Baptized in water, we sink into our watery grave with Christ, but rise out of the grave with Christ.

What is the next step?

Walk on water – to perfection.

Psalm 119:32
   I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

Seek and love God with all your heart and soul.
Deuteronomy 4:29
   But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

Mark 12:30
   And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Jeremiah 29:13
   And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Acts 8:37
   And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.  And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

1 Chronicles 22:19
   Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.

Our soul can be thought of as our will, our intellect, and our emotions.
Repentance is a decision, from your soul’s will, to change your direction in life.
You change from moving away from God, to moving towards God, as God directs you.

Your will says: “I want.”
Your intellect says: “I think.”
Your emotions say: “I feel.”

Matthew 16:25-26
   For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
   For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

If you give up your life, that is, your soul (I want, I think, and I feel) – for Christ, you can fit into a permanent, harmonious world and be saved.
You no longer live for selfishness, but for the perfect will of God.

You replace “I want” with what God wants for your life.
You replace “I think” with what God’s Word says.
You replace “I feel” with the impressions of the Holy Spirit.

And, God wants you to seek and love him with all of your heart – not just portion of your heart.
But what is this seeking and loving with all of your ‘heart’?'

We’ve all heard about ‘all of your heart’ – usually in the context of some vague expressions that belong on a greeting card.
But what does it actually mean?
All of your heart means holding no secrets back from God – opening – breaking open your heart for the Lord – true fellowship with the Lord.

Our life springs out of our hearts.
Proverbs 4:23
   Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Luke 6:45
   A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

But we cannot know our hearts on our own.
Only God knows our hearts.
Jeremiah 17:9-10
   The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
   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.

Psalm 44:21
   Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

2 Chronicles 6:30
   …and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)

Acts 1:24
   And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men

Sinners love hiding their transgressions in the darkness.
Romans 1:21
   Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

John 3:19
   …and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Proverbs 4:19
   The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Ecclesiastes 2:14
   The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness

To continue our course of corruption (if we don’t turn around with repentance)…
Genesis 15:16
   for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

Revelation 22:11
   He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still

…we need the darkness in our hearts to blind us.
Romans 1:22
   Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools

Ephesians 4:18
   Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart

But, with his light, God knows about those sins in the darkness.
Daniel 2:22
   He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

1 Corinthians 4:5
   …until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts

John 3:19-20
   And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
   For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Jeremiah 23:24
   Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

But this uncovering of sin and secrets is not the relationship God wants with his people.
God sees into our hearts (and sees who we truly are with the light), while we continue on with darkness in our hearts which blinds us – even to the point of forgetting about God and his seeing of us and our hearts.
This is not fellowship.

The whole point of life on earth is that God can have his own people.
2 Corinthians 6:16
   for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Ezekiel 37:27
   My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And God wants fellowship with his people.
1 Corinthians 1:9
   God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 John 1:3
   …and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

However, fellowship is not a one-way relationship where God sifts his people’s secrets.
For fellowship, God wants two-way communication.
Exodus 33:11
   And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.

Genesis 18:17
   And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

What is this two-way communication that makes fellowship?
This is not just God searching the secrets of our hearts, but God’s people opening – breaking open – our hearts to God.
We keep no secrets about ourselves from God.
We break our hearts by realizing how we have fallen short of his glorious standards.
But we break open all of our heart – not hiding any sins.
His people want to be in the light – not trying to hide our hearts’ secrets in the dark.
Ephesians 5:11-13
   And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
   For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
   But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

John 3:21
   But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

1 John 1:5-6
   …that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
   If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth

God’s people break open their hearts to God – asking for guidance.
Psalm 19:12-14
   …cleanse thou me from secret faults.
   Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
   Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Like the hot woman, God’s people tediously examine themselves in the mirror.
Lamentations 3:40-41
   Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
   Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

Psalm 119:58-59
   I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.
   I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

Fellowship with God is loving God with all of our hearts – opening our hearts for him to cleanse, and not trying to keep any secrets (in the dark).
We can only have communion (fellowship by breaking bread/drink) by opening our hearts.
1 Corinthians 11:27-31
   Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
   But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
   For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
   For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
   For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

How do we open the heart?  By breaking it.
We confess.

But the above might be a bit confusing.
Any talk of the ‘heart’ makes one think of silliness like ‘sentimentality’ and ‘greeting card slogans’.

