Category Archives: additions to our faith

October 16, 2026 · 4:30 pm

The Heart of the Father, the Mind of Christ

[From Chapters 6 and 7 of my book, The Additions to the Faith]

To contemplate Yahweh’s purpose is to seek the mind of Christ and the very heart of the Father. Such a pursuit stretches our small hearts and minds and enlarges them until we begin to see through God’s eyes. As He declares, “My thoughts are not your thoughts.” God has His own agenda and purpose. We, too, have plans and desires for our lives, but few possess the same purpose that fills the heart of our Heavenly Father. Herein lies humanity’s great dilemma. (Isa. 55:8-9)

From the beginning, God has worked according to a master design. Though mankind often wanders from that design, He patiently waits for His crowning creation to come into harmony with His purpose. His dealings with Israel reveal this patience. He took the twelve tribes as His wife, intending to bring forth sons and daughters through a spiritual union with them. Yet they pursued the gods of the nations around them. Through Jeremiah He lamented that faithless Israel had committed adultery and had been given a certificate of divorce. Nevertheless, His mercy remained, and He promised forgiveness and restoration if they would return to Him. (Jer. 3:6-14)

Behind all of God’s dealings stands a purpose that is both simple and profound: God is reproducing Himself through a chosen company of human beings. Certainly, He loves us and desires to save us from sin and self-destruction. The mind of Christ does not remember our sins and faults. Satan does and throws it up to us in a constant barrage of celluloid-like scenes from our sordid past. Satan remembers and hurls memories at our mind until we awaken to what is really going on. No, our father does not remember the sins of our past so, why should we remember them? But salvation is only one part of a much larger eternal plan. To understand that plan, we must consider what is contained within the very word “Father.” (Eph. 1:4-12; Rom. 8:29)

What Is in the Father’s Heart?

A father is one who begets life. The title itself implies offspring, reproduction, and inheritance. One cannot truly be a father apart from children. Thus, the desires of the Father’s heart are revealed in His name. His purpose is to bring forth sons and daughters who bear His likeness and share His nature. (Luke 3:38; Heb. 2:10; 2 Pet. 1:4)

Many claim God as their Father, yet often deny the spiritual law that He established from the beginning: every seed bears after its own kind. If God is truly our Father, then His purpose should become our purpose. His desires should become our desires. We should seek to know His mind and participate in the work that fills His heart. The Father’s great purpose is to reproduce His life, His character, and His love until He fills creation with the expression of Himself. Humanity was created to be the vessel through which this purpose would be accomplished. (Gen. 1:11-12, 26-28; Eph. 3:14-19)

Walking in Agreement with the Spirit

This understanding is essential if we are to walk in the Spirit. Scripture commands us to “walk in the Spirit” and to “abide” in Christ. Yet how can we walk with Someone if we do not know where He is going? As Amos asks, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” To walk in the Spirit requires agreement with the Spirit. We must understand not only where God is leading, but also why He is moving in that direction. (Gal. 5:16, 25; John 15:4-5; Amos 3:3)

Christ perfectly understood this. Throughout His life He was occupied with His Father’s business. He possessed the mind of the Father and devoted Himself to completing the Father’s work. And what was that work? The reproduction of God’s life through the Seed Son. (Luke 2:49; Phil. 2:5; John 4:34; John 17:4)

Creation itself testifies to this purpose. Everywhere we look, life seeks to reproduce itself. Plants bear seed. Animals multiply. Humanity is driven to seek companionship and family. These patterns are not accidental. They are witnesses embedded in creation that point to the Creator’s own purpose. God is reproducing His life and His love, and mankind is the spiritual soil in which this divine work is taking place. (Gen. 1:21-28; Rom. 1:20)

Only when we understand and embrace this purpose can we truly walk in the Spirit and abide in Christ. If our worship, ambitions, and prayers are centered upon a different objective, then we are no longer abiding in Him. To abide in Christ is to remain in fellowship with His purpose and to align ourselves with His plan. (John 15:4-8; 1 John 2:24-28)

From Servants to Friends

This is also the pathway from servanthood into friendship with God. Jesus told His disciples, “I call you not servants … but friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” A servant obeys commands without understanding the larger purpose. A friend is entrusted with the secrets of the heart. What greater privilege could there be than to know what the Father is doing and to be invited into His counsels? (John 15:15; Ps. 25:14)

Nor was this privilege reserved only for the first disciples. In His prayer recorded in John 17, Christ expanded this promise to all who would believe through their testimony. He prayed that we might share in the same unity and glory that existed between Himself and the Father. This invitation extends to us today, if we have faith to receive it. (John 17:20-23)

