Answers from the Mouth of God (Part 2)

Introduction: (Part two)

Last week we explored some common questions in believers’ lives: (How can I be sure I am Saved? What should I do when I don’t “feel saved?” and What breaks fellowship?) As a beginning premise, we established that we need to turn to the Bible as the written Word of God, to find answers. It is not just a “rule book.” It is God’s written communication to us. Jesus is identified as being the Word of God, in several places. We can call Him the Living Word, the Word made Flesh, etc. But we are to treat the Written Word, the Bible, as if He himself were speaking to us: because He is! So, today, we need to further explore the questions that cause us doubt, and see whether we can shine the light of God’s Word on those issues. To review, briefly:

What do I do when I don’t “feel saved?”

Think back: review what it takes to be saved. Ask yourself: “Have I ever placed my full trust in Jesus’ blood; His completed work at the cross as being sufficient to pay for all my sins?” If the answer is “Yes,” then salvation is not the issue: probably you are simply out of fellowship with God. (Another possibility: You may just have sad feelings caused by fatigue, guilt, or grief.)

What breaks fellowship?

In a word, “Sin!” Only sin breaks fellowship with God. Amos 3:3 says that two cannot walk together unless they are in agreement; Psalm 66:18 says that if I am holding sin in my heart, God will not hear me. God is not angry at you. He desires to have fellowship with you. If you are not “holding out on Him” by clinging to known sin, then you are free to enjoy His presence and His blessing. Elijah was not in sin, when he was hiding in the desert, under the juniper tree. He was overwhelmed with fatigue and fear. God did not rebuke him: He first met Elijah’s physical needs and only then, afterward, corrected his thinking.

Romans chapter 6 assures me that I do not have to sin. But, Romans 6:16 says that when I choose to submit myself to sin, I temporarily become a slave to it again(and it is always a choice!)

“God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1^st John 1:5, 6) So, if we say that we have fellowship with Him, but our lives don’t match His truth, then we are fooling ourselves. We are not in fellowship. Then, how do we restore fellowship? By confession. 1^st John 1:9 “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confession is not “groveling and begging for forgiveness:” it is agreeing with God (that is what “confession” means) that our behavior or thoughts were sin, and then stopping it. If it happens again, confess it again! Some things take longer to break ourselves of than others.

And, finally, how do we maintain fellowship? By obedience. 1^stJohn 1:7 “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

Walking with Jesus

Can Sin be eradicated from our lives? 1^st John 1:8, 10 says that if we think we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and, if we think we have never had a sin problem, then we are actually making God a liar. So, in the same manner as Paul struggled with his indwelling sin nature (Romans 7,) we also must fight against it. It’s just a simple fact.

Colossians 2:6 says we are to walk in Christ in the same way we received Him–(by faith). Walking implies a continuous action, not a one-time action. It also implies a step-by-step, relatively slow action, not an idea of moving by “leaps and bounds”, nor of coasting, gliding, or sprinting. In light of the verses listed above, and the wealth of information given to believers concerning how to live the Christian life, I think I can say that we will not be without sin until the day we see Jesus. 1 John 3:2 says, “ then we shall be like him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

The Christian life includes battles, in which we are expected to stand fast. (Ephesians 6:10-18 describes the armor of God, and tells who the enemy is, as well as who it is not; James 4:7 says we are to submit to God and resist Satan; 1 Peter 5:8, 9 says that the enemy is deadly, and that he stalks us, but that we are to resist him steadfastly.) The key is to be filled with, or to walk in, or be led by the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18 “be filled with the Spirit”; Galatians 5:16-23 “…walk in the Spirit”; Romans 8:14 “be led by the Spirit”. All three are the same idea.) The Christian life is only possible by the indwelling, presiding Holy Spirit living it through us, moment by moment.

So, What about my “feelings of unworthiness?”

To begin with, let’s stop, and just admit it: if I am examining my own personal abilities, strengths, or righteousness, then of course I’m unworthy! So are you, and so is the whole human race! We are all sinners! But, if you are a born-again child of God, then God is not looking at those things in your life; so why are you? (By the way, false guilt can cause just as much damage as real guilt!)