Reasonably, you might start by seeing what God has for you to cleanse your heart by looking at the perfect Law of Moses.
The perfect Law of Moses forbids eating pork (pig) and shellfish.
Leviticus 11:7-10
   And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
   Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
   These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
   And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you

This is quite sensible as pigs are bottom feeders (eating anything) and can transmit the disease trichinosis.
Shellfish are also bottom feeders and can transmit toxins.
Our bodies are the temples of God, and shouldn’t be polluted by toxins.
1 Corinthians 6:19
   What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

1 Corinthians 3:17
   If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

So, ponder on how we are to feed our bodies (which belong to the Lord)…
Psalm 1:2
   But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalm 119:97
   O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

...and you ponder while eating a donut, some fast food, and some colorful, sugary drink.
Proverbs 23:20-21
   Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
   For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Deuteronomy 21:20-21
   This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
   And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die

God is serious about healthy eating and drinking.
1 Corinthians 9:27
   But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection…

So, no more unhealthy food – just healthy food from now on.
And then you look at the ingredients on ‘healthy food.’  (What is dextrose??  What is xanthan gum??)
And then you read about genetically modified foods, synthetic meat, and pollutions in our food/drink/water of all kinds.
And, in a busy world, there is no wife/mother cooking at home (as the Church couldn’t be bothered to marry off their daughters), and we eat ‘on the go’.

This is not going well.  Bacon, pork, and shellfish are looking relatively healthy compared to the food and drink in this very fallen world.
As you ponder The Law and understand that, yes, keeping a healthy body for God is righteous, you recognize that, in this complex and changing world, you need guidance from the Lord in an everyday thing like eating and drinking.
1 Corinthians 10:31
   Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Psalm 32:8
   I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Isaiah 48:17
   Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

Psalm 143:8
   …cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Since we are the dwelling place (temple) of the Lord, we should keep proper bodies.
And in our fallen world, how can we possibly do that with additives in the drinking water, altered meats and vegetables, and chemicals of all kinds added?
It’s rather depressing if you think about it.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10
   Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
   For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

What is that?
That’s a broken heart for a broken Law.
That’s revealing the secrets of our hearts through the washing of the Word – by confessing what God has said his standards are and the reality of where we fall short.
We cry out to God about how we just can’t find the quality of food and drink for his temple… and that we have all participated in an acceptance of this fallen world’s food standards – speaking this temporary world into existence.
We don’t try to keep our failures secret from God.
We have fellowship with God by revealing the secrets of our hearts.
We speak of our broken heart for a broken Law.
Psalm 119:161
   …but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

Thank God for Grace under the New Covenant (Testament).
Colossians 2:16
   Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink…

Acts 10:13-15
   And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
   But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
   And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

Under the New Covenant (Testament), all food and drink is cleansed.
Under the New Covenant (Testament), we are not under the food/drink rules of The Old Covenant’s (Testament's) Law, but we are under Grace.
But we only qualify for God’s Grace when we have that broken heart for a broken Law.
Food/drink is only cleansed for us when we have that broken heart for a broken Law – faith towards Grace.

With Christ, under the New Covenant, Christians do not look at rules written on a stone tablet.
Christians, with their continuous washing of the Word, have a new heart from the Lord.
By hearing the Word, The Law is written on Christians’ hearts.
But in the mirror of the Word, Christians face reality: The Law is a broken Law written on our broken hearts.

And, after seeing all the junk food and the ugly fatties of our fallen world…
…you might have also seen the violence and lawlessness on the news (or in person) – really, the world descending into anarchy.
You might have seen vandalism, looting, and stealing.
Reasonably, you might say “I don’t steal.”
The Law says:
Exodus 20:15
   Thou shalt not steal.

And when you read of a harmonious, sustainable, permanent world, you reasonably believe that this stealing would upset that harmony.
Isaiah 32:17-18
   And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
   And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;

Psalm 46:9
   He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

But then you see in The Law that you shouldn’t ‘covet’ – desire another’s property (which leads to stealing).
Exodus 20:17
   Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Now things are a bit more difficult, as you do envy certain neighbours and their nice things.
The Apostle Paul indicated that one function of The Law was to point out sin.
He did not know lust (lusting defined as wanting for what God did not want for his life), except for The Law regarding coveting.
Romans 7:7
   What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Regarding coveting, what does the New Covenant (Testament) say?
Matthew 5:27-30
   Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
   But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
   And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
   And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

If we desire another’s property, we are better off cutting off body parts that cause us to sin.
When we think about it, coveting (desiring) something that isn’t for us (in God’s eyes) is the genesis of stealing, which contributes to the strife we see as the world decays.

