My dear friend, pay close attention to the movements of Nature and Grace, because they can be very subtle, sometime quite contrary. It takes a spiritual and enlightened Devout to discern them. Hence, let God discern them for you. Every Devout has one’s heart set on good, as indeed does all Humankind—Aristotle, God’s pagan philosopher friend, put that down right at the beginning of his Nichomachean Ethics (1.1). And every Devout pretends there is something good in what he says and does. And so it is that many Devouts fall by having clouded their own minds into thinking they were doing something good when, actually, they were doing something quite bad. Horace, God’s pagan poet friend, expresses much the same sentiment in his Poetic Art (25). Natura, Dame Nature is familiarly known, is hot, and as if to prove her point, she had dragged any number of Devouts under the bushes; she is a tramp, a deceiver who always gets her way. Gratia, as Lady Grace, is commonly known, cool, walking in the Garden at twilight, pruning all the deadly nightshade; she is not pretentious or fallacious and has the pure intention of doing everything for God, in whom all Finality rests. First Thessalonians recommends much of the same thing (5.22). Natura will not entertain the possibility of death; nor does she allow herself to be oppressed, overwhelmed or underwhelmed, or tamed by a master. Gratia, though, truly strives to mortify herself, she asks for direction, desires to be taught, and has no intention of dancing in innocents in the fountain; that is to say, she resists sensuality. She thrives under discipline and abhours the thought of disciplining someone else. However, she lives, stands, and exists under God, and because of God she has always prepared to defer to every other human creature. Here God refers you to First Peter (2.13). Natura labours only for her own advantage and looks only to what financial gain she can squeeze out of a situation. #RandolphHarris 1 of 18

Gratia has it the other way around. She expresses no interests in promoting or advancing her own career; she does only what will be good for others. First Corinthians (10.33). Natura freely accepts honours and decorations she does not deserve. Gratia attributes all honours and decorations to God, on whose bountiful breast they should be proudly displayed. Psalms (29.2). Natura likes to be in control; when she is not, she fears confusion and contempt, disgust and disgrace. Gratia likes protocol and rejoices when she is asked to suffer some contumely for the name of Jesus. Acts of the Apostles (5.4).  Natura likes to lounge about in silk and have her body bathed in milk. Gratia cleans up quite nicely, thank you very much, but she does not spend a lot of time in front mirror; there is too much to do, too many people to help, for her to loll around. Natura surrounds herself with curious and objets d’art and abhours the cheap and the dull, ad if she knew the difference. Gratia does not clutter her residence with cutesy artifacts; no bibelots or furbelows for her; she delights in humble fabrics with simple designs and swans about in secondhand splendour. Natura has to keep pace with the latest fashions, is a bad winner and a poor loser, and bristles at the slightest barb, real or imagined. Gratia takes the long view, with Eternity at the end of the scope. She hardly notices when things come into, let alone when they go out of, fashion; nor do her lips go pouty when she is slapped in the face with an insult. That is because she keeps her treasure and joy where it is truly secure, that is to say, in the Vaults of Heaven. Matthew (6.20). Natura has to have one of the everything. Slower to give than to receive—that is her motto. Gratia, however, prefers none of anything, develops the common touches, avoids particular friendships, and had modest needs and desires; that is because she judges it “more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts of the Apostles (20.35). #RandolphHarris 2 of 18

Natura has a fondness for creature comforts, flashy displays, witty dinners. Gratia is attracted to God and the virtuous life, does not invest in unguents or ointments, turns her back on the World, detests carnal desires, restricts her travels, and blushes when she had to appear in public. Natura’s not beneath getting her jollies by sipping the sort of drinkies that make her skin crawl. Gratia’s not above seeking a little consolation for herself, but she finds it in God alone; her delights are not in the visible World of the Summum Malum, but in the invisible World of the Summum Bonum. Natura’s a heartless businesswoman. No pro bono work for her. As for remuneration, she expects better than equal pay. In lieu of that, she will trade up to preference or praise from those who set the standards. For her benefactions, partly and tawdry as they are, she wants instant public recognition. Gratia, on the other hand, seeks nothing ephemeral, certainly not a reward; she prefers God, the greatest reward of all. She does with only a few necessities in this life, a comb and a brush and just enough diet to get her through to the next life. Natura arranges a ball for a thousand of her closet friends—as if she had that many!—not so much for them to dance and to sing as for her to boast about the stateliness of her home and the lengthiness of her lineage. She flashes her teeth at the powerful and rubs up against the rich. And she is assembled a virtual retinue of viragos like herself. Not so Gratia. She feels affection even for those who have shown no signs of friendliness. Nor does she surround herself with yea-sayers and gainsayers. She takes no extraordinary pride in her distinguished family or historical home, and rarely lets slip the Virile Virtue is the major domo managing her estates. She favours Lazarus to Dives, feeling more warmly for the indigent than for the potentate. She rejoices with Truth and politely refuses Untruth. She has this habit, annoying to some, of exhorting the good to yearn for greater charisms; as for herself, she yearns only to be assimilated through virtues to the Son of God. Matthew (5.44) and First Corinthians (12.31). #RandolphHarris 3 of 18