God has already permanently placed you into the body of Christ; (1 Cor. 12:13 says that we were all “baptized into one Body of Christ, by the same Holy Spirit”), and He has already seated you with Christ in the heavenly places; (Ephesians 2:6 says that we have been raised with Christ and are seated with him in Heaven,) and He has sealed you in Christ. (Ephesians 1:13, 14 says we are sealed in Him by the Holy Spirit until the redemption of the purchased possession …us!)

You are already perfect in Him (Ephesians 4:24 says that your new nature has been created in the likeness of God, in righteousness and true Holiness), and you (past tense) have been made the Righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21 says that Christ became sin for us, though He knew no sin, so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Him.) God no longer sees your sin at all, except as a hindrance to the blessing and work He wants to accomplish in you. According to Jesus’ promise, you will never be condemned. (John 5:24).

How would you feel, if, after a few tries trying to learn to tie his shoes, your four-year-old child declared himself a failure, and unworthy to be called your son? The issue of whether he could tie his shoes is ultimately insignificant: it has no bearing whatsoever on whether he is your son. The same is true in our relationship with God the Father. We became children of God by rebirth, upon receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior. Our works have nothing to do with salvation.

Our good works are only possible because we are children of God; they are not required in order to make us children of God. An unbeliever may do good works, possibly even more consistently than most believers, but he does it for a different reason, and his good works will not change his lost standing before God. Works are simply not in the picture, except as a result of Salvation.

Feelings are not Trustworthy.

We need to recognize that feelings are only valid when they reflect reality…they are not usually a safe measure of reality. Amusement parks capitalize on this fact: they make us feel as though we are falling when we are actually relatively safe. Magicians make us think we see things that we actually know are not true. But the fact of God’s Word is reality. We place our faith in His Word, and we change our way of life to match His principles…we embrace His values as our own. Feelings of deep joy and satisfaction, and awe at the majesty of God should follow.

But there will always be the likelihood that our feelings may not reliably reflect the reality of our new relationship with God. So, we need to constantly review the facts, and bask in the glory of God’s presence in His Word and in fellowship with other believers, to insulate ourselves from the negative feelings that besiege us in the unbelieving World. God’s Word reveals which feelings are from Him, and which are from our old sin nature. Satan will try to use my old nature as a tool to render me unprofitable to God. That is part of the battle—avoiding the traps he sets for our minds. In fact, that is what the “Helmet of Salvation” is all about in Ephesians 6:17. The assurance of our salvation is what guards our minds against Satan’s attacks.

What about when I “forgive” someone, but I am still angry?

This is an example where feelings do reveal what is really in our hearts. Consider this: if I forgive a debt someone owes me, it means they no longer owe me! The debt is cancelled, which means I must fully accept and absorb that loss. That is why Jesus had to go to the Cross, in order to forgive our sins. He bore the loss, the broken law, the weight of the shame and guilt of the lost world, and He took the punishment we deserved. So, when I say the words, “I forgive…” it means “I accept the loss, the hurt, the injury received, and I no longer hold the other person responsible.” So, when the angry feelings come back, I need to confess that the feelings are not from God and that they are a manifestation of my old nature. I can confess my anger as sin! I can set it aside, and accept that “yes, I was injured,” and decide again, “I no longer hold anyone else responsible.”

Someone has pointed out that “Anger is like a large, heavy bell: it took several pulls on the rope to get it ringing, to begin with, and just letting go of the rope once will not stop the sound. But if, every time I hear the bell, I yank the rope again, it will never stop ringing!” You must let go of it and give God time to heal your hurt feelings and harsh, sad memories.

So, how can I know God’s will for my life?

For a believer who has already settled the issue of his/her salvation, this is an important question to answer. The Bible gives a great deal of information on the subject, and I won’t try to cover it all right now. But, the basics are as follows:

God gives “General instructions” to all believers–He wants all of us to walk in obedience to Him, and live lives that are pleasing to Him, and which honor him before men. He wants all of us to believe His Word; trust His Grace and Wisdom; and to tell the good news of salvation to others. He wants all of us to consistently fellowship with Him and with other believers. He wants all of us to pray constantly, and be an encouragement to other believers, as well as praying for their needs.