And all of us at some point have justified coveting – envy of others – and we have spoken this temporary world (of justifying envy/coveting/lust) into existence.
That’s rather depressing if you think about.
Ecclesiastes 7:2-5
   It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
   Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
   The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
   It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

But that is a broken heart for a broken Law.
We confess to the Lord (not trying to hide secrets) that we have this covetousness in our hearts.
And it’s a barrier to letting us fit into a permanent, sustainable, harmonious world.
We read The Law, and see ourselves in the mirror of the Word, and know that we fail.
We know that we need a savior from failure, as we are trash compared to those who fit into a permanent, harmonious world.

In fact, a purpose of The Law is to bring us to Christ – faith towards Grace.
Galatians 3:24-25
   Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
   But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

We break our hearts, and we open our hearts to God, confessing – holding no secrets back – all aspects of our lives.
We look in the mirror of the Word.
Yep, we have fallen to pride, arrogance.
Proverbs 21:4
   An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

And gossip:
Psalm 101:5
   Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

Have we been busybodies in others’ business?
We can tick that box.
1 Peter 4:15
   But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

1 Timothy 5:13
   And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

And lazy:
2 Thessalonians 3:11
   For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

The sin of unbelief:
Mark 9:24
   Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Philippians 1:29
   For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

As we see ourselves in the mirror of the Word, we see reality – which is that we aren’t fulfilling our role as human beings.
In our present state, we don’t fit into a permanent, harmonious world.
Will we continue in delusion, or face reality?
Deuteronomy 29:19
   And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst

Jeremiah 7:24
   But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

In the Word, we see how drastically we fall short – but we also see where we could be if the Word changes our hearts.
Colossians 3:12
   Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Meekness is strength under control.

But we must open all of our heart.
We must share all of our shortcomings with God.
We break our heart after seeing our failures, but we confess all, opening all of our heart to God.
Sins that are not confessed are not forgiven.
Proverbs 28:13
   He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Psalm 32:5
   I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Job 31:33
   If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom

However, you shouldn’t open your heart to just anyone.
2 Corinthians 6:14
   Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

2 John 1:11
   For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Samson learned the hard way.  He had no secrets from Delilah.
Judges 16:17-18
   That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a rasor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
   And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart.

However, with proper Christians, we should open our hearts to each other (no secrets).
This is proper fellowship with man (in addition to fellowship with God).
James 5:16
   Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.

Matthew 3:6
   And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Acts 19:18
   And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

Colossians 3:16
   Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

If you are confused about the Word, the Bible – what is sin in your life (and what to do about it) – hold no secrets back – ask God all of those questions.
1 Kings 10:1-3
   And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.
   And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
   And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

Choose fear of the Lord for wisdom and knowledge.
Proverbs 1:7,29
   The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
   …For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD

James 1:5
   If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally

Psalm 19:7
   ...the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Psalm 119:130
   The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

We love God with all of our heart – but what is love?
Love obeys and keeps Christ’s commandments.
John 14:15
   If ye love me, keep my commandments.

1 John 5:2-3
   By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
   For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Christ upholds The Law.
Matthew 5:18-20
   For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
   Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
   For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The Law was always perfect.
Psalm 19:7
   The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul...

Luke 16:17
   And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

Romans 3:31
   Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Should we adhere to the commandments of The Law… and beyond?  …by not eating bacon or shellfish… and we have been envious, and have gossiped.  And it’s hard not falling to sin of unbelief, and sometimes we’re lazy…  And we have been judgemental… And we haven’t been entirely truthful the other day – a bit of a lie was told…
Was Christ joking when he upheld The Law?
No.
So, we’ve failed regarding the perfect Law… and so much else.
What are we to do??
The answer is simple: walk on water to perfection.

Malachi 4:4
   Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

Peter was familiar with water.  He was a fisherman.  
Matthew 4:18-19
   And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
   And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Most of us are like the fisherman Peter, who had his boat on the water many times. 
That is, we are somewhat familiar with water – Biblical scripture – the washing of the Word.
John 15:3
   Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Ephesians 5:26
   That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word

But have we walked on the water of the Word?
Being in the safety of the boat is one thing, but to step out to walk on water… is another thing.
After reading the perfection that is The Law, which Christ upholds…
…and after seeing ourselves in the mirror of the Word… we have an enormous task to be the people that Christ expects us to be.
We break our hearts regarding our failure and we open our heart, all of our heart, no sins hidden (sins as seen in the Word), and we confess to Christ… we look Christ in the eye and say:
“I can’t do it.”
Be honest, break open all of your heart, and say: “I can’t do it.”
The Lord says:
Jeremiah 24:7
   And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

And you say: “I can’t do it… without you.”