At the hint of famine or drought, Natura begins to binge. In the face of want, Gratia keeps on an even keel, eating and drinking like a bird. Natura quickly turns the conversation back to herself, always pestering and pummeling until she gets her own way. Gratia begins with herself, but very quickly leads the conversation back to God, whence everything came in the first place. She ascribes nothing good to herself, nor does she give off even the faintest aroma of arrogance. She is neither contentious or sententious. And she submits her senses and intellects for the Divine Examen by Eternal Wisdom. Natura wants to know all the secrets and to hear the latest news; she appears in public with daring dress and brazen mouth. She acts audacious and talks salacious, yet desires to be thought gracious. Gratia, though, does not care a fig about that latest in fig leaves. That is because this whole thing had its start with the Primal Corruption; that was when there lay over the Earth nothing new and nothing lasting. So she trains her senses to avoid Vain Complacency and Empty Ostentation, humbly hides in herself what is considered laudatory and wonderful in others, and seeks in every situation and every branch of knowledge to find something for the praise and honour of God. She does not wish to advertise the importance of herself or the magnitude of her gifts, merely to choose that God be blessed when He gives His gifts; after all, He is the One who has showered everyone else with gifts, and just for the love of it all. Gratia is supernatural light. She is a certain special gift of God, properly a little sign of God’s favour to the Elect, and a pledge of Eternal Salvation. She is meant to lift up Humankind from Terrenals to the Celestial Lovables, that is to say, to make a carnal Devout into a spiritual Devout. Ephesians (2.8). Therefore, I say, the sooner Nature’s impediments are removed, the freer Grace’s improvements will flow. And when that happens, the interior Devout will be reformed according to the image of God by a new series of daily visitations. That, according to Colossians (3.10). #RandolphHarris 4 of 18

On February 9, 1831, at Kirtland in the presence of twelve elders, God gave the people His law by revelation as He had promised. This is the law as given by the Lord that govern His church: Hearken, O ye elders of my church, who have assembled themselves together, in my name. Hearken and hear and obey the law which I shall give unto you. Ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the voice of a trump, declaring my word like unto Angels of God. And ye shall go forth baptizing with water, saying, Repent ye, repent ye, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. And from this place ye shall go forth into the regions westward. Ye shall build up my church in every region, until the time shall come when it shall be revealed unto you from on high, when the city of the New America shall be prepared that ye may be gathered in one, that ye may be my people, and I will be your God. The elders, priests, and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel which are in the Christian Bible and the Book of Mormon, in which is the fullness of the gospel. And they shall observe the covenants and church articles to do them, and the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith, and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach. Then the Lord gave commandments similar to those he gave through Moses to the children of America, which we refer as the Ten Commandments: Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not lie. Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shall cleave unto her and none else. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not speak of evil of thy neighbour, nor do one any harm. If thou lovest me, thou shalt serve me and keep all my commandments. Thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support, and inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me. Every human shall be made accountable unto me a steward over one’s own property. Thou shalt not be proud in thy heart; let all thy garments be plain, and their beauty the beauty of the work of thine own hands, and let all things be done in cleanliness before me. Thou shalt not be idle; for one that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the labourer. The Lord gave instructions concerning those who were sick when he said: And whosoever among you are sick, and have not faith to be healed, but believe, shall be nourished with all tenderness. #RandolphHarris 5 of 18

