I really needed to hear the If Only… article. I am always trying to find what I have been doing wrong in order to recieve God’s love better. I want to feel Him and experience Him in a real way outside of my time in church. This article basically said to me that I don’t need to get my act together and perform a certain way. Now reading this and convincing myself that it is true may be a process I think. For so long I have believed these lies and I am not sure how to reverse my beliefs. I attend Dr. John Eckhardts church in Maine and I am privilged to see alot of wonderful ministers but I still feel this lack in my day to day life. I think if I continue to make the choice to believe the truth that God loves me and enjoys me no matter what then eventually I will believe it all the time. This is a good fight that I want to fight and at the end of it all I will be with Jesus and that is all that matters. I love you guys!
thanks. as usual you have reminded me how much our Father loves me. I was saved because of the love of God and hearing about it always takes me right back there, because for me, that was what was real about Him.
Steve, I am so glad whenever I see your messages and those of leaders in God’s church that display His Fatherly love. I was one who deeply experienced Jesus’ love and forgiveness when I was re-born from a very sinful life. It wasn’t long before I brought my striving for approval back into the equation. Mixed into my pure joy of new faith was also the “working” to be a good enough Christian. Prayer, fasting, evangelizing, work, relationships… all had that overtone mixed in. I’ve had many defining moments in the past 5-7 years, where I’ve come more into the “glorious liberty of the sons of God.” It’s made more dramatic change in me than anything since my conversion. One such major healing moment is when I realized that Jesus not only died for the sings I committed, but the sin that were committed against me.
GREAT article SJ!
I also like pointing out to people how Jonah prophesied the destruction of Nineveh, but then it didn’t happen because the people repented. Was he also a false prophet?
Great post.
I love to talk the Word and hear different sides to things because I can learn a lot, but I hate when it gets heated and becomes merely intellectual. The spirit the Word is discussed in means everything. If we do not discuss from our hearts I believe we are speaking emptiness, and advertising for the enemy instead of our wonderful Lord.
I loved this ! So true about the prophets. I think too that as prophets are being trained up they are filtering the word from heaven through thier own experiences and it takes time and “relationship” with God to empty the filter.
Thank you! I always felt that’s how the verse should be interpreted (even without knowing the Greek) and was always confused when preachers used it otherwise. Am happy to see an interpretation that is both intelligent and God-loving. 🙂
Could you say a little more about who the “Torah lawyers” might have been? I am wondering if you think that this would have been a few of leaders or more than a few? Also, I am wondering if you think that any of these were likely acquaintances of Paul and if you think he might have had them (along with others) in mind when he described Israel as being blinded by God?
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem
Lift up your gates and sing!
Hosanna in the highest,
Hosanna to your king…”
Jerusalem’s hope is not the hope of Athens or Rome, New York or London, Singapore or Bejing. Jerusalem’s hope is not stored in parliments or banks, military headquarters or acadamies of science. Jerusalem’s hope is stored in the hearts of Jewish girls and boys from long ago and from this day and tomorrow. And she fears, she shakes and trembles, to lift up her gates, lest she let those girls and boys down. Yet their hope builds in her and burns in her and stirs her passions like the fire of stars swirling within her. And her gates move and her thoughts hear melodies like thunder far away. Seven thunders send their echos near her and she reaches out with her soul to hear their sound, if it might be that she hears any song that is a song of her beloved that she might sing to him. She hears the echos but cannot quite hear the notes. She strains toward the east and toward the north, toward the west and toward the south. Almost she hears. Almost her lips move. Almost her gates begin to rise.
I just discovered this today. I appreciate it. I was taught it meant the violence of faith in the kingdom realm, but I don’t see faith as violent, but a belief in a Person Who changes things.
When I prayed to come to Jesus, my prayer was more of a hope than anything. I prayed an “if You are real I need You-my life is a mess” prayer. He came in and has never left through my legalistic strivings, my times of seemingly less than mustard-seed faith, my times of anger and despair. He has always loved me.
The more I consider “my Christian duty” in areas of politics, what stands to take in the world, etc., the less I know. The only One Who can sort it all out is the Lord, and He hasn’t told me. What He works with me on is loving others and myself with His love. That is all I can handle, and I can’t do that by myself. I am so glad He continues working with me.