He wants all of us to live without sin, but He knows our frailty, and He is more than fair– if we sin, we are to confess it to Him, restore whatever wrong has been done (if possible,) and go on walking with Him. He wants all of us to love Him, above all things, and to grow in that love. He wants His love to spill over from our lives into those around us, and to bless all those around us.

God wants all of us to serve as His ambassadors, to reach the lost and dying world around us with the Gospel. He gives all of us instructions, as to how this is to be accomplished. He gives all of us instructions as to how to relate to our spouses, to our children, to our employers or employees, the government, the police, the lost people around us, and to fellow Christians.

In short, all the general instructions regarding how to live for God are in the Bible. Specific instructions, as to what school to go to, or who to marry, or how much to give, or where to seek employment, are a matter of applying the principles of wisdom given in God’s Word, and praying for guidance from God’s Holy Spirit. Many things can be a process of elimination, too, if we write down the “pro’s and con’s”, and then apply God’s principles to make our choices.

Start by obeying the things you know, and praying for wisdom on the things you don’t know. (James 1:5) Then search the scriptures to see if there is a governing principle by which you can make the specific decision that is troubling you. If all the truth you know seems to point in a given direction, feel free to go that way. If the answers you come up with really leave two equally good options, feel free to choose on the basis of personal preference. But be cautious; examine why you prefer one over the other. Ask God for guidance. It is OK to seek counsel of other believers whom you consider to be wise in the Word, as well.

Finally, if you have gone as far as you can, and have made the best decision you know how, then commit your way to God, and trust Him to direct your path. (Proverbs 3:5, 6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path.”) If He “closes doors,” so to speak, it could be that He is redirecting you. On the other hand, it could simply be an obstacle that you are to overcome. At any rate, God wants you to know His will. He does not play games of hide and seek, or make you guess. If you are willing to submit yourself to His will, and are actively seeking it, then you will eventually be directed by Him.

Here is a warning: don’t make the error of “asking God’s will so you can decide whether to submit yourself to it.” He doesn’t “submit directions to us for our approval.” His will is to be obeyed, not just considered. Knowledge is for the purpose of conduct, not curiosity. If you are not willing to do the will of God, then don’t bother asking Him what it is. We are not free to choose whether to obey God; but many of the choices for which we seek His direction are covered by Biblical principles, and He simply tells us to learn to obey the principles in His Word.

You can be assured, as a believer, based on the promise of God’s Word, that you will never be lost, and that God will continue to love you and provide for you, even through trials, sicknesses and death. You can be assured that, as you search His Word for principles to live by, He will lead you in the path of His choosing. You can be assured that, if you apply those principles in His Word, then your choices will be within His will, and you will enjoy his blessing and guidance.

Notice what these ideas all have in common? God’s Word: That is where we find our assurance. You need to establish a regular habit of reading, and feeding on the Bible. That is where you will find assurance and peace. There are five fundamental ways you can feed on God’s Word:

Hear it
Read it
Study it
Memorize it
Meditate upon it.

Each of the five in the list requires more effort than the one before—and more time. Guess which end of the list has the most effect upon your life. Yep. The ones that cost you the most in terms of time and commitment are the ones that will do you the most good. The same thing is true for most relationships. The ones into which you put the most time and effort usually become the most valuable and enjoyable. We will continue to feed on God’s Word in this assembly, and we trust that it will be to your encouragement, as well.

Conclusion:

You decide how you want to relate to the Lord: If you only want a “life-jacket” in the storms of life, then you may find that when the storms actually come, you don’t really know how to use that “life-jacket.” If you seek his guidance, love, approval, and constant fellowship, then when the storms come, you will find that you are already prepared, and you can rest in Him.

I pray you will find your assurance in the person of Christ, through His written Word, by His Holy Spirit, and in fellowship with other believers. If there are specific questions for which you want answers, any of the leaders in this church will be happy to help you find them. Just ask!

Lord Jesus, continually direct our thoughts toward Yourself, so that we find our assurance in your Word, and fellowship with you by your Grace, and pour out your love to the lost world around us. Make us the ambassadors you have called us to be.

September 21, 2019September 21, 2019

Why is Biblical Christianity different?