 And the elders of the church, two or more, shall be called, and shall pray for, and lay their hands upon them in my name; and if they die, they shall die unto me, and if they live, they shall live unto me. Those that die in me shall not taste death, for it shall be sweet unto them; and they that died not in me, woe unto them, for their death is bitter. One that has faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed; one who has faith to see shall see; one who has faith to hear shall hear, the lame who have faith to leap shall leap. And they who have not faith to do these things, but believe in me, thou shalt bear their infirmities. Concerning the storehouse, the Lord said: Thou shalt stand in the place of thy stewardship; thou shalt pay for which thou shalt receive of thy brother. And if thou obtainest more than that which would be for thy support, thou shalt give it unto my storehouse, that all things may be done according to that which I have said. Thou shalt ask, and it shall be revealed unto thee in mine own due time, where the New America [Zion] shall be built. Concerning the keeping of the law, they were instructed: And again, every person who belongeth to this church of Christ shall observe to keep all the commandments and convents of the church. This was the law of God given to govern the church in the latter day. Had the Saints heeded, it much of the trouble they afterwards experienced might have been avoided. If we will heed it, we shall be able to build New America and receive the promise of the kingdom. This is one of the most important documents ever given to the church. Everyone, even the very young person, should study it carefully. A few days after the revelation concerning the law of the church was given, another revelation was given thought Joseph Smith for the church in which instructions were given that no one was to receive revelations and commandments for the church except Joseph Smith. #RandolphHarris 6 of 18

The Saviour said: And this shall know assuredly, that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until one be taken, if one abide in me. However, verily, verily I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed this gift except it be through him. In this revelation the Lord was instructing that if Joseph Smith should not remain faithful, or if he should die, still that one he had designated as his successor should continue his work as a prophet. And no one would have this power to appoint his successor, chosen by Joseph Smith, should be one who would teach the same things he taught, and whose teachings would be in harmony with the Scriptures as found in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and the revelations previously given. Hence it does not follow that there exists in God anything besides relation in reality; but only in various names imposed by us. If the divine perfection contained only what is signified by relative names, it would follow that it is imperfect, being thus related to something else; as in the same way, if nothing more were contained in it than what is signified by the word “wisdom,” it would not in that case be a subsistence. However, as the perfection of the divine essence is greater than can be included in any name, it does not follow, if a relative term or any other name applied to God signify something imperfect, that the divine essence is in any way imperfect; for the divine essence comprehends within itself the perfection of every genus. In the day that Jesus Christ was teaching, they were operating under the Law. The prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray was under the old covenant. You will notice that it did not include the name of Jesus. New Testament prayer is prayed in the name of Jesus. The New covenant prayer is different, for it is governed by the rules of the new covenant. The New Testament is a new contract. It is the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, sealed with Jesus’s own blood. It is established on better promises. If the old had been perfect, it would not have passed away; but finding fault with it, God made new covenant. “However, as it is now, He [Christ] has acquired a [priestly] ministry which is as much superior and more excellent [than the old] as the covenant (the agreement) of which He is the Mediator (the Arbiter, Agent) is superior and more excellent, [because] it is enacted and rests upon more important (sublime, higher, and nobler) promise. #RandolphHarris 7 of 18

“For if that first covenant had been without defect, there would have been no room for another one or an attempt to institute another one. However, He finds fault with them [showing its inadequacy] when He says, Behold, the days will come, says the Lord, when I will make and ratify a new covenant or agreement with the house of America and with the house of California,” reports Hebrews 8.6-8. And this is your new contract. There are many people that have been saved and filled with the Spirit for years, yet have never read their contract. They are quick to tell you that you never know what God will do. They do not realize that their new contract reveals what He will do! “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you,” reports John 16.23. Here Jesus is beginning to teach the disciples new covenant rules for prayer. “In that day.” What day is He talking about? After the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost has come—in that day when the new covenant is in operation—then, “ye shall ask nothing.” You see, Jesus supplied every need the disciples had while He was with them. He also fed the multitude in the wilderness. When Peter needed some tax money, Jesus told him to go fishing and the first fish he caught would have the tax money in its mouth. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons. Even with all this taking place, He turned to them one day and said “It is expedient for you (of it is better for you) that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you,” reports John 16.7. In other words, “Until I go away, the Holy Ghost will not come and the new covenant will not be in force.” Jesus said that this new covenant was even better for us than if He had stayed here on Earth. “One that believeth on me, the works that I do shall one do also; and greater works than these shall one do; because I go unto my Father,” reports John 14.12. We were to do the greater works after the Holy Ghost came. #RandolphHarris 8 of 18