Upon this rock Christ builds his Church.
The keys of the kingdom of heaven are to Peter.
Why?
Matthew 16:13-19
   When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
   And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
   He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
   And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
   And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
   And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
   And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven

Jesus could have told Peter that he is the Christ, the Messiah.
But Jesus questioned so that Peter would have to say it.
The power of speech.
But there’s more than Peter speaking.
Peter recognized Jesus to be Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One.  King of Kings.  Lord of Lords.
Peter, broken by the world…
Mark 10:28
   Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

…was like proper Christians who recognize that, to live in harmony, the human race needs a ruler who speaks thusly:
Matthew 5:6-8
   Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
   Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
   Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Mark 13:13
   And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Luke 12:49
   I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

Peter, like proper Christians, recognized that this Gospel of the Kingdom (a permanent, sustainable world, not a temporary world) – needs good government, a leader who became human, and can sort us out.
Revelation 19:15
   And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

But there’s more, as flesh and blood did not reveal the Messiah to Peter – but linkage of Peter to the Father.
What is this linkage?  Grace.
Matthew 16:17
   And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

How does this Grace materialize?  By faith towards Grace.  Walking on water.
If we are called:
John 6:65
   And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

Christ called Peter to himself.
And Peter answered the call.
Matthew 14:28-29
   And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
   And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

Peter, who was used to being on the boat as a fisherman – and seeing the water from the boat, took a step in faith on the water.

We have faith towards Grace.
But what is faith?
Faith is not a feeling.  Faith is not sense knowledge.
Faith is loyalty to God – commitment.
When your feelings are gone – when there's no one at that party or church to give you encouragement and pat you on the back – what's left is faith.
Since you've chose affliction as a Christian, God will lead you to that point of desperation, where you're under pressure and have to discover what's left.

Romans 10:17
   So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

We build faith when we read, speak and then hear the Word of God, and we learn of how God’s words create and structure a permanent, harmonious, sustainable world – not a temporary world.
We truly realize how heaven can be possible and be brought down to earth.
We understand that, in eternity, if we waiver from the Word, we are rebels who tear down harmony.
James 1:6
   But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

If we are only 99.99% accepting of the Word of God, we effectively have a veto over Christ in eternity.
As we become familiar with the Word, we recognize it as the strongest substance ever – and it can hold our weight and much else (all of society’s weight) – so that we can walk on it and it will sustain us.
(What other substance can uphold civilizations?)
John 6:68
   …Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Mark 13:31
   Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

If we edit or dismiss parts of the Word, we miss a step, and we sink into the water, in danger of drowning.
If we do not let every Word of scripture, every line of scripture from the 66 books of the Bible (including lines of scripture that the world might consider to be ‘controversial’) work to change our hearts, then we sink.
Every Word is necessary for our perfection (alternative translations: maturity, fulfillment, completeness) – a perfect heart.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
   All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
   That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Matthew 4:4
   But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Towards perfection:
James 1:4
   But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Ephesians 4:12
   For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ

Colossians 4:12
   …that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

A perfect heart:
1 Chronicles 12:38
   All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron

Isaiah 38:3
   Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart

2 Chronicles 15:17
   …nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

Don’t add or delete:
Revelation 22:18-19
   …If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
   And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

2 Corinthians 2:17
   For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

Walking on water isn’t easy.
If we, by our own senses, see the water as only water, we sink.
We have to see that the unseen is eternal.
That is, we have to see the timelessness of the Word.
This faith towards Grace – is hearing the Word to realize and believe that this Word is the substance that can sustain us in a permanent world.
2 Corinthians 4:18
   While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 5:7
   (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

The result of the walk is love:
2 John 1:6
   And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.  This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

Hebrews 11:1
   Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Walking on water is not easy.  Peter found out the hard way.
Matthew 14:28-32
   And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
   And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
   But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
   And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
   And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

And the forces of the world will come against you, when you walk on the water of the Word.
Like with Peter, the storms will come when you step to walk on water.
Ephesians 2:2
   Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience

Ephesians 6:13
   Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Luke 8:13
   They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

Take a step on the water… when you encounter feminism.
Say:
1 Timothy 2:12
   But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

Ecclesiastes 7:26-28
   And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
   Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
   Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

Crowbar this into the next discussion regarding Wicca, Buddhism, Yoga, Hinduism, Martial Arts, etc.
Deuteronomy 12:3
   And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.