The promise that whatever we ask in His name will be done is connected to this abiding relationship. When we are united with God’s purpose, our prayers become expressions of His purpose. We begin to ask for the things that advance His work, and those prayers find their answer in Him. (John 15:7, 16; 1 John 5:14-15)

Joining the Father’s Work

The tragedy is that many believers pursue purposes that differ from God’s own. When our ambitions, ministries, and religious activities are rooted primarily in human desires, we mistake our plans for God’s will. True worship is not merely offering God our ideas of what should be done. It is joining ourselves to what He is already doing. (Matt. 15:8-9; Prov. 14:12; Isa. 29:13)

When we understand His purpose and commit ourselves to its fulfillment, something changes within us. The power of the Spirit increases in our lives because we have become fellow workers with Christ in the Father’s business. Christ is finishing the work given to Him, and the members of His body are called to share in that same labor. (1 Cor. 3:9; Mark 16:20; John 14:12)

Our calling is to bear witness to the truth that God is reproducing Himself through the Seed Son. As Christ’s life grows within us, the reality of His resurrection becomes evident through transformed lives, spiritual power, and the works of God manifested through His people. The world is to see the life of Christ expressed through those in whom the Seed has come to maturity. (Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27; Rom. 8:11; John 12:24)

Wisdom Before Power

Yet this journey begins with wisdom and knowledge. It begins with seeing what God is doing and understanding why He is doing it. Significantly, the first gifts of the Spirit listed by Paul are the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge. Before power comes understanding. Before effective service comes revelation. (1 Cor. 12:8; Prov. 4:7)

As we come into agreement with the Father’s purpose, the Spirit supplies the wisdom, knowledge, and gifts necessary for us to participate in His work. And that work, from beginning to end, is the desire that has always filled the Father’s heart: the reproduction of His own life and character in His sons and daughters until His purpose is fully accomplished. (Eph. 4:11-13; Rom. 8:29; Hab. 2:14; 1 Cor. 15:28)

In short, some humans will love God. They are “the called according to His purpose.” He knew them from before. He gave them a predestiny “to be conformed to the image of His Son. He predestinated them; He called and chose them; He justified them and glorified them. Having done all this for us, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. (Romans 8:28-37)

Kenneth Wayne Hancock

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April 4, 2026 · 9:48 am

How Christ Abides in Us—Getting to His Sustained Presence

This knowledge is extremely important—if you want to walk with Him.

Seekers of God must believe He wants them to grow. Without that faith, they remain spiritually immature, blown about like leaves in the wind. Christ has given clear commands for growth: “Abide in Me” and “Add to your faith” the seven attributes of His divine nature (II Peter 1).

These commands—and the seven additions—are explored in my books The Eleventh Commandment and The Additions to the Faith. These attributes are attainable; if Peter, Paul, and John grew into them, so can we. [Get your free copy here: Ordering My Free Books in Paperback | Immortality Road]

Some may think, “Here he goes again about becoming like Christ.” But Scripture says teachers exist to mature the saints until we reach “the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:11–13). Growth into His fullness is our calling.

This abiding is the indwelling of His heart and Spirit. “Christ in you, the hope of glory” becomes reality as we learn and practice the seventh addition—agape love.

Recognizing a command is one thing; learning how to obey it is another. We abide in Christ by believing His words about His presence through the Spirit of truth. He is the vine; we are the branches. Remaining in Him produces “much fruit.”

This aligns with the seven additions. When they are added, we are never barren but full of fruit—“much fruit.” Abiding and adding work together to make our calling and election sure.

Abiding is the sustained presence of the Spirit within us, made possible by these seven qualities, culminating in divine love.

But how do we abide? How do we add? What is the actual way forward?

Christlike Prayer

We abide in Christ through prayer—but not self-centered prayer. True prayer aligns with Christ’s own prayers and with God’s interests. Worship must be “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

Our words to God should reflect what matters to Him. Christ taught this in the model prayer. Prayer shaped by His priorities gains His ear.

Dale Carnegie once wrote, “Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.” If this works with people, how much more with God? Self-focused prayers—“Bless me, help me get this job”—miss the mark. But if we speak with Him about His plan, His purpose, His Kingdom, He will listen.

Christ said the Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask. We ask—not command. When we pray according to His will and His plan, He abides in us.

God’s interests are revealed in the words of Christ, the prophets, and the apostles. He thinks about His Kingdom and His righteousness. Why not talk to Him about these things? Few do.

Thinking His thoughts is abiding in Him. Continuing in His teachings shapes our minds into His mind. Paul urges us, “Let this mind be in you.”

