The background is supposed to be a photograph of a jet going though the sound barrier during certain atmospheric conditions.  For a full screen picture click the above link.

Before the microscope was invented
                                   no one knew the microscopic world existed.

OKAY . . . Let us take a honest look at ourselves.  Let us take a hard, honest look at ourselves as individuals, and as a group called human beings.  We lie to ourselves.  We lie to each other.  Usually there are "reasons."  Often we don't know they are lies until something exposes the untruth.  Much of the time, the lies aren't even planned lies.  We just don't know all the facts.  But we sure sound like we know what we are talking about.  How many times have you heard someone telling you something, and you know they have no idea of what they are talking about.  Or worse, they know enough truth to make the lies sound plausible.  It sure sounds good.       Hosea 7:13

If you believe them, they are lying to you.  If you don't believe it, the lie has no power.  If they believe their own bull hockey they are lying to themselves.  If they don't believe what they are telling you, well that is a outright deliberate bald faced LIE.

If you just believe the "false facts" without checking and verifying them you are making a false assumption.  It is Presumption to say, "Well, that is just what I believe."  When the person, or persons, whether lying on purpose or by default, have authority and influence, it is easier to falsely assume they are telling the you the truth.  If a bunch of people are telling you the same falsehood, it is more likely that you will believe a lie also.  If you don't test what they say by the "facts," as you know them, you might be ignorantly deceived, but still deceived.  If you don't want to know the truth, well, . . . Then, you don't want to know the truth.  You are then lying to yourself on purpose.  Aren't you?

You do check your facts though.  You do verify your information.  You do have a wealth of experience.  You have fallen out of a tree before and know gravity exists.  You have been lied to before.  You know to be on guard for that.  You know you don't know everything.  You are open to learning new things, re-assessing and re-evaluating your knowledge.  Thank God, many of us can learn the truth of a subject, if we search and want to know.  God gives wisdom. 

Many of us have learned there is much we don't know.  God knows everything.  We do not.  We don't have to.  There is always something new to learn.  If we knew everything, where would be the joy of finding something new.  When we do learn something it is now our responsibility to act accordingly.  When one know something is right,  one hurts themselves by not acting accordingly.  If you want to jump off the roof you had better guess first how far   it is to the ground.  It would be smarter to look and search for a safe way to climb off the roof.  Wouldn't it?

You might ask, "Ken, this is all pretty obvious, what is your point?"  Simply this, a wise person always checks their "facts."  A wise and smart person considers what he or she thinks they know, remembering they could be wrong, remembering they might not have all the "facts."  Remember the old saying, "Never say never."

Now . . .  The worst problem about that mentioned above is this:

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."    Hebrews 4:12-13

We lie to ourselves.  Modern Psychology has terms:  Rationalization, Projection, Denial, Dissociation,  Intellectualization,  Avoidance, Complaining, Resistance, Repression, Deflection, Conversion, Compensation, Fixation.  Many of these words and terms are called  "Defense Mechanisms."  A good case can be made that these are necessary to keep us from going crazy in a world of sin.  If used destructively, most are a form of lying to oneself.  Let me give one example.  Two people are talking and somehow the subject of religion comes up. 

One says,  "I can't believe there a god who would let someone starve to death or be tortured in war and then make them burn in hell forever.  I wouldn't treat my dog that way.  I've read the Bible. It is just a bunch of people killing each other over religion."

His friend replies, "I wouldn't tempt the devil like that.  If you don't accept Jesus as your Savior you are going to burn in hell too."

????????   Now the first one is actually thinking.  "Well I tried to read the Bible and it wasn't fun reading.  I don't want to talk religion to this yo-yo.  He is like the last church person who insulted me. This guy is probably another fanatic."

????????   And His friend is thinking, "I don't see how God can allow that either.  And my preacher says hell burns forever.  In fact he said I should rebuke the devil.  Maybe this guy is possessed."

Both were lying to themselves and each other.  Neither knew the truth from personal investigation.  And neither, from what is given above, wanted to know the truth.    Acts 17:11   

In both brief examples, the "thoughts and intents of their hearts" were not consistent with their actions.

The story of the prophet Balaam is a very good example of someone's thoughts and intents getting the best of them.  Numbers 22:20-35
The story of Jacob getting the "birthright"  is another. Genesis 25:30-34    Genesis 25:21-34 
The story of Jacob wrestling with God is a positive example of "the thoughts and intents of the heart" in action.  Genesis 32:23-30

1 Chronicles 29:18-19     Job 17:11    Psalm 10:4       Psalm 139:23    Isaiah 55:7    Isaiah 65:2    Matthew 9:4   Matthew 15:19     Matthew 15:16-20    Mark 7:21   Mark 7:20-23   Luke 2:35   Luke 2:25-40   Luke 5:22     Luke 5:17-26     Luke 24:38     Luke 24:36-43     Romans 2:15    Romans 2:14-16    1 Corinthians 3:20     1 Corinthians 3:18-23   Hebrews 4:12   Hebrews 4:8-13   James 2:4     James 2:1-5

The world before "Noah's Flood" was destroyed because of the wicked  "thoughts and intents of the heart" in the people living then. 

"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."    Genesis 6:5-8

"And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever."    1 Chronicles 28:9

So . . .  Do you really want to know the truth of a subject?  Are you willing to search for it as for hid treasure?   Are you interested in seeking for the truth with all your heart?

The following Bible Scripture texts are listed here for your further consideration: 

1 John 3:20-21   1 John 3:16-22    Deuteronomy 4:29   Deuteronomy 4:1-40    Matthew 7:7-8   Matthew 7:1-8    Matthew 7    John 16:13    John 16:12-15    John 16:7-15    Jeremiah 17:9    Jeremiah 17:7-10    Proverbs 14:12  Proverbs 16:23-27    Psalm 24:3-4    Psalm 24    Ephesians 5:19-20    Ephesians 5:17-21    Romans 8:28    Romans 8:26-28    John 16:33   John 16    Deuteronomy 29:29    Luke 10:21   Luke 10:20-24    Ephesians 4:18 Ephesians 4:17-22    Ephesians 4    Proverbs 1:20-33    Daniel 9:20-23    Daniel 9    Romans 1:20   
Romans 1:18-25    2 Peter 3:5    2 Peter 3:3-7    2 Thessalonians 2:11    2 Thessalonians 2:3-12    Romans 15:4    Romans 15:1-7    2 Peter 1:20   2 Peter 1:16-21   Isaiah 28:17   Isaiah 28:9-19   Psalm 15:1-5   Ecclesiastes 8:9 Ecclesiastes 8:5-11    Ecclesiastes 5:13    Ecclesiastes 5:10-20    Jeremiah 7:6    Jeremiah 7:3-11    Jeremiah 25:7 Jeremiah 25:4-7    Proverbs 10:19    Proverbs 10:17-22    Ecclesiastes 5:3    Ecclesiastes 5:7    Ecclesiastes 5   

"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."    2 Peter 3:7   

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."     2 Peter 3:9     2 Peter 3:3-13    2 Peter 3   

"They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."   Isaiah 11:9   Isaiah 11:6-10   Isaiah 11

"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."    Jude 1:24-25    Jude 1