Introduction:

There are millions of people in the world who frequently express the opinion that “Really, all religions are the same—they are just different ways to arrive at the same goal—different paths to the same God.”

We need to do some thinking about that statement—is it true? What about when one religion says there are potentially millions of Gods, and another says there is only one God? Are they still the same? (Cp. Isaiah 43:10, 11 re. Mormonism, Hinduism, etc.)

What about the morals taught? Doesn’t that make them all the same, essentially? Don’t they all basically tell you to “be good”? and, what about their scriptures? Aren’t they really very similar? How can we say the Bible is really different? How can we know that what Jesus had to offer is different than, and superior to every other religion throughout History? (Book of Mormon, Bhagavad Gita, I Ching, Quran, etc.)

Comparative Analysis

In comparing two ideas, it is very well to compare the similarities, but it is imperative that one consider the differences, too, before committing oneself to a decision.

Let’s take a physical object lesson:

I have two clear liquids in two identical glasses. They are both clear, colorless liquids, and I know that water is a clear, colorless liquid; therefore, they both must be safe to drink, correct?

“That is ridiculous reasoning!” you say: “Many clear, colorless liquids are not safe to drink.”

OK, then, let’s analyze them a little—it turns out they both have hydrogen and oxygen in them. Aha! Water has hydrogen and oxygen! Therefore they must be safe to drink! Right? No, that is wrong, too! Many liquids have hydrogen and oxygen—what we really need to ask is, “What are the differences here?”

Suppose, then, after further analysis, it turns out that one of these glasses contains H₂O, and the other H₂SO₄– to speak plainly: one is plain water, and the other is battery acid. The similarities, in this case, are surely trivial compared to the differences! The differences could be fatal.

Compare the Differences:

Let’s attempt to examine world religions in light of the differences between them, rather than the similarities. Incidentally, if anyone is interested in some additional study along these lines, I can heartily endorse Fritz Ridenour’s book, entitled “So, What’s the Difference?”

The difference, ultimately, between one religion and another may not be simply “How is it to live by?”, but rather, “How is it to die by?” What is the eternal result? (A Scarlet King Snake and a Coral snake look very similar: same size, shape and colors…but one is harmless, and the other is a deadly, in spite of its beauty.) What is the eternal result of what you believe?

One of the key issues God asks us to consider is the issue of Sin: How we deal with sin will, in the long run, determine where we spend eternity. Let me make that more personal—“How you deal with your sin, will in the long run, determine where you spend eternity!”

Ezekiel 18:4 says, “The soul that sinneth it shall die.”; and Ezekiel 33:13 says, “When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.” So let’s think carefully, here!

Different religions take starkly different approaches to the topic of Sin, and they can be divided into four broad categories.

Dealing with the question of Sin—four categories of religions:

“There’s no such thing as sin—there’s nothing intrinsically right or wrong.” This is a relatively rare stance, because people know instinctively that there is such a thing as right and wrong, and they feel guilt when they do wrong. (Interestingly, most are fine on the theory that there is nothing intrinsically right or wrong, but they usually recognize when someone has wronged them.) Taoism seems to fit this category.
“Sin exists, but God is so loving and merciful and kind that there is no judgment for sin, except the consequences in this life, and your own guilt and regrets, etc. So, don’t worry about sin, just do the best you can, and try to be good, and God will take us all to Heaven eventually. God doesn’t punish sin.” Some modern churches have embraced this idea. But this is still not especially common, because people also instinctively know there is judgment for sin. Judgment IS coming.
“Sin exists, and God hates sin, so you must work incessantly to overbalance with Good the sins you have already committed, so that you can earn His forgiveness and acceptance. (And, by the way, we will tell you what you need to do, and how much you need to pay…to us!)” This is by far the most common line of thinking, and is prevalent among most cults as well as most organized religions, whether “Christian” or “pagan”. We all want to think there is something we can do to improve. Almost all religions fall into this category.
“Sin exists, God hates sin, and there is nothing you can do to undo the evil you have done, or to earn God’s forgiveness, acceptance, and love. Either Jesus’ blood at the cross is sufficient, or we are lost.” As far as I am aware, Biblical Christianity stands alone in this category. Galatians 2:21; 1^st Corinthians 15:3, 4, 17, 18

Another thing regarding which various religions differ, is the teaching regarding Human effort:

“Do”, versus “Done”

Virtually every religion of the world emphasizes the things you must do to earn a right standing with God. Works-oriented religions continually point you to something you should do, with dire consequences for failure, and/or huge rewards for success. The problem with that sort of scheme is two-fold.