We gain His thoughts through knowledge taught by His servants, and we sustain His thoughts through prayer and study of His purpose.

Prayer becomes the rudder that keeps our minds on course toward the New Jerusalem and toward God Himself.

Abiding in Him

Love for Christ grows from gratitude for deliverance. “We love Him because He first loved us.” Because we love Him, we keep His words. Then He and the Father “make their abode” with us (John 14:23).

There is a progression: gratitude → love → obedience → abiding presence. He fulfills His promise: “I will never leave you.”

One of His commands is “pray.” Scripture emphasizes prayer repeatedly. It is essential. Praying according to His plan keeps us abiding in Him and bearing much fruit—fulfilling God’s purpose of reproducing His nature in us.

Christ promised that if we abide in Him and His words abide in us, our prayers will be answered (John 15:7). Abiding produces the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

Spiritual Growth

Abiding in Him ensures spiritual growth. Look at Peter and Paul before and after the resurrection. If they grew into spiritual powerhouses, so can we. Their teachings—and Christ’s—center on abiding.

Conclusion

Abiding in Christ is not a mystical feeling but a deliberate walk of agreement with His mind, His words, and His purposes. As we pray according to His interests—His Kingdom, His righteousness, His plan for the nations—we open our hearts to the very thoughts of God. In that communion, His Spirit settles in us, shaping our desires and empowering our obedience. This is how Christ abides in us: through a steady exchange of His thoughts for ours, His will for ours, His love poured into our hearts. When we pray His way and think His thoughts, the vine’s life flows into the branches. Fruit appears. Growth becomes inevitable. And the Father’s purpose—to reproduce His own nature in His children—moves steadily toward fulfillment.

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January 19, 2026 · 10:29 am

THE CALL TO GROW: WHY SPIRITUAL FRUIT MATTERS

Christ and His apostles taught a real, measurable spiritual growth—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold—and that this growth is not optional. It is the very purpose for which Christ chose us: to bear enduring fruit, to grow into His likeness, and to make our calling and election sure.

The Vision Many Cannot See

Someone may say, “I just cannot see this spiritual growth you speak about—this thirty‑fold, sixty‑fold, and hundred‑fold fruit‑bearing. Why is it so important? I don’t believe we can be like Christ.”

To such a person I would answer kindly; it is understandable. This vision of sonship is not given to everyone. It is the Creator who calls and chooses. Christ Himself said, “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that you should bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16). There goes Christ again, talking about fruit bearing. Read John 15 alongside the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13, and the pattern becomes unmistakable.

Many gladly receive His gift of salvation but never move beyond it. Not because they are evil, but because they have never been taught the spiritual growth cycle. They assume they do not need it—or worse, they simply do not believe it.

The Tragedy of Refusing the Call

But imagine realizing that you were not chosen to walk with Christ as the early apostles did. Would that not wrench the stomach with a bitter churn of regret? The doubters received salvation, yes—but they rejected His invitation to sit with Him on His throne (Rev. 3:20–21).

They resemble the lukewarm Christians, the five foolish virgins, who missed the great celebration because they dismissed the oil—doctrinal truth—as unimportant. They would not study it, believe it, or walk in it. These five virgins were indeed Christians (Matthew 25:1), yet their unbelief barred them from the royal feast. They hid when they should have feasted with the King. And Christ warns that such loss brings weeping and sorrow.

The Command to Grow

Scripture does not leave us passive. We are told to “make our calling and election sure” and to “examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith.” And what should we find in that examination? A young Spirit of Christ within us—alive, growing, maturing.

So, when someone says, “I don’t believe we can be like Christ,” they are not merely doubting themselves—they are limiting God and rejecting His own declaration: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” I understand the struggle; decades ago, I wrestled with the same doubts. But a mentor helped me cast them off and pursue the calling with certainty. All doubt springs from spiritual blindness. And Scripture tells us plainly what restores sight.

The Seven Additions: God’s Eye Salve

Peter teaches that the seven additions to faith—listed in II Peter 1—is the very eye salve that heals spiritual blindness. Speaking of the additions, Peter writes: “For if these things be in you and abound, they [the additions] make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off…”

These additions are the engine of spiritual growth. They move a believer from barrenness to fruitfulness, from blindness to sight, from mere salvation to sonship. Some will answer this call to bear 100-fold fruit and be His manifested sons and daughters in the end times. Christ spoke it; I am only repeating His words.