If in the Bible , it is written that “God said,” or “the Lord spoke to him saying” especially if you read in Acts, then why say that believers can’t say that today plainly that God said to me?
I mean, when anyone who says God told them this or that..we,- and people in general -don’t have to believe everyone who says that,especially if something in their life causes good reason to doubt.
But to say that one must only uses “I believe, or I think, the Spirit of the Lord may be saying to me. . . , etc. ” when referring to having heard from God
is not good.
When someone says that it means to me that that person is not certain God said something to them..basically doubt and I don’t like to walk around doubting what God said ( though sadly I have to at times I do). So in a sense you seem to be saying one can’t be sure that they heard from God and that’s not right either. I mean God can even send confirmations later to confirm what He said. right?
Like I said if in the Bible like after the four gospels,eg. the epistles especially Acts, and even in the Old Testament it plainly and simply says -God said to (insert name)- please don’t deny others the right to have that kind of certainty in their relationship with God.
like I said saying “maybe I think God is saying to me….” sounds like doubt and doubt is not good. Faith is good.
I am sure God will speak to us clearly word for word if we just simply believe. God doesn’t change and if He simply spoke to people back then (read in Acts of God speaking to people especially through His Spirit) then who’s to say He is not doing that now?
Now Paul is an example I’ve heard about of a person who made sure to distinguish between having been sure God said something to him, or just thinking maybe..
eg :
1 Corinthians 7:25,38-39 NKJV ( you can read the whole chapter if you want to)
25 Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy.
39 A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment—and I think I also have the Spirit of God.
But there are place where he plainly says Jesus said to him
2 Cor. 12:8-9
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
So I guess the best thing is if you aren’t sure you can say
I think, maybe …
but if you have to say that all the time when referring to hearing from God that is not good either to me..its important I think to be sure you hear from God.
I think its important to be trained in this area.But I guess above all you should be born again, rest in God, have true security in your relationship with God,as your Father..I mean even if someone who doesn’t normally hear from God gets in an emergency I am sure God can make some other to save them out of the situation without them having to hear directly from God. But do you think hearing from God directly would makes things a little easier..?
If you are not sure it was God you can can say “maybe, I think..”
but if you have to say this all the time when you get a word from God..that is definitely not good either.at all.
Steve, it is refreshing to get insight into this verse. Wow, that’s one of those I just didn’t know what to do with before. About your comments on scholarship, thanks. I confess I’m one who finds the “experts” hard to take sometimes. I suppose it’s because I perceive a lot of knowledge that “puffeth up” without as much love that “builds up.” Even your sharing of the recent discoveries in the translations and the incompleteness of the translations demonstrates to me that we can’t put scholarship on a pedestal. I think it was Wigglesworth who said that some read the Bible through the Greek; others through the Hebrew; but I’ll read it by the Holy Spirit. I can’t but agree that we need sound doctrine; I just want to see men and women who have their theological heads on straight, but who also understand that the Holy Spirit is controlled by their minds, but rather vice versa. Does that make sense? It’s good for me to hear and consider the things you’ve said though.
Well said. There seems to be a lot of preaching that indicates more of mentality of “we’re not there yet,” instead of abounding in what has already been provided for us. It has the effect of a carrot dangling out in front of us that we’re always reaching for, yet never being good or holy enough to obtain. The more I live and the more I read things like this (which I find wonderfully cleansing and refreshing to the soul, by the way), the easier it is for me to see how pervasive this kind of doctrine is. Thus, the more I am able to be free of it. I don’t want to be “entangled again by a yoke of bondage.”
Steve, oh my word, this is amazing! This is wonderful; and I’ve never, ever, heard this taught like this before. It makes so much sense. I would have considered myself somewhat a \student\ of the scriptures, but do you know why this is also so frustrating for me? I trust the scriptures, that is to say, the translations that are widely published. I do understand that it’s the Holy Spirit that will guide me into all truth, rather than being an \expert in the law.\ Nevertheless, I’m still frustrated, because how is a guy like me, who does not know Greek and Hebrew, who hasn’t been to Bible school, supposed to understand all these nuances? How could I be aware of them? I could have told you in my heart that I understood on a spiritual level that Jesus’ interaction here didn’t mean I worked for salvation by being good, but I sure couldn’t have understood it like you just explained it.
