible need not continue in such a condition. This he says because, if this blessing is by the living God, and if "God is a Spirit," John 4:24, and if "a spirit hath not flesh and bones," Luke 24:39, then "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," John 3:6, and the blessing of “the Spirit” is only for the spirit of the mind.

Wisdom is not physical. A commandment is not firstly tangible. Wisdom is firstly mental, and because the Bible’s benevolence is for the mind, we are counseled, "Live according to God in the spirit," 1 Peter 4:6, and, "Be renewed in the spirit of your mind," Ephesians 4:23. The "salvation" promised by the Bible is for our conversation's mind, to renew its spiritual confidence so that we might practically apply to it for kindly governing self. Such "salvation" or regeneration of our thought and feeling is through "the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour," Titus 1:4, which "Lord" and "Savior"; because this blessing is mental and inward; is "the commandment of God our Saviour," Titus 1:3. 

If the conversation’s regeneration is the Bible’s aim, it is that the condition of our spiritual belief is naturally grotesque and needing alleviation. The Bible’s wisdom is therefore preached through the act of the living God’s chief apostle suffering the tree, for if it says, "He that is hanged is accursed of God," Deuteronomy 21:23. If he on the tree is found separated from the tree and "is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God," 1 Peter 3:22, then we have preached to us just what to resurrect from.

What is accursed on the tree is not the literal flesh of the literal man, and we understand this through Paul, who breaks down the figure of this image by saying, "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances," Ephesians 2:15. The man on the tree is but a figurative illustration of the handwritten religious law and doctrine of priests and elders, both ancient and modern. There is an issue with handwritten religious laws taken up by the Bible through this act, and it is not for any light or ignorant reason.

The logic behind calling out the religious law by the illustration of the living God’s chief apostle is understood from the sayings: "For whatsoever is not of faith is sin," Romans 14:23, and, "The law is not of faith," Galatians 3:12, and, "The strength of sin is the law," 1 Corinthians 15:56, and, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,” Galatians 3:13.

At the beginning of this entry, we learned that "strength" is, in the Bible, another term for "wisdom," because "wisdom strengtheneth," Ecclesiastes 7:19. The "strength" or "wisdom" of all "sin" is today recognized by the Bible as the religious law, which is why it was necessary that that priest "redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree," Galatians 3:13.

This act on the tree defines "sin" for us, that it is found in the religious law, and this definition of "sin" is right, because if "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," John 3:6, and if "without faith it is impossible to please him," Hebrews 11:6, and if "whatsoever is not of faith is sin," Romans 14:23, and if "the law is not of faith," Galatians 3:12, then the living God's intention within the mind of our conversation's conscience is ruined by the religious law, making the religious law "sin" to handle. It is therefore the Bible’s will to "purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God," Hebrews 9:14, and this will is preached through that that man suffering the tree.

The will and wisdom of the living God is the resurrection of our conversation from service to the religious law into another service blessing the mind of our personal devotional confidence. This is the reason why we are counseled, "Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind," Ephesians 4:22,23.

The "hope" promised "is Christ in you, the hope of glory," Colossians 1:27, and because this "hope" is through the Spirit's wisdom and commandment, seeing as how "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," John 3:6, we may understand that the "glory" to be received is the adorning of our mind with "the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour," Titus 1:4, which "Lord" and "Savior" is, in all actuality, "the doctrine of God our Saviour," Titus 2:10. 

The religion of the Bible is mental and philosophical, for the conscience of our conversation, meaning that it is not "through the law, but through the righteousness of faith," Romans 4:13. That act on the tree was accomplished so "that the blessing of Abraham might come," Galatians 3:14, and that the spirit of Moses might draw back from the experience. This spirit is abolished from the present experience with the Bible as a perpetual condemnation against every Moses that should arise, even like as it says, "Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it," Ecclesiastes 3:14.

If it is written, "He that is hanged is accursed of God," Deuteronomy 21:23, then this curse is a perpetual and ever lasting curse "not only in this world, but also in that which is to come," Ephesians 1:21. If our conversation is dominated by a baptism contrary to that given by the Bible, is ruled by a sabbath contrary to that spoken into existence by this same Mind at creation, and is blessed by all other sorts of "commandments and doctrines of men," Colossians 2:22, we may today know that the handwritten religious law has become the foundation of our faith, making our faith, seeing as how "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth," Romans 10:4, unhealthy.

Our faithfully experimenting with on the hope of the Bible’s wisdom is the means whereby our personal and devotional constitution is made better. By continuously regenerating our belief by the Bible’s words, the understanding gained will help make life simple, discouragement now becoming an instrument to further that wisdom's good intention. Therefore "be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD," Psalm 31:24.

Discovering God Though Stillness

The counsel is, “Be still, and know that I am God,” Psalm 46:10. 

The advice isn’t to “imagine” God. The advice isn’t to take confidence in what we assume God is. The Bible is asking its reader to know God from first employing stillness. The Bible is actually asking its student to develop an understanding of and on God by simply living and proving their experience, idea, and prior knowledge of God. 

This is, to me, revolutionary. It is revolutionary because, who would imagine the Bible advocating for a knowledge of God without “God”? The Bible is asking its student to take what they think they know about “God” and prove it. How are they supposed to get proof of God? The Bible counsels to be still, to be silent, to hold peace, to “wait.”