When the police enforce acceptance of Islam, do you go along with this… or risk arrest by saying:
Judges 2:2
   And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars

Remind those who have turned away from Christ (and are in countries that have turned away) and are now suffering that:
Deuteronomy 28:16-19
   Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
   Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.
   Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
   Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

When your popularity plummets, do you care?  Or do you proclaim:
1 John 2:15
   Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Under the Old Covenant, the blood did not protect if left in the basin.
It had to be transferred to our personal address to be effective.
Exodus 12:22-23
   And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
   For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Under the New Covenant, we overcome Satan when we testify personally to what the Word of God says the blood of Christ does for us.
Revelation 12:11
   And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Say that, with Christ, you are going onwards and upwards.
Luke 18:29-30
   There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,
   Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

Say that you have rest.
Matthew 11:29-30
   …ye shall find rest unto your souls.
   For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Say that you have power over evil.
Luke 10:17
   Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

Say that you are protected while others fall.
Psalm 91:7-10
   A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
   Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
   Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
   There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

On your walk, your faith in a line of scripture might fail, and you might fall, like Peter.
Matthew 14:30-31
   But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
   And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

With your repentance, Christ can hold you up.
Psalm 145:14
   The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

Psalm 119:116
   Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

But note that you have to repent of your lack of faith in a line of scripture, and you have to take that step (accept that line) before you can move on.
The blade is so narrow, that you cannot get around that point of unbelief and expect to progress.
Matthew 7:13-14
   Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
   Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Deuteronomy 8:3
   …that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

Proverbs 24:16
   For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

John 12:48
   He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

The most important reason for The Law was to recognize our need for Christ and bring us to Christ.
Galatians 3:23-25
   But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
   Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
   But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Step by step, walking on the water of the Word towards Christ, we become more Christ-like.
We become people with whom God can have fellowship.
This is perfection (maturity, fulfillment, completeness).
Matthew 5:48
   Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

When we walk towards Christ, via speaking the Word, (all lines of scripture to cleanse all of our heart) we not only are legally not liable under The Law – we change our heart to become under a new Law in the New Covenant.
Galatians 6:2
   Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:21
   …but under the law to Christ…

Perfection:
Proverbs 4:18
   But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Job 11:17
   And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

We examine ourselves, ask God to examine us… and we endure trials and tribulations.  Why?
What is our perfection, our maturity, our fulfilment, our completion – for fellowship with God and man?
In a word: Love.
Galatians 5:14
   For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Romans 13:9-10
   For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
   Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

We fulfill The Law through our walk on the water of the Word towards Christ (who is fully God and fully man)...

Colossians 1:15
   Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature

...and proper fellowship towards God and man – servitude towards God and man.
Matthew 5:17
   Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Romans 8:4
   That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

When your heart is broken open with no secrets to Christ (fully God and fully man), it can be cleansed towards perfection (and fellowship with fellow men and God).

1 John 1:3
   ...that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 8:4-5
   …take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
   And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

When you are obedient to the only perfect man, you have freedom to do what you like.  You are truly free.  The only law that you are under is liberty – true freedom.
Liberty is not about independence from God and your fellow man.  Liberty is true fellowship to fit into a sustainable, permanent, joyous world.
Liberty is about being moved by the Spirit of God to do what God wants – because, with your renewed heart, you want what God wants.
James 2:11-12
   For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
   So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Galatians 5:1,13
   Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
   …For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Those who have a broken heart for a broken law are those who can humbly serve God and his fellow man.  And they are truly free.
Isaiah 61:1
   The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Psalm 34:17-18
   The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
   The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psalm 147:2-3
   The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
   He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

Love is servitude (for God and our fellow man).
Jeremiah 8:2
   …whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked…

Deuteronomy 11:13
   …to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul

Our walk towards freedom:
John 8:31-32,36
   If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
   And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
   …If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

We don’t have to be concerned about the little things – if what we said wasn’t complete, and therefore a lie – or if we forgot to return a pen from work, and therefore stole.
As we pursue Christ, we are not guilty.
Matthew 22:37-40
   Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
   This is the first and great commandment.
   And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
   On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

And we don’t have to be concerning about the big things (as long as we walk in the light pursuing Christ).
The Law’s observances:
Exodus 30:10
   And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.