Thank you for your article…we had been asked to pray a “Baal Divorce decree” and “Remarrying God” over places and felt a yellow light..your article helped answer my questions…it is Finished!
This discussion sure is healthy.
We had a church (cult) of fewer than 30 people and the structure was like this…
Apostle at the top and his wife the Pastor
then top tier leaders – 2 lots of couples
2nd tier leaders – 3 lots of couples
3rd tier 4 lots of couples and an individual
All were to have to go through leaders
All were expected to report anything to the leaders in the tier above them and so on and so forth..
what utter controlling self important nonesense…
Any time leaders were set up they were publically then warned that if jezabel raises her head it will be taken out immediately because we dont suffer a Jezabel spirit in this church… nothing like a good threat to shut you down before you start to open up.
We also had a rebukes for not coming to early prayer meetings before church even though we went to my sick mom on the way in.
After being told not to attend a personal invitation by someone to their home, we were dismissed from leadership the next morning… this served only to highlight something was going very wrong and i was not going to go on being controlled… then the problems really started to show up.
Heb 13:17 was trotted out and delivered in the following erroneous teaching…
I “the leader apostle” will be cslled to give an account of your life and your standing in heaven before god will be affected by my report for eterenity.. so you need to make sure i will be able to bring a good repor of you.” What rot… this was planned and deliberate in order to control people.
you think for yourself and believe differently if that impacts on where you put your money and man that brought the devil out of his hidy hole and the threats flowed… oh they were wrapped in scripture but of the twisted variety. the problem isnt jezabel… its the use and abuse of GODs precious word which is used like a stick to beat those who love God and taps into the commited heart of a believer who is willing to submit to anything in order to be pleasing to God.
I for one am more than thankful for this ministry and the truth you bring out, both with sincerity and humour – we need both. x bless you guys.
To quote john Newton,.. “i once was lost but now am found, was blind but now i see…”
we are all born of flesh but dead in adam until we are made alive in Christ. Surely each person alive to Christ is a walking revival?
i have heard about revival, i even went to the Pensecola revival in 99 and i didnt see much in the way of love or consideration amongst the crowds as each fought against another in a selfish scramble to get THEMSELVES to the front to be prayed for…frankly the common understanding of revival leaves me cold. but maybe thats cos we were forced to fake it till bus loads of people in the city came in singing hallelijah to prove it… needless to say they didnt come. fantasy christianity… very bad stuff.
meeting people where they are – exactly – point the way to Christ, show the love of Christ, and let the Lord’s Holy Spirit bring them to himself for them to be revived personally, made alive in Him.
if we gave up on the running to experiencially based meetings to tingle our own soulish emotions with a “touch from God”, we may have more people seeing the reality of Christ in his own..
I believe that spiritual disciplines that help us grow in knowing Jesus more fully are worth pursuing with gusto. Out of that deeper relationship you will be changed.
Disciplines that are done by ourselves to change ourselves will end only in failure.
When I say spiritual maturity, I mean: a person who has walked with the Lord and has practical experience of living as a disciple. It’s not theoretical with them. They have evidences in their life of having done this for some time and it shows. Their character reflects Christ. They have the aroma of Christ about them.
I will sit down and listen to a person more mature than me and actually knows what they are talking about. Both in the natural and the spiritual.
People I avoid are fixated on having Spiritual Authority over other people. Their lives don’t have any Spiritual Maturity. The fruit of the Spirit are definitely lacking in their lives. Oddly this doesn’t cause them to examine themselves and question whether they should be doing what they are doing.