“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full,” reports John 16.23-24. If your joy is not full, then you need to ask so that you may have the full joy Jesus Christ promised. His will for us under the new covenant is that our joy be full. Jesus taught us to pray to the Father in the name of Jesus. We have authority to use His name, but we are not to pray to Jesus. Somebody says, “Yes, but the Lord knows what I mean.” Well, that is true. I am sure the Lord does know what you mean, but He does not answer prayer just because He knows what you mean. He answers prayer when you pray according to His rulebook—the Bible. You must fulfill your part of the covenant or contract. The one element that makes prayer work is faith. Faith is a spiritual law designed to unlock the treasures of the unseen. Sometimes people will classify this one or that one as a faith teacher. If you teach the Word of God, you are a faith teacher. The Word of God is the Word of faith (Romans 10.8-9). Prayer gets its power from faith, and faith works by love. Somehow down through the years we have gotten the idea that prayer makes faith work. It does not. Faith makes prayer work. Faith will work without prayer, but prayer will not work without faith. You can put your faith to work through prayer. “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise one up,” reports James 5.15. The physical regimes and disciplines of prayer can purify the body and restore health, but it is not sufficient to answer the mind’s questionings, nor to still the heart’s yearning for peace. When one gives too much importance to the practice of the bodily disciplines, they become obstacles on the way, new attachments that have to be broke. It is a matter of faith. If you concentrate your mind upon the Word of God and have faith, you will see beneficial end results that are health-giving and therapeutic. Following the Ten Commandments will help one overcome faults, which left alone would make prayer impossible. #RandolphHarris 9 of 18

The psychic purpose of faith has physical benefits. The aged, the studious, and the overworked particularly need these benefits of more vigour, more buoyancy, quicker response, and better functioning. The drudgery of daily life exhausts the body and the mind, whereas the philosophic exercise of faith, prayer, and the Word of God invigorated them. Too many people focus their minds upon the violence of the fake news media and gossip, and as one would expect, these sources become embedded in their minds, hearts, and souls, instead of the Word of God and it produces disharmony in the home, family, workplace, amongst friends and causes people’s hearts to wax cold. The TV news media is so violent and full of negative information because they are intended to bring about the greatest result of illness and chaos in the shortest time. Others make use of natural satisfactions by tuning into the scripture, which is intended not only to correct the errors which wrong habit has introduced into the World, but also to let live, when actions are righteously done, assist in keeping the mind and body fit and vital. Some people have tapped into the Word of God for natural healing, which must be accompanied by the appropriate medical attention for the ideal recovery. The glimpse is impermanent, its satisfaction fugitive; but it leaves behind a residue of hope and revelation which the impermanent and fugitive pleasures of the World can never do. Those who catch this glimpse are not necessarily better persons than others, not even wiser persons. However, having caught it, the result cannot fail to make them better and wiser. Yet their goodness will not be of a kind that is outwardly measurably by Worldly approval, nor their wisdom by Worldly success. The rapturous exaltation soon dissolves in the humdrum toil and play of every day. However, its cleansing remembrance does not. It is only desires and lusts which fade and leave one, but even the prying curiosities which express themselves at every level from mere gossip to the majestic investigations of science. #RandolphHarris 10 of 18

The human who tries for years vainly to transcend one’s human nature is released by this experience. One no longer tortures oneself practising excessive asceticisms. The stillness ends one’s quest, or rather its struggles and strivings; but if it passes away, as it usually does, one will at least know now what to look for again. It will affect one to the extent that one will always venerate its memory. One must come to see that, by valuing and applying philosophic attitudes to the troubles and vexations of the World, one is truly recalling those moments of uplifting and joy which glimpse provide. This is another way, and one of the best, in which they can bear good fruit (products) for one. For these delicate dreamlike experiences one can draw strength and courage to endure either the World’s buffeting or one’s personal difficulties. Evidence is accumulating to suggest that certain experiences in the family origin may predispose people to develop social anxiety disorder. The family’s contribution to the development of social phobia can be organized into two distinct areas of influence: (1) child-rearing styles, and (2) parental modeling of social concerns combined with restricted exposure to social situations. The family environment in which a child is reared can have a substantial impact on the child’s concurrent and future mental health. The rates of highly rigid (low-adaptability) and enmeshed (high-cohesion) family structures in families of children with social anxiety are double those of families in the general populations. Adults with social phobia tend to recall their parents as less caring and less affectionate, but at the same time as overprotective. This noxious combination of parental behaviours is associated with a host of other psychological problems for offspring. Parental overprotection can send a message to the child that the World is a harmful dangerous place from which the child needs protection, since the child is incapable of taking care of oneself. As with other psychological disorders, an increased incidence of childhood trauma and abuse is evident among those with social anxiety disorder. Childhood physical abuse rates to higher in both males and females with anxiety disorders, and childhood sexual abuse rates to be higher particularly in women with anxiety disorders. #RandolpHarris 11 of 18