Conclusion

Spiritual growth is not an optional doctrine or a private theory. It is the clear teaching of Christ and His apostles. We were chosen to bear fruit, to grow into His likeness, and to walk the path laid out in Scripture. Those who embrace the seven additions to the faith will see; those who refuse remain blind. The call is before us. The fruit is promised. The choice is ours.  Kenneth Wayne Hancock [If you believe me, hit that like button, subscribe and make a comment.]

{I want you to have a free copy of my latest book, The Additions to the Faith. The Spirit is guiding us into knowledge of the seven crucial spiritual, divine attributes—what they are and how to add them to your faith. The books are free for the asking. No strings, no follow-ups. Christ wants us to grow. He has given me light on the subject and the funds to get the truth out there. Instead of putting cash in an offering tray, I publish my own books for the body of Christ. To order: Send your name and mailing address and the title of the book to my email: wayneman5@hotmail.com}

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January 3, 2026 · 6:31 am

Christ the Door into the Heavenly Dimension

The door to the other dimension — the spiritual dimension — is Christ Himself. Scripture teaches that we must enter the Kingdom of God, but the question remains: How do we enter? Jesus answers plainly: “I am the door.” But a door always opens somewhere. Christ is the Door that opens into the righteous, heavenly dimension — the realm where God’s will is done, the realm Jesus taught us to seek when He said, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth…” Through His righteousness, we step from the natural into the spiritual, from the earthly into the heavenly.

Peter expands this truth by explaining that an entrance into this Kingdom is “supplied” to those who add seven attributes to the faith already operating within them (2 Peter 1:1–8). These seven additions are nothing less than the divine nature of Christ, spiritually transposed into our earthly vessels. As we add them, we are not merely improving our character — we are entering the righteous spiritual dimension where God’s Kingdom operates. Christ is the Door, and these attributes are the steps through that Door.

This is the very purpose of God: to multiply His divine nature into “many sons unto glory.” We have been chosen to walk this path of apostleship, following Christ step by step, for “the steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD.” The Kingdom we enter is invisible, spiritual, and real — a dimension into which Christ alone grants access.

Christ has given us “exceeding great and precious promises,” and through these promises we become partakers of His divine nature. Peter, in the opening chapter of his second letter, lists the very qualities that form this path of entrance: virtue, knowledge, self‑control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These are not suggestions; they are commands spoken by an apostle who walked with the Savior Himself.

Peter’s authority is not theoretical. His life bears witness:

•           He performed the first apostolic miracle after Pentecost (Acts 3).

•           He opened the gospel to the Gentiles through Cornelius (Acts 10).

•           He served as a foundational leader and spokesman of the Jerusalem church (Acts 1–12).

•           He authored 1 & 2 Peter, strengthening believers and clarifying doctrine.

•           He displayed boldness under persecution (Acts 4–5).

•           He confessed Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” by revelation of the Father (Matt. 16:16–17).

•           He was restored by Christ and became a model of grace after failure (Luke 22; John 21).

This is the man who tells us how to enter the Kingdom. His words carry weight because he walked with the Door Himself.

Therefore, we can trust Peter when he declares that adding these seven facets to the gem of God’s faith will open to us an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom. Each attribute is a deliberate step deeper into the spiritual dimension where Christ reigns. We are not passive spectators but active participants in this transformation. As we cultivate these qualities, they become signposts marking our progress into the Kingdom, confirming our calling and election.

And the more faithfully we walk in them, the more abundantly the entrance is supplied — until we find ourselves fully stepping through Christ the Door into the dimension He has prepared for His sons and daughters.   Kenneth Wayne Hancock

[For further study on this topic, order my book The Additions to the Faith. It is free with free shipping. Just send me an email with your name, address and the title of the book. Send to wayneman5@hotmail.com]

YOU NEED THIS BOOK.

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November 10, 2025 · 7:27 am

How Trials Become Opportunities for Profound Spiritual Growth

A growth toward becoming like Christ

God’s greatest blessings often come wrapped in the paradox of divine distress—those unique circumstances that, though deeply challenging, become the very ground where agape-love is cultivated within us. These trials and tribulations are in fact opportunities of profound spiritual growth. They provide us with the inescapable chance to love our enemies, to rise above instinct and pride, and to embody a love that is not of this world but of God Himself.

The process by which agape-love is birthed within us is what the Scriptures term “SonPlacing”—the divine intention and plan that God has for every believer. This love, however, is not kindled amid laughter, comfort, or abundance. Like all births, it comes forth from travail, pain, and endurance. The apostle Paul, in his famous discourse on love in 1 Corinthians 13, describes this love as enduring and patient. He writes that love “does not seek after the things which are its own, is not irritated, provoked, exasperated, aroused to anger, does not take into account the evil which it suffers” (1 Corinthians 13:5, Wuest). This passage paints a picture of love that is not reactive, but proactive—a love that transcends circumstances and personal offense.