I really needed to hear the If Only… article. I am always trying to find what I have been doing wrong in order to recieve God’s love better. I want to feel Him and experience Him in a real way outside of my time in church. This article basically said to me that I don’t need to get my act together and perform a certain way. Now reading this and convincing myself that it is true may be a process I think. For so long I have believed these lies and I am not sure how to reverse my beliefs. I attend Dr. John Eckhardts church in Maine and I am privilged to see alot of wonderful ministers but I still feel this lack in my day to day life. I think if I continue to make the choice to believe the truth that God loves me and enjoys me no matter what then eventually I will believe it all the time. This is a good fight that I want to fight and at the end of it all I will be with Jesus and that is all that matters. I love you guys!
I completely agree Amy!!
thanks. as usual you have reminded me how much our Father loves me. I was saved because of the love of God and hearing about it always takes me right back there, because for me, that was what was real about Him.
Steve, I am so glad whenever I see your messages and those of leaders in God’s church that display His Fatherly love. I was one who deeply experienced Jesus’ love and forgiveness when I was re-born from a very sinful life. It wasn’t long before I brought my striving for approval back into the equation. Mixed into my pure joy of new faith was also the “working” to be a good enough Christian. Prayer, fasting, evangelizing, work, relationships… all had that overtone mixed in. I’ve had many defining moments in the past 5-7 years, where I’ve come more into the “glorious liberty of the sons of God.” It’s made more dramatic change in me than anything since my conversion. One such major healing moment is when I realized that Jesus not only died for the sings I committed, but the sin that were committed against me.
SJ – LOVED this article and so so agree. You have really ministered to me this morning. Hugs to you from me and noah!!
GREAT article SJ!
I also like pointing out to people how Jonah prophesied the destruction of Nineveh, but then it didn’t happen because the people repented. Was he also a false prophet?
Great post.
Blessings!
I love to talk the Word and hear different sides to things because I can learn a lot, but I hate when it gets heated and becomes merely intellectual. The spirit the Word is discussed in means everything. If we do not discuss from our hearts I believe we are speaking emptiness, and advertising for the enemy instead of our wonderful Lord.
I loved this ! So true about the prophets. I think too that as prophets are being trained up they are filtering the word from heaven through thier own experiences and it takes time and “relationship” with God to empty the filter.
Bless you !
Elizabeth
This is very insightful. I am glad to find a good interpretation of this verse.
Thank you.
Enjoyed the article. Actually learned something new. Keep it coming.
Thank you! I always felt that’s how the verse should be interpreted (even without knowing the Greek) and was always confused when preachers used it otherwise. Am happy to see an interpretation that is both intelligent and God-loving. 🙂
Amen! Many people need to hear this.
This verse in Matthew 11 now makes sense. Thank you.
Les
Could you say a little more about who the “Torah lawyers” might have been? I am wondering if you think that this would have been a few of leaders or more than a few? Also, I am wondering if you think that any of these were likely acquaintances of Paul and if you think he might have had them (along with others) in mind when he described Israel as being blinded by God?
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem
Lift up your gates and sing!
Hosanna in the highest,
Hosanna to your king…”
Jerusalem’s hope is not the hope of Athens or Rome, New York or London, Singapore or Bejing. Jerusalem’s hope is not stored in parliments or banks, military headquarters or acadamies of science. Jerusalem’s hope is stored in the hearts of Jewish girls and boys from long ago and from this day and tomorrow. And she fears, she shakes and trembles, to lift up her gates, lest she let those girls and boys down. Yet their hope builds in her and burns in her and stirs her passions like the fire of stars swirling within her. And her gates move and her thoughts hear melodies like thunder far away. Seven thunders send their echos near her and she reaches out with her soul to hear their sound, if it might be that she hears any song that is a song of her beloved that she might sing to him. She hears the echos but cannot quite hear the notes. She strains toward the east and toward the north, toward the west and toward the south. Almost she hears. Almost her lips move. Almost her gates begin to rise.
I just discovered this today. I appreciate it. I was taught it meant the violence of faith in the kingdom realm, but I don’t see faith as violent, but a belief in a Person Who changes things.
When I prayed to come to Jesus, my prayer was more of a hope than anything. I prayed an “if You are real I need You-my life is a mess” prayer. He came in and has never left through my legalistic strivings, my times of seemingly less than mustard-seed faith, my times of anger and despair. He has always loved me.