(For those who think that they ‘keep the Sabbath’ – note that The Law prescribes that you kill those who do not keep the Sabbath.)
Exodus 31:14-15
   Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
   Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

Colossians 2:16
   Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days

The meaning of a ‘minister’ is a servant.
If we ‘minister,’ we serve.  We serve Christ and man.
How do we instantiate this ‘serving’?
John 1:14
   And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

We serve the Word which is Christ.
In doing so, we serve our fellow man.
Acts 6:4
   But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Christians are not called to judge, edit, dismiss or add to the Word.
Christians are to serve the Word.
Luke 1:2
   Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

Be great by humbly serving your fellow man – emulating Christ.
Mark 10:43-45
   But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
   And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
   For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Grace via proper fellowship with man:
1 Peter 4:9-10
   Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
   As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Connected via the Holy Spirit to Christ and God, as ministers, we have life – not the condemnation from The Law.
2 Corinthians 3:6
   Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Serving towards perfection:
Colossians 1:28
   Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus

With civilization held together by the Word, people don’t have to constantly plug fissures of a decaying society.
Day to day life is no longer a struggle.
In a real and practical way, people have tremendous freedom to do what they please.

With this freedom, does it mean that we shall sin?  No.
Romans 6:15
   What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

As long as we walk towards Christ, we are not guilty.
1 John 1:7
   But 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 cleanseth us from all sin.

And keep breaking your heart open with confession.
Confess every little/big sin (and that which you are confused about in your Bible) for perfection of the heart.
1 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.

Until the end.
Matthew 10:22
   …he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

But those not with Christ and his righteousness are condemned under The Law.
1 Timothy 1:9-10
   Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
   For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

We fear the Lord and continue to fear the Lord.
Psalm 33:8
   Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

But fear is the beginning…  Love fulfils The Law.
Proverbs 1:7
   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Psalm 111:10
   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom

Would parents rather have their children obey out of fear or out of love?

The remarkable man Moses was able to speak with God face to face – proper fellowship.
Deuteronomy 34:10
   And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face

Numbers 12:6-8
   And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
   My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
   With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

When Moses brought the tablets of the ten commandments of the Law, he broke them in anger, as the Israelites had already broken the first two commandments.
When Moses brought down the re-hewn ten commandments of the Law, his face shone (from speaking with God). 
Exodus 34:29-35
   And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
   And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
   And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.
   And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
   And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.
   But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
   And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

His face shone with the glory of the Lord.
Isaiah 60:1
   Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

Ezekiel 43:2
   And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

But the reality is, we fall short of the Perfect Law of Moses – and the Law is personified by Moses.
The Law condemns us.
2 Corinthians 3:7
   But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones…

After being with God, the light from Moses’ face had to have a veil, a barrier to cut us off from the fellowship that Moses had with God.
What separates our heart (who we truly are) from the light of God?
The Law.  Like a veil, it is the barrier.
The Law of Moses (personified by Moses) stopped our personal relationship with God, and rightfully condemned us.

Only when we are able to remove that veil, that barrier (by legally marrying Christ as his bride, and are no longer condemned under The Law), can we have proper fellowship with God (through the heart), and then have freedom, as we honestly acknowledge that The Law is, for us, a broken Law.
For this, we are completely honest, with no fear of The Law’s condemnation, and open our all of our hearts, broken hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:13-18
   And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
   But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ.
   But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
   Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
   Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
   But we all, with unveiled (open face) beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Now we can have that face to face fellowship.
2 Corinthians 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.

But Moses could never get to the promised land.  His walk had to stop.
Deuteronomy 34:4-5
   And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
   So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

Why?
Because The Law of Moses could only condemn.
That’s an end; that’s a stop.
With The Law, you’ve failed.  There’s nothing else.
Even a phenomenal man like Moses could only have his own righteousness under The Law and the Old Covenant – a righteousness that simply was not good enough.
Under The Law of Moses – Moses, like Cain, could only present the work of his own hands.
Genesis 4:2-5
   And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
   And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
   And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
   But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.

Abel knew, through revelation, that a blood sacrifice, a life laid down (a propitiatory sacrifice), would be necessary to cleanse sin – not the work of hands upon the earth that God cursed.