At the heart of agape-love is forgiveness. The maturation of this divine love is triggered by the experience of being sinned against. If you desire to possess this love, the only appropriate response to hurt or injustice is forgiveness, no matter the situation or depth of the wound.

In Scripture, the words translated as “forgive” and “forgiveness” come from four distinct Greek terms, each rich with meaning. Collectively, they convey the ideas of “sending forth,” “sending away,” “bestowing favor unconditionally,” and “releasing.” Forgiveness, in this sense, is not merely letting go of a grudge or forgetting an offense. It is an absolute annulment of transgression and its consequences, akin to a debt that is not just paid but completely canceled and erased from all records.

Letting Go

This radical form of forgiveness requires that both the failure and any thoughts of retaliation are forever released, as if thrown into a supernal incinerator—never to be retrieved or remembered. Forgiveness, then, is not just about letting go of what was done to us, but also about creating a new reality, one in which the offense is as though it never occurred.

As the psalmist writes, “Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” This is the heart of forgiveness: an act so complete and transformative that it rewrites the narrative of our souls.

A Liberating Experience

Forgiveness, fundamentally, is not a human invention but a divine act. It originates in the heart of God and is extended to us through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When we accept this sacrifice, we experience an unconditional release from the penalties our fallen, carnal nature has accrued. The apostle Paul reminds us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Yet God’s forgiveness is not merely a legal pardon—it is a personal, liberating experience that the church has long called “Salvation.” As we turn our lives toward God, our infractions are erased, and we become spiritually washed, free, and invigorated with new life and energy.

This forgiveness is, at its core, the ultimate gift of love. When we receive forgiveness from God, the seed of divine love—agape—is sown into our hearts. Jesus illustrated this truth in his parable when he asked, “Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?” Simon answered, “I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most.” To receive great forgiveness is to be moved to great love. This initial blossoming of love is what Scripture calls phileo-love—a joyful, grateful affection that springs from having received something wonderful and undeserved. It is, however, only the embryonic stage of agape-love, which is deeper, more self-giving, and unconditional.

Jesus further clarifies this process: “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” This passage reveals that the depth of our capacity for love is directly linked to our experience of forgiveness. Forgiveness received from God for the “good” in our lives produces phileo-love, an affectionate and responsive love. But the journey does not end there. To mature into agape-love, we must extend forgiveness from ourselves, especially in response to the “evil” or wrongdoing we endure from others.

To Love as God Loves

This is the critical transition point in the development of divine love within us. To love as God loves, we must move from being recipients of forgiveness to being dispensers of it. It is not enough to bask in the joy of being forgiven; we must also become agents of forgiveness. This is perhaps the greatest challenge and highest calling of the Christian life. It demands that we forgive those who have hurt us deeply, those who have betrayed or wronged us, just as God has forgiven us. In doing so, we participate in the life of God Himself, becoming channels through which His agape-love flows into the world.

Practically speaking, this transformative process often unfolds in the midst of our greatest struggles and heartaches. The “battlefields” of life—those moments of conflict, disappointment, and loss—are not merely obstacles to be overcome but are opportunities for the birth of something holy within us. When we choose to forgive, to let go of resentment and to release both the offense and the offender into God’s hands, we are shaped into the likeness of Christ.

Our capacity for agape-love expands, and we come to embody the very love that once saved us. In summary, the journey toward agape-love is a path marked by both receiving and giving forgiveness. It is a process initiated by God’s mercy and sustained by our willingness to forgive others as we have been forgiven.

Each circumstance of divine distress becomes a sacred invitation to practice this love, to transcend our natural inclinations, and to participate in the very heart of God. Ultimately, it is through forgiveness—the letting go, the creation of a new reality, and the refusal to keep score—that agape-love is born, matures, and overflows from our lives, blessing not only ourselves but all those around us. [A summary of a portion of Garrison Russell’s book SonPlacing found here: https://sonplace.com/xulon/sonplacing/sp_chp15.htm ]

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July 21, 2025 · 10:27 am

Seek First the Kingdom of the Spirit

Chapter 7 of My New Book: The Abiding

Christ urged us to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness,” establishing a foundational precept for spiritual maturity and abiding. But what is this Kingdom? And where do we find it?

Scripture reveals that God is Spirit (John 4:24), and so His Kingdom must be spiritual as well—an invisible dimension not of this world, whose god is presently Satan. Thus, the Kingdom of God is not material, nor constrained by our five senses. It is a realm that “cometh not with observation” (Luke 17:20) but is “within you,” dwelling in the sanctum of the heart.