The more I consider “my Christian duty” in areas of politics, what stands to take in the world, etc., the less I know. The only One Who can sort it all out is the Lord, and He hasn’t told me. What He works with me on is loving others and myself with His love. That is all I can handle, and I can’t do that by myself. I am so glad He continues working with me.
Amen 🙂
Good stuff, SJ. Thank you for your insights!
If in the Bible , it is written that “God said,” or “the Lord spoke to him saying” especially if you read in Acts, then why say that believers can’t say that today plainly that God said to me?
I mean, when anyone who says God told them this or that..we,- and people in general -don’t have to believe everyone who says that,especially if something in their life causes good reason to doubt.
But to say that one must only uses “I believe, or I think, the Spirit of the Lord may be saying to me. . . , etc. ” when referring to having heard from God
is not good.
When someone says that it means to me that that person is not certain God said something to them..basically doubt and I don’t like to walk around doubting what God said ( though sadly I have to at times I do). So in a sense you seem to be saying one can’t be sure that they heard from God and that’s not right either. I mean God can even send confirmations later to confirm what He said. right?
Like I said if in the Bible like after the four gospels,eg. the epistles especially Acts, and even in the Old Testament it plainly and simply says -God said to (insert name)- please don’t deny others the right to have that kind of certainty in their relationship with God.
like I said saying “maybe I think God is saying to me….” sounds like doubt and doubt is not good. Faith is good.
I am sure God will speak to us clearly word for word if we just simply believe. God doesn’t change and if He simply spoke to people back then (read in Acts of God speaking to people especially through His Spirit) then who’s to say He is not doing that now?
Now Paul is an example I’ve heard about of a person who made sure to distinguish between having been sure God said something to him, or just thinking maybe..
eg :
1 Corinthians 7:25,38-39 NKJV ( you can read the whole chapter if you want to)
25 Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy.
39 A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment—and I think I also have the Spirit of God.
But there are place where he plainly says Jesus said to him
2 Cor. 12:8-9
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
So I guess the best thing is if you aren’t sure you can say
I think, maybe …
but if you have to say that all the time when referring to hearing from God that is not good either to me..its important I think to be sure you hear from God.
I think its important to be trained in this area.But I guess above all you should be born again, rest in God, have true security in your relationship with God,as your Father..I mean even if someone who doesn’t normally hear from God gets in an emergency I am sure God can make some other to save them out of the situation without them having to hear directly from God. But do you think hearing from God directly would makes things a little easier..?
If you are not sure it was God you can can say “maybe, I think..”
but if you have to say this all the time when you get a word from God..that is definitely not good either.at all.
Steve, it is refreshing to get insight into this verse. Wow, that’s one of those I just didn’t know what to do with before. About your comments on scholarship, thanks. I confess I’m one who finds the “experts” hard to take sometimes. I suppose it’s because I perceive a lot of knowledge that “puffeth up” without as much love that “builds up.” Even your sharing of the recent discoveries in the translations and the incompleteness of the translations demonstrates to me that we can’t put scholarship on a pedestal. I think it was Wigglesworth who said that some read the Bible through the Greek; others through the Hebrew; but I’ll read it by the Holy Spirit. I can’t but agree that we need sound doctrine; I just want to see men and women who have their theological heads on straight, but who also understand that the Holy Spirit is controlled by their minds, but rather vice versa. Does that make sense? It’s good for me to hear and consider the things you’ve said though.
… excuse me, “that the Holy Spirit is NOT controlled by their minds.”
Well said. There seems to be a lot of preaching that indicates more of mentality of “we’re not there yet,” instead of abounding in what has already been provided for us. It has the effect of a carrot dangling out in front of us that we’re always reaching for, yet never being good or holy enough to obtain. The more I live and the more I read things like this (which I find wonderfully cleansing and refreshing to the soul, by the way), the easier it is for me to see how pervasive this kind of doctrine is. Thus, the more I am able to be free of it. I don’t want to be “entangled again by a yoke of bondage.”