Hebrews 11:4
   By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Genesis 3:17
   ...cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Genesis 5:29
   And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.

Works by our own efforts could never bring heaven down to earth.
Joshua (whose name is a version of ‘Jesus’ in Hebrew) was necessary to bring perfection down to earth.
Joshua 1:3
   Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

We can be the perfection via our walk, and fit in.
Ephesians 2:20-22
   And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
   In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
   In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Under The Law, we couldn’t put on another’s righteousness.
But under New Covenant, we can do something unfamiliar, something amazing – put on another’s righteousness (which is unseen) unlike the work of own hands (which will never be good enough).   
We have the freedom to take a chance, and step out of the boat to walk on water.
By being beyond The Law (as a means to achieve righteousness), we can put on Christ’s righteousness, and enter the promised land, which only exists when we build ourselves (heaven to earth) as stones on the cornerstone.

By remaining under The Law, we could only remain in the land of Islam – the ultimate expression of our own ‘good’ works.
If you look at the Middle East right now, Muslim nations surround Israel.  Why?
Islam, the ultimate expression of our own ‘good’ works, can only be on the outside of the promised land.  Even the remarkable Moses had to remain there with them.

With Christ, we can walk on the Jordan river over to the promised land – where we really shouldn’t be in the natural (as we are guilty under The Law).
If we see the strongest substance as more than mere words, we can take that walk and follow Christ, and be more and more like him.  We can experience the strongest substance.
But, as a Blade Runner, you have to take that first step – going over the edge, into uncomfortable territory, if you want to receive that boost upwards that is Grace.
You have to put on those blades, those ice skates, and see the strength of the water, the solid ice – for the run.
Isaiah 40:31
   But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

But to progress on your run, and not backslide, you will have to accept the cold, hard Word.
Psalm 147:15-18
   He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.
   He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.
   He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?
   He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

Job 38:28-30
   Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
   Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
   The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

Job 9:30
   If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

And it is uncomfortable territory.
Why?
Because we are naked.
We have to strip off the old clothing, which God sees as our old ‘good’ works.
When Peter walked on water towards Christ, Peter likely would have been clothed literally, but he was metaphorically naked, as he left all behind for Christ.
Like Peter, we’ve left all.
Matthew 19:27
   Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

We do not conform to the ‘common sense’ of the world.
We strive to see beyond our senses, and see and experience the Word as more than mere words.
Romans 8:24
   For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

We lose the old clothing of this world, and wait for proper good works started by the Holy Spirit – new clothing.
Romans 8:25
   But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

2 Corinthians 5:2-4
   For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
   If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
   For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

King Solomon was the wisest man ever (except for Christ).
1 Kings 4:29-31
   And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
   And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
   For he was wiser than all men;

He had abundant treasures.
1 Kings 10:11-12
   And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.
   And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.

In fact, he was the wealthiest man ever.
1 Kings 10:23
   So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.

And he had women.
1 Kings 11:3
   And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines

But that was a problem.
1 Kings 11:1-2
   But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
   Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods

King Solomon’s heart was no longer perfect.
1 Kings 11:4
   For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

In contrast to the naked (who have given up all like Peter) and walk on water – a fallen King Solomon had wealth, wisdom and women.
He had all pleasure that could be had in this world, but to him all was vanity (vanity meaning: futility, frustration, fading away).
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11
   And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
   Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

What happened?
When he no longer had that perfect heart, he lost sight of the unseen.
But he still had his wisdom.
Matthew 10:16
   be ye therefore wise as serpents…

With his wisdom, he knew that the seen world was pointless.
And, to him, all of the seen – all that the world had to offer – was vanity (futility, frustration, fading away).
Conversely, the naked (who have given up all) have a chance to see the joy of the unseen.
Philippians 3:14-15
   I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
   Let us therefore, as many as be perfect…

Philippians 3:11
   If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Fellowship demands that we seek and love God with all of our soul and all of our heart.
God’s will, God’s Word and the impressions of the Holy Spirit are paramount.
But our hearts have to be broken open – no secrets – all aspects of our life – for true fellowship with God.
Proper Christian men can relate, be linked, to Christ – as men are to women as God is to mankind.
Ephesians 5:23-24
   For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
   Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