In a related study of patients with anxiety disorders (panic disorder, agoraphobia, and/or social phobia), childhood trauma was evident in 63 percent of the cases, as compared to 35 percent of controls. However, histories of sexual and/or physical abuse were found to be most specific to those patients with social phobia. Analyzed representative samples drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey to explore the relationship between life experiences and various phobias had some interesting results. Resulted of this particular study showed that sexual assault by a relative, and exposure to verbal aggressiveness between parents, had unique effects on social phobia onset in women (as opposed to specific phobia or agoraphobia). The occurrence of childhood (id est, before the age of 18) sexual abuse makes the development of social anxiety disorder two to four times more likely. Sexual and physical abuse, particularly when perpetrated by a relative, conveys an interpersonal message of (1) devaluation (“I am worthless”) and (2) uncertainty (“I cannot trust anyone”). When people carry these psychological burdens into their future social relations, they are undoubtedly fearful of further rejection and devaluation, and suspicious of how they will be treated by others. These are key symptoms of social anxiety. A second family-of-origin process that may contribute to social anxiety disorder involves parental modeling of social concerns. Virtually all behavioural, cognitive, and affective learning from direct experience can be achieved vicariously be observing people’s actions and the consequences for them. The family is near-ideal context for modeling and social learning. Parents of children with social phobia are often excessively concerned with the opinions of others. In a study of over 2,700 adolescents, middle school students completed a self-report instrument describing their family environments. Students who were classified as high in social anxiety described their mothers and fathers as being more concerned about the opinions of others, and more ashamed of their sons’ or daughters’ shyness. This study is note worthy in that the participants were currently residing with their parents and were still in the process of being actively reared by them. Many, if not most, of the studies on family-of-origin environment and social anxiety disorder are retrospective in nature and obviously susceptible to recall bias. #RandolphHarris 12 of 18

Related to the modeling of parent concerns is the restricted exposure to social situations. If the child has limited exposure to social situations, then the child rarely has the opportunity to learn that social situations are not typically harmful. Indeed, individuals with social anxiety disorder often indicate that they were isolated by their parents when growing up, and that their mothers tended to avoid social situations that were anxiety-provoking. The socially anxious middle school students in the study also indicated that their parents were less socially active than parents of nonanxious student. Collectively, these findings reveal that people with social anxiety disorder may not have had sufficient opportunities for varied social interaction while in their families of origin. This social isolation corrupts opportunities for developing a sense of confidence and mastery in social situations. Experiences in the family of origin can be instrumental in the development of social anxiety disorder. Specifically, emotionally distant but overinvolved and controlling parenting, physical and sexual abuse, modeling of parental social anxiety, and social isolation have all been identified at elevated rates in the histories of individuals with social anxiety disorder. Although there is some evidence to suggest an inherited genetic predisposition to anxious, this predisposition is not specific to social phobia. Social phobia may in fact run in families in a relatively specific fashion. Thus is there is not a specific genetic predisposition responsible for this finding, it would seem that family environment is instrumental in this transmission. There are savage creatures, moral monsters, and insane terrestrial beings who look like humans but have only partially entered into the human species in their passage up from lowers ones. Having human faces and limbs, digestive organs, is not enough to render them worthy of human classification. If there is so much more interest in the spiritual truth, there is also much more interest in its sinister reversions and perversions, the misuse of drugs and the abuse of pleasures of the flesh, influencing others through mental means for selfish ends, and worship of the powers of darkness. Young naïve and unbalanced persons seeking occult thrills and excitements, or recklessly curious about (to them) psychical novelties, are brought into foul malignant circles where their character is degraded and their understanding twisted. “I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need,” reports Philippians 4.13. #RandolphHarris 13 of 18