The phrase “Kingdom of God” has been diluted through overuse and denominational variation. While traditionally understood as “God’s Kingdom”—a realm belonging to Him—it can also be understood, linguistically and scripturally, as a kingdom comprised of Spirit. Just as “a wall of stone” describes a wall made of stone, “Kingdom of God” declares a government made of Spirit, led by a sovereign Spirit Being.

We are commanded to seek this unseen kingdom—the invisible government of God. It is not confined to temples or earthly forms of worship. True worship is not performed with buildings, rituals, or material offerings. It is an intimate, unseeable communion between our spirit and the Eternal Creator. “The flesh profits nothing; it is the spirit that gives life” (John 6:63). The essence of abiding lies in this deep spiritual connection.

Only those born from above—born of the Spirit—can perceive and enter this dimension (John 3:3-6). The narrow gate through which we enter is Christ Himself: “I am the door of the sheep… whoever enters through Me shall be saved” (John 10:7-9). This entry point begins the process of purification—where old concepts of God are stripped away, and faith becomes sight in the Spirit.

Prayer becomes our vessel into this kingdom. It reaches beyond the veil, into the heavenly dimension where miracles and spiritual battles unfold. Belief is the transport. We are not guided by sight, but by faith—believing before seeing.

The Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of the Spirit: invisible, yet near; eternal, yet now. The Holy Spirit is the breath of this heavenly domain, and those who seek Yahweh “while He may be found” will discover the gate, the truth, and the life.

Even now, His followers are being tested. “Fiery trials” refine faith, preparing us for entry into the realm that awaits beyond the narrow gate. As the apostle declared: “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us” (Acts 17:27).

Here is The Abiding’s central message: the transformative power of abiding in Christ as the pathway to spiritual maturity, union, and divine oneness.

Abiding Begins with Seeking

The abiding life begins with an awakened hunger—to seek first the Kingdom not built by hands but drawn from Spirit. Christ’s invitation to abide is not passive—it is a call to pursue, with intensity, the invisible realm where divine communion unfolds. The Kingdom of the Spirit is not a reward for earthly effort, but the spiritual birthplace of all abiding.

The Gate to Oneness

To abide is to pass through Christ—the narrow gate—and dwell in the unseen realm. It is here, in the Kingdom made of Spirit, that the Son draws us into the Father’s presence. We are not spectators in this Kingdom; we are transformed participants, being shaped in the oneness of Yahweh and Christ. The Spirit is both door and dimension.

The Spirit Over Flesh

Abiding requires departure from the visible and tangible. The flesh profits nothing. Material religion cannot usher us in. True abiding is spiritual worship—truthful, unseen, relational. It is the invisible rhythm of connection, where abiding becomes encounter. This Kingdom is not distant—it is within. It is the heart awakened by the Spirit.

Purification in Union

Faith is the chisel that removes false constructs. Belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ initiates the inward resurrection—where abiding is made possible by purification. As old leaven is cast out, abiding becomes an active dwelling in the Spirit’s government. Our trials refine us not merely for entrance—but for union.

Finding Him Where He Is

To abide is to seek Yahweh where He may be found—in His own dimension, invisible yet near. Just as John touched, saw, and heard the Word made flesh, we too will know Him. For abiding leads to intimacy. The Son abides in the Father, and those who walk through the gate will abide also. This Kingdom is not merely theological—it is our promised home.

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June 13, 2025 · 12:15 pm

God’s Will Is His Harvest: The Call of the Reapers

Introduction: Aligning with the Father’s Desire
Christ’s spiritual sustenance—His source of strength—is found in doing the will of the Father (John 4:34). This divine will, His ultimate desire, is centered on one crucial purpose: the harvest of souls. He calls us to partake in this sacred labor, drawing from the spiritual seeds sown throughout history.

We, His chosen laborers, are not the first to work the fields—we stand upon the work of the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles. They faithfully scattered Yahweh’s seed, looking toward a promise they would not live to see fulfilled. Now, at the time of the harvest, Christ sends reapers to complete the task. What does it mean to answer that call?

The Father’s Desire: The Time of the Harvest

Christ unveils the essence of the Father’s will—to ensure the final harvest takes place. “Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35). The process of sowing and reaping, spoken of throughout scripture, reveals a spiritual truth: each generation lays the foundation for the next.

  • The patriarchs and prophets sowed truth, awaiting the promised redemption.
  • The apostles laid the groundwork, ushering in the New Covenant.

  We stand today as reapers, called to gather the final harvest of souls.