It is Man-centered—“What can I do to please God?
It is usually a bottomless pit; it never says, “Enough; you have succeeded!” Some religions side-step this problem, by saying, “Well, here are seven (or some other number of) things you must do, in order to inherit eternal life and God’s blessing.” Then a person simply goes after those things, as if they were “merit badges,” and when he has attained them all, he is in! He has (someone’s) guarantee that he has eternal life waiting for him. But many works-oriented religions will solemnly tell you that you cannot know that you have eternal life. So you work and work, and you give, and you serve, and you pray: and you hope that you have been good enough to pay for all the sins you have ever committed. But you can never have true security.

In contrast, Biblical Christianity is Christ-centered—God-centered. It doesn’t ask the question “What must I do to please God?” so much as “What has Jesus Christ done for me, to make me pleasing in God’s sight?” Ephesians 2:8-10 makes the works issue clear. We do good works as a result of having been born again into God’s family. I am to act like a child of God because I am one, not in order to become one. All the work necessary to make the believer acceptable to God has already been done, at the Cross. Religions say “Do!” Jesus says, “Done!” John 19:30 “It is finished!”

Man’s Authority, versus God’s Authority

Most world religions produce a hierarchy of human authority, (Popes, cardinals, archbishops, abbots, priests, monks, prophets, gurus, etc.) through whom the believer must go, before they can “get to God,” and through whom God’s will is to be revealed to the believer.

Jesus set aside all those things by becoming our eternal High Priest, and by making every believer a full priest in the Body of Christ. Each true believer is already a saint, has already obtained eternal life, and is already eternally guaranteed a position in Heaven. That believer is also a priest, with the task of offering sacrifices acceptable to God, in the form of prayer, thanksgiving, and praise. That believer also has the responsibility of searching God’s Word to find God’s direction in life, and acting as an ambassador for Christ to a lost world.

This is not to say that God does not provide human “shepherds” for his people—but those shepherds do not stand between the believer and God. Every believer has free personal access to the Father, through Jesus Christ, alone.

Biblical Christianity does not set up roadblocks between believers and God (1 Timothy 2:5)…in fact, when the veil in the temple was torn, during the crucifixion, it was specifically to say, “The way is open! All who come by way of the Blood of Jesus may come freely, and without ceremony!” (Hebrews 10:19-22)

“Religion” versus “Relationship”

God isn’t interested in “religion”, in the sense we see it used in the world: Biblical Christianity is to be a real, living relationship between two real, live persons—God, and You!

God is not an “idea”—He is a person. He is a Spirit, of course, but a real live person, as well, and He desires to know you personally, on every level.

Spiritually? Absolutely! Jesus said that God is a Spirit, and those who worship Him must do so in Spirit and in Truth. (John 4:24) God wants to “hone” us in this area, “refine us,” so that we are sensitive to Him, and quickly responsive to His leading. (Psalm 32:8, 9)

Intellectually? Sure! He wants you to learn with the mind he has given you, and glorify Him with your mind, and the words you say, the very thoughts you think. This could be in Bible knowledge, learning the “nuts and bolts” of how God’s word fits together and chasing down remote ideas, in obscure passages. (2 Peter 1:5-7) But it could also refer to pulling together outside information, demonstrating the truth of God’s word. (In science, math, history, culture, language, etc. Psalm19:1-6; Romans 1:19, 20) Remember that knowledge is for the purpose of conduct.

Emotionally? Yes! Jesus clearly felt joy, anger, sorrow, pain, etc. during his earthly life, and He doesn’t ignore these feelings in us. He relegates them to their proper place—a response to facts and faith—but He definitely wants to minister to us in sorrow and in joy. The Christian life is not a zombie-like existence outside the reach of feelings. Nor is it a life of slavery to feelings. We are frequently called upon to act in spite of our feelings, in obedience to God’s command. (Matthew 26:39; (Jesus’ example) Matthew 27:44; Luke 23:39-43 (The thief’s example)) Emotions are a genuine part of the Christian life, but they are not to reign over us.