We draw to our lives that which we constantly think about. If we dwell on the negative, we will attract negative people, experiences, and attitudes. If we dwell on our fears, we will draw in more fear. You set the direction of your life with your thoughts. The choice is up to you. You do not have to entertain every thought that comes to mind. The first thing you need to do is ascertain where that thought is coming from. Is that thought from God, is it your own thought, or is it a destructive thought from the enemy? If a thought is negative, most likely it is from the enemy. If it is a discouraging, destructive thought; if it brings fear, worry, doubt, or unbelief; if the thought makes you feel weak, inadequate, or insecure, it is not from God. You need to deal with it immediately. “We should cast down every wrong imagination and take into captivity every wrong thought,” 2 Corinthians 10.5. That simply means do not dwell on it. Get rid of it immediately. Reject it, and choose to think on something optimistic. If one makes the mistake of dwelling on the enemy’s lies, one allows the negative seed to take root. And the more one thinks about it, the more it will grow like a weed, and kill all the plants you desire. The desired plants, in this case, are like the Word of God, faith, and love. The weed is like negative thoughts. Now, you do not want to let the weed grow so strong that it over takes your garden and spreads to your neighbour’s yard and through the community, until all the pretty plants and green grace is gone. “Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply you mind to knowledge; for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, that they may be ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD,” reports Proverbs 22.17-19. Your mind is similar to a computer. However, what we often fail to consider is the fact that what you program into your computer will dictate how well it will function. How unwise it is to complain, “I hate this computer! It never gives me the right answer; it never does what I want it do it.” Think about it: You can have the most powerful computer in the World, but if you program it with the wrong software or with misinformation, it will not be able to function as the manufacturer intended. #RandolphHarris 14 of 18

Beyond that, there is a myriad of negative information lurking around, waiting for an opportunity to destroy your mind and faith in God. Such negative information can get into a perfectly good person’s mind and contaminate its thoughts. Before long, the person will start to become depressed and malfunction. Then this malfunction will spread to your school work, family, friends, and career and you will lose pleasure in everything. However, keep in mind, you are not defective, you have just received untrue information about yourself from people who want to hurt you. We were created in the image of God. Before we were ever formed, He programmed us to live abundant lives, to be happy, healthy and whole. However, when our thinking becomes contaminated, it is no longer in line with God’s Word. We make serious mistakes and wrong choices. We go through life with low self-esteem, worries, fears, feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. Making matters worse, we pass on our negative attitudes to others. When you recognize these things happening, you must reprogram your mind. You must change your thinking. Understand that you are not defective. Some people contain much cruelty and hatred. To inflict suffering on others gives them pleasure: and this could include cold-blooded scientists and politicians, misguided idealists and statesmen, obsessed drug addicts and one-sided vivisectors. The World today, more fiercely than ever, is a battleground for this ancient conflict between Right and Wrong. Various kinds and degrees of madness have appeared in the World in various expressions—in the forms of immorality, in the frictions of politics, and in the teachings of religion.  If there is infinite love in or behind the World, there is also infinite suffering in the World. The evil forces have stirred up evil events and provocative crises, and striven to get the masses to react to them in an evil way. “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses, beneficial and negative; therefore, God says choose life,” reports Deuteronomy 30.19. This is not a once-and-for-all matter. It is a choice we have to make on a moment-by-moment basis. We have to choose to dwell on what is right, rather than on what is wrong. Choose to focus on what you have, not what you do not have. Choose to think righteous thoughts. God has programmed you for success. #RandolphHarris 15 of 18

You cannot prevent negative thoughts from coming into your World, but you can control whether or not you copy those thoughts into your behaviour and actions. If you stand guard over that entrance and keep your mind focused on the good things of God, the Bible says that “God will keep you in perfect peace,” reports Isaiah 26.3. If you choose to dwell on righteous thoughts, you can have peace in the midst of your storms. Dwell on the truth that no weapon formed against you can prosper. If you start thinking these kinds of thoughts, you will be filled with faith and confidence, no matter what comes against you Monday through Sunday. Father, I get shaken up so easily by events in the World, and in my life. Please help me to keep my mind centered on You, and on the truth of Your Word. Please help me to have an optimistic, faith-filled attitude in the midst of difficult days as well as the good days. The mystics, in claiming that God is to be discovered in the self are well aware of what they are saying. It is by neglecting self that so many people have become really incapable of finding God. In the battle for survival, one of the ways of dealing with fear is to rigidify one’s response to life. Human beings have a deep, instinctive need to be loved and affirmed. When they are not loved, and are discounted instead—as inevitably occurs in growing up—they experience great pain, hurt, and fear. In order to survive, a person may adopt a specific defensive stance in life rather than dare spontaneous expression and risk being hurt again. One literally gets scared out of being one self. Such a person becomes like a piano player who gets stuck playing one note on the assumption that this is the only note that is safe to play. Many Christians gets stuck playing one note, rather than expressing the entire symphony of their personalities. There are four types that evolve out of being stuck on the four polarities and they are somewhat like characters one would read about in a novel. However, we are running out of time today, and will not be able to cover all the martial, but will in the coming week. #RandolphHarris 16 of 18