Christ clarifies that reaping is not separate from sowing, but rather a continuation of divine labor. “One sows and another reaps” (John 4:37). Each era has its appointed role. The saints of old, though faithful, did not see the full fruit of their labor. They await a final group—God’s elect, chosen to bring in the harvest of the last days.

End-Time Reapers: A Special Calling

A remarkable aspect of Christ’s teaching is that the Father has already chosen His reapers—those He will guide, protect, and empower. “And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those He has given me, but raise them up at the last day” (John 6:39-40).

This calling is not random nor based on personal merit—it is an appointment of divine purpose.

  • Reapers are sent by Christ Himself (“I sent you to reap what you have not worked for” – John 4:38).
  • They labor in a darkened world, shining forth as sons and daughters of God.
  • They walk under divine protection, just as the faithful before them were spared from destruction.

Recognizing this calling brings clarity to our prayers. Many ask, What is God’s will for my life?—yet Christ has already answered: Pray that the Lord of the harvest will send more laborers into the fields (Matthew 9:38). This is the heartbeat of Christ’s mission—the urgency behind His ministry.

Answering the Call: The Responsibility of the Chosen

If God has chosen us, then our duty is clear. He has equipped His reapers to walk alongside Him, sharing in His compassionate mission to bring souls into His Kingdom. This is not merely knowledge—it is action.

  • Are we willing to step into the labor set before us?
  • Will we align our prayers with Christ’s own request—that more workers be raised up?
  • Will we allow God to shape us into faithful reapers, prepared for the final harvest?

We now understand His will. The question remains—how will we respond?

Conclusion: A Prayer for Laborers
Now that we know exactly what His will is, we can confidently communicate with Him about His harvest. If we desire answered prayers, we must align with His purpose.

“If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14) Lord, raise up Your laborers. Let none be lost. Strengthen the reapers for the fields ahead. May we walk in Your desire, fulfilling Your work, as faithful servants in the greatest harvest of all time.

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June 2, 2025 · 12:24 pm

Come before His Presence with Thanksgiving

 How to Start the Day

The Spirit through the apostle Paul said, “We live, move, and have our being in Him.” We live in the Spirit. We move in the Spirit, and we have our being in the Spirit.

Now Yahweh is that invisible Spirit, and He tells us that we do indeed live, move, and derive our very being in Him. We are literally in his presence!

Now, what do we do? The Spirit urges us to approach His presence with thanksgiving (Psalm 95:2). Our part is to thank Him for the privilege of knowing Him. Give thanks. Thank Him for delivering us from sin and the dreadful selfish path we once trod.

Thank you, Father. Thank you for my wife, children and grandchildren. Thank you for my spiritual family. Thank you for revealing and unveiling your plan to us. Thank you for your Kingdom. Thank you for the wondrous things You have done for us.

Our study of His promises reveals many reasons for gratitude, beyond food and clothing. Christ assured us these needs are met and seeks our faith in His words about spiritual growth.

God is this invisible Spirit. He has said that He is in, around, and through us. This one thing we then need: We need to believe what He has said. “Abide in me, and I in you.” We just need to believe Him. He believes it. Now, if we just believe that He lives and dwells in us, He will manifest himself in and through us. Belief adds the additions to the faith, all the way to manifesting His nature through us! This one thing we can be sure of: If we draw near to Him, he will draw near to us. He will come to us if we will but believe Him.

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May 8, 2025 · 7:53 am

The Anointing, the Abiding, the Additions

Before we can receive God’s indwelling Spirit, we must understand three crucial concepts found in scripture: the anointing, the additions, and the abiding.

We learned earlier that Christ has given us several new commandments regarding what we need to do. One of these is to “purge out the old leaven.” Christ warns us five times to beware of the old leaven, which represents the sins, falsehoods, untruths, and errors in the teachings of old man Adam.

Old leaven symbolizes mankind’s sinful nature and the misleading concepts that lead to spiritual death. Understanding sin and its removal through Christ’s crucifixion is essential. Dying with Christ and believing in His resurrection allows us to live anew in Him. When we believe that He rose from the dead after three days and three nights, we also believe that we have risen with Him. His faith becomes our faith in Him.

The abiding of us in His Spirit and His Spirit in us happens through our reckoning it so (Rom. 6:11). The abiding is Christ’s life “made manifest in our mortal flesh.” By faith in His word and His promises, we acknowledge it to be as He says. We may count it done because He has decreed it accomplished.

