The Scriptures were not written by intellectuals. Peter was a fisherman. Amos was a shepherd. Matthew was a tax collector. The Scriptures came as holy men of God were moved by the Holy Spirit. They must be interpreted by holy men of God who are moved by the Holy Spirit. God gave the Word and God must interpret the Word. When the Scriptures are analyzed and interpreted by the human mind, no matter how devout, this invariably will lead to pride and division, to the exaltation of the adamic nature.

The three aspirations of man, the three areas in which every son of God is tested, are the gaining of security and survival in the world (the preserving of one's life), the embracing of pleasure, and the accomplishing of some work of enduring significance. These three compose our heaven and earth.

There are only two ways in which we can fulfill our desires concerning these three areas. The ordinary way is to use the powers and abilities we possess to achieve them. The correct way is to look to the Lord God of Heaven for the accomplishment of every detail of security, pleasure, and achievement.

To give up our pitiful, ignorant struggle to attain security, pleasure, and achievement is death to our natural, adamic nature. Even Christians advanced in the spiritual life find it difficult to surrender everything to the will of God. So many situations arise in which our natural man has an investment. Are we willing to give over all personal ambition and desire to God's will? Dare we trust the Lord Jesus to this extent?

This, of course, accounts for the terrible struggle of the Lord in the garden of Gethsemane. What if He were to lose for eternity His glorious position with the Father? He had the same assurance that we do—the Word of God. But what if a mistake is made somewhere and our need is overlooked? The stakes in Gethsemane were enormous—eternal joy or eternal terror. Sometimes the stakes in our own experience seem almost as high. Is God to be trusted?

Day by day our pitiful little boat rides on the sea. Sometimes there is calm. On other occasions the waves are high and the wind is violent. Underneath are the everlasting Arms—but they are invisible!

How should I prepare for the future?

How much money do I need?

What about my health?

Do I dare trust that God will provide the right wife or husband for me?

Am I attaining anything of importance in the world?

What should I do today?

What if my child dies?

Should I enter the ministry?

Will I find the billfold I misplaced?

Will I lose the lawsuit?

On and on and on our worries, problems, decisions proceed without end. All kinds of lusts, passions, opinions of people, worries, fears, dreads, duties, concerns, confusions tear at us. To what extent are we expected so solve these and attain our desires? Are we just to trust God?

The truth is, we do a better job tying our shoelace when we look to the Lord as we put our shoes on. God is interested in every detail, every problem, every fear, every joy.

To be continued.