Nonetheless, these character traits can be seen from a humorous point of view, characterized like comic strip figures. A psychological portrait can have the fascination of a novel the humour of a comic strip. What we seek to do further is to explain the dynamics of such behaviour. Each of us reflects some of this behaviour and can grow from learning about it. We encourage the reader to keep a sense of humour as well as an attitude of understanding about such typical human foibles. We often grow most when we can laugh appropriately and with love at ourselves. Sometimes there is a pain or fear in seeing certain things about ourselves. Our suggestion is that that kind of pain is okay—even essential if one is to grow. It is like coming out of a dark cave and feeling painful sensation in our eyes at the first ray of the sun. After awhile we become accustomed to the light, and the temporary pain is replaced with permanent joy of seeing! In organization the presentation of the four primary ways that Christians get stuck in their growth, we wish to use the categories of the Striving Christian (strength polarity), the Helpless Christian (weakness polarity), the Critical Christian (anger polarity), and the Compliant Christian (love polarity). For each of these categories, we will develop the deterioration process from manipulative level to character style to psychosis. In describing these three levels, we will use commonsense words to explain the meaning of all clinical terminology. Now, keep these four types of Christians in mind, and we will cover them later this week in the upcoming lectures. Earth teach me stillness as the grasses are stilled with light. Earth teach me suffering as old stones suffer with memory. Each teach me humility as blossoms are humble with beginning. Earth teach me caring as the mother who secures her young. Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands alone. Earth teach me limitation as the ant which crawls on the ground. Earth teach me freedom as the eagle which soars in the sky. Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall. Each teach me regeneration as the seeds which rise in the spring. Earth teach me to forget myself as snow forgets its life. Earth teach me to remember kindness as dry field weep with rain. #RandolphHarris 17 of 18

O God, in whom we live and move and have our being, please grant us sufficient rain and snow, so that, being supplied with what sustains us in this present life, we may seek more confidently what sustains us for eternity. Heavenly Father, we beg your protection, please save us from the perils of drought and fire, so that we may continue to serve you in good health, safety, and peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. We praise You, Eternal God—God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel. You are the Eternal God, who causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall—for a bless and not for a curse, for life and not for death, for plenty and not for scarcity. Creator God, bless us with water poured down from the sky. As surely as your word stands forever, so let the rain fall. Bring to life the water of the California Valley and surrounding terrain. Please open up your water spouts on high and let rivers of water flow, and send forth the blessing of lands on your heads, on our crops, and in our reserviours. Please bless us again that we may be energized to praise your name and to feed the hungry. May the rains come quickly and bless us through Jesus Christ by water and spirit. For the beauty and constancy of creation, we give You thanks; for our abuse and neglect of Your good, creation, we ask for forgiveness; for rain to refresh our bodies and to satisfy the parched Earth, we appeal to your mercies. For the sake of Your Son, our Lord Christ, who calmed the seas, O Father, please bring us rain. Thou who helpest the poor, save us. O Redeemer and Deliverer, do Thou cause us to prosper. Thou Rock of Ages, please answer us in the day that we call. Holy and revered God, please save us. Merciful and Compassionate One, do Thou cause us to prosper. Thou who keepest the covenant, please answer us in the day that we call. Thou who upholdest the innocent, please save us. Sovereign of eternity, do Thou cause us to prosper, Thou who art perfect in Thy ways, please answer us in the day that we call. Hear, O America: the Lord our God, the Lord is One. One is our God; great is our Lord; holy is His name. Extol the Lord with me, and together let us exalt His name. #RandolphHarris 18 of 18

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