1 Corinthians 11:3
   But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

What do proper Christian men want from a woman?  All of her.  We want a passionate love with her… no secrets.  The material instantiation of this is when she is nude and she exposes all of herself – when her legs are spread.
As men, we can see all of her – with no secrets withheld.  Is that hymen broken?  Does the blood show?  Who is she really?  Is she a hottie who keeps herself in shape – or not so much?  Does she actively beautify every square inch of that body to be a perfected hottie?
This is true fellowship.  We are nude with the legs spread.
In this extreme position, no secrets are withheld.
The world might view this as pornography.
But this is the only way that we can achieve perfection.  (Alternative translations of perfected are: matured, fulfilled, completed.)
Perfection is cleansing every square inch of that exposed woman’s body.
Perfection is cleansing away envy, pride, greed, fear, disbelief, disobedience, etc. and refining patience, obedience, mercy, forgiveness, faith, servitude, strength, etc.
Perfection is accepting every Word of God – even the ‘controversial’ lines – as we walk on water in faith.

Revelation 15:2
   And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Revelation 21:7-8
   He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
   But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Galatians 5:21-23
   Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
   Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Psalm 66:10
   For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

2 Corinthians 13:9
   For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

We have to be that naked woman with the legs spread – showing all of ourselves – no sins hidden.
Only sins that are confessed – admitted and exposed can be forgiven.
We might have pride, arrogance, envy, greed, fear – perhaps a drug problem, or be homosexual, an unbeliever, a rebel, or materialistic.  The list goes on and on.  But we need to examine all to reach perfection.
Ask God to show you your heart and what is there – and what needs to be cleansed.
Psalm 139:23-24
   Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
   And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Job 13:23
   How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

We have to reach the point where we can’t do it anymore and we’ve given up.  We need that new heart from Christ.
Psalm 26:2
   Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

A homosexual man might look at this website and say “I can’t participate.”  “I’m outside.”
He might ponder his origins and say: “This gender bending society created me… or did I succumb?  I don’t know.”
“I can change.”  And then, when this gay man tries to change and fails and is back to his old ways and is worse off then ever…
“Am I ever going to fit into the permanent, sustainable, harmonious world?”
Open those legs – break that heart – expose all of yourself.
The gay man has to say: “Lord, if it’s going to happen for me… it’s going to have to be by your Grace.”
“Because I can’t do it anymore.   I’ve told you all about me.  No secrets.  And I am that failure.  I’ve given up.  I’ve tried.  And, I can’t do it.”
“I can’t do it.”
“I can’t do it.”
“I can’t do it.”
“I can’t do it.”
“I can’t do it... without you.”
“Unless you deliver Grace to me… I can’t do it.”
1 Peter 5:6,10
   Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
   …after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Romans 5:3-4
   …we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
   And patience, experience; and experience, hope

Step by step, we read the Word of God, and we apply it – for the days of our lives.
If we stumble, by not beholding the wisdom of the Word, and rejecting it, our faith fails.
If we repent, Christ can uphold us.
And the reality is we have to walk before we can run – run as a Blade Runner.
How does the run begin?
The run begins by recognizing how we have failed in the mirror of God’s Word.
A broken heart for a broken Law:
Psalm 119:136
   Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

Jeremiah 14:17
   Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.

Matthew 16:13-18
   When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
   And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
   He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
   And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
   And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
   And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Importantly, note that Peter’s words, upon which Christ builds – were revealed by God.
This is Grace – a direct link to God.
And the reality is that we can repent, confess, be baptized, pray and fast… but we have to wait for God to put something special in us.

Romans 3:10-12
   As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
   There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
   They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Zechariah 12:10
   And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications

Ezekiel 37:14
   And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land

Joel 2:29
   And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

We might think that we can do (A) and God will do (B) – stimulus and response.
But the bitter reality is that we unless God gives us that Grace, puts something special inside of us, all of our repentance, confession, baptism, praying and fasting – is in vain – worthless – unless the Lord comes for us.
And there’s nothing we can do about it.
Romans 9:15-18
   For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
   So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
   For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
   Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Mark 4:12
   That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

John 12:40
   He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Isaiah 6:10
   Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

Matthew 22:14
   For many are called, but few are chosen.

But for the broken hearted who are truly his people…
2 Chronicles 34:27
   Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.

…God will one day remember his people.
Joel 2:18
   Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

And in the last days:
Acts 2:17-18
   And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
   And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy

Numbers 11:16-17
   And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
   And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

Isaiah 30:26
   Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.