“For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” -2 Corinthians 4:6.......Me: The desire and the light of one's heart
Awesome verses Gary, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4:4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:13-14 "We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; 4:14 Knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus, and shall present us with you."
Ken, The tension you speak of arises partially from the translation of the meaning of predestined and foreordained. Both come from the Greek word 'proorizo' and the translator used what he determined was the best meaning. They, predestination and foreordination, are not synonymous and have different meanings. Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren. Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Translation Year Romans 8:29 Romans 8:30 Wyclif 1380 bifor ordeyned bifor ordeyned Tyndale 1534 ordeyned before appoynted before Cranmer 1539 ordeyned before appoynted before Geneva 1657 ordeyned before appoynted before Rheims 1582 predestinated predestinated Standard Rev. 1881 foreordained foreordained James Moffatt 1913 decreed of old has thus decreed J. B. Phillips 1958 chose them chose them long ago Wm. F. Beck 1963 appointed long ago appointed long ago New Testament in Today’s English 1966 had also set apart had already set apart First Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, and unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Jeremiah 1:4-5 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Jeremiah was foreordained to be a prophet while he was still a spirit person with God before being born into mortality. Ephesians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Second Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Second Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth: Romans 2:6-7 Who will render unto every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: Romans 2:16 In the day that God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. First Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. All men were foreordained for salvation before they were born, as spirit beings similar as Jerimiah was, which does not mean that they won't be judged for their free will bad choices if they don't repent of them. You were not predestined by God you were given appointments, assignments or duties through foreordination. Substitute foreordained in for predestined and it helps to make the glass less dim by more understanding. Pray and ask God if these things are not true, he still has the power to answer and guide you, and he still loves you.
https://reformedwiki.com/verses/desires-of-your-heart/kjv Do not know how to post them separately.... the URL is the best I can do
And the other side of the coin is the human heart God has diagnosed Jeremiah 17:9-10 King James Version 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
If you are His, the desires of your heart will be a close walk with Him and feeling His presence in your life.
1 Corinthians 2:14-15 King James Version 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealth his secret unto his servents the prophets. Amos 8:11-12 Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thrist for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: 8:12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. Romans 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller? Paul and Peter were prophets, spiritual, and had the mind of Christ, if you needed to know the Lords will how not to be a natural man or receive the Holy Spirit that's whom you would ask. If you don't have a prophet you need to find one for spiritual information details and not miss-out. The Lords always made his will known this way why would he do things differently now? I would suggest skipping Waco, grevious wolves and Jim Jones Kool aid stand in your search.
In the Bible, the heart is considered the seat of life or strength. Hence, it means mind, soul, spirit, or one's entire emotional nature and understanding.
Colossians 3:2 says "Set your mind on the things that are above, not on earthly things" I have found that it is incredibly difficult to have a progressively changed heart if you are not setting your mind on things that are above (On the gospel, heaven, eternal things). Your mind is a battleground which in turn feeds the heart. Setting your "mind" on Christ's sacrifice after all, has a supernatural effect on the heart, if you have indeed recognized your need for forgiveness. The word of God has much to say about the mind. Why? Because it affects the heart. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the *renewal of your mind*...." Romans 12:2 "For those who live according to the flesh set their *minds* on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their *minds* on the things of the Spirit. For to set the *mind* on the flesh is death, but to set the *mind* on the Spirit is life and peace." Rom 8:5-6 "You keep him in perfect peace, whose *mind* is stayed on you......" Isaiah 26:3 "I will *meditate* on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways" Psalm 119:15 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, **think ** about these things." Phil 4:8 "For to set the *mind* on the flesh is death, but to set the *mind* on the Spirit is life and peace." Rom 8:6
“The purifying of the heart is the enlightening of the spiritual eyes. Strange as it may seem, the true eyes of the renewed man are seated rather in the heart than in the head—holy affections enable us to see and, as far as possible, to understand Divine things. I pray that in each one of us, the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened so that we may know spiritual things as they are best known."