Now, all of this may sound like the Bible is calling for a dormant or an inactive experience. It may even sound like the Bible is asking its reader to blindly employ whatever “faith” they imagine themselves to have, and to “let go and let God.” To the Bible’s mind, to be “still” and to “wait” actually means to “rest.” When “resting,” one isn’t passing through a lethargic experience. “Rest,” to the Bible’s mind, is a concept understood from how it says:

“Precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little…To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear,” Isaiah 28:10-12

When “still,” one is at “rest.” To the Bible’s mind, “resting” equates to high mental activity. “Rest,” to the Bible’s mind, is the exercising of the mental faculties to experience spiritual or philosophical rejuvenation. “Rest” brings “refreshing” because of the enlightenment experienced when mentally examining and applying the scriptures. 

The advice to “be still” is counsel encouraging the Bible’s student to actually exercise mental energy for rejuvenating their spiritual understanding. When doing so, one may then “know God” by exercising the understanding acquired. This manner of devotional learning is for ensuring that our belief practically understands the reason behind its existence. 

It sounds so simple to say and to read, “Be still, and know that I am God,” but the reality of this counsel goes deeper than what is written. The Bible is asking the person to re-imagine their conversation by spending time not only with the Bible’s words, but with their conversation exercising those words. 

Every word and illustration within the Bible is instruction directing the person to set their devotional conversation in order. The mind inspiring the Bible isn’t content that its reader takes comfort in a public or private deity. The Bible’s mind is concerned about the state of the conversation’s thoughts and feelings, and to help the conversation understand reality, the Bible directs it to exercise its higher faculties. 

We can observe the Bible as a set of stories pointing to a moral human obligation. We can observe the Bible as a book counseling on practical religious ethics. Or we can see the Bible for what it is. We can see the Bible as a book correcting the human and religious moral and ethical character by instructing its reader to investigate the structure of their belief or assumption. 

The Bible is a book about firstly correcting the devotional conversation’s conscience. Beneath all of the illustrations, allegories, and parables, the Bible’s main concern is informing its reader that their conversation is unhealthy. 

We believe our spiritual belief and its idea is sound. We believe our conversation is sober. To the Bible’s mind, no conversation is healthy. This is why it says, “There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not,” Ecclesiastes 7:20. 

The mind inspiring the Bible is a disposition determined to elevate the devotional conversation’s thoughts and feelings. A key element to this elevation is “stillness” or “rest,” without which the conversation remains without a sure understanding not only of the Bible, but also of its own experience.  

Discovering The Bible's Redemption

When hearing, “Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation,” Revelation 5:9, we are hearing the sum of the controversy revolving around the crucifixion.

When hearing, “To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons,” Galatians 4:5, we are receiving the main train of thought highlighting that very controversy. 

There is only one “redemption” within the Bible, and that is the deliverance and the restitution of the conversation’s conscience from the core standard of “kindreds,” “tongues,” “peoples,” and “nations.” Said plainly, the “redemption” that the Bible is concerned with is one where the devotional conversation is taken from the religious world to exist only with the Bible’s devotional character. This is why it says, “Therefore are they before the throne of God,” Revelation 7:15.

When the Messiah is crucified, their death is supposed to echo the error in maintaining the conversation by popular religious means and standards. This is why it says, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree,” Galatians 3:13. 

Of course this changes and challenges the narrative of popular religious theory, and why shouldn’t it? When learning how the Bible thinks, when learning how the Bible interprets itself, and why it does so in the way that it does, the conversation is introduced to the Bible’s unadulterated character. For the sake of our personal and devotional growth and development, ought we not, in order to encourage its regeneration, challenge our own belief?

The Bible’s devotional character is not the religious world’s devotional character. The Bible’s aim and narrative isn’t the aim and narrative of the religious world. Concepts within the Bible are not the concepts given and endorsed by the religious world. The liberty advertised by the Bible is not the liberty advertised by the religious world. 

Just because something is labeled, it doesn’t mean that it is actually true to what the label says of it. Something can have a label highlighting its relevance, but when really looked at, we can see that it is actually disconnected from its label, deserving its label due to some linked association. While there are many associations linked to the Bible, when sincerely studying the Bible, one finds that those associations don’t truly represent the label connected to it. 

When reviewing the issue of redemption from within the Bible, what stands out is how it says, “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth,” Psalm 31:5. The “spirit” is the subject of redemption, which is why it says, “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind,” Ephesians 4:23, and, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” Psalm 51:10.

No one appreciates being viewed or judged outside of their personal context. Some even take it to be an insult if you don’t pronounce their name correctly. This same respect ought to be given to the philosophy and the devotional character within the Bible. If we fail to correctly articulate the Bible’s character, we do an immediate injustice to its personality, narrative, and philosophy.  

The subject of redemption is a subject about the conversation’s revival and reformation. This is why it says, “To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God,” Psalm 50:23.

An extra narrative is added when placing the Bible’s definition of redemption outside of its context. Our conversation has a work to do. The mind putting their conversation in order will understand the Bible’s definition of salvation. This means that the conversation must quiet its mind to embrace the Bible’s, which is why it says, “Put off concerning the former conversation…and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,” Ephesians 4:22,23.