Physically? Yes! God wants to be Lord of our lives in all areas. He wants to be able to bless us in all areas. He wants our lives to reflect His character in all areas. He answers prayer affecting all areas of our lives, and He wants us to submit all those areas to His will, as well. He definitely calls us to a life of holiness and service in our bodies, as well as in heart and mind. See 1st Corinthians 6:19, 20

Materially? Yup! God gives us many gifts, but He never wants the gifts to take priority over the giver. It’s no accident that Jesus chose wealth as the example he used, when he made his famous statement, “No man can serve two masters…ye cannot serve God and Mammon” (Matthew 6:24)

We give as a form of worship, but it is also in obedience, acknowledging that the source of all our sustenance is God himself. When we hold back, and say, “Well, I can’t afford to give to God…” we are forgetting that it all came from His hand. But even our giving isn’t a matter of slavery to a creed– in the New Testament, though it all belongs to God, it is also all free-will giving. (2 Corinthians 9:6-8) You have to determine before God what is right to give. It’s part of the relationship.

Restoring the Relationship

God gives us the means by which to maintain our relationship, in fellowship with Him—1 John 1:9 says all we have to do, when we realize that we have sinned, and that our fellowship with God is broken, is to confess our sins to Him, and he will forgive us, and restore the fellowship. Notice, again, that this is something between God and us—it isn’t dependent upon a human intercessor —Jesus Himself is our intercessor.

What about You?

If you are not sure how to enter into this relationship with God, I would count it a privilege to sit down with you and try to answer your questions from the Bible. But this relationship requires a personal response from you. No one can force you, but, on the other hand, no one can do it for you, either. You don’t have to come alone to God, but you alone can choose whether to believe or disbelieve His Word.

Jesus says, “…he that heareth my word, and believeth on Him who sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into Life.” (John 5:24) That promise is to you!

All He asks you to do is hear and believe—place your trust in His finished work at the Cross. The choice is yours. There are folks all around you who have made that choice, and would love to help you, if you need someone to encourage you. But the choice is only yours.

So, let’s review:

Human Religions	Biblical Christianity
1. Deny, trivialize, or attempt to work off the Sin-debt.	1. Places full dependence on Jesus’ perfect, complete, final payment for Sin. Romans 3:25
2. Say, “You must DO….”.	2. Says, “Jesus has DONE….” John 19:30; Hebrews 10:12
3. Have a hierarchy of human authorities and/or intercessors. Believers do not have direct access to God.	3. Has one mediator between God and Man. Christ alone intercedes between believers and the Father…and *every* believer has direct access to God. 1^st Timothy 2:5
4. Are just that: *Religion*— with creeds, catechisms, rules, and regulations, but no life, and ultimately, no hope.	4. Is a *Relationship, of Faith, Love, and obedience to a personal, Living Savior who is our Life, and who is our Eternal Hope. Ephesians 3:17-19*
5. Are fine enough to live by, for the most part, *but they are Hell to die by…Jesus said He was the only way to God, and God confirmed it. (John 14:6; Matthew 17:5*)	5. Is humanly *impossible* to live by, but He doesn’t ask us to do it ourselves. He lives through us by His Holy Spirit indwelling us. (Galatians 5:16) We are offered Eternal life to *have now* and enjoy forever. (John 11:25)

Remember–“How you deal with your sin, will in the long run, determine where you spend eternity!” How you deal with sin depends on what you do with Jesus Christ:

You will either choose to depend on Jesus’ shed blood, as full payment for your sin, (Romans 3:25) or you will choose to trust something else, or perhaps just deny the problem entirely. But you have to choose. No one else can do it for you. Please choose wisely. Eternity hangs on your decision.

Lord Jesus, help us to continually see the stark differences between what you offer and that which the World offers. Help us to see the difference between the leading of the flesh, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Feed us on your Word, so that we will grow strong.