Steve, oh my word, this is amazing! This is wonderful; and I’ve never, ever, heard this taught like this before. It makes so much sense. I would have considered myself somewhat a \student\ of the scriptures, but do you know why this is also so frustrating for me? I trust the scriptures, that is to say, the translations that are widely published. I do understand that it’s the Holy Spirit that will guide me into all truth, rather than being an \expert in the law.\ Nevertheless, I’m still frustrated, because how is a guy like me, who does not know Greek and Hebrew, who hasn’t been to Bible school, supposed to understand all these nuances? How could I be aware of them? I could have told you in my heart that I understood on a spiritual level that Jesus’ interaction here didn’t mean I worked for salvation by being good, but I sure couldn’t have understood it like you just explained it.
Thank you for your article…we had been asked to pray a “Baal Divorce decree” and “Remarrying God” over places and felt a yellow light..your article helped answer my questions…it is Finished!
This discussion sure is healthy.
We had a church (cult) of fewer than 30 people and the structure was like this…
Apostle at the top and his wife the Pastor
then top tier leaders – 2 lots of couples
2nd tier leaders – 3 lots of couples
3rd tier 4 lots of couples and an individual
All were to have to go through leaders
All were expected to report anything to the leaders in the tier above them and so on and so forth..
what utter controlling self important nonesense…
Any time leaders were set up they were publically then warned that if jezabel raises her head it will be taken out immediately because we dont suffer a Jezabel spirit in this church… nothing like a good threat to shut you down before you start to open up.
We also had a rebukes for not coming to early prayer meetings before church even though we went to my sick mom on the way in.
After being told not to attend a personal invitation by someone to their home, we were dismissed from leadership the next morning… this served only to highlight something was going very wrong and i was not going to go on being controlled… then the problems really started to show up.
Heb 13:17 was trotted out and delivered in the following erroneous teaching…
I “the leader apostle” will be cslled to give an account of your life and your standing in heaven before god will be affected by my report for eterenity.. so you need to make sure i will be able to bring a good repor of you.” What rot… this was planned and deliberate in order to control people.
you think for yourself and believe differently if that impacts on where you put your money and man that brought the devil out of his hidy hole and the threats flowed… oh they were wrapped in scripture but of the twisted variety. the problem isnt jezabel… its the use and abuse of GODs precious word which is used like a stick to beat those who love God and taps into the commited heart of a believer who is willing to submit to anything in order to be pleasing to God.
I for one am more than thankful for this ministry and the truth you bring out, both with sincerity and humour – we need both. x bless you guys.
To quote john Newton,.. “i once was lost but now am found, was blind but now i see…”
we are all born of flesh but dead in adam until we are made alive in Christ. Surely each person alive to Christ is a walking revival?
i have heard about revival, i even went to the Pensecola revival in 99 and i didnt see much in the way of love or consideration amongst the crowds as each fought against another in a selfish scramble to get THEMSELVES to the front to be prayed for…frankly the common understanding of revival leaves me cold. but maybe thats cos we were forced to fake it till bus loads of people in the city came in singing hallelijah to prove it… needless to say they didnt come. fantasy christianity… very bad stuff.
meeting people where they are – exactly – point the way to Christ, show the love of Christ, and let the Lord’s Holy Spirit bring them to himself for them to be revived personally, made alive in Him.
if we gave up on the running to experiencially based meetings to tingle our own soulish emotions with a “touch from God”, we may have more people seeing the reality of Christ in his own..
I believe that spiritual disciplines that help us grow in knowing Jesus more fully are worth pursuing with gusto. Out of that deeper relationship you will be changed.
Disciplines that are done by ourselves to change ourselves will end only in failure.
When I say spiritual maturity, I mean: a person who has walked with the Lord and has practical experience of living as a disciple. It’s not theoretical with them. They have evidences in their life of having done this for some time and it shows. Their character reflects Christ. They have the aroma of Christ about them.
I will sit down and listen to a person more mature than me and actually knows what they are talking about. Both in the natural and the spiritual.
People I avoid are fixated on having Spiritual Authority over other people. Their lives don’t have any Spiritual Maturity. The fruit of the Spirit are definitely lacking in their lives. Oddly this doesn’t cause them to examine themselves and question whether they should be doing what they are doing.