Christ instructs us to purge out the old leaven to receive God’s anointing, as His word is truth. After our spiritual death and resurrection with Him (Romans 6:1-12), we still carry faults and errors—seeds of old leaven. As we begin, through His strength, to eliminate these false teachings, Christ starts to anoint us. This spiritual anointing is truth (I John 2:27). Christ’s Spirit takes up residence in us gradually—not all at once—as we get rid of erroneous concepts and abide in Him.

The Anointing:

God anoints prepared vessels who have purged out the old leaven, which symbolizes falsehoods. When we purge the old leaven teachings, God will anoint us with more truth. By us eliminating falsehoods, God reveals more and more truths to us. We must remember that it’s the “unsearchable riches of Christ.”

Christ’s words are truth. He said, “Thy word is truth…I am the way, the truth and the life.” And this word (Logos) is the precept of Oneness. We heard it at the beginning, before anything else existed; we dwelled in Him and He in us. It’s “the word which ye have heard from the beginning.” That word is the Oneness of Agape Love—us in Him and He in us all.

It is the oneness of the Father in the Son, and this truth abides in us; we are members of the Son’s body. The anointing = the truth = the Holy Spirit of Truth = God. The additions to the faith are seven facets of God’s divine nature to be added to the Son’s faith that we now have (II Peter 1:1-12).

All of the above are the steps He has laid out to fulfill His purpose: To reproduce Himself—in us.

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March 11, 2025 · 11:59 am

Thinking God’s Thoughts–The Additions and the Abiding

Thinking God’s Thoughts–The Additions and the Abiding

(from a Journal entry dated 7-30-14)

If you want to hear from God today, soften your heart by believing. Believing what exactly? Believe that God exists and is there, very near to you. And that He reveals Himself to those who search for Him with all their heart. We need to believe Him, like a little child believes—with all our heart (Heb. 11:6).

That is why it is so important to tell children the truth. For they will believe you. They’ll believe you, for instance, about Santa Claus and the flying reindeer, until the day they discover their first betrayal, until the day when they trade their faith in for a plastic phony world.

Nevertheless, God promises true things to His children. He promises everlasting life and power that overcomes obstacles in our lives—starting today—if we do not doubt Him. He has promised us that if we believe Him, then He, the Spirit of truth, will come and dwell/abide in us!

But, first, we must abide in Him. We must dwell in Him by getting rid of untruths and, frankly, the doctrinal errors that we all have been subjected to. He calls this “purging out the old leaven” (I Cor. 5:7; see Purge Out the Old Leaven = Getting Rid of False Concepts | Immortality Road).

This is “abiding in Him.” When this is done, then He will abide in us. This is how spiritual growth works. For it is when His Spirit dwells fully in us that we will show forth Him! This is the fulfilling of His purpose: God’s will is for Him to reproduce Himself, and “God is agape Love.”

We abide in Him when we think His thoughts. It is when we “get our minds right” and “get with His program” that we can abide in Christ. This leads to Christ fully dwelling/abiding in us.

Again, to abide in Him and He in us is to think His thoughts. This is having the same mind that Christ has. “Let this mind be in you” (Phil. 2:5).

How to Think His Thoughts

Two spiritual tools exist to help us train our minds to think His thoughts. For Yahweh’s thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa. 55:8). So then, our minds must be re-educated. We are born from a matrix of doubt and disbelief. We have been misled about what the truth is. So, the Master Teacher has prescribed prayer and fasting to cast out the unbelief.

Put another way, the two increase belief. They add to our faith. In fact, the seven additions to the faith are added by faith/belief, and God has ordained that prayer and fasting come into our spiritual life. He not only desires this for us, but He also makes it happen (II Peter 1:5-12).

Adding the seven additions is the only way in scripture to “make our calling and election sure (v. 10).” These seven “things make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Him. Adding them ensures that we will bear much spiritual fruit (v. 8). By adding them to our faith, we are ensured “an entrance…into the everlasting kingdom…” (v. 11). [See Additions to the Faith to Make Our Calling and Election Sure–To Be Like Peter, James, John, and Paul | Immortality Road

For His elect have their destiny pre-determined by God. And He will restore what we had with Him in the beginning—which are the seven additions to the faith.

Peter is imploring us to take heed. Take the additions to heart. If you want to be in His elect cadre, we must add the attributes of His divine nature. The Spirit is telling us to add them. We must do this. We do not work for salvation; it is a gift. But we must work to spiritually grow through study and prayer. We work because He has saved us for a purpose: To be laborers in His last day vineyard.    Kenneth Wayne Hancock [For more on this, send for my new book, The Additions to the Faith. It is free with free shipping. Send your name, mailing address, and the name of the book to my e-mail: wayneman5@hotmail.com].

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