“Those who live by the Spirit hear the encouragement to stand fast in their true life in the midst of a twisted and perverted world.” ~ theshovel stand fast in our true life - that is very different than what religion and the wisdom of the world ‘encourages’. it would seem what they describe us to ‘stand fast’ in (as my hubby so adequately describes) is nothing more or less than human intestinal fortitude. stand fast indeed in christ as our life, not returning to the bondage of worldly wisdom that insists that we are lacking in the things of god unless we work them up and conjure them up by fleshly determination and effort. “For those in the darkness would have us believe that we share in that darkness, when in fact we are sharers in the light.” ~ theshovel indeed, we once were in and defined by the darkness of the world, but in christ we are in the light, walk in the light, live in the light, as he himself IS the light and we are re-born out of darkness and INTO HIS GLORIOUS LIGHT.  :) “To deal honestly with those around us is to deal with them according to the truth we have been re-created in, the life that is always testifying from within us.” ~ theshovel i sooo LOVE that statement. a statement that testifies to the truth of his life that is now shared by us … hidden with god in christ jesus.  :) “To not deal honestly is to pretend along with the confused and darkened mind of the those who live accordingly. The lie is so prevalent and so carefully constructed that we easily overlook just how much effort and intensity it takes to keep up the act. And then we let the pretentious mind convince us that to live in accordance to our true life in Christ is merely pretense. Cunning is the mind of the liar, is it not?” ~ theshovel pretentious - wow - good word. a pretense of ignorance without innocence. yyyyyIKEs i can feel the heat, hate and anger of the pharisaical mind with that one! whoaoaoaoaoaoaohhhhh … a spoonful that is heavy on the ful-!  :) stand fast indeed in the LIBERTY of christ who has free-ed us from the bondage of ignorant, innocent-less pretense!  :) stand fast in the liberty that has made us new, whole and lacking nothing of all that pertains to god and godliness!  :) how? by not listening to and giving in to the lies that bombard us day by day, moment by moment, month after month after year after decade, etc. how? the spirit reminds us and we remind each other, which is our true encouragement and support.  :) this is all very encouraging to that heart and mind that has been set free